Bergmans Mechatronics LLC

LabSocket
User Guide

LabSocket v3.4

July 2015

Copyright © 2015 Bergmans Mechatronics LLC

Alliance
Partner

BML Document BML-­‐2015-­‐105.4.1

 Table of Contents

1.    Introduction  ............................................................................................................  1  
1.1    Supported  Platforms  ........................................................................................................................................  1  
1.2    Client  Mapping  ....................................................................................................................................................  1  
1.3    Downloading  and  Activating  LabSocket  VIPM  File  .............................................................................  2  
1.4    LabSocket  Server  ...............................................................................................................................................  2  
1.5    Licensing,  Executables  and  Real-­‐Time  Deployments  ........................................................................  3  
1.6    Contact  ...................................................................................................................................................................  3  
2.    System  Requirements  .............................................................................................  4  
2.1    Browsers  ...............................................................................................................................................................  4  
2.2    LabVIEW  Development  Platform  ...............................................................................................................  4  
2.3    LabSocket  Server  Virtual  Machine  Host  ..................................................................................................  4  
2.4    Supported  NI  Real-­‐Time  Linux  Platforms  ..............................................................................................  5  
2.5    LabSocket  Server  Ports  ...................................................................................................................................  5  
3.    Theory  of  Operation  ................................................................................................  6  
3.1    Overview  ...............................................................................................................................................................  6  
3.2    Client  Mapping  Modes  .....................................................................................................................................  6  
3.3    LabSocket  Server  ...............................................................................................................................................  7  
4.    Setup  Instructions  ...................................................................................................  9  
4.1    LabSocket  Server  Virtual  Machine  Installation  ....................................................................................  9  
4.2    LabSocket  Software  Installation  ..............................................................................................................  11  
4.3    Uninstalling  LabSocket  Software  .............................................................................................................  12  
5.    LabSocket  Application  Development  .....................................................................  13  
5.1    Creating  a  Basic  Mapping  Mode  Application  ......................................................................................  13  
5.2    Creating  a  MultiClient  Mapping  Mode  Application  ..........................................................................  19  
5.2.1  MultiClient  Mapping  Mode  –  How  it  Works  ......................................................................................  19  
5.2.2    Step-­‐by-­‐Step  Instructions  .........................................................................................................................  20  
6    Standalone  Applications  .........................................................................................  27  
6.1    Basic  Mapping  ..................................................................................................................................................  27  
6.2    MultiClient  Mapping  ......................................................................................................................................  31  
6.3    Deploying  to  NI  Linux  Real-­‐Time  Targets  ...........................................................................................  39  
7.    Example  Files  ........................................................................................................  45  
8.    LabSocket  Start  VIs  ................................................................................................  47  
9.    LabSocket  Status  Window  .....................................................................................  50  
9.1    Log  Page  .............................................................................................................................................................  50  
9.2    Clients  Page  .......................................................................................................................................................  50  
9.3    Diagnostics  Page  .............................................................................................................................................  51  
10.    Advanced  Features  ..............................................................................................  53  
10.1    Preprocessor  Tags  .......................................................................................................................................  53  
10.2    Picture  Rings  and  High-­‐Fidelity  Boolean  Elements  ......................................................................  55  
10.3    Developer  Customization  .........................................................................................................................  56  
10.3.1    Arbitrary  JavaScript  for  the  Browser  ...............................................................................................  56  

BML-2015-105.4.1 i
 10.3.2    Custom  JavaScript  for  Unsupported  Elements  .............................................................................  58  
10.4    Working  with  Images  .................................................................................................................................  59  
11.    User  Administration  ............................................................................................  61  

BML-2015-105.4.1 ii
1. Introduction
LabSocket enables remote access to LabVIEW applications from desktop or
mobile web browsers without the need for browser plugins or a client-side run
time engine. The system automatically creates a web page representation of a
LabVIEW application (“Target VI”) front panel and dynamically synchronizes the
contents of the web page and front panel.

A key technology used in the system is the HTML5 WebSocket interface that
enables continuous, bi-directional communication with a web browser. The use
of this interface contributes to the name of the system: "LabSocket = LabVIEW
+ WebSocket".

