User manual

Fundamentals of Building

Windows Applications

This chapter describes the fundamentals of creating NI-DAQ applications

in Windows 2000/NT/98/95.

The following section contains general information about building

NI-DAQ applications, describes the nature of the NI-DAQ files used

in building NI-DAQ applications, and explains the basics of making

applications using the following tools:

• Borland C++ for Windows

• Microsoft Visual C++

• Microsoft Visual Basic

If you are not using the tools listed, consult your development tool

reference manual for details on creating applications that call DLLs.

The NI-DAQ Libraries

The NI-DAQ for Windows function libraries are DLLs, which means that

NI-DAQ routines are not linked into the executable files of applications.

Only the information about the NI-DAQ routines in the NI-DAQ import

libraries is stored in the executable files.

Note

Use the 32-bit

nidaq32.dll

. If you are programming in C or C++, link in the

appropriate import library. See the following sections for language-specific details.

Using function prototypes is a good programming practice. That is

why NI-DAQ is packaged with function prototype files for different

Windows development tools. The installation utility copies the appropriate

prototype files for the development tools you choose. If you are not using

any of the development tools that NI-DAQ works with, you must create

your own function prototype file.