MXI TM Getting Started with Your PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

Transcription

1 TM MXI Getting Started with Your PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows August 2002 Edition Part Number C-01

2 Support Worldwide Technical Support and Product Information ni.com National Instruments Corporate Headquarters North Mopac Expressway Austin, Texas USA Tel: Worldwide Offices Australia , Austria , Belgium , Brazil , Canada (Calgary) , Canada (Montreal) , Canada (Ottawa) , Canada (Québec) , Canada (Toronto) , China , Czech Republic , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Greece , Hong Kong , India , Israel , Italy , Japan , Korea , Malaysia , Mexico , Netherlands , New Zealand , Norway , Poland , Portugal , Russia , Singapore , Slovenia , South Africa , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , Taiwan , United Kingdom For further support information, see the Technical Support and Professional Services appendix. To comment on the documentation, send to techpubs@ni.com National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.

3 Important Information Warranty The MXIbus boards and accessories are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the warranty period. This warranty includes parts and labor. The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming instructions, due to defects in materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace software media that do not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives notice of such defects during the warranty period. National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be uninterrupted or error free. A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the outside of the package before any equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will pay the shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are covered by warranty. National Instruments believes that the information in this document is accurate. The document has been carefully reviewed for technical accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National Instruments reserves the right to make changes to subsequent editions of this document without prior notice to holders of this edition. The reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected. In no event shall National Instruments be liable for any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained in it. EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMER S RIGHT TO RECOVER DAMAGES CAUSED BY FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT THERETOFORE PAID BY THE CUSTOMER. NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF DATA, PROFITS, USE OF PRODUCTS, OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF. This limitation of the liability of National Instruments will apply regardless of the form of action, whether in contract or tort, including negligence. Any action against National Instruments must be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues. National Instruments shall not be liable for any delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control. The warranty provided herein does not cover damages, defects, malfunctions, or service failures caused by owner s failure to follow the National Instruments installation, operation, or maintenance instructions; owner s modification of the product; owner s abuse, misuse, or negligent acts; and power failure or surges, fire, flood, accident, actions of third parties, or other events outside reasonable control. Copyright Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation. Trademarks CVI,LabVIEW, Measurement Studio,MITE,MXI, National Instruments,NI, NI-488, NI-488.2,ni.com, NI-DAQ, NI-VISA, NI-VXI, and VXIpc are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation. Product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. Patents For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your CD, or ni.com/patents. WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS (1) NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS AND TESTING FOR A LEVEL OF RELIABILITY SUITABLE FOR USE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH SURGICAL IMPLANTS OR AS CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN ANY LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS WHOSE FAILURE TO PERFORM CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY TO A HUMAN. (2) IN ANY APPLICATION, INCLUDING THE ABOVE, RELIABILITY OF OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS CAN BE IMPAIRED BY ADVERSE FACTORS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FLUCTUATIONS IN ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY, COMPUTER HARDWARE MALFUNCTIONS, COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE FITNESS, FITNESS OF COMPILERS AND DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE USED TO DEVELOP AN APPLICATION, INSTALLATION ERRORS, SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS, MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING OR CONTROL DEVICES, TRANSIENT FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS (HARDWARE AND/OR SOFTWARE), UNANTICIPATED USES OR MISUSES, OR ERRORS ON THE PART OF THE USER OR APPLICATIONS DESIGNER (ADVERSE FACTORS SUCH AS THESE ARE HEREAFTER COLLECTIVELY TERMED SYSTEM FAILURES ). ANY APPLICATION WHERE A SYSTEM FAILURE WOULD CREATE A RISK OF HARM TO PROPERTY OR PERSONS (INCLUDING THE RISK OF BODILY INJURY AND DEATH) SHOULD NOT BE RELIANT SOLELY UPON ONE FORM OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DUE TO THE RISK OF SYSTEM FAILURE. TO AVOID DAMAGE, INJURY, OR DEATH, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MUST TAKE REASONABLY PRUDENT STEPS TO PROTECT AGAINST SYSTEM FAILURES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO BACK-UP OR SHUT DOWN MECHANISMS. BECAUSE EACH END-USER SYSTEM IS CUSTOMIZED AND DIFFERS FROM NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS' TESTING PLATFORMS AND BECAUSE A USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MAY USE NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER PRODUCTS IN A MANNER NOT EVALUATED OR CONTEMPLATED BY NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING AND VALIDATING THE SUITABILITY OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS WHENEVER NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE INCORPORATED IN A SYSTEM OR APPLICATION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE APPROPRIATE DESIGN, PROCESS AND SAFETY LEVEL OF SUCH SYSTEM OR APPLICATION.

