cfp-1804 communication via cfp-2220 crashes RT code

[DrewCommPower]

I am trying to communicate to a cfp-AI-100 on a cfp-1804 through a cfp-2220.  I had it working for several months with numerous code updates/revisions and then the code stopped booting up properly (code crashes during the first iteration and cfp-2220 flashes an orange status light).  I have tracked the cause down to the FP Read VI to the cfp-AI-100.  The code crashes even with a simple FP Read in a while loop (I posted a snip it of the code), other modules read/write without issue.  If I run the code without the 1804 connected to the network, the code runs without issue.  I have tried several different 1804s, 2220s, AI modules, ethernet paraphernalia, host PCs, backplanes, code versions, software versions, etc. I have tried returning to previous versions of my code but even those no longer work.  I am at a loss.

Current software/firmware

1804 firmware - 6.05 (I have also tried 6.08 that I found linked in a forum, why is this not on the NI download page?)

2220 software - Fieldpoint 6.09 - Aug 2011

Labview 2011

Windows 7 Enterpirse

[JaymeW]

Hi DrewCommPower,

First, how many times does the Status LED on the 2220 flash?  The different numbers of flashes indicate different states of the controller.  Second, how do you recover the cFP once it is in this state?  Do you have to reboot it?

[DrewCommPower]

The status LED flashes orange once when it crashes.  Shortly afterwards it will flash 2 times at times during my testing it has also flashed 4 times.  Most often I need to reboot the cfp-2220 in order to reestablish communication.

My current theory is that the driver that I installed recently, NI-Industrial Communications for EtherCAT 2.2, is somehow the cause of my  problems.  Maybe you can guys can recreate this?  I have found that computers that I installed the driver on all have the same problem.  I have deleted the driver from my main desktop and it now appears to be able to run the code that I posted earlier althought my orginal full code still does not run.

[David-A]

Hi Drew,

Thanks for the information.  We've got a service request open with you so lets communicate through that then update this forum post when we find a solution.

David A

[Lauren_CPC · Accepted solution]

I work with Drew and thought I would give some info in case someone else has this issue.  What we eventually found was that somehow the configuration on the controller was getting out of sync with what we had in the project.  Typically we use ftp to put the new version on the controller (cFP-2220).  If the IO configuration in the project has not changed this works fine.  However, if you add/remove a module or change the channel names you have to re-deploy the IO settings from the project.  I think the other thing that can mess it up is if you open MAX for troubleshooting & auto discover the hardware.  It uses default channel names, then it asks you to save when you exit & the default settings are downloaded to the controller.  The controller will then be out of sync with your project, and in our case we found that our exe just would not run (unless you disconnected the 1804 which had the wrong settings).  We also found that you can fix this by using the ".iak" file created by the project, open it in MAX and save/download the settings to the controller.  Hope this helps!