LabVIEW 2018 my device isn't an available "New target or device"

[carlos_camargo]

I have a project to which I want to add my LabVIEW RT target, which is a PXIe-8840 quad core computer.  However, when I right-click on my computer, select the radio button "New target or device" and scroll down, my machine isn't available.  I've installed the latest versions of cRIO and PXI platform services: ni-compactrio-device-drivers_19.1_suite_online.exe, and ni-pxiplatformservices_19.0_online.exe.  Nothing useful was added for me.  The target isn't connected to my machine (and never will be), I just want to be able to select it so I can develop code for it.  I can't find where I would download target images nor what software it would/should be included with.

Here's a screenshot of the area where the target should be located but clearly isn't.

Oddly, my device doesn't even appear on the listing in this page.  

http://www.ni.com/product-documentation/10622/en/

I feel like I'm being gaslighted by NI .

Any help would be appreciated.

[RavensFan]

The picture you show is a list of RIO modules.  But you don't have a RIO module, you have a controller.  Two totally different things.

If you think NI has done something wrong by you, have you tried contacting NI support to ask them about the drivers? 

They would be the best to help you get the hardware you bought from them working.

[carlos_camargo]

I think I don't understand enough about programming for the Real-Time OS.  This tutorial makes it seem like I need to add the target to my project:

http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/370715P-01/lvrthowto/generating_data/

It assumes the target is attached, but mine isn't so I figured it should appear on the list which I shared, but clearly it doesn't.  So, how do I select/program for my RT target if it doesn't appear on the list?  I'm new to RT and FPGA programming, not to LV programming.

Thanks!

[carlos_camargo · Accepted solution]

I figured out what I needed to do.  This page somewhat gave me the idea of what I needed to do:

https://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/370622R-01/lvrtconcepts/deploying_running_vis_rttarget/

Adding an I/O Module—To maintain synchronization when you add a module to a previously empty chassis slot, you must add the new module to the project and deploy the new project item to the target. Right-click the chassis item in the Project Explorer window and select New»C Series Modules to display the Add Targets and Devicesdialog box, which you can use to discover the new module and add it to the project.

What I needed to do was right click on the "Project:<ProjectName>.lvproj" item, not the "My Computer" item and there select New...->Targets and Devices..., from which I could select "Real-Time PXI".  Then I have a target that I can use and configure with an IP, etc.

I guess I got confused because there are two places to choose targets from and I picked the wrong one for my situation.

[DahlmanR]

Hello!

This is very generalized, but an easier way to remember which place to add the target:
- if the device can act as a standalone controller/system (typically it has it's own IP address), right-click on the LabVIEW Project and select "Add Target or Devices". (This isn't always true, but in most cases this is how you'll want to set up your project)
- if the device must be controlled by a system (for example, a C Series module must be controlled/interfaced with by a cRIO or cDAQ, or an R Series card must be interfaced with by a PXI controller or desktop computer), right click the controller/system and select "Add Target or Devices". 

Hope that helps you in the future sort out which place to add the device to the project.

As for why your device doesn't show up in the "Software Support for CompactRIO, CompactDAQ, Single-Board RIO, R Series, and EtherCAT" documentation page, your device is a Real-Time PXIe controller, which does not fall under the RIO platform and is not a cDAQ device. For compatibility for your device, you'd look here: 

Real-Time Controllers and Real-Time Operating System Compatibility: http://www.ni.com/product-documentation/53636/en/

Hope this helps!

R Dahlman