A-14    API Custom Program Models                                    Appendix A Personal Daq User’s Manual 
 
Summary Guide of Selected API Functions 
 
Simple One-Step Routines 
For single gain, consecutive channel, foreground transfers, use the following functions: 
Foreground Operation  Single Scan  Multiple Scans 
Single Channel 
daqAdcRd daqAdcRdN 
Consecutive Multiple Channels 
daqAdcRdScan daqAdcRdScanN 
 
Complex A/D Scan Group Configuration Routines 
For non-consecutive channels, high-speed digital channels, multiple gain settings, or multiple polarity settings, use the SetScan 
functions. 
daqAdcSetScan 
Set scan sequence using arrays of channel and gain values. 
daqAdcSetMux 
Set a contiguous scan sequence using single gain, polarity and channel flag values 
 
Trigger Options  
After the scan is set, the trigger needs to be set.  If a software trigger is selected, the start time of the scan depends on the 
application calling daAdcSoftTrig. 
DaqAdcSetTrigEnhanced  Configures the device for enhanced triggering. 
 
Multiple Scan Timing 
If the acquisition is to have multiple scans and the trigger mode is one-shot, the pacer clock needs to be set with one of the 
following functions: 
daqAdcSetRate 
Set/Get the specified frequency or period for the specified mode. 
daqAdcSetFreq 
Set the pacer clock to the given frequency. 
 
A/D Acquisition  
A/D acquisition settings are not active until the acquisition is armed.  
daqAdcArm  
Arm an A/D acquisition using the current configuration.  If the trigger source was set to be immediate, 
the acquisition will be triggered immediately. 
daqAdcDisarm 
Disarm the current acquisition if one is active.  This command will disarm the current acquisition and 
terminate any current A/D transfers. 
daqAdcSetAcq 
Define the mode of the acquisition and set the pre-trigger and post-trigger acquisition counts, if 
applicable. 
daqAdcAcqGetStat 
Return the current state of the acquisition as well as the total number of scans transferred thus far as 
well as the trigger scan position, if applicable. 
 
A/D  Data Transfer 
After the acquisition is started, the data needs to be transferred to the application buffer.  Three routines are used: 
DaqAdcTransferSetBuffer 
Configure a buffer for A/D transfer.  Allows configuration of the buffer for block and single reading 
update modes as well as linear and circular buffer definitions.  
DaqAdcTransferStart 
Start a transfer from the Personal Daq device to the buffer specified in the 
daqAdcTransferSetBuffer command  
DaqAdcTransferStop 
Stop a transfer from the Personal Daq device to the buffer specified in the 
daqAdcTransferSetBuffer command 
To find out whether a background A/D transfer is complete or to stop transfers, use the following function: 
DaqAdcTransferGetStat 
Return current A/D transfer status as well as a count representing the total number of transferred 
scans or the number of scans available. 
 
Digital Functions         ( Does not apply to Personal Daq/54 ) 
After the digital group is configured, the ports can be read or written a byte at a time.   Note that “low/high” and “digital I/O” are 
accessed a nibble at a time.  A single bit of a digital channel can be read or written using the following routines: 
daqIOReadBit 
Return indicated bit from selected channel. 
daqIOWriteBit 
Send indicated bit to selected channel. 
 
 
 
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