National Instruments Network Card VXI USB User Manual

VXI  
VXI-USB User Manual  
VXI-USB User Manual  
December 2004  
371381A-01  
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Important Information  
Warranty  
The VXI-USB 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.  
The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming instructions, due to defects  
in materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National  
Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace software media that do not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives  
notice of such defects during the warranty period. National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be  
uninterrupted or error free.  
A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the outside of the package before  
any equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will pay the shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are  
covered by warranty.  
National Instruments believes that the information in this document is accurate. The document has been carefully reviewed for technical  
accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National Instruments reserves the right to make changes to subsequent  
editions of this document without prior notice to holders of this edition. The reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected.  
In no event shall National Instruments be liable for any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained in it.  
EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY OF  
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMERS RIGHT TO RECOVER DAMAGES CAUSED BY FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF  
NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT THERETOFORE PAID BY THE CUSTOMER. NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR  
DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF DATA, PROFITS, USE OF PRODUCTS, OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY  
THEREOF. This limitation of the liability of National Instruments will apply regardless of the form of action, whether in contract or tort, including  
negligence. Any action against National Instruments must be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues. National Instruments  
shall not be liable for any delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control. The warranty provided herein does not cover  
damages, defects, malfunctions, or service failures caused by owner’s failure to follow the National Instruments installation, operation, or  
maintenance instructions; owner’s modification of the product; owner’s abuse, misuse, or negligent acts; and power failure or surges, fire,  
flood, accident, actions of third parties, or other events outside reasonable control.  
Copyright  
Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,  
recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National  
Instruments Corporation.  
Trademarks  
National Instruments, NI, ni.com, and LabVIEW are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation. Refer to the Terms of Use section  
on ni.com/legalfor more information about National Instruments trademarks.  
Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.  
Members of the National Instruments Alliance Partner Program are business entities independent from National Instruments and have no  
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Patents  
For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txtfile  
on your CD, or ni.com/patents.  
WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS  
(1) NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS AND TESTING FOR A LEVEL OF  
RELIABILITY SUITABLE FOR USE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH SURGICAL IMPLANTS OR AS CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN  
ANY LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS WHOSE FAILURE TO PERFORM CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT  
INJURY TO A HUMAN.  
(2) IN ANY APPLICATION, INCLUDING THE ABOVE, RELIABILITY OF OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS CAN BE  
IMPAIRED BY ADVERSE FACTORS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FLUCTUATIONS IN ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY,  
COMPUTER HARDWARE MALFUNCTIONS, COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE FITNESS, FITNESS OF COMPILERS  
AND DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE USED TO DEVELOP AN APPLICATION, INSTALLATION ERRORS, SOFTWARE AND  
HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS, MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING OR CONTROL  
DEVICES, TRANSIENT FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS (HARDWARE AND/OR SOFTWARE), UNANTICIPATED USES OR  
MISUSES, OR ERRORS ON THE PART OF THE USER OR APPLICATIONS DESIGNER (ADVERSE FACTORS SUCH AS THESE ARE  
HEREAFTER COLLECTIVELY TERMED “SYSTEM FAILURES”). ANY APPLICATION WHERE A SYSTEM FAILURE WOULD  
CREATE A RISK OF HARM TO PROPERTY OR PERSONS (INCLUDING THE RISK OF BODILY INJURY AND DEATH) SHOULD  
NOT BE RELIANT SOLELY UPON ONE FORM OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DUE TO THE RISK OF SYSTEM FAILURE. TO AVOID  
DAMAGE, INJURY, OR DEATH, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MUST TAKE REASONABLY PRUDENT STEPS TO  
PROTECT AGAINST SYSTEM FAILURES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO BACK-UP OR SHUT DOWN MECHANISMS.  
BECAUSE EACH END-USER SYSTEM IS CUSTOMIZED AND DIFFERS FROM NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS' TESTING  
PLATFORMS AND BECAUSE A USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MAY USE NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS IN  
COMBINATION WITH OTHER PRODUCTS IN A MANNER NOT EVALUATED OR CONTEMPLATED BY NATIONAL  
INSTRUMENTS, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING AND VALIDATING  
THE SUITABILITY OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS WHENEVER NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE  
INCORPORATED IN A SYSTEM OR APPLICATION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE APPROPRIATE DESIGN,  
PROCESS AND SAFETY LEVEL OF SUCH SYSTEM OR APPLICATION.  
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Compliance  
Compliance with FCC/Canada Radio Frequency Interference  
Regulations  
Determining FCC Class  
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rules to protect wireless communications from interference. The FCC  
places digital electronics into two classes. These classes are known as Class A (for use in industrial-commercial locations only)  
or Class B (for use in residential or commercial locations). All National Instruments (NI) products are FCC Class A products.  
Depending on where it is operated, this Class A product could be subject to restrictions in the FCC rules. (In Canada, the  
Department of Communications (DOC), of Industry Canada, regulates wireless interference in much the same way.) Digital  
electronics emit weak signals during normal operation that can affect radio, television, or other wireless products.  
