PC/sockets help?

[Tom Impelluso]

Hello!

I have a UNIX machine which will run my code as a server.

I will use a PC as the client
(in the past I also used a UNix machine and wrote, in C, the
socket communication codes for BSD sockets).

This time, I will use labview.

And I have already tested it as a client in a UNIX/UNIX
environment.

I will now go and buy the PC and associated software to
have labview open a client.vi to controll the server.

But!

I am ignorant of PC's and do not know what I need for
them in order to run labview as a client.

For example, PC's do not come naturally with BSD sockets...
they come w/ winsock or some other such things.

Can someone tell me what I must have for a PC (or NT) to
run by client.vi

Pleaes tell me what is the essential softare a
nd how will
labview KNOW where the software resides in order to excute
my client.vi

Thanks,
Tom
(sorry to be verbose, but the issue is that I do not know
how to ask this question)

[Peter Wischnewski]

Hi Tom,

I developed an application connecting an real-time operating system an a
Windows NT partner. The real time computer runs BSD sockets and the
windows system runs WSOCK32. And there is no problem at all. This it not
surprising, because the implementation of Windows sockets, let say,
inherits almost everything from BSD sockets. And think of the
platform-independent approach of TCP/IP or UDP and related FTP.

So, do not be worry, buy your computer, wire the network interfaces and
run your application.
If you have a problem with these steps or after all, do not hesitate to
ask me again.

To your specific questions:

Tom Impelluso wrote:

> [...]
>
> I am ignorant of PC's and do not know what I need for
> them in order to run labview as a client.

You need a PC with a network device and LabVIEW, thats all. ....Ok, a
power line would be helpful......;-)
If you are familiar with BSD, you probably know that you have to
determine an IP adress and the port number on the client side, too.

> For example, PC's do not come naturally with BSD sockets...
> they come w/ winsock or some other such things.

See my statement above.

> Can someone tell me what I must have for a PC (or NT) to
> run by client.vi

I do not exactly understand this question or the difference to the first
one. As a trial: Take care that TCP/IP is the only network protocol on
the client side. You can discard the other protocolls, which are helpful
in pure Windows networks only, in the network settings of Windows NT. Do
you know how to do this?

> Pleaes tell me what is the essential softare and how will
> labview KNOW where the software resides in order to excute
> my client.vi

LabVIEW does the job for you to use the lower levels of the OSI model.
Your job is: Place the VIs from the Function>Communications>TCP palette
in your application, determine the port and adress, and take off. Or use
one of the examples, like Client.vi.

If you own the Internet Toolkit of LabVIEW you can also use the included
FTP-Browser to upload and download files to and from your Unix machine
(this needs a running FTP server on the Unix machine). The FTP-Browser
consists of nothing more than the low level VIs of the TCP palette and
some wiring around for convenient use.


Good luck

Peter Wischnewski