This tutorial describes how to add the NI CompactRIO FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) target to your project and how to deploy your LabVIEW code from your laptop to CompactRIO, where it runs. This tutorial also examines how to build a source distribution, which you can use to package all of the VIs that you create into one file, so you are able to share them with others.

For an introduction to the Project Explorer, please reference the LabVIEW Environment tutorial. This walks you through the basic parts of the project.

Downloading Code to Project

Adding Target to Project

Use the Add Targets and Devices dialog box to add a target or device to a LabVIEW Project.

Note: You must have a module or driver that supports targets installed to display this dialog box.

Right-click the project root and select New >> Targets and Devices from the shortcut menu to display the Add Targets and Devices dialog box. If a target in the project supports other targets, you also can right-click the target and select New >> Targets and Devices from the shortcut menu to add a target under the existing target.

You must use a project to work with the NI CompactRIO FRC robot controller. You can find this under the Real-Time CompactRIO section. More information is included in the NI CompactRIO system instructions.

Deploying Files to a Target

In the Project Explorer window, open and run a VI that is located under the FRC CompactRIO resource to deploy files to the target.

When you run the VI, LabVIEW deploys the source files, build outputs, and hardware configuration to the target.

Building a Source Distribution

A source distribution is a collection of files that you can package and send to users. Source distributions are useful if you want to send code to other team members to use in LabVIEW.

Complete the following steps to build a source distribution.

1. Open the LabVIEW Project you want to use to build the source distribution. You must have a project open and saved to configure a source distribution build specification.

2. Prepare the VIs you want to use to build the source distribution. Save changes to any VIs in memory.

3. Expand My Computer. Right-click Build Specifications and select New >> Source Distribution from the shortcut menu to display the Source Distribution Properties dialog box.