All Class A products display a simple warning statement of one paragraph in length regarding interference and undesired  
operation. The FCC rules have restrictions regarding the locations where FCC Class A products can be operated.  
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  
FCC Rules.  
Class A  
Federal Communications Commission  
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  
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user is required to correct the interference  
at their own expense.  
Canadian Department of Communications  
This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.  
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.  
Compliance with EU Directives  
Users in the European Union (EU) should refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for information* pertaining to the  
CE marking. 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.  
*
The CE marking Declaration of Conformity contains important supplementary information and instructions for the user or  
installer.  
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About This Manual  
Chapter 1  
VXI-USB Interface Kit Overview .................................................................................1-2  
VXI 3.0 Specification Support.......................................................................................1-2  
VXI-USB Front Panel Features .....................................................................................1-3  
Chapter 2  
Completing the Software Installation..............................................................2-2  
Configuring the Hardware (Optional)............................................................................2-3  
Installing Your VXI-USB Interface Module...................................................2-5  
Chapter 3  
Programming for VXI....................................................................................................3-5  
Optimizing Large VXIbus Transfers...............................................................3-7  
NI-VXI API Notes...........................................................................................3-8  
Compiler Symbols.............................................................................3-8  
Compatibility Layer Options ............................................................3-8  
Debugging......................................................................................................................3-9  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Contents  
Appendix A  
Specifications  
Appendix B  
Default Settings  
Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
Appendix D  
Technical Support and Professional Services  
Glossary  
Index  
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About This Manual  
This manual contains instructions for installing and configuring the  
VXI-USB interface kit. It also discusses how to start developing your  
VXI/VME application.  
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. When this symbol is marked on a  
product, refer to the Safety section in Appendix A, Specifications, for  
information about precautions to take.  
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.  
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 italic  
Italic text in this font denotes text that is a placeholder for a word or value  
that you must supply.  
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About This Manual  
Related Documentation  
The following documents contain information that you might 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  
Universal Serial Bus Specification, Revision 2.0  
VXI-6, VXIbus Mainframe Extender Specification, Rev. 2.0, VXIbus  
Consortium  
NI-VISA Help  
NI-VXI Help  
Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for NI-VISA/NI-VXI  
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1
Introduction  
This chapter describes your VXI-USB interface kit, lists what you need to  
get started, and includes a brief description of the hardware and software.  
The VXI-USB interface kit links a PC-based computer to the VXIbus using  
the Universal Serial Bus (USB). 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. USB 2.0 features hot  
plug-in capability under Windows, which means you can add and configure  
USB devices without powering down your system. Your kit contains a  
National Instruments VXI-USB interface module, which plugs into your  
VXI mainframe and links your computer to the VXIbus. 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-USB interface kit, you need the following items:  
Computer running the Windows 2000 or Windows XP operating  
system, with a USB 2.0 port or plug-in card (USB 2.0 plug-in cards  
may not have the same level of performance as an integrated USB 2.0  
port)  
VXIbus mainframe  
VXI-USB interface module that plugs directly into a VXI mainframe  
USB 2.0-compliant cable  
National Instruments software CD  
This manual  
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Chapter 1  
Introduction  
VXI-USB Interface Kit Overview  
The interface kit described in this manual links a USB-equipped computer  
directly to the VXIbus using USB 2.0. The VXI-USB kit uses this  
high-speed (480 Mbps) serial bus to link your computer running Windows  
to a VXI chassis.  
Note You can use the VXI-USB kit with USB 1.0, but performance will be significantly  
slower than with USB 2.0 for many types of operations.  
Note You can connect multiple USB devices to the host. However, increasing the number  
of USB devices in a system can lower the VXI-USB performance.  
The VXI-USB kit includes the NI-VXI/NI-VISA software for Windows,  
a C-size VXI-USB module, and a USB cable. A USB-equipped computer  
connected to a VXI-USB interface can function as a VXI Commander and  
Resource Manager. With the VXI-USB interface kit, your computer  
performs as if it is plugged directly into the VXI backplane as an embedded  
CPU module. The VXI-USB transparently translates between USB and  
VXI protocols.  
VXI 3.0 Specification Support  
The VXI-USB has been designed for VXIbus Specification 3.0, and also is  
compatible with VXIbus Specification 2.0. The VXI-USB supports new  
VXIbus 3.0 features such as 2eVME transfers (with a theoretical  
bandwidth up to 160 Mbytes/s), A64 memory space allocation, and a  
Resource Manager that supports A64 allocation. NI-VXI includes an  
NI-VISA driver for the VXI-USB that has additional functionality for using  
these VXIbus 3.0 features. If you have a VXI device that supports these  
features, consult the VXI-USB release notes for information about how to  
access them from NI-VISA.  
Hardware Description  
The VXI-USB module is a VXIbus Slot 0-capable device, so it can reside  
in slot 0 of any C-size or D-size chassis.  
