NI-6250 stops acquisition in RTX 64bit

Question

Hello,
I am using DDK Samples for analog measurement with NI-6232 and NI-6250 PCI cards in a Windows 7 / RTX environment.
Recently we upgraded to RTX64-bit and compiled our driver for 64bit environment. We now have a problem with the 6250 card ... for some time (from 3 seconds up to 140 seconds in various tests) data acquisition works fine, but then it seems like the card suddenly stops measurement. Debugging suggests that there might be some problem with DMA data transfer, since I can see that the buffer is no longer filled (in function _getBytesInBuffer() /  _writeIdx is no longer changed). Other than that, I currently  have no idea what might cause a problem like this.
The 6232 card however works just fine in 64-bit, with the exact same driver / system setup.
Both cards work fine with the same driver in a 32-bit environment.
Any idea what might cause this problem?

Answer 1

Analog_DebugInfo("vInitAdcUnit \n");
tDMAError status = kNoError;
tBoolean continuous = kTrue; // continous data-aquisition
unsigned int i = 0; // temp variable
unsigned int uiGain = 0; // Analog-Input range
unsigned int uiDmaSizeInBytes = 0;
unsigned int uiSamplePeriodDivisor = 100; // 20 MHz / divisor = Wandlungsrate
const unsigned int kEepromSize = 1024;
u8 eepromMemory[kEepromSize];// read eeprom for calibration information
// EEPROM read should be done before initializing analog input
eepromReadMSeries(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].bus, eepromMemory, kEepromSize);
// Reset board and set Card-Specific parameters
aiReset(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
if (s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].deviceType == NIPCI6250_DEVICE_ID)
aiPersonalize(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board, tMSeries::tAI_Output_Control::kAI_CONVERT_Output_SelectActive_Low);
uiGain = 1; // See gain-range map in file "ai.h"
else if (s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].deviceType == NIPCI6232_DEVICE_ID)
aiPersonalize(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board, tMSeries::tAI_Output_Control::kAI_CONVERT_Output_SelectActive_High);
uiGain = 0; // See gain-range map in file "ai.h"
aiClearFifo(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
// ADC reset only applies to 625x boards
if (s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].deviceType == NIPCI6250_DEVICE_ID)
adcReset(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
// ---- Start AI task ----
aiDisarm(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
aiClearConfigurationMemory(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].NumberOfUsedAnalogChannels = 0;
// Loop over all analog channels
for (i = 0; i < s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].analogChannels; i++)
if (fGetMessGroupAktiv(Index, i + (CardNumber * NIPCI62XX_MAX_ANALOG_CHANNELS)))
s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].usedChannelList[i] = 1;
else
s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].usedChannelList[i] = 0;
if (fGetPrintDebugInfo())
RtPrintf("Set Channel %d - %d to gain %d \n", i, i + (CardNumber * NIPCI62XX_MAX_ANALOG_CHANNELS), uiGain);
// Set Analog Channel
aiConfigureChannel(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board,
i, // channel number
uiGain, // gain -- check ai.h for allowed values
tMSeries::tAI_Config_FIFO_Data&colon;:kAI_Config_PolarityBipolar, // Bipolar -> signed values
tMSeries::tAI_Config_FIFO_Data&colon;:kAI_Config_Channel_TypeRSE, // Differential
(i == s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].lastChannel) ? kTrue : kFalse); // last channel must be terminated specifically
s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].NumberOfUsedAnalogChannels++;
for (i = 0; i < s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].analogChannels; i++)
if (fGetPrintDebugInfo())
if (s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].usedChannelList[i] == 1)
RtPrintf("Channel %d used \n", i);
else
RtPrintf("Channel %d not used \n", i);
aiGetRawScalingCoefficients(eepromMemory, 0, 0, 0, &RawScaleCoeff); // intervalIdx 0 -> +/- 10V
if (fGetPrintDebugInfo())
RtPrintf("Gain: %f \n", RawScaleCoeff.fGain);
RtPrintf("Offset: %f \n", RawScaleCoeff.fOffset);
RtPrintf("kFact: %f \n", RawScaleCoeff.kFact);
RtPrintf("HighLimit: %.8x \n", RawScaleCoeff.highLimit);
RtPrintf("LowLimit: %.8x \n", RawScaleCoeff.lowLimit);
/* if(fGetPrintDebugInfo())
RtPrintf(" Order: %d c[2]: %d c[1]: %d c[0]:%d \n", ScaleCoeff.order ,(int)(ScaleCoeff.c[2] * 1000) ,(int)( ScaleCoeff.c[1] * 1000) , (int)(ScaleCoeff.c[0]*1000) );
// No need to continue if there are no used channels
if (s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].NumberOfUsedAnalogChannels == 0)
return;
// Set Card Frequency
if (s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].deviceType == NIPCI6232_DEVICE_ID)
// On 6232 Card use fix sampling rate of 200k
uiSamplePeriodDivisor = NIPCI6232_SAMPLE_PERIOD_DIVISOR;
uiNumberOfSamples = 1;
uiNumberOfDMABlocks = 2;
else
if (uiActiveSlowCard)
//When there is a slow card in the system, scanrate is limited
