Thank you for using NI-Serial for Windows, Version 3.2.
This file contains release notes, patent information, and last-minute information for NI-Serial for Windows. Some information in this file may be too recent to be included in the official documentation set.
The Readme contains the following main sections:
Release Notes
Supported Interfaces
PCI
PXI
USB
ENET
ExpressCard
PCMCIA
ISA
Enhancements in Version 3.2
Enhancements in Version 3.1
Enhancements in Version 3.0
Enhancements in Version 1.8
Problems after upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista
Deprecated Serial I/O Requests
Incorrect serial number displayed in Device Manager
CreateFile COM Name Issue
ENET Configuration Issues
Contacting National Instruments
Patent Information
Release Notes
NI-Serial for Windows, Version 3.2, is the latest driver offering from National Instruments. Every attempt has been made to maintain backward compatibility with the installed base of existing NI-Serial applications.
Supported Interfaces
NI-Serial for Windows, Version 3.2, supports the hardware listed below on Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista. If the hardware is also supported on Windows NT/Me/9x, the last released driver with support for that interface is listed.
PCI Interfaces
32-bit Windows
2000, XP, Vista,
Server 2003
64-bit Windows
XP, Vista,
Server 2003
Windows
NT, Me, 9x
Standard
# Ports
Isolated
MAX Baud (kb/s)
PCI-8430/2
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
2
No
1000.0
PCI-8430/4
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
4
No
1000.0
PCI-8430/8
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
8
No
1000.0
PCI-8430/16
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
16
No
1000.0
PCI-8431/2
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
2
No
3000.01
PCI-8431/4
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
4
No
3000.01
PCI-8431/8
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
8
No
3000.01
PCI-8432/2
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
2
Yes
1000.0
PCI-8432/4
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
4
Yes
1000.0
PCI-8433/2
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
2
Yes
3000.01
PCI-8433/4
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
4
Yes
3000.01
PCI-232/2
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
2
No
115.2
PCI-232/4
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
4
No
115.2
PCI-232/8
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
8
No
115.2
PCI-232/16
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
16
No
115.2
PCI-485/2
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
2
No
460.8
PCI-485/4
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
4
No
460.8
PCI-485/8
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
8
No
460.8
PCI-232I/2
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
2
Yes
115.2
PCI-232I/4
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
4
Yes
115.2
PCI-485I/2
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
2
Yes
460.8
PCI-485I/4
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
4
Yes
460.8
PXI Interfaces
32-bit Windows
2000, XP, Vista,
Server 2003
64-bit Windows
XP, Vista,
Server 2003
Windows
NT, Me, 9x
Standard
# Ports
Isolated
MAX Baud (kb/s)
PXI-8430/2
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
2
No
1000.0
PXI-8430/4
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
4
No
1000.0
PXI-8430/8
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
8
No
1000.0
PXI-8430/16
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
8
No
1000.0
PXI-8431/2
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
