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. | |
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 | 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).
| Document Type | Title | Contents | Rev | Date | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programming Reference Guide | cifX API PR 03 EN.pdf | Description and usage of the standard cifX API | 3 | 10-2014 |