NI-VISA Runtime version for LabVIEW 2018 ?

[asnuaaron]

Hi everyone,

I am using NI-VISA Runtime version 22.5 in my executable application built with LabVIEW 2018.  The application communicates to devices over 3 USB ports

My customers are running Windows 11 and they are experiencing random USB port lock ups.  Recovery is achieved by un-plugging and re-connecting the USB cable(s).

The following NI article lists NI-VISA version 21.5 as being the last version compatible with LabVIEW 2018

NI-VISA and LabVIEW Version Compatibility - NI

My questions are...

1. Is NI-VISA version 22.5 compatible with LabVIEW 2018 ?  It is not listed in the NI compatibility table
   
   
2. How can I select NI-VISA version 2022 Q3 or 21.5 in the Installer Build Specification ?  Only version 22.5 is listed
   
   

Thanks very much

[rolfk · Accepted solution]

In the case of NI-VISA you can pretty much forget the NI compatibility list. Basically the VISA driver interface itself has been very stable since many many years and even the latest VISA 24Q1 will simply work with even pretty old LabVIEW versions (7.x should be safe, earlier versions could run into problems).

What the LabVIEW compatibility chart indicates is what extra support such as example VIs and resource files and similar the installer can install into a particular LabVIEW development version. For a runtime application you do not need any of those files but only the NI-VISA DLL and passport drivers and that is LabVIEW version independent. The only thing you should refrain from trying to do is to use an old VISA runtime installation into a newer LabVIEW application. The VISA API has seen minor changes in the past but they should be all upwards compatible (but not the opposite).

[asnuaaron]

Thanks for your very clear answer Rolf.  Much appreciated.