DAQ6363 capabilities

[RedmondUser]

I have a few basic questions about the PXIe-6363 DAQ which I haven’t been able to find an answer to.

At this point I’m laying out a PCB, so mostly the answers I need at this point are concerned with capabilities, so I don’t connect things up incorrectly.

• What is the difference in functionality between P0/P1/P2 and the PFI functionality allowed on P1/P2?
• Using DAQmx (C interface) what API functions should I look at for selecting the functionality PFI or non-PFI?  I don’t need a lot of detail, just where to look.
• For a given port, such as P0, can some IO pins be configured as static outputs, others as waveform outputs, and others as inputs, simultaneously, assigned presumably to different tasks in DAQmx?
• For a given port, such as P0, can some pins be configured as PFI and others as non-PFI?
• Do I need PFI to generate a pulse waveform output on a given pin, such as 240 Hz, with 10% duty cycle?

I’d like to configure the pins as follows:

P0.0	Static digital output	These can be grouped together into a 4-bit nibble
P0.1	Static digital output
P0.2	Static digital output
P0.3	Static digital output
P0.4	Waveform output, 240 Hz, 10% duty cycle	Must be independent
P0.5	Waveform output, 240 Hz, 10% duty cycle	Must be independent
P0.6	Not defined yet, probably input	Could be analog sample clock or trigger
P0.7	Not defined yet, probably input	Could be analog sample clock or trigger
P0.8:31	Static digital output	These can be grouped together into a 24-bit word
P1.0:7, P2.0:7, or PFI.0:15	Not defined yet	Will use these if necessary

In short, do I need to break up the types of functionality into different ports like P0, P1, P2 or can I mix and match individual pins?

Thanks

[DonhJoe]

Here is a document with some info: http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/8058F1BEF0944D99862574A3007EB53C 

Let us know if that clarify all your doubts...

Regards!

[RedmondUser]

Thanks, that link is not working.

[Cavarval]

The link has a space at the end. Just remove it and it will work

Here it is again anyway.

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/8058F1BEF0944D99862574A3007EB53C

[RedmondUser]

Thank you.

Does this imply that non-PFI lines can do static digital IO indpendently, but not output waveforms?

[DonhJoe]

They can output digital waveforms. the difference between these and the non-PFI ones is that these could also do Timing I/O for digital and analog tasks or counter/timer functions.

[RedmondUser]

Thank you for the response.  I think  this means I can leave my digital lines connected as is, since I don't need timing or triggering, just a waveform output.

[Kevin_Price · Accepted solution]

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• •  What is the difference in functionality between P0/P1/P2 and the PFI functionality allowed on P1/P2?

  PFI pins offer some functional and routing options that can be used to carry timing signals to and from AI, Counter, and other tasks.  No port 0 pins offer PFI functionality.  However, *only* port 0 can be used for hw-timed digital tasks.  Ports 1,2 only support software-timed digital i/o.

  • Using DAQmx (C interface) what API functions should I look at for selecting the functionality PFI or non-PFI?  I don’t need a lot of detail, just where to look.

  Sorry, no help, I only know the LabVIEW API.

  • For a given port, such as P0, can some IO pins be configured as static outputs, others as waveform outputs, and others as inputs, simultaneously, assigned presumably to different tasks in DAQmx?

  Yes, but with some restrictions.  See below.

  • For a given port, such as P0, can some pins be configured as PFI and others as non-PFI?

  No, not on P0.  Board design dictates that those pins cannot have PFI functionality.  On P1 (or P2) you may use some lines for DIO and others for PFI functionality.  Mix and match as you like.

  • Do I need PFI to generate a pulse waveform output on a given pin, such as 240 Hz, with 10% duty cycle?

   Exactly the opposite.  Only port 0 with no PFI capability would support the hw-timed pulse waveform as a Digital Output.  (However, you could make a counter task for that digital pulse train and route its output to a PFI pin on ports 1 or 2).

  I’d like to configure the pins as follows:

  P0.0	Static digital output	These can be grouped together into a 4-bit nibble
  P0.1	Static digital output
  P0.2	Static digital output
  P0.3	Static digital output
  P0.4	Waveform output, 240 Hz, 10% duty cycle	Must be independent
  P0.5	Waveform output, 240 Hz, 10% duty cycle	Must be independent
  P0.6	Not defined yet, probably input	Could be analog sample clock or trigger
  P0.7	Not defined yet, probably input	Could be analog sample clock or trigger
  P0.8:31	Static digital output	These can be grouped together into a 24-bit word
  P1.0:7, P2.0:7, or PFI.0:15	Not defined yet	Will use these if necessary

  In short, do I need to break up the types of functionality into different ports like P0, P1, P2 or can I mix and match individual pins?

  The only potential conflict I see is P0.4 and P0.5.  You can only run one hw-timed task at a time for all your DO pins.  It's allowed to have multiple lines in that one task, but you won't be able to manipulate the start/stop/freq/duty cycles independently.  If you were to run your freq/duty cycle pulse trains off of two counters and route to PFI pins on ports 1 or 2, you could control them independently.

  -Kevin P

[RedmondUser]

Thank you for your detailed answer.  I'll consider whether I "really" need indepence on my two HW timed tasks.