Convert LabVIEW VIs into compiled models for use with the LabVIEW Model Interface Toolkit or VeriStand systems.

You can convert other LabVIEW VIs into compiled .lvmodel or .lvmodelso files that the Model Interface API can run. This might be useful if you want to distribute the .lvmodel or .lvmodelso to other users to work with in the LabVIEW Model Interface Toolkit or VeriStand systems. You can convert LabVIEW VIs and simulation subsystems you create using the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module. The following sections describe how the Model Interface API supports these models.

Note You must install additional software to enable LabVIEW models for targets that run a Linux Real-Time OS (.lvmodelso files).

Verifying That LabView Model Support is Installed

To compile models in LabVIEW, you must install the LabVIEW Model Support feature, available from VeriStand.

Verifying Support for Your Hardware Target

Before you convert a LabVIEW VI into a compiled .lvmodel or .lvmodelso, answer the following questions to determine whether your target supports these models:

  • Do you want to run the model on a Windows computer or an RT target?—
  • Windows—Windows targets support .lvmodel files. You can skip the remaining questions.
  • RT—Support depends on the Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) the target runs. Continue to the next question.
  • What RTOS does my RT target run?—For more information on RT targets and the RTOS that each runs, see the Real-Time Controllers and Real-Time Operating System Compatibility knowledge base article at ni.com.
  • Given the RTOS my target runs, are .lvmodel or .lvmodelso files supported?—Linux Real-Time — .lvmodelso files are supported as long as the source VI does not contain code with certain Windows function calls that are not supported by the RTOS.

    • Preparing VIs to be Converted to Models

    In the source VI to be compiled, you must assign front panel controls and indicators in VIs to the connector pane. Then, the Model Interface API can identify panel controls when it loads the compiled .lvmodel or .lvmodelso files as the following elements:

    • Inports
    • Outports
    • Parameters

    The following table describes how to build the VI connector pane with custom controls and indicators to work with VeriStand:

    Table 3. Connector Pane Controls and Indicators
    Desired Component in Test Application VI Connector Pane Assignment Is Default Value Maintained?
    Inport Required input No
    Outport Any output No
    Parameter Optional or Recommended input Yes

    Supported Data Types

    Ensure that front panel controls or indicators assigned to the VI connector pane have only the following data types:

    • Numerics
    • Booleans
    • 1D arrays of numerics
    • 1D arrays of Booleans
    • Clusters containing the previous data types

    If you use an unsupported data type, LabVIEW returns an error when you try to convert the VI to a compiled .lvmodel or .lvmodelso file. Controls and indicators that are not assigned to the connector pane might have other data types because these objects are not part of the compiled model.

    Configuring Global and Local Parameters

    A compiled .lvmodel or .lvmodelso might contain two types of parameters:

  • Local, or block, parameters—Local, or block parameters apply only to the specific model to which they belong. If you want a front panel control in the source VI to become a local parameter, place that control in a cluster shell before you compile the VI into a .lvmodel or .lvmodelso. Local parameters have the Model Name/Cluster Name/Parameter Name path format.
  • Global parameters—Global parameters apply to any model in the system that contains a parameter with the same name. To ensure a front panel control in the source VI becomes a global parameter in VeriStand, do not place that control in a cluster. Global parameters have the Model Name/Parameter Name path format.
    • Tip To determine whether a parameter is global or block type, use the Get Paths VI to return the paths of model parameters in a model.

    A .lvmodel or .lvmodelso file can contain both local and global parameters.

    Considerations for VIs with Array Terminals

    If a VI contains an array control or indicator you want to include in the .lvmodel or .lvmodelso, enter a value in the nth element of the array, where n is the desired number of elements. Then, right-click the array control and select Data Operations » Make Current Value Default. Otherwise, the array becomes a single scalar value when the Model Interface API loads the model.