4 Compliance FCC/Canada Radio Frequency Interference Compliance Determining FCC Class The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rules to protect wireless communications from interference. The FCC places digital electronics into two classes. These classes are known as Class A (for use in industrial-commercial locations only) or Class B (for use in residential or commercial locations). Depending on where it is operated, this product could be subject to restrictions in the FCC rules. (In Canada, the Department of Communications (DOC), of Industry Canada, regulates wireless interference in much the same way.) Digital electronics emit weak signals during normal operation that can affect radio, television, or other wireless products. By examining the product you purchased, you can determine the FCC Class and therefore which of the two FCC/DOC Warnings apply in the following sections. (Some products may not be labeled at all for FCC; if so, the reader should then assume these are Class A devices.) FCC Class A products only display a simple warning statement of one paragraph in length regarding interference and undesired operation. Most of our products are FCC Class A. The FCC rules have restrictions regarding the locations where FCC Class A products can be operated. FCC Class B products display either a FCC ID code, starting with the letters EXN, or the FCC Class B compliance mark that appears as shown here on the right. Consult the FCC Web site at for more information. FCC/DOC Warnings This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in strict accordance with the instructions in this manual and the CE Mark Declaration of Conformity*, may cause interference to radio and television reception. Classification requirements are the same for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Canadian Department of Communications (DOC). Changes or modifications not expressly approved by National Instruments could void the user s authority to operate the equipment under the FCC Rules. Class A Federal Communications Commission This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense. Canadian Department of Communications This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations. Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada. Class B Federal Communications Commission This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/tv technician for help.

5 Canadian Department of Communications This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations. Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada. Compliance to EU Directives Readers in the European Union (EU) must refer to the Manufacturer s Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for information* pertaining to the CE Mark compliance scheme. The Manufacturer includes a DoC for most every hardware product except for those bought for OEMs, if also available from an original manufacturer that also markets in the EU, or where compliance is not required as for electrically benign apparatus or cables. To obtain thedoc forthis product, clickdeclaration of Conformity at ni.com/hardref.nsf/. This Web sitelists thedocs by product family. Select the appropriate product family, followed by your product, and a link to the DoC appears in Adobe Acrobat format. Click the Acrobat icon to download or read the DoC. * The CE Mark Declaration of Conformity will contain important supplementary information and instructions for the user or installer.

6 Contents About This Manual How to Use This Documentation Set...x Conventions...xi Related Documentation...xii Chapter 1 Introduction How to Use This Manual What You Need to Get Started PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface Kit Overview Hardware Description VME Users Software Description National Instruments Application Software Chapter 2 Setup Configuring the Hardware Installing the Hardware Installing Your PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface Installing Your Mainframe Extender Connecting the MXI-2 Cable Properly Software Installation Installing the Software Completing the Software Installation Verifying Your System Configuration Chapter 3 Developing Your Application NI-VXI, NI-VISA, and Related Terms Configuration Device Interaction Programming for VXI Optimizing Large VXIbus Transfers Shared Memory National Instruments Corporation vii PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

7 Contents NI-VXI API Notes Compiler Symbols Compatibility Layer Options Debugging Appendix A Default Settings Appendix B Common Questions Appendix C Technical Support and Professional Services Glossary Index PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows viii ni.com

8 About This Manual This manual contains instructions for installing and configuring the National Instruments PCI-based MXI-2 interface kit for Windows. This manual is meant to be used with the MXI-2 Configuration Reference Manual. Your kit contains either a VXI-MXI-2 or VME-MXI-2, which plugs into your VXI or VME mainframe and links your computer to the VXIbus or VMEbus, respectively. The kit also contains a PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 interface board, which links your PCI-based or PXI/CompactPCI computer to the MXIbus. Your software consists of the NI-VXI bus interface software, which is fully VXIplug&play compliant, and the NI-VISA API, which is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA I/O software standard on which all VXIplug&play software components are based. National Instruments Corporation ix PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

9 About This Manual How to Use This Documentation Set Getting Started Manual Installation and Configuration MXI-2 Configuration Reference Manual Change Hardware Settings (Optional) NI-VXI Online Help NI-VXI Reference Use Online Utilities: NI-VXI and NI-VISA Function Help, Measurement & Automation Explorer, NI Spy, VISAIC NI-VISA User Manual NI-VISA Reference This getting started manual contains an overview of the MXI-2 hardware and the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software, guides you through setting up your kit, and helps you get started with application development. You also can use this manual as a reference for the hardware and software default settings and to find the answers for commonly asked questions. The MXI-2 Configuration Reference Manual contains information on configuring, installing, and cabling your MXI-2 hardware. Use this manual in conjunction with the getting started manual. PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows x ni.com

10 About This Manual When you have successfully set up your system, you can begin to develop applications in NI-VISA and/or NI-VXI. Refer to the NI-VISA User Manual to learn about VISA and how to use it in your system. The NI-VISA help describes the attributes, events, and operations you can use in NI-VISA. The user manual is available in the c:\vxipnp\os\ NIvisa\manuals directory (where os corresponds to the version of Windows you are using) under the name NIVISAUM.pdf. Use Acrobat Reader 3.0 or later to open this file. The NI-VXI help presents the concepts of VXI and detailed explanations of the NI-VXI functions. Study the descriptions of each function in the help to fully understand the purpose and syntax of each function. You also can access the NI-VXI help in the NIVXI folder. Conventions The following conventions appear in this manual:» The» symbol leads you through nested menu items and dialog box options to a final action. The sequence File»Page Setup»Options directs you to pull down the File menu, select the Page Setup item, and select Options from the last dialog box. This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information. This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of precautions to take to avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash. bold italic monospace Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter and LED names. Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross reference, an introduction to a key concept, or text as it appears on a hardware label. This font also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word or value that you must supply. Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter from the keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and syntax examples. This font is also used for the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories, programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names, functions, operations, variables, filenames and extensions, and code excerpts. National Instruments Corporation xi PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

