Experts and novices alike will lust after the latest LabView

In coming up with a new version of LabView—LabView 7 Express—the developers of NI's (National Instruments') flagship graphical data-acquisition, instrument-control, analysis, and presentation environment have outdone themselves (Picture). Engineers and scientists who had hung back from becoming LabView users because they felt that the product's power didn't justify its learning curve can begin productively using the new version in a small fraction of the time earlier versions required.

What's more, LabView's huge army of already-fanatical fans will find the new version's speed and extended capabilities irresistible. System-resource requirements are similar to those of the previous version, LabView 6.1; existing applications run without modification; and many functions execute 10 to 16 times as fast as they did in LabView 6.1. "Express" is now part of the product name; buyers don't get to choose between LabView and LabView Express. However, those who want a familiar look and feel can configure LabView 7 Express to emulate the user interface of earlier versions without sacrificing the new version's increased speed or power.

The centerpieces of the improved ease of use are Express VIs (virtual instruments). Right out of the box, each of these configurable software modules performs the functions of multiple older VIs. Novice users can make many hardware products from NI and other companies perform widely used functions without programming—that is, without interconnecting modules on screen with virtual wires. The only required user action is to specify important parameters via interactive dialogue boxes.

In addition, by adding optional software modules, users can turn LabView 7 Express into a development platform for implementing real-time control either in FPGAs or in modular hardware—including the company's FieldPoint line. Adding other software modules enables developing data-acquisition and -control applications that run in PDAs; modules for the Palm OS and Windows CE are available. US prices for LabView 7 Express start at $995. FPGA, PDA, real-time, and data-logging/supervisory-control modules cost $1995 each.

National Instruments, 1-800-258-7022, www.ni.com.