Note D-size VXI mainframes have connections for a P3 connector. The VXI-USB,  
however, does not have this connector and cannot provide the necessary control for VXI  
devices that need P3 support.  
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Chapter 1  
Introduction  
The VXI-USB links the computer to the VXIbus and converts USB data  
transfers into VXIbus data transfers and vice versa. The VXI-USB includes  
additional USB Series A ports you can use to connect other USB devices.  
VXI-USB Front Panel Features  
The VXI-USB has the following front panel features:  
Front panel LEDs  
FAILED—Indicates the VXI-USB is asserting SYSFAIL on the  
bus due to a controller failure.  
SYSFAIL—Indicates the VMEbus SYSFAIL line is asserted by  
the VXI-USB or another device on the bus.  
VXI—Indicates the VXI-USB is being accessed as a VXI slave.  
ONLINE  
Green—Indicates the VXI-USB is configured by Resman.  
Amber—Indicates the VXI-USB is not configured by  
Resman.  
USB—Indicates there is USB traffic to/from the VXI-USB (this  
excludes any traffic to all other downstream USB devices).  
LINK  
Green—Indicates the VXI-USB is connected to a USB host  
and has a full-speed (USB 1.x, 12 Mbps) connection.  
Amber—Indicates the VXI-USB is connected to a USB host  
and has a high-speed (USB 2.0, 480 Mbps) connection.  
One host (Series B) USB connector  
Two device (Series A) USB connectors  
Three SMB connectors  
Trigger input  
Trigger output  
External clock  
System reset pushbutton  
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Chapter 1  
Introduction  
Advanced Configuration Options  
The VXI-USB default hardware configuration should be acceptable for  
most systems. Refer to Appendix B, Default Settings, only if your system  
uses the front-panel CLK10 and trigger SMB connectors.  
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 the Resource Manager, 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  
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Chapter 1  
Introduction  
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.  
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  
need 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 installing the  
NI-VISA/NI-VXI software. LabVIEW, Measurement Studio, and  
LabWindows/CVI integrate the VXI and VISA libraries required to support  
your VXI-USB. 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.  
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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 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  
framework. With NI-VISA installed on your computer, you can run any  
VXIplug&play software that is compatible with this framework. This  
includes instrument drivers and executable soft front panel software  
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.  
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 clicking the Cancel button.  
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Chapter 2  
Installation and Configuration  
Caution 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, usually Program Files\National  
Instruments\VXI.  
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-USB. Complete the following steps to perform the installation:  
1. For the CD, select Start»Run and enter the following text, where Xis  
your CD drive (usually D):  
X:\setup.exe  
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 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.  
Completing the Software Installation  
Review the information in any READMEfiles that Setup prompts you to  
read.  
When the installation process completes, reboot the system for the changes  
to take effect. If you backed up the manufacturer and model name files,  
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Chapter 2  
Installation and Configuration  
restore them to the TBLsubdirectory of your NI-VXI directory before  
running MAX.  
Note If you save and restore the TBL files from an older version of NI-VXI, the software  
will use TBL files that do not have the latest updates from National Instruments and may  
not include recent hardware releases. If you added additional manufacturer or model names  
to your TBL files, we recommend merging those changes with the latest updates included  
with this version of NI-VXI, so that all your devices are properly identified.  
This section contains basic information about configuring your VXI-USB  
hardware. Because the default settings for your VXI-USB 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.  
Use Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) to change any  
VXI-USB configuration settings. You can also use MAX to check for  
software updates, including updates that may be available for the VXI-USB  
firmware. Figure 2-1 shows the firmware update panel.  
Figure 2-1. VXI-USB Firmware Update Panel  
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Chapter 2  
Installation and Configuration  
For information about 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-USB hardware. Your kit  
contains a VXI-USB interface module.  
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 2-2 shows a system that includes a USB 2.0-equipped computer, a  
VXI-USB, and USB devices.  
2
3
1
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T
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N
A
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®
5
b
us  
4
1
2
3
External Computer  
Connections to Other USB Devices  
VXI Mainframe  
4
5
VXI-USB in Slot 0  
USB Cables  
Figure 2-2. USB System  
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Chapter 2  
Installation and Configuration  
Installing Your VXI-USB Interface Module  
All kits contain a VXI-USB interface module.  
To install the VXI-USB in Slot 0 of your VXI chassis, complete the  
following steps:  
1. Power off the chassis.  
2. Verify that the backplane connector is intact and that there are no bent  
or missing pins on the module.  
3. Insert the VXI-USB into the chassis in Slot 0, as shown in Figure 2-2.  
4. Power on the chassis.  
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 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-USB 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 VXI-USB logical address, which you cannot change.  
Connecting Cables  
Connect the USB cable to a USB connection in your host PC and to the  
VXI-USB, as shown in Figure 2-2. You can use any available USB port on  
the PC for each device. The VXI-USB has two external ports for devices.  