11 About This Manual monospace bold monospace italic Bold text in this font denotes the messages and responses that the computer automatically prints to the screen. This font also emphasizes lines of code that are different from the other examples. Italic text in this font denotes text that is a placeholder for a word or value that you must supply. Related Documentation The following documents contain information that you may find helpful as you read this manual: ANSI/IEEE Standard , IEEE Standard for a Versatile Backplane Bus: VMEbus ANSI/IEEE Standard , IEEE VMEbus Extensions for Instrumentation: VXIbus ANSI/VITA , VME64 CompactPCI Specification, Revision 2.0, PCI Industrial Computers Manufacturers Group Multisystem Extension Interface Bus Specification, Version 2.0, National Instruments Corporation PCI Local Bus Specification, Revision 2.1, PCI Special Interest Group PXI Specification, Revision 2.0, National Instruments Corporation VME-MXI-2 User Manual, National Instruments Corporation VXI-MXI-2 User Manual, National Instruments Corporation VXI-6, VXIbus Mainframe Extender Specification, Rev.1.0,VXIbus Consortium PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows xii ni.com

12 Introduction 1 How to Use This Manual This chapter describes your MXI-2 interface kit, lists what you need to get started, and includes a brief description of the hardware and software. This manual uses the term VXI/VME-MXI-2 when information applies to either the VXI-MXI-2 or the VME-MXI-2. This manual also uses the term NI-VXI/NI-VISA when software information applies to both NI-VISA and NI-VXI. The following flowchart shows where to turn for more details on configuring and using the hardware and software. Chapter 1 Gather What You Need to Get Started Yes Using Hardware Defaults? No Refer to Your MXI-2 Configuration Reference Manual Chapter 2 Install Hardware and NI-VXI/NI-VISA Software, Verify System, Run Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) to Configure All Devices in System Chapter 3 Develop Your Application Notice that for hardware configuration you should refer to the MXI-2 Configuration Reference Manual for a full description of how to configure and install the MXI-2 boards and an overview of MXI-2 itself. Then return to this manual for more information. National Instruments Corporation 1-1 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

13 Chapter 1 Introduction What You Need to Get Started You need the following items to set up your VXI or VME system: A PCI-based computer or PXI/CompactPCI chassis running Windows VXIbusorVMEbusmainframe PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 interface board VXI-MXI-2, VXI-MXI-2/B, or VME-MXI-2 interface module MXI-2 cable National Instruments software media PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface Kit Overview The interface kits described in this manual link a PCI-based computer or a PXI or CompactPCI chassis directly to the VXIbus or VMEbus using the high-speed Multisystem extension Interface bus (MXI-2). The MXI-2 kits, which include the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software for Windows, are as follows: VXI-PCI8000, containing a PCI-MXI-2 or PCI-MXI-2 Universal and ac-orb-sizevxi-mxi-2 VXI-PXI8000, containing a PXI-8320 and a C- or B-size VXI-MXI-2 VME-PCI8000, containing a PCI-MXI-2 or PCI-MXI-2 Universal and a VME-MXI-2 VME-PXI8000, containing a PXI-8320 and a VME-MXI-2 A PCI-based computer equipped with a VXI-PCI8000 interface, or a PXI/CompactPCI chassis equipped with a VXI-PXI8000 interface, can function as a VXI Commander and Resource Manager. A PCI-based computer equipped with a VME-PCI8000 interface, or a PXI/CompactPCI chassis equipped with a VME-PXI8000, can function as a VMEbus master and/or slave device. The MXI-2 interface kit makes your computer or chassis behave as if it were plugged directly into the VXI/VME backplane as an embedded CPU VXI/VME module. The CD included with the kits contains software for Windows-based computers. PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 1-2 ni.com

14 Chapter 1 Introduction Hardware Description The PCI-MXI-2 and PCI-MXI-2 Universal are half-size, PCI-compatible plug-in circuit boards that plug into one of the expansion slots in your PCI-based computer. The PCI-MXI-2 is for 5 V PCI systems, whereas the PCI-MXI-2 Universal is for 5 V or the newer 3.3 V PCI systems. The PXI-8320 is a 3U-size, PXI/CompactPCI-compatible circuit board that plugs into one of the peripheral slots in your PXI/CompactPCI chassis. All three boards link your computer directly to the MXIbus and vice versa. Because the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, and PXI-8320 use the same communication register set that other VXIbus message-based devices use, other MXIbus devices view the board as a VXIbus device. The PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, and PXI-8320 can also function as the MXIbus System Controller and can terminate the MXIbus signals directly. In addition, you can have up to 16 MB of onboard DRAM on your board that can be shared with the MXIbus and VXI/VMEbus and used as a dedicated data buffer. The VXI-MXI-2 module is an extended-class, register-based VXIbus device with optional VXIbus Slot 0 capability so that it can reside in any slot in a C- or D-size chassis. Optionally, you can use the VXI-MXI-2/B, which can reside in any B-size VXIbus slot. Note D-size VXI mainframes have connections for a P3 connector. The VXI-MXI-2, however, does not have this connector and, if configured as a Slot 0 controller, cannot provide the necessary control for VXI devices that need P3 support. The VXI-MXI-2 uses address mapping to convert MXIbus cycles into VXIbus cycles and vice versa. By connecting to the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 board, the VXI-MXI-2 links the PCI bus or the PXI/CompactPCI bus to the VXIbus. The VXI-MXI-2 can automatically determine whether it is in VXI Slot 0 and/or if it is the MXIbus System Controller. The VME-MXI-2 module is a single-slot, double-height VMEbus device with optional VMEbus System Controller functions. It uses address mapping to convert MXIbus cycles into VMEbus cycles and vice versa, just like the VXI-MXI-2. By connecting to the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 board, it links the PCI bus or the PXI/CompactPCI bus to the VMEbus. The VME-MXI-2 can automatically determine whether it is located in the first slot of a VMEbus chassis and if it is the MXIbus System Controller. National Instruments Corporation 1-3 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

