Can I change the startup EXE via FTP?

[Jed_Davidow]

Is there a way to manage the startup application on an T target (specifically cRIO) via file management?  Is there a configuration file that specifies the startup app?

I would like to upload several EXEs to the target, then allow the user to set the startup application thtough a GUI that I have written.

I looked through the files, doesn't look obvious.  And searching here at NI.com is getting me nowhere.

[BenDAE]

Jed,

I looked into your request and found this KB on the start-up folder as well as the directions to move a file to it using FTP. Hope this is what you need!

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/9794d5d24933fd31862572c60052fa1a?OpenDocument 

[Jed_Davidow]

Maybe I am under the wrong assumption about the startup folder...

Will ALL *.rtexe files in there be launched at startup?  My build file specifies that the name of the EXE is not "startup.rtexe".  In at least one situation, we have several rtexe files in the startup folder, and the one we set with the "Run as startup" in the project exploirer is the one that runs.  At least, until I read that article, I thought that was the case.

So the questions are...

1) Will any *.rtexe file in the startup folder be launched at startup?

2) What happens if there are multiple files?

[BenDAE · Accepted solution]

Sounds like there are multiple ways to have a program launch at start-up. According to this KB, I found that you can have multiple VI's run on start-up and enabling a startup application (.rtexe) will override any startup VIs; only the executable will be run. The startup VIs will not attempt to run. Feel free to read the rest below.

https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA03q000000YIFMCA4&l=en-US

[Jed_Davidow]

Thank you.  One of the referenced articles had the answer...

https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA03q000000YHpnCAG&l=en-US

From that article...

---

If the executable is not running when you reboot the controller, you may need to verify some additional settings. Two settings must be set in the NI-RT.ini file when an executable is deployed to a real-time controller.  The NI-RT.ini file is located in the root directory of the target, at c:\ni-rt.ini.

RTTarget.ApplicationPath=c:\ni-rt\startup\startup.rtexe
RTTarget.LaunchAppAtBoot=True

---

This is what I was looking for, thanks!

FYI, I searched:

• RT EXE
• RT startup EXE
• RT startup VI
• RT INI EXE

But if I had searched "RT startup Executable" I would have found it.

ha!

[BenDAE]

Great work, Jed!

[taper]

I tried updated via FTP in the field once, and while I think the startup.exe ran just fine, I flat out could not get the shared variable engine to start.  I ended up shipping the system back to our lab to program through the LabVIEW project.

Now I use the System Replication tools to make an image of every system.  That tool works great once you figure it out.  You do need identical hardware in the lab to create the image though, not the most convienent if you need to update field units.

[Jed_Davidow]

Thanks for the info!

We are not using the Shared Variable Server- we found some errors on it during startup that were causing too many headaches.

[Technoliv]

Hi All,

I am trying to replace .rtexe file present on my sbrio 9606.I am doing this bcz i want to reduce flashing time of sbrio 9606.

I am using FTP put file vi but i am getting error.

I have some quations

1.Can i replace .rtexe file with new .rtexe file?

2.before replacing file do i need to stop my running rtexe(which is i want to replace)?

3.Using FTP vi's this is possibal or any other method i can use?

Thanks in advance for your support...

[Queue-tip]

You should be able to deploy the RT .exe through the LabVIEW Project:

'How Do I Deploy a Startup Executable to my Real-Time Controller'

https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA03q000000YHpnCAG&l=en-US

~ Q ~