NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 17.0 Readme

March 2017


This file contains important information about NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet for Windows and LabVIEW Real-Time environment, including new features, installation and upgrade issues, compatibility issues, and a partial list of bug fixes.


Caution   The NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 2.3 software or later requires the NI 9882 module with the updated firmware. When you upgrade your software to the 2.3 version or later, check the software version of the media shipped with your NI 9882 module. If the version is not 2.3 or later, or you are not sure of the version number, NI recommends that you update the firmware. Otherwise, when you use NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 2.3 or later, firmware images corrupt or get mismatched. Ensure that you have appropriate hardware and software installed and complete one of the following tasks to update the firmware.
  • If you are using NI cRIO-9081/9082/9111/9112/9113/9114/9116/9118 with LabVIEW 2014 or later, double-click ModuleFirmwareUpdate.exe in the <National Instruments>\NI-IndCom for DeviceNet\Utilities directory and follow the instructions in this utility to update the firmware.
  • If you are using other chassis with LabVIEW 2014 or later, double-click Firmware_Update_Instructions.html in the <National Instruments>\NI-IndCom for DeviceNet directory and follow the instructions to use a LabVIEW example project to update the firmware.

Overview

System Requirements

Installation Instructions

Product Security and Critical Updates

New Features

Bug Fixes

Accessing the Help

Finding Examples

Automating the Installation of NI Products

Compatibility with NI-DNET 1.x

Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10

Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 8.1

Legal Information


Overview

The NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software provides the DeviceNet driver and VIs for you to configure and control DeviceNet devices on a DeviceNet network and to communicate with FPGA targets.


System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems

NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet supports the following operating systems:


  • Windows 10/8.11/7 SP12
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 (64-bit)1
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 (64-bit)2

Note  In 2016 NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet dropped support for Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and installations of Windows 7 without any service packs. NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 17.0 will not install or run on an unsupported OS. You cannot deploy or distribute applications that use NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 17.0 to an unsupported OS. Additionally, after installing NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 17.0, you cannot use any installers built on this computer with any version of LabVIEW, LabWindows™/CVI™, NI TestStand™, or Measurement Studio on an unsupported OS.


For more information about the changes to our OS support for 2016, refer to KB 79UC78LS, Why Does my LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, Measurement Studio, or TestStand Built Installer Fail on Windows XP/Vista and Server 2003?.


Note  Support for Windows 32-bit operating systems may require disabling physical address extension (PAE). To learn how this might affect your system and what actions you might need to take, visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code PAESupport.


1 NI software installs VC2015 Runtime and .NET 4.6.2. Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 require Microsoft updates to support these items. Refer to Microsoft KB2919442 and KB2919355 for more information about how to install these updates.


2 NI software is signed with a SHA-256 certificate. Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 require Microsoft updates to support SHA-256. Refer to Microsoft KB3033929 for more information about how to install this security update.


Notes  Upgrading Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 with the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software installed might result in device configuration information damage and ostensible disconnection between devices. NI recommends that you reinstall the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software after upgrading the operating system.


Supported Hardware and Software

Refer to KB 6CCA8MEG, Supported Hardware and Software for NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet, for a complete list of NI hardware and software supported by each version of the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet.


The maximum number of devices you can connect to a DeviceNet interface depends on the electrical characteristics of the devices on the network. If all of the devices on the network meet the DeviceNet specifications, you may connect 64 devices to the network.


Caution  The NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software does not support the previous generation of the DeviceNet hardware products such as NI PCI-DNET, NI PCMCIA-DNET, and NI PXI-8461/D. Those products require an NI-DNET 1.x driver.


Installation Instructions

Before installing the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software, log on as Administrator or as a user with Administrator privileges. The NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software setup program must have Administrator privileges because the program modifies the configuration registry of your system. Complete the following steps to install the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software:


  1. Insert the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software media. The installer launches automatically. If the installer does not launch automatically, navigate to the media and launch the autorun.exe file.
  2. Follow the installation wizard to install the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software.

Installing the Software on the RT Target

Complete the following steps to install the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software on the RT target in NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX):


  1. Expand Remote Systems in the configuration tree and expand the RT target.
  2. Select the Software category. Click the Add/Remove Software icon on the toolbar to launch the LabVIEW Real-Time Software Wizard.
  3. If the RT target is a CompactRIO controller, select the Custom software installation option.
  4. Select the NI-IndCom for DeviceNet item in the feature list and click the Next button.
  5. Follow the remaining installation instructions until installation is complete.

Product Security and Critical Updates

Visit ni.com/security to view and subscribe to receive security notifications about NI products. Visit ni.com/critical-updates for information about critical updates from NI.


