NI-XNET 21.8 for Linux Readme

April 2022

This file contains installation instructions and compatibility information for NI-XNET 21.8 for Linux.

You can find more release information on ni.com.

  • Release Notes for known issues, bugs fixed since the last release, and other release details./li>
  • NI-XNET Manuals: New features, behavior changes, and other documentation

Refer to NI Linux Technology for the most recent information about Linux support at NI.

System Requirements

Installation Instructions

Supported Hardware

Device Configuration

Finding Examples

Linux Limitations

Legal Information

System Requirements

NI-XNET software for the Linux/x86 64-bit architecture has been tested on the following distributions:

  • openSUSE Leap 15.2
  • openSUSE Leap 15.1
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
  • CentOS 7
  • Ubuntu 20.04
  • Ubuntu 18.04

NI-XNET requires a 64-bit distribution and does not support 32-bit applications.

Installation Instructions

NI provides a repository add-on for all supported drivers that you can install using your Linux distribution's native package manager.

  1. Refer to Download and Install NI Driver Software on Linux Desktop for detailed instructions.
  2. Download the installer for the repository add-on for your Linux distribution.
  3. Install the repository add-on using the install command appropriate for your distribution.
  4. Select and install the following NI-XNET driver packages through your Linux distribution's package manager:
    • ni-xnet
    • ni-xnet-labview-<year>-support

After the driver package(s) are installed, you must rebuild the new packages for the system kernel. NI recommends that you run the command 'dkms autoinstall' after installation, and before rebooting the system, to install the latest revision of all modules that have been installed for other kernel revisions. After doing so, the installed device drivers will function immediately on the next system start.

Supported Hardware

The following list details the hardware models supported in NI-XNET 21.8 for Linux.

  • PCI-8511 Low‑Speed/Fault-Tolerant CAN Interface Device
  • PCI-8512 High‑Speed/FD CAN Interface Device
  • PCI-8513 Software‑Selectable/FD CAN Interface Device
  • PCI-8516 PCI LIN Interface Device
  • PCI-8517 FlexRay Interface Device
  • PCIe-8510 PCIe Vehicle Multi-Protocol Interface Device
  • PXI-8511 Low-Speed/Fault Tolerant PXI CAN Interface Module
  • PXI-8512 High-Speed, Flexible Data Rate PXI CAN Interface Module
  • PXI-8513 Software-Selectable PXI CAN Interface Module
  • PXI-8516 PXI LIN Interface Module
  • PXI-8517 PXI FlexRay Interface Module
  • PXIe-8510 PXI Vehicle Multiprotocol Interface Module
  • PXIe-8521 100BASE-T1 PXI Automotive Ethernet Interface Module
  • PXIe-8522 1000BASE-T1 PXI Automotive Ethernet Interface Module
  • PXIe-8523 100/1000BASE-T1 PXI Automotive Ethernet Interface Module
  • PXIe-8623 100/1000BASE-T PXI Automotive Ethernet Interface Module
  • TRC-8542 CAN HS/FD Transceiver Cable
  • TRC-8543 CAN HS/FD or LS/FT Transceiver Cable
  • TRC-8546 LIN Transceiver Cable
  • NI 9860 C Series Vehicle Multiprotocol Interface Module1
  • NI 9861 Low-Speed/Fault Tolerant C Series CAN Interface Module
  • NI 9862 High-Speed, Flexible Data Rate C Series CAN Interface Module
  • NI 9866 C Series LIN Interface Module

1  The NI-9860 is supported only with TRC-8542 and TRC-8543 transceiver cables and installed in a cDAQ-9185 or cDAQ-9189 CompactDAQ Ethernet chassis.

For more information, see Linux Limitations.

Device Configuration

This distribution includes the NI-XNET Hardware Configuration Utility, nixnetconfig, a command line interface configuration utility for Linux desktop distributions. This utility provides functionality similar to the Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX) graphical configuration utility, which is not supported on Linux. Run nixnetconfig to start the utility and configure supported NI-XNET interfaces and devices.

Finding Examples

This release includes examples showing the use of NI-XNET in C and LabVIEW.

C examples are located in /usr/share/doc/ni-xnet/examples. Make files are provided that link to the necessary libraries.

LabVIEW examples are located in the LabVIEW examples directory.

Be sure to run the device configuration utility (described in Device Configuration) before running examples.

Linux Limitations

Some features discussed in the NI-XNET documentation are unavailable on Linux.

  • NI-XNET supports two application development environments:
    • LabVIEW 2019 SP1, LabVIEW 2020 SP1, and LabVIEW 2021 SP1
    • C and C++ (gcc)
  • NI-XNET does not support other ADEs, such as the LabVIEW Real-Time Module, LabWindows/CVI, Microsoft Visual C/C++, or Microsoft Visual Basic.
  • While NI-XNET includes LabVIEW VIs, it does not provide other graphical utilities that are available for other operating systems:
    • LabVIEW Express VIs
    • Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX) graphical configuration utility. Refer to Device Configuration in the Installation section for information about configuring your device in Linux.
    • Soft front panels.
  • When using NI-XNET in a PXI system, several restrictions apply:
    • Control through MXI-4 is supported
    • Control through MXI-3 is not supported
  • External calibration functions are not supported. Refer to your hardware documentation for information about external calibration, and refer to ni.com/calibration. If your NI-XNET requires external calibration, either perform the calibration on a Windows system, or hire NI or an independent calibration laboratory to perform the calibration.

Legal Information

Copyright

© 2009–2022 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.

This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation.

NI respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.

End-User License Agreements and Third-Party Legal Notices

Notices are located in the /usr/share/doc/ni-xnet/NOTICES directory. EULAs are located in the /usr/share/ni/licenses directory.

U.S. Government Restricted Rights

If you are an agency, department, or other entity of the United States Government ("Government"), the use, duplication, reproduction, release, modification, disclosure or transfer of the technical data included in this manual is governed by the Restricted Rights provisions under Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.227-14 for civilian agencies and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Section 252.227-7014 and 252.227-7015 for military agencies.

IVI Foundation Copyright Notice

Content from the IVI specifications reproduced with permission from the IVI Foundation.

The IVI Foundation and its member companies make no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The IVI Foundation and its member companies shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.

Trademarks

Refer to the NI Trademarks and Logo Guidelines at ni.com/trademarks for information on NI trademarks. Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.

Patents

For patents covering the NI products/technology, refer to the NI Patent Notice at ni.com/patents.

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