You can connect any other USB devices to any available port on a  
VXI-USB, but for best performance, minimize the number of USB  
devices/hubs in the system. Adding to the number of devices in the tree  
degrades system performance.  
Note Your VXI-USB controller is a Hi-Speed USB device, which means it performs much  
faster when connected to a Hi-Speed USB port as described in the USB 2.0 specification.  
USB 2.0 ports are often integrated on the motherboard of current computers. National  
Instruments recommends using an integrated USB 2.0 port, if available, for optimal  
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Installation and Configuration  
performance. Plug-in boards with USB 2.0 ports are also supported but may not provide  
the highest performance. Full-speed (USB 1.x) ports are supported as well, but provide  
much lower performance. The LINK light (refer to Chapter 1, Introduction) on the front  
panel of your VXI-USB controller indicates your connection speed.  
Software Configuration and Verification  
To configure the software and verify the configuration, follow these steps:  
1. Run MAX. You must run the Resource Manager (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. You can also 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 the interactive control utility, VISAIC (Start»Programs»  
National Instruments»VISA»VISA Interactive Control), as  
described in Chapter 3, Developing Your Application.  
Note If you are using extenders such as MXI-2 to create a multichassis system, you may  
need to run Resman before configuring some of your devices. Also, if you are using  
multiple VXI-USB controllers to create a multisystem configuration, you configure each  
system separately.  
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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; although 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,  
or 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  
optionally VXI Interactive Control (VIC). 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 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.  
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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.  
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, LabWindows/CVI,  
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  
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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  
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 0 for VI_SUCCESS, as shown in Figure 3-3.  
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Figure 3-3. Successful viIn Access in the VISAIC Register I/O Tab (This Window 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.  
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.  
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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 online help for additional information about these topics.  
Table 3-1 summarizes the topics the example programs address. All files  
are in the VXIpnp\WinNT\NIvisa\Examplesdirectory, in the  
subdirectories listed below.  
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Table 3-1. NI-VISA/NI-VXI Examples  
NI-VXIExample  
(Optional)  
Coverage  
NI-VISA Example  
Message-Based  
Access  
General\RdWrt.c  
VXIws.c  
High-Level  
Register Access  
VXI-VME\HighReg.c  
VXIhigh.c  
VXIlow.c  
VXIint.c  
VXItrig.c  
Low-Level Register VXI-VME\LowReg.c  
Access  
Interrupt Handling VXI-VME\AsyncIntr.c  
and WaitIntr.c  
Trigger Handling  
VXI-VME\WaitTrig.c  
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 can accept block transfers, and likewise use D64 access  
privileges for devices that can accept the VME64 64-bit data transfer  
protocol.  
To optimize move performance on virtual memory systems such as the  
Windows operating system, 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 such as the  
Windows operating system, use a contiguous buffer so the move  
operation does not need to build a scatter-gather list for the user buffer.  
Note viMemAlloc()or VXImemAlloc()returns 32-bit aligned, page-locked,  
continuous buffers that work efficiently with the move operations.  
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NI-VXI API Notes  
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, VXINT designates  
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 on some controllers.  
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.  
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  
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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.  
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 an error returned from a call to  
viMemAlloc.  
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Figure 3-4. NI Spy  
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-USB module.  
Requirements  
Environmental  
VXIbus configuration space................... 64 B  
Default.................................................... None  
Maximum altitude.................................. 2,000 m  
Pollution Degree .................................... 2  
Indoor use only  
Operating Environment  
Ambient temperature range.................... 0 to 55 °C (Tested in accordance  
with IEC-60068-2-1 and  
IEC-60068-2-2.)  
Relative humidity range......................... 10% to 90% (Tested in  
accordance with  
IEC-60068-2-56.)  
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% (Tested in accordance  
with IEC-60068-2-56.)  
EMI ........................................................ FCC Class A verified, EC verified  
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Appendix A  
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  
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 3.)  
Power Requirement  
+5 V (excluding downstream USB devices)  
Typical.............................................2 A  
Maximum ........................................4 A  
–5.2 V  
Typical.............................................200 mA  
Maximum ........................................500 mA  
–2 V  
Typical.............................................100 mA  
Maximum ........................................250 mA  
Physical  
Size .........................................................C size, C-1  
Dimensions ............................................. 23.3 × 43.0 cm (9.2 × 13.4 in.)  
Weight ....................................................1.14 kg (2.5 lb)  
I/O connectors  
USB device (Series A).....................2  
USB host (Series B).........................1  
SMB.................................................3  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
Slot requirements ................................... Single VXI C-size slot  
Compatibility ......................................... Fully compatible with VXI  
specification  
VXI keying class.................................... Class 1 TTL  
MTBF..................................................... Contact factory  
USB Capability Description  
USB 2.0, backward compatible with USB 1.1 host and devices.  
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 visit  
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  
CE, C-Tick, and FCC Part 15 (Class A) Compliant  
Note For 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.  
