What's New in the LabVIEW 8.6 Real-Time Module
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Overview
This document describes the latest features added to the LabVIEW Real-Time Module. This information may also be found in the LabVIEW Real-Time Module Release and Upgrade Notes, Version 8.6.
Table of New Features in The LabVIEW Real-Time Module 8.6
| Feature | Description |
| CompactRIO Scan Mode Support (see next section for more information) |
The Real-Time Module 8.6 supports the new CompactRIO Scan Mode features. Refer to the Getting Started with CompactRIO and LabVIEW: Scan Mode Edition manual for an introduction to using the new CompactRIO Scan Mode features. |
| NI Distributed System Manager Support | You can use the new NI Distributed System Manager to monitor and manage variables, faults, scan engine modes, and system resources on RT targets. From LabVIEW, select Tools»Distributed System Manager to launch the NI Distributed System Manager. Refer to the NI Distributed System Manager Help for information about using the NI Distributed System Manager. |
| New VIs for Managing Memory and CPU Resources | The Real-Time Module 8.6 includes new Real-Time Utilities VIs you can use to monitor target CPU and memory usage programmatically. The Real-Time Module also includes new SMP CPU Utilities VIs you can use to specify the set of CPUs available for automatic load balancing on a multi-CPU target with the NI RT Extensions for SMP installed. Refer to the Real-Time Module»Real-Time VIs»Real-Time Utilities VIs book on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for information about the Real-Time Utilities VIs. Refer to the Real-Time Module»Real-Time VIs»SMP CPU Utilities VIs book on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for information about the SMP CPU Utilities VIs. |
| Reliance™ File System Support | The Reliance™ file system provides fast disk access and data preservation in the event of a power interruption. Refer to the Using Desktop PCs as RT Targets with the LabVIEW Real-Time Module document for information about installing the Reliance™ file system on an RT Desktop PC target. Reliance™ is a trademark of Datalight, Inc. Copyright 1989–2008 Datalight, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Datalight® is a registered trademark of Datalight, Inc. |
| Software-Triggered Timing Sources | The Real-Time Module 8.6 supports software-triggered timing sources. You can use software-triggered timing sources to trigger timed structures based on software-defined or user-defined events, rather than a hardware clock. Refer to the Fundamentals»Loops and Structures»Concepts»Timed Structures»Selecting a Timing Source for a Timed Structure topic on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for information about creating and using software-triggered timing sources. |
| Easier IP Address Setup for RT Targets | RT targets with the Real-Time Module 8.6 installed include automatic network connection capabilities. When you plug an RT 8.6 target into a network and turn the target on, the target uses the target name to attempt a DHCP network connection. If the target is unable to initiate a DHCP connection, the target connects to the network with a link-local IP address. |
| TDMS Support for VxWorks Targets | The Real-Time Module 8.6 includes TDMS support for VxWorks targets. Refer to the VI and Function Reference»Programming VIs and Functions»File I/O VIs and Functions»TDM Streaming VI and Functions book on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for information about the TDM Streaming VI and functions. |
| Improved Ethernet Compatibility | The Real-Time Module 8.6 includes expanded Ethernet chipset support for RT Desktop PCs. Refer to the National Instruments Web site at ni.com/info and enter the info code etspc for more information about which Ethernet chipsets are compatible with RT Desktop PCs. |
| Execution Trace Toolkit 2.0.1 | The Real-Time Execution Trace Toolkit 2.0.1 has been updated to LabVIEW Real-Time 8.6 and includes new debugging flags to support the CompactRIO Scan Mode. |
Description of CompacRIO Scan Mode Support Features
The Real-Time Module 8.6 supports the new CompactRIO Scan Mode features. Refer to the Getting Started with CompactRIO and LabVIEW: Scan Mode Edition manual for an introduction to using the new CompactRIO Scan Mode features.
| Feature | Description |
| NI Scan Engine Support | The Real-Time Module 8.6 includes support for the NI Scan Engine. The NI Scan Engine enables efficient access to coherent sets of I/O channels using a scan that stores data in a global memory map and updates all values at a single rate. Refer to the Real-Time Module»Real-Time Module Concepts»Accessing I/O with the NI Scan Engine»Using the NI Scan Engine topic on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for more information about the NI Scan Engine and related features. |
| I/O Variable Support | If you have an RT target with the NI Scan Engine installed, you can take advantage of the I/O variable, a new variable type that simplifies I/O access. LabVIEW automatically detects I/O modules connected to targets with the NI Scan Engine installed, and creates an I/O variable in the Project Explorer window for each connected I/O channel. Refer to the Real-Time Module»Real-Time Module Concepts»Accessing I/O with the NI Scan Engine»Using I/O Variables topic on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for more information about I/O variables. |
| I/O Forcing Support | I/O variables support forcing for debugging and manual control of I/O. Use the NI Distributed System Manager to force and unforce I/O values manually. Use the Forcing VIs on the NI Scan Engine palette to force and unforce I/O values programmatically. Refer to the VI and Function Reference»Measurement I/O VIs and Functions»NI Scan Engine VIs»Forcing VIs book on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for more information about the Forcing VIs. |
| Scan Engine Faults | RT targets with the NI Scan Engine installed use faults to address asynchronous error conditions. Refer to the Real-Time Module» Real-Time Module Concepts»Accessing I/O with the NI Scan Engine»Scan Engine Faults topic on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for more information about faults. |
| Scan Engine VIs | The Real-Time Module 8.6 installs the new NI Scan Engine palette as a subpalette of the Measurement I/O palette. You can use the NI Scan Engine VIs to programmatically interface with the scan engine running on the target. Refer to the VI and Function Reference»Measurement I/O VIs and Functions»NI Scan Engine VIs book on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for more information about the NI Scan Engine VIs. |
| Project & System Comparison Dialog | The Real-Time Module 8.6 includes a new Project & System Comparison dialog box that you can use to resolve conflicts that result from project configuration or hardware changes involving targets with the NI Scan Engine installed. |
| Function Blocks | The Real-Time Module 8.6 includes standard function blocks defined in the IEC 1131-3 specification. The functionality of the Real-Time function blocks partially overlaps with functionality provided by LabVIEW VIs and functions. Use function blocks if you want to publish parameter values with shared variables or if you want to use the IEC 1131-3 function block programming paradigm. Refer to the Real-Time Module»Real-Time VIs»Function Blocks book on the Contents tab of the LabVIEW Help for more information about using function blocks in LabVIEW. |
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