Labview FPGA - Will the VI run after license expires ?

[anlet_poly]

Hi everyone, 

I have a license for LabView ( many modules ) and I am currently evaluating the LabView FPGA module ( 45 days trial ).

I would like to know if I can still use a VI I developed in LabView FPGA when my license expires. The FPGA is sending digital signals and receiving analogs ( via DMA channels ) but I do not need to modify any of the code. If it is included in my main VI ( running on host ) will the FPGA still works ? If not, do you think I could save the LabView code in VHDL or Verilog to keep it after my license expires ?

Thanks a lot for your time,

Antoine

[ToeCutter]

I doubt it. The idea is that you evaluate the product and then purchase it if you want to use that functionality long term. This is not the place to discuss how you might grab intermediate code in order to circumvent licensing.

[nathand]

My guess is that the bitfile will still work, and any application that you built with it will be fine. You'll lose access to the FPGA functions on the block diagram and I have no idea if any such functions that are already in the VI will still run. Also, the FPGA target may no longer be accessible in the project.

You can't get the intermediate VHDL even with a license.

[Jacobson-ni]

Like the others were saying, if you have a bitfile you can continue using it but you will not be able to make any changes as that would require another compilation.  This KB shows you how to download a bit file without the FPGA Module

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/BAAA6D86CDDD583C8625729E00572C8B

Also, as long as  you have the NI-RIO driver, you will be able to interface with that bitfile.  The NI-RIO driver installs most of the FPGA Host Interface palette (Open FPGA VI Reference, Read/Write Nodes, FIFOs) so if you have a bit file that never needs to be changed you're fine.

Edit: Thinking about this a little more, I am not certain on if anything would be different on an evaluation version of the Module.  Regardless of whether this works or not I would suggest making sure whatever you are doing is not violating any terms and conditions of having an evaluation.

[Hooovahh]

Yeah in my mind the license is for the FPGA toolkit which is the LabVIEW editing side of things.  This would mean you can't edit an FPGA VI, or compile it into a new bit file, without a license.  But assuming you have the device drivers for the FPGA hardware installed, which would be NI-RIO along with any other DAQmx if needed, then it should continue to run and load the bit file.  

There is no extra license needed in a built EXE that uses an FPGA, and there it is loading a bit file on the hardware, so I see no reason why a license would be needed to load a bit file on the hardware in the development environment.

[anlet_poly]

Problem solved, I activated the module, I did not want to take any chances. Thanks for your help !