Configuring Data Record AD

Configure Data Record AD by adding and modifying I/O plug-ins in the Configuration Editor.

Launching the Configuration Editor

Open the Configuration Editor from its desktop shortcut or its installed location at %Program Files%\National Instruments\Data Record AD\System Configuration Editor\DataRecordADConfigEditor.exe.

Accessing Example Configurations

Example configuration files are located at %Public%\Documents\National Instruments\ADAS\Example Configs.

Creating a New Configuration Project

  1. Select File » New » Project in the Configuration Editor.
  2. Select File » Save.

Included I/O Plug-Ins

Data Record AD comes with several basic I/O plug-ins to support your out-of-box experience. Refer to the Data Record AD GitHub Repository at https://www.ni.com/r/datarecord-devguide for information about included plug-ins.

By default, the I/O plug-ins for your system are stored in the following file location: %Public%\Documents\National Instruments\ADAS\Plugins\IOPlugins.

Adding I/O Plug-Ins to a Configuration

  1. Click the IO Plugins button (1378) to open the I/O Plug-in palette in the Configuration Editor.
  2. Click the plug-in you want to add.
  3. Click again to place the plug-in onto the diagram.
  4. Click the plug-in to open its settings in the configuration pane on the right side of the screen.
  5. Adjust the settings of the plug-in as needed.
  6. Click somewhere else on the diagram to close the configuration pane for that plug-in and update the settings you selected.
  7. Select File » Save to save the system configuration project (.adconfig) file.

Importing Existing Configurations

The Configuration Editor populates the I/O plug-in icons, connections, and settings from an existing configuration into your project. These plug-in icons are added alongside previously loaded plug-in icons in the palette.
  1. If the configuration was created on a different machine, import all of the relevant I/O plug-ins for the configuration from that machine.
  2. Click the Import configuration button (1378) in the project window of the Configuration Editor.
  3. Specify the file path containing the system configuration file that you want to load.
  4. Click Open.

Linking I/O Plug-Ins

Linking I/O plug-ins together allows you to pass data between plug-ins. The Data Record AD architecture does not limit the number of wires that you can connect to a single plug-in input or output, though individual plug-ins may place restrictions on certain terminal connections. To link two plug-ins together, complete the following steps:
  1. Click the output terminal of the first plug-in node.
  2. Click the input terminal of the second plug-in node.
    Note Do not connect two terminals of the same direction, such as wiring an input terminal to another input terminal. If you do connect two terminals of the same direction, the wire appears as a dashed line to indicate that it is broken.

Removing Configuration Elements

  1. Click the I/O plug-in or wire that you want to delete.
  2. To delete the object, select one of the following options:
    • Press the <Backspace> key.
    • Select Edit » Delete selection.
    Note You can restore a deleted object by selecting Edit » Undo.

Troubleshooting Missing I/O Plug-Ins

If the imported configuration contains an I/O plug-in that is not present on your machine, a default unknown plug-in node (1378) appears.

If the name of the unknown plug-in matches the name of a plug-in already in your palette, choose from one of the following options:
  • Delete the unknown plug-in and re-add it from the palette.
    Note This will not preserve the configuration of the plug-in.
  • Delete the unknown plug-in and obtain the original version of the plug-in from the machine where the configuration was created.

Saving Configuration Projects

Configurations can also be saved as system configuration project (.adconfig) files, which will preserve the file export path and customized layout of each element on the diagram for future use in the Configuration Editor. This file type cannot be loaded by Data Record AD. To save a configuration as an .adconfig file, complete the following steps:
  1. Select File » Save.
    Note By default, the file will be saved in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\ADAS Projects.
  2. (Optional) Select File » Save As to alter the location of the saved file.
  3. (Optional) Select File » Rename to rename the saved file.

Exporting System Configurations

  1. Select the Document tab in the configuration pane.
  2. To modify the target file path of the exported configuration, click this icon (1378) next to the Generated configuration file path field and select your desired target file location.

    1378

  3. To modify the version of the exported file, update the values in the Version field.
  4. Click the Generate configuration button (1378) to generate a JSON configuration file.

Exporting Configurations to Other Machines

You can export configurations directly from one computer to another on your network. To export a configuration to another machine, complete the following steps:
  1. Locate the JSON configuration file in its saved location.
    Note By default, this saved location is %Public%\Documents\National Instruments\ADAS\Config.
  2. Choose from one of the following options:
    • Copy and paste the configuration file onto a USB drive to transfer it to the target machine.
    • Transfer the file directly to the target machine through Windows remote file sharing.
  3. Save the configuration file on the target machine in your desired location.
    Note NI recommends saving the configuration file in the following location: %Public%\Documents\National Instruments\ADAS\Config. This is the default location that Data Record AD attempts to load the configuration file from. You can update this default file path by modifying the system software INI file.

Timing and Synchronization

The Data Record System includes the Timing and Synchronization chassis upgrade, but your system must contain at least one of the following instruments in order to enable this functionality:

  • PXIe-1486
  • PXIe-1487
  • PXIe-8523
  • PXIe-8522
  • PXIe-8521
  • PXIe-8510
  • PXI-6683H

Timestamp Time Sources

Use the system timing plug-in to select between the following reference time sources to timestamp all of your data as it is logged:
  • t0 + PXI_CLK10 (high-resolution system time)
  • GPS (through the PXI-6683H)
  • 1588 (through the PXI-6683H)
  • 802.1AS (automotive Ethernet in-vehicle time source)
Refer to the Data Record AD GitHub Repository at https://www.ni.com/r/datarecord-devguide for more information about the system timing plug-in.