This file contains installation instructions and compatibility information for NI-VISA 21.0.
You can find more release information on ni.com.
NI-VISA Release Notes: Known issues, bugs fixed since the last release, and other notes about this release
NI-VISA Manuals: New features, behavior changes, and other documentation
Contents
Overview
System Requirements
NI Application Software Support
Installation Instructions
Product Security and Critical Updates
New Features
Legal Information
Overview
NI-VISA is the NI implementation of the Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA), a standard for configuring, programming, and troubleshooting instrumentation systems comprising GPIB, VXI, PXI, Serial, Ethernet, and/or USB interfaces.
System Requirements
NI-VISA 21.0 for macOS supports the following platforms:
macOS 11.x
macOS 10.15.x
Note The online version of this readme supersedes the readme provided with the installation media to contain an updated list of supported macOS platforms.
NI-VISA for macOS currently supports the following resource types and utilities:
GPIB
Serial
PXI/PCI
TCPIP
Remote Client
Remote Server
ENET Serial
USB
VISA Interactive Control
NI I/O Trace
Note NI-VISA for macOS supports only 64-bit applications.
NI Application Software Support
The following table lists the NI application software versions supported by NI-VISA:
NI Application Software
Versions Supported by NI-VISA
NI LabVIEW
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Installation InstructionsLabVIEW Installation
You can install all of your LabVIEW products—including NI-VISA—using the LabVIEW 2021 Platform media. Refer to the LabVIEW Installation Guide on the LabVIEW Platform media for installation instructions and system requirements.
To request additional LabVIEW Platform media, visit ni.com/r/media.
Note If you purchased this product with an NI Software Suite or NI Product Bundle, use the installation media that shipped with your purchase to install this product.
Installed Files and Paths
There are three main locations where NI-VISA installs files.
The local /Library/Frameworks folder contains the VISA.framework folder. This folder contains all needed headers and supporting Passport libraries that NI-VISA uses.
In the local /Applications/National Instruments folder, there is an NI-VISA folder. This folder includes the NI-VISA Help, as well as several groups of C examples using NI-VISA. This NI-VISA folder also includes a graphical utility called NI-VISA Configuration to configure VISA options and the VISA Interactive Control (VISAIC).
Finally, the /Library/Preferences folder contains an NIvisa folder with .ini files. These files are used for NI-VISA settings and status codes.
Product Security and Critical Updates
Visit ni.com/security to view and subscribe to receive security notifications about NI products. For information about critical updates from NI, refer to Available Critical and Security Updates for NI Software.
New FeaturesNI-VISA 15.0
Added support for NI MAX.
NI-VISA 14.0
Added support for 64-bit versions of LabVIEW.
Added support for the System Configuration API.
Added support for viGpibControlREN on TCPIP resources that use the VXI-11 protocol.
NI-VISA 5.3
Improved performance of viRead for a HiSLIP resource.
NI-VISA 5.2
Improved performance of viWrite for a HiSLIP resource.
NI-VISA 5.1.2
Added support for 64-bit kernel for OS X.
Added OS X 10.7 support.
NI-VISA 5.1
Added support for HiSLIP.
Added the VISA Interactive Control (VISAIC) stand-alone application. Refer to the NI-VISA Help for more information on the updates to VISAIC.
NI-VISA 5.0
Added OS X 10.6 support.
Added support for 64-bit formatted I/O.
Dropped GPIB-VXI support.
NI-VISA 4.5
Added automatic detection of LXI (TCP/IP) devices that support the mDNS and DNS-SD technologies.
NI-VISA 4.0.1
Added support for the PXI/PCI Passport on the x86 architecture.
Added native support for the NI-VISA Configuration Utility on the x86 architecture.
NI-VISA 4.0
Added support for OS X on the x86 architecture, aka Mactel.
Added support for 64-bit data transfers in register-based operations, to support the VISA 4.0 specification.
Added support for DTR/DSR flow control. The Agilent 34401A requires DTR/DSR flow control when used via Serial. Note that not all Serial port drivers on OS X support DTR/DSR. We have tested the Agilent 34401A with NI-VISA 4.0 using the Keyspan USA-19HS and verified that it works properly.
Legal Information
Copyright
© 1995–2021 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.
Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation.
NI respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.
Third-Party Legal Notices
You can find third-party legal notices in the /Library/Application Support/National Instruments/Legal Information directory.
U.S. Government Restricted Rights
If you are an agency, department, or other entity of the United States Government ("Government"), the use, duplication, reproduction, release, modification, disclosure or transfer of the technical data included in this manual is governed by the Restricted Rights provisions under Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.227-14 for civilian agencies and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Section 252.227-7014 and 252.227-7015 for military agencies.
IVI Foundation Copyright Notice
Content from the IVI specifications reproduced with permission from the IVI Foundation.
The IVI Foundation and its member companies make no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The IVI Foundation and its member companies shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.
Trademarks
Refer to the NI Trademarks and Logo Guidelines at ni.com/trademarks for information on NI trademarks. Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
Patents
For patents covering the NI products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the NI Patent Notice at ni.com/patents.