Reading a data file from a very remote data

[Big Jack]

Hi all,
This question is similar to others I have read, but I was wondering how to obtain a text file off remote computers. Some of these computers are connected to a WAN and some are not, is it possible to be able to obtain these files through some means or not (I believe hyperterminal is currently used for some aspects - but dont hold me to that) . I currently am just a learner and am unsure if this possible. I only have labview 5 at present and am unsure if it will have all the tools necessary to complete the vi. Any suggestions and instructions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Jack

[josborne]

Hi Big Jack!

That's a good question. I have a few suggestions.

I am assuimg that you want to somehow automate the file retrieval process. By that, you want a LabVIEW program that will retrieve the file for you (otherwise, a simple answer to your question would be to simple "copy the text file to a floppy disk"). Here are some ideas:

1. If both computers are in the same LAN (I have never used a WAN before, sorry, but it might work in a WAN, too), then you could write a VI on the retriever machine that uses the COPY function to copy the file directly from the remote PC. But you'll need to specify the full file path (in "named pipes" format) like this:

\\machine_name\C\folder1\filename.txt

2. Another option would be to use Data
sockets. If you run the Datasocket Server on the remote machine, its possible to read remote text files. For info, see:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/3efedde4322fef19862567740067f3cc/0caee043d3e294a4862567240063bb3f?OpenDocument

You can also use Datasockets to retrieve text files from HTTP and FTP servers. But then the machine where the text file is located must be running an FTP or HTTP server. For info, see:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/3efedde4322fef19862567740067f3cc/f3cc5f7e60a75cb2862567e700696abf?OpenDocument

3. Another option would be to write some code on the "source" machine that would copy the file to some other location to make it available for the "retriever" machine. For example, you could write a VI that periodically copies the text file to a specific location like an FTP Server. Datasockets can also be used to WRITE text files to FTP servers.

[josborne]

P.S. The above suggestions assume that you want to write some code to retrieve the file. If this is a simple one-off manual operation, than you could simply try connecting to the remote machine using Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer somehow.

If you can see the machine in your Network Neighborhood, try typing the following in the address bar of Windows Explorer:

\\remote_machine_name\c$

[Ridge]

Using it as though it is a lan did not work unfortunately. Maybe it is not a wan after all. I am using tcp/ip and have found some interesting reading that will get and keep me going. Datasockets, I am fairly unfamiliar with what these are and how they work, but if my next idea doesnt work i may look into it.
Thanks for your troubles
Big Jack

[Ridge]

Sorry, JC and John, JC - I was using your comp earlier so it stored my name - Sorry mate - Ill buy you a beer after work

[ESII]

Hello !
First of all, sorry about this answer, because it is not an answer, it is a question. I have looked around the NI ZONE looking the answer for a question, and i have seen, that you are the person that know more about that. So sorry again, by asking directly to you.

We are developing an app. In this app we save all the data in a file. At the beginning of the application, a dialog box opens, and ask you where to save all the data. OK, my problem comes when i run the application from another computer (client computer). When I do that this dialog box does not opens, but when I run the app from the server this dielog box opens. What can I do to get the dialog box from from a remote machine?

I leave an example of what we are doing. In this example
yo have to push the star button, then the dialog box appears (you have to say where you want to save what you write), then you write something in the panel ("text to save"), and finally, you push the "save" button. But when you try connect from another computer and you gain the control of the application (trough a browser), when you push the "start" button, no dialog box appears. How can I fix it?

I hope that I have been clear enough. Thanks again alot for helping me.


Thanks a lot