2
No
3000.01
PXI-8431/4
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
4
No
3000.01
PXI-8431/8
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
8
No
3000.01
PXI-8432/2
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
2
Yes
1000.0
PXI-8432/4
3.2
3.2
x
RS-232
4
Yes
1000.0
PXI-8433/2
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
2
Yes
3000.01
PXI-8433/4
3.2
3.2
x
RS-485/422
4
Yes
3000.01
PXI-8420/2
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
2
No
115.2
PXI-8420/4
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
4
No
115.2
PXI-8420/8
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
8
No
115.2
PXI-8420/16
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
16
No
115.2
PXI-8421/2
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
2
No
460.8
PXI-8421/4
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
4
No
460.8
PXI-8421/8
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
8
No
460.8
PXI-8422/2
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
2
Yes
115.2
PXI-8422/4
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-232
4
Yes
115.2
PXI-8423/2
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
2
Yes
460.8
PXI-8423/4
3.2
3.2
1.5
RS-485/422
4
Yes
460.8
USB Interfaces
32-bit Windows
2000, XP, Vista,
Server 2003
64-bit Windows
XP, Vista,
Server 2003
Windows
NT, Me, 9x
Standard
# Ports
Isolated
MAX Baud (kb/s)
USB-232
3.2
x
x
RS-232
1
No
230.4
USB-232/2
3.2
x
x
RS-232
2
No
230.4
USB-232/4
3.2
x
x
RS-232
4
No
230.4
USB-485
3.2
x
x
RS-485/422
1
No
460.8
USB-485/2
3.2
x
x
RS-485/422
2
No
460.8
USB-485/4
3.2
x
x
RS-485/422
4
No
460.8
ENET Interfaces
32-bit Windows
2000, XP, Vista,
Server 2003
64-bit Windows
XP, Vista,
Server 2003
Windows
NT, Me, 9x
Standard
# Ports
Isolated
MAX Baud (kb/s)
ENET-232/2
3.2
x
1.01 (NT)
RS-232
2
No
230.4
ENET-232/4
3.2
x
1.01 (NT)
RS-232
4
No
230.4
ENET-485/2
3.2
x
1.01 (NT)
RS-485/422
2
No
460.8
ENET-485/4
3.2
x
1.01 (NT)
RS-485/422
4
No
460.8
ExpressCard Interfaces
32-bit Windows
2000, XP, Vista,
Server 2003
64-bit Windows
XP, Vista,
Server 2003
Windows
NT, Me, 9x
Standard
# Ports
Isolated
MAX Baud (kb/s)
ExpressCard-8420/2
3.2
x
x
RS-232
2
No
230.4
ExpressCard-8421/2
3.2
x
x
RS-485/422
2
No
460.8
PCMCIA Interfaces
32-bit Windows
2000, XP, Vista,
Server 2003
64-bit Windows
XP, Server 2003
64-bit Windows
Vista
Windows
NT, Me, 9x
Standard
# Ports
Isolated
MAX Baud (kb/s)
PCMCIA-232
3.2
3.2
x
1.5
RS-232
1
No
921.6
PCMCIA-232/2
3.2
3.2
x
1.5
RS-232
2
No
921.6
PCMCIA-232/4
3.2
3.2
x
1.5
RS-232
4
No
115.2
PCMCIA-485
3.2
3.2
x
1.5
RS-485/422
1
No
921.6
PCMCIA-485/2
3.2
3.2
x
1.5
RS-485/422
2
No
921.6
PCMCIA-2322
3.2
3.2
x
1.5
RS-232
1
No
115.2
PCMCIA-232/22
3.2
3.2
x
1.5
RS-232
2
No
115.2
PCMCIA-4852
3.2
3.2
x
1.5
RS-485/422
1
No
115.2
PCMCIA-485/22
3.2
3.2
x
1.5
RS-485/422
2
No
115.2
ISA Interfaces
32-bit Windows
2000, XP
64-bit Windows
XP, Vista
Windows
NT, Me, 9x
Standard
# Ports
Isolated
MAX Baud (kb/s)
ISA-232/22
3.1
x
1.5
RS-232
2
No
115.2
ISA-232/42
3.1
x
1.5
RS-232
4
No
115.2
ISA-485/22
3.1
x
1.5
RS-485/422
2
No
115.2
ISA-485/42
3.1
x
1.5
RS-485/422
4
No
115.2
ISA-232I/22
3.1
x
1.5
RS-232
2
Yes
115.2
ISA-232I/42
3.1
x
1.5
RS-232
4
Yes
115.2
ISA-485I/22
3.1
x
1.5
RS-485/422
2
Yes
115.2
ISA-485I/42
3.1
x
1.5
RS-485/422
4
Yes
115.2
1 The two-wire auto control mode for RS-485 transceiver control has a maximum baud rate of 2000 kb/s.
2 This hardware has been obsoleted but is still supported by NI-Serial for Windows
Enhancements in Version 3.2Add support for Windows Vista
NI-Serial 3.2 adds support for Windows Vista. See Supported Interfaces for a list of supported hardware.
