PIC Dev board and LabVIEW?

[kyri]

Hello all,

I have a dsPICDem2 development board with a PIC30F4011. I want to use LabVIEW to interface with this board (through RS232 or USB) and do things like press the switches, light up LEDs, view the signals on the pins, all through LabVIEW.

Is this even possible? Would it be easier to do in Java, Matlab, etc.? Please let me know. I want to figure out if the project I picked for this semester is even possible.

Best,

Kyri

[kchriste]

You could definitely do it with serial via the serial VISA functions in Labview. USB would be a little more tricky. You could use MicroChips CDC – Serial Emulator firmware on a PIC to create a virtual serial port via USB and LabView wouldn't know the difference. The PIC30F4011 doesn't have USB capability but it would interface with a FTDI FT232R or equiv.

[kyri]

Thanks for the reply! Sounds good, I'm glad it can be done.

Do you know of anywhere I could look to find out how PICs are programmed through RS232? I.e., what kind of command would I have to send the board to light up the onboard LED, for example?

[kchriste]

You would program the dsPICDem2 way you normally would; with a ICD2, etc... YOU would need to write the firmware, for the PIC30F4011 on the dsPICDem2, to read the serial port and light up a LED and possibly also write a byte to the serial port to handshake with the LabView application.

[kyri]

You would program the dsPICDem2 way you normally would; with a ICD2, etc... YOU would need to write the firmware, for the PIC30F4011 on the dsPICDem2, to read the serial port and light up a LED and possibly also write a byte to the serial port to handshake with the LabView application.

Ah..damn. I was afraid I'd have to do that. Okay, thanks!

[toddsierer]

I can't speak for the PIC programming, but check out NI Discussion Forums - NI Discussion Forums for free technical support and search "rs232" on ni.com for tutorials, example code and other resources.

Best of luck!
Todd

LabVIEW Community Manager
@toddsierer