New Features

DeviceNet 17.0

  • Added support for LabVIEW 2017 (32-bit) and LabVIEW 2017 Real-Time Module

DeviceNet 16.0

  • Added support for LabVIEW 2016 (32-bit) and LabVIEW 2016 Real-Time Module
  • Added support for NI cRIO-9032/9035 (Sync)/9037/9039 (Sync)

DeviceNet 15.0

  • Added support for LabVIEW 2015 (32-bit) and LabVIEW 2015 Real-Time Module
  • Added support for NI sbRIO-9607/9627 and NI RMC-9697

DeviceNet 14.5

  • Added support for LabVIEW 2014 SP1(32-bit) and LabVIEW 2014 Real-Time Module
  • Added support for NI cRIO-9030/9031/9033/9035/9036/9039/9063/9064/9065/9066/9067

DeviceNet 2.3

  • Added FPGA VIs to operate the NI 9882 modules on the NI-RIO targets
  • Added support for NI cRIO-9068
  • Added support for LabVIEW 2013 (32-bit) and LabVIEW 2013 Real-Time Module

DeviceNet 2.2

  • Added slave support for NI 9882, NI PCI-8532, and NI PXI-8532
  • Added VIs for reading and writing the raw CAN frames
  • Added an example VI for monitoring and analyzing DeviceNet packets
  • Added support for LabVIEW 2012 (32-bit) and LabVIEW 2012 Real-Time Module

DeviceNet 2.1

  • Added support for NI 9882 1-Port DeviceNet Module for CompactRIO
  • Added NI-DNET 1.x compatible LabVIEW VIs

DeviceNet 2.0.2

  • Added support for LabVIEW 2011 (32-bit) and LabVIEW 2011 Real-Time Module

DeviceNet 2.0.1

  • Added support for LabVIEW 2010 (32-bit) and LabVIEW 2010 Real-Time Module

DeviceNet 2.0

  • Supported NI DeviceNet hardware: NI PCI-8532 and NI PXI-8532
  • Supported LabVIEW 2009 (32-bit) and LabVIEW 2009 Real-Time Module

Bug Fixes

The following items are the IDs and titles of a subset of issues fixed in NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 14.5. This is not an exhaustive list of issues fixed in the current version of NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet. If you have a CAR ID, you can search this list to validate that the issue has been fixed.


IDFixed Issue
504396The maximum IO length for Poll, COS and Cyclic should be 255 instead of 240

The following items are the IDs and titles of a subset of issues fixed in NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 2.1. This is not an exhaustive list of issues fixed in the current version of NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet. If you have a CAR ID, you can search this list to validate that the issue has been fixed.


IDFixed Issue
198387Explicit messaging function block help does not explain how to write attributes
185016PCI/PXI 8532 boards manual lacks hardware specifications section

The following items are the IDs and titles of a subset of issues fixed in NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 2.0.2. This is not an exhaustive list of issues fixed in the current version of NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet. If you have a CAR ID, you can search this list to validate that the issue has been fixed.


IDFixed Issue
288931DeviceNet deployment executable fails to execute on a machine without LabVIEW

Accessing the Help

Refer to the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet Help, accessible by selecting Help»NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet in LabVIEW, for information about using the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software.


Finding Examples

Select Help»Find Examples from LabVIEW to launch the NI Example Finder. LabVIEW examples for the NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet software are in the labview\examples\NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet folder. You can modify an example VI to fit an application, or you can copy and paste from one or more examples into a VI that you create.


Compatibility with NI-DNET 1.x

NI-Industrial Communications for DeviceNet 2.1 or later is not an update for NI-DNET 1.x and the two products can be installed on the same system side by side. DeviceNet 2.1 or later provides NI-DNET 1.x compatible VIs, so the application using NI-DNET 1.x VIs can work with DeviceNet 2.1 or later on PCI-8532, PXI-8532 and NI 9882 with very limited code change.


Automating the Installation of NI Products

You can automate the installation of most NI products using command-line arguments to suppress some or all of the installer user interface and dialog boxes.


If the NI product you are installing uses Microsoft .NET 4.0, the .NET installer may run before any NI software installs and may require a reboot before the installation of NI software begins. To avoid a .NET reboot, install .NET 4.0 separately before you install NI software.


For more information about automating the installation of NI products, refer to the following KnowledgeBase articles:


Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10

Microsoft Windows 10 is the latest version of the Windows operating system and features significant changes compared to previous versions. Windows 10 introduces several new capabilities and also combines features from both Windows 7 and Windows 8. For more information about NI support for Windows 10, visit ni.com/windows10.


Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 8.1

When you install NI software on Microsoft Windows 8.1, you will notice a few additional tiles in the Apps view, including shortcuts to NI application software products such as NI LabVIEW, NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), and NI Launcher. For more information about NI support for Windows 8.1, visit ni.com/windows8.



Legal Information

Copyright


© 2009–2017 National Instruments. All rights reserved.


Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation.


NI respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.


End-User License Agreements and Third-Party Legal Notices


You can find end-user license agreements (EULAs) and third-party legal notices in the following locations after installation:


  • Notices are located in the <National Instruments>\_Legal Information and <National Instruments> directories.
  • EULAs are located in the <National Instruments>\Shared\MDF\Legal\license directory.
  • Review <National Instruments>\_Legal Information.txt for information on including legal information in installers built with NI products.

U.S. Government Restricted Rights


If you are an agency, department, or other entity of the United States Government ("Government"), the use, duplication, reproduction, release, modification, disclosure or transfer of the technical data included in this manual is governed by the Restricted Rights provisions under Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.227-14 for civilian agencies and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Section 252.227-7014 and 252.227-7015 for military agencies.


IVI Foundation Copyright Notice


Content from the IVI specifications reproduced with permission from the IVI Foundation.


The IVI Foundation and its member companies make no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The IVI Foundation and its member companies shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.


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Patents


For patents covering the NI products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the NI Patent Notice at ni.com/patents.


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