Using LV RT with FP 2000

[jimstew]

I am trying to test a FP 2000 unit with LV RT. I can read live data from the FP modules using FP explorer. I have successfully downloaded a simple vi and run it on the FP 2000. However I am having trouble executing a vi with FP operations because I get an error at FP open.vi.
The error is :
error 32810
The IAK server initialisation has failed : FP Open.vi

- Can anyone explain this to me?
- Once the IAK file is configured and saved using the host PC (FP Explorer), does it need to be copied on to the FP 2000 flash memory?
- Should the input to FP Open.vi point to an IAK file on the FP 2000 flash memory?
- Where can I get more information other than the FP 2000 manual and the LV RT manual?

Thanks,
Jim Stewart

[Aaron_G]

Jim,

There are a number of possible reasons for what you are seeing. Let me rule out a couple of things for you first.
The FP Open.vi has an input called IAK file path. When a LabVIEW program is running either targeted at a FP-20xx or built into an exe on a FP-20xx, the IAK file path is ignored as we do not directly download an IAK file into the FP-20xx. Having the IAK file path wired will not adversely effect the program.
Likewise, the Comm Resource Input of the FP Create Tag.vi is ignored when embedded as it is not relevant to a vi running on a FP-20xx.

There are several likely causes of the 32810 error. The first possibility is that you have not downloaded the "IAK" into the FP-20xx. I put "IAK" in quotes because, technically speaking, the FP-20xx does not have and IAK file. Instead, we download a specialized INI file that contains the needed addressing information (the IAK provides this to LabVIEW and has extra data that is only used by FieldPoint Explorer). By default, whenever you save an IAK, we will download this file into the FP-20xx, but this can be disabled. In FieldPoint Explorer, you can choose OPTIONS>>Download Configuration On Save. Alternatively, if you right click on the FP-20xx, you can choose Download Configuration.

Another possible cause is the IA Control Environment failing to load. This may be caused be corrupted or missing firmware, or if the module was booted up in Safe Mode. Since you are capable of reading the data from FieldPoint Explorer, then the firmware exists and is probably not corrupted (I included this option for thoroughness).

Another possible cause would be damage or corruption of the file fplvmgr.dll in the FP-20xx. There are two versions of this file, one is designed for the host computer and resides (typically) in labview 6\vi.lib\fieldpoint\subvis. The other resides on the FP-20xx and will also be under program files\national instruments\rt images\fieldpoint\1.0.21\ . This latter one is the one that should reside on the FP-20xx. Normally, when you are building an executable to embed on the FP-20xx, there will be a dialog box saying that the target OS has it's own copy of the dll and it will not be downloaded. This normally makes over-writing of the dll unlikey but this does not prevent a user from over-riding the warning and downloading the wrong file. I have also seen a case where a customer ftp'd the wrong file into the module.

If none of the above suggestions works, try reinstalling the firmware on the module as it may have become corrupted in another way. If it still fails, add a note suggesting the additional things that you have tried and I will provide any additional assistance required.

As for more information, I suggest the NI KnowledgeBase (there are several articles already with more being created) and NI Developer Zone, both are available at www.ni.com.

Regards,
Aaron

[jimstew]

Aaron,
Thanks for your concise answer. It helped me understand the IAK issues much more clearly. In the end I reset the module and configured/rebuilt everything from scratch. It now seems to be working.

A couple of other questions have arisen this morning:
- Firstly are you the most suitable person in NI to ask about FP 20xx issues? If so what is the best way to contact you?
- How do I set/change the local time on the FP 20xx module?
- Sometimes I cannot delete files on the FP 20xx flash disk. It says permission denied. Other files I can delete. I am using an FTP program (cute FTP).
- Some directories have been created on the module flash disk which mirror the location of the vi I've been developing on the host PC. Why? Can I remove them?

many
thanks,
Jim/.

[Aaron_G]

Jim,

1) I primarily deal with customer issues by participating in the Developer Exchange and creating support material (Dev Zone, Dev Exchange, KnowledgeBase).

2) Currently, you can not manually change the time on teh FP-2000xx module. The time is generated by an on-board real-time clock that automatically syncrhonizes itself to a Time Server. Please see the following post for information on Time Servers:
http://exchange.ni.com/servlet/ProcessRequest?RHIVEID=101&RPAGEID=135&HOID=506500000008000000F2220000&UCATEGORY_0=_18_%24_17_&UCATEGORY_S=0
The information for the FP-1600 is the same as the FP-20xx series modules.

3)The files that you are prevented from deleting are in use. If you need to delete them, you can re-boot the module with
the Safe-Mode switch in the on position.

Regards,
Aaron

[jimstew]

Aaron,
2) Not being able to set the time could be a fatal flaw for my project as I require the FP 20xx to run without a host PC and for it to log events (with a time stamp). From the link you provided, I assume the FP 20xx has no battery to store the time when it is depowered. Therefore it must reset the time whenever it is repowered. Is this correct? Can you offer any options that do not require a host PC?

3) The files I cannot delete have a space character in their name. I realise now to avoid this, but how can I remove these files?

thanks,
Jim/.

[Aaron_G]

Jim,
2) This is currently correct. THe FP-20xx time clock will reset each time the system is powered-up. However, we do provide for back-up power supplies so it is not true that a system will always power down in a power failure. It should be possible to set the date/time yourself using the vi and dll in the following link.
I know that it was tested for the PXI series RT controllers but I do not know if it was tested on the FP-20xx series RT Controllers. In the FP-20xx ethernet configuration, please make sure that you set the time server to an IP address of 0.0.0.0 to disable the time synchronization service so it does not interfere with your setting of the clock. Also, due to the way that we transmit data, I recommend that if
you will be using FieldPoint Explorer or LabVIEW for diagnostics and looking at the timestamp that you set the clock to GMT since we assume that the clock is GMT. Here is the link:
http://zone.ni.com/devzone/devzoneweb.nsf/opendoc?openagent&849A85215D0E1B8F86256A850050F7CE&cat=819CA23A568E7171862568CD0065F942

3) Unfortunately, you can not totally delete them. The FTP server allows upload of non 8.3 conforming filenames but once they are there, you can not do anything with them to modify or remove them. To regain the majority of the space being lost to these files. Create new files on your host PC with the same name but that are empty and upload them over the files. Currently, this is all that can be done to regain the lost space.

Regards,
Aaron