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How do I build a Startup.exe for a remote FieldPoint unit?

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I have a situation where I need to support some existing FieldPoint hardware that is embedded in various locations around the globe.  In my current particular case, I have a minor code modification that needed to be made for a particular system, which was easily accomplished.  So, I have a fixed LabView RT program, and backups of all of the original files (.iak, etc).  But now I am trying to work out the best approach to create a new executable for the FieldPoint system in question (which is thousands of miles from me).  Anyone know of tips, tricks, or a tutorial on how to create an FP program when you don't actually have the FP available to target?  I am tinkering with it, but want to be sure I'm not missing any steps or creating issues that will be catastrophic when trying to deploy this fix remotely.

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Just realized that was incredibly vague, considering how many versions of different components could be involved...  The original (and this update) was developed in LabView 7.1.1.  The hardware CPU module is an original FP-2xxx series that has been in place since 2006.

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Hi Vrmithrax,

 

I'm not terribly familiar with LabVIEW 7.0, but I believe you will need to change the target in the lower left-hand corner of the VI.  

 

Target.png

 

You may be able to select the the cFP as your target there.  If not, post a screenshot of what you do see.

 

Have a great day,

 

Chris V

Applications Engineer
National Instruments
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Hi Chris,

 

Well, that pretty much falls into my same issue...  I don't have the FP connected to target, so I can't figure out how to tell LabVIEW it's an RT executable to create.  This is a problem both in the main project selection window (where I can target a connected device) and in the application builder.  It seems to me that we have done this type of update in the past at my company here, but I can't find any notes as to exactly how we pulled it off.

 

I am suspecting we had an identical FP unit sitting on a workbench that we used as an in-between, to target and deploy the new program to, then steal it through FTP to transfer into a remote application later.  I am hoping this is not the case, because we don't have that luxury at this point, and I am trying to avoid having to make an expensive trip just to spend 15 minutes flashing a new program into the system.  We were selling the FP-based hardware on being "better than a PLC," but I could have walked an electrician there through the modification of a PLC program in about 10 minutes already...  And they know it...  Smiley Indifferent

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Hi Vrmithrax,

 

I'm still looking to see if there are any other options for you.  I'll let you know what I find out soon.

 

Have a great day,

 

Chris V

Applications Engineer
National Instruments
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Accepted by topic author Vrmithrax

Hi Vrmithrax,

 

So I looked into this problem and it does not appear that there is a way to do this.  This use case (working offline with RT targets) is a major reason why projects were developed in later versions of LabVIEW.

 

Sorry that I did not have better news.

 

Have a great day,

 

Chris V

Applications Engineer
National Instruments
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Thanks for digging for me, Chris.  I suspected this was the case, so I've been arranging a little field visit to update the unit on-site (and discuss upgrading it to a newer system).

 

Just out of curiousity, how much easier is it to remotely deploy changes into installed hardware with the newer platforms?  I'll be developing updated versions of this system using LabVIEW 2011, for both the cFP models we have out in operation now, and an eye towards migrating to cRIO.  Will I have better luck on the remote support end of things?  Or are there steps I can take to make that support easier for us?

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Hi Vrmithrax,

 

The real issue here is the version of LabVIEW.

 

I believe projects were added to LabVIEW with LabVIEW 8.0.  When using a project for a Real-Time application, targets can be added to the project that are not connected to the development machine.  The type of target that is added to the project tells LabVIEW what type of target to compile for.  This allows you to compile executables for targets that are not connected to the machine, which I think would greatly simplify your situation.

 

Have a great day,


Chris V

Applications Engineer
National Instruments
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