if (uiRequestedScanrate >= NIPCI62XX_FAST_SAMPLING_RATE)
uiRequestedScanrate = NIPCI62XX_FAST_SAMPLING_RATE;
Analog_DebugInfo("Active Slow Card found - reducing max sampling rate \n");
if (uiRequestedScanrate > NIPCI62XX_FAST_SAMPLING_RATE)
// Highspeed mode, calculate sampling rate
uiSamplePeriodDivisor = NIPCI62XX_MAX_FREQUENCY / (s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].NumberOfUsedAnalogChannels * uiRequestedScanrate);
uiSamplePeriodDivisor = NIPCI6250_MAX_SAMPLE_PERIOD_DIVISOR;
else
// Normal mode -> fixed 1000kHz sampling rate
uiSamplePeriodDivisor = NIPCI6250_MAX_SAMPLE_PERIOD_DIVISOR;
// On 6250 sampling rate depends on channel and scanrate
uiNumberOfSamples = uiRequestedScanrate / NIPCI62XX_FAST_SAMPLING_RATE; // TEST !!!!!!!!
uiNumberOfDMABlocks = NIPCI62XX_NO_OF_SAMPLES;
// uiNumberOfSamples = uiRequestedScanrate / NIPCI62XX_FAST_SAMPLING_RATE * 2 ; // TEST !!!!!!!!
// uiNumberOfSamples = uiRequestedScanrate / NIPCI62XX_FAST_SAMPLING_RATE ;
// Error checking
//if(uiSamplePeriodDivisor > NIPCI6250_MAX_SAMPLE_PERIOD_DIVISOR)
// uiSamplePeriodDivisor = NIPCI6250_MAX_SAMPLE_PERIOD_DIVISOR;
if (uiNumberOfSamples <= 1)
uiNumberOfSamples = 1;
if (fGetPrintDebugInfo())
RtPrintf("Sample Period Divisor: %d \n", uiSamplePeriodDivisor);
RtPrintf("Sample Rate: %d Hz\n", NIPCI62XX_MAX_FREQUENCY / uiSamplePeriodDivisor);
RtPrintf("Number of Samples: %d \n", uiNumberOfSamples);
RtPrintf("Number of DMA Blocks: %d \n", uiNumberOfDMABlocks);
// Configure Analog Input
aiSetFifoRequestMode(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
aiEnvironmentalize(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
aiHardwareGating(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
aiTrigger(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board,
tMSeries::tAI_Trigger_Select::kAI_START1_SelectPulse,
tMSeries::tAI_Trigger_Select::kAI_START1_PolarityRising_Edge,
tMSeries::tAI_Trigger_Select::kAI_START2_SelectPulse,
tMSeries::tAI_Trigger_Select::kAI_START2_PolarityRising_Edge);
aiSampleStop(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board,
(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].NumberOfUsedAnalogChannels > 1) ? kTrue : kFalse); // multi channel?
aiNumberOfSamples(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board,
0, // posttrigger samples
0, // pretrigger samples
continuous); // continuous?
aiSampleStart(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board,
uiSamplePeriodDivisor,
3,
tMSeries::tAI_START_STOP_Select::kAI_START_SelectSI_TC,
tMSeries::tAI_START_STOP_Select::kAI_START_PolarityRising_Edge);
aiConvert(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board,
19, // convert period divisor
3, // convert delay divisor
kFalse); // external sample clock?
aiClearFifo(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
/* DMA Settings */
/* Calculate DMA-Size */
uiDmaSizeInBytes = s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].NumberOfUsedAnalogChannels * sizeof(unsigned short)* (uiNumberOfDMABlocks);
s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].uiDmaRequestSizeInBytes = s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].NumberOfUsedAnalogChannels * 2;
if (fGetPrintDebugInfo())
RtPrintf("DMA Size: %d bytes \n", uiDmaSizeInBytes);
RtPrintf("DMA Request Size: %d bytes \n", s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].uiDmaRequestSizeInBytes);
/* Enable dMA */
s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board->AI_AO_Select.setAI_DMA_Select(1);
s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board->AI_AO_Select.flush();
status = s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].dma->config(0, tDMAChannel::kRing, tDMAChannel::kIn, uiDmaSizeInBytes, tDMAChannel::k16bit);
if (status != kNoError)
if (fGetPrintDebugInfo())
RtPrintf("Error: dma configuration (%d)\n", status);
status = s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].dma->start();
if (status != kNoError)
if (fGetPrintDebugInfo())
RtPrintf("Error: dma start (%d)\n", status);
else
/* Start Measurement here */
aiArm(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board, kTrue);
aiStart(s_NIPCIBoards[CardNumber].board);
if (fGetPrintDebugInfo())
RtPrintf("Starting Board & DMA \n");
Hello,
sorry it took so long, but I had to setup a new workstation dedicated for debugging this problem. The code above is the entire initialization of the AI measurement. It's based on the aiex3 sample for continuous measurement and DMA data transfer.
I also have some new information regard the error: On my new test system I am not able to reproduce this the error with PCI-6250 stopping the acquisition. I now have two PC Systems where one shows the problem, the other does not. I will investigate further.
Previously I said the PCI-6232 card does not show any error, but this is not true. I noticed that on 64-bit modes the AI channels are mixed up. Example: I am measuring 16 channels, and have a 1kHz sinus on channel 1 ... in the acquired data i see the sinus on channels 4, 8 and 12. Again, the code is exactly the same that works fine when compiled for 32-bit.