PICKERING INTERFACES’ PCI / PXI GETTING STARTED GUIDE
Step 1: Selectyour module type.
Step 2: Select therequired driver
Step 3: Check thatthe pre-requisites
for the driver are
already installed.
Step 4: Install therequired driver byfollowing the lettercross-reference.

SwitchingDirectI/O forPXI and
LXI
pilpxi(includedin pipx40)

Direct I/O

VISA

LabVIEW
RT
VISA

–

VISA

C

(no Soft
Front
Panelsavailablefor LVRT)

Instrument

IVI

IVI RT.NET

VISA+ICPVISA+ICP(IVIcompliancepackage)(IVI
compliancepackage)

pilpxi(Includedin pipx40)

piplx *(ClientBridge)

pilpxi(Includedin pipx40)

pipx40pipx40pi40iv(VISA)

pi40iv(VISA)

A

CC

C

B

B

non VISA,
VISA,
IVI

C

Depends on
the above
selection, for
VISA > VISA
for
IVI > VISA+ICP

E

D* piplx includes picmlx and adds pipslx (LXI Power Sequencer) driver.

A

B

Installer: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/drivers/Sys60 ClientBridge
DVD: \downloads\Drivers_LXI\ClientBridge v[Version].exe
Default Install Location - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\Pickering Interfaces Ltd\ClientBridge
Default Install Location - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\Pickering Interfaces Ltd\ClientBridge
LabVIEW LLB - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Piplx\piplx.llb
LabVIEW LLB - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Piplx\piplx.llb
Note: Direct I/O Driver – piplx / picmlx The PIPLX library is a driver for Pickering LXI devices, including LXI modular. It is basedon the Pickering PXI kernel driver pilpxi but with minor changes to cope with the access of an LXI chassis. An additional library,the communications module picmlx provides the extra functionality required to manage the LXI resource. This module provides
mechanisms for locating and opening a session onto a remote LXI device. This library may also be used to control Pickering 40
Series Switch cards in a local PXI chassis, calling the PXI driver when a device on a local PXI address is opened.
Installer: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/drivers/IVI/ IVI-C Driver (use latest)
DVD: \downloads\Drivers_IVI\Pickering Interfaces IVI Switch Driver - pi40iv_4.xx.xx.exe
Default Install Location - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\IVI\Drivers\pi40iv
Default Install Location - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\IVI\Drivers\pi40iv
LabVIEW LLB - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pi40iv\pi40iv.llb
LabVIEW LLB - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pi40iv\pi40iv.llb
Note: IVI Driver - pi40iv The pi40iv IVI (Interchangeable Virtual Instrument) driver supports all Pickering Interfaces PXI switch
cards that are consistent with the IVI switch class model. Based on VISA it integrates well with LabWindows/CVI and LabVIEW,
and is fully compatible with NI Switch Executive.

Note: VISA Driver - pipx40 The pipx40 driver conforms to the VISA (Virtual Instrument Software Architecture) standard forprogrammable instrumentation. Instrument control environments such as LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI are based on VISA,
making this driver the natural choice when using them if IVI compliance is not required.
Note: Direct I/O Driver - pilpxi The pilpxi driver accesses cards directly, without using the VISA interface model, while offering
similar overall functionality to pipx40. Although it can be used in VISA-based environments, doing so sacrifices integration with themany useful VISA configuration and debug tools; hence this driver has only minimal support for LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI.
It is more commonly used in general-purpose Windows environments such as Visual C++ and Visual Basic. There is generally
little difference in operating speed between the VISA and Direct I/O drivers.

DE

Installer: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/drivers/Sys41/ various instruments
DVD: \downloads\Instruments
Default Install Location: Instrument dependent
LabVIEW LLB: C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\[driver_name]Installer: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/drivers .NET
DVD: \downloads\Drivers_LXI\ClientBridge.NET v[Version].exe
Note: .NET Particularly suitable for .NET programming environments.
See the Pickering Wiki: https://www.pickeringtest.com/kb/software-topics for more information on driver installation.
Programming examples available at: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/example_software/www.pickeringtest.com

