Using NI-CAN with NI-DNET
DeviceNet is a higher-level protocol based on CAN, typically used for industrial automation or machine control applications. NI-DNET is the National Instruments software for DeviceNet.
NI-CAN uses the same software infrastructure as NI-DNET, so both APIs can be used with the same CAN card. The general rule is that each CAN card can only be used for one API at a time.
Use of NI-DNET is restricted to port 1 (top port) of Series 1 CAN cards. National Instruments hardware kits for CAN ship with Series 2 cards, which cannot be used with NI-DNET. National Instruments hardware kits for DeviceNet ship with Series 1 cards, which can be used with both NI-DNET and NI-CAN. For information on identification of the series, refer to NI CAN Hardware Overview.
You can view each Series 1 CAN card in MAX with either DeviceNet or CAN features. To change the view of a CAN card in MAX, right-click the card and select Protocol. In this dialog you can select either DeviceNet for NI-DNET, or CAN for NI-CAN. When the CAN protocol is selected, you can access CAN tools in MAX, such as the Bus Monitor tool.
In order to develop NI-DNET applications, you must install NI-DNET components such as documentation and examples. The NI-DNET software components are available within the NI-CAN installer.
Launch the setup.exe program for the NI-CAN installer in the same manner as the original installation (CD or ni.com download). Within the installer, select both NI-DNET and NI-CAN components in the feature tree.
When you right-click a port in MAX and select Properties, the resulting Interface selection uses the syntax CANx or DNETx based on the protocol selection. Regardless of which protocol is selected, the number x is the only relevant identifier with respect to NI-CAN and NI-DNET functions. For example, if you select DNET0 as an interface in MAX, you can run an NI-DNET application that uses DNET0, then you can run an NI-CAN application that uses CAN0. Both applications refer to the same port, and can run at different times, but not simultaneously.