National Instruments Network Card VXI 1394 User Manual

VXI  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
March 2005  
370533B-01  
 
 
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The VXI-1394 is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of shipment, as evidenced by  
receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the  
warranty period. This warranty includes parts and labor.  
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in materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National  
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Determining FCC Class  
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Consult the FCC Web site at www.fcc.govfor more information.  
FCC/DOC Warnings  
This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in strict accordance with the instructions  
in this manual and the CE marking Declaration of Conformity*, may cause interference to radio and television reception.  
Classification requirements are the same for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Canadian Department  
of Communications (DOC).  
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by NI could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment under the  
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This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC  
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated  
in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and  
used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this  
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at their own expense.  
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Users in the European Union (EU) should refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for information* pertaining to the  
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information. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit ni.com/certification, search by model number or product line,  
and click the appropriate link in the Certification column.  
*
The CE marking Declaration of Conformity contains important supplementary information and instructions for the user or  
installer.  
 
About This Manual  
How to Use the Manual Set ...........................................................................................vii  
Chapter 1  
Introduction  
VXI-1394 Interface Kit Overview.................................................................................1-2  
Hardware Description....................................................................................................1-2  
Advanced Configuration Options....................................................................1-3  
Chapter 2  
Installing Your PCI-1394 Interface Board ......................................................2-4  
Installing Your VXI-1394 Interface Board .....................................................2-6  
Powering on the System..................................................................................2-7  
Chapter 3  
NI-VXI, NI-VISA, and Related Terms..........................................................................3-1  
Configuration.................................................................................................................3-2  
Device Interaction..........................................................................................................3-4  
Programming for VXI....................................................................................................3-6  
Optimizing Large VXIbus Transfers...............................................................3-7  
Shared Memory ...............................................................................................3-8  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Contents  
Compiler Symbols ............................................................................ 3-8  
Compatibility Layer Options............................................................ 3-9  
Debugging ..................................................................................................................... 3-10  
Appendix A  
Specifications  
Appendix B  
Default Settings  
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
Appendix D  
Appendix E  
Technical Support and Professional Services  
Glossary  
Index  
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About This Manual  
This manual contains instructions for installing and configuring the  
National Instruments VXI-1394 interface kit for Windows:  
The VXI-1394 kit is a low-cost, VXIplug&play-compliant IEEE 1394  
interface that gives external PCI-based computers the capabilities of  
embedded VXI controllers.  
How to Use the Manual Set  
VXI-1394  
User Manual  
(PDF Format)  
Hardware and  
Software  
Reference  
NI-VISA  
NI-VXI  
Online Help  
Programmer  
Reference Manual  
(Optional)  
(PDF and Online  
Help Format)  
NI-VXI  
Reference  
NI-VISA  
Reference  
This user manual contains an overview of the VXI-1394 hardware and the  
NI-VXI/NI-VISA software, guides you through setting up your kit, and  
helps you get started with application development. You can also use this  
manual as a reference for the hardware and software default settings and to  
find the answers to commonly asked questions.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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About This Manual  
When you have successfully set up your system, you can begin to develop  
applications in NI-VISA or NI-VXI. NI-VISA online manuals are included  
in your kit in the form of Adobe Acrobat portable document format (PDF)  
files. The NI-VXI Online Help presents the concepts of VXI and detailed  
explanations of the NI-VXI functions. Study the descriptions of each  
function given in the online help to fully understand the purpose and syntax  
of each function.  
The Acrobat manuals and their installed locations are as follows:  
The NI-VISA User Manual describes how to program using NI-VISA  
and can be located at Start»Programs»VXIpnp»NI-VISA User  
Manual.  
The NI-VISA Programmer Reference Manual describes in detail  
the attributes, events, and operations you use in NI-VISA and can  
be located at Start»Programs»VXIpnp»NI-VISA Programmer  
Reference Manual.  
Use the Acrobat Reader program to open the PDF files.  
Note You can download Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Web site at www.adobe.com.  
Conventions  
The following conventions appear in this manual:  
»
The » symbol leads you through nested menu items and dialog box options  
to a final action. The sequence File»Page Setup»Options directs you to  
pull down the File menu, select the Page Setup item, and select Options  
from the last dialog box.  
This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information.  
This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of precautions to take to  
avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash.  
bold  
Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such  
as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter  
names.  
italic  
Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross reference, or an introduction  
to a key concept. This font also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word  
or value that you must supply.  
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About This Manual  
monospace  
Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter from the  
keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and syntax examples.  
This font is also used for the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories,  
programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names, functions, operations,  
variables, filenames, and extensions.  
monospace bold  
Bold text in this font denotes the messages and responses that the computer  
automatically prints to the screen. This font also emphasizes lines of code  
that are different from the other examples.  
monospace italic  
Italic text in this font denotes text that is a placeholder for a word or value  
that you must supply.  
Related Documentation  
The following documents contain information that you may find helpful as  
you read this manual:  
ANSI/IEEE Standard 1014-1987, IEEE Standard for a Versatile  
Backplane Bus: VMEbus  
ANSI/IEEE Standard 1155-1998, IEEE VMEbus Extensions for  
Instrumentation: VXIbus  
ANSI/VITA 1-1994, VME64  
IEEE Standard 1394-1995, IEEE Standard for a High Performance  
Serial Bus  
PCI Local Bus Specification, Revision 2.1, PCI Special Interest Group  
VXI-6, VXIbus Mainframe Extender Specification, Rev. 2.0, VXIbus  
Consortium  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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1
Introduction  
This chapter describes your VXI-1394 interface kit, lists what you need  
to get started, and includes a brief description of the hardware and software.  
The VXI-1394 interface kit links a PCI-based computer to the VXIbus  
using the IEEE 1394, or FireWire®, high-speed serial bus. This kit makes  
your computer perform as if it were plugged directly into the VXI  
backplane, giving your external computer the capability of an embedded  
computer. You can connect streaming devices such as digital cameras to  
either the VXI-1394 interface in your VXI mainframe or the PCI-1394  
interface in your computer. IEEE 1394 features hot plug-in capability  
under Windows, which means you can add and configure 1394 devices  
without powering down your system.  
Your kit contains a National Instruments VXI-1394 interface module,  
which plugs into your VXI mainframe and links your computer to the  
VXIbus.  
Your kit also contains an industry-standard OHCI host adapter, which links  
your PCI-based computer to the IEEE 1394 bus.  
Your kit includes the NI-VXI/NI-VISA bus interface software, which is  
fully VXIplug&play compliant. NI-VXI/NI-VISA is the National  
Instruments implementation of the VISA I/O software standard on which  
all VXIplug&play software components are based.  
What You Need to Get Started  
To set up and use the VXI-1394 interface kit, you need the following items:  
A computer running Windows 2000/XP/Me/98 Second Edition  
An industry-standard OHCI host adapter  
VXIbus mainframe  
VXI-1394 interface module that plugs directly into a VXI mainframe  
1394 cable  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
         
