How can I retrieve VIs from a real-time controller

[Daniel_Knost]

Dear Experts,

We recently bought a test rig from another organization that came with a host PC and a PXI-1031 with a 8183 controller runnig LabVIEW RT OS.  The host PC was wiped clean before we got it including the control software for the test rig.  We were able to log on to the RT controller using MAX and FTP.  In MAX we can see channel names for the different measured variables and controls as well as calibration information.  There are many files on the hard drive as viewed through FTP, but none are obviously a compiled vi.  The hard drive has only about 2MB used total.  Does anyone know of a way that we can search and retrieve the test routine from the controller?  If not, are the channels and calibrations of any value to us or are we at ground zero as far as redeveloping the control software?  Thank you for your help.

Daniel Knost

Stewart-Haas Racing

[Wayne.C]

Daniel,

Many RT systems will have a deployed executable named startup.rtexe located at ni-rt/startup on the target controller.  Config and cal info from MAX would definitely be helpfull when starting over.

[Burt_S]

Hello Daniel,

Unless the actual VI files were saved on the controller there isn't anything that can be done.  All of the configurations could still be helpful as mentioned, but it seems like you are going to have to redevelop the software.

[Daniel_Knost]

Wayne and Burt.  Thanks for your input.  I ftped into the PXI and navigated to the ni-rt directory.  There were two sub directories in there: startup and system.  The startup folder contains:

startup.rtexe

startup.aliases

RT Shared Variables.lvlib

config -- Directory

The config directory contains Defaults.bin and another copy of RT Shared Variables.lvlib.

The system folder folder contains the following directories:

errors

ethernet

Last

mxsCheckpoints

NI-DAQ

pxi

Shared

vxipnp

www.

There are also many .dll, .ocm, .mxr, and .mxe files in the system folder.

Do any of these sound like the compiled executable, particularly the startup.rtexe file. Also is there anything that we can recall from the PXI onto the host and investigate it in LabVIEW? 

Thanks again for your help.

Daniel Knost

Stewart-Haas Racing

[Wayne.C]

Daniel,

startup.rtexe is the deployed executable.  There is no way that I know of to decompile this back to LV vi's.  Can you post the contents of the ni-rt/system/www directory?

The reason I ask this is that sometimes programmers use a Remote Front Panel to interface to RT targets.  If this was how it was done, there would have been a .html doc created and saved in this directory.

Message Edited by Wayne.C on 04-17-2009 01:13 PM

[Daniel_Knost]

There are several files in the www folder.  They are:

Beyond.htm

Docs.htm

favicon.ico

Index.htm

Overview.htm

Services.htm

Webtool.htm

www.css

There is also an images directory with several .gif files in it. They are mostly arrows, a home icon, and what looks to be a sample front panel screen shot.  The .htm files appear to be general LabWIEW web server documentation.  Is the starup.rtexe file of any use to me without a front end on my host machine?  Thanks again for the help.

Daniel Knost

Stewart-Haas Racing

[Wayne.C]

Daniel,

It doesn't look like the Remote Front Panel was used.  That means that you don't have the front end interface and you may be starting over.

What you do have is the DAQ config info.  That will go a long way in figuring out what is wired to what.  You also have the Shared Network Variable library ( RT Shared Variables.lvlib ) that was most likely used to pass info between host application and RT target.  I have not done much with the PXI systems but there should be a way to export that SNV lib into a LV project and take a peek at what variables are defined.  Might give you more info about what you are recreating.  If you get really lucky the original interface was just a front panel full of controls and indicators bound to shared variables.

[Daniel_Knost]

Wayne,

The rig is used to test front suspensions.  There are actuators to cycle the wheels as well as preload the springs.  There are measuremements of all sorts of displacements and loads in the suspension.  I'll try to pull the shared variable library back onto the host machine and see what is in it.  I probably won't get a chance to do it until some time next week though.  Thanks for your help.  I really appreciate it.

Daniel Knost

Stewart-Haas Racing

[Wayne.C]

Daniel,

I always did like a good mystery.  Always fun to help out.  Especially when it's for my favorite drivers team.