Installing the LabVIEW FPGA Module

You can install the LabVIEW FPGA Module with either NI Package Manager or with the LabVIEW Platform media.

Application Software Support

The LabVIEW 2024 Q1 FPGA Module supports LabVIEW 2024 Q1. For information about the Application Software Support in earlier versions of the LabVIEW FPGA Module, refer to the Readmes for those versions.

Installing the LabVIEW FPGA Module using Package Manager

Refer to Package Manager for information about installing, removing, and upgrading NI software using Package Manager.

Installing the LabVIEW FPGA Module using LabVIEW Platform Media

  1. Log in as an administrator or as a user with administrative privileges.
  2. Insert the LabVIEW Platform media. To request additional LabVIEW Platform media, refer to the NI website. If you purchased this product with an NI Software Suite or NI Product Bundle, use the installation media that shipped with your purchases to install this product.
  3. Follow the instructions on the screen to install and activate the following software in this order:
    • LabVIEW
    • FPGA Module
    • (Optional) LabVIEW Real-Time Module—Use the LabVIEW Real-Time Module to program the real-time OS on NI PXI, NI PXI Express, NI CompactRIO, and NI Single-Board RIO devices. You have a temporary license for this product.
    • Xilinx Compilation Tools—Install these compilation tools on the development computer if you want to compile your LabVIEW FPGA VIs locally. You must install these tools on your development computer if you plan to use the Configure Component-Level IP wizard, configure the IP Integration Node, incorporate Xilinx IP, or use third-party simulation. Refer to your hardware documentation for information about the FPGA chip in your device and install the appropriate set of tools. Visit Using an Info Code and enter the Info Code XilinxCompileTools for more information about the NI hardware supported by each Xilinx compilation tool.
      • Xilinx Compilation Tools for Windows—Install these compilation tools if you will compile your FPGA VIs on a Windows computer. The recommended compilation tool for Windows is Vivado 2021.1. ISE Compilation tools are NOT supported on Windows 10.
        Note To configure the IP Integration Node, or use the Configure Component-Level IP wizard on Virtex-II devices, you also must install the Xilinx Compilation Tool for ISE 14.7. Xilinx IP and simulation exports are not supported on Virtex-II FPGA devices.
      • (Optional) FPGA Compile Farm Server—Use the FPGA Compile Farm Server to distribute FPGA VI compile jobs across multiple remote computers.
        Note Use the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Cloud Service to increase the development efficiency by offloading compile jobs to multiple computers in a cloud environment.
      • Device Driver—Device drivers contain driver software for most FPGA targets. Refer to your FPGA target hardware documentation for information about additional or different device drivers you need.
    In addition to installing program files and documentation in the LabVIEW directory, the installer also puts files from Xilinx in the x:\NIFPGA directory, where x is the drive on which you installed LabVIEW. The FPGA Module uses these files to compile FPGA VIs into code that runs on an FPGA target.

Setting Up a Remote Compile Farm Server or Compile Worker

You can use the LabVIEW Platform media to install the FPGA Compile Farm Server to offload compiles to a dedicated computer. You must install the FPGA Compile Farm Server separately on any remote machine that you want to use to manage your compilations. Also, you must install the Xilinx compilation tools on any machine that you want to use as a remote compile worker. Visit Using an Info Code and enter the Info Code XilinxCompileTools for more information about the NI hardware supported by each Xilinx compilation tool.
  • Windows—Visit Using an Info Code and enter the Info Code FPGAkb1rcs for information about setting up the FPGA compile farm server on a remote computer.
  • Linux—Refer to the FPGA Module Xilinx Compilation Tools for Linux Readme for information about setting up a remote compile worker.
NI provides the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Cloud Service to increase development efficiency by offloading compile jobs to multiple computers in a cloud environment. Visit the NI LabVIEW FPGA Compile Cloud Service for information about the LabVIEW FPGA Compile Cloud.