Archived: LabVIEW Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors 2.5.1 Known Issues

NI does not actively maintain this document.

This content provides support for older products and technology, so you may notice outdated links or obsolete information about operating systems or other relevant products.

Overview

This document has been archived and is no longer updated by National Instruments.

This document contains the Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors 2.5.1 known issues that were discovered before and since the release of the Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors 2.5.1. Not every issue known to NI will appear on this list; it is intended to only show the severe and more common issues that can be encountered.

Known Issues

The following items are known issues in the Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors.

 Installation Known Issues
IDKnown Issue
You must install VisualDSP++ 5.0 before you can install the Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors. To install VisualDSP++ 5.0, double-click VisualDSP++5.0.exe on the top-level of the Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors Installation DVD. After you install VisualDSP++ 5.0, you can install the Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors by double-clicking setup.exe on the top-level of the installation DVD and following the instructions.
 General Known Issues
IDKnown Issue
Target syntax checking might not happen until you edit an embedded VI.
Target syntax checking does not work on data types inside of clusters.
Indicators that contain variant data do not update on the front panel.

Workaround—Use a probe on the block diagram to see the data.
4DA8NVBRProbes on time stamps do not work with non-instrumented debugging.
The Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors does not support creating a source distribution. If you right-click Build Specifications in the Project Explorer window and select New»Source Distribution from the shortcut menu, LabVIEW displays an error message in the Source Distribution Properties dialog box.
You can use integer values as inputs to expressions. However, functions that operate on the input use C rounding rules when the input is integer. This means that each function rounds down when returning its value to the rest of the expression. On Windows desktop targets, the functions round to nearest integer instead.
4DA9QP30When you use time stamp constants or controls to enter time stamps on the host PC, the time zone of the host machine is used, but time stamps print out in GMT. This is because Blackfin targets do not support time zones, so time stamps are always considered GMT, regardless of the time stamp on the host PC.
MathScript is unsupported on embedded targets.
The Timed Loop introduces threads to the generated C code. However, the following parts of LabVIEW are not thread-safe:
  • Local and global variables
  • Data types that use reference numbers (refnums)
  • VI Server
  • Queues and notifiers—Use the RT FIFO VIs to pass data between Timed Loops instead
  • Serial I/O
You must update custom LDFs created for targets in previous versions of the Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors for use with the 2.5 version because of changes in VisualDSP++ 5.0.
Indicators represented as double data types do not update for integer values. Change the representation of the indicator by right-clicking the indicator, selecting Representation from the shortcut menu, and selecting a different data type.
When debugging, front panel controls briefly revert to the previous value before updating the Blackfin processor with data.
The Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors does not include a CAN driver.
A linker error occurs if you include an external C file in a project and the external C file has the same name as a VI in the same project.
Combo box controls that use the string data type are unsupported.
The Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors does not support downloading and running Blackfin applications on a compiled simulator.
If you have multiple versions of VisualDSP++ on the host computer, you can experience unpredictable behavior in LabVIEW if you run a version of VisualDSP++ other than VisualDSP++ 5.0 and then launch LabVIEW. To resolve this issue if you launched a different version of VisualDSP++ since you last launched LabVIEW, launch VisualDSP++ 5.0 before relaunching LabVIEW.
If you flatten data that contains an extended precision or complex precision floating-point data type, the flattened data is incompatible with any other LabVIEW version or add-on except the Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors.
Any binary operation involving a dynamic data type and a non-scalar non-dynamic data type, such as a 1D array, does not work correctly.
44698H30If you copy and paste global variables, you receive a link error when you try to build the Blackfin VI into an application.
When you create a VI that uses multiple global variables, do not copy controls from one global variable to another global variable. Controls copied from one global variable to another global variable result in errors when you build the Blackfin VI into an application.
Blackfin VIs do not support the values of Z, X, or T in digital data controls and digital waveform controls. You can use values of 0, 1, L, and H.
 Windows Vista Known Issues
IDKnown Issue
The Embedded Module for Blackfin Processors does not run on the Windows Vista x64 Edition, the 64-bit version of the operating system.
 VIs, Functions, and Structures Known Issues
IDKnown Issue
4H7C2000The Escape XML and Unescape XML VIs are unsupported.
If you receive empty dynamic data from functions with two inputs and one output, check to see if you have a dynamic data type wired to one input and an array of scalars wired to the other input.

