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Ni-Timesync: Introduction, Installation, and Configuration

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51 views6 pages

Ni-Timesync: Introduction, Installation, and Configuration

Uploaded by

Evangelista Mao
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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USER GUIDE

NI-TimeSync
Version 1.1

Introduction, Installation, and Configuration


About the NI-TimeSync Driver Software
NI-TimeSync, shown in Figure 1, is a distribution of software
synchronization plug-ins. You can use these plug-ins alone or alongside
compatible hardware products including NI-Sync devices to create a
synchronized system.
Figure 1. Multitarget System Using Synchronized Time

Time References Supported


NI-TimeSync supports IEEE 1588-2008.

Hardware Requirements
NI-TimeSync requires LabVIEW RT target hardware.

NI-TimeSync User Guide 2 ni.com


Software Requirements
NI-TimeSync requires LabVIEW RT 2009 SP1 or later.

Application Software and Programming Language Support


NI-TimeSync supports LabVIEW RT 2009 SP1 or later.

Installing the Software


Follow these steps to install the NI-TimeSync software:
1. Run setup.exe to install the software to the development machine.
2. Install the software to your LabVIEW RT target through
Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX).

Note When installed to the LabVIEW RT target, the NI-TimeSync plug-in is set as the
active plug-in. Configuration of other time references including Logos or SNTP overrides
this configuration.

Building and Programming Applications


API Basics
The NI-TimeSync plug-in automatically synchronizes the LabVIEW RT
system date and time. The API is based on interacting with the system time.
Two primary LabVIEW palettes useful in using the system time are
Programming»Timing and Programming»Structures»Timed
Structures.

Programming»Timing
This LabVIEW Timing palette, shown in Figure 2, includes functions for
reading the current time, programmatic waits, and other useful functions.
The timing used for each function is based on the synchronized LabVIEW
date and time.

© National Instruments Corporation 3 NI-TimeSync User Guide


Figure 2. LabVIEW Timing Palette

Programming»Structures»Timed Structures
The Timed Structures palette, shown in Figure 3, allows you to control
code execution using the Timed Loop and Timed Sequence structures. The
built-in timing sources, shown in Figure 4, use the synchronized LabVIEW
date and time. The “absolute time” sources, also shown in Figure 4, allow
you to control the execution based on global time. Refer to your LabVIEW
documentation for additional information.

Figure 3. LabVIEW Timed Structures Palette

NI-TimeSync User Guide 4 ni.com


Figure 4. Timed Loop Configuration

Property Node
You can use the NI-TimeSync property node to query the synchronization
plug-in properties

The property node is in the Programming»Structures»Timed


Structures»Absolute Time palette.

Monitoring Synchronization Status and Quality


Timekeeper Synchronized
This property returns whether the timekeeper is synchronized to the time
reference within 1 ms. It is useful for program start-up to wait for
synchronization to stabilize or to simply query the current state.

Timekeeper Synchronization Disrupted


You can query this latching property periodically to determine whether
the timekeeper synchronization has been disrupted since it was last read.
Disruption criteria include exceeding the 1 ms synchronization threshold or
the time reference changing. You can use this property to determine
whether a disruption to synchronization has occurred.

© National Instruments Corporation 5 NI-TimeSync User Guide


Example Programs
The example programs are installed to your LabVIEW\examples\
TimeSync directory.

The examples demonstrate methods of using a synchronized absolute time


to coordinate multiple targets or chassis. These are simple, scalable
fundamentals you can use to build powerful, distributed control and data
acquisition applications.

Start Timed Loop at Absolute Time.vi


This example shows how to start a timed loop at an absolute time
(LabVIEW timestamp) with a loop period specified in unit time (seconds).

Scheduling Execution at Future Time Events.vi


This example shows how to execute code at a series of defined future times.

Timestamp Events.vi
This example shows how to use the system time to timestamp an event
(in this case, the action of a user clicking a button).

LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, ni.com, the National Instruments corporate logo, and the Eagle
logo are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation. Refer to the Trademark Information at
ni.com/trademarks for other National Instruments trademarks. Other product and company
names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. For patents
covering National Instruments products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents
in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the National Instruments Patent Notice
at ni.com/patents.

© 2010 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. 373185A-01 Nov10

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