I’ve been working on my Sparkfun Inventor’s kit and have been running into all kind of problems in getting it set up.  My experience has deviated from the instructional videos they offer so I’ve had to solve a bunch of problems.  The latest is this error I get when I try running their Blink Example:

After typing in the Serial Port COM7 and clicking the green button, I get the error:

Error Text:

Error – 1073807202 occurred at VISA Close in LMH-LINX.lvlib:Device.lvlib:Close Device.vi->LMH-LINX.lvlib:Close.vi->LMH-LINX.lvlib:LINX – Blink (Simple).vi

I did some research and finally figured out that NI-VISA wasn’t installed at all on my computer.  You can check to see if it is installed by launching LabVIEW and then clicking on Tools > Measurement & Automation Explorer…

In the Measurement & Automation Explorer expand the Software section in the left column:

There is no NI-VISA installed!  I solved this problem and have the step-by-step solution for you too…

How to Fix LabVIEW Error 1073807202 When Running Sparkfun RedBoard Manual Blink Example

Hardware/Software:

• MacBook Pro
• OS 10.10.3 Yosemite
• Oracle VM VirtualBox
• Windows 7
• SparkFun Inventor’s Kit for LabVIEW

I had followed all the instruction so I don’t know how that happened but here’s how to install it:

Step 1: Visit http://www.ni.com/downloads/drivers/

Step 2: Click on “NI VISA” in the Popular Drivers section or click here.

Click on “NI VISA” in the Popular Drivers Section

Step 3: Click on the driver for your operating system.

For me running Windows 7, it would be the driver circled below:

For Windows 7 Click on the appropriate NI-VISA driver

Step 4: Click on the full downloader link:

NI Downloader Link

You can save it to your hard drive or run it from the location (which just downloads it to a temporary location).

Step 5: Run the NI Downloader.

Open File – Security Warning for NI Downloader — Click Run

Step 6: Pick a location to save the installation executable.

NI Downloader – Pick a location to save the installer file

Step 7: Run the file you just downloaded, NI-VISA 14.X.X.

NI-VISA self-extracting archive dialog window–click OK

Step 8: Click the “Unzip” button to extract the installation files.

NI-VISA installation file extraction

You’ll then get a “User Account Control” message.  Click “Yes.”

Click Yes to allow the installer to run

Step 9: Go through the NI-VISA Installation.

Initial NI-VISA Installation Window–Click Next >>

Click Next to begin the installation

NI-VISA Features

Leave the check-box checked to receive product notifications–Click Next

No product notifications– Click Next >>

Accept the 2 License Agreement(s) and click Next >>

Check the box to always trust National Instruments Corporation and then click Next >>

Click Next >> to begin the installation of NI-VISA

NI-VISA Installation Complete

Click “Restart”

You can now relaunch the Measurement & Automation Explorer by selecting Tools > Measurement & Automation Explorer from the LabVIEW menu.  Then expand the Software section in the left column an see that it’s been installed:

Step 10: Open the Manual Blink .vi file Example and try it again.

You can find the Blink Example file on your hard drive in the following location: C:Program FilesNational InstrumentsLabVIEW 2014examplesMakerHubLINXLINX – Blink (Simple).vi

Step 11:  Manually enter the COM port and make sure Digital Output Channel is set to 13.

Step 12: Click the right-pointing Run arrow to run the program:

Click the Run Arrow

Step 13: Click the green circle to turn on the blue LED on the RedBoard.

The green circle will light up in the LabView window when the button has been clicked:

The green circle changes to a brighter shade of Green when the LED is on

And the LED on the RedBoard will come on (by pin 13):

The Blue LED light will come on

If your blue LED comes on you have installed NI-VISA correctly!