This User Guide describes the setup and operation of the LabSocket software.
The guide assumes that the user is familiar with LabVIEW but has only a basic
level of Linux and server virtualization experience.

1.1 Supported Platforms

LabSocket operates on Windows PC (Windows XP or later) and NI cRIO-903x
Real-Time controllers. On the cRIO-903x platforms, the system only operates in
“Headless” operation mode. Further expansion of the family of NI Real-Time
Linux platforms and support for “Interactive” operation mode is planned.

1.2 Client Mapping

On Windows platforms, LabSocket can be configured for one of two client
mapping configurations: Basic mode supports 1:N Target VI-to-browser client
mapping. In this mode one or more browsers connect to the same instance of a
Target VI.

MultiClient mode supports N:N Target VI instance-to-browser client mapping. In

this mode, each browser that connects to the system is mapped to a unique
instance of the Target VI.

On CompactRIO 903x platforms, only Basic mapping is currently supported;

however, support for MultiClient mapping is planned. The supported mappings
are summarized in Table 1.

BML-2015-105.4.1 1
 Table 1. Client Mapping Modes
Client Mapping Mode
Platform Basic MultiClient
Desktop Yes Yes
cRIO-903x Yes Planned

Mapping modes are discussed in detail in Section 3, Theory of Operation.

1.3 Downloading and Activating LabSocket VIPM File

LabSocket is available for download via the LabVIEW VI Package Manager or the
LabVIEW Tools Network (Section 4.2, LabSocket Software Installation). The
LabSocket VIPM package file may be used in evaluation mode for up to 30 days.

To activate LabSocket, purchase a license via the LabVIEW Tools Network

(www.ni.com/labviewtools/labsocket). Then in LabVIEW, select "Help >
Activate Add-ons" and enter the license ID and password provided via
e-mail after purchase.

1.4 LabSocket Server

An important component of the system is the "LabSocket Server" software that
acts as a bridge between LabVIEW and the browser. This software consists
primarily of an HTTP server and message broker. The two main implementations,
of this software are:
1. a customer-operated Virtual Machine (most popular for production); and,
2. an existing cloud server (for getting started quickly with the system).
A notable benefit of the VM implementation is that it enables the entire
LabSocket system to be easily set up within a customer LAN. Additional details
about the download, setup and operation of the LabSocket Server VM are
provided in Section 4.1, LabSocket Server Virtual Machine Installation.

LabSocket Server VM is provided at no cost for both evaluation and commercial

purposes.

BML-2015-105.4.1 2
1.5 Licensing, Executables and Real-Time Deployments
The LabSocket licensing agreement allows the software to be installed on a
single developer platform. From this single development platform, developers
may:
a) create an unlimited number of standalone Windows executables that
incorporate the LabSocket software and deploy these executables to an
unlimited number of Windows platforms; and,
b) create an unlimited number of Real-Time applications that incorporate
the LabSocket software and deploy these applications to an unlimited
number of CompactRIO 903x devices.

Full licensing terms can be found under "Help > LabSocket License..." after
LabSocket installation. See Section 6 for instructions on creating executables
and real-time applications.

1.6 Contact
For assistance with system setup or questions about the system, please
contact:

John Bergmans
Bergmans Mechatronics LLC
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 1-714-474-8956 (8 AM to 6 PM US Pacific Time)
Skype: johnbergmans

BML-2015-105.4.1 3
2. System Requirements
2.1 Browsers
Browsers that use the LabSocket system must be compatible with the HTML5
WebSocket interface standard. Fortunately, most modern mobile and desktop
browsers are compatible with this standard. A complete list of WebSocket-
compatible browsers is shown at: http://caniuse.com/websockets

For users who require support for older browsers such as Internet Explorer 9.0
and earlier, a commercial gateway product can be provided to emulate the
behavior of the WebSocket interface.

2.2 LabVIEW Development Platform

LabVIEW LabVIEW 2013 32-bit Full Development
System or later. Support for earlier
versions of LabVIEW is available upon
request.
Minimum Hardware 2.3 GHz CPU and 4 GB memory
•

Operating System Windows XP or later

2.3 LabSocket Server Virtual Machine Host

The LabSocket Server Virtual Machine (VM) operates within the free Oracle
VirtualBox virtualization application. Platform requirements for the LabSocket
Server Virtual Machine (VM) host are
Minimum Hardware 2.3 GHz CPU and 4 GB memory
•

Operating Systems Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris

Additional details about VirtualBox host platforms can be found at:

https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch01.html - hostossupport

Note that it is feasible to install VirtualBox and VM on the LabVIEW Host

Platform.

The LabSocket Server VM can also be supplied as a Parallels VM upon request.

BML-2015-105.4.1 4
2.4 Supported NI Real-Time Linux Platforms
LabSocket is compatible with the new series of CompactRIO 903x NI Linux Real-
Time controllers. The following elements are supported on these platforms:
• Numeric controls and indicators, including enums
• String controls and indicators
• Boolean controls and indicators, including booleans with images
Tab elements, decorations and static pictures are also supported.

Full support on cRIO-903x platforms for elements such as XY Graphs,

MultiColumn ListBoxes and Dynamic Pictures is planned in an upcoming release.

On CompactRIO 903x platforms, only Basic mapping is currently supported;

Support for MultiClient mapping is planned.

It should be noted that, previously, a separate and now-discontinued version of

the LabSocket known as “LabSocket-RT”, enabled browser access to Real-Time
targets. LabSocket-RT had support for only a subset of the front panel
elements of desktop LabSocket and also required the use of a "LabSocket-RT
Converter Tool". As described in Section 6.3, Deploying to NI Linux Real-Time
Targets, Target VIs can now be deployed directly to cRIO-903x platforms
without the need to use the VI conversion tool.

2.5 LabSocket Server Ports

LabSocket Server ports 80 and 61614 must be accessible to the browser and
LabSocket Server port 61613 must accessible to the LabVIEW Host Platform.
The system may be modified to enable all browser traffic to use only port 80.
Contact Bergmans Mechatronics for details.

BML-2015-105.4.1 5
3. Theory of Operation

3.1 Overview
To enable remote access to a LabVIEW application, or "Target VI", over the
Web, LabSocket operates "LabSocket Support VIs" on the LabVIEW Host
Platform in parallel to the Target VI. The LabSocket Support VIs operate
unobtrusively and perform two key functions:

1. Upon starting the system, the Support VIs perform a screenscrape of the
Target VI front panel. This function involves generating a web page using
HTML and JavaScript code representing the Target VI front panel. This
code is then posted to an HTTP server on the LabSocket Server platform.

2. After performing the screen scrape, the Support VIs continuously

synchronize the properties of the elements on the front panel of the
Target VI with those in the browser.

3.2 Client Mapping Modes

LabSocket can operate in two Client Mapping Modes. Basic Client Mapping
enables 1:N Target VI-to-browser client mapping. In this mode, each browser
that connects to the system is mapped to the same Target VI (Figure 1). As a
result, each remote user sees the same data and can also control the Target VI.

WebSocket
Interface TCP-IP
Socket
Interface
Browser
(Target VI 1)
HTTP Server
LabSocket
Browser Message Target
Support
(Target VI 2) Broker VI
VIs
…

LabSocket
Server LabVIEW
Browser
(Target VI n) LabVIEW Host PC or
NI Real-Time Linux Platform
Physical Machine or
Virtual Machine
Figure 1. LabSocket in Basic Client Mapping Mode

BML-2015-105.4.1 6
MultiClient Client Mapping Mode supports N:N Target VI instance-to-browser
client mapping. In this mode, each browser that connects to the system is
mapped to a unique instance of the Target VI (Figure 2). MultiClient Mode is
ideal for applications in which each user must operate the Target VI
independently. Examples of such applications include database access systems
and on-line quizzes.

