Adding NI-XNET CAN/LIN Devices

The NI-XNET platform includes a series of high-performance CAN and LIN interfaces that you can use to communicate with hardware using those protocols. NI-XNET is used to communicate with some third party battery cyclers, chillers, and environmental chambers.

Complete the following steps to discover all NI-XNET devices (NI-9860, third-party components) on connected targets and automatically add ports for them to the system definition file:

  1. From the VeriStand Editor, launch System Explorer.
  2. Expand Controller » Hardware » Chassis » NI-XNET » CAN or LIN in the configuration tree.
  3. Add a CAN/LIN port. Click the Hardware Discovery Wizard button () and follow the instructions onscreen. New NI-XNET CAN/LIN ports appear under the appropriate section in the configuration tree with the same name assigned in NI MAX (for example, CAN1).
  4. Click Next.
  5. (Optional) If you are configuring your CAN/LIN port prior to having the hardware, click the Add XNET CAN Port button () and configure the following settings:
    1. In the Name field, enter the name in MAX, for example, CAN1, copied from the report created in Creating a System Report.
    2. In the Interface Name dropdown list, select the name from the pull-down menu, for example, CAN 1.
    3. Refer to Adding NI-XNET Devices in the VeriStand Manual to configure the XNET database and CAN cluster fields.
    Note Refer to Adding NI-XNET Devices in the VeriStand Manual for more information about configuring and communicating with an instrument that uses the CAN protocol.
  6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each NI-XNET device type in your system: CAN or LIN.
  7. Save the system definition file.
    Note NI recommends that you follow and implement the recommended instrumentation aliases to increase the chance of test reuse when switching between instrumentation vendors.