PDF1. Modularization
WES7 is an operating system that features the Windows Embedded Core and many additional packages you can select to meet your specific application needs. Choosing only the necessary packages allows for an optimized operating system with a small footprint. Because WES7 is based on Windows 7 Ultimate, many compatible drivers, services, and applications for the Windows 7 operating system can also run on WES7. This greatly reduces development time by eliminating the need for custom drivers or conversion efforts. National Instruments provides an image that delivers optimized performance on your chosen NI hardware.
2. Embedded Enabling Features
There are many misconceptions about Windows operating systems. Most of them involve Windows OS reliability and fault tolerance. WES7 provides many tools and features that you can use to significantly increase Windows OS reliability and fault tolerance. With WES7, you can eliminate or manage disk corruption during power failure or system crashes with the Embedded Enabling Features (EEFs). These features are unique to the Windows Embedded Standard product family, including WES7. When applied to a specific use case, these features can increase the reliability and fault tolerance of the entire system.
Enhanced Write Filter
The Enhanced Write Filter (EWF) offers a write-protected run-time image. When enabled, EWF redirects all write requests to another storage location such as RAM or a separate disk partition. This separate location is called an overlay and is transparent from a user and application perspective. Any change made to the overlay appears to change only the files on the physical disk. When the overlay is removed, the original contents of the disk remain unchanged. EWF protects the system from corruption during an unexpected power failure or shutdown because the original contents on the disk remain untouched. EWF is also valuable when you do not want the user or application to make any changes to the system. Changes made to the overlay can be committed to the physical disk only when directed to by the user or application.
File-Based Write Filter
Similar to EWF, the File-Based Write Filter (FBWF) allows for write-protected files. The main difference between the two filters is EWF operates at a sector level and FBWF operates at a file level. With FBWF, specific files are protected with an overlay similar to the overlay used with EWF. Changes to this overlay are committed to the physical disk only when directed by the user or application. This can be useful if the user needs to protect only a few important files from being corrupted during an unexpected power failure or shutdown.
Hibernate Once/Resume Many
With EWF enabled, WES7 also allows the system to hibernate once and then resume from a previous state many times. Using EWF and Hibernate Once/Resume Many (HORM), you can create a restore point, which is a snapshot of the system at a specific time. If the system is then shut down for any reason, whether intended on unintended, you can reboot it to that specific previous restore point. This allows a system to be quickly brought back to that previous operating state at any time. It is important to note that you can use HORM only if EWF is enabled. HORM cannot be used with FBWF.
3. Customization
WES7 also provides many tools for the customization of menus, boot screens, and dialog boxes. With WES7, you can remove the windows boot and resume animations so the screen remains black during startup. You also can remove the Windows logo from the logon desktop background and all startup screens. Other common features of Windows include the message and dialog boxes. WES7 can filter these messages and keep them from appearing during run time. The developer can choose to hide any dialog box and predefine its default operation so it never displays to the user.
4. Supported Hardware and Software
WES7 works with the CompactRIO platform using the NI cRIO-9081 and cRIO-9082 high-performance multicore systems. National Instruments recommends installing the LabVIEW Development System and the LabVIEW FPGA Module in the WES7 OS of the CompactRIO system for easy development. FPGA compilations must be performed with remote compilation methods such as a remote compile server or the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Cloud Service. Alternatively, you can install the LabVIEW Run-Time Engine and required drivers such as NI-RIO on WES7 exclusively. An executable, developed on a separate computer, can then be deployed to a WES7 target through a network connection or a USB flash drive.
WES7 is also available on the NI touch panel computer platform using the NI TPC-2206 and TPC-2212. National Instruments recommends purchasing the LabVIEW Touch Panel Module in addition to the LabVIEW Development System to create and distribute touch panel computer applications. With the LabVIEW Touch Panel Module, you can easily manage touch panel computer targets from the LabVIEW Project Window. You also can take advantage of easy network deployment, programmatic access to HORM and EWF functionality, and prescaled VIs designed for NI touch panel computers.
5. Next Steps
Learn about the multicore CompactRIO system that you can purchase with the WES7 OS.
Review the top 5 considerations when choosing an embedded OS for CompactRIO.
Shop for a new CompactRIO system.
View the touch panel computers available with WES7 from National Instruments.
