Q: Parsing an IAK file in LabVIEW

Question

Hello,
I am looking for a way to read the fieldpoint channel names in their real order (not sorted) _and_ their corresponding range settings from an IAK file. Hardware is a FP-1001 network module connected via RS485 and a handful of AI-110s and AO-210s.
Has anyone found a way to do so yet?
Tried the FP get configuration info VI without succes, it sorts the channel names alphabetically. Edited the VI (threw out the sort array funktion), but no success: Channels now are mixed in no sensible way (the documentation confirms this behavior).
For the ranges, I've looked at the optomux !E, but a) it needs a FP ressource connected (can't work offline this way), and b) I have no clue yet of how to match these ranges with the well-mixed channel names :-(
Maybe someone here can help?
Yours, sincerely,
Sebastian F. Kleinau

Answer 1

I don't think that the ActiveX control exposes the
necessary methods and properties to be able to read the range of
FP-items. But there is another way to do that:
You can use Logos to get the info you need. You use the Datasocket
Read.vi in LabVIEW and use the Logos connection URL (ex.
lookout:\\10.0.34.183\FP\1TC\00\ConfiguredRange) to get the data. If
you have LabVIEW 7.0 or later it is even easier... Follow these step-by-step
instructions:
1) Open a new VI and place a Numeric Indicator on the front panel
2) Right click on the Numeric Indicator and select "Data Operations >> Datasocket Connection"
3) Click the "Browse" button and select "Browse Measurement Data"
4) Type in the IP address of the FP controller and press the "Refresh" button
5) Navigate to the Attribute you are intersted in (ex. FP>>1TC>>00>>Attributes>>ThermocoupleType)
and press the "OK" button
6) Click the "Attach" button
7) This will allow Datasocket to read from the location specified (ex.
lookout:\\10.0.34.183\FP\1TC\00\Attributes\Thermoc​oupletype) and
populate that data into the Numeric Indicator.
8) I found I needed to put a while loop around the indicator with a
loop delay and stop button to get any good data out.
*** The data you get back will be the code for the values... You will
have to just experiment to see what value means which attribute.
However, this will allow you to get the data. You can also cut and
paste the URL you get from steps 1-5 into the URL input of a Datasocket
Read.vi instead of using the Datasocket attach shortcut I do here...
Best regards,
Jochen Klier
National Instruments Germany
Message Edited by Jochen on 09-02-2005 08:34 AM