NI PXie 5433 CSV file format

[vishwas95]

I have an excel file (.csv file format) containing the data of arbitrary waveform generated using a another function generator. I want to generate the same arbitrary waveform using NI PXie 5433 for better accuracy. When I load the file in the soft panel (Instrument Studio) provided by NI, it throws an error that it cannot read the data from the file I have loaded. Please suggest me any way of loading .csv file or in case if any template exist let me know. Thanks in advance.

[Bob_Schor]

It helps us to help you if you attach a VI showing what you tried, as well as an example of the file you are trying to read.  Among other things, this tells us what version of LabVIEW you are using, and how (if at all) you are using the Read Delimited Spreadsheet function.  I recommend you find this function on the File I/O palette and read the Detailed Help (which should solve your problem).

Bob Schor

[JoeFriedchicken]

Hi! I'm sorry for the frustration here 😕

The documentation about generating CSV waveforms is a little too simple, and I can see why you encountered this obstacle.

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@vishwas95 wrote:

I have an excel file (.csv file format) containing the data of arbitrary waveform generated using a another function generator. I want to generate the same arbitrary waveform using NI PXie 5433 for better accuracy. When I load the file in the soft panel (Instrument Studio) provided by NI, it throws an error that it cannot read the data from the file I have loaded.

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I have a question and a suggestion.

Would you attach the first few rows of your CSV file to a post? I want to understand how the data is structured in the file.

Secondly, there are two ways to generate CSV waveforms using InstrumentStudio.

1. Standard waveform :: User-Defined
   A User-Defined Function is a custom periodic waveform that the hardware can easily translate to different frequencies via DDS. It's like playing back a single cycle and changing its pitch. In this mode, the CSV file must have exactly 8192 samples because the hardware uses DDS to change frequency.
   
   
2. Arbitrary waveform
   An Arbitrary Waveform is a custom waveform that the host can update while the hardware is generating. It's like streaming with on-the-fly samples; but at this time, you can only stream by using the API. In this mode, InstrumentStudio will read the CSV file, which can have any number of samples, and then replay it on loop.

For either mode, InstrumentStudio 2018 expects the channel sample data to be in the same row (see attached file for a sine wave). For the 2019 release, we have added a few more CSV structures, and I suspect your other function generator uses column-major data, where the sample data is in one column, but InstrumentStudio 2018 cannot read CSV files with this structure.

[vishwas95]

Hi Joe,

I am using Instrument Studio 2018. I am attaching sample pic of the samples.

[JoeFriedchicken · Accepted solution]

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@vishwas95 wrote:

I am using Instrument Studio 2018. I am attaching sample pic of the samples.

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Thanks!

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I suspect your other function generator uses column-major data, where the sample data is in one column, but InstrumentStudio 2018 cannot read CSV files with this structure.

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Yes, this data file is column-major. To transpose them in Excel, use the transpose Paste modifier.

[vishwas95]

Hi Joe,

Thank you so much for your help.

[MaxBil]

Hello, 

I am trying to do very similar : 

I want to generate a sine burst using the "user-defined" option within InstrumentStudio.

I am using a PXIe-5423 card for generation and a PXIe-5105 for measurement.

I previously verified that I could generate a simple sine and measure it, which worked perfectly.

I am facing the problem discussed above ( error :  Could not load data from: signal_burst_sinusoidal.csv.  )

My data is arranged as proposed (not column major) and csv. 

I tried using 8192 samples under standard waveform and still no success. Here is a screenshot of my data :  

Thanks in advance for your support,