Cleaning  
If you need to clean the module, use a soft, nonmetallic brush. Make sure  
that the module is completely dry and free from contaminants before  
returning it to service.  
VMEbus Capability Codes  
A64, A32, A24, A16 (master)  
VMEbus master A64, A32, A24, and A16 addressing  
A16 (slave)  
VMEbus slave A16 addressing  
D64, D32, D16, D08(EO) (master)  
VMEbus master D64, D32, D16, and D08 data sizes  
D16, D08(EO) (slave)  
VMEbus slave D16 and D08 data sizes  
BLT, MBLT (master)  
VMEbus master block and D64 transfers  
RMW (master)  
VMEbus master read/modify/write transfers  
RMW (slave)  
VMEbus slave read/modify/write transfers  
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Specifications  
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)  
LOCK  
Can lock the VMEbus for indivisible transfers  
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B
Default Settings  
This appendix summarizes the default settings for the hardware and  
software in the VXI-USB kit. If you need more information about a  
particular setting or 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.  
Default Hardware Settings  
Figure B-1 and Table B-1 show the factory-default settings of the  
user-configurable switches on the VXI-USB.  
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Appendix B  
Default Settings  
From  
Onboard  
Oscillator  
Y
N
From SMB  
CLK10 In  
S2  
S1  
ON  
ON  
OUT  
IN  
Inverted  
OFF  
OFF  
Noninverted  
S3  
S4  
S5  
S6  
Figure B-1. VXI-USB Default Configuration Settings  
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Appendix B  
Default Settings  
Table B-1. VXI-USB Hardware Default Settings  
Hardware Component  
Default Setting  
S1—Firmware recovery  
N: do not recover firmware  
From onboard oscillator  
ON: terminated  
S2—VXIbus CLK10 source  
S3—SMB trigger in termination  
S4—SMB CLK10 in termination  
S5—SMB CLK10 direction  
S6—SMB CLK10 out polarity  
ON: terminated  
IN: receive CLK10 signal  
Noninverted  
Default Software Settings  
Table B-2. MAX USB Tab Default Settings  
Editor Field  
USB block size  
Default Setting  
64 KB  
Table B-3. MAX VXI Bus Tab Default Settings  
Editor Field Default Setting  
Bus timeout value  
500 µs  
VXI retry generation  
Automatic retries  
A24/A32 write posting  
Transfer limit (bytes)  
Requester mode  
Enabled  
Disabled  
Disabled  
256/2048 for 2eVME protocol  
Release on Request  
3
Request level  
Fair requester  
Enabled  
Bus arbitration mode  
Arbiter timeout  
Prioritized  
Enabled  
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C
Advanced Hardware  
Configuration Settings  
This appendix describes the alternate hardware configuration settings of the  
VXI-USB. 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.  
The following hardware configuration settings are user configurable.  
Firmware recovery  
VXIbus CLK10 routing  
Trigger input termination  
For the configuration switch locations and default settings, see Figure B-1,  
VXI-USB Hardware Default Settings.  
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.  
Firmware Recovery  
The VXI-USB has an onboard EEPROM and flash memory that stores  
default hardware behaviors loaded at power-on.  
The Firmware Recovery Setting switch (S1) causes the VXI-USB to boot  
from the firmware image stored on the host. This is useful in the event that  
the onboard firmware memory becomes corrupted in such a way that the  
VXI-USB boots to an unusable state.  
Figure C-1 shows the configuration settings for firmware recovery  
operation.  
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Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
Y
N
Y
N
S1  
S1  
A. Boot from Onboard EEPROM  
and Flash Memory (Default)  
B. Boot from Firmware  
Image Stored on Host  
Figure C-1. Firmware Recovery Operation  
VXIbus CLK10 Routing  
The VXI-USB 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. The drawings use the  
pattern to depict switches that  
are either irrelevant or disabled for a particular CLK10 configuration.  
Switch S3 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-USB can use two different sources to generate the VXIbus  
CLK10 signal—an onboard oscillator or the external CLK SMB connector.  
Use switch S2 to select between these options. The VXI-USB uses the  
onboard oscillator by default.  
The VXI-USB can also be configured to drive the external CLK SMB from  
the VXIbus CLK10 signal. Switch S5 controls whether the VXI-USB  
drives or receives the external CLK SMB. If you change the S5 setting to  
drive CLK10 out the external CLK10 SMB connector, do not set switch S2  
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, S6, to control the polarity of the external  
CLK SMB signal when S5 is configured to drive it. S6 is unused when S5  
is configured to receive the external CLK SMB signal.  
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Appendix C  
Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
When switch S5 is set so that the VXI-USB receives the SMB CLK10  
signal, you have the option to add a 50 termination to the signal by setting  
switch S4. S4 is unused when S5 is configured to drive the external CLK  
SMB signal.  
Table C-1 summarizes the most common configuration types.  
