Is it posible to control FP/cFP from PC with ETS?

[Fedor]

I would like to setup a PC-based control system running ETS and Labview RT. In addition I would also like to have one or more FieldPoint or cFP controlled by it. I would prefer to use Ethernet modules, such as 1808, to interface to FP frame. Here's what I have a mind:

PC with up to 12 PCI slot backplane and single board computer, which would have several NI-DAQ boards and 2 network interfaces. 1 interface to talk to outside world, another to control field point devices. The fieldpoint side would have to go through a pair of copper/fiber-optic Ethernet media converters for safety reasons.

I would appreciate to hear some comments on feasibility of such solution before I commit to the design.

Fedor.

[dwisti]

AFAIK, LV-RT ETS only supports 1 Ethernet port.  But I would suspect that you could communicate to the outside world and the cFP 1808 just fine with 1 network interface.

[Fedor]

There was a mention somewhere in Labview RT 8.0 or 8.20 release notes that ETS now supports more than one network interface. I wonder I can use the 2nd to make a private subnet just to control passive  to Fieldpoint devices.

[ClintM]

Hi Fedor,

This article on our Knowledgebase discusses how to set up two network cards on a Real Time system:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/44318045C524C9CF8625713E0047D1A1?OpenDocument

The "TCP Listen" VI allows you to specify the net address you want to listen for connections on (whereas by default it will listen on all network interfaces).  Note that the devices cannot be on the same subnet.

You should also be able to use one network interface and communicate with the cFP(s) and the outside world.

Regards

Clint M

Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[Fedor]

Thanks Clint!

I wonder if it would be possible for you or someone to recommend a current  SBC board (or at least the chipset) which is compatible with ETS RT? I have one here that seems to support, even including the built-in network chipset,  but I don't  think it's produced anymore.

Fedor.

[ClintM]

Hi Fedor,

National Instruments has only tested and certified the Dell Optiplex GX270 Desktop PC to run ETS RT, but of course there are many, many more that will.  The following links explain the requirements for processors and chipsets, along with how to test for compatibility.

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/82D66505D86349F38625722C00736AB8?OpenDocument

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/440BAF128AA75F95862572580081EB3D?OpenDocument

Regards,

ClintM

National Instruments

[GerardoG]

Hi Fedor,

Just curious, what form factor of SBC are you looking for? PC motherboard, PC/104, VME, etc.?

Gerardo

[Fedor]

Clint: thanks for the links.

Geraldo: I'm looking for full-size PICMG 1.0 SBC to go with 14+ slot back-plane. I'm considering kontron PCI-951 at the moment, which claims to have dual i82559 ethernet on-board.

[Fedor]

It's been a while, but I finally got all the parts together. I'm running the following configuration:  

Windows PC with labview suite <-> ETS RT PC <-> cFP-1808

RT PC uses 2 ethernet ports, one to talk to cFP, the other to talk to the rest of the world.

The only way I was able to communicate with cFP from ETS RT is by using datasockets, as there seems to be no FieldPoint driver for RT target.

Right now I'm wondering if there's any way to configure field point modules (such as voltage ranges etc.) using datasockets? or is there any other way for the ETS PC to communicate with cfp-1808?

Fedor.   

[Fedor]

Never mind my last question, I found the range VIs under fieldpoint  advanced ethernet comm.