15 Chapter 1 Introduction Also, the VXI/VME-MXI-2 automatically terminates the MXIbus if installed as the first or last device in the MXIbus. If installed in the middle of the MXIbus, the VXI/VME-MXI-2 automatically disables MXIbus termination. In addition, you can have up to 64 MB of onboard DRAM on the VXI/VME-MXI-2 module that either can be shared with the VXI/VMEbus and MXIbus or used as a dedicated data buffer. VME Users When used with a VXI-MXI-2, VXI Resource Manager (Resman) identifies and configures the VXI devices, including the VXI-MXI-2. When used with a VME-MXI-2, Resman configures the VME-MXI-2 to allow the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 to access devices in the VME chassis. Resman does not configure VME devices. The VME specification does not include the initialization and configuration procedures that the VXI specification requires. Software Description If you want to include VME devices in your system, you can enter information about your VME devices into the Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) utility using the Create New wizard. Resman then can properly configure the various device-specific VME address spaces and VME interrupt lines. Notice that the VME-MXI-2 itself does conform to the VXIbus register set and is therefore configured automatically by Resman. For each address space in which your device has memory, you must create a separate pseudo-device entry with a logical address between 256 and 511. For example, a VME device with memory in both A24 and A32 spaces would require two entries. You also can specify which interrupt level(s) the device uses. Interrupt levels cannot be shared by VXI and VME devices. You then can access the device from NI-VXI/NI-VISA just as you would a VXI device, by specifying the address space and the offset from the base at which you have configured it. NI-VISA support for VME devices includes the register access operations (both high-level and low-level) and the block move operations, as well as the ability to receive interrupts. The NI-VXI/NI-VISA bus interface software includes a Resource Manager, an interactive configuration and troubleshooting program, a comprehensive library of software routines for VXI/VME programming, a logging utility you can use for debugging, and graphical interactive control programs for interacting with VISA. You can use this software to PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 1-4 ni.com

16 Chapter 1 Introduction seamlessly program multiple-mainframe configurations and have software compatibility across a variety of controller platforms. NI-VISA has a comprehensive library of software routines not only for VXI/VME programming but also for GPIB, GPIB-VXI, and serial. Use this software to program instruments connected via different types of interfaces. Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) helps merge NI-VXI and NI-VISA closer together. Use MAX to view your entire T&M system and configure various components, whether they are VXI, GPIB, or Serial devices. This utility not only takes the place of the NI-VXI T&M Explorer utility, but it also adopts the functionality of the NI-DAQ Configuration utility so you can configure National Instruments VXI-DAQ cards. You can also add VME devices to your system easily with MAX and view them on a screen display along with the rest of your system. MAX also features various options for running Resman. You can still execute Resman independently to configure your instruments after a power cycle. But you also can perform resource manager operations directly from MAX or configure it to run Resman automatically at startup. The NI Spy utility tracks the calls your application makes to National Instruments T&M drivers, including NI-VXI, NI-VISA, and NI NI Spy helps you debug your application by clearly highlighting the functions that return errors. You can let NI Spy keep a log of your program s calls to these drivers so that you can check them for errors at your convenience. National Instruments Application Software In addition to the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software, you can use the National Instruments LabVIEW, LabWindows /CVI, and Measurement Studio application programs and instrument drivers to ease your programming task. These standardized programs match the modular virtual instrument capability of VXI and can reduce your VXI/VME software development time. These programs are fully VXIplug&play compliant and feature extensive libraries of VXI instrument drivers written to take full advantage of direct VXI control. LabVIEW and Measurement Studio include all the tools needed for instrument control, data acquisition, analysis, and presentation. National Instruments Corporation 1-5 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

