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Document Type: Tutorial

NI Supported: Yes
Publish Date: Sep 6, 2006

Basic TCP/IP Communication in LabVIEW

Description
Internet Protocol (IP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) are the basic tools for
network communication. The name TCP/IP comes from two of the best-known protocols of the internet protocol suite, the
Transmission Control Protocol and the Internet Protocol. With TCP/IP you can communicate over single networks or
interconnected networks (Internet).

TCP/IP communication provides a simple user interface that conceals the complexities of ensuring reliable network
communications. Refer to the Using LabVIEW with TCP/IP and UDP Application Note (linked below) for more information
about how TCP/IP communication works. Refer to the TCP specification (linked below) for technical details about TCP.

Use the TCP/IP functions located on the Functions»Communication»TCP palette for TCP communication in LabVIEW.
As with DAQ, instrument, and File I/O communication, the process involves opening the connection, reading and writing
the information, and closing the connection.

With most I/O communication, the processor is always the client that initiates a connection to the disk drive server, the
external instrument server, or the DAQ board server. With TCP/IP connections, a computer can function either as the
client or the server. The following block diagram represents a client application that initiates a connection to a remote
server with TCP Open Connection. The server, or daemon, listens for remote connections and responds appropriately.

LabVIEW users can develop custom applications for TCP/IP communication. The programmer is responsible for
developing both the client and the server. Refer to the Using LabVIEW with TCP/IP and UDP Application Note (linked
below) for more information about creating a TCP client with LabVIEW.

Because anyone can initiate a connection to a server, you might want server access control. The following block diagram
shows how the server uses the remote address output value of the TCP Listen VI to determine whether a remote client
has permission to access the server.

Developing Communication Applications

Most applications do more than write and read one value. Communication is an ongoing process that involves protocol.
For example, suppose a client sends the following four commands by 8-bit integer to the server:
1 = acquire data and confirm
2 = send data
3 = get status
4 = close connection

In the following block diagram, a While Loop surrounds the rest of the VI. This allows the VI to handle multiple sequential
connections without having to restart after each connection closes. The VI cannot handle multiple simultaneous
connections. The outer Case structure determines whether a valid connection occurred. If not, nothing happens. If a valid
connection occurs, the VI enters a While Loop that reads one byte from the TCP/IP port. This byte holds commands 1
through 4 from the client. If no command is received within the read timeout period, the default case of the inner Case
structure sends a TRUE value to the continuation terminal of the inner While Loop to keep the connection active.

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The following block diagram shows the other four cases of the inner case statement. Each case handles a specific
command that the server can send. Each case sends information to the continuation terminal, which determines whether
or not to continue the loop. In particular, the Quit case always returns a value of FALSE. After leaving the loop, the server
closes the connection with the client.

This type of server architecture allows you to develop flexible servers for the more complex network communication
procedures. The protocols you develop might be more complex than the preceding example.
Common Applications

Sending acquired data to remote locations

Controlling data acquisition from remote locations
Related Links:
Transmission Control Protocol Specification
Using LabVIEW with TCP/IP and UDP
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