LabVIEW FPGA 8.6 Installation problem

[thill]

I have recently installed LabVIEW 8.6 as well as the FPGA module.  I am unable to open a project that was created in 8.5 (which targets the PXI-7842R) and I am also unable to create a new FPGA project.  I have NI-RIO 2.4.1 installed as well.  In MAX, everything is showing up as it should.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

[Jeremy_B]

Hi thill,

NI-RIO 2.4.1 doesn't support 8.6, so you might need to update to NI-RIO 3.0: http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/1081/lang/en 

The FPGA module probably can't see the driver, so it can't load the targets when you open your project. 

[thill]

This fixed my problem. Thanks.

[Drewski]

 Please add this to the Knowledge Base article describing known problems with FPGA and LabVIEW 8.6

LabVIEW Module 8.6 Readme:  http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/EFF73E2CBAAE907F8625745D007ED4D1

or, create a "LabVIEW 8.6 FPGA Module Help" Knowledge Base article with this as one of the topics.  I found a "LabVIEW 8.2 FPGA Module Help" but not the 8.6 version.

Thanks! 

[Jeremy_B]

Hi Drewski,

This is not documented in the LabVIEW 8.6 FPGA Module Help because LabVIEW FPGA does not require NI-RIO to run.  However, NI-RIO 3.0 is the first version of the RIO driver which supports LabVIEW 8.6.  This is the case with all of our drivers, the driver contains the support needed for the LabVIEW environment.  This is why you always have to install the drivers after LabVIEW. 

[Drewski]

...or the third, not mentioned option, don't add it to the knowledge base.  I predict that if you don't add it to the knowledgebase that I, and possibly others, will not use the knowledge base, but search the forums instead.  When I expect the knowledgebase to have solutions to common problems, and if it happened to two people that I know of, me and the OP, that it must be a somewhat common problem, and you give me reasons that don't make sense to me for not adding the solution to the knowledgebase, it makes me sad and frustrated.

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Jeremy_B wrote:

This is not documented in the LabVIEW 8.6 FPGA Module Help because LabVIEW FPGA does not require NI-RIO to run.

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If that is true, then why did the OP and myself have problems getting the FPGA Modue to run?

(also, why didn't the 8.6 install, which requires NI-RIO 3.0 to run, alert or notify or install NI-RIO 3.0 when the installer detected a non-compatible version of NI-RIO?)

Thanks,

-Drewski 

[Jeremy_B]

The NI-RIO driver IS required to find FPGA targets.  Subtle difference.

However, I feel that you are correct, and given that you do need both to do anything I agree that both should document what versions of the dependent software they require.

I'll work on adding this to the readme. 

[Bassett_Hound]

Hi Drewski,

You pose and interesting question regarding having older versions of drivers detect newer LabVIEW Versions that they don't support.  I plan on taking this feature request to our installer developers to see how we can help with these uses cases in the future but I'm interested on how you got into this state.  In most cases, LabVIEW FPGA versions should be shipped with an NI-RIO driver that supports that version of software.  I would have expected that the LabVIEW FPGA version 8.6 would have shipped with NI-RIO 3.0.0.

However, in your situation, it appears that this was not the case.  I was wondering how you received your copy of LabVIEW FPGA 8.6 without getting an NI-RIO 3.0.0 CD and was hoping you could shed some light for me so we can make sure to close any holes in our process.

Thanks,

Steve Bassett

Message Edited by Bassett Hound on 09-08-2008 11:03 AM

[Drewski]

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Bassett Hound wrote:

 I was wondering how you received your copy of LabVIEW FPGA 8.6 without getting an NI-RIO 3.0.0 CD

---

I don't know exactly.  There is an annual support fee paid to get packages of update discs in the mail.  I put in a request to the IT department to upgrade the computer from a fully functional (including FPGA) LabVIEW 8.2 to LabVIEW 8.6.  After I was notified that the upgrade had been completed I went to use the work station and after 2 hours or so of exploring/debugging/restarting I realized that the FPGA card was visible in MAX, but not visible to LabVIEW FPGA.  (you know the rest)

The set of 4 DVD discs is entitled NI Developer Suite, Third Quarter 2008.  The IT person reports that LabVIEW 8.6 was selected as well as "8.6 FPGA and all related components."  The IT person further stated that the 8.6 FPGA option was not selected by default.  The IT person further stated that NI-RIO 3.0 was not on the 4th DVD "NI Device Drivers."  The IT person also said that NI-RIO 3.0 had to be downloaded, was over 900 megs, and took over an hour to install.

Let me know if there are any more questions,

-Drewski 

[Bassett_Hound]

Hi Drewski,

I think that was enough.  I just double checked the Device Driver DVD and it should include NI-RIO 3.0.0.  I'll take the feature request regarding detecting unsupported versions of LabVIEW and see if we can improve that experience for the future.

Thanks for the feedback and let us know if you have any other thoughts.

Steve Bassett

Message Edited by Bassett Hound on 09-08-2008 03:48 PM