Workaround—Use the Convert to Dynamic Data Express VI to convert the scalar array to a dynamic data type before you wire the input to the function.
4BNBIA30XNOR (Not XOR) and NAND (Not And) functions do not yield correct data with integer array inputs.
44L9FO30The abs() function might return incorrect results when the input value is -2147483648.
481G1I30Placing more than one BF FIR Filter VI on a block diagram might cause the BF FIR Filter to return incorrect results.
Changing the voltage or clock frequency using VIs from the Power palette while the Processor Status window is open can cause a Blackfin application to hang.
If you set the allow empty tokens? input to TRUE in the Scan String for Tokens function and the string starts with a delimiter, the offset past token output and the token string output contains incorrect values.
The Format Into String function does not support complex numbers.
The String to IP function returns 0 if you do not wire the name input.
Multi-dimensional arrays do not work with Formula Nodes.

Workaround—Use the Inline C Node to obtain a pointer to the first element in the array and do your own index calculations.
If you declare outputs inside of a Formula Node, the Formula Node causes syntax errors in the generated C code.

Workaround—Create an input with the same name and type as the output so you do not have to declare the output inside of a Formula Node.
Call Library Nodes do not check the error in input before executing, which means a Call Library Node executes even if there is a previous error.
If you are using instrumented debugging, the Wait Until Next ms Multiple function does not change the timing if the function updates inside of a loop.

Workaround—Turn off debugging or use a Timed Loop and update the Period terminal from within the Timed Loop.
When you use a #include in an Inline C Node to add a header file, the #include is inserted in the middle of the C file, which can cause problems with scoping.

Workaround—Use the Add/Remove Header Files dialog box to add header files. Adding header files using the Add/Remove Header Files dialog box inserts the code at the top of the generated C file.
Reserved words are used in the generated C code. Using these words as inputs or outputs in an Inline C Node can cause unexpected behavior or the embedded application to crash.

Workaround—Change the name of the variables to something else.
4B89BLBRWhen you wire two empty arrays to a Build Array function, the output is an array of one element rather than an empty array.
The Call Chain function cannot be used with Timed Loops, including any VIs called from within the Timed Loop.
4BGEPE00When you drag and drop an Elemental I/O Node from Project Explorer window to the block diagram, the Run button for the VI is not broken even though the Elemental I/O Node requires an input. However, the Run button breaks as soon as you make another edit to the VI that does not wire an input to the Elemental I/O Node.
4DBDFL00Elemental I/O is not implemented for the BF54x targets.
4DCH4CSGThe BF Real Fast Fourier Transform VI crashes if N is not a power of two.
The Draw Text at Point and the Get Text Rect VIs are unsupported in Blackfin VIs.
Dynamic Add/Remove Signals is unsupported.
You must use strict C code in Formula Nodes you use in Blackfin VIs. However, LabVIEW does not check the C syntax in the Formula Node syntax while in edit mode. If you build a VI into a Blackfin application that contains a Formula Node with non-strict C code, LabVIEW returns a general error.
The Delay Values Express VI and the Trigger and Gate Express VI do not function correctly in Blackfin VIs because maintaining state in local variables between calls to a subVI is not supported.
 Building VIs into Applications Known Issues
IDKnown Issue
4H38HGBRIf you are using the C style function calls build option, front panel control and indicator values in the top-level VI are not generated correctly and are ignored.

Workaround—Use a top-level VI with an empty front panel or do not use the C style function calls build option.
If you try to build an embedded VI that is password-protected into an embedded application, the build fails with syntax errors if you enter the wrong password.
4G4DGC00You might receive an error that states This property is writable only when the VI is in edit mode, or this method is available only when the VI is in edit mode. This error occurs if the VI is running on the host and you try to build the VI into an application. You must stop the VI on the host before building.
4C1DMHOIThe following combination of settings in the Build Specification Properties dialog box causes a compiler error:
  • Selecting Non-instrumented (via JTAG/EZ-KIT USB) in the Debug Mode section of the General tab
  • Removing the checkmark in the Generate guard code checkbox in the Code generation options section of the General tab
  • Declaring a VI as an interrupt VI in the Interrupt VIs category
If you wire an array to an Inline C Node and set the Generate serial only and Generate C Style Function Calls build options, the generated C code cannot build.
You cannot link a .dlb file using the Additional linker flags text box on the Advanced tab of the Blackfin Build Options dialog box.

