NI 5412/5421/5422/5441/5442
Arbitrary Waveform Generation Trigger Modes

This topic contains information about the behavior of the signal generator in Arbitrary Waveform Generation mode with a particular trigger mode.

Single Trigger Mode

The waveform you downloaded generates only once and waveform generation halts, unless the Arbitrary Waveform Repeat Count property or the NIFGEN_ATTR_ARB_REPEAT_COUNT attribute is set, in which case the waveform generates the specified number of times. Once the last waveform generates, the analog output indefinitely settles at the DC value of the last sample in the waveform. Only one Start trigger is required to start waveform generation. All Start triggers after the first Start trigger are ignored.

Continuous Trigger Mode

The waveform you downloaded generates continuously after receiving one Start trigger. All Start triggers after the first Start trigger are ignored.

Stepped Trigger Mode

The waveform you downloaded generates each time a Start trigger occurs. After a waveform finishes generating, the last sample of the waveform repeats continuously until the next Start trigger is received. When the next Start trigger is received, the waveform generates again. If a Start trigger is received while a waveform is generating, the Start trigger is ignored and another Start trigger is required to regenerate the waveform after the last sample generates.

If the Arbitrary Waveform Repeat Count property or the NIFGEN_ATTR_ARB_REPEAT_COUNT attribute is set, the waveform generates the specified number of times instead of just once.

Burst Trigger Mode

Burst trigger mode operates the same as Continuous trigger mode when the device is operating in Arbitrary Waveform mode.