Data exchange via

Server VI Functional Globals
or Queues, etc

Browser Target
(Target VI 1) VI 1
HTTP Server
LabSocket
Browser Message Target Target VI
Support
(Target VI 2) Broker VI 2 Prototype
VIs
(inactive)

…
…

LabSocket
Server Target
Browser VI n
(Target VI n)
LabVIEW
LabVIEW Host PC

Figure 2. LabSocket System in MultiClient Client Mapping Mode

The Client Mapping mode is selected based on which LabSocket Start VI is added
to the block diagram of the Target VI. “LabSocket Start.vi” and “LabSocket-MC
Start.vi” invoke Basic and MultiClient mapping, respectively. Additional
information on the use of these VIs is presented in Section 5, LabSocket
Application Development. Wiring input details for the VIs is available in
Section 8, LabSocket Start VIs.

3.3 LabSocket Server

The LabSocket Server software is a group of three programs that form a bridge
between the browser client(s) and LabVIEW software: i) an Apache ActiveMQ
message broker; ii) an Apache HTTP server; and, iii) a lightweight administrative
program. The role of each component in this group is as follows:

1. The ActiveMQ message broker (http://activemq.apache.org/) transfers

data between the LabSocket Support VIs and the browser. A key feature
of this message broker is that it is able to establish a WebSocket
interface to the browser. This interface enables continuous, bidirectional

BML-2015-105.4.1 7
 communications with the browser.

Another benefit of the use of the ActiveMQ message broker is that it

includes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) interface that
enables the implementation of an optional LDAP-based user authorization
mechanism (See Section 11, User Administration).

2. The HTTP server transmits HTML and JavaScript code to each browser
that connects to the system.

3. Administrative software on the LabSocket Server platform manages the

browser code that is received from the LabSocket Support Vis.

The two main physical implementations of the LabSocket Server software are:

1. A customer-operated Virtual Machine (most popular for production). A

pre-configured VirtualBox Virtual Machine (VM) is available for use with
evaluation and commercial versions of the LabSocket software.

The use of a VM enables the entire LabSocket system to be easily set up

within a customer LAN and assures customers complete control and
ownership of the system and their data. The VM may be downloaded
from the National Instruments LabVIEW Tools Network repository (See
Section 4.1, LabSocket Server Virtual Machine Installation)

2. An existing Cloud Server (Quick start option) - This option is available for
free for use with the LabSocket evaluation software and enables
developers to get started quickly with the use of the system.

The use of both of these configurations of the system is described in this

document.

Commercial users can also use one of the following two LabSocket Server
implementations. Please contact Bergmans Mechatronics to discuss and request
these options.

1. Customer Cloud Server - A pre-configured cloud server instance that

contains the LabSocket Server software can be leased for the exclusive
use of a customer.

2. Native Operation – Free, detailed instructions are provided for setting up

the individual LabSocket Server components directly on a customer’s
Windows, Mac or Linux platform.

BML-2015-105.4.1 8
4. Setup Instructions
This section provides step-by-step instructions on the installation of the
LabSocket system. The instructions consist of two parts: i) LabSocket Server
Virtual Machine installation; and, ii) LabSocket software installation.

Instructions to optionally uninstall the LabSocket software are also presented in

this section.

4.1 LabSocket Server Virtual Machine Installation

NOTE - If you plan to use the LabSocket Server software on Bergmans

Mechatronics’ existing Cloud Server, proceed to Section 4.2, LabSocket
Software Installation, to begin installation of the LabSocket software.

1. Download and install the Oracle VirtualBox virtualization application

(http://virtualbox.org) onto the physical machine that will act as the host
platform for the Virtual Machine (VM). This host can use a Windows, Mac
OSX or Linux operating system and may be either the LabVIEW Host PC or
a separate physical machine.

2. Download the LabSocket Server VM Open Virtualization Format Archive

(OVA) file named “LabSocket Server v3_4.ova" from the National
Instruments LabVIEW Tools Network repository
(http://www.ni.com/gate/gb/GB_EVALTLKTLABSOCKET/US) or from a
Dropbox link provided by Bergmans Mechatronics.

The LabSocket Server VM OVA file contains a Virtual Machine with Ubuntu
13.10 operating system, Apache HTTP server, ActiveMQ message broker
and administrative software. All of this software is preconfigured and will
automatically begin execution when the VM is started.