Chapter 1  
Introduction  
National Instruments software CD  
This manual  
VXI-1394 Interface Kit Overview  
The interface kit described in this manual links a 1394-equipped computer  
directly to the VXIbus using the IEEE 1394 bus. The VXI-1394 kit uses  
this high-speed (up to 400 Mbits/s) serial bus to link your computer  
running Windows to a VXI chassis.  
Note You can connect multiple 1394 devices together in a tree topology. However,  
increasing the complexity of the 1394 bus topology can lower overall system performance.  
Caution You cannot connect multiple 1394 devices in a circular bus topology (one which  
provides more than one data path between any two nodes). Doing so will render your  
VXI-1394 inoperable and may crash your system.  
The VXI-1394 kit includes the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software for Windows,  
a C-size VXI-1394 module, a 1394 cable, and an industry-standard OHCI  
host adapter.  
A 1394-equipped computer connected to a VXI-1394 interface can  
function as a VXI Commander and Resource Manager. The VXI-1394  
interface kit gives your computer the capability to perform as if it is  
plugged directly into the VXI backplane as an embedded CPU module.  
The VXI-1394 transparently translates between the IEEE 1394 and  
VXI protocols.  
The software included with the kit is for Pentium-based computers.  
Hardware Description  
The VXI-1394 module is a VXIbus device with optional VXIbus Slot 0  
capability so that it can reside in any slot in a C-size or D-size chassis.  
If you enable this capability, the VXI-1394 can automatically determine  
whether it is located in VXI Slot 0.  
Note D-size VXI mainframes have connections for a P3 connector. The VXI-1394,  
however, does not have this connector and, if configured as a Slot 0 controller, cannot  
provide the necessary control for VXI devices that need P3 support.  
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Chapter 1  
Introduction  
Caution An improper Slot 0 setting may damage the VXI-1394 module and/or the VXI  
chassis.  
The VXI-1394 links the computer to the VXIbus and converts 1394 data  
transfers into VXIbus data transfers and vice versa. The VXI-1394 includes  
additional 1394 ports you can use to connect other 1394 devices.  
The PCI-1394 is an industry-standard 1394 host adapter on a PCI board,  
which gives your computer the capability to control 1394 devices. The  
PCI-1394 also supplies power to the IEEE 1394 bus, which is required by  
some devices.  
VXI-1394 Front Panel Features  
The VXI-1394 has the following front panel features.  
Three front panel LEDs  
SYSFAIL LED indicates that the VMEbus SYSFAIL line is  
asserted.  
1394 LED indicates when the VXI-1394 is accessed from the  
IEEE 1394 bus.  
VXI LED indicates when the VXI-1394 is accessed from the  
VXIbus.  
Three 1394 6-pin connectors  
Three SMB connectors  
External clock  
Trigger output  
Trigger input  
Advanced Configuration Options  
The default hardware configuration of the VXI-1394 should be  
acceptable for most systems. Refer to Appendix C, Advanced Hardware  
Configuration Settings, only if your system will make use of the front-panel  
CLK10 and trigger SMB connectors.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Chapter 1  
Introduction  
Software Description  
The NI-VISA/NI-VXI bus interface software includes a Resource  
Manager, an interactive configuration and troubleshooting program,  
a comprehensive library of software routines for VXI/VME programming,  
a logging utility you can use for debugging, and graphical interactive  
control programs for interacting with VISA. You can use this software to  
seamlessly program multiple-mainframe configurations and have software  
compatibility across a variety of controller platforms.  
NI-VISA has a comprehensive library of software routines not only for  
VXI/VME programming, but also for GPIB, GPIB-VXI, PXI, TCP/IP, and  
Serial. You can use this software to program instruments connected through  
different types of interfaces.  
Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) helps you view your entire  
test and measurement system and configure various components, whether  
they are VXI, GPIB, PXI, or Serial devices. You can also add VME devices  
to your system easily with MAX and view them on a screen display along  
with the rest of your system.  
MAX also features various options for running Resman. You can still  
execute Resman independently to configure your instruments after a power  
cycle. But you can also perform resource manager operations directly from  
MAX or configure it to run Resman automatically at startup.  
The NI Spy utility tracks the calls your application makes to National  
Instruments drivers, including NI-VXI, NI-VISA, and NI-488.2. NI Spy  
helps you debug your application by clearly highlighting the functions that  
return errors. You can let NI Spy keep a log of your program’s calls to these  
drivers so that you can check them for errors at your convenience.  
National Instruments Application Software  
In addition to the NI-VISA/NI-VXI software, you can use the National  
Instruments LabVIEW, Measurement Studio, and LabWindows/CVI™  
application programs and instrument drivers to ease your programming  
task. These standardized programs match the modular virtual instrument  
capability of VXI and can reduce your VXI/VME software development  
time. These programs are fully VXIplug&play compliant and feature  
extensive libraries of VXI instrument drivers written to take full  
advantage of direct VXI control. LabVIEW, Measurement Studio,  
and LabWindows/CVI include all the tools needed for instrument control,  
data acquisition, analysis, and presentation.  
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Chapter 1  
Introduction  
LabVIEW is an easy-to-use, graphical programming environment you can  
use to acquire data from thousands of different instruments, including  
IEEE 488.2 devices, VXI devices, serial devices, PLCs, and plug-in data  
acquisition boards. After you have acquired raw data, you can convert it  
into meaningful results using the powerful data analysis routines in  
LabVIEW. LabVIEW also comes with hundreds of instrument drivers,  
which dramatically reduce software development time, because you do not  
have to spend time programming the low-level control of each instrument.  
Measurement Studio allows you to choose from standard environments  
such as Microsoft Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Visual Studio .NET  
to create your application, using tools specific for each language. With  
Measurement Studio, you can write programs quickly and easily and  
modify them as your needs change.  
LabWindows/CVI is an interactive ANSI C programming  
environment designed for building virtual instrument applications.  
LabWindows/CVI delivers a drag-and-drop editor for building user  
interfaces, a complete ANSI C environment for building your test program  
logic, and a collection of automated code generation tools, as well as  
utilities for building automated test systems, monitoring applications,  
or laboratory experiments.  
To use any of these application programs, install them before the  
NI-VISA/NI-VXI software installation. LabVIEW, Measurement Studio,  
and LabWindows/CVI integrate the VXI and VISA libraries that are  
required to support your VXI-1394. You also get hundreds of complete  
instrument drivers, which are modular, source-code programs that handle  
the communication with your instrument to speed your application  
development.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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2
Installation and Configuration  
This chapter explains how to set up your test system.  
Installing the Software  
Use the Setup program that came with your NI-VXI/NI-VISA software to  
install the entire software package or a software update, or to reinstall  
software in the event that your files were accidentally erased.  
Some of the utilities rely on the LabWindows/CVI Run-Time Engine. This  
software is installed, if necessary, during the NI-VXI/NI-VISA installation.  
Depending on the type of installation you choose, you may need up  
to 50 MB of free space available on your hard drive to accommodate the  
NI-VXI and NI-VISA software.  
To be compliant with VXIplug&play specifications, a VXI controller must  
provide the VISA I/O driver library standardized by VXIplug&play. VISA  
ensures that your controller can run all VXIplug&play-compatible software  
now and in the future.  
The NI-VISA software in this kit is compatible with the WINNT/GWINNT  
and WIN95/GWIN95 frameworks. With NI-VISA installed on your  
computer, you can run any VXIplug&play software that is compatible with  
these frameworks. This includes instrument drivers and executable soft  
front panel software that are included with VXIplug&play-compatible  
instruments from a variety of vendors.  
Installing the NI-VXI and NI-VISA Software  
This section describes how to install the NI-VXI and NI-VISA software.  
Please carefully read these directions along with any messages on the  
screen before making your selections.  
You can quit the Setup program at any time by pressing the Cancel button.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Chapter 2  
Installation and Configuration  
Setup is an interactive, self-guiding program that installs the NI-VXI and  
NI-VISA software and configures your system to use the software with the  
VXI-1394. Complete the following steps to perform the installation.  
Caution If you want to keep the manufacturer/model name tables or the VME device  
configuration from a previous installation, be sure to back them up before starting Setup.  
They are in the TBLsubdirectory of your NI-VXI directory.  
1. For the CD, select Start»Run and enter the following text, where Xis  
your CD drive (usually D):  
X:\NIVXI\setup.exe  
and press <Enter>. Typically, this setup program runs automatically  
when you insert the CD.  
2. Click the Next button at the Welcome screen to start the installation  
and accept the license agreement.  
Note If you have a previous 32-bit (Windows NT/98) version of the NI-VXI software  
installed, Setup installs the new version over the previous version.  
3. Select the type of installation from the Installation Options screen.  
Typical setup installs runtime support and NI-VISA development  
support.  
Complete setup installs everything including NI-VXI API  
development support. For more information about the NI-VXI  
API, refer to Chapter 3, Developing Your Application.  
Custom setup gives you more control over which driver  
components you want installed on your system. This option is  
recommended for advanced users.  
4. Click the Next button. Confirm that you are ready to install, and click  
Next again to begin the installation.  
5. Setup now copies the necessary files to your hard drive and creates  
program icons.  
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Chapter 2  
Installation and Configuration  
Completing the Software Installation  
1. Please review the information in any READMEfiles that Setup prompts  
you to read.  
2. When the installation process completes, power off the system for the  
changes to take effect.  
If you backed up the manufacturer and model name files, restore them to  
the TBLsubdirectory of your NI-VXI directory before running MAX.  
hardware. Because the default settings for your VXI-1394 hardware are  
acceptable for most typical applications, this section is optional.  
Refer to Appendix B, Default Settings, for a complete listing of the  
hardware and software default settings. Refer to Appendix C, Advanced  
Hardware Configuration Settings, if you want information about other  
possible settings.  
Use MAX to change any of the configuration settings for the VXI-1394.  
For information on the software, including optional settings, use MAX and  
its online help. Use the Windows Start menu to open the program group  
for National Instruments, launch MAX and select Help»Help Topics.  
Installing the Hardware  
This section summarizes how to install your VXI-1394 hardware. Your kit  
contains a VXI-1394 interface module and a PCI-1394 adapter board.  
Caution To guard against electrostatic discharge, touch the antistatic plastic packages to  
a metal part of your computer or chassis before removing the boards from their packages.  
Your computer or chassis should be plugged in but powered off.  
Figure 2-1 shows a system that includes an IEEE 1394-equipped computer,  
a VXI-1394 and IEEE 1394 devices. Each 1394 device should have only  
one connection to the 1394 system.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Chapter 2  
Installation and Configuration  
To Other IEEE 1394 Devices  
VXI Mainframe  
N
S
A
T
IN  
T
I
O
UM  
N
A
E
R
L
N
TS  
®
b
us  
IEEE 1394  
Cables  
VXI-1394  
in Slot 0  
External Computer  
Figure 2-1. Typical VXI-1394 System  
Installing Your PCI-1394 Interface Board  
To install the PCI-1394 interface board, complete the following steps.  
1. Shut down and power off the computer.  
2. Remove the computer chassis cover to expose the expansion slots and  
external access covers.  
3. Select an available PCI slot in your computer. The slot you select  
should support bus mastering. Refer to your computer documentation  
to determine if the slot you select supports bus mastering.  
4. Remove the corresponding expansion slot cover from the chassis.  
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5. Align the bus connector on the bottom of the host adapter with the  
PCI bus slot.  
1
2
3
1
2
Host Adapter Mounting Bracket  
Host Adapter  
3
Bus Contacts  
Figure 2-2. Installing the PCI-1394 Host Adapter  
6. Carefully press the host adapter into the slot.  
7. Secure the host adapter bracket to the computer chassis with the screw  
from the removed expansion slot cover.  
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Chapter 2  
Installation and Configuration  
Installing Your VXI-1394 Interface Board  
All kits contain a VXI-1394 interface module.  
To install the VXI-1394 in Slot 0 of your VXI chassis, complete the  
following steps.  
1. Power off the chassis.  
2. Insert the VXI-1394 into the chassis in Slot 0, as shown in Figure 2-1.  
3. Power on the chassis.  
The VXI-1394 default configuration automatically detects whether it  
should be the VXI system controller. The VXI system controllers operate  
certain VXI lines as required for VXI systems. Verify that any other VXI  
devices with system controller capability that are located in the same  
chassis are not configured as system controller.  
Caution Having more than one device configured as system controller can damage the  
VXI system.  
For VXI systems that include VME devices, ensure that the VME devices  
are not configured in the upper 16 KB (starting from 0xC000) of the  
A16 address space. This region is reserved for VXI device configuration  
registers, which are used for initializing, configuring, and interacting with  
VXI devices. The VXI-1394 also uses this region for this purpose.  
Note Also ensure that no VXI devices in your system are configured for logical address 0.  
This is the default configuration for the VXI-1394.  
Connecting Cables  
Connect the IEEE 1394 cable to the PCI-1394 host adapter and to the  
VXI-1394, as shown in Figure 2-1. You can use any available 1394 port for  
each device. The VXI-1394 has three external ports. The OHCI 1394 host  
adapter has three external ports.  
You can connect any other 1394 devices to any available port on an existing  
device, but for best results minimize the number of levels in the tree  
topology. Adding to the number of levels in the tree degrades system  
performance.  
Caution Do not cable devices to your 1394 system in such a way as to form a loop. Any  
device should have only one connection to the 1394 bus. An example of a loop would be a  
system containing a PCI-1394, a VXI-1394, and a device connected to both. Such a closed  
loop would break the 1394 system.  
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Some 1394 devices require different cables than others. Your kit includes  
one 6-to-6-pin cable to link the VXI-1394 to your computer. Some other  
devices also require a 6-to-6-pin cable for proper connection to the 1394  
system. Many other devices such as camcorders, VCRs, and so on, take a  
6-to-4-pin cable.  
Powering on the System  
1. Be sure all cables are connected securely.  
2. Ensure that the VXI-1394 is powered on prior to starting the external  
computer.  
3. Power on the external computer.  
4. If your system CMOS setup requires you to enable PCI bus  
parameters, do so at this time.  
Note The PCI bus usually assigns IRQs and port addresses automatically. However, in  
some PC systems, you may need to manually edit the PCI bus parameters in your CMOS  
setup. Refer to your computer documentation for further instructions.  
5. You can now power on any external devices.  
Software Configuration and Verification  
Running MAX and Resman  
1. Run the MAX program. You must run Resman every time the chassis  
or computer power is cycled so that your application can access  
devices in the VXI chassis. You can also configure MAX to run  
Resman automatically at every computer startup by selecting Tools»  
NI-VXI»VXI Options and selecting the appropriate checkbox.  
2. After you run Resman, you are ready to use MAX to interactively  
configure the National Instruments hardware in your system. Use the  
right-click help for information about the various configuration  
options.  
After you finish configuring the system through MAX, verify the  
configuration through one of the interactive control utilities. Use VIC  
under NI-VXI (Start»Programs»National Instruments»VXI»NI-VXI  
API»VIC) or VISAIC under NI-VISA (Start»Programs»National  
Instruments»VISA»VISA Interactive Control).  
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3
Developing Your Application  
This chapter discusses the software utilities you can use to start developing  
applications that use NI-VXI.  
After installing the NI-VXI software, you can begin developing your  
VXI/VME application. Be sure to check the release notes for the latest  
application development notes and changes.  
NI-VXI, NI-VISA, and Related Terms  
Before you develop your application, it is important to understand the  
difference between NI-VXI, NI-VISA, and similar terms.  
NI-VXI is the software package that ships with National Instruments  
VXI and VME controllers. NI-VXI includes Measurement &  
Automation Explorer (MAX), NI-VISA, NI Spy, Resource Manager  
(Resman), VXI device drivers, and other utilities for configuring and  
controlling your VXI or VME system.  
NI-VISA is the native API for communicating with VXI/VME devices.  
NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA I/O  
standard, which is a common interface to many types of instruments  
(such as VXI, GPIB, PXI, Serial, TCP/IP, and so on). NI-VXI is  
optimized for use through NI-VISA, and NI recommends using  
NI-VISA to develop all new VXI/VME applications.  
The NI-VXI API is an optional development environment that is not  
part of the default NI-VXI installation. The NI-VXI API was  
developed before NI-VISA; whereas NI-VXI still supports the  
NI-VXI API, NI recommends using NI-VISA for all new VXI/VME  
applications. If you must develop an application using the older  
NI-VXI API, run the NI-VXI installer and perform a Complete install  
and select the appropriate option in the custom installation screen.  
Be sure to review the NI-VXI API Notes section.  
The NI-VXI compatibility layer allows older programs that use the  
NI-VXI API to communicate with VXI devices through VISA. Using  
this compatibility layer, older programs can run in NI-VXI 3.0 or later  
without being rewritten to use the VISA interface. This layer installs  
with NI-VXI by default. It should be completely transparent and  
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provide a high level of performance; however, there may be some  
slight changes in behavior for certain applications.  
Your software features several system development utilities including  
MAX, Resman, NI Spy, VISA Interactive Control (VISAIC), and VXI  
Interactive Control (VIC, optional). You can also access online help and  
a variety of examples to learn how to use NI-VXI for certain tasks.  
Each component assists you with one of four development steps:  
configuration, device interaction, programming, and debugging.  
