Software Opens LabVIEW FPGA To C Programmers

A unique programming interface promises to make it easier for C/C++ developers to take advantage of the LabVIEW FPGA Module and FPGA-based hardware for embedded control and acquisition applications. With the C Interface to LabVIEW FPGA, developers can use LabVIEW graphical tools to program the FPGA within the company’s hardware and choose either LabVIEW or C/C++ tools to program the processor within the system. The interface also takes advantage of a reconfigurable I/O (RIO) driver for communication between the processor and FPGA in FPGA-based hardware such as the company’s CompactRIO and Single-Board RIO. Additionally, the new C Interface to LabVIEW FPGA makes it possible for developers to use C/C++ to program the real-time processor of a PXI system or a processor on a PC running Windows and interface to the LabVIEW FPGA code running on a FlexRIO or a PXI/Compact PCI/PCI R-Series FPGA I/O device. The NI-RIO driver provides single-point transfer and DMA streaming functionality as well as interrupt-based communication between the processor and embedded FPGA. For further information, visit http://www.ni.com/embeddedeval or call NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS, Austin, TX. (888) 280-7645.