Onboard Programming
You can use Onboard Programming functions to load, execute, and save onboard programs. NI-Motion offers a set of programming functions and features that allow you to write and control autonomous programs that are completely independent from the host computer. You can execute up to 10 onboard programs simultaneously. The size and number of programs is completely flexible. It is ultimately limited by the 32 total memory objects in the Object Registry or by total available memory, whichever is reached first. Refer to Begin Program Storage for more information. Onboard programs run in a time-sliced manner. Refer to the Onboard Programs section of the NI-Motion Help for more information.
Onboard programs support basic math and data operation functions on general-purpose variables. Onboard programs also offer event-based functions such as Jump on Event and Wait on Event, which allow you to control program execution. Programs can even start and stop other programs.
Implementing part or all of the motion application as an onboard program or programs offloads the host computer from handling these real-time events. Onboard programs also can isolate the application from the host computer non-real-time operating system. Only bus power is required to correctly execute an onboard program after it is started.
Programs can be run from RAM or optionally saved to non-volatile Flash ROM. Saved programs are therefore available for execution at any future time, even after power cycles. Use the Read Object Registry function to determine the size of an onboard program. Refer to Buffered Operations for information about the total amount RAM and ROM on each controller.
Onboard Programming functions include Object Management and Data Operations functions. You can use Onboard Programming functions to begin and end program storage and to control program execution. You can use Object Management functions to organize, annotate, and save program objects to ROM. Data Operations functions include basic math functions and data operations.
Several functions are typically run from the host to control the onboard program execution, such as the Run Program, Pause/Resume, and Stop Program functions. When run as a host command, these functions interrupt the onboard program and change the program status accordingly.
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Note The Onboard Programming functions are compatible with NI 7340/44 and NI 7350 controllers only. |