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readme improvements for upcoming public announcements
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=========== =================================================================================================================================
Info Contains a Python API for interacting with NI-DAQmx. See `GitHub <https://github.com/ni/nidaqmx-python/>`_ for the latest source.
Author National Instruments
=========== =================================================================================================================================
+------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| **Info** | Contains a Python API for interacting with NI-DAQmx. See |
| | `GitHub <https://github.com/ni/nidaqmx-python/>`_ for the |
| | latest source. |
+------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| **Author** | National Instruments |
+------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

.. contents:: Table of Contents
:depth: 1
:backlinks: none

About
=====

The **nidaqmx** package contains an API (Application Programming Interface)
for interacting with the NI-DAQmx driver. The package is implemented in Python.
The package is implemented as a complex,
highly object-oriented wrapper around the NI-DAQmx C API using the
for interacting with the NI-DAQmx driver.

Documentation
-------------

You can find the latest API documentation for the **nidaqmx** package on
`Read the Docs <http://nidaqmx-python.readthedocs.io/en/latest>`_.

Refer to the `NI-DAQmx Help <http://digital.ni.com/express.nsf/bycode/exagg4>`_
for API-agnostic information about NI-DAQmx or measurement concepts. NI-DAQmx
Help also installs locally with the full version of NI-DAQmx.

Implementation
--------------

The package is implemented in Python as a complex, highly object-oriented
wrapper around the NI-DAQmx C API using the
`ctypes <https://docs.python.org/2/library/ctypes.html>`_ Python library.

Supported NI-DAQmx Driver Versions
----------------------------------

**nidaqmx** supports all versions of the NI-DAQmx driver that ships with the C
API. The C API is included in any version of the driver that supports it. The
**nidaqmx** package does not require installation of the C header files.
API. The **nidaqmx** package does not require installation of the C header
files.

Some functions in the **nidaqmx** package may be unavailable with earlier
versions of the NI-DAQmx driver. Visit the
`ni.com/downloads <http://www.ni.com/downloads/>`_ to upgrade your version of
NI-DAQmx.
versions of the NI-DAQmx driver. Refer to the Installation section for details
on how to install the latest version of the NI-DAQmx driver.

Operating System Support
------------------------

**nidaqmx** supports Windows and Linux operating systems where the NI-DAQmx
driver is supported. Refer to
`NI Hardware and Operating System Compatibility <https://www.ni.com/r/hw-support>`_
for which versions of the driver support your hardware on a given operating
system.

Python Version Support
----------------------

**nidaqmx** supports CPython 3.8+ and PyPy3.

Installation
============

Running **nidaqmx** requires NI-DAQmx to be installed. Visit
`ni.com/downloads <http://www.ni.com/downloads/>`_ to download the latest
version of NI-DAQmx. None of the recommended **Additional items** are required
for **nidaqmx** to function, and they can be removed to minimize installation
size. It is recommended you continue to install the **NI Certificates** package
to allow your Operating System to trust NI built binaries, improving your
software and hardware installation experience.

**nidaqmx** can be installed with `pip <http://pypi.python.org/pypi/pip>`_::
**nidaqmx** can be installed with `pip <http://pypi.python.org/pypi/pip>`_ from
`pypi <https://pypi.org/project/nidaqmx/>`_::

$ python -m pip install nidaqmx

Similar Packages
================
Automatic Driver Installation
-----------------------------

There are similar packages available that also provide NI-DAQmx functionality in
Python:
Running **nidaqmx** requires NI-DAQmx to be installed. The **nidaqmx** module
ships with a command-line interface (CLI) to streamline the installation
experience. You can install the NI-DAQmx driver using the following command::

- `daqmx <https://pypi.org/project/daqmx/>`_
(`slightlynybbled/daqmx on GitHub <https://github.com/slightlynybbled/daqmx>`_)
provides an abstraction of NI-DAQmx in the ``ni`` module.
$ python -m nidaqmx installdriver

- PyLibNIDAQmx (`pearu/pylibnidaqmx on GitHub <https://github.com/pearu/pylibnidaqmx>`_)
provides an abstraction of NI-DAQmx in the ``nidaqmx`` module, which collides
with this package's module name.
On Windows, this command will download an online streaming installer from
ni.com. On Linux, this will download the repository registration package for
your Linux distribution and install the driver using your package manager. For
more details on what versions are being installed, refer to the
`_installer_metadata.json <https://github.com/ni/nidaqmx-python/blob/master/generated/nidaqmx/_installer_metadata.json>`_
on GitHub that is distributed with the **nidaqmx** package.

