Communicate with devices using Scan Interface mode, FPGA Interface mode, or Hybrid mode.

Scan Interface Mode

Scan Interface mode enables you to use C Series modules directly from LabVIEW Real-Time. Modules that you use in Scan Interface mode appear under the Real-Time Scan Resources item in the Project Explorer window and I/O channels appear as I/O variables under the modules. To use I/O variables, you drag and drop them from the Project Explorer window to LabVIEW Real-Time VIs.

In Scan Interface mode, you do not need to do any LabVIEW FPGA development. LabVIEW programs the FPGA for you with a fixed FPGA bitfile that communicates with all the C Series modules that Scan Interface mode supports. LabVIEW also sends C Series data to the Real-Time host to be displayed in I/O variables. Scan Interface mode also enables you to dynamically detect which types of C Series modules are plugged into chassis slots.

Table 3. C Series Modules Supported in the Scan Interface
  • NI 9201
  • NI 9203
  • NI 9205
  • NI 9206
  • NI 9207
  • NI 9208
  • NI 9209
  • NI 9210
  • NI 9211
  • NI 9212
  • NI 9213
  • NI 9214
  • NI 9215
  • NI 9216
  • NI 9217
  • NI 9218
  • NI 9219
  • NI 9220
  • NI 9221
  • NI 9222
  • NI 9223
  • NI 9224
  • NI 9225
  • NI 9226
  • NI 9227
  • NI 9228
  • NI 9229
  • NI 9234
  • NI 9235
  • NI 9236
  • NI 9237
  • NI 9239
  • NI 9242
  • NI 9244
  • NI 9263
  • NI 9264
  • NI 9265
  • NI 9266
  • NI 9269
  • NI 9344
  • NI 9350
  • NI 9351
  • NI 9375
  • NI 9381
  • NI 9401
  • NI 9402
  • NI 9403
  • NI 9411
  • NI 9421
  • NI 9422
  • NI 9423
  • NI 9425
  • NI 9426
  • NI 9435
  • NI 9436
  • NI 9437
  • NI 9472
  • NI 9474
  • NI 9475
  • NI 9476
  • NI 9477
  • NI 9478
  • NI 9481
  • NI 9482
  • NI 9485
  • NI 9512
  • NI 9514
  • NI 9516
Table 4. CompactRIO Devices Supported in the Scan Interface
  • cRIO-9022
  • cRIO-9023
  • cRIO-9024
  • cRIO-9025
  • cRIO-9030
  • cRIO-9031
  • cRIO-9032
  • cRIO-9033
  • cRIO-9034
  • cRIO-9035
  • cRIO-9035 (Sync)
  • cRIO-9036
  • cRIO-9037
  • cRIO-9038
  • cRIO-9039
  • cRIO-9039 (Sync)
  • cRIO-9040
  • cRIO-9041
  • cRIO-9042
  • cRIO-9043
  • cRIO-9045
  • cRIO-9046
  • cRIO-9047
  • cRIO-9048
  • cRIO-9049
  • cRIO-9053
  • cRIO-9054
  • cRIO-9056
  • cRIO-9057
  • cRIO-9063
  • cRIO-9064
  • cRIO-9065
  • cRIO-9066
  • cRIO-9067
  • cRIO-9068
  • cRIO-9073
  • cRIO-9074
  • cRIO-9075
  • cRIO-9076
  • cRIO-9081
  • cRIO-9082
  • cRIO-9111
  • cRIO-9112
  • cRIO-9113
  • cRIO-9114
  • cRIO-9116
  • cRIO-9118
  • NI 9146
  • NI 9147
  • NI 9148
  • NI 9149
Table 5. Single-Board RIO Devices Supported in the Scan Interface
  • sbRIO-9601
  • sbRIO-9602
  • sbRIO-9602XT
  • sbRIO-9611
  • sbRIO-9612
  • sbRIO-9612XT
  • sbRIO-9631
  • sbRIO-9632
  • sbRIO-9632XT
  • sbRIO-9641
  • sbRIO-9642
  • sbRIO-9642XT

LabVIEW FPGA Interface Mode

LabVIEW FPGA Interface mode enables you to use C Series modules from LabVIEW FPGA VIs. Modules that you use in LabVIEW FPGA Interface mode appear directly under the FPGA Target item in the Project Explorer window and I/O channels appear as FPGA I/O items under the FPGA Target. To access the I/O channels, you either configure FPGA I/O Nodes in a LabVIEW FPGA VI or drag and drop the I/O channels from the Project Explorer window to a LabVIEW FPGA VI block diagram.

In LabVIEW FPGA Interface mode, you can use LabVIEW FPGA programming to add more flexibility, customization, timing, and synchronization to your applications. To use the CompactRIO system in LabVIEW FPGA Interface mode, you must either have the LabVIEW FPGA Module installed on the host computer, or have access to a compiled bitfile that you can download to the FPGA. In either case, you use the Open FPGA VI Reference function in a LabVIEW Real-Time VI to access the FPGA VI or bitfile.

Hybrid Interface Mode

Hybrid Interface mode enables you to program custom FPGA functionality while simultaneously accessing some modules in Scan Interface mode. For example, you may want to use LabVIEW FPGA Interface mode to handle waveform buffered acquisition and inline processing, or you may be using some modules that do not support Scan Interface mode. To use Hybrid Interface mode, do the following:

  1. Set up your project in LabVIEW FPGA Interface mode.
  2. In the Project Explorer window, drag the modules you want to use in Scan Interface mode from the FPGA Target item to the Real-Time Scan Resources item. Alternatively, you can add modules under the Real-Time Scan Resources item by right-clicking the Real-Time Scan Resources item and selecting New»C Series Modules and letting LabVIEW discover the modules.