User`s guide

the NI_User_Manual file on the MPS web page for details on the procedure to install LabVIEW on your laptop.
The studio desktops have the software installed but it will be extremely helpful and instructive for students to have
their own copies for this exercise.
LabVIEW Interface for Program Development
The LabVIEW VIs for the Microprocessor Systems course are designed to send and receive CAN messages to and
from the CAN Demo Box and RC car in the lab. The front panel features a table that displays all of the CAN data
including timestamp, ID, frame type, bytes, and data. There is also the option to filter messages by ID, which is
useful when focusing on one specific function or part of the car. The sending VI allows the user to transmit data on
a specific ID to the car. This is done manually (no control interfaces such as knobs, etc.) and students who are
interested in expanding their LabVIEW skills will be able to expand on this. Start with LabVIEW VIs
CAN Receive.vi and CAN Transmit – event based.vi and then move to the similar versions, but customized,
CAN-viewer-MPS.vi and CAN-sender-MPS.vi. NOTE: the default version of LabVIEW is 11, but 2 older
versions of these VIs are available, with (10) and (8.6) in their file names.
Some numerical conversions may be required for meaningful data in receiving mode. Sending mode does not
require any conversion since the data value is user-defined. This aims to help in the education and understanding
of the entire system since the data range must be understood. All pertinent information can be found in the data
dictionary.
PART II - LabVIEW VI Development and RC Car
This portion of the lab will add the RC car to the CAN bus and control its functions with the LabVIEW VIs CAN-
viewer-MPS.vi and CAN-sender-MPS.vi. All the assigned Arbitration IDs from 1 to 11 can be used to activate
their respective functions or receive respective status information. The exercise in VI development will have
students copy CAN-viewer-MPS.vi to a new file and add new control panel indicators to the new file. The goal is
to create a VI that is able to display all the functions and status available on the RC car.
Figure 3: The CAN-sender-MPS.vi front panel for sending CAN commands on the bus.