How can I use the pulse train from a 6602 to trigger an niFGEN and niSCOPE on each rising edge of the pulse train?

Question

Hello,
Here is my application: I need to use a 6602 counter/timer to generate a pulse train of certain frequency and duty cycle. On each rising edge of this pulse train, I need to output an arbitrary waveform on Ch. 0 of an niFGEN (5422) AND acquire data from CH. 0 of an niSCOPE (5124). I also need to synchronize the niFGEN and the niSCOPE to the same clock used for the pulse train (6602/ctr0). This process needs to continue until the user stops the system.
I can generate the pulse train using the 6602 just fine using ctr0, but the pulse train shows up on OUT0 by default. When setting up the niFGEN and niSCOPE to trigger on rising/positive slope edge, OUT0 is not an option for either device as a source for the digital rising edge (pulse train). The main options for both are PFI0-3 and RTSI lines.
Questions:
1.) Is there a way that I can direct the pulse train to a location (such as an RTSI line) where BOTH the niFGEN and the niSCOPE can use it as a start trigger for each rising edge? I noticed in MAX that a route can be made between ctr0's internal output and a trigger line and others. If this is a solution, could you please explain how to accomplish this?
2.) Once I configure the niFGEN and niSCOPE to be triggered on a digital rising edge, how can I effectively have this happen for every rising edge from the pulse train? In other words, can I just initiate the FGEN outside of the while loop and it will generate a waveform for each rising edge it sees at the source until the while loop is exitted?
3.) Is setting a reference clock for the niFGEN and the niSCOPE the same thing as synchronizing both devices using the same clock that generated the pulse train? It is not clear to me the difference, and why it would necessarily be useful.
Images of my current front panel and block diagram are attached. If you would rather have the actual VI's just let me know. Any help and/or explanation on this is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Attachments:
Front_Panel_Control.jpg ‏278 KB
Block_Diagram_Control.jpg ‏263 KB

Answer 1

Hello Cgifford,
Welcome to National Instruments Forums.
To output your signal to the PFI lines,
you can use external connectios between OUT0 and PFI lines. You can also use
the backplane to do so by routing into the same RTSI line.
1)
On the SCOPE and FGEN, the name of the
terminals are actually “PXI Trigger Line x/RTSIx” but on the 6602 you might
need to route the signal using the property:
You can also use the DAQmx route signal which perform the same opperation.
2)
This will depend on the frequency of
your pulse train. If this is lower than about 10 ms, then you can probably
place this on a loop and start and stop the acquisition every time. If the
frequency is higher than this, you will have to use:
-       Scripting on the FGEN side (read more)
-       MultiRecord Fetch (more information in the scope help file
section “Acquisition Functions Reading versus Fetching”).
3)
The short answer is yes. The longer one
might depend on how tight you need the synchronization to be (us, ns, ps). For
very tight synchronization, you should look into here.
Message Edited by Yardov on 06-18-2007 03:14 PM
Gerardo O.
RF Systems Engineering
National Instruments
Attachments:
property.JPG ‏7 KB