ergetting started with accessing the vme-gpib card

[Leeman69]

I have a question about developing a user level implementation driver for the "778677-01 VME-GPIB" using the "NI-488DDK for VME-GPIB" development dirver kit. I have gone through the NI-488DDK code and manual that we purchased and it appears that the code seems to be set up to create a kernel-level implementation. I can not seem to figure out where the code sets up a User-Level Implementation. In the "cib_EstablishAccess" function the code is trying to access an existing device driver, however it does not seem to have any code or reference to accessing the gpib card at a User-Level If anyone could please tell me how to initialy access the card at a User-Level I would greatly appreciate it. for example.. Should I start by callling the "cib_EstablishAccess" method even though the code in the method seems to be treating the driver as it is going to be accessed at a kernel level.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks kindly

Leeman69

[Steven_T]

Leeman,

You are correct.  We do not have an implementation for communicating directly to the VME-GPIB in user mode on any operating system.

The DDK is a driver that can be modified to allow the VME-GPIB card to be used on operating systems that National Instruments does not support.  What OS are you trying use?

Normally, we recommend that users not modify the hardware layer of the DDK since this layer defines how the card is accessed.  The OS layer would need to be modified or rewritten depending on the OS that the driver is getting ported to. 

Thanks,

Steven T.

[Leeman69]

I was initially thinking that the DDK code was setup to create a kernel level driver where a file would be created ie.. /dev/gpib that would handle all access to the VME-GPIB hardware.

and that if a user-level approach was taken this file was not necessary and that access to the VME-GPIB hardware could be done through memory mapping vme address space in my own application code to the VME-GPIB hardware.

Now I'm starting to think that no matter which approach is taken, whether it is user-Level of kernel level the file needs to be created ie. ie.. /dev/gpib and access to the VME-GPIB hardware is accessed through it.

Do you know if my current thinking is correct.

thanks for your reply.

Leeman

p.s. I'm using the QNX os.