Installing Software to Offline NI Linux Real-Time Targets

This tutorial covers the process for installing software on an offline NI Linux Real-Time target using the NI Linux Real-Time Offline Installation Support bundle.

The offline support bundle contains a package repository of all the packages located on the NI website feed specific to the user-specified release version. The software package repository installer and offline installation support allows the installation of software packages on Linux Real-Time targets when the target and host PC are in a secure environment that cannot access NI website.

The offline support bundle contains all packages available on NI website and uses Linux’s package-based system to install software to the target. The support files allow the host PC to act as a server from which the target retrieves its packages.

Install NI Software

Note:

• If using an offline host PC to connect to the offline target, please also refer to Installing an NI Product Package on an Offline Machine .
• If you are planning to deploy VeriStand project to NI Linux Real-Time Controllers, please refer to VeriStand and NI Linux Real-Time Version Compatibility to download the compatible offline package.

1. Install the latest version of NI Package Manager (PM) on the host PC.

2. Launch NIPM.

3. Search for and install System Configuration and NI Linux Real-Time Offline Installation Support.

4. After the package repository and offline installation support successfully installs to the host PC, close the success dialog.
    

Install Third Party Feed

If third-party drivers are being used, follow these steps to download and install the files to the host PC. Since the target cannot access the internet to fetch the packages, the third-party drivers feed content must be installed in a location on the host PC that NI Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX) uses to serve the packages to the target. If third-party drivers are not being used, skip to the next section.
 

1. Open http://download.ni.com/ni-linux-rt/feeds/2020/ni-third-party in a browser. Change the feed version if necessary.

2. Download all the files on the feed and install them in a new folder inside C:\Program Files\National Instruments\RT Feeds\20.x\. The new folder must not contain any spaces. For example, C:\Program Files\National Instruments\RT Feeds\20.0\third-party-driver-feed.

Note: Some web browsers add a .txt extension to files that have no extensions. Make sure the copied file names match the names on the feed, especially the extension-less "Packages” file.

Install Software on Linux Real-Time Target

1. Launch NI MAX.

2. Expand Remote Systems and navigate to the desired target.

3. Expand the target. Right click and select Add/Remove Software.
   

4. If using a new/formatted device, select the Base System Image to be used on the target. The available versions can be accessed by clicking the gear icon on the left-hand side. Once the selection has been made, click OK.
   
   
   A base system image contains the operating system and components to manage NI software through feeds located on NI website or a user-specified location.

Note: The most recent base system image is selected by default. In case there is no requirement of a base system image to manage the software on the target, it is possible to install software set from the Legacy Installation section only if LabVIEW Real-Time is installed on the host PC. The Legacy Installation method does not exist for PXI Linux RT target.

5. It may be required to format the target after the selection of a new base system image. If formatting is required, click Format when prompted.

6. Once formatted, select the programming environment to use on the target and click Next.
   

7. Select Allow the target to retrieve packages from feeds hosted on this computer and click OK. It might be necessary to select another port if the preselected port is unavailable. The look of the page will be different if the host PC is online or offline:
   • Online Host PC
   
   • Offline Host PC
   

8. Click Yes to allow the NI RT Feed Server to open a port in the firewall.

9. Choose the packages to be installed on the target and click Review changes. Packages are preselected based on the target's base system image and programming environment.
   

10. Review the packages that have been selected for installation and click Continue to retrieve the packages from the host PC and install them onto the target.
    

11. After installation is complete, click Close to dismiss the success dialog.