Using a USB6009 device on a networked computer

[scott_7723]

Can any body give me an idea of how to see an NI USB6009 device (or any device that is hooked up) from my main computer when it is hooked up to another computer on my network?  I am not looking to just do a remote desktop/PC anywhere thing.  I just want to be able to toggle an output on/off of this device through a different computer using LabVIEW 8.0.1. 

Do both computers have to have a full version of LabVIEW on it?  The laptop has LV realtime and Measurement and Automation Explorer.  My main computer has the full or professional LV8.  Right now I built a stand alone application on a laptop that was built on my main PC.  It allows the user to toggle on/off the USB 6009 device without any problem. 

The issue is that I would like to be able to use my main computer to control this device for other things.  Using LV8, how can I see this device when using my main PC when the laptop with the USB device is in another building ? 

I appreciate any tips, info,  or help.  Thank you for your time.

[hoffiz]

Hi Scott_7723

You have a couple of options to control your USB-6009 over the network. You can use “Remote Front Panels” that allow users to view and control the VI front panels remotely from LabVIEW or from a web browser. They can be built into and executable with a little bit of programming, for more information check: Can a LabVIEW 8.x Executable Use Remote Front Panels?.  Two other resources if you choose to go with  “Remote Front Panel” are: Developing Remote Front Panel LabVIEW Applications and Remote Panels in LabVIEW -- Distributed Application Development.

Another option is to use “Shared Variables” with which you can share data between loops on a single diagram or between VIs across the network.  More information on “Shared Variables” can be found clicking on: Using the LabVIEW Shared Variable and Using Shared Variables in Executables.

My last suggestion will be using “VI Server” which is a set of functions that allows you to dynamically control front panel objects, VIs, and the LabVIEW environment. 

Either of the options you select to remotely control you USB-6009 there is always going to be a lot of very good information in NI Developer Zone here you will be able to find examples and all the tutorials that I have provided in this post. Also if you go to LabView->help->find example and in the search tab you type any of the three options I just explained, you will find more basics examples of Remote Front Panel, Shared Variable and VI Server.

I hope t helps

[scott_7723]

Hello Jaime F.  Thank you very much for your reply.  I will definately explore all of these suggestions.  I appreciate your help very much.