You can access the utilities, help files, and release notes through the  
Windows Start menu by opening the National Instruments»VXI  
or National Instruments»VISA program groups.  
Configuration  
The configuration utilities in your software kit are Resman and MAX.  
Resman performs VXI Resource Manager functions as described in the  
VXIbus specification. Resman configures all devices on the VXI backplane  
for operation and allocates memory for devices that request it. Resman does  
not require you to specify any settings; it automatically performs the VXI  
resource management whenever you run it.  
Note Power cycling resets all devices, so you must run Resman to reconfigure your  
system every time you cycle the power on the chassis.  
MAX presents a graphical display of your entire test and measurement  
system to help you configure various components. When you launch MAX,  
you see all your devices (including VXI) on the screen. You can view the  
properties (such as logical address, address space, and so on) of each device  
by clicking the device in the configuration tree. To see additional  
configuration options for a given device, right-click the device in the  
configuration tree. When you access the properties of most National  
Instruments devices by right-clicking, you can configure the hardware  
settings by selecting Hardware Configuration.  
MAX and Resman are designed to work together. You can run Resman  
through MAX by either clicking the Run VXI Resource Manager button  
in the toolbar or right-clicking a specific VXI system on which to run  
Resman, as shown in Figure 3-1. You can also select Tools»NI-VXI»VXI  
Resource Manager to run Resman on all VXI systems. From the VXI  
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Options dialog box in the Tools»NI-VXI menu, you can also use MAX to  
configure Resman to run on all VXI systems automatically when the  
computer boots. Resman reports to MAX all errors it finds in your system.  
When you view your VXI system in MAX, you can easily spot any errors  
that Resman found while configuring the system.  
Figure 3-1. Right-Click a VXI System in MAX to Run Resman on that System  
After Resman detects and configures all your VXI/VME devices, you can  
use MAX to view specific information about each device in your system.  
The default MAX view of a VXI system shows the General tab window,  
which contains a summary of key information about each device, including  
its device name, logical address, model name, and other data.  
For more information about MAX, refer to its online help by selecting the  
Help»Help Topics menu.  
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Device Interaction  
You can interact with your VXI/VME devices using the VISA Interactive  
Control (VISAIC) utility. VISAIC allows you to control your VXI/VME  
devices without using LabVIEW, Measurement Studio, or another  
programming language. You can also control your devices in MAX by  
right-clicking a device name and selecting Open VISA Session.  
Note You can also use VXI Interactive Control Program (VIC) to control your VXI/VME  
devices and develop and debug VXI application programs. VIC is not included in the  
default NI-VXI installation. To install VIC, choose either a Complete install or select  
NI-VXI API Development from the custom installation screen in the installer.  
You can launch VISAIC (or VIC) from the Tools menu in MAX or from  
the VISA or VXI subgroups in Start»Programs»National Instruments.  
Try the following in VISAIC: In the tree view, navigate using your mouse  
to the VISA resource for your controller—probably VXI0::0::INSTR,  
representing the VXI system 0, logical address 0 instrument resource,  
as shown in Figure 3-2.  
Figure 3-2. Select Your Controller in VISAIC  
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Open the selected resource and navigate to the Register I/O tab. In this tab,  
you can read registers on your device, such as the VXI device configuration  
registers. Execute the viIn operation (called In in LabVIEW compatibility  
mode) with the default parameters. The Data Value field shows the I/O  
operation result, such as 0x9ff6. The Return Value field shows the  
function status, such as 0for VI_SUCCESS, as shown in Figure 3-3.  
Figure 3-3. Successful viIn Access in the VISAIC Register I/O Tab  
(This Dialog Box May Look Slightly Different for LabVIEW Users)  
If the data value ends in ff6, you have successfully read the National  
Instruments manufacturer ID from your VXI/VME controller’s ID register.  
You may now want to read the configuration registers from other VXI  
devices in your system by opening the devices in VISAIC. Try reading a  
register from each device listed in the MAX view of your VXI system. This  
way, you can verify that your VXI controller can access each device in your  
VXI system successfully.  
You can also access VXI and VME devices configured in A16, A24, or A32  
space by opening the VXI MEMACC resource, which is VISA’s  
representation of VXI memory. For more information about VISAIC  
operations and commands, refer to the online help in the Help menu  
and the context-sensitive help (such as What’s This?), available by  
right-clicking in any panel.  
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Programming for VXI  
NI-VISA and the NI-VXI API are the two National Instruments  
programming interfaces for accessing your VXI/VME instruments. With  
NI-VXI 3.0 or later, NI-VISA is the native API for communicating with a  
VXI or VME system, and NI recommends using it for all new applications.  
Older programs that use the NI-VXI API now use the NI-VXI-to-NI-VISA  
compatibility layer to communicate with the VXI devices. Using this layer,  
older programs can run in NI-VXI 3.0 or later without being rewritten to  
use the VISA interface.  
Note The NI-VXI API development environment is not installed by default as part of the  
NI-VXI installation. If you must develop an application using the older NI-VXI API, run  
the NI-VXI installer and perform a Complete install or select the appropriate option in the  
custom installation screen. Be sure to review the NI-VXI API Notes section.  
NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA API as  
the VXIplug&play standard defines. It provides a common interface to  
many types of instruments (such as VXI, GPIB, PXI, Serial, TCP/IP, and  
so on) and therefore is especially useful in situations where you are using  
multiple types of instruments.  
Both NI-VISA and the NI-VXI API include functions for register-level  
access to VXI instruments and messaging capability to message-based  
devices. You can also use either interface to service asynchronous events  
such as triggers, signals, and interrupts, and also assert them. Compatibility  
with the NI-VXI API is included for legacy applications only—NI  
recommends that you write all new VXI/VME applications in VISA.  
The best way to learn NI-VISA programming is by reviewing the example  
programs your software includes. The examples directory contains working  
VISA programs that illustrate many different types of applications. You can  
find these examples in the VXIpnp\WinNT\NIvisa\Examplesdirectory.  
If you are just getting started, you should learn how to access registers with  
high-level calls and send messages with word-serial functions. The  
NI-VISA examples for these tasks are HighReg.cand RdWrt.c. Refer to  
the other examples as you try more advanced techniques. Consult the  
NI-VISA User Manual or online help for additional information on these  
topics.  
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Table 3-1 summarizes the topics the example programs address. All files  
are in the VXIpnp\WinNT\NIvisa\Examplesdirectory, in the  
subdirectories listed below.  
Table 3-1. NI-VISA/NI-VXI Examples  
NI-VXIExample  
Coverage  
NI-VISA Example  
(Optional)  
General\RdWrt.c  
VXIws.c  
Message-Based  
Access  
VXI-VME\HighReg.c  
VXI-VME\LowReg.c  
VXI-VME\ShareSys.c  
VXIhigh.c  
VXIlow.c  
High-Level  
Register Access  
Low-Level  
Register Access  
VXImem.c  
VXIint.c  
Sharing Memory  
Interrupt Handling VXI-VME\AsyncIntr.c  
and WaitIntr.c  
VXI-VME\WaitTrig.c  
VXItrig.c  
Trigger Handling  
Note MAX includes configuration options that affect low-level functions and shared  
memory, as well as trigger mappings and other attributes of your VXI system. Refer to the  
MAX online help for information regarding these options.  
Optimizing Large VXIbus Transfers  
For best performance, keep the following in mind when using viMove()  
or VXImove():  
Make sure your buffers are 32-bit aligned.  
Transfer 32-bit data whenever possible.  
Use VXI block access privileges to significantly improve performance  
to devices that are capable of accepting block transfers.  
To optimize move performance on virtual memory systems, lock the  
user buffer in memory yourself so the move operation does not need to  
lock the buffer.  
To optimize move performance on paged memory systems, use  
a contiguous buffer so the move operation does not need to build  
a scatter-gather list for the user buffer.  
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Developing Your Application  
Note viMemAlloc()or VXImemAlloc()returns 32-bit aligned, page-locked,  
continuous buffers which work efficiently with the move operations.  
Shared Memory  
NI-VXI API Notes  
In the Hardware Configuration settings for your controller in MAX, you  
can share memory from your computer to the VXI bus. Right-click any  
setting or consult the MAX online help for more information. You can  
access shared memory on your computer using viMemAlloc()in VISA  
(or VXImemAlloc()in the NI-VXI API). Use MAX to view the VXI  
address where your shared RAM is allocated, or determine this information  
programmatically using VISA’s viGetAttribute().  
The following notes apply only if you are using the NI-VXI API. We  
recommend that all new VXI/VME applications use the NI-VISA API,  
but you can still develop with the older NI-VXI API for compatibility with  
legacy code.  
Compiler Symbols  
You may need to define certain compiler symbols so that the NI-VXI  
library can work properly with your program. The required symbol  
indicates your operating system platform; for example, VXINTdesignates  
the application as a Windows 2000/NT/XP/Me/98 application.  
Note LabWindows/CVI automatically defines the correct symbol. You do not need to  
define VXINTwhen using LabWindows/CVI.  
The additional symbol BINARY_COMPATIBLEis optional. It ensures that  
the resulting application is binary compatible with other National  
Instruments VXI controllers using the same operating system. This symbol  
may cause a slight performance degradation when you use low-level  
VXIbus access functions.  
You can define these symbols using #definestatements in your source  
code or using the appropriate option in your compiler (typically either -D  
or /D). If you use #definestatements, they must appear in your code  
before the line that includes the NI-VXI API header nivxi.h.  
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Compatibility Layer Options  
Although NI-VXI supports multiple VXI controllers through NI-VISA, the  
NI-VXI API supports only a single controller. To specify which controller  
the emulation layer should use, run MAX. Select Tools»NI-VXI»VXI  
Options. Select the VXI system that will support the emulation layer.  
In NI-VXI 3.0 or later, when you enable for triggers or interrupts, only the  
local controller is enabled. In the NI-VXI API functions for enabling  
triggers and interrupts, the controller parameter is ignored. If you need to  
enable a remote controller for triggers, use the MAX frame resource to map  
the trigger back to the local controller.  
The interrupt and trigger routing in the NI-VXI 3.0 or later low-level  
drivers is somewhat different from the default routing in previous versions  
of NI-VXI. Therefore, the compatibility layer may behave differently than  
the original NI-VXI API with regard to these settings. In particular, if you  
are receiving triggers on an external controller, you may need to modify the  
trigger configuration on your extender module using MAX. In general,  
interrupts are routed automatically based on the interrupt configuration the  
resource manager detects. Whether the changed routing behavior affects  
your program is application dependent.  
Because VISA is an instrument-centric API, certain functions from the  
more controller-centric NI-VXI API do not match perfectly with a VISA  
counterpart. When an application enables an event with the NI-VXI API  
compatibility layer, each logical address is enabled for that event  
separately. For example, if the application enables an interrupt level, VISA  
will enable the interrupt on each logical address, one at a time, until all the  
devices are enabled. This means that some interrupts could be lost from  
devices with higher numbered logical addresses. MAX provides an  
option for users to pick which logical address is enabled first. Select  
Tools»NI-VXI»VXI Options. Set Prioritized Signal LA to the logical  
address of the device that generates the events. This prevents possible loss  
of events from that device.  
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Developing Your Application  
Debugging  
NI Spy and VISAIC are useful utilities for identifying the causes of  
problems in your application.  
NI Spy tracks the calls your application makes to National Instruments  
programming interfaces, including NI-VISA, NI-VXI, and NI-488. NI Spy  
highlights functions that return errors, so during development you can  
quickly spot which functions failed during a program’s execution. NI Spy  
can log the calls your program makes to these drivers so you can check  
them for errors at your convenience, or use the NI Spy log as a reference  
when discussing the problem with National Instruments technical support.  
Figure 3-4 shows an example of a normal error returned from a call to  
viMemAllocwhen no memory has been shared.  
Figure 3-4. NI Spy  
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VISAIC, discussed in the Device Interaction section, is an excellent  
platform for quickly testing instruments and learning how to communicate  
with them.  
Figure 3-5. VISAIC  
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A
Specifications  
This appendix lists the specifications for the VXI-1394 module.  
VXI Requirements  
VXIbus configuration space................... 64 B  
A24 or A32 space................................... Programmable  
Default ............................................ None  
Power Requirement  
+5 V  
Typical ............................................ 2.23 A  
Maximum (fused) ........................... 7 A  
–5.2 V  
Typical ............................................ 176 mA  
Maximum (fused) ........................... 1 A  
–2 V  
Typical ............................................ 89.5 mA  
Maximum (fused) ........................... 1 A  
+12 V  
Typical ............................................ 750 µA  
Maximum (fused) ........................... 1 A  
Physical  
Dimensions  
Fully enclosed, shielded VXI C-size board  
233.35 mm × 340 mm (9.187 in. × 13.386 in.)  
Weight  
VXI-1394........................................ 1.11 kg (2.45 lb)  
(No DRAM installed)  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
I/O connectors  
6-pin 1394........................................3  
SMB.................................................3  
GPIB (optional) ...............................1  
Slot requirements....................................Single VXI C-size slot  
Compatibility..........................................Fully compatible with  
VXI specification  
VXI keying class ....................................Class 1 TTL  
MTBF .....................................................Contact factory  
Operating Environment  
Ambient temperature range .................. 0 to 55 °C  
Relative humidity range..........................10% to 90%, noncondensing  
(Tested in accordance with  
IEC-60068-2-56.)  
Altitude ...................................................2000 m (at 25 °C ambient  
temperature)  
Pollution Degree.....................................2  
For indoor or enclosed area use only.  
Storage Environment  
Ambient temperature range ....................–20 to 70 °C (Tested in  
accordance with IEC-60068-2-1  
and IEC-60068-2-2.)  
Relative humidity range..........................5% to 95% noncondensing  
(Tested in accordance with  
IEC-60068-2-56.)  
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Specifications  
Shock and Vibration  
Operational shock .................................. 30 g peak, half-sine, 11 ms pulse  
(Tested in accordance with  
IEC-60068-2-27. Test profile  
developed in accordance with  
MIL-PRF-28800F.)  
Random vibration  
Operating ........................................ 5 to 500 Hz, 0.3 grms  
(with solid-state hard drive)  
Nonoperating .................................. 5 to 500 Hz, 2.4 grms  
(Tested in accordance with IEC-60068-2-64. Nonoperating test profile  
exceeds the requirements of MIL-PRF-28800F, Class B.)  
Safety  
This product is designed to meet the requirements of the following  
standards of safety for electrical equipment for measurement, control,  
and laboratory use:  
IEC 61010-1, EN 61010-1  
UL 61010-1  
CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 61010-1  
Note For UL and other safety certifications, refer to the product label or to  
ni.com/certification, search by model number or product line, and click the  
appropriate link in the Certification column.  
Electromagnetic Compatibility  
Emissions ............................................... EN 55011 Class A at 10 m  
FCC Part 15A above 1 GHz  
Immunity................................................ EN 61326:1997 + A2:2001,  
Table 1  
EMC....................................................... CE, C-Tick, and FCC Part 15  
(Class A) compliant  
Note For full EMC compliance, operate this device with shielded cabling.  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
CE Compliance  
This product meets the essential requirements of applicable European  
Directives, as amended for CE marking, as follows:  
Low-Voltage Directive (safety)..............73/23/EEC  
Electromagnetic Compatibility  
Directive (EMC).....................................89/336/EEC  
Note Refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for this product for any additional  
regulatory compliance information. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit  
ni.com/certification, search by model number or product line, and click the  
appropriate link in the Certification column.  
IEEE 1394 Capability Descriptions  
Speed support .........................................100, 200, and 400 Mbits/s  
Protocol support......................................Asynchronous Quadlet and Block  
Data payload packet sizes.......................Up to 2,048 bytes  
Asynchronous target and initiator  
VMEbus Capability Codes  
A32, A24, A16 (master)  
VMEbus master A32, A24, and A16 addressing  
A32, A24, A16 (slave)  
VMEbus slave A32, A24, and A16 addressing  
D64, D32, D16, D08(EO) (master)  
VMEbus master D64, D32, D16, and D08 data sizes  
D64, D32, D16, D08(EO) (slave)  
VMEbus slave D64, D32, D16, and D08 data sizes  
BLT, MBLT (master)  
VMEbus master block and D64 transfers  
BLT, MBLT (slave)  
VMEbus slave block and D64 transfers  
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Specifications  
RMW (master)  
VMEbus master read/modify/write transfers  
RMW (slave)  
VMEbus slave read/modify/write transfers  
RETRY (master)  
VMEbus master retry support  
RETRY (slave)  
VMEbus slave retry support  
FSD  
First slot detector  
SCON  
VMEbus System Controller (Automatic Detection)  
PRI, RRS  
Prioritized or Round Robin Select arbiter  
ROR, FAIR  
Release on Request and FAIR bus requester  
IH(7-1)  
Interrupt handler for levels 7–1  
I(7-1)  
Interrupt requester for levels 7–1  
D32, D16, D08(O) (Interrupt Handler)  
VMEbus D32, D16, D08(O) interrupt handler  
D32, D16, D08(O) (Interrupter)  
VMEbus D32, D16, D08(O) interrupter  
ROAK, RORA  
Release on Acknowledge or Register Access interrupter  
BTO(x)  
VMEbus bus timer (programmable limit)  
© National Instruments Corporation  
A-5  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
Appendix A  
Specifications  
LOCK  
Can lock the VMEbus for indivisible transfers  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
A-6  
ni.com  
 
B
Default Settings  
This appendix summarizes the default settings for the hardware and  
software in the VXI-1394 kit. If you need more information about a  
particular setting, or if you want to try a different configuration, refer  
to Appendix C, Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings, for your  
hardware reference and to the MAX online help for your software  
reference.  
Note There are no hardware settings on the PCI-1394 board.  
Hardware Settings  
Table B-1. VXI-1394 Hardware Default Settings  
Hardware Component Default Setting  
W1—VXIbus Slot 0/Non-Slot 0  
S6—VXIbus CLK10 source  
S5—External trigger termination  
S3—SMB CLK10 direction  
S2—SMB CLK10 termination  
Automatic detection  
From onboard oscillator  
OFF: unterminated  
IN: receive CLK10 signal  
OFF: ignored  
S4—Polarity of external SMB  
CLK10  
Inverted  
S7Configuration EEPROM  
Do not load from factory setting  
© National Instruments Corporation  
B-1  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
           
Appendix B  
Default Settings  
Software Settings  
Table B-2. MAX Device Tab Default Settings  
Editor Field Default Setting  
Logical address  
0
Device class  
Message based  
Size of Servant area  
System interrupt level  
Number of handlers  
Number of interrupters  
0
Disabled  
1
0
Table B-3. MAX Shared Memory Tab Default Settings  
Editor Field  
Memory sharing  
Default Setting  
Do not share memory  
Shared RAM size  
A16—N/A  
A24—256 B  
A32—64 KB  
Reserved physical memory  
0
Lower half window byte swapping Disabled  
Upper half window byte swapping Disabled  
Map upper and lower halves at  
same PCI address  
Disabled  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
B-2  
ni.com  
 
     
Appendix B  
Default Settings  
Table B-4. MAX VXI Bus Tab Default Settings  
Editor Field  
Default Setting  
Bus timeout value  
VXI retry generation  
Automatic retries  
A24/A32 write posting  
Transfer limit  
125 µs  
Enabled  
Disabled  
Disabled  
256  
Requester mode  
Request level  
Release on Request  
3
Fair requester  
Enabled  
Prioritized  
Enabled  
Bus arbitration mode  
Arbiter timeout  
© National Instruments Corporation  
B-3  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
 
C
Advanced Hardware  
Configuration Settings  
This appendix describes the factory-default and alternate hardware  
configuration settings of the VXI-1394. The board is set at the factory  
for the most commonly used configuration. Use this appendix if you  
want to try a different hardware configuration or if you would like more  
information on a particular setting. This information is intended for more  
advanced users.  
Hardware Default Settings  
The following hardware configuration settings are user configurable.  
VXIbus Slot 0/Non-Slot 0  
Configuration EEPROM  
VXIbus CLK10 routing  
Trigger input termination  
Figure C-1 shows the factory-default settings of the user-configurable  
jumper and switches on the VXI-1394. The slot selection jumper and  
six switches are located in the corner of the board behind the front panel  
SMB connectors.  
Note Do not attempt an alternate setting unless you are familiar with its purpose.  
In addition, do not reconfigure any switches or jumpers not described in this appendix  
unless directed by National Instruments support.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
C-1  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
           
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
TERMINATE  
Y
N
EXT  
CLK10  
S1  
S2  
S3  
OUT  
IN  
NON INV  
SMB  
TRIG TERM  
Y
N
S4  
S5  
CLK10 SOURCE  
SMB ONBRD  
SLOT0  
AUTO  
W1  
NON-  
SLOT0  
LOAD FACTORY  
FACTORY USER  
S6  
Figure C-1. VXI-1394 Default Configuration Settings  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
C-2  
ni.com  
 
   
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
VXIbus Slot 0/Non-Slot 0  
The VXI-1394 is configured at the factory to automatically detect if it is  
installed in Slot 0 of a VXIbus mainframe. With automatic Slot 0 detection,  
you can install the VXI-1394 into any VXIbus slot.  
You can manually configure the VXI-1394 for either Slot 0 or Non-Slot 0  
operation by defeating the automatic-detection circuitry. Use the  
three-position jumper W1 to select automatic Slot 0 detection, Slot 0,  
or Non-Slot 0 operation. Figure C-2 shows these three settings.  
Caution Do not install a device configured for Slot 0 into another slot without first  
reconfiguring it to either Non-Slot 0 or automatic configuration. Neglecting to do this  
could damage the device, the VXIbus backplane, or both.  
Note The setting of any switch shown with this pattern ( ) has no bearing on  
the configuration described in any of the following figures. For example, Figure C-2  
shows switch S6 merely because of its close proximity to W1.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
C-3  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
 
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
W1  
Slot 0  
Auto  
Nonslot 0  
S6  
Y
N
LOAD FACTORY  
A. Automatic Slot 0 Detection (Default)  
W1  
Slot 0  
Auto  
Nonslot 0  
S6  
Y
N
LOAD FACTORY  
B. Manual Slot 0 Configuration  
W1  
Slot 0  
Auto  
Nonslot 0  
S6  
Y
N
LOAD FACTORY  
C. Manual Non-Slot 0 Configuration  
Figure C-2. VXIbus Slot Configuration  
When the VXI-1394 is installed in Slot 0, it becomes the VXIbus System  
Controller. In this role, it has VXIbus Data Transfer Bus Arbiter circuitry  
that accepts bus requests on all four VXIbus request levels, prioritizes the  
requests, and grants the bus to the highest priority requester. As VXIbus  
System Controller, the VXI-1394 also uses an onboard 16 MHz oscillator  
to drive the 16 MHz VXIbus system clock.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
C-4  
ni.com  
 
   
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
As required by the VXIbus specification, the VXI-1394 drives the 10 MHz  
signal CLK10 on a differential ECL output when installed in Slot 0. The  
VXI-1394 generates a 1% accurate CLK10 signal with the onboard  
oscillator, or can route a 10 MHz clock from an external high-accuracy  
source. When not installed in Slot 0, the VXI-1394 only receives the  
CLK10 signal.  
Configuration EEPROM  
The VXI-1394 has an onboard EEPROM, which stores default register  
values that are loaded at power-on. The EEPROM is divided into  
two halves—a factory-configuration half and a user-configuration half.  
Both halves were factory configured with the same configuration values so  
you can modify the user-configurable half, while the factory-configured  
half stores a back-up of the default settings.  
The Load Factory switch (switch S6) causes the VXI-1394 to boot off the  
factory-configured half instead of the user-modified settings. This is useful  
in the event that the user-configured half of the EEPROM becomes  
corrupted in such a way that the VXI-1394 boots to an unusable state.  
Figure C-3 shows the configuration settings for EEPROM operation.  
SLOT0  
AUTO  
SLOT0  
AUTO  
NON-  
SLOT0  
NON-  
SLOT0  
W1  
S6  
W1  
S6  
Y
N
Y
N
LOAD FACTORY  
LOAD FACTORY  
A. Boot from User  
Configuration (Default)  
B. Boot from Factory  
Configuration  
Figure C-3. EEPROM Operation  
© National Instruments Corporation  
C-5  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
     
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
VXIbus CLK10 Routing  
When the VXI-1394 is installed in Slot 0 of your mainframe, it supplies  
the VXIbus CLK10 signal. The VXI-1394 has four hardware switches that  
work together to control various aspects of CLK10 routing. Read this  
section carefully and notice that if you change one switch, you may need to  
change another. This section includes several diagrams that show how to  
configure the four switches to accomplish various CLK10 configurations.  
Notice that the configuration of one switch may make the setting of another  
switch irrelevant. For example, only switches S2 and S3 are relevant if you  
install the VXI-1394 in a slot other than Slot 0. The drawings use the  
pattern to depict switches that are either irrelevant or disabled for a  
particular CLK10 configuration.  
Switch S4 uses this pattern in all of the CLK10 drawings. It deals with the  
external trigger input SMB and is discussed later in this appendix.  
The VXI-1394 can use two different sources to generate the VXIbus  
CLK10 signal—an onboard oscillator or the external CLK SMB connector.  
Use switch S5 to select between these options. The VXI-1394 uses the  
onboard oscillator by default.  
The VXI-1394 can also be configured to drive the external CLK SMB from  
the VXIbus CLK10 signal. Switch S2 controls whether the VXI-1394  
drives or receives the external CLK SMB. If you change the S2 setting to  
drive CLK10 out the external CLK10 SMB connector, do not set switch S6  
to receive the SMB CLK10 signal. Instead, use its default setting so that the  
onboard oscillator generates the signal.  
You can use an additional switch, S3, to control the polarity of the external  
CLK SMB signal when S2 is configured to drive it. S3 is unused when S2  
is configured to receive the external CLK SMB signal.  
When switch S2 is set so that the VXI-1394 receives the SMB CLK10  
signal, you have the option to add a 50 termination to the signal by setting  
switch S1. S1 is unused when S2 is configured to drive the external CLK  
SMB signal.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
C-6  
ni.com  
 
 
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
Table C-1 summarizes the most common configuration types.  
Table C-1. Common CLK10 Routing Configurations  
Switches  
S1  
S2  
Direction  
S3  
Polarity  
S5 CLK10  
Source  
Description  
Terminate  
Generate internal CLK10 with  
onboard oscillator  
N
N/A  
N/A  
N
IN  
OUT  
OUT  
IN  
N/A  
NON  
INV  
N/A  
N/A  
ONBRD  
ONBRD  
ONBRD  
SMB  
Generate internal CLK10 and drive  
to external CLK SMB  
Generate internal CLK10 and drive  
inverted to external CLK SMB  
Receive external CLK SMB and  
drive to the backplane unterminated  
Receive external CLK SMB with  
50 termination and drive to the  
backplane  
Y
IN  
SMB  
Figure C-4 shows the default settings for the CLK10 switches. This  
configuration is as follows:  
CLK10 is generated from the onboard oscillator (S5).  
The CLK10 signal is not terminated (S1).  
The VXI-1394 receives the external CLK10 signal (S2).  
The polarity of the CLK10 signal (S3) is irrelevant when the VXI-1394  
receives the external CLK10 signal. However, it is configured to be  
inverted when the CLK10 SMB is used as output.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
C-7  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
   
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
TERMINATE  
Y
N
EXT  
CLK10  
S1  
OUT  
IN  
S2  
S3  
NON INV  
SMB  
TRIG TERM  
S4  
S5  
CLK10 SOURCE  
SMB ONBRD  
Figure C-4. Generate Internal CLK10 and Drive to the Backplane  
In Figures C-5 and C-6, switch S5 uses the alternate configuration to  
generate the VXIbus CLK10 signal. Instead of the onboard oscillator, the  
VXI-1394 generates from the external CLK SMB connector and drives to  
the backplane. You can choose whether to terminate the signal using S1.  
Polarity remains irrelevant to these configurations.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
C-8  
ni.com  
 
   
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
TERMINATE  
Y
N
EXT  
CLK10  
S1  
S2  
OUT  
IN  
NON INV  
S3  
S4  
SMB  
TRIG TERM  
CLK10 SOURCE  
SMB ONBRD  
S5  
Figure C-5. Receive External CLK SMB and Drive to the Backplane Unterminated  
TERMINATE  
Y
N
EXT  
CLK10  
S1  
S2  
OUT  
IN  
NON INV  
S3  
S4  
SMB  
TRIG TERM  
CLK10 SOURCE  
SMB ONBRD  
S5  
Figure C-6. Receive External CLK SMB with 50 Termination  
and Drive to the Backplane  
© National Instruments Corporation  
C-9  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
   
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
Figures C-7 and C-8 show two configurations for driving the external CLK  
SMB from the VXIbus CLK10 signal by changing switch S2 to its alternate  
setting. Switch S5 must be in its default position for these configurations.  
Signal termination is not an issue when driving the signal, so the position  
of S1 does not matter. The difference between these two configurations is  
whether to use inverted or noninverted polarity when driving the signal.  
TERMINATE  
Y
N
EXT  
CLK10  
S1  
S2  
OUT  
IN  
NON INV  
S3  
S4  
SMB  
TRIG TERM  
CLK10 SOURCE  
SMB ONBRD  
S5  
Figure C-7. Drive Inverted External CLK SMB  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
C-10  
ni.com  
 
 
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
TERMINATE  
Y
N
EXT  
CLK10  
S1  
S2  
OUT  
IN  
NON INV  
S3  
S4  
S5  
SMB  
TRIG TERM  
CLK10 SOURCE  
SMB ONBRD  
Figure C-8. Drive Noninverted External CLK SMB  
© National Instruments Corporation  
C-11  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
 
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
Trigger Input Termination  
Located within the group of CLK10 switches is switch S4, which controls  
whether to put a 50 termination on the external trigger input SMB.  
Figure C-9A shows the default setting for a nonterminated trigger input  
SMB. Use the setting of Figure C-9B to terminate the trigger input SMB.  
TERMINATE  
TERMINATE  
Y
N
Y
N
EXT  
EXT  
CLK10  
CLK10  
S1  
S2  
S1  
S2  
OUT  
IN  
OUT  
IN  
NON INV  
NON INV  
S3  
S3  
SMB  
TRIG TERM  
SMB  
TRIG TERM  
Y
N
Y
N
S4  
S5  
S4  
S5  
CLK10 SOURCE  
SMB ONBRD  
CLK10 SOURCE  
SMB ONBRD  
A. Does Not Terminate  
Trigger Input (Default)  
B. Terminate Trigger Input  
Figure C-9. SMB Trigger Input Termination  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
C-12  
ni.com  
 
 
D
Common Questions  
This appendix addresses common questions you may have about using the  
NI-VXI/NI-VISA software on the VXI-1394 platform.  
What does hot plugging mean in terms of IEEE 1394?  
The concept of hot plugging in 1394 means that you can remove and  
insert 1394 cables without powering down your computer and devices. The  
1394 Plug and Play architecture is designed so that the host computer can  
recognize when to load and remove the appropriate drivers. However,  
notice that inserting or removing any 1394 cable results in an interrupt  
condition on all devices, which may adversely affect any applications using  
the VXI-1394 at that time. For that reason, NI recommends closing all  
1394-related applications before changing your 1394 bus configuration,  
and running Resource Manager after adding any new 1394 devices to your  
system.  
Does it matter whether I plug in a 1394 device to the PCI-1394 in my  
computer or to the VXI-1394 in my mainframe?  
The only difference is the topology of the system. If your system consists  
of a PC connected to a VXI-1394 which is in turn connected to a digital  
camera, you can get the best performance by connecting a third peripheral  
to the VXI-1394 rather than to the PC or the digital camera. This restricts  
the maximum distance between any two nodes to two cable segments.  
Connecting the third peripheral to either the PC or the digital camera would  
create a maximum distance of three cable segments between any two nodes.  
Use only a tree topology to build your system. A closed loop is illegal and  
will not work. For example, if you have a PCI-1394 and a VXI-1394 cabled  
together and you add direct connections from both of them to the same  
digital camera, you create a closed loop. A 1394 device should have only  
one connection to the 1394 system.  
Can I have both a PCI-MXI-2 and a PCI-1394 interface in the same  
computer?  
Yes.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
D-1  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
         
Appendix D  
Common Questions  
I need more devices than can fit in one chassis. How can I expand my  
VXI-1394 system?  
You can add another VXI-1394 to the system, but the additional chassis will  
not share the same VXI bus. The recommended strategy is to use a  
VXI-MXI-2, which follows the VXI-6 specification for mainframe  
extension. This extends full VXI functionality across multiple mainframes,  
including a common device address space and interframe triggering,  
interrupts, and bus mastering. Place a VXI-MXI-2 in the same frame as the  
Slot 0 VXI-1394, and another VXI-MXI-2 in Slot 0 of the next mainframe.  
You can then fill up this mainframe with additional devices.  
How can I determine the serial number and hardware revision of the  
VXI-1394 board?  
Run MAX and right-click the name of the VXI-1394 board. Select  
Hardware Configuration, and the dialog box for the VXI-1394 board is  
displayed. The title bar includes the serial number and hardware revision of  
the board.  
What is Resman?  
Resman is the name of the utility that performs the duties of a VXI  
Resource Manager as discussed in the VXIbus specification. When you  
set a National Instruments controller to Logical Address 0, you will at  
some point need to run Resman to configure your VXI instruments.  
If your controller uses a different (nonzero) logical address and is a  
message-based device, you need to start Resman before running it on  
the Logical Address 0 computer.  
When do I need to run Resman?  
Run Resman whenever you need to configure your VXI instruments. For  
example, if you power-cycle your VXI chassis, your instruments will be  
reset, and you will need to run Resman to configure them. You can get into  
trouble if you run Resman when your devices are not in a reset state.  
Therefore, if you have to run Resman after running it once, you should reset  
all your VXI instruments.  
You can perform resource manager operations from within MAX after you  
install the VXI-1394 and cable it to your computer. With the VXI-1394,  
you may need to run the Resman utility if you boot your computer before  
turning on your VXI chassis or if you power-cycle your VXI chassis while  
the external PC remains on. In these cases, the instruments would have been  
reset without the computer rebooting. You will need to run the Resman  
utility or configure your system in MAX to initialize your VXI system.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
D-2  
ni.com  
 
     
Appendix D  
Common Questions  
Which NI-VXI utility program must I use to configure the VXI-1394?  
Use MAX to configure the VXI-1394. MAX is in the National  
Instruments program group folder.  
How do I handle VME devices?  
Although there is no way to automatically detect VME devices in a system,  
you can add them easily through the Add Device Wizard in MAX.  
Through this procedure, you can reserve resources for each of your VME  
devices and configure MAX to show VME devices on the screen with all  
your other devices.  
Which NI-VXI utility program must I use to perform startup Resource  
Manager operations?  
Use the Resman program to perform startup Resource Manager operations  
in Start»Programs»National Instruments»VXI. Resman uses the  
settings configured in MAX. It initializes your VXI/VMEbus system and  
makes the information it collects accessible through MAX.  
You can also run Resource Manager operations from MAX. Through  
MAX, you can also configure Resman to run automatically at startup.  
What can I do to make sure that my system is up and running?  
The fastest method for testing the system is to run Resman. This program  
attempts to access memory in the upper A16 address space of each device  
in the system. If Resman does not report any problems, the VXI-1394  
communication system is operational.  
To test individual devices, you can use the VIC or VISAIC program to  
interactively issue NI-VXI functions or NI-VISA operations, respectively.  
You can use viIn()and viOut()with the NI-VISA API (or VXIin()or  
VXIinReg()and VXIout()or VXIoutReg()with the NI-VXI API) to  
test register-based devices by programming their registers. If you have any  
message-based devices, you can send and receive messages with the  
viRead()and viWrite()operations in the NI-VISA API (or WSrd()  
and WSwrt()functions in the NI-VXI API). Notice that VXIinReg()and  
VXIoutReg()are for VXI devices only, but you can use VXIin()and  
VXIout()for both VXI and VME.  
Finally, if you are using LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI and you have  
instrument drivers for the devices in your chassis, you can use the  
interactive features of these programs to quickly test the functionality  
of the devices.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
D-3  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
     
Appendix D  
Common Questions  
What should I do if I get a Configuration EEPROM is Invalid  
message?  
There are several reasons why you might get the Configuration EEPROM  
is Invalidmessage. For example, if you turned off the VXI chassis  
while the configuration update process was still in progress, the board  
functions normally except when running MAX. To correct these problems,  
reboot the VXI chassis with the Load Factory switch set (as described in  
Appendix C, Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings) and update the  
configuration, or load the configuration from file.  
What do the LEDs on the front of the VXI-1394 mean?  
The SYSFAIL LED shows the state of the VXI/VMEbus SYSFAIL  
line. This line is asserted whenever any device in the chassis has not  
yet passed its self test, if it has failed its self test, or if it has detected a  
failure after originally passing its self test.  
The 1394 LED indicates that the VXI-1394 is being accessed by  
another device on the IEEE 1394 bus, such as when the computer  
communicates with either the VXI-1394 or another device in the  
chassis.  
The VXI LED, when lit, indicates that the VXI-1394 is being accessed  
by another device in the VXI chassis, such as when a bus master inside  
the chassis wants to talk to either the VXI-1394 or memory in the  
computer.  
What kind of signal is CLK10 and what kind of signal do I need for an  
external CLK10?  
CLK10 is a differential ECL signal on the VXIbus backplane. However, the  
oscillator for the VXI-1394 and the EXTCLK input from the front panel  
use TTL. Therefore, supply a TTL-level signal for EXTCLK, and onboard  
voltage converters will automatically convert the signal to differential ECL.  
What is the accuracy of the CLK10 signal?  
The CLK10 generated by the VXI-1394 is 1% accurate. If you need a more  
accurate CLK10 signal, you can use the EXTCLK input at the front of the  
VXI-1394.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
D-4  
ni.com  
 