Table C-1. Common CLK10 Routing Configurations  
Switches  
S2 CLK10  
Source  
S4  
S5  
Direction  
S6  
Polarity  
Description  
Terminate  
Generate internal CLK10 with  
onboard oscillator  
ONBRD  
ONBRD  
ONBRD  
SMB  
N/A  
N/A  
N/A  
N
IN  
OUT  
OUT  
IN  
N/A  
NON  
INV  
N/A  
N/A  
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  
SMB  
Y
IN  
Figure C-2 shows the default settings for the CLK10 switches. This  
configuration is as follows:  
CLK10 is generated from the onboard oscillator (S2).  
The CLK10 signal is terminated (S4).  
The VXI-USB receives the external CLK10 signal (S5).  
The polarity of the CLK10 signal (S6) is irrelevant when the VXI-USB  
receives the external CLK10 signal. However, it is configured to be  
noninverted when the CLK10 SMB is used as output.  
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Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
From  
Onboard  
Oscillator  
From SMB  
CLK10 In  
S1  
S2  
Inverted  
ON  
OUT  
Noninverted  
IN  
S3  
S4  
S5  
S6  
Figure C-2. Default Settings for CLK10 Switches  
In Figures C-3 and C-4, switch S2 uses the alternate configuration to  
generate the VXIbus CLK10 signal. Instead of the onboard oscillator, the  
VXI-USB generates from the external CLK SMB connector and drives to  
the backplane. You can choose whether to terminate the signal using S4.  
Polarity remains irrelevant to these configurations.  
From  
Onboard  
Oscillator  
From SMB  
CLK10 In  
S1  
S2  
ON  
OUT  
IN  
OFF  
S3  
S4  
S5  
S6  
Figure C-3. Receive External CLK SMB and Drive to the Backplane Unterminated  
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Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
From  
Onboard  
Oscillator  
From SMB  
CLK10 In  
S1  
S2  
ON  
OUT  
OFF  
IN  
S3  
S4  
S5  
S6  
Figure C-4. Receive External CLK SMB with 50 Termination  
and Drive to the Backplane  
Figures C-5 and C-6 show two configurations for driving the external CLK  
SMB from the VXIbus CLK10 signal by changing switch S5 to its alternate  
setting. Switch S2 must be in its default position for these configurations.  
Signal termination is not an issue when driving the signal, so the position  
of S4 does not matter. The difference between these two configurations is  
whether to use inverted or noninverted polarity when driving the signal.  
From  
Onboard  
Oscillator  
From SMB  
CLK10 In  
S1  
S2  
Inverted  
OUT  
IN  
Noninverted  
S3  
S4  
S5  
S6  
Figure C-5. Drive Inverted External CLK SMB  
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Advanced Hardware Configuration Settings  
From  
Onboard  
Oscillator  
From SMB  
CLK10 In  
S1  
S2  
Inverted  
OUT  
IN  
Noninverted  
S3  
S4  
S5  
S6  
Figure C-6. Drive Noninverted External CLK SMB  
Trigger Input Termination  
Located within the group of CLK10 switches is switch S3, which controls  
whether to put a 50 termination on the external trigger input SMB.  
Figure C-7 shows the setting for a nonterminated trigger input SMB. Use  
the default setting of Figure C-7B to terminate the trigger input SMB.  
S1  
S1  
S2  
S2  
ON  
ON  
OFF  
OFF  
S3  
S4  
S5  
S6  
S3  
S4  
S5  
S6  
B. Terminate Trigger  
Input (Default)  
Trigger Input  
Figure C-7. SMB Trigger Input Termination  
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D
Common Questions  
This appendix addresses common questions you may have about using the  
NI-VISA/NI-VXI software on the VXI-USB platform.  
What does hot plugging mean in terms of USB?  
The concept of hot plugging in USB means that you can remove and insert  
USB cables without powering down your computer and devices. The USB  
Plug and Play architecture is designed so that the host computer can  
recognize when to load and remove the appropriate drivers.  
Does it matter if I plug my VXI-USB or other USB device into any  
particular USB port? For example, does it matter whether I plug a  
USB device into the USB ports in my computer or into the VXI-USB in  
my mainframe?  
A USB device may be plugged into any port on the VXI-USB or your  
computer. Doing so can change the topology of the system, which may  
affect system performance in some cases. The effect may vary greatly,  
depending on the system and types of devices installed.  
Also, if your computer has integrated USB 2.0, you should use one of the  
integrated ports rather than a USB 2.0 plug-in card if possible. Integrated  
USB 2.0 ports typically offer better performance due to their tight coupling  
with your motherboard and chipset. Of course, if you have the choice  
between a USB 2.0 port and a USB 1.x port, always use the USB 2.0 port  
even if that means you are using a plug-in card instead of an integrated port.  
I need more devices than can fit in one chassis. How can I expand my  
VXI-USB system?  
You can add another VXI-USB 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-USB, and another VXI-MXI-2 in Slot 0 of the next mainframe.  
You can then fill up this mainframe with additional devices.  
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Appendix D  
Common Questions  
How can I determine the serial number and firmware version of the  
VXI-USB module?  
