National Instruments MXIbus VME-AT2000 User manual

© Copyright 1991, 1994 National Instruments Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Getting Started with Your
VME-AT2000 and the NI-VXI™
Software for MS-DOS
bus
August 1994 Edition
Part Number 320332B-01

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[phone]
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Limited Warranty
The National Instruments MXIbus boards are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period
of one year from the date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will,
at its option, repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the warranty period. This warranty
includes parts and labor.
The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming
instructions, due to defects in materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment, as
evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace software
media that do not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives notice of such defects during
the warranty period. National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be uninterrupted
or error free.
A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the
outside of the package before any equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will pay the
shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are covered by warranty.
National Instruments believes that the information in this manual is accurate. The document has been carefully
reviewed for technical accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National Instruments
reserves the right to make changes to subsequent editions of this document without prior notice to holders of this
edition. The reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected. In no event shall National
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© National Instruments Corporation vii VME-AT2000/NI-VXI MS-DOS Getting Started
Contents
About This Manual............................................................................................................xi
How to Use the Documentation Set.................................................................................xi
Organization of This Manual...........................................................................................xi
Conventions Used in This Manual ..................................................................................xii
Related Documentation ...................................................................................................xii
Customer Communication...............................................................................................xiii
Chapter 1
Introduction..........................................................................................................................1-1
What You Need to Get Started ......................................................................................1-1
Optional Equipment.......................................................................................................1-2
Optional Software..........................................................................................................1-2
Chapter 2
Hardware Configuration and Installation.................................................................2-1
Step 1. Unpack the AT-MXI and VME-MXI Hardware...............................................2-1
Step 2. Configure the AT-MXI Hardware.....................................................................2-2
Switch and Jumper Settings...............................................................................2-3
Base I/O Address Selection................................................................................2-3
Interrupt Selection..............................................................................................2-6
DMA Channel Selection....................................................................................2-8
Master Mode Versus Slave Mode..........................................................2-8
Step 3. Install the AT-MXI Hardware ...........................................................................2-11
Step 4. Configure the VME-MXI Hardware..................................................................2-13
Front Panel Features...........................................................................................2-15
VMEbus System Controller...............................................................................2-15
VME Address.....................................................................................................2-16
VMEbus Request Level Selection.....................................................................2-16
VMEbus Timeout Value....................................................................................2-18
Step 5. Install the VME-MXI Hardware........................................................................2-19
Step 6. Connect the MXIbus Cable................................................................................2-20
Nonpolarized Cables..........................................................................................2-20
Polarized Cables.................................................................................................2-21
Chapter 3
NI-VXI Software Installation and Configuration...................................................3-1
NI-VXI Software Overview...........................................................................................3-1
Main Programs and Files...................................................................................3-1
Additional Programs and Files...........................................................................3-2
Installing the Software...................................................................................................3-5
Modifying the AUTOEXEC.BAT File..............................................................3-6
Configuring the NI-VXI Software.................................................................................3-7
Running VXIEDIT.............................................................................................3-7
Configuration Editor..........................................................................................3-9

Contents
VME-AT2000/NI-VXI MS-DOS Getting Started viii © National Instruments Corporation
Logical Address Configuration..............................................................3-9
Bus Configuration..................................................................................3-13
Device Configuration.............................................................................3-15
Non-VXI Device Editor.....................................................................................3-17
Exiting VXIEDIT and Reinitializing the Hardware ..........................................3-18
Developing Your Application Program.........................................................................3-18
Appendix A
Specifications........................................................................................................................A-1
Appendix B
Troubleshooting...................................................................................................................B-1
Problems with VXIINIT................................................................................................B-1
VXIINIT Error Messages...................................................................................B-1
VXIINIT Could Not Find the AT-MXI.................................................B-2
VXIINIT Could Not Find Specific Files................................................B-2
Error Writing Log File...........................................................................B-3
VXIINIT Causes System to Hang......................................................................B-3
Problems with RESMAN...............................................................................................B-4
Memory Area Used by Another Device ............................................................B-4
Memory Area Used by Expanded-Memory Manager or Emulator...................B-4
Problems with Mouse.....................................................................................................B-5
Problems with MXIbus Cable........................................................................................B-5
Appendix C
Customer Communication...............................................................................................C-1
Glossary......................................................................................................................Glossary-1

Contents
© National Instruments Corporation ix VME-AT2000/NI-VXI MS-DOS Getting Started
Figures
Figure 2-1. AT-MXI Parts Locator Diagram.........................................................................2-2
Figure 2-2. Base I/O Address Switch Settings.......................................................................2-4
Figure 2-3. Board and MXIbus Interrupt Jumper Settings ....................................................2-7
Figure 2-4. DMA Channel Settings .......................................................................................2-10
Figure 2-5. AT-MXI Installed in a Computer........................................................................2-12
Figure 2-6. VME-MXI Parts Locator Diagram......................................................................2-13
Figure 2-7. VME-MXI with INTX Parts Locator Diagram...................................................2-14
Figure 2-8. VMEbus System Controller Selection................................................................ 2-15
Figure 2-9. VME-MXI VMEbus Requester Jumper Settings................................................2-17
Figure 2-10. VMEbus Timeout Value Selection......................................................................2-18
Figure 2-11. MXIbus Single-Ended Cable Configuration.......................................................2-20
Figure 2-12. MXIbus Dual-Ended Cable Configuration..........................................................2-21
Figure 3-1. VXIEDIT Main Menu.........................................................................................3-8
Figure 3-2. AT-MXI Logical Address Configuration Editor.................................................3-9
Figure 3-3. AT-MXI Bus Configuration Editor.....................................................................3-13
Figure 3-4. AT-MXI Device Configuration Editor................................................................3-15
Figure 3-5. Non-VXI Device Editor......................................................................................3-17
Tables
Table 2-1. AT-MXI Factory Default Settings and Optional Configurations........................2-3
Table 2-2. Possible Base I/O Address Settings for the AT-MXI..........................................2-5
Table 3-1. Logical Address Configuration Characteristics ..................................................3-10
Table 3-2. Bus Configuration Characteristics.......................................................................3-14
Table 3-3. Device Configuration Characteristics .................................................................3-16

