Hands-On Introduction to LabVIEW for Scientists and Engineers

Hands-On Introduction to LabVIEW for Scientists and Engineers takes a "learn-by-doing" approach to acquiring the computer-based skills used in daily experimental work. Ideal as either a course textbook or a self-study supplement, the book explores practical programming solutions for carrying out interesting and relevant projects. Readers--who are assumed to have no prior computer programming or LabVIEW background--will begin writing meaningful programs in the first few pages. Instructors using the text can easily choose the desired depth of coverage for their courses.

Chapter 1. The While Loop and Waveform Chart; Sine Wave Plot Using A While Loop And Waveform Chart; Block Diagram Editing; LabVIEW Help; Front Panel Editing; Pop-Up Menu; Finishing the Program; Program Execution; Program Improvements; Date-Type Representations; Automatic Creation Feature; Program Storage; Do It Yourself; Problems; Chapter 2. The For Loop and Waveform Graph ; Sine Wave Plot Using A For Loop And Waveform Graph; Waveform Graph; Owned and Free Labels; Creation of Sine Wave using For Loop; Cloning Block-Diagram Icons; Auto-Indexing Feature; Running the VI; X-Axis Calibration of the Waveform Graph; Sine Wave Plot Using A While Loop And Waveform Graph; Array Indicators and the Probe; Do It Yourself; Problems; ; Chapter 3. The Mathscript Node and XY Graph ; Sine Wave Plot Using A Mathscript Node And Waveform Graph; Debugging with Error List; Waveform Simulator Using A Mathscript Node and XY Graph; Creating an XY Cluster; Running the VI; Mathscript Interactive Window; Adding Shape Options to Waveform Simulator; The Enumerated Type Control; Finishing the Block Diagram; Running the VI; Control and Indicator Clusters; Creating an Icon Using the Icon Editor; Icon Design; Connector Assignment; Do It Yourself; Problems; Chapter 4. Data Acquisition using DAQ Assistant ; Data Acquisition VIs; Data Acquisition Hardware; Analog Input Modes; Range and Resolution; Sampling Frequency and the Aliasing Effect; Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX); Simple Analog Input Operation on a DC Voltage; Digital Oscilloscope; Analog Output; DC Voltage Source; Software-Timed Sine-Wave Generator; Hardware-Timed Waveform Generator; Placing a Custom-Made VI on a Block Diagram; Completing and Executing Waveform Generator (Express); Modified Waveform Generator; Do It Yourself; Problems; Chapter 5. Data Files and Character Strings ; Storing Data in a Spreadsheet-Formatted File; Storing a 1D Data Array; Transpose Option; Storing a 2D Data Array; Controlling the Format of Stored Data; The Path Constant and Platform Portability; Fundamental File I/O VIs; Adding Text Labels To Spreadsheet File; Blackslash Codes; Do It Yourself; Problems; Chapter 6. Shift Registers ; Power Function Simulator VI; Numerical Integration Using A Shift Register; Numerical Integration via the Trapezoidal Rule; Trapezoidal Rule VI; Convergence Property of the Trapezoidal Rule; Numerical Differentiation Using A Multiple-Terminal Shift Register; Modularity and Automatic SubVI Creation; Do It Yourself; Problems; ; Chapter 7. The Case Structure ; Numerical Integration via Simpson's Rule; Parity Determiner Using a Boolean Case Structure; Summation of Partial Sums Using A Numeric Case Structure; Trapezoidal Rule Contribution Using Boolean Case Structure; Numerical Integration Using Simpson's Rule; Comparison of the Trapezoidal Rule and Simpson's Rule; Do It Yourself; Problems; Chapter 8. The Sequence Structure ; Event Timer Using A Sequence Structure; Event Timer Using Data Dependency; Highlight Execution; Do It Yourself; Problems; Chapter 9. Built-In Analysis VIs-Curve Fitting ; Temperature Measurement Using Thermistors; The Linear Least-Squares Method; Inputting Data to a VI Using A Front-Panel Control; Inputting Data to a VI By Reading From a Disk File; Slicing Up a Multi-Dimensional Array; Curve Fitting Using the Linear Least-Squares Method; Residual Plot; Do It Yourself; Problems; ; Chapter 10. Analysis VIs-Fast Fourier Transform ; The Fourier Transform; Discrete Sampling and the Nyquist Frequency; The Discrete Fourier Transform; Fast Fourier Transform (FFT); Frequency Calculator VI; FFT of Sinusoids; Applying the FFT to Various Sinusoidal Inputs; Magnitude of the Complex-Amplitude; Leakage and Windowing; Observing Leakage; Analytic Description of Leakage; Description of Leakage Using the Convolution Theorem; Windowing; Estimating Frequency and Amplitude; Aliasing; Do It Yourself; Problems; Chapter 11. Data Acquisition and Generation using DAQmx VIs ; DAQmx VIs; Simple Analog Input Operation on a DC Voltage; Digital Oscilloscope; Express VI Automatic Code Generation; Limitation of Express VIs; Improving the Digital Oscilloscope VI; Analog Output Operations; Waveform Generator; Do It Yourself; Problems; ; Chapter 12. PID Temperature Control Project ; Voltage-Controlled Bi-Directional Current Driver for; Thermoelectric Device; PID Temperature Control Algorithm; PID Temperature Control System; Chapter 13. Control of Stand-Alone Instruments ; The VISA Session; The IEEE 488.2 Standard; Common Commands; Status Reporting; Device-Specific Commands; Specific Hardware Used in this Chapter; Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX); Simple VISA-Based Query Operation; Message Termination; Getting and Setting Communication Properties using a Property Node; Performing a Measurement over the GPIB 644; Synchronization Methods; Measurement VI Based on the Serial Poll Method; Measurement VI Based on the Service Request Method; Creating An Instrument Driver; Using the Instrument Driver to Write an Application Program; Do It Yourself; Problems; Appendix I: Construction of Temperature Control System