This information is displayed in the title bar of the Hardware Configuration  
window in MAX.  
What is Resman?  
Resman is 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. The  
VXI-USB is always logical address 0.  
When do I need to run Resman?  
Run Resman whenever you need to configure your VXI instruments (for  
example, when you power cycle either the host computer or the chassis).  
You do not need to run Resman if you unplug your USB cable from the host  
and plug it in again without power cycling either the chassis or the host  
computer.  
Which NI-VXI utility program must I use to configure the VXI-USB?  
Use MAX to configure the VXI-USB. MAX is in the National  
Instrumentsprogram group folder, and a shortcut is on your desktop.  
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.  
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Appendix D  
Common Questions  
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-USB  
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.  
What do the LEDs on the front of the VXI-USB mean?  
The VXI-USB has the following front panel LEDs:  
FAILED—Indicates the VXI-USB is asserting SYSFAIL on the bus  
due to a controller failure.  
SYSFAIL—Indicates the VMEbus SYSFAIL line is asserted by the  
VXI-USB or another device on the bus.  
VXI—Indicates the VXI-USB is being accessed as a VXI slave.  
ONLINE  
Green—Indicates the VXI-USB is configured by Resman.  
Amber—Indicates the VXI-USB is not configured by Resman.  
USB—Indicates there is USB traffic to/from the VXI-USB (this  
excludes any traffic to all other downstream USB devices).  
LINK  
Green—Indicates the VXI-USB is connected to a USB host and  
has a full-speed (USB 1.x, 12 Mbps) connection.  
Amber—Indicates the VXI-USB is connected to a USB host and  
has a high-speed (USB 2.0, 480 Mbps) connection.  
When all six LEDs are solid on, the FPGA image is corrupted. Recover the  
firmware to repair the board.  
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Common Questions  
When all LEDs except the SYSFAIL LED are on, the hardware detected  
that the FPGA PLL lost lock, and the board may be in an unstable state.  
Power cycle the board to repair it.  
In an empty chassis, when both the SYSFAIL and FAIL LEDs are solid on,  
the firmware image is corrupted. Recover the firmware to repair the board.  
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-USB and the EXT CLK input from the front panel  
use TTL. Therefore, supply a TTL-level signal for EXT CLK, and onboard  
voltage converters automatically convert the signal to differential ECL.  
What is the accuracy of the CLK10 signal?  
The CLK10 generated by the VXI-USB is 100 ppm accurate. If you need  
a more accurate CLK10 signal, you can use the EXT CLK input at the front  
of the VXI-USB.  
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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.  
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.  
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Glossary  
Symbol  
Prefix  
pico  
Value  
10–12  
10–9  
10– 6  
10–3  
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  
address  
Character code that identifies a specific location (or series of locations) in  
memory. In VISA, it identifies a resource.  
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, 32, and 64. In VME/VXI,  
because there are six address modifiers, there are 64 possible address  
spaces.  
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Glossary  
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.  
B
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.  
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  
bus master  
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.  
A device that is capable of requesting the Data Transfer Bus (DTB) for the  
purpose of accessing a slave device.  
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Glossary  
byte order  
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.  
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.  
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Glossary  
dynamically  
configured device  
A device that has its logical address assigned by the Resource Manager.  
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  
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.  
EMC  
electromagnetic compliance  
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.  
firmware  
Software embedded in the VXI-USB, contained on EEPROM and flash  
memory that can be updated with a special utility (part of MAX). In  
combination with the hardware, the firmware enables the VXI-USB to act  
as a translator between USB and VXI protocols.  
G
g
(1) grams  
2
(2) a measure of acceleration equal to 9.8 m/s  
GPIB  
gRMS  
General Purpose Interface Bus (IEEE 488)  
A measure of random vibration. The root mean square of acceleration  
levels in a random vibration test profile.  
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Glossary  
H
hex  
Hexadecimal—the numbering system with base 16, using the digits 0 to 9  
and letters A to F.  
Hz  
hertz; cycles per second  
I
I/O  
Input/output—the techniques, media, and devices used to achieve  
communication between machines and users.  
IEC  
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  
inches  
in.  
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  
K
K
kilo—the prefix for 1,024, or 210, used with B (byte) in quantifying data or  
computer memory.  
k
kilo—the standard metric prefix for 1,000, or 103, used with units of  
measure such as volts, hertz, and meters.  
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Glossary  
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  
Module ID lines—used in VXI to geographically locate boards and to  
dynamically configure boards.  
MTBF  
MXI-3  
Mean Time Between Failure  
A PCI Master/Slave system implementing the PCI-to-PCI Bridge register  
set. It couples two physically separate PCI buses with either a copper or  
fiber optic data link capable of 1.5 Gbits/s serial data rates.  
N
NI-488.2 or  
NI-488.2M  
The National Instruments industry-standard software for controlling  
GPIB instruments.  
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.  
VXI-USB User Manual  
G-6  
ni.com  
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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.  
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.  
S
s
seconds  
slave  
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.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Glossary  
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.  
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  
U
USB  
Universal Serial Bus—a serial bus for connecting computers to keyboards,  
printers, and other peripheral devices.  
V
V
volts  
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  
VITA  
VISA Interactive Control program, a part of the NI-VISA software.  
Used to program devices and develop and debug application programs.  
VMEbus International Trade Association  
VXI-USB User Manual  
G-8  
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Glossary  
VME  
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.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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VXI-USB User Manual  
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Index  
A
advanced configuration options, 1-4  
advanced hardware configuration settings, C-1  
application development, 3-1  
configuration, 3-2  
debugging, 3-9  
default configuration settings, B-1  
default settings  
hardware, B-1  
debugging, 3-9  
software, B-3  
device interaction, 3-3  
developing applications, 3-1  
device interaction, 3-3  
device tab default settings (table), B-3  
diagnostic tools (NI resources), E-1  
documentation  
conventions used in manual, vii  
C
cables, connecting, 2-5  
CE compliance specifications, A-4  
cleaning specifications, A-4  
CLK10 signal  
E
accuracy, D-4  
definition, D-4  
electromagnetic compatibility  
examples (NI resources), E-1  
(table), C-3  
common questions, D-1  
compatibility layer options, 3-8  
compiler symbols, 3-8  
completing software installation, 2-2  
configuration, 2-1, 3-2  
firmware recovery configuration, C-1  
front panel features, 1-3  
advanced options, C-1  
firmware recovery, C-1  
options, 1-4  
VXI-USB default configuration settings  
(figure), B-2  
connecting cables, 2-5  
H
hardware  
advanced configuration settings, C-1  
configuration, 2-3, 3-2  
conventions used in the manual, vii  
© National Instruments Corporation  
I-1  
VXI-USB User Manual  
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Index  
default settings, B-1  
description, 1-2  
determining revision, D-2  
installation, 2-4  
NI-VISA, 1-4, 3-1  
examples (table), 3-7  
installation, 2-1  
NI-VXI, 1-4, 3-1  
installation, 2-1  
hot plugging, D-1  
I
using to perform startup Resource  
Manager operations, D-2  
installation, 2-1  
hardware, 2-4  
NI-VXI API, 3-1  
instrument drivers (NI resources), E-1  
introduction, 1-1  
notes, 3-8  
K
L
LabVIEW, 1-5  
LabWindows/CVI, 1-5  
LEDs, 1-3, D-3  
physical specifications, A-2  
power requirement specifications, A-2  
programming for VXI, 3-5  
M
Measurement & Automation Explorer, 1-4  
device tab default settings (table), B-3  
Register I/O tab, successful viIn access in  
Resman, 1-4, D-2  
N
National Instruments  
application software, 1-4  
support and services, E-1  
NI Spy, 3-9  
running (figure), 3-3  
using to ensure system is up and  
running, D-3  
(figure), 3-10  
when to run, D-2  
NI support and services, E-1  
Resource Manager, 1-4  
VXI-USB User Manual  
I-2  
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ni.com  
Index  
S
V
safety specifications, A-3  
selecting controller in VISAIC (figure), 3-4  
serial number, determining, D-2  
shock and vibration specifications, A-2  
software  
VISAIC, 3-10  
(figure), 3-5  
VISAIC (figure), 3-10  
VME devices, handling, D-2  
VMEbus capability codes, A-4  
VXI 3.0 specification support, 1-2  
VXI bus tab default settings (table), B-3  
VXI, programming for, 3-5  
VXIbus transfers, optimizing, 3-7  
VXIbus, CLK10 routing, C-2  
VXI-USB  
configuration, 2-6  
installation, 2-1  
completing, 2-2  
verification, 2-6  
software (NI resources), E-1  
specifications, A-1  
CE compliance, A-4  
cleaning, A-4  
common questions, D-1  
default configuration settings, B-1  
(figure), B-2  
electromagnetic compatibility, A-3  
environmental, A-1  
physical, A-2  
power requirement, A-2  
requirements, A-1  
safety, A-3  
shock and vibration, A-2  
T
ensuring that system is up and  
running, D-3  
expanding system, D-1  
front panel features, 1-3  
front panel LEDs, 1-3, D-3  
getting started, 1-1  
training and certification (NI resources), E-1  
U
hardware  
configuration, 2-3  
default settings (table), B-3  
description, 1-2  
USB compatibility description, A-3  
USB device, plugging into USB ports vs. into  
mainframe, D-1  
USB system (figure), 2-4  
installation, 2-4  
user-configurable settings, C-1  
installation, 2-1, 2-5  
introduction, 1-1  
© National Instruments Corporation  
I-3  
VXI-USB User Manual  
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Index  
kit overview, 1-2  
software  
installation, 2-1  
specifications, A-1  
W
Web resources, E-1  
VXI-USB User Manual  
I-4  
ni.com  
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