17 Chapter 1 Introduction LabVIEW is an easy-to-use, graphical programming environment you can use to acquire data from thousands of different instruments, including IEEE devices, VXI devices, serial devices, PLCs, and plug-in data acquisition boards. After you have acquired raw data, you can convert it into meaningful results using the powerful data analysis routines in LabVIEW. LabVIEW also comes with hundreds of instrument drivers, which dramatically reduce software development time, because you do not have to spend time programming the low-level control of each instrument. LabWindows/CVI is an interactive ANSI C programming environment designed for building virtual instrument applications. LabWindows/CVI delivers a drag-and-drop editor for building user interfaces, a complete ANSI C environment for building your test program logic, and a collection of automated code generation tools, as well as utilities for building automated test systems, monitoring applications, or laboratory experiments. Measurement Studio includes support for Microsoft Visual C++, Visual Basic, and the.net platform. If you want to use these application programs, install them during the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software installation. LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, and Measurement Studio integrate the VXI and VISA libraries that are required to support PCI-based MXI-2 products. You also get hundreds of complete instrument drivers, which are modular source-code programs that handle the communication with your instrument to speed application development. PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 1-6 ni.com

18 Setup 2 Configuring the Hardware This chapter contains the instructions to set up the VXI or VME system using the MXI-2 hardware and NI-VXI/NI-VISA software. This section contains basic information about configuring the MXI-2 hardware. Note Install the NI-VXI software for Windows first, followed by the hardware. Installing the Hardware The default settings for the MXI-2 hardware are acceptable for most typical applications. Refer to Appendix A, Default Settings, for a complete listing of the hardware and software default settings. The MXI-2 Configuration Reference Manual fully describes the configuration and installation of each MXI-2 board discussed in this getting started manual. Refer to the MXI-2 Configuration Reference Manual if you want to try a different hardware configuration or want more information on a particular setting. Use the MAX utility in NI-VXI/NI-VISA to change PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 configuration settings. For information on the software, including optional settings, use MAX and MAX help. Access MAX from the MAX icon on the desktop. To access the MAX help, open the Help menu and select Help Topics. This section describes how to install the MXI-2 hardware. Installing Your PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface You received either a PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 in your kit. National Instruments Corporation 2-1 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

19 Chapter 2 Setup Caution To guard against electrostatic discharge, touch the antistatic plastic package to a metal part of your computer or chassis before removing the board from the package. Your computer or chassis should be plugged in but powered off. Installing Your Mainframe Extender Install the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 in an available peripheral slot in your PCI-based computer or PXI/CompactPCI chassis. For more information, refer to the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 chapter in the MXI-2 Configuration Reference Manual. You also received either a VXI-MXI-2, VXI-MXI-2/B, or VME-MXI-2 in your kit. Caution To guard against electrostatic discharge, touch the antistatic plastic package to a metal part of your chassis before removing the module from the package. The VXI or VME chassis should be plugged in but powered off. Install the VXI-MXI-2 or VXI-MXI-2/B in the first slot of a VXI chassis, or install the VME-MXI-2 in the first slot of a VME chassis. The VXI/VME-MXI-2 default configuration automatically detects whether it should be the VXI/VMEbus system controller. The VXI/VMEbus system controllers operate certain VXI/VMEbus lines as required for VXI/VME systems. Verify that any other VXI/VME devices with system controller capability that are in the same chassis are not configured as system controller. Caution Having more than one device configured as system controller can damage the VXI/VME system. For VXI systems that include VME devices, ensure that the VME devices are not configured in the upper 16 KB (starting from 0xC000) of the A16 address space. This region is reserved for VXI device configuration registers, which are used for initializing, configuring, and interacting with VXI devices. The PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 and VME-MXI-2 also use this region for this purpose. Also, ensure that no VXI devices in your system are configured for either logical addresses 0 or 1. These are the default configurations for the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 and the VXI-MXI-2, respectively. PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 2-2 ni.com

20 Chapter 2 Setup Connecting the MXI-2 Cable Properly Software Installation For more information, refer to the VXI-MXI-2, VXI-MXI-2/B, or VME-MXI-2 chapter in the MXI-2 Configuration Reference Manual. By default, the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 automatically detects whether it should be the system controller on the MXIbus. Verify that the correct cable end labeled Connect This End To Device Closest To MXIbus Controller In This Daisy Chain is attached securely to the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI The cable must be connected in this manner so that the MXI board can correctly detect whether it should be the system controller on the MXIbus. Attach the other end of the cable to the VXI/VME-MXI-2. Use the Setup program that came with the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software to install the entire software package or a software update, or to reinstall software in the event that your files were accidentally erased. Some of the utilities rely on the LabWindows/CVI Run-Time Engine. This software is installed, if necessary, during the NI-VXI/NI-VISA installation. Depending on the type of installation you choose, you may need up to 40 MB of free space available to accommodate the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software. If you choose the Custom installation method, Setup displays the amount of memory required for the options you select. To be compliant with VXIplug&play specifications, a VXI controller must provide the VISA I/O driver library standardized by VXIplug&play.VISA ensures that your controller can run all VXIplug&play-compatible software now and in the future. The NI-VISA software in this kit is compatible with the WIN95/GWIN95 and WINNT/GWINNT frameworks. With NI-VISA installed on your computer, you can run any VXIplug&play software compatible with these frameworks. This includes instrument drivers and executable soft front panelsoftware includedwithvxiplug&play-compatible instruments from a variety of vendors. National Instruments Corporation 2-3 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

