How do I connect FP-1601 with my custom linux application (written in Java)?

[jarkk0]

The subject pretty much says it; we are writing a portable application that runs on various
Unixes and Windows 2000/XP and need to have external I/O into it over the network.

So far it seems like FP-1601 requires some OPC libraries and separate windows-only
applications which seem to be surprisingly hard to integrate an application
with. Is there no other way?

[Aaron_G]

The FieldPoint Ethernet modules (as well as LabVIEW - DSC and Lookout) utilize a propietary National Instruments Ethernet protocol. The protocol is not published and is currently restricted to Windows based platforms. There are several interfaces that allow one to communicate using the proprietary protocol; including NI FieldPoint (which has interfaces for LabVIEW, OPC, LabWindows/CVI), Lookout, LabVIEW - DSC, DataSocket, and (I think) a ComponentWorks module). Even though several of these interfaces are multiplatform, the ethernet support will only work on Windows based platforms.

Whereas the FieldPoint ethernet protocol is proprietary and closed, the protocol for the serial modules is open and published in the FP-1000/1001 Programmers Reference Manual. You can build your own multi-platform solution that way. Alternatively, you can use the FP-20XX series of RT Controllers and embed a LabVIEW RT program that publishes the channel data in your own format that you can write a non-platform specific interface to.

Regards,
Aaron

[jarkk0]

I am afraid that the solutions provided by other companies offer much simpler way to
get binary I/O over the network into our Java application. They offer a simple socket-based
protocol that can be used to read/write I/O and receive change triggers. And this
is exactly what I am looking for in such a product.

Therefore, we have decided to use a product from other manufacturer that
matches our needs much better by being simple to integrate with.

I hope that NI will seriously consider improving their products
to support these kinds of needs.