call application on host from virtual machine

[Wolleee]

Hi all,

Im basically building an application that will toggle a usb switch from a virtual machine.  The virtual machine doesnt have usb pass through capablities so i am thinking of calling an executable on the host machine from the virtual machine.  Any help on how this can be done?

Thanks,

 Matt

[DailyDose]

Not sure this is necessarily a LabVIEW question.  Unless you're wanting to know how to do this on LabVIEW.  But even then, where's the LabVIEW question?  Cuz the details are pretty slim.  

This is my guess.  You're using, maybe, Virtual Box on a Windows Machine.  But then, Virtual Box allows USB pass through or whatever.  But for the sake of example, let's say it doesn't.  As long as you grant access of network capabilities to your Virtual Machine, you can contact and tell the host what to do using it's network IP address.  Do not use localhost in this instance.

With what little I've given you... if this isn't enough, feel free to give us way more details for your question.

[Bob_Schor]

While I realize it is probably presumptuous of me to say this, I think controlling a piece of hardware (a USB switch) from a LabVIEW program running in a VM is a Bad Idea.  You've already identified two problems -- one is that you don't have access to USB inside your VM, and the other is you don't know how to use something like TCP/IP to communicate with (presumably) a Host Program to work the USB device.

Why not just create the entire program and run it on the Host?  If you want to be doing "other things" at the same time (say, answering e-mail, browsing the Web, all the other things you do on your PC), you can always build a Stand-Alone Executable out of your Host routine, running it minimized on the Task Bar.  Much simpler, much safer (it seems to me).

Bob Schor