21 Chapter 2 Setup Installing the Software This section describes how to install the 32-bit NI-VXI/NI-VISA software. Please carefully read these directions along with any messages on the screen before making your selections. You can quit the Setup program at any time by clicking the Cancel button. Setup is an interactive, self-guiding program that installs the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software and configures your system to use the software with the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI Follow these steps to complete the installation: 1. Insert the CD-ROM labeled NI-VXI/NI-VISA for Windows Ver The setup program should run automatically. 2. Click the Next button at the Welcome screen to start the installation and accept the license agreement. Note If Setup detects an earlier version of the NI-VXI software, it prompts you to remove it. Setup can quit so you can uninstall the old software or install the new version over the previous version. Caution If you want to keep the manufacturer/model name tables or the VME device configuration from a previous installation, be sure to back them up before starting Setup. 3. Select the destination folders for the files being installed. 4. Select the type of installation from the Select Installation Type screen. Typical setup is the fastest and simplest installation option. This option installs all the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software without prompting you to make any further choices. Custom setup gives you control over which files and utilities you want installed on your system. This option is recommended for advanced users. 5. Click the Next button to begin the installation. Setup now copies the necessary files to your hard drive and creates program icons. PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 2-4 ni.com

22 Chapter 2 Setup Completing the Software Installation 1. Review the information in any README files that Setup prompts you to read. 2. When the installation process completes, you must reboot your computer for the changes to take effect. The NI-VXI driver is loaded at this time. 3. If you backed up the manufacturer and model name files, restore them to the TBL subdirectory of the NI-VXI directory before running MAX. 4. After you install the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software, run MAX. It will prompt you to run Resman. You must run Resman every time the chassis power is cycled so that the application can access devices in the VXI/VME chassis. You also can configure MAX to run Resman automatically at every computer startup. 5. After you run Resman, you are ready to use MAX to interactively configure the National Instruments hardware in your system. Use the right-click help for information about the various configuration options. Verifying Your System Configuration After you finish configuring the system through MAX, verify the system configuration through the interactive control utility, VISAIC. For more details about the utilities in NI-VXI/NI-VISA, refer to Chapter 3, Developing Your Application. National Instruments Corporation 2-5 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

23 Developing Your Application 3 This chapter discusses the software utilities you can use to start developing applications that use NI-VXI. After installing the NI-VXI software, you can begin developing a VXI/VME application. Be sure to check the release notes for the latest application development notes and changes. NI-VXI, NI-VISA, and Related Terms Before you develop an application, it is important to understand the difference between NI-VXI, NI-VISA, and similar terms: NI-VXI is the software package that ships with National Instruments VXI and VME controllers. NI-VXI includes Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), NI-VISA, NI Spy, Resource Manager (Resman), VXI device drivers, and other utilities for configuring and controlling the VXI or VME system. NI-VISA is the native API for communicating with VXI/VME devices. NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA I/O standard, which is a common interface to many types of instruments (such as VXI, GPIB, PXI, Serial, TCP/IP, etc.). NI-VXI is optimized for use through NI-VISA, and NI recommends using NI-VISA to develop all new VXI/VME applications. The NI-VXI API is an optional development environment that is not part of the default NI-VXI installation. The NI-VXI API was developed before NI-VISA; while NI-VXI still supports the NI-VXI API, NI recommends using NI-VISA for all new VXI/VME applications. If you must develop an application using the older NI-VXI API, run the NI-VXI installer and select the appropriate option in the custom installation screen. Be sure to review the NI-VXI API Notes section later in this chapter. The NI-VXI compatibility layer allows older programs that use the NI-VXI API to communicate with VXI devices through VISA. Using this compatibility layer, older programs can run in NI-VXI 3.0 or later without being rewritten to use the VISA interface. This layer installs with NI-VXI by default. It should be completely transparent and National Instruments Corporation 3-1 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

24 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application provide a high level of performance; however, there may be some slight changes in behavior for certain applications. The software features several system development utilities including MAX, Resman, NI Spy, VISA Interactive Control (VISAIC), and VXI Interactive Control (VIC, optional). You also can access help and a variety of examples to learn how to use NI-VXI for certain tasks. Each component assists you with one of four development steps: configuration, device interaction, programming, and debugging. You can access the utilities, help files, and release notes through the Windows Start menu by opening the National Instruments»VXI or National Instruments»VISA program groups. Configuration The configuration utilities in the software kit are Resman and MAX. Resman performs VXI Resource Manager functions as described in the VXIbus specification. Resman configures all devices on the VXI backplane for operation and allocates memory for devices that request it. Resman does not require you to specify any settings; it automatically performs the VXI resource management whenever you run it. Note Power cycling resets all devices, so you must run Resman to reconfigure your system every time you cycle the power on the chassis. MAX presents a graphical display of the entire test and measurement system to help you configure various components. When you launch MAX, you see all of the devices (including VXI) on the screen. You can view the properties (such as logical address, address space, and so on) of each device by clicking the device in the configuration tree. To see additional configuration options for a given device, right-click the device in the configuration tree. When you access the properties of most National Instruments devices by right-clicking, you can configure the hardware settings by selecting Hardware Configuration. MAX and Resman are designed to work together. You can run Resman through MAX by either clicking the Run VXI Resource Manager button in the toolbar or right-clicking a specific VXI system on which to run Resman (refer to Figure 3-1). You also can select Tools»NI-VXI»VXI Resource Manager torunresmanonallvxisystems.fromthevxi Options dialog box in the Tools»NI-VXI menu, you also can use MAX to PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 3-2 ni.com

