Replication and Deployment Utility (RAD)

[Christian_L]

Note: The reference design was previously called LabVIEW Real-Time Application Deployment (RTAD).

This thread is intended for discussion and feedback regarding examples, functions/VIs, and tools for deploying LabVIEW RT applications to different targets systems including PXI, CompactRIO, and Compact FieldPoint. If you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions on this topic, please post them here.

One current set of functions available for RT application deployment are the RT System Replication tools.

I am currently developing a reference design and turn-key utility for RT application deployment and will post a beta version in this thread to receive feedback. In the mean time if you have a list of requirements for such a tool, please post them here.

[Armen]

Hi,

My RT application runs in compact FieldPoint. It has 3 loops: low priority, high priority and client-server communication loop to send and receive data with host PC.  It also have remote panel server, to see the front panel from network.  It works perfectly when I start it from project. We have all data on host computer. But when I create an executable to run from start-up, I still see and control my application on network, but communication is broken. I suspect that need to set special settings in build specification. The application itself is okay, I have checked it many times. Any hint and help would appreciate

[Christian_L]

Hello Armen,

Your question is better suited for the general LabVIEW support forum. Please repost it there. I would encourage you to include some of the code, especially the communication loop if that is the piece that isn't working. Since you can access the front panel of the RT application usding Remote Panel, you can also display more debugging information on the front panel that tells you more about what is going on in the communication loop.

This forum is designed for discussion on the tools referenced above and in the future, specifically automated tools for deploying RT applications. For these tools we assume that you have a working RT executable application.

[dwisti]

I use the Real-Time Target Replication tools quite often.  My company is an OEM and the end user does not have Labview or MAX.  Without the replication tools, this would not be possible.  However, I've run into one situation where my end user is stuck.  If they have a hard drive failure, they must format and install with the Desktop PC Utility USB Drive.  How can my customer create the Desktop PC Utility USB Drive?

[Christian_L]

David,

I think you may have already received your answer from the PSE through your local sales person. Here's a summary for the forum.

The end customer can not directly create the necessary USB drive as the code for it is part of MAX and the LV RT installation on the development machine. Options include:

1. Create the USB drive on the development machine and ship the USB drive to the customer.

2. Create the USB drive on the development machine. Then zip up the contents of the USB drive and e-mail the ZIP file to the customer. The customer must format their own USB drive to be a bootable drive. Then they will place the contents of the ZIP file on the empty USB drive. Now they have a bootable USB drive to start their PC in RT.

[dwisti]

Christian,
Thanks for the response.  When we deploy RT systems we purchase a deployment license for standard PC's ETS(RTOS) NI Part #777849-03. Inside this product is a CD, National Instruments Real-Time Target Software v2.1 which allows you to install MAX and the ability to create the bootable USB drive utility.  However, it only supports up to Labview 8.2.  Why doesn't this CD support 8.5.1?  What is the purpose of this CD?

David

[Riconquistiamola]

Hi David,

The TargetCD was a tool for installing Real-Time software on targets from a host that does not have the LabVIEW Real-Time Module.

In version 2.1 and previous, the LabVIEW Real-Time Target Software CD contained the necessary embedded software to run LabVIEW Real-Time on any National Instruments real-time controller. The purpose of this CD was so our end-user RT customers that may not have the LabVIEW Real-Time development software could still have the embedded software to be able to reinstall RT to the target. The CD installation allowed a customer to choose which target they are using and which version of LabVIEW Real-Time. The software was installed on the host computer and then could be installed to the target through MAX as if the LabVIEW Real-Time is installed.

Version 2.2 (for LabVIEW Real-Time 8.5) no longer has this functionality. The updated purpose of the CD is to provide older LabVIEW Real-Time version support for newer controllers, which would be unnecessary to ship with a deployment license.

The reasoning for the change is if someone were to require the ability to install Real-Time software to a target without installing the LabVIEW Real-Time Module, we would recommend the Real-Time Target System Replication Toolkit. The VIs can be built into an executable (or installer with the LabVIEW RTE) and provided to your an end-customer with a customized imaging process.

Cheers.


Message Edited by Riconquistiamola on 07-29-2008 02:09 PM

[dwisti]

Maybe I'm missing something...  Real-Time Target System Replication Toolkit can apply an image to an unconfigured target.  Unconfigured target meaning the Labview real time bootloader is running in that target.  How can the Real-Time Target System Replication Toolkit install the bootloader onto a brand new harddrive?  My end-user RT customers do not have the LabVIEW Real-Time development software but still need to be able to reinstall RT to the target.

[Riconquistiamola]

Hey David,

You are correct System Replication cannot format a new HDD.

In that case you could ship your end customer a Desktop PC Format Hard Drive Disk or Desktop PC Utility USB Drive instead of providing them the TargetCD.

Cheers.

[dwisti]

When you go to the download link for LabVIEW Real-Time System Replication Tools it says:

LabVIEW Real-Time Module for PharLap -- System Replication Tools

But these tools work for VxWorks targets too? I been using them with VxWorks for some time know and just want to be sure this is a typo on the website.