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August 2007, 370960D-01

Use the FPGA Interface functions to communicate with an FPGA VI from a host VI. The VI that runs on an FPGA target is called the FPGA VI. A host VI is a VI that communicates with the FPGA VI to control the FPGA target. A host VI can run on a Windows computer or on an RT target.

You can use the FPGA Interface functions to programmatically control and communicate with an FPGA VI. Use the FPGA Interface functions to perform the following operations in host VIs:

• Establish and terminate communication with the FPGA VI.
• Download, abort, reset, and run the FPGA VI on the FPGA target.
• Read and write data to the FPGA VI.
• Wait for and acknowledge FPGA VI interrupts.
• Read DMA FIFOs.

Note  This palette is available only when you edit a VI under My Computer or an RT target in the Project Explorer window.

The functions on this palette can return general LabVIEW error codes, specific FPGA Interface error codes, or error codes specific to the FPGA target. Refer to the specific FPGA target hardware documentation for a list of target-specific error codes.

Palette Object	Description
Close FPGA VI Reference	Stops and resets the FPGA VI running on the FPGA target and closes the reference to the VI. Right-click the Close FPGA VI Reference function on the block diagram and select Close from the shortcut menu to close the reference without resetting the FPGA VI running on the FPGA target. The default is Close and Reset, which closes the reference, stops the FPGA VI, and resets the FPGA VI running on the FPGA target.
Invoke Method	Invokes an FPGA Interface method or action from a host VI on an FPGA VI. Use methods to do the following: download, abort, reset, and run the FPGA VI on the FPGA target, wait for and acknowledge FPGA VI interrupts, read DMA FIFOs, and write to DMA FIFOs. The methods you can choose from depend on the target hardware and the FPGA VI. You must wire the FPGA VI Reference In input to view the available methods in the shortcut menu.
Open FPGA VI Reference	Opens a reference to the FPGA VI or bitfile and FPGA target you select in the shortcut menu or that you specify with the resource name input. You must open a reference to the FPGA target before you can communicate between the host VI and the FPGA VI.
Read/Write Control	Reads a value from or writes a value to a control or indicator in the FPGA VI on the FPGA target.

Subpalette	Description
Advanced Function	Includes the Up Cast function.

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