select bitfile to download ...

[KaBooOoom]

Hi all,

I have a question , we developped a complete application which is able to read, write AI, AO, DI , DO PWM, CAN .... all of these are completly  parametrable  ... now, in order to improve the performances of some modules we are interrested in replacing some DAQmx modules with FPGA.

The problem ius the following : with DAQmx, if you use for example a PXI 6254, you can parameter this card to read / write DI/DO/AI...  All this stuff can be done in  programmatically ... However in FPGA , you can not change  the  function of the card... the only thing you can do is to  load a different bitfile ... So if my understandf is good if i use a 7831R i have to create the programm to read 4 AI , another to read 8 AI and so on ... it's not possible to configure the board programatically ....  I  can understand that ... But what i don't understand is: when i use the open function in the host vi why is it not possible to specify the bitfile to transfert  ??? If that could be possible i could create a library of bitfiles which can be downloaded in the card depending the need of the user ...


I don't know if everything is clear , but i think i'm not the first one who face this problem .... euhh i hope .. LOL !

[Richard_KEROMEN]

Hello,

If I understood your problem, I have a good new for you ...
It's possible to create 2 bitfile and to use them in regard of a conditon. The only thing you have to do is to do is a right click on the VI "open FPGA reference" and select- a bitfile to use, do what you need to to and then close the reference. If you need another bitfile you just have to do this operation again...

I hope i am clear enough, don't hesitate to post questions.

Regards

[KaBooOoom]

Hi Richard !

Euhh i knew that....

If I want to use different bitfiles, I must open the reference for each bitfile and close the reference at the end...

What i wanted to do is to give the bitfile as an input of the open function and to have general properties / methods to acceed to the variables but i search and i think that's not possible ... but I think that could be a good idea for further FPGA improvments...

Thanks, sorry i posted the message twice...

[V.Cejka]

Hi,

3 years elapsed and still looks like no solution. KaBooOoom is absolutely right. Right-clicking on VI icon can be good for academic games, but I'm developing comertial compiled applications and it is really big problem. It drives me really angry on the whole stuff if it is not possible to download different bitfiles on demand. Factory workers do not care about some external tools for downloading bitfiles...

[Mustanghipo65]

This is going to be a rather huge problem for me. We are developing an ATE system that will test multiple units that require different FPGA configurations. Not having the ability to programatticly load a bitfile is a major drawback. We're using Teststand and it sure would be nice to have the bitfile loaded to the FPGA when a sequence file is opened.

[Guillaume_H]

Hello,

I know it is possible to download a Bitfile to one or more FPGA targets by using a specific VI called “Download Bitfile.vi”. This VI can be found in the “NI-RIO System Replication Tools”. You can find more information about this by following this link : FPGA Target System Replication.

Alternatively, it is possible to download a Bitfile to a target without using LabVIEW FPGA. I advise you to follow this link if you are interested : How Do I Download a Bitfile to My Target Without LabVIEW FPGA?

I hope this information helped you.

Best Regards

[V.Cejka]

It is possible to download bitfile, but 1 combination of bitfile (1 specific compiled VI) + 1 exact HW target creates 1 unique FPGA reference, at least till LV2009. Iˇm not sure yet about dynamic FPGA reference in LV2010. But in LV2009 it meant that litle bit different VI, even with the same interface (read/write controls) had to go on another wire, i.e. with different serving diagrams. And also exactly the same VI compiled for 2 different targets had to be served on two distinct wires with different diagrams.

[Guillaume_H]

Hello,

You will indeed need different pre-compiled Bitfiles in order to download them on the FPGA target using the « Download Bitfile.vi » VI.

You will also need slightly different VIs for different FPGA board, due to hardware differences.

Best regards,

[V.Cejka]

Yes, and this is what we complain about - different bitfiles can be opened with different Open FPGA reference functions with __absolute__ path only (it is real pain! compiled exe doesnot work from any other path in computer then the original source path), and "slightly different" VIs to handle different bitfiles or FPGA boards, when the interface is the same - it is too strict and unnessecary - it could be much more flexible!