25 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application configure Resman to run on all VXI systems automatically when the computer boots. Resman reports to MAX all errors it finds in the system; when you view the VXI system in MAX, you can easily spot any errors that Resman found while configuring the system. Device Interaction Figure 3-1. Right-Click on a VXI System in MAX to Run Resman on that System After Resman detects and configures all of the VXI/VME devices, you can use MAX to view specific information about each device in the system. The default MAX view of a VXI system shows the General tab window, which contains a summary of key information about each device, including its device name, logical address, model name, and other data. For more information about MAX, refer to MAX help by selecting the Help»Help Topics menu. You can interact with the VXI/VME devices using the VISA Interactive Control (VISAIC) utility. VISAIC allows you to control the VXI/VME devices without using a conventional programming language: LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, or Measurement Studio. You also can control the devices in MAX by right-clicking a device name and selecting Open VISA Session. National Instruments Corporation 3-3 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

26 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application Note You also can use VXI Interactive Control Program (VIC) to control the VXI/VME devices and develop and debug VXI application programs. VIC is not included in the default NI-VXI installation; to install it, select NI-VXI API Development from the custom installation screen in the installer. You can launch VISAIC (or VIC) from the Tools menu in MAX or from the VISA or VXI subgroups in Start»Programs»National Instruments. Try the following in VISAIC: In the tree view, navigate using your mouse to the VISA resource for your controller probably VXI0::0::INSTR, representing the VXI system 0, logical address 0 instrument resource (refer to Figure 3-2). Figure 3-2. Select Your Controller in VISAIC Open the selected resource and navigate to the Register I/O tab. In this tab, you can read registers on the device, such as the VXI device configuration registers. Execute the viin operation (calledin in LabVIEW compatibility mode) with the default parameters. The Data Value field shows the I/O operation result, such as 0x9ff6. The Return Value field shows the function status, such as 0 for VI_SUCCESS. This dialog box may look slightly different for LabVIEW users. Refer to Figure 3-3. PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 3-4 ni.com

27 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application Figure 3-3. Successful viin Access in the VISAIC Register I/O Tab If the data value ends in ff6, you have successfully read the National Instruments manufacturer ID from your VXI/VME controller s ID register. You may now want to read the configuration registers from other VXI devices in the system by opening the devices in VISAIC. Try reading a register from each device listed in the MAX view of the VXI system. This way, you can verify that the VXI controller can access each device in the VXI system successfully. You also can access VXI and VME devices configured in A16, A24, or A32 space by opening the VXI MEMACC resource, which is VISA s representation of VXI memory. For more information about VISAIC operations and commands, refer to the help in the Help menu and the context-sensitive help (such as What sthis?), accessible by right-clicking in any panel. National Instruments Corporation 3-5 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

28 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application Programming for VXI NI-VISA and the NI-VXI API are the two National Instruments programming interfaces for accessing VXI/VME instruments. With NI-VXI 3.0 or later, NI-VISA is the native API for communicating with a VXI or VME system, and NI recommends using it for all new applications. Older programs that use the NI-VXI API now use the NI-VXI-to-NI-VISA compatibility layer to communicate with the VXI devices. Using this layer, older programs can run in NI-VXI 3.0 or later without being rewritten to use the VISA interface. Note The NI-VXI API development environment is not installed by default as part of the NI-VXI installation. If you must develop an application using the older NI-VXI API, run the NI-VXI installer and select the appropriate option in the custom installation screen. Be sure to review the NI-VXI API Notes section later in this chapter. NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA API as the VXIplug&play standard defines. It provides a common interface to many types of instruments (such as VXI, GPIB, PXI, Serial, TCP/IP, etc.) and therefore is especially useful in situations in which you are using multiple types of instruments. Both NI-VISA and the NI-VXI API include functions for register-level access to VXI instruments and messaging capability to message-based devices. You also can use either interface to service asynchronous events such as triggers, signals, and interrupts, and also assert them. Compatibility with the NI-VXI API is included for legacy applications only NI recommends that you write all new VXI/VME applications in VISA. The best way to learn NI-VISA programming is by reviewing the example programs the software includes. The examples directory contains working VISA programs that illustrate many different types of applications. You can find these examples in the VXIpnp\WinNT\NIvisa\Examples directory. If you are just getting started, you should learn how to access registers with high-level calls and send messages with word-serial functions. The NI-VISA examples for these tasks are HighReg.c and RdWrt.c. Refer to the other examples as you try more advanced techniques. Refer to the NI-VISA User Manual or help for additional information on these topics. PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 3-6 ni.com

