Installed FPGA not in "Execution Target" list?

[cevasp]

I have a PXI-1044 chassis with six PXI-7813R cards installed.  All the software seemed to install fine (NI-RIO, LabVIEW 7.1, LabVIEW FPGA, etc) but when I launch LabVIEW, the only execution targets in the list are:

Windows
PXI-7811R <compile only>
PCI-7831R <compile only>
PXI-7831R <compile only>
PCI-7833R <compile only>

Neither the PXI-7813R cards nor their emulators are available for targets.  MAX shows the six 7813R cards and the chassis.  It also shows the following software:

LabVIEW 7.1
Advanced Analysis Package 7.1
Application Builder 7.1
LabVIEW FPGA 1.1.0
NI-RIO 1.3
Traditional (NI-DAQ) 7.4.0f0

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

[Christian_L]

cevasp,

Are you running Windows on your PXI controller and configuring MAX directly on the PXI controller, or are you running a separate desktop computer with Windows and using LV RT on the PXI controller. Most likely you need to make a slight change in your MAX configuration so that LabVIEW (VISA) sees the FPGA devices.

Please review the following knowledgebase entries for information on this issue:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/EEE781052AC0908A86256D980053734C?OpenDocument

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/8980356DA789165E86256F8E00462FE4

Please also review the LabVIEW FPGA release notes.

http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/manuals/323572B-01/

[cevasp]

Are you running Windows on your PXI controller and configuring MAX directly on the PXI controller, or are you running a separate desktop computer with Windows and using LV RT on the PXI controller.


I'm running Windows on the PXI controller.  I'm not using LV RT.  I'll look at those links and reply back.

[cevasp]

Well, I've gone through the links you provided.  Most of that info seemed related to LV RT, which I'm not using.  So far I've done the following and nothing has worked:

1) Removed/reinstalled all NI software from the PXI controller.
2) "Repaired" the RIO software install through "Add/Remove Programs" in case I installed it out of order.
3) Under VISA options in MAX I checked "show all PXI/PCI devices accessible to VISA" and saved.

I have another PXI chassis that we bought a couple of months ago, which I already set up and it works fine (aside from my other issue).  The only thing that seems different with this chassis is that the FPGA cards came pre-installed in the chassis, whereas in the previous order they came separately.  I did move the pre-installed cards into different slots (primarily to space them out for cabling) but MAX sees all of them.  Since moving the cards I have re-installed all of the NI software.

I don't understand the mechanism by which LV knows what targets are available so I don't know what to check at this point.

[Stephan_A]

Hi,

one question: Which type of PXI Controller are you using?

Regards

Stephan A.

National Instruments

[cevasp]

one question: Which type of PXI Controller are you using?

Both of my PXI chassis (the one that sees the FPGAs and the one that doesn't)  have PXI-8196 controllers with 1GB RAM upgrade (2GB RAM total).

[Dustin_W]

Check your RIO 1.3 installation.  From your description it sounds like support for your R Series board was not selected on the original install (and therefore repairing the installation would not have support either).  Go to Add Remove Programs, and instead of 'Repair', select 'Modify'.  Then make sure that your board is selected under the NI RIO 1.3 set of features.

I hope this helps-

Dustin

[cevasp]

Go to Add Remove Programs, and instead of 'Repair', select 'Modify'. Then make sure that your board is selected under the NI RIO 1.3 set of features.

It looked like the device driver was selected but LabVIEW FPGA support was not. Upon installing that option the PXI-7813R shows up in the Execution Target list, but as <compile only> so I can Build and Compile but no Download. I also noticed that NI-VISA 3.3 >> Real-Time and Embedded >> NI-VISA 3.3 was also not installed. I installed that as well (it didn't change anything, even after a reboot) so my guess is that LabVIEW still does not see the FPGAs (hence the <compile only>  option).

Thanks for your help so far. Any other ideas?

Message Edited by cevasp on 12-07-2005 10:16 AM

[Dustin_W]

Hmmm...  That is interesting.

At this point you are able to see the 7813R in MAX but not target directly in LV, correct?  A couple pieces of information that might be helpful - First, when you select the board in MAX, what is the VISA address assigned to it?  Also, which slot is the board in?  Have you tried moving it one of the first few slots (on the first PCI Bridge of the PXI Chassis)?

Can you compile a simple piece of code using the "Compile Only" mode and then create a host VI that targets the card using it's VISA Resource Name?

Let me know what you find on those - we'll get to the bottom of this 🙂

Dustin

[cevasp]

1) At this point you are able to see the 7813R in MAX but not target directly in LV, correct?
 Well, I can see the FPGAs in MAX and I can now select a 7813R as my target but as <compile only> (as opposed to targeting a specific FPGA card in a specific slot).  The "Download" menu option is grayed out also.

2) when you select the board in MAX, what is the VISA address assigned to it? Also, which slot is the board in?
Well, I have 6 FPGA cards in the chassis and they are as follows:
PXI18::14::INSTR (slot 14)
PXI17::10::INSTR (slot 11)
PXI17::13::INSTR (slot 9)
PXI17::15::INSTR (slot 7)
PXI16::11::INSTR (slot 5)
PXI16::14::INSTR (slot 3)

For completeness,
PXI16::6::INSTR (GPIB)

They are spaced out to allow for easier access to cabling.

3) Have you tried moving it one of the first few slots (on the first PCI Bridge of the PXI Chassis)?
Well, I'm guessing the FPGA in slot 3 covers this(?).

4) Can you compile a simple piece of code using the "Compile Only" mode and then create a host VI that targets the card using it's VISA Resource Name?
I'll take a look at this and reply back.

Message Edited by cevasp on 12-09-2005 07:53 AM