DSC module for signal express???

[jjrich33]

I'm trying to find out if I can use signal express to acquire network variables for trending (trying to access data over modbus TCP/IP).

I would like to be able to get my hands on this data for trending without getting into building VI's or having to use hardware (currently using CompactDAQ) to acquire multiple network data. I know that this is accomplished with the DSC module in labview but I was hoping that sigexpress had some sort of interface with a DSC module or similar interactive setup option for this kind of "software" data acquisition.

Please help!!!

[--Chris]

SignalExpress includes a Read from Shared Variable step which can read from any scalar or waveform Shared Variable, but we do not support other forms of network data that DSC includes.

[griffindore]

Hi jjrich33,

Thank you for posting to the NI Discussion Forum! The DSC Module is only available for LabVIEW. It allows you to connect to any type of I/O Server and bind those items on an I/O Server to a Shared Variable to be used in LabVIEW. Signal Express is intended to allow you to acquire, analyze, and present data from Data Acquisition devices in a non-programming environment. If you are needing to access I/O Server items over Modbus, OPC, or any other protocol, LabVIEW will be necessary and the LabVIEW DSC Module is specifically intended for this use. DSC does simplify the process greatly, and almost all of the configurations (I/O Server, Shared Variable Binding, Logging) are done in the project explorer.

To answer your question directly, LabVIEW and the DSC Module will be necessary to create Shared Variables bound to items in a Modbus I/O Server, but Signal Express will then be able to read the bound Shared Variables through the "Acquire Signals->Shared Variables->Read Shared Variables" step. Signal Express can not create or deploy the Shared Variables, and LabVIEW will be necessary for that step. No programming will be necessary in LabVIEW; as I mentioned previously, creating the I/O Server and Bound Shared Variables as well as deploying the Shared Variable Library can all be done within the Project Explorer of LabVIEW. I have posted a couple of links that may be helpful below. I hope this helps!

LabVIEW Datalogging and Supervisory Control Module

LabVIEW DSC Module Help

[jjrich33]

Thanks Mike for that feedback. That clarifies the process and should be fairly straight forward to implement. I have a regional rep in the area next week and he offered to come out and show me how it works. Gotta love the NI product support!

Joel