How can I interface with an ActiveX DLL from LabVIEW?

Hi,
 
I am new to both LabVIEW and would still refer to myself as a novice programming so apologies in advance for this basic line of questioning, but any help you can give would be much appreciated.
 
I would like to read data into LabVIEW from a data acquisition device that is currently read by VB applications. I have been provided with an ActiveX DLL and told that this should allow me to read the data into LabVIEW. Does anyone have any basic examples explaining how to make a .vi file to do this or can provide a little guidance? I have looked on the ni.com website but can only find quite complicated examples. 
 
So far&nbsp;I have just tried to do this using various functions on the ActiveX functions palette and following the instructions on this webpage (<a href="http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361B-01/lvconcepts/using_activex_with_labview/" target="_blank">http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361B-01/lvconcepts/using_activex_with_labview/</a>) but I keep getting the error message that "the property node has one or more invalid properties or uninitialized property items."
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I have LabVIEW 8.0. I do not however have Visual Studio currently installed on my PC. Do I require this? And if so can you also advise on which version I should download as there seem to be millions available and they are all rather large...
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Many thanks again in advance.

You would only need Visual Studio if you intend to recompile the DLL yourself, and for that you need the source code. When you place the Property/Invoke nodes on the block diagram can you actually see the list of properties and methods for the DLL when you click on the node?

Hi,
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Many thanks for your reply, much appreciated. I just bumped into a LabVIEW expert who kindly took me through the process so now I am up and running.
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Jo
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