Reading data from TCP device

[rpscott02]

ok, Not sure what happened to that first post...Anyway, I'm very much a newbie to Labview, running version 8.5. I'm trying to create a VI that can communicate with a TCP device [FMod-TCP (DB)]. There's currently no labview drivers for it. The device has 5 A/D ports, 19 I/O and 2 I2C, all of which I plan to use. I'd like to be able to monitor signals on each port on a waveform graph in Labview. However, just for development purposes I'd lke to get Labview just to recognize the device. My question is: Are the TCP protocol functions enough to allow me to communicate with this device or do I need to create a driver for it. If creating the driver is necessary, the Labview help hasn't helped me very much so far. Any suggestions?

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

QUOTE(rpscott02 @ Mar 7 2008, 10:25 AM)

My question is: Are the TCP protocol functions enough to allow me to communicate with this device or do I need to create a driver for it. If creating the driver is necessary, the Labview help hasn't helped me very much so far. Any suggestions?

Yes, TCP protocol functions is enough to communicate with your device. But you will have to implement their protocol describe in their User manual.

Or you can use DLL available on their Website, using Call Library Function Node under Connectivity section of your function palette.

Good luck :thumbup:

[rpscott02]

Thanks for the help. Still working on this but it's good to at least be able to use the TCP protocol VI's

[rpscott02]

QUOTE (rpscott02 @ Apr 8 2008, 08:52 AM)

Thanks for the help. Still working on this but it's good to at least be able to use the TCP protocol VI's

Ok, I'm still a bit stuck on this. The ethernet device as about 9 different channels that I'd like to be able to monitor simultaneously. Fiveco (the manufacturer) doesn't have Labview drivers yet but has posted DLL libraries on their site with the commands for communicating with each channel. So lately I've been trying to communicate using the Call Library Function Node but still, to no avail. I've attached a test file that isn't working. Is it possible to use TCP Vi's with a library node like this or am I way off?

[Rolf Kalbermatter]

QUOTE (rpscott02 @ Apr 17 2008, 08:44 AM)

Ok, I'm still a bit stuck on this. The ethernet device as about 9 different channels that I'd like to be able to monitor simultaneously. Fiveco (the manufacturer) doesn't have Labview drivers yet but has posted DLL libraries on their site with the commands for communicating with each channel. So lately I've been trying to communicate using the Call Library Function Node but still, to no avail. I've attached a test file that isn't working. Is it possible to use TCP Vi's with a library node like this or am I way off?

Unless you have some basic C programming knowledge I would believe that trying to interface the DLL through the Call Library Node is actually more difficult (and definitly a lot more likely to crash your LabVIEW system regularly during development) than trying to talk directly to the device through the TCP/IP nodes. Of course that means you do need the protocol specification for said device. Without that documentation it is a very cumbersom process to get such a protocol to work and to work right.

Rolf Kalbermatter