Instrument Launcher for myDAQ

[Peter_Cresswell]

Hello,

I recently got a myDAQ and I installed all the software on the Software Suite 2014 DVD along with all the updates and

I registered and activated everything. When plugged in everything is ok in Device Manager but Instrument Launcher is

not started.Going to the programs menu and selecting NI Instrument Launch gives a NI ELVISmx Instrument Launcher

window and not the launcher bar.

Thank you for any help.

Peter

[nikale]

Hi Peter,

I believe what you're seeing is the new UI. If you anticipate using NI ELVISmx frequently it is possible to pin the NI ELVISmx Instrument Launcher to the taskbar. I hope this helps!

- Kale

[Peter_Cresswell]

Thank you for the reply. I'm still trying to learn about the myDAQ. I was hoping to have that "Instrument bar" with the icons on the top edge of the screen.

I see no options anywhere to do that. I first thought of using the "Favorites" section of the program but that did nothing.

Again thanks.

-Pete

[Donovan_B]

The same instruments that were along the top row of the previous instrument launcher should be available by default on the Instruments & Apps page of the current instrument launcher, so you should still be able to access the same instruments.

[Peter_Cresswell]

Yes, thank you. I've used that option to start lab work for two MOOC classes I'm taking on edX.

I guess I just wanted the "old" way with the launch bar.

-Pete

[Peter_Cresswell]

...continuing, I still don't know what the Favorites page is for. I first thought it was to build that quick launch bar. But that didn't work.

-Pete

[Donovan_B]

The Favorites page is for grouping items on different pages in a single location. For instance, you could add the DMM and FGen from the Instruments page and a link to NI MAX from the Resources page by clicking the star in the upper left corner of each item. These items would then be added to the Favorites page. So, if there are certain instruments you use more than others and you only want a view with those instruments, you could add them to the Favorites page for a customized view.

The "old" bar does not exist with the new launcher. What about the previous bar did you like better than the newer interface? Since this is a brand new interface, we would very much appreciate feedback.

[Peter_Cresswell]

Donovan,

Actually, as of this last weekend it is my first time using NI software.

I had concerns when the "old" launcher did not come up when I first

plugged in my myDAQ as described in the getting started docs.

I was not sure if the install or the myDAQ was bad. I searched for

some option to set up the launch bar on the desktop. Ok, so the

new UI is different, I will figure out how to use it now that I know.

I just liked the idea of being able to quickly get to the instruments

form icons on the desktop. I guess I can create shortcuts on desktop 

to the instruments in the instruments directory. It seems all of the docs

both on-line and installed on the computer refer to the "old" launcher.

Or at least I don't remember seeing any references to the "new" launcher.

I'm not sure if I understand your explanation of the Favorites tab.

Where do these customized views that you create in the Favorites

tab appear in NI MAX.

While looking for help I found a broken link to the myDAQ User Guide

in the Resources tab in the launcher (Error - You are not authorized

to view this document.).

Thanks for all the help,

-Pete

[Donovan_B]

Pete,

The myDAQ User Guide link should be accessible now and have brief information on the new launcher. It seems there were duplicate links set up that were causing some issues. The NI ELVISmx Help has some more documentation on the launcher. It is available online here or from the Resources page of the launcher.

The launcher has never been an actual part of the desktop. It has always been a separate application, with additional instruments and resource links when you hover over it. That part hasn't changed. It may have looked like the links were desktop icons, but it was a running executable as it is now. It just had a more compact interface. The new interface is based largely on feedback we've received about the launcher features not being as intuitive or user friendly as we would like.

As for the Favorites, I may not have been clear. Nothing new will show up in MAX. Everything on the Favorites page must also exist on one or more other pages in the launcher. There is an explanation of how to use the Favorites in the NI ELVISmx Help, but I'll elaborate a little here. When you hover over an item on a page, you should see a star in the upper left corner. If you click on this star, that item will be added to the Favorites page. For instance, if you use Arbitrary Waveform Generator most often and would like to avoid searching through all the instruments to find it every time, you can add it to Favorites and quickly access your most frequently used items.