Access to NI-FBUS Monitor log data at run time

[FFuser]

The NI-FBUS Monitor is a useful tool to capture the data traffic on the bus for later evaluation. However, I need a tool for evaluating the fieldbus messages already on runtime.

As far as I know NI does not provide an API allowing to write my own application for capturing the messages, so I tried to provide the name of a named pipe as file name for the capture file of the bus monitor. The bus monitor connects to the pipe, alas, it does not send any data .

Is there any other way how I can get the fieldbus messages to my evaluation application already at run time?

I'm using the NI-FBUS Monitor version 3.0.1.4026 on a Windows XP computer.

Regards

FFuser

[Vince Shen]

Hello,

Using named pipe to access the NI-FBUS Monitor captured data is not feasible. There is no method to let Monitor send data to pipe.

Monitor processes the captured data in its own mechanism. I am sorry that there is no way to obtain the Monitor data at run time.

[FFuser]

Hello,

thank you very much for your quick response.

Well, of course there are ways to obtain the monitor data at least nearly at run time - it is just a matter of time and effort I have to spend on the subject. Retrieving the data via a named pipe would have been a very convenient way, and on the monitor side it would have required only little effort to support named pipes, too. I think the only thing that had to be done is to do without random file access - and to process a continuous data flow I do not need the number of fieldbus messages in the file header, for what reason the random file access is obviously required.

So I'd like to pose another question: Is it possible to obtain a version of the NI-FBUS Monitor that supports named pipes within a few weeks, and if so, at what price? I believe strongly that I am not the only one who would appreciate such extended features ...

Kind regards

Siegfried Roth

[Vince Shen]

Hello Siegfried,

I am afraid that we are not able to provide such a NI-FBUS Monitor within a few weeks. According to NI's product development criterion, every software which is released to customers must through well scheduled development phase and strictly testing process. This criterion aims to ensure the quality and reliability of NI software. I am sorry that a few weeks time is not enough for a new release.

Currently, we are correcting feedbacks on NI-FBUS Monitor software for the next release. Thank you very much for informing us this requirement. I will forward it to our R&D department.

Any suggestion and requirement on NI-FBUS products is mostly welcomed. You can also email to fieldbus.support@ni.com for any NI-FBUS related requests.

Message Edited by Vince Shen on 04-19-2008 02:10 AM