Deleting Deployed Files on a Real-Time Controller

Use this procedure to remove deployed application data from an NI Real-Time controller when deployment artifacts may be preventing a successful deployment or application execution. This method allows you to delete deployed data without reformatting the controller or reinstalling software.

Before beginning, ensure that:

• You can access the controller through NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), FTP, or SSH.
• You know the controller operating system.
• You have administrator credentials if required.

Follow the steps below to access and delete deployed data from the target:

1. Open NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX).
2. Right-click the target and select File Transfer.
3. Navigate to the deployment framework directory corresponding to the target operating system.
   1. For targets running VxWorks or Phar Lap ETS: ni-rt/config
   2. For targets running NI Linux Real-Time: /var/local/natinst/deployfwk/config
4. Delete all files and folders in the deployment directory.
5. Reboot the controller.
6. Redeploy the application.

Alternatively, you can delete the files through an SSH connection using Windows PowerShell:

1. Open Windows PowerShell.
2. Establish an SSH connection:

ssh <username>@<target-ip-address>

3. Accept the SSH host key if prompted.
4. Enter the target password if configured.
5. Use one of the following commands:
   1. Delete all files in a folder: rm /path/to/folder/*
   2. Delete a single file: rm /path/to/folder/filename
   3. Delete a folder and all contents: rm -r /path/to/folder
6. Reboot the controller after deleting the files.

As a result, the deployment framework data is removed from the target. After rebooting, you can redeploy the application and verify whether deployment-related issues have been resolved.

The following examples demonstrate how to delete all files, individual files, or entire folders from an NI Linux Real-Time target using the rm command:

• Delete all files in a folder: rm /c/logfiles/*
• Delete a specific file: rm /c/logfiles/test.tdms
• Delete a folder and all files: rm -r /c/logfiles

Use a space between rm, -r, and the target path.