Can C or C++ be used instead of Labview for CompactRIO.

[Dynamotive]

NI has some excellent hardware but I think the Labview programing langauge lets NI down badly. Why can NI's excellent hardware (real time targets) be controlled in C or C++? One major problem is that Labview being a non text based language cannot be used by source control tools - which is unacceptable in any serious application. Labview is very hard to read - I have 25 years C/C++/C# etc programming and as hard as I try I just cannot get used to drawing ghastly obscure pictures. The .NET interfaces provided by NI for non real time interfacing to its hardware are excellent, an alternative is needed to enable grown up programmers exploit the power of the hardware. Just my opinion. Frustrated....

[speleato]

Hey Dynamotive,

I think the FPGA Interface C API provides a lot of what you are looking for.

See http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/1507/lang/en to download it.

Sebastian

[StevenA]

FYI.... LabVIEW can be used with Source Code control tools...

Having been using LV for 15 years... I consider myself grown up. 

[Dynamotive]

Thanks, I will take a look.

[Dynamotive]

Sorry no insult intended. I proberly deserve your comeback.

But out of interest, how do you do a 3 way Diff on a diagrams?

[RER]

For the sake of completeness, please peruse the following link...

Which Third-Party Source Control Providers Can I Use with LabVIEW 8.0 and later?

Furthermore, there is a great community paper regarding Group Development Practices in LabVIEW:

http://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-1681

Thanks guys,

[Dynamotive]

OK I take it back, Labview does have support for source control including visual differencing. Point to Labview people. Textual is still better IMHO

With languages such as C# and Vb.NET using the NI provided NidaqMX .NET drivers far more powerful and supportable applications can be developed. Its a pity I cant find a way of leveraging the power of the Real Time targets without being forced to use Labview, so we dont and have to go elsewhere for our DSP/FPGA/Real Time solutions  - result lost sale for NI. 

I am sure that underneath labview on the RT targets NI have written C drivers and this is undoubtledly an undocumented and/or unavailable layer, if this was made available and documented NI would have a far bigger customer base.

[GerardoG]

Dynamotive - not sure if you read spelateo's post above, but you can program a cRIO RT controller in C using the GNU tools or Wind River Workbench. Here's the link he provided to the download for the C interface and a link to an application note that describes how to use it:

FPGA C Interface API

Developing with the C Interface to LabVIEW FPGA for VxWorks Targets 

You still need to use LabVIEW for programming the FPGA. Most C developers have found that they prefer this over learning digital design languages like VHDL.

Regards,

Gerardo

LabVIEW FPGA 

[Dynamotive]

Gerado,

Thanks for that. It seems that things are moving along at NI. The last time I spoke with my UK Rep it was more or less Labview or nothing. It now appears worth pursuing. Thanks again

[CRIO-C++]

I did not see an answer to the question here. The question is not if C++ is better than Labview or the other way.  The question is " can C or C++ be used alone without Labview installed to program CRIO?" Can a NI staff have a Yes or No answer.  I tried to search NI web site and did not find an answer.  If the answer is yes, can you please point me to  the right reference links for the C++ library or API etc.

Thanks,

Andy