cRIO code deployment from linux

[maxwellb]

Hi,

I have a cRIO running out in the field and the only computers permanently connected to it are GUI-less Linux machines. Currently to deploy new code to the cRIO, I go out to one of these Linux machines, steal its network cable, and plug it in to my laptop running Windows. It would be great if I could deploy new code to the cRIOs from one of these Linux machines. Can I simply copy my .rtexe and .lvbitx files over FTP to the cRIO? Does anyone know where I can find more information on this?

Thanks!

[HollyBerry]

Hi Maxwell,

What model of cRIO are you using? If you are using anything other than the cRIO-9068 or myRIO (these two run Linux RT as their OS), you can regularly ftp into the target and place the .rtexe in the ni-rt/startup folder(ftp://10.1.X.X/ni-rt/startup/). If you are using a cRIO with Linux RT, you must first install other software.

You could deploy the bitfile to the target in NI-MAX using the steps in this link.

It becomes a little more complicated to ftp the bitfile. One way to do it is to ftp the bitfile to a location on the cRIO and then modify your Open FPGA Reference VI in your RT app to look for that spot.  

[maxwellb]

Thanks Holly. That's very helpful about the RTEXE. I won't be able to run MAX on any of the machines that are permanently connected to the cRIO, but that modification of the Open FPGA Reference VI sounds promising.

[crossrulz]

You might also want to look into the Repliation and Deployment Utility.

[HollyBerry]

Agreed! However, the reason I did not recommend the Replication and Deployment utility is that you need a cRIO next to the development computer to create the image (it requires a spare cRIO that is not in the field).

[maxwellb]

I might be able to use a spare cRIO to generate the image using the replication and deployment utility, but how would I run the deployment utility from a text-only Linux machine?

[HollyBerry]

It looks like RAD requires the Run-Time engine and NI System Configuration 5.5. I'm not sure what version of Linux is on that computer and if it would be compatible with the LabVIEW Linux Run Time Engine. It could be worth a shot.

http://www.ni.com/download/labview-run-time-engine-2012/3447/en/

http://www.ni.com/download/ni-system-configuration-5.5/4229/en/

[maxwellb]

That's an interesting idea but it still doesn't seem possible to me to run the RAD from a text-only environment.

[HollyBerry]

RAD is a stand alone exe. You should be able to call it from a text environment. However, it may be easier for you to use the previous method where you point the FPGA reference to the bitfile and ftp it onto the cRIO.

[maxwellb]

Ok, thanks! I will give that a try.