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The CIFX-API is the common CIFX/COMX/netX Application Programming Interface (CIFX API) and describes the containing functions, offered for all Hilscher standard devices based on netX controller hardware.

Aim of the API is to provide applications a target and fieldbus independent programming interface to netX based hardware running a standard Hilscher fieldbus protocol or
firmware which meet the Hilscher netX dual port memory (netX DPM) definitions, described in the 'netX Dual Port Memory Interface' manual).

The API is designed to give the user easy access to all of the communication board functionalities.

API Function Overview

Function Group

Function

Description

Driver

xDriverOpen

Opens the driver, allowing access to every driver function

xDriverClose

Closes an open connection to the driver

xDriverGetInformation

Retrieves driver information (e.g. Version)

xDriverGetErrorDescription

Retrieves an English description of a cifX driver error code

xDriverEnumBoards

Enumerate through all boards/devices the driver is managing

xDriverEnumChannels

Enumerate through all channels located on a specific board

xDriverRestartDevice

Restart a device

xDriverMemoryPointer

Get/Release a pointer to the dual port memory.

This function should only be used for debugging purpose

Function Group

Function

Description

System Device

xSysdeviceOpen

Opens a connection to a boards system device

xSysdeviceClose

Closes a connection to a system device

Device Administrational/Informational functions

xSysdeviceInfo

Get System device specific information (e.g. mailbox size)

xSysdeviceReset

Perform a device reset

xSysdeviceBootstart

Perform a device boot start.
This will activate the 2nd Stage bootloader. An available firmware will not be started.
Note: Only possible on FLASH based devices.

xSysdeviceDownload

Downloads a file/configuration/firmware to the device

xSysdeviceUpload

Uploads a file/configuration/firmware from the device

xSysdeviceFindFirstFile

Find the first file entry in the given directory

xSysdeviceFindNextFile

Find the next file entry in the given directory

xSysdeviceExtendedMemory

Get a pointer to an available extended memory area

Asynchronous services (Packets)

xSysdeviceGetMBXState

Retrieves the system mailbox state

xSysdeviceGetPacket

Retrieves a pending packet from the system mailbox

xSysdevicePutPacket

Send a packet to the system mailbox

Function Group

Function

Description

Communication
Channel

xChannelOpen

Opens a connection to a communication channel

xChannelClose

Closes a connection

Asynchronous services (Packets)

xChannelGetMBXState

Retrieve the channels mailbox state

xChannelGetPacket

Retrieve a pending packet from the channel mailbox

xChannelPutPacket

Send a packet to the channel mailbox

xChannelGetSendPacket

Read back the last sent packet

Device Administrational/Informational functions

xChannelDownload

Download a file/configuration to the channel

xChannelReset

Reset the channel

xChannelInfo

Retrieve channel specific information

xChannelWatchdog

Activate/Deactivate/Trigger the channel Watchdog

xChannelHostState

Set the application state flag in the application COS flags, to signal the hardware if an application is running or not

xChannelBusState

Set the bus state flag in the application COS state flags, to start or stop fieldbus communication.

xChannelControlBlock

Access the channel control block

xChannelCommonStatusBlock

Access to the common status block

xChannelExtendedStatusBlock

Access to the extended status block

xChannelUserBlock

Access user block (not implemented yet!)

Cyclic Data services (I/O's)

xChannelIORead

Instructs the device to place the latest data into the DPM and passes them to the user

xChannelIOWrite

Copies the data to the DPM and waits for the firmware to retrieve them

xChannelIOReadSendData

Reads back the last send data

Cyclic Data services (I/O's, PLC optimized)

xChannelPLCMemoryPtr

Get a pointer to the I/O memory block

xChannelPLCActivateRead

Instruct the firmware to place the latest input data into the I/O memory block (no wait for completion)

xChannelPLCActivateWrite

Instruct the firmware to retrieve the latest output data from the I/O memory block (no wait for completion)

xChannelPLCIsReadReady

Checks if the last read activation has finished

xChannelPLCIsWriteReady

Checks if the last write activation has finished

DMA services

xChannelDMAState

Activate/Deactivate DMA mode

Bus synchronous operation

xChannelSyncState

Wait for a synchronization event or trigger / acknowledge a sync event

Notification services (only available in Interrupt mode)

xChannelRegisterNotification

Register a notification callback

xChannelUnregisterNotification

Un-register a notification callback

 

In addition, Hilscher also offers a free of charge cifX Toolkit (C-source code based) which allows to write own drivers based on the Hilscher netX DPM definitions including
the CIFX API functions (the toolkit is described in a separate cifX/netX Toolkit manual, see NXDRV-TKIT).

 

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