       
Appendix D  
Common Questions  
What is shared memory and dual-ported memory?  
These terms refer to a block of memory that is accessible to both a client  
and a server. The memory block operates as a message buffer for  
communications. Shared memory is applicable only if you are using either  
A24 or A32 address space.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
D-5  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
 
E
Technical Support and  
Professional Services  
Visit the following sections of the National Instruments Web site at  
ni.comfor technical support and professional services:  
Support—Online technical support resources at ni.com/support  
include the following:  
Self-Help Resources—For answers and solutions, visit the  
award-winning National Instruments Web site for software drivers  
and updates, a searchable KnowledgeBase, product manuals,  
step-by-step troubleshooting wizards, thousands of example  
programs, tutorials, application notes, instrument drivers, and  
so on.  
Free Technical Support—All registered users receive free Basic  
Service, which includes access to hundreds of Application  
Engineers worldwide in the NI Developer Exchange at  
ni.com/exchange. National Instruments Application Engineers  
make sure every question receives an answer.  
For information about other technical support options in your  
area, visit ni.com/servicesor contact your local office at  
ni.com/contact.  
Training and Certification—Visit ni.com/trainingfor  
self-paced training, eLearning virtual classrooms, interactive CDs,  
and Certification program information. You also can register for  
instructor-led, hands-on courses at locations around the world.  
System Integration—If you have time constraints, limited in-house  
technical resources, or other project challenges, National Instruments  
Alliance Partner members can help. To learn more, call your local  
NI office or visit ni.com/alliance.  
Declaration of Conformity (DoC)—A DoC is our claim of  
compliance with the Council of the European Communities using  
the manufacturer’s declaration of conformity. This system affords  
the user protection for electronic compatibility (EMC) and product  
safety. You can obtain the DoC for your product by visiting  
ni.com/certification.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
E-1  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
                     
Appendix E  
Technical Support and Professional Services  
Calibration Certificate—If your product supports calibration,  
you can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at  
ni.com/calibration.  
If you searched ni.comand could not find the answers you need, contact  
your local office or NI corporate headquarters. Phone numbers for our  
worldwide offices are listed at the front of this manual. You also can visit  
the Worldwide Offices section of ni.com/niglobalto access the branch  
office Web sites, which provide up-to-date contact information, support  
phone numbers, email addresses, and current events.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
E-2  
ni.com  
 
 
Glossary  
Symbol  
Prefix  
pico  
Value  
1012  
109  
10– 6  
103  
103  
p
n
nano  
micro  
milli  
kilo  
µ
m
k
M
G
T
mega  
giga  
106  
109  
tera  
1012  
Symbols  
°
Degrees.  
Ohms.  
A
A
Amperes.  
A16 space  
VXIbus address space equivalent to the VME 64 KB short address space.  
In VXI, the upper 16 KB of A16 space is allocated for use by VXI devices’  
configuration registers. This 16 KB region is referred to as VXI  
configuration space.  
A24 space  
VXIbus address space equivalent to the VME 16 MB standard address  
space.  
A32 space  
address  
VXIbus address space equivalent to the VME 4 GB extended address space.  
Character code that identifies a specific location (or series of locations) in  
memory. In VISA, it identifies a resource.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
G-1  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
 
Glossary  
address modifier  
address space  
One of six signals in the VMEbus specification used by VMEbus masters  
to indicate the address space in which a data transfer is to take place.  
A set of 2n memory locations differentiated from other such sets in  
VXI/VMEbus systems by six addressing lines known as address modifiers.  
n is the number of address lines required to uniquely specify a byte location  
in a given space. Valid numbers for n are 16, 24, and 32. In VME/VXI,  
because there are six address modifiers, there are 64 possible address  
spaces.  
ANSI  
API  
American National Standards Institute  
Application Programming Interface—the direct interface that an end user  
sees when creating an application.  
arbitration  
A process in which a potential bus master gains control over a particular  
bus.  
asynchronous  
Not synchronized; not controlled by time signals. In IEEE 1394,  
specifically, this is the standard protocol for sending packets that require an  
acknowledgment. This guarantees data delivery. The NI-VXI/NI-VISA  
drivers for 1394 use this protocol exclusively.  
B
b
Bit—one binary digit, either 0 or 1.  
B
Byte—eight related bits of data, an 8-bit binary number. Also used to  
denote the amount of memory required to store one byte of data.  
backplane  
An assembly, typically a printed circuit board, with 96-pin connectors and  
signal paths that bus the connector pins. A C-size VXIbus system will have  
two sets of bused connectors called J1 and J2. A D-size VXIbus system will  
have three sets of bused connectors called J1, J2, and J3.  
BERR*  
BIOS  
Bus error signal.  
Basic Input/Output System. BIOS functions are the fundamental level  
of any PC or compatible computer. BIOS functions embody the basic  
operations needed for successful use of the computer’s hardware resources.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
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Glossary  
block-mode transfer  
An uninterrupted transfer of data elements in which the master sources only  
the first address at the beginning of the cycle. The slave is then responsible  
for incrementing the address on subsequent transfers so that the next  
element is transferred to or from the proper storage location. A VME data  
transfer may have no more than 256 elements.  
bus  
The group of conductors that interconnect individual circuitry in a  
computer. Typically, a bus is the expansion vehicle to which I/O or other  
devices are connected. Examples of buses include the ISA bus, PCI bus,  
VXI bus, and VME bus.  
bus error  
An error that signals failed access to an address. Bus errors occur with  
low-level accesses to memory and usually involve hardware with bus  
mapping capabilities. For example, nonexistent memory, a nonexistent  
register, or an incorrect device access can cause a bus error.  
bus master  
byte order  
A device that is capable of requesting the Data Transfer Bus (DTB) for the  
purpose of accessing a slave device.  
How bytes are arranged within a word or how words are arranged within  
a longword. Motorola ordering stores the most significant byte (MSB) or  
word first, followed by the least significant byte (LSB) or word. Intel  
ordering stores the LSB or word first, followed by the MSB or word.  
C
C
Celsius.  
CLK10  
A 10 MHz, 100 ppm, individually buffered (to each module slot),  
differential ECL system clock that is sourced from Slot 0 of a VXIbus  
mainframe and distributed to Slots 1 through 12 on P2. It is distributed to  
each slot as a single-source, single-destination signal with a matched delay  
of under 8 ns.  
CMOS  
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor—a process used in making  
chips.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
G-3  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
Glossary  
Commander  
A message-based device that is also a bus master and can control one or  
more Servants.  
configuration registers  
A set of registers through which the system can identify a module device  
type, model, manufacturer, address space, and memory requirements. To  
support automatic system and memory configuration, the VXI specification  
requires that all VXIbus devices have a set of such registers.  
D
Data Transfer Bus  
DTB; one of four buses on the VMEbus backplane. The DTB is used by a  
bus master to transfer binary data between itself and a slave device.  
DMA  
Direct Memory Access—a method by which data is transferred between  
devices and internal memory without intervention of the central processing  
unit. DMA is the fastest method of transferring data to/from computer  
memory.  
DRAM  
Dynamic RAM (Random Access Memory)—storage that the computer  
must refresh at frequent intervals.  
dynamic configuration  
A method of automatically assigning logical addresses to VXIbus devices  
at system startup or other configuration times.  
dynamically configured A device that has its logical address assigned by the Resource Manager.  
device  
AVXI device initially responds at Logical Address 255 when its MODID  
line is asserted. The Resource Manager subsequently assigns it a new  
logical address, to which the device responds until powered down.  
E
ECL  
Emitter-Coupled Logic.  
EEPROM  
Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory—ROM that  
can be erased with an electrical signal and reprogrammed.  
embedded controller  
EMC  
An intelligent CPU (controller) interface plugged directly into the VXI  
backplane, giving it direct access to the VXIbus. It must have all of its  
required VXI interface capabilities built in.  
Electromagnetic compliance.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
G-4  
ni.com  
 
Glossary  
EMI  
Electromagnetic interference.  
external trigger  
A voltage pulse from an external source that triggers an event.  
F
fair requester  
A VXIbus device that will not arbitrate for the VXIbus after releasing  
it until it detects the bus request signal inactive. This ensures that all  
requesting devices will be granted use of the bus.  
FireWire  
An Apple trademark for the technology that came to be defined as  
IEEE 1394. See IEEE 1394.  
G
g
(1) Grams.  
2
(2) A measure of acceleration equal to 9.8 m/s .  
gRMS  
A measure of random vibration. The root mean square of acceleration  
levels in a random vibration test profile.  
H
hex  
Hexadecimal—the numbering system with base 16, using the digits 0 to 9  
and letters A to F.  
hot plug-in capability  
Hz  
The ability, a feature in IEEE 1394, to add and remove devices to a  
computer while the computer is running and have the operating system  
automatically recognize the change.  
Hertz; cycles per second.  
I
i.LINK  
A brand name initiated by Sony for digital consumer products using  
IEEE 1394. See IEEE 1394.  
I/O  
Input/output—the techniques, media, and devices used to achieve  
communication between machines and users.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
G-5  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
 
Glossary  
IDE  
IEC  
Integrated Drive Electronics. Denotes the most common interface to the  
hard drive on PCs.  
International Electrotechnical Commission. The IEC publishes  
internationally recognized standards. IEC 60068 contains information on  
environmental testing procedures and severities.  
IEEE  
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.  
IEEE 1394  
A cross-platform implementation of the high-speed serial data bus, defined  
by IEEE Standard 1394-1995, that can move large amounts of data between  
computers and peripheral devices. It features simplified cabling, hot  
swapping, and transfer speeds of up to 400 Mbits/s. IEEE 1394 also enables  
the connection of digital consumer products, including digital camcorders,  
digital video tapes, digital video disks, set-top boxes, and music systems,  
directly to a personal computer.  
in.  
Inches.  
instrument driver  
A set of routines designed to control a specific instrument or family of  
instruments, and any necessary related files for LabWindows/CVI or  
LabVIEW.  
interrupt  
A means for a device to request service from another device; a computer  
signal indicating that the CPU should suspend its current task to service a  
designated activity.  
interrupt handler  
A VMEbus functional module that detects interrupt requests generated by  
interrupters and responds to those requests by requesting status and identify  
information.  
interrupt level  
IRQ*  
The relative priority at which a device can interrupt.  
Interrupt signal.  
isochronous  
Pertains to processes that require timing coordination to be successful, such  
as voice and digital video transmission. A sound or picture going from a  
peripheral computer device or across a network into a computer or  
television set needs to arrive at close to the same rate of data flow as the  
source. In IEEE 1394, this protocol is used for purposes such as feeding  
digital image data from a peripheral device (such as a video camera) to a  
display mechanism within a computer.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
G-6  
ni.com  
 