© National Instruments Corporation xi VME-AT2000/NI-VXI MS-DOS Getting Started
About This Manual
This manual contains instructions for installing and configuring the National Instruments
VME-AT2000 interface kit. This manual is meant to be used with the NI-VXI C Software
Reference Manual for VME, the NI-VXI Software Reference Manual for BASIC, and the NI-VXI
DOS Utilities Reference Manual.
How to Use the Documentation Set
Begin by reading this manual to guide you through the installation and configuration of the
hardware and software. The software configuration requires that you first complete the
installation and configuration of the hardware.
When you are familiar with the material in this manual, you can begin to use the NI-VXI
C Software Reference Manual for VME. Chapter 1, Introduction to NI-VXI for VME, and
Chapter 2, Introduction to the NI-VXI Functions for VME, present the concepts of using the
NI-VXI software for programming VME systems and prepare you for detailed explanations of
the NI-VXI functions. Study the descriptions of each function given in Chapters 3 through 9
to fully understand the purpose and syntax of each function. The NI-VXI Software Reference
Manual for BASIC covers the same material but with BASIC syntax. Refer to the NI-VXI
DOS Utilities Reference Manual to learn more about the VIC and VXIEDIT programs. The
LabWindows VXI Library Reference Manual, part number 320318-01, explains how to install
and use the optional LabWindows VXI Library for the AT-MXI.
Organization of This Manual
Getting Started with Your VME-AT2000 and the NI-VXI Software for MS-DOS is organized as
follows:
• Chapter 1, Introduction, describes the VME-AT2000 interface kit, lists what you need to get
started, and lists optional equipment and software.
• Chapter 2, Hardware Configuration and Installation, contains the instructions to configure
and install the VME-AT2000 interface kit.

About This Manual
VME-AT2000/NI-VXI MS-DOS Getting Started xii © National Instruments Corporation
• Chapter 3, NI-VXI Software Installation and Configuration, lists all the programs and files
located on the NI-VXI distribution diskette(s), contains step-by-step instructions for
installing and configuring the NI-VXI software for MS-DOS for VME, and contains a
description of the VXIEDIT configuration editor.
• Appendix A, Specifications, lists various module specifications of the AT-MXI and
VME-MXI, such as physical dimensions and power requirements.
• Appendix B, Troubleshooting, addresses certain problems you may encounter when using the
NI-VXI bus interface software on the AT-MXI platform.
• Appendix C, Customer Communication, contains forms you can use to request help from
National Instruments or to comment on our products and manuals.
• The Glossary contains an alphabetical list and description of terms used in this manual,
including abbreviations, acronyms, metric prefixes, mnemonics, and symbols.
Conventions Used in This Manual
The following conventions are used to distinguish elements of text throughout this manual:
bold Bold text denotes menus or menu items.
italic Italic text denotes emphasis, a cross reference, or an introduction to a
key concept.
monospace Text in this font denotes text or characters that are to be literally input
from the keyboard, the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories,
programs, subprograms, device names, filenames and extensions, and
for statements and comments taken from program code.
bold monospace Bold text in this font denotes the messages and responses that the
computer automatically prints to the screen.
bold italic Bold italic text denotes a note, caution, or warning.
<> Angle brackets enclose the name of a key on the keyboard–for
example, <Esc>.
Abbreviations, acronyms, metric prefixes, mnemonics, symbols, and terms are listed in the
Glossary.

About This Manual
© National Instruments Corporation xiii VME-AT2000/NI-VXI MS-DOS Getting Started
Related Documentation
The following documents contain information that you may find helpful as you read this manual:
•IEEE Standard for a Versatile Backplane Bus: VMEbus, ANSI/IEEE Standard 1014-1987
•Multisystem Extension Interface Bus Specification, Version 1.2
•NI-VXI Software Reference Manual for C (for VXI systems), National Instruments
Corporation
•VME-MXI User Manual, Instruments Corporation
• VXI-1, VXIbus System Specification, Rev. 1.4, VXIbus Consortium
• VXI-6, VXIbus Mainframe Extender Specification, Rev. 1.0, VXIbus Consortium
Customer Communication
National Instruments wants to receive your comments on our products and manuals. We are
interested in the applications you develop using our products, and we want to help if you have
problems with them. To make it easy for you to contact us, this manual contains comment and
configuration forms for you to complete. These forms are in Appendix C, Customer
Communication, at the end of this manual.