Manual Driver Installation
--------------------------

Visit `ni.com/downloads <http://www.ni.com/downloads/>`_ to download the latest
version of NI-DAQmx. None of the recommended **Additional items** are required
for **nidaqmx** to function, and they can be removed to minimize installation
size. It is recommended you continue to install the **NI Certificates** package
to allow your Operating System to trust NI built binaries, improving your
software and hardware installation experience.

Getting Started
===============
In order to use the **nidaqmx** package, you must have at least one DAQ (`Data Acquisition <https://www.ni.com/en/shop/data-acquisition.html>`_)
device installed on your system. Both physical and simulated devices are supported. The examples below use an X Series DAQ device
(e.g.: PXIe-6363, PCIe-6363, or USB-6363).
You can use **NI MAX** or **NI Hardware Configuration Utility** to verify and configure your devices.
In order to use the **nidaqmx** package, you must have at least one DAQ
(`Data Acquisition <https://www.ni.com/en/shop/data-acquisition.html>`_) device
installed on your system. Both physical and simulated devices are supported. The
examples below use an X Series DAQ device (e.g.: PXIe-6363, PCIe-6363, or
USB-6363). You can use **NI MAX** or **NI Hardware Configuration Utility** to
verify and configure your devices.

Finding and configuring device name in **NI MAX**:

Expand All @@ -79,8 +115,18 @@ Finding and configuring device name in **NI Hardware Configuration Utility**:
:align: center
:width: 800px

Tasks in NI-DAQmx
-----------------
Python Examples
===============

You can find a variety of examples in the GitHub repository in the
`nidaqmx-python examples <https://github.com/ni/nidaqmx-python/tree/master/examples>`_
directory.

Core Concepts in NI-DAQmx
=========================

Tasks
-----
A task is a collection of one or more virtual channels with timing, triggering, and other properties.
Refer to `NI-DAQmx Task <https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/ni-daqmx/page/tasksnidaqmx.html>`_ for more information.

Expand All @@ -92,8 +138,8 @@ Example code to create a task:
>>> with nidaqmx.Task() as task:
... pass
Virtual Channels in NI-DAQmx
----------------------------
Virtual Channels
----------------
Virtual channels, or sometimes referred to generically as channels, are software entities that encapsulate the physical channel
along with other channel specific information (e.g.: range, terminal configuration, and custom scaling) that formats the data.
A physical channel is a terminal or pin at which you can measure or generate an analog or digital signal. A single physical channel
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -307,8 +353,6 @@ Following is an example of using an **nidaqmx.system.System** object.
>>> isinstance(phys_chan.ai_term_cfgs[0], Enum)
True
You can find more examples in `nidaqmx-python examples <https://github.com/ni/nidaqmx-python/tree/master/examples>`_.

Bugs / Feature Requests
=======================

Expand All @@ -335,19 +379,6 @@ Please include **all** of the following information when opening an issue:
to determine the version of NI-DAQmx you have installed.
- The operating system and version, for example Windows 7, CentOS 7.2, ...

Documentation
=============

Documentation is available `here <http://nidaqmx-python.readthedocs.io>`_.

Additional Documentation
========================

Refer to the `NI-DAQmx Help <http://digital.ni.com/express.nsf/bycode/exagg4>`_
for API-agnostic information about NI-DAQmx or measurement concepts.

NI-DAQmx Help installs only with the full version of NI-DAQmx.

License
=======

Expand Down

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