Use the following guidelines to create a periodic I/O server.

  1. Create a custom I/O server in the Project Explorer window.
  2. Configure the periodic I/O server using the Custom VI-based Server – Periodic wizard.
  3. Set the initial values for the inputs of the periodic I/O server.

After you create a new periodic I/O server, you do not need to create it again. You can just set the initial values for the inputs to reconfigure the I/O server.

Creating a New Periodic I/O Server in the Project Explorer Window

Complete the following steps to create a new periodic I/O server in the Project Explorer window:

  1. In the Project Explorer window, right-click a target, such as the My Computer target, and select New»I/O Server from the shortcut menu.
  2. In the Create New I/O Server dialog box, select Custom VI – Periodic and click the Continue button.
  3. In the Configure Custom VI – Periodic I/O Server dialog box, click the New button to display the Custom VI-based Server – Periodic wizard. You also can select Tools»DSC Module»VI Based Server Wizard»Periodic to display the Custom VI-based Server – Periodic wizard.

Configuring the Periodic I/O Server by Using the Custom VI-based Server – Periodic Wizard

The Custom VI-based Server – Periodic wizard converts a VI into a custom I/O server that runs in the Shared Variable Engine and publishes NI Publish-Subscribe Protocol (NI-PSP) data items to the network. The Custom VI-based Server – Periodic wizard contains five pages that you must configure. Complete the following steps to configure the periodic I/O server:

  1. On the Select VI page, enter the path to the VI that you want to convert into a periodic I/O server in the Path to VI text box. You also can use the Browse button to navigate to the VI.
  2. If you installed the LabVIEW VI Analyzer Toolkit, place a checkmark in the Run VI Analyzer on VI checkbox. The VI Analyzer Toolkit can help you optimize the VI by running tests on the VI.
  3. Click the Next button to continue.
  4. On the Select Controls and Indicators To Publish page, select the front panel objects that you want to publish by placing checkmarks in the checkboxes next to the front panel object name displayed in the Controls or Indicators list. You must select at least one control or indicator to publish.
  5. Click the Next button.
  6. On the Select Method To Stop The Server page, select the method you want to use to stop the VI. You can select Abort VI or Stop the following While Loops. Use the Stop the following While Loops option to select a While Loop from the block diagram to use as the shutdown option.
  7. In the Timeout(ms) text box, enter the amount of time, in milliseconds, you want the VI to wait before timing out.
  8. Click the Next button.
  9. On the Configure Server Distribution Component page, enter a name for the server configuration in the Configuration name text box.
  10. Use the Browse button in the Support files section to navigate to the support files necessary to run the server.
  11. Click the Add button to add the support files to the list of Support files.
  12. Click the Next button.
  13. On the Server Distribution Component page, the wizard shows a summary of what the wizard is going to build. Click the Build button. LabVIEW shows a Build Status dialog box.
    Note LabVIEW creates and places the I/O server dependency files in the National Instruments\Shared\DSC\Custom VI Periodic Server\version number\registration and National Instruments\Shared\DSC\Custom VI Periodic Server\version number\templates folders.

Setting the Initial Values of the Periodic I/O Server

After the Custom VI-based Server – Periodic Assistant builds the files, the Configure Custom VI – Periodic I/O Server dialog box appears again. Complete the following steps to use this dialog box to set the initial values for the inputs for the periodic I/O server:

  1. Select an input from the Published controls table and enter a value in the control that appears to the right of the table.
  2. Click the OK button to close Configure Custom VI – Periodic I/O Server dialog box.