Simulating the FPGA Targets Using the Project Explorer In LabVIEW

With LabVIEW 8.0 and later, you can begin development of your LabVIEW FPGA application without having the physical hardware by simulating the device through the Project Explorer window. The steps vary based on whether you are simulating a Real-Time CompactRIO, Single-Board RIO with an FPGA target, or just a remote FPGA target such as an R Series Multifunction RIO, FlexRIO device, or an IF-RIO transceiver.

You must have the LabVIEW FPGA Module and some form of the RIO driver installed on your computer. These drivers (found in the related links of this article) install the information needed by LabVIEW to simulate your FPGA target. If you do not have any of these drivers installed, you will not see the聽Targets and Devices...聽option appear when right clicking聽Project聽or聽My Computer. In order to download the latest version of the drivers for your device, please visit the聽driver download page聽and search for your product (CompactRIO, FlexRIO, etc).

If you would like to add an FPGA target as part of a CompactRIO or Single-Board RIO system, you also must have the LabVIEW Real-Time Module installed.

Note:聽You only can simulate the FPGA target of a cRIO or sbRIO. The real-time processor can not be simulated on those targets.

To simulate FPGA hardware, follow the steps below: