Unexpected Error in MAX

[golubovski]

Hello,

I had a working configuration of:

LabVIEW 8.61

NI-VISA 4.62

NI-DAQmx 9.10

NI-RIO 3,40

PCI-6014

sbRIO-9632

I upgraded to:

NI-DAQmx 9.20

NI-VISA 5.01

I started getting an error related to the IMAQ issue as in the table within the KB for MAX related issues on the website. I just clicked to "Do not show this error again" and everything worked OK again.

Then I upgraded to:

NI-RIO 3.51

and following is the situation - non-workable this time!

MAX 4.7.2 reports this error during start-up:

The niHDVUI.mxx plug-in caused an exception in the CmxProviderWrapper::Initialize function in the NIMax process.
See these files for details:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\National Instruments\MAX\Logs\20100807_110346-NIMax-00000310.log
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\National Instruments\MAX\Logs\20100807_110346-NIMax-00000310.dmp

OS is XP+SP3 up-to-date. Is this solvable? Or do I have to downgrade again and how do I do that considering the fact the every single NI Device Driver software is depended on by the rest of the NI software and one cannot just simply de-install NI-RIO for example.

Thanks in advance,

[Ben_S]

golubovski,

Can you attach the .log file and .dmp file? I found a CAR (Corrective Action Request) on a very similair issue and it appears to have been fixed for 2010. The .log file and .dmp file will be helpful to see if it is the same exact issue or not.

I would try the following items:

1.) Run the MAX Database Corruption Removal Tool

2.) Do a repair of NI-RIO

3.) Do a repair of Measurement & Automation Explorer.

This is solveable as I had the same issue and fixed it (unintentionally) by installing the whole driver disc for 2010. In that process MAX or the Driver that was corrupted was repaired.

[golubovski]

Ben,

Thank you for your reply and sorry for ma late response - I am so burdened with stupid uninteresting workload I can't find a single day to play with my sbRIO-9632. I have tried all combinations of repairment but at no avail. So I went back to a previous image state (NI-DAQmx 8.90 & MAX 4.5.1).

Nonetheless, I am trying to comprehend the concept behind the sbRIO (PC, LV-RT, LV-FPGA) and am stucked at the "Project Explorer" stage - I cannot udnerstand fully all the options available at thid project definitioning step. I am trying to identify the "onboard" resources (the 32x AI, 4x AO, 110x DIO, CLKs). I'd ask you the following if OK with you:

1. onboard resources

Since they are present I do not need to define them in any other way as AVAILABLE for use? Or do I have to define every resource that I will use in the diagram (i.e. 1x DI, 1x DO and 1x AI channels)?

2. 110 DIO lines

I see 10 ports each "holding" 10 DIO lines which is 100 in total - where are the rest 10 of them? What is DIOCTL and does the DIO9:0 embrase all 10 lines at once? If latter is the case why 9:0 and not 0:9 - is this relatesd to the MSB/LSB of the whole?

3. 32 AIs

What is the "Trig" line - what kind of trigger related to the ModA. In this sense what do ModA and ModB mean (the abbrevations)?

Sorry if questions are stupid but I need to comprehend the HW concept to proceed with the SW one.

Thanks in advance,

[Spex]

Hi Gulubovski,

I'll answer your questions in order:

1. onboard resources

The resources listed in the project are those that are available for use.  When you create an FPGA VI, you will drag and drop those resources onto the block diagram, thus including them in your design.  Only those resources that are used by your application will be compiled into the binary code that is downloaded to the FPGA.

2. 110 DIO lines

You are correct that Single-Board RIO includes 10 ports, and each port includes 10 DIO lines, plus the DIOControl line, making each port effectively 11 lines, and 10 x 11 = 110 DIO Lines.  The DIOCTL lines are internally routed slightly differently than the DIO0 thru DIO9 lines, and that difference is explained here: DIOCTL Lines On the Single-Board RIO  I would recommend using the DIO0-9 lines for most applications and the DIOCTL lines only for lower speed/"less critical" signals, but you can use them how you best see fit.  Internal to NI, that pin is used for "sleep" signals when we are communicating to IO modules.

3. 32 AIs

The trigger line on ModA is an extra channel that can be used for analog triggering on the analog input module built into Single-Board RIO (ModA is similar to an NI 9205 module).  Normally, with CompactRIO, when you plug in modules they identify themselves by slot as Mod1, Mod2, etc, but because the I/O modules on Single-Board RIO are "built-in" it doesn't make sense to identify with a slot.  In order to give those modules a name, we indexed them as ModA, ModB, etc.

The user manual for Single-Board RIO and the online documentation are very good.  I would recommend reading through some of the applicable sections to become more familair with the capabilities of your hardware. 

User Manual

LabVIEW Help for sbRIO-9632

LabVIEW Help for NI 9205 (ModA)

LabVIEW Help for NI 9263 (ModB)

In addition, as you want to begin programming your Single-Board RIO, I would look to the Getting Started Portal on ni.com.  Look for the examples that apply to CompactRIO, as the experience is the same for Single-Board RIO in LabVIEW 2010.

Regards,

[Ben_S]

Spex,

Thanks for the detailed answer! I had one typed up and just never hit post, your post was much better however. Thanks Again!

[golubovski]

Thank you both - I'll do some reading...

BTW, what is the DIO9:0 line intended for?

[Spex]

Hi Golubovski,

The DIO9:0 is a port that includes all 10 DIO lines in the port as a single entity.  You can write or read an integer to the port to update or read the entire port at one time. 

Because the port is 10-bits wide instead of 8 or 16, I've never found much use in the DIO9:0 port IO Node. 

Regards,