RCP Toolkit 2016
These release notes describe the new features and changes introduced in RCP Toolkit 2016. They are divided into the sections enumerated below.
New Software Compatibility
RCP Toolkit 2016 has introduced compatibility with the following third-party software. Software compatibility requires the release version of third-party software. Compatibility with beta versions is not supported.
Compatibility with LabVIEW 2016 has been added.
New Devices Supported
RCP Toolkit 2016 may now interface to the devices listed below.
The Quanser QUBE Servo-2 USB device is an integrated DC-servo motor experiment. It is designed to help teach fundamental control concepts and theories on an easy-to-use and intuitive platform. It can be interfaced via a HIL Initialize VI by selecting the qube_servo2_usb board type.
The Quanser Aero USB is an integrated lab experiment. It is designed to help teach fundamental control concepts and theories on an easy-to-use and intuitive platform. The Quanser Aero USB is also suitable for advanced aerospace research applications. It can be interfaced via a HIL Initialize VI by selecting the quanser_aero_usb board type.
New VIs
New HIL VIs have been added to the Quanser Rapid Control Prototyping (QRCP) palette in RCP Toolkit 2016. The original blue CL HIL VIs used for CD&Sim have been moved to a "CD&Sim" subpalette within the "Quanser Rapid Control Prototyping/HIL" palette. The blue CL HIL VIs are intended for closed-loop control inside a CD&Sim loop. Using the blue CL HIL VIs inside a CD&Sim loop is the easiest way to do control or access hardware using QRCP.
The new red HIL VIs are intended for use outside of a CD&Sim loop. They are intended for more advanced users and generally require more VIs to accomplish the same task. For example, the blue CL HIL VIs automatically close the data acquisition card when the CD&Sim loop terminates. However, when using only the red HIL VIs, the data acquisition card must be closed using the HIL Close VI when the card is no longer needed. In both cases, the HIL Initialize VI is used to open a data acquisition card.
When using the blue CL HIL Watchdog VIs, only the CL HIL Watchdog VI is required in a CD&Sim loop to implement watchdog functionality. With the red HIL VIs, the watchdog must be started using the HIL Watchdog Start VI, it must be reloaded during iterative operations (such as closed-loop control in a Timed Loop) using the HIL Watchdog Reload VI, and it must be stopped using the HIL Watchdog Stop VI when watchdog functionality is no longer required.
The new VIs are listed below.
HIL Configuration VIs
The HIL Set Encoder Counts VI allows the count values of encoder channels of a data acquisition card to be set outside of a CD&Sim loop. The VI icon is red to distinguish it from the blue CL HIL VIs for use within a CD&Sim loop.
The HIL Close VI allows a data acquisition card to be closed outside of a CD&Sim loop. The blue CL HIL VIs do not require the card to be closed, but when using the red HIL VIs only, a card opened with the HIL Initialize VI must be closed using the HIL Close VI. The VI icon is red to distinguish it from the blue CL HIL VIs for use within a CD&Sim loop.
HIL Immediate I/O VIs
The HIL Read VI allows the channels of a data acquisition card to be read outside of a CD&Sim loop. The VI icon is red to distinguish it from the blue CL HIL VIs for use within a CD&Sim loop.
The HIL Write VI allows the channels of a data acquisition card to be written outside of a CD&Sim loop. The VI icon is red to distinguish it from the blue CL HIL VIs for use within a CD&Sim loop.
HIL Watchdog VIs
The HIL Watchdog Start VI may be used to start a hardware watchdog timer on the selected data acquisition card, outside of a CD&Sim loop. The watchdog timer must be reloaded using the HIL Watchdog Reload VI to prevent it from expiring. If it expires because the sampling rate is not met or an error occurs then the outputs of the card are reset according to the watchdog settings in the HIL Initialize VI.
The HIL Watchdog Reload VI reloads the watchdog timer outside of a CD&Sim loop. It should be called each sampling instant (in a Timed Loop for instance). If the watchdog is allowed to expire then it will reset the outputs of the card according to the watchdog settings in the HIL Initialize VI. The VI icon is red to distinguish it from the blue CL HIL VIs for use within a CD&Sim loop.
The HIL Watchdog Stop VI stops the watchdog timer outside of a CD&Sim loop. It should be called once the watchdog is no longer needed. Note that this VI does not clear the watchdog state if the watchdog expired before executing the HIL Watchdog Stop VI. The VI icon is red to distinguish it from the blue CL HIL VIs for use within a CD&Sim loop.
The HIL Watchdog Clear VI clears the watchdog state that is entered when the watchdog timer expires. This VI may be used to recover from the watchdog expiring by clearing the watchdog state and re-enabling the outputs of the data acquisition card. This VI may be used outside of a CD&Sim loop. The VI icon is red to distinguish it from the blue CL HIL VIs for use within a CD&Sim loop.
The HIL Watchdog Is Expired VI indicates whether the watchdog timer has expired. When the watchdog timer expires, the board enters a watchdog state in which outputs are reset to the values configured in the HIL Initialize VI and cannot be written until the watchdog state is cleared. The RCP Toolkit 2016 VI may be used outside of a CD&Sim loop. The VI icon is red to distinguish it from the blue CL HIL VIs for use within a CD&Sim loop.
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