Workaround—To resolve this issue, add the .dlb file you want to link as an external file in the project.
4DC9NFBRThe following combination of settings in the Build Specification Properties dialog box might cause some local variables that represent constants to be undefined:
  • Selecting Non-instrumented (via JTAG/EZ-KIT USB) in the Debug Mode section of the General tab
  • Selecting the Use stack variables checkbox in the Code generation options section of the General tab
  • Removing the checkmark from the General guard code checkbox in the Code generation options section of the General tab
481G1I30Enabling cache by placing a checkmark in the Enable cache checkbox on the Advanced tab in the Build Specification Properties dialog box and enabling TCP by placing a checkmark in the Enable lwIP TCP/IP support checkbox on the TCP/IP tab, can cause the Blackfin application to become unstable and hang when running on a BF537 target.
4BUGPMX1You receive an error if you use clusters as inputs to VIs that you build with the Generate C function calls build option.
4BUGMMX1If you attempt to build a Blackfin application with the Generate C style function calls code generation option and the application contains subVIs with unwired inputs, you receive syntax errors.
 Debugging Known Issues
IDKnown Issue
Debugging reentrant VIs is not supported.
 Additions to the Help
IDKnown Issue
The behavior of the Run button changed since the LabVIEW Help released. If you click the Run button in Blackfin VIs, LabVIEW runs the application in run or debug mode depending on the default build specification.
 Documentation Known Issues
IDKnown Issue
4BPCFOWDThe Detailed Help link in the Context Help window does not open the correct topic for the Inline C Node.

Workaround—Open the LabVIEW Help by selecting Help»Search the LabVIEW Help. Click the Index tab and select Inline C Node.
4BHDSTWDThe Help button in the Add/Remove Headers dialog box does not open the correct help topic.

Workaround—Open the LabVIEW Help by selecting Help»Search the LabVIEW Help. Click the Index tab and select Add/Remove Headers dialog box (Embedded Targets, PDA, TPC).
The Detailed Help link in the Context Help window does not open the correct topic for the Real-Time FIFO VIs.

Workaround—Open the LabVIEW Help by selecting Help»Search the LabVIEW Help. Click the Index tab and select RTFIFO VIs (Embedded Targets).
4AIEH2WDThe Blackfin VIs reference topics in the LabVIEW Help do not contain the Place on the block diagram or the Find on the Functions palette buttons.
4AC9DE00The count input in the Fire External Timing Source VI is the current tick count and not the number of generated events for the given timing source as stated in the LabVIEW Help. A Timed Loop executes only if the value of the count input plus the value of the Offset/Phase is a multiple of the Period in the Timed Loop. Otherwise, the Timed Loop waits.
Blackfin-specific VIs do not contain the Open example buttons. Blackfin-specific examples are available in the LabVIEW\examples\lvemb\Blackfin directory. Open the .lvproj file to open the project and the example Blackfin VI.
4D5GDNHQThe File Mapping dialog box is called the VI Mapping dialog box in the documentation, which was the name of the dialog box in previous versions of the software. In addition to mapping VIs, you also can now map external files, so the VI Name text box is now the File Name textbox.
4D5GDNHQThe File Mapping dialog box is called the VI Mapping dialog box in the documentation, which was the name of the dialog box in previous versions of the software. In addition to mapping VIs, you also can now map external files, so the VI Name text box is now the File Name textbox.

 

Additional Resources

Glossary of Terms

 

  • Bug ID - When an issue is reported to NI, you may be given this ID or find it on ni.com.  You may also find IDs posted by NI on the discussion forums or in KnowledgeBase articles.
  • Legacy ID – An older issue ID that refers to the same issue.  You may instead find this issue ID in older known issues documents.
  • Description - A few sentences which describe the problem. The brief description given does not necessarily describe the problem in full detail.
  • Workaround - Possible ways to work around the problem.
  • Reported Version - The earliest version in which the issue was reported.
  • Resolved Version - Version in which the issue was resolved or was no longer applicable. "N/A" indicates that the issue has not been resolved.
  • Date Added - The date the issue was added to the document (not the reported date).