E-mail: support@pickeringtest.com

ISSUE 2.1 SEP 2018C

Installer: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/drivers/PXI%20Drivers/
DVD: \downloads\Drivers_PXI\PXI_Installer\Default Install Location - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\Pickering Interfaces Ltd\ (Pipx40 or Pilpxi)
Default Install Location - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\Pickering Interfaces Ltd\ (Pipx40 or Pilpxi)
VISA LabVIEW LLB - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pipx40\pipx40.llb
VISA LabVIEW LLB - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pipx40\pipx40.llb
Direct I/O LabVIEW LLB - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pilpxi\pilpxi.llb
Direct I/O LabVIEW LLB - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pilpxi\pilpxi.llb

PICKERING INTERFACES’ LXI GETTING STARTED GUIDE
Switching and selected
Instrument Modules
Step 1:
Select therequired driver
Step 2: Check thatthe pre-requisites
for the driver are
already installed.

Step 3: Install therequired driver byfollowing the lettercross-reference.

Direct I/Opilpxi(Includedin pipx40)

C

IVI

VISA+ICP(IVIcompliancepackage).NET

pilpxi(Includedin pipx40)

Cpiplx *(ClientBridge)

pi40iv(VISA)

A

A

B

E

+

* piplx includes picmlx and adds pipslx (LXI Power Sequencer) driver.

A

B

Installer: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/drivers/Sys60 ClientBridge
DVD: \downloads\Drivers_LXI\ClientBridge v[Version].exe
Default Install Location - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\Pickering Interfaces Ltd\ClientBridge
Default Install Location - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\Pickering Interfaces Ltd\ClientBridge
LabVIEW LLB - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Piplx\piplx.llb
LabVIEW LLB - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Piplx\piplx.llb
Note: Direct I/O Driver – piplx / picmlx The PIPLX library is a driver for Pickering LXI devices, including LXI modular. It isbased on the Pickering PXI kernel driver pilpxi but with minor changes to cope with the access of an LXI chassis.
An additional library, the communications module picmlx provides the extra functionality required to manage the LXI
resource. This module provides mechanisms for locating and opening a session onto a remote LXI device. This library
may also be used to control Pickering 40 Series Switch cards in a local PXI chassis, calling the PXI driver when a device
on a local PXI address is opened.
Installer: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/drivers/IVI/ IVI-C Driver (use latest)
DVD: \downloads\Drivers_IVI\Pickering Interfaces IVI Switch Driver - pi40iv_4.xx.xx.exe
Default Install Location - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\IVI\Drivers\pi40iv
Default Install Location - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\IVI\Drivers\pi40iv
LabVIEW LLB - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pi40iv\pi40iv.llb
LabVIEW LLB - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pi40iv\pi40iv.llb
Note: IVI Driver - pi40iv The pi40iv IVI (Interchangeable Virtual Instrument) driver supports all Pickering Interfaces PXI switch
cards that are consistent with the IVI switch class model. Based on VISA it integrates well with LabWindows/CVI andLabVIEW, and is fully compatible with NI Switch Executive.

C

Installer: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/drivers/PXI%20Drivers/
DVD: \downloads\Drivers_PXI\PXI_Installer\Default Install Location - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\Pickering Interfaces Ltd\Pilpxi
Default Install Location - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\Pickering Interfaces Ltd\Pilpxi
LabVIEW LLB - 32-bit OS: C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pilpxi\pilpxi.llb
LabVIEW LLB - 64-bit OS: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW [Version] \instr.lib\Pilpxi\pilpxi.llb

E

Installer: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/drivers .NET
DVD: \downloads\Drivers_LXI\ClientBridge.NET v[Version].exe

Note: Direct I/O Driver - pilpxi The pilpxi driver accesses cards directly, without using the VISA interface model, whileoffering similar overall functionality to pipx40. Although it can be used in VISA-based environments, doing so sacrifices
integration with the many useful VISA configuration and debug tools; hence this driver has only minimal support forLabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI. It is more commonly used in general-purpose Windows environments such as VisualC++ and Visual Basic. There is generally little difference in operating speed between the VISA and Direct I/O drivers.

Note: .NET Particularly suitable for .NET programming environments.

See the Pickering Wiki: https://www.pickeringtest.com/kb/software-topics for more information on driver installation.
Programming examples available at: www.pickeringtest.info/downloads/example_software/www.pickeringtest.com

E-mail: support@pickeringtest.com