29 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application Table 3-1 summarizes the topics the example programs address. All files are in the VXIpnp\WinNT\NIvisa\Examples directory, in the subdirectories listed below. Table 3-1. NI-VISA/NI-VXI Examples Coverage NI-VISAExample NI-VXI Example (Optional) Message-Based Access General\RdWrt.c VXIws.c High-Level Register Access VXI-VME\HighReg.c VXIhigh.c Low-Level Register Access VXI-VME\LowReg.c VXIlow.c Sharing Memory VXI-VME\ShareSys.c VXImem.c Interrupt Handling VXI-VME\AsyncIntr.c and WaitIntr.c VXIint.c Trigger Handling VXI-VME\WaitTrig.c VXItrig.c Note MAX includes configuration options that affect low-level functions and shared memory, as well as trigger mappings and other attributes of the VXI system. Refer to the MAX help for information regarding these options. Optimizing Large VXIbus Transfers For best performance, keep the following in mind when using vimove() or VXImove(): Make sure your buffers are 32-bit aligned. Transfer 32-bit data whenever possible. Use VXI block access privileges to significantly improve performance to devices that are capable of accepting block transfers. To optimize move performance on virtual memory systems, lock the user buffer in memory yourself so the move operation does not need to lock the buffer. To optimize move performance on paged memory systems, use a contiguous buffer so the move operation does not need to build a scatter-gather list for the user buffer. National Instruments Corporation 3-7 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

30 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application Note vimemalloc() or VXImemAlloc() returns 32-bit aligned, page-locked, continuous buffers which work efficiently with the move operations. Shared Memory NI-VXI API Notes In the Hardware Configuration settings of the PCI-MXI-2 and PCI-MXI-2 Universal in MAX, you can share memory on your computer or from DRAM added to the PCI-MXI-2 and PCI-MXI-2 Universal. Right-click any of the settings or refer to the help in MAX for more information. You can access shared memory on your computer using VXImemAlloc() in NI-VXI and vimemalloc() in VISA. The following sections apply only if you are using the NI-VXI API. NI recommends that all new VXI/VME applications use the NI-VISA API, but you can still develop with the older NI-VXI API for compatibility with legacy code. Compiler Symbols You may need to define certain compiler symbols so that the NI-VXI library can work properly with your program. The required symbol indicates your operating system platform; for example, VXINT designates the application as a Windows 2000/NT/Me/98 application. Note LabWindows/CVI automatically defines the correct symbol. You do not need to define VXINT when using LabWindows/CVI. The additional symbol BINARY_COMPATIBLE is optional. It ensures that the resulting application is binary compatible with other National Instruments VXI controllers using the same operating system. This symbol may cause a slight performance degradation when you use low-level VXIbus access functions. You can define these symbols using #define statements in your source code or using the appropriate option in your compiler (typically either -D or /D). If you use #define statements, they must appear in the code before the line that includes the NI-VXI API header nivxi.h. PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 3-8 ni.com

31 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application Compatibility Layer Options Although NI-VXI supports multiple VXI controllers through NI-VISA, the NI-VXI API supports only a single controller. To specify which controller the emulation layer should use, run MAX. Select Tools»NI-VXI»VXI Options. Select the VXI system that will support the emulation layer. In NI-VXI 3.0 or later, when you enable for triggers or interrupts, only the local controller is enabled. In the NI-VXI API functions for enabling triggers and interrupts, the controller parameter is ignored. If you need to enable a remote controller for triggers, use the MAX frame resource to map the trigger back to the local controller. The interrupt and trigger routing in the NI-VXI 3.0 or later low-level drivers is somewhat different from the default routing in previous versions of NI-VXI. Therefore, the compatibility layer may behave differently than the original NI-VXI API with regard to these settings. In particular, if you are receiving triggers on an external controller, you may need to modify the trigger configuration on the extender module using MAX. In general, interrupts are routed automatically based on the interrupt configuration the resource manager detects. Whether the changed routing behavior affects the program is application dependent. Because VISA is an instrument-centric API, certain functions from the more controller-centric NI-VXI API do not match perfectly with a VISA counterpart. When an application enables an event with the NI-VXI API compatibility layer, each logical address is enabled for that event separately. For example, if the application enables an interrupt level, VISA will enable the interrupt on each logical address, one at a time, until all the devices are enabled. This means that some interrupts could be lost from devices with higher numbered logical addresses. MAX provides an option for users to pick which logical address is enabled first. Select Tools»NI-VXI»VXI Options. SetPrioritized Signal LA to the logical address of the device that generates the events. This prevents possible loss of events from that device. National Instruments Corporation 3-9 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows

32 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application Debugging NI Spy and VISAIC are useful utilities for identifying the causes of problems in an application. NI Spy tracks the calls an application makes to National Instruments programming interfaces, including NI-VISA, NI-VXI, and NI-488. NI Spy highlights functions that return errors, so during development you can quickly spot which functions failed during a program s execution. NI Spy can log the calls the program makes to these drivers so you can check them for errors at your convenience, or use the NI Spy log as a reference when discussing the problem with National Instruments technical support. Figure 3-4 shows an example of a normal error returned from a call to vimemalloc when no memory has been shared. Figure 3-4. NI-Spy PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows 3-10 ni.com

33 Chapter 3 Developing Your Application VISAIC,discussedintheDevice Interaction section, is an excellent platform for quickly testing instruments and learning how to communicate with them. Figure 3-5. VISAIC National Instruments Corporation 3-11 PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows