Set static output on PFI on USB 6366

[Bebor]

Hello everyone,

What I want to achieve is to spare dedicated 8 DIO lines on USB6366 dev on port 0 for some specific application and use remaining 16 PFI lines to control some external equipment.

All I need is the ability to set selected PFI line high/low in reasonable time by software command (LabView, .Net, C, whatever). No special timing requirements, just set selected PFI lines high and switch them back LOW after no less than 20ms. These signals would be used for controlling some external logic; no significant current.

The question:
Is it possible to control the PFI lines in the way I described on USB 6366 device?



Manual for this device (or actually for the whole family of devices) is a bit ambiguous on that topic.

It says it is possible to select 'direction' of every digital line but that's it. No more information. Only manipulation of port 0 (general purpose DIO) has its own section. PFI-Out is just mentioned. PFI-In is explained in a bit more detail but also vaguely. 

P.S. I have no device available now (I would have tested the ability to do what I described if I had).

Thanks for your time!

[Mcdan · Accepted solution]

Bebor,

You should be able to use the 16 PFI lines as digital lines.  To change the state of the lines you'd create a digital output task, the same as you would on port 0 lines (DAQmx will handle programming the line direction for you when you create a task).  DAQmx Write can then be used to update the state of the lines.

These lines do not support timed operation, so lines will be updated when DAQmx Write is called.  Any timing restrictions that are imposed will need to be handled by your software, and will be limited to the accuracy of the software timers available to you.

Dan

[Bebor]

Thanks Dan, the manuals for .net or for devices are not precise enough to make a decision without test. I will test anyway but your answer was helpful enough to let me think about other things over the weekend :).