How can I run LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server on a separate computer?

[mhensch]

I am using LabVIEW 8 and FPGA Module 8 (the quotation below is from the manual of a previous FPGA Module), and I would like to know how to execute the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server on a separate computer (independent of the LabVIEW development system).

As indicated in the "FPGA Module User Manual", Chapter 4, March 2004 Edition, Part Number 370690B-01:

"Before you can run an FPGA VI on an FPGA device, the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server must convert the VI to a bitstream that LabVIEW can download to the FPGA device. The LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server executes independently of the LabVIEW development system, so you can run it on a remote computer."

I would like to compile the code on a separate, faster computer than the one with the FPGA hardware being used for development, testing and loading...

I haven't located information regarding how to do this using using LabVIEW 8 and FPGA Module 8. Please advise.

[Anonymous]

Are you sure they are talking about your FPGA platform?

The cRIO system is an embedded systems that doesn't need a PC, it can
run on your network independently.

Maybe they mean by this FPGA system a CompactRio system and not your
PCI FPGA platform ??

Kind regards,
http://www.vhdl.eu

[mhensch]

I am using the NI 7831R...wouldn't the FPGA build/compile on a separate computer be consistent?

[mhensch]

NI AE Response???

[JMota]

Hi,

The LabVIEW 8.0 Help contains a topic named "Compiling an FPGA VI Remotely (FPGA Module)" that explains how to accomplish the remote compile you are willing to do.

From the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help, the topic can be found at:

  FPGA Module >> FPGA Module How-To >> Running FPGA VIs >> Compiling an FPGA VI Remotely

This is a copy-paste of the content of that topic:

Compiling an FPGA VI Remotely (FPGA Module)

You can compile an FPGA VI on a computer other than the development computer. You might want to do this if the development computer is slow or does not have enough memory to compile the VI for the FPGA device. By default, LabVIEW assumes the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server is installed on the local computer.

Note  You have to launch or close the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server on the computer on which it is executing.

Complete the following steps to run the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server on a remote computer.

1. Install the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server on the remote computer.
2. Select Start»All Programs»National Instruments»LabVIEW 8.0»LabVIEW FPGA Utilities»Compile Server to launch the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server.
3. Click the Configure button. The Configure Server dialog box appears.
4. Write down the value of the Port text box. You need the port value when you configure LabVIEW to compile an FPGA VI on a remote computer.
5. Click the Cancel button.
6. Leave the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server running on the remote computer.

Complete the following steps to configure LabVIEW to compile an FPGA VI on a remote computer.

1. Create a new VI or open an existing VI under an FPGA target that also contains FPGA I/O items.
2. Select Tools»FPGA Module Options. The FPGA Module Options dialog box appears.
3. Click the Configure button.
4. Type the name or IP address of the remote computer running the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server in the Machine text box.
5. Type the port value of the remote computer running the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Server in the Port text box.
6. Click the OK button. LabVIEW compiles the FPGA VI on the remote computer every time you compile an uncompiled FPGA VI. You must change the configuration to compile FPGA VIs on the local computer.

Hope this takes you in the right direction.

JMota
National Instruments R&D

[mhensch]

Perfect...Excellent & timely response. Thanks, I'll try that...

[mhensch]

Another spin on original question (i.e. compile on non-networked  PC)

Is it possible to Compile the LabVIEW FPGA code on a separate computer, that isn't networked (i.e. not able to be connected to the target FPGA), for compiling on a faster computer, then copy the compiled code to the target computer for loading to the FPGA?

[JMota]

Seems that the last question never got answered, and for some reason I don't think I got any notification about it. Anyway, the answer to the question depends on what it means that the "separate computer isn't networked".

If it means "not able to be connected to the target FPGA" as stated in the post, then that is fine, as long as the computer that is triggering the compile can contact over the network the separate computer where the compile server is running. In fact, the computer where the compile server runs does not need to know anything about the actual FPGA target you are compiling for.

If it means that there is not a network connection (TCP) between the machine that is triggering the compile and the computer running the compile server, then the answer is that you cannot manually copy the compiled code from the compile machine to the other computer.

JMota