 
Glossary  
K
K
Kilo—(1) the standard metric prefix for 1,000, or 103, used with units of  
measure such as volts, hertz, and meters; (2) the prefix for 1,024, or 210,  
used with B (byte) in quantifying data or computer memory.  
L
logical address  
An 8-bit number that uniquely identifies each VXIbus device in a system.  
It defines the A16 register address of a device, and indicates Commander  
and Servant relationships.  
M
m
Meters.  
M
Mega—(1) the standard metric prefix for 1 million or 106, when used with  
units of measure such as volts and hertz; (2) the prefix for 1,048,576, or 220,  
when used with B (byte) to quantify data or computer memory.  
master  
A functional part of a VME/VXIbus device that initiates data transfers on  
the backplane. A transfer can be either a read or a write.  
message-based  
device  
An intelligent device that implements the defined VXIbus registers and  
communication protocols. These devices are able to use Word Serial  
Protocol to communicate with one another through communication  
registers.  
MODID  
MTBF  
Module ID lines—used in VXI to geographically locate boards and to  
dynamically configure boards.  
Mean Time Between Failure.  
N
NI-DAQ  
The National Instruments industry-standard software for data acquisition  
instruments.  
NI-VISA  
The National Instruments implementation of the VISA standard; an  
interface-independent software that provides a unified programming  
interface for VXI, GPIB, and serial instruments.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
G-7  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
Glossary  
NI-VXI  
The National Instruments bus interface software for VME/VXIbus  
systems.  
Non-Slot 0 device  
A device configured for installation in any slot in a VXIbus mainframe  
other than Slot 0. Installing such a device into Slot 0 can damage the device,  
the VXIbus backplane, or both.  
O
OHCI  
Open Host Controller Interface. Specification for the register set for a  
1394 controller card. This standard allows interoperability of software with  
controllers from different vendors.  
P
PCI  
Peripheral Component Interconnect. The PCI bus is a high-performance  
32-bit or 64-bit bus with multiplexed address and data lines.  
R
register-based device  
A Servant-only device that supports VXIbus configuration registers.  
Register-based devices are typically controlled by message-based devices  
via device-dependent register reads and writes.  
Resman  
The name of the National Instruments Resource Manager in NI-VXI bus  
interface software. See Resource Manager.  
Resource Manager  
A message-based Commander located at Logical Address 0, which  
provides configuration management services such as address map  
configuration, Commander and Servant mappings, and self-test and  
diagnostic management.  
retry  
An acknowledge by a destination that signifies that the cycle did not  
complete and should be repeated.  
RMS  
Root mean squared. See gRMS.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
G-8  
ni.com  
 
Glossary  
S
s
Seconds.  
SIMM  
slave  
Single In-line Memory Module.  
A functional part of a VME/VXIbus device that detects data transfer cycles  
initiated by a VMEbus master and responds to the transfers when the  
address specifies one of the device’s registers.  
Slot 0 device  
A device configured for installation in Slot 0 of a VXIbus mainframe. This  
device is unique in the VXIbus system in that it performs the VXI/VMEbus  
System Controller functions, including clock sourcing and arbitration for  
data transfers across the backplane. Installing such a device into any other  
slot can damage the device, the VXIbus backplane, or both.  
SMB  
Sub Miniature Type B connector that features a snap coupling for fast  
connection.  
statically configured  
device  
A device whose logical address cannot be set through software; that is, it is  
not dynamically configurable.  
streaming data  
Data that is structured and processed in a continuous flow, such as digital  
audio and video. In IEEE 1394, this is often sent with the isochronous  
protocol rather than the standard asynchronous protocol.  
SYSFAIL  
A VMEbus signal that is used by a device to indicate an internal failure.  
A failed device asserts this line. In VXI, a device that fails also clears its  
PASSed bit in its Status register.  
T
trigger  
Either TTL or ECL lines used for intermodule communication.  
Transistor-Transistor Logic  
TTL  
V
V
Volts.  
VGA  
Video Graphics Array; the minimum video display standard for all PCs.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
G-9  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
Glossary  
VIC  
VXI Interactive Control program, a part of the NI-VXI bus interface  
software. Used to program VXI devices and develop and debug VXI  
application programs.  
VISA  
Virtual Instrument Software Architecture. This is the general name given to  
VISA and its associated architecture.  
VISAIC  
VISA Interactive Control program, a part of the NI-VISA software. Used to  
program devices and develop and debug application programs.  
VITA  
VME  
VMEbus International Trade Association.  
Versa Module Eurocard or IEEE 1014.  
VMEbus System  
Controller  
A device configured for installation in Slot 0 or a VXIbus mainframe or the  
first slot in a VMEbus chassis. This device is unique in the VMEbus system  
in that it performs the VMEbus System Controller functions, including  
clock sourcing and arbitration for data transfers across the backplane.  
Installing such a device into any other slot can damage the device, the  
VMEbus/VXIbus backplane, or both.  
VXIbus  
VMEbus Extensions for Instrumentation.  
W
W
Watts.  
Word Serial Protocol  
The simplest required communication protocol supported by  
message-based devices in a VXIbus system. It utilizes the A16  
communication registers to transfer data using a simple polling  
handshake method.  
write posting  
A mechanism that signifies that a device will immediately give a successful  
acknowledge to a write transfer and place the transfer in a local buffer. The  
device can then independently complete the write cycle to the destination.  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
G-10  
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Index  
memory, D-5  
Numerics  
1394 LED, 1-3  
VME devices, D-3  
VXI-1394 system expansion, D-2  
compatibility layer options, 3-9  
compiler symbols, 3-8  
A
application development, 3-1  
configuration, 2-1, 3-2  
application software, 1-4  
advanced hardware settings, C-1  
C
calibration certificate (NI resources), E-2  
capability codes, VMEbus, A-4  
CLK switches  
setup, 2-1  
VXI-1394 default configuration settings  
(figure), C-2  
VXIbus slot configuration (figure), C-4  
Configuration EEPROM is Invalid message, D-4  
connectors, 1394 6-pin, 1-3  
generate internal CLK10 and drive to the  
CLK10  
routing, VXI bus, C-6  
signal type, D-4  
(table), C-7  
common questions, D-1  
debugging, 3-10  
Declaration of Conformity (NI resources), E-1  
default settings, B-1  
hardware, 2-3, B-1  
software, B-2  
NI-VXI utility programs, D-3  
PCI-MXI-2 and PCI-1394 interfaces in the  
same computer, D-1  
developing applications, 3-1  
device interaction, 3-4  
device tab default settings (table), B-2  
diagnostic tools (NI resources), E-1  
documentation  
plugging in multiple peripherals, D-1  
Resman, D-2  
conventions used in manual, viii  
how to use manual set, vii  
using, D-3  
© National Instruments Corporation  
I-1  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
 
Index  
NI resources, E-1  
I
installation, 2-1  
drivers (NI resources), E-1  
instrument drivers (NI resources), E-1  
E
EEPROM  
KnowledgeBase, E-1  
message, D-4  
operation (figure), C-5  
L
electromagnetic compatibility, A-3  
electrostatic discharge (caution), 2-3  
LabVIEW, 1-5  
LabWindows/CVI, 1-5  
1394, 1-3  
definitions of, D-4  
SYSFAIL, 1-3  
VXI, 1-3  
F
front panel  
features, 1-3  
LEDs, definitions of, D-4  
M
MAX, 2-7  
device tab default settings (table), B-2  
overview, 1-4  
(table), B-2  
G
VXI bus tab default settings (table), B-3  
Measurement and Automation Explorer. See  
MAX  
H
hardware  
advanced configuration settings, C-1  
configuration, 3-2  
default settings, B-1, C-1  
description, 1-2  
installing, 2-3  
PCI-1394, 1-3  
National Instruments application software, 1-4  
LabVIEW, 1-4  
LabWindows/CVI, 1-4  
National Instruments support and  
services, E-1  
help, technical support, E-1  
hot plug-in  
and IEEE 1394, D-1  
definition of, 1-1  
how to use manual set, vii  
NI Spy (figure), 3-10  
NI Spy utility, 1-4  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
I-2  
ni.com  
 
Index  
NI support and services, E-1  
NI-VISA  
setup, 2-1  
definition, 3-1  
installing, 2-1  
NI-VISA/NI-VXI software  
example programs (table), 3-7  
NI-VXI  
definition, 3-1  
installing, 2-1  
NI-VXI API, 3-8  
shared memory, 3-8  
(table), B-2  
shock and vibration specifications, A-3  
slot 0/non-slot 0, C-3  
slot configuration, VXI bus (figure), C-4  
software  
compatibility layer options, 3-9  
definition, 3-1  
description, 1-4  
installation, 2-1  
NI resources, E-1  
specifications, A-1  
electromagnetic compatibility, A-3  
operating environment, A-2  
physical, A-1  
power requirement, A-1  
safety, A-3  
O
shock and vibration, A-3  
storage environment, A-2  
VXI requirements, A-1  
storage environment specifications, A-2  
P
PCI-1394, 1-3  
host adapter, installing, 2-5  
interface board, installing, 2-4  
programming examples (NI resources), E-1  
programming for VXI, 3-6  
NI-VXI API, 3-8  
training and certification (NI resources), E-1  
troubleshooting (NI resources), E-1  
R
related documentation, ix  
Resman, 2-7, D-2  
U
user-configurable settings, C-1  
running from MAX (figure), 3-3  
using, D-3  
restart system power, 2-7  
© National Instruments Corporation  
I-3  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
 
Index  
interface kit overview, 1-2  
module description, 1-2  
specifications, A-1  
system expansion, D-2  
typical system setup (figure), 2-4  
V
viIn access in VISAIC (figure), 3-5  
VISAIC  
figure, 3-11  
selecting a controller in (figure), 3-4  
VXI LED, 1-3  
VXI-1394  
VXIbus  
CLK10 routing, C-6  
slot configuration (figure), C-4  
VXIbus transfers, optimizing, 3-7  
default configuration settings  
(figure), C-2  
front panel features, 1-3  
hardware default settings (table), B-1  
interface board, installing, 2-6  
W
Web resources, E-1  
VXI-1394 User Manual for Windows  
I-4  
ni.com  
 

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