Scan Engine & EtherCAT Custom Device Feedback

[AndreasStark]

Hey Richard,

NI hasn't published a NI VeriStand 2016 version of the custom device hence the error (the CD is built in LabVIEW 2015 whereas NIVS 2016 is based on LV 2016). You can either build the sources yourself (first mass compile everything in LV 2016) or wait until NI published a 2016 version of the CD. How urgent do you need it?

Best regards

Andreas

[RichardvL]

Andreas,

The need is quite urgent. I already updated all the software on the PXIe 8135 target, so VS2014 won't deploy anymore. Looks like I'll have to revert every feature manually if I want to go back on the target. I did ftp all the files I could see on the target to the host before I did the update. I also made backups of the Program Files(86) and the public\documents\national instruments folder before I upgraded to VS2016 and Labview 2016. I am not sure if it will work though. Also, I would really like to provide the dyno users with the new UI Manager.

How do I do a mass compile to update all to 2016?

BTW, I downloaded everything from the web- no CD used.

Thank you for your quick response.

Richard VanLingen

Systems Engineering Consultant

[Ryan_S]

Hey Richard,

This is a bad idea....I'm also not completely sure what you're trying to do. You mention using VeriStand 2014 but you've installed 2016 runtimes and drivers to the target? But you also mention wanting UI manager which is a VeriStand 2015 SP1 feature, so maybe you could ellaborate further on what your system used to be, what software you upgraded, and what your end goal is....

Moral of the story, no matter what version of VeriStand you want to use, the version of the RT OS & Run-Time on the target should match. The drivers are a little more forgiving, but OS and Runtime version needs to match.

So I'd recommend formatting your RT PXI and re-installing the proper software versions to it. Now, since MAX defaults to the newest versions (which will be 2016 on your system) you will have to go through the list of items and select the correct version (which while tedious should only take 5-10 minutes). Once you've got the correct version of the OS & Runtime installed to the target you'll be able to use VeriStand and the scan engine ethercat custom device.

Thanks. --Ryan_S

[RichardvL]

Ryan, I think you missed my original post (#579). Now let's get to the history and facts.

1. I installed Veristand 2015 on another machine earlier this year in the hope that the UI manager was included. It was not - scheduled for later release, which brought the believe that it would be 2016. Hench jumping from VS2014 to VS2016 on the Dyno setup.

2. See attached for the compatibility information as found on the download site for the EtherCAT Scan Engine. The page was last updated in August 2016 (same month as VS2016 release) and merely state software version >= 15 is required. It does not metioned incompatibility with VS2016 aor Labview 2016. Hence me going ahead and upgrading to VS2016 and Labview 2016.

3. I already installed the 2016 software on the PXIe target.

Now questions:

1. I would prefer not to reformat the target drive - I have never done it before and would hate to "brick" this machine. Can I just copy (ftp) all the files I ftp'd to the host before the upgrade and it will be back at 2014 level? (BTW. I have a drive backup of the host machine as well, so I should be able to get it back to VS2014 (I hope)).

2. How do I know which files are supposed to be on the target? I did not do the original setup, so I do not know how the files for the target were selected. When I updated from VS2013 to VS1014 (0.01 some drivers) at the end of 2014, I just updated on the target which was already there.

3. How do I do a mass compile in Labview 2016, which 2015 Scan Engine and EtherCAT Custom Devices files, to be able to use in with Veristand 2016? (FYI: I have not created a Custom Device before, but sure am willing to learn:-)).

I would prefer not to downgrade to VS2015SP1 as I believe it will be double work as I have a number of Labview models and workspace VIs, as well as other custom devices I have to recompile from VS2014 to what ever new version I would be using. I'd rather just do it once for VS2016. I guess it somewhat depends if I can can get the Scan Engine and EtherCAT curstom device to work with VS2016.

Thanks to all for your help and support

Richard

Link to Scan Engine and EtherCAT info:

https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-15510

[Vincent_R.]

Hi RichardvL,

I don't know if you noticed that but we released 4.3 version of the SEEC CD for NI-VeriStand 2016.

Regards

Vincent

[RichardvL]

Vincent,

I have not noticed, so thank you for letting me know.

Kind regards

Richard

Richard VanLingen

Systems Engineering Consultant

Broad-Ocean Technologies LLC

30120 Hudson Dr, Novi

MI 48377

(248) 313-3084 (O)

(248) 462-1668 (M)

Richard.vanlingen@us.broad-ocean.com

[StephenB]

I've observed a problem with this device when used with other custom devices that access the same RIO# via the same bitfile. If this custom device was added first to the system definition, I get error 65700. If this device was added last, I get no error and everything works fine. To prevent deleting/readding things inside the sysdef, I was able to edit the sysdef XML to move this custom device to be the last entry under the custom devices section.

This is also seen when using XNET and 986x modules.

My software is NI VeriStand 2015 SP1, RIO 15.5, XNET 15.5. Hardware is cRIO 9066

[resostu]

I am trying to use a PXI-8231 GigE card as an Ethercat master for a NI-9144 on my Veristand Target. My target is an RT Desktop PC connected to a PXIe1062Q chasis using MXI (PXI-e-8370/PCIe-8371). I am running Versitand 2015 and IndCom for Ethercat 15.0.

Using the saem hardware, I am able to setup the Ethercat master in a LabVIew project and deploy my FPGA bitfile and put the sytem online, see all my I/O in Distributed System Manage.

In Veristand, I can setup up the ScanEngine custom device in my System Definition file and get it to auto detect the 9144 slave, select my fpga bitfile and see all my User Variables

When I deploy the System Definition I get the following Visa errors:

'

****************************

System error encountered.

:::Details:::

Error code: -1073807343

Error Message: VISA:  (Hex 0xBFFF0011) Insufficient location information or the device or resource is not present in the system.

****************************

****************************

System error encountered.

:::Details:::

Error code: -1073807346

Error Message: VISA:  (Hex 0xBFFF000E) The given session or object reference is invalid.

****************************

'

I am fairly sure that it is related to the use of the PXI-8231 in the MXI connected chassis. Even if I remove  the ScanEngine custom device form the system definition file, I receive the same error on deployment. If I remove the PXI-8231 from the chassis, the system deploys without any errors.

I realize this would suggest that this is not a problem with the Custom Device, but as system explorer for the custom device is able to acceess the PXI-8231 without error, perhaps this may point to a solution.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Stuart

[Vincent_R.]

Hi Stuart,

Just for confirmation, in MAX, have-you configured the system to say that you use an external PC and then the type of your PXI/PXIe chassis? Can you join a capture of MAX (showing your PXI chassis details) to your answer?

Regards

Vincent

[Vincent_R.]

Hi Stephen,

What are your cRIO modules inside the cRIO-9066 chassis?

What is the value for the FPGA delay on CD Main Page?

Regards

Vincent.