Enhancements in Version 3.1New hardware support for LabVIEW Real-Time
NI-Serial 3.1 adds support for cRIO, FieldPoint, and Compact Vision controllers on LabVIEW Real-Time.
Enhancements in Version 3.0New hardware support for LabVIEW Real-Time
NI-Serial 3.0 adds support for the PCI/PXI-843x family of hardware on LabVIEW Real-Time.
Enhancements in Version 1.8Support for Windows XP x64 and Windows Server 2003 x64
NI-Serial for Windows, Version 1.8, adds support for Microsoft Windows XP x64 and Windows Server 2003 x64 for all PCI, PXI, and PCMCIA interfaces.
Baud rates up to 3 Mb/s
NI-Serial for Windows, Version 1.8, adds support for custom baud rates up to 3 Mb/s on PCI/PXI-8431/8433 hardware. The two-wire auto control mode for RS-485 transceiver control has a maximum baud rate of 2 Mb/s.
New communication utility
NI-Serial for Windows, Version 1.8, includes a new serial communication utility. The Serial Communicator can be used to test serial hardware configuration and communication. The Serial Communicator is available in Measurement & Automation Explorer.
Problems after upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista
Windows Vista allows users to upgrade from Windows XP, including migration of installed programs. NI-Serial should be uninstalled from Windows XP prior to upgrading to Windows Vista. National Instruments serial hardware should also be removed before attempting to upgrade.
If you performed a Windows-XP-to-Windows-Vista upgrade without uninstalling your NI-Serial software and hardware first, please do not attempt to install, uninstall, or otherwise use your NI-Serial software. Please visit ni.com/info, enter Info Code RDSIIS, and follow the instructions to repair your system.
Deprecated Serial I/O Requests
The following Serial I/O Requests were deprecated in Version 1.8:
Device I/O Control Request: SERIAL_IOCTL_SET_TRANSCEIVER_MODE
Major I/O Request: IRP_MJ_INTERNAL_DEVICE_CONTROL
Incorrect serial number displayed in Device Manager
If you swap one PCI/PXI serial card for another of the exact same type, the serial number shown in the device manager and MAX may not change. This happens because Windows is unable to distinguish the old hardware from the new. To fix this problem, delete the interface from the system and either scan for new hardware in the device manager or restart your computer. This will force Windows to reinstall your hardware and the correct serial number should be displayed.
CreateFile COM Name Issue
The "CreateFile" function from the Microsoft Win32 API will fail for port names COM10 and greater. To use these ports, and for the function to succeed, append the string "\\\\.\\" before the port name. For example, to open COM10, use the string "\\\\.\\COM10" for the port name. (This is because the full name of the port is actually \\.\COM10, and all '\'-characters must be doubled per the C language syntax.)
ENET Configuration Issues
ENET-232 and ENET-485 devices are configured by default to use DHCP to acquire network parameters. If your network does not support DHCP, the Serial ENET's DHCP attempt will time out (after 90 seconds) and you will need to use the included NI Ethernet Configuration utility to assign static network parameters manually. In this case, it may be necessary for you to contact your network administrator for assistance. For more information regarding this utility, refer to the Serial Hardware and Software for Windows Help file.
If your network does support DHCP, and you are experiencing problems communicating with your device either with the hostname or are having difficulties with the Troubleshooting Wizard, you may have a problem with your DNS Server. There is a detailed explanation of this problem in the Serial Hardware and Software for Windows Help file in the "Using DHCP" and "Troubleshooting" sections.
Contacting National Instruments
Thank you for your interest in NI-Serial. We appreciate communicating with the people who use our products. We are also very interested in hearing about the applications you develop using our products. Our Web site, ni.com, provides advanced support and services and contact information.
Patent Information
For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help>>;Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your CD, or ni.com/patents.