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LabVIEW automatically downloads a compiled FPGA VI to the FPGA target when you invoke the Open FPGA VI Reference function. LabVIEW also automatically compiles, downloads, and runs an FPGA VI on the FPGA target when you click the Run button in an FPGA VI if the FPGA target supports Interactive Front Panel Communication. LabVIEW does not download the FPGA VI if the VI is already on the FPGA target. You can force a download by right-clicking the FPGA VI in the Project Explorer window and selecting Download from the shortcut menu. FPGA target functionality varies depending on the specific target. Refer to the specific FPGA target hardware documentation for information about downloading options available for the target.

You also can programmatically force LabVIEW to download an FPGA VI or bitfile to an FPGA target from a host VI. LabVIEW downloads the FPGA VI to the FPGA target even if the FPGA VI is out of date with its bitfile or already downloaded.

Complete the following steps to programmatically force an FPGA VI or bitfile to download.

1. Open a reference to the FPGA VI or bitfile.

   Note  The FPGA target, FPGA VI, and host VI must be in the same LabVIEW project if you want to open a reference to an FPGA VI. The host VI does not need to be in a project if you open a reference to a bitfile.

2. Right-click the Open FPGA VI Reference function and select Open from the shortcut menu.
3. Place an Invoke Method function on the block diagram.
   
   
4. Wire the FPGA VI Reference Out parameter of the Open FPGA VI Reference function to the FPGA VI Reference In parameter of the Invoke Method function.
5. Right-click the Invoke Method function and select Method»Download from the shortcut menu.
6. Right-click the Force Download (F) parameter and select Create»Constant from the shortcut menu.
7. Click the Boolean constant to set it to TRUE.

If you programmatically download the FPGA VI to the FPGA target with the Invoke Method function, you also must programmatically run the FPGA VI on the FPGA target with the Invoke Method function. Select Method»Run from the shortcut menu of the Invoke Method function to programmatically run an FPGA VI or bitfile.