Porting application to ARM

[wiebe@CARYA]

Hi,

We have a somewhat unique situation, and perhaps some of you might be able to advise.

Currently, we have a large LabVIEW application (500 VI's). The application is very user interface orriented. This means every UI screen (there are about 60) has screen backgrounds that can switch, and bitmapped buttons. We also play movies with mplayer, and have an animated screensaver. All the UI Vi's use events to handle user interaction.

Some (let's say 20) of the UI VI's use user events to communicate with the hardware layer. The hardware layer is a dynamic VI that handles the hardware communication over RS485/modbus.

All the UI screens are also started dynamically, with VI Server.

The platform is a i386 itx board (basically a PC) running Windows XPEmbedded. We have also run the software on Linux with only a few minor issues.

So here's the problem: .the i386 board is too expensive, too big and consumes too much power. So the customer is going to make a dedicated ARM11 processor board running Linux. The hardware supplier of our customer offers to rewrite the application in java or c. We consider LabVIEW Embedded as an option. I know the application needs to be rewritten, but I have now idea on what level I need to start over.

Is it possible to use (user) events with LabVIEW embedded?

Is it possible to start VI's dynamically?

What is the best way to add a UI to a LabVIEW embedded application? Drawing it ourself in gtk, gnome, nanox, directfb? Or make a UI in a webpage, flash or c/c++ and interact with it? Is there anyone who has done something like this?

How should I handle incomming mouse clicks?

All thoughts about this are highly appreciated.

Regards,

Wiebe.

[Michael.Phillips]

Hi Wiebe,

One alternative could be the use of a Touch Panel Computer, such as the TPC-2106. You could write applications using the LabVIEW Touch Panel Module and target one of our TPC devices, or a 3rd party Windows CE-based Touch Panel device. However, the LabVIEW Touch Panel Module does not support user defined events, so your application would require some modification.

The LabVIEW Microprocessor SDK does not have UI functionality, so it would be necessary to do one of the things you listed. If you are interested in exploring other possibilities, please create a service request at ni.com/support and email us.

[wiebe@CARYA]

Michael,

Thanks for your answer.

No COST-product will do. We are talking 1000 pieces a year, for the next 5-10 years. Every dollar/euro counts. The solution we have now (i386 board /w rs485, gprs modem, usb, sound, 8" touch panel, WLAN, 512 mb ram, power supply and 2 GB flash with WinXPE) costs about 600 EU, including assembling the 7 boards, and waterproof housing. The new solution with ARM11 processor has everything on one board, and will cost around 300 EU...

I Still like to know: are (user) events and VI server supported? Or are property nodes not supported at all?

Regards,

Wiebe.

[Michael.Phillips]

Hi Wiebe,

A Touch Panel device running Windows CE can be non-COTS. That solution might be worth investigating.

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I Still like to know: are (user) events and VI server supported? Or are property nodes not supported at all?

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In the LabVIEW Microprocessor SDK, no events of any kind are supported. This is due to the fact that the event structure is primarily used for user interface events, and LabVIEW Microprocessor SDK-built targets do not have a user interface. For the same reason, property nodes are not supported.

Again, please contact NI support via email for more information.