3. Start VirtualBox

4. Select File > Import Appliance...

5. Navigate to the location of the OVA file and import it

6. From the Oracle VM Virtual Manager window, select the newly imported
server and press the Start button. A new terminal window will open.

BML-2015-105.4.1 9
 7. At the prompt, log in the VM using the username “labsocket” and
password “labsocket” (no quotes for either value).

8. To enhance the security of the VM, change your password by entering the
command

passwd

Enter and re-enter a new password of your choice when prompted.

9. Type the following command to obtain the IP address of the VM

ifconfig

Note the IP address for the "eth0" interface. This is the IP address that
will be used later for communication with the LabSocket software on this
VM.

10.The HTTP server, message broker and administrative software are all
launched automatically when the VM is started. There is therefore no
additional work required in the VM. End this terminal session using the
command

logout

11.The LabSocket Server VM is now ready for use and will continue to
operate in the background until it is stopped using the VirtualBox Manager
window.

BML-2015-105.4.1 10
4.2 LabSocket Software Installation

1. Start LabVIEW on your LabVIEW Host Platform.

2. Install the LabSocket VIPM package

a. Start VIPM by selecting Tools > VI Package Manager...
b. In the JKI Package Manager window select the VIPM file named
LabSocket
c. In the LabSocket Package window, click Install
d. VIPM will display LabSocket and the OpenG LabVIEW ZIP Library
and its dependencies in a list of Products to be installed. Click
Continue
e. After installation, LabSocket and the OpenG LabVIEW ZIP Library
and its dependencies will be displayed in a list of results of the last
action. Click Finish
f. In the LabSocket Package window, select File > Close
g. The LabSocket package should now be visible in the JKI VI Package
Manager window.
h. In the JKI VI Package Manager window, select File > Exit
i. Exit LabVIEW

3. Restart LabVIEW. Installation of the LabSocket package is now complete.

Alternate VIPM File Source

NOTE - The LabSocket VIPM file can optionally be downloaded from the
LabVIEW Tools Network FTP directory:
http://www.ni.com/gate/gb/GB_EVALTLKTLABSOCKET/US

In this case, substitute Step 2b above with the following two steps:

i. In the JKI Package Manager window select File > Open Package File(s).
ii. Select downloaded vip file and click Open.

BML-2015-105.4.1 11
4.3 Uninstalling LabSocket Software

1. Start LabVIEW

2. Remove LabSocket VIPM Package

a. Start VIPM by selecting Tools > VI Package Manager...
b. In the LabSocket Package Manager window, scroll through the list
of packages to find the LabSocket package
c. Right-click on the LabSocket package
d. Select Uninstall…
e. VIPM will display LabSocket as the only item in a list of Products to
be un-installed. Click Continue.
f. After installation, LabSocket will be shown as having been un-
installed. Click Finish
g. In the JKI VI Package Manager window, select File > Exit
h. Exit LabVIEW

3. Restart LabVIEW. Uninstallation of the LabSocket evaluation package is

now complete.

Note that the OpenG LabVIEW ZIP library and its dependencies may optionally
be uninstalled as part of the uninstall process.

BML-2015-105.4.1 12
5. LabSocket Application Development
This section describes the process of developing desktop applications that
operate within the LabVIEW development environment using either Basic and
MultiClient client mapping modes. For an overview of client mapping refer to
Section 3.2, Client Mapping Modes.

5.1 Creating a Basic Mapping Mode Application

This section demonstrates how to use the LabSocket system to access a simple
Target VI in Basic Mapping mode from a browser.

1. Create a new LabVIEW VI. From the main LabVIEW window, select File >
New VI

2. A key component of the LabSocket system is a VI named LabSocket

Start.vi. This VI calls the LabSocket Support VIs which in turn
i) perform the front panel screenscrape; and,
ii) synchronize the front panel and browser controls and indicators.
Right-click in the block diagram of the new VI and
select Addons>LabSocket > LabSocket Start.vi (Figure 3). Then, drag and
drop this VI into the block diagram of the new VI.

BML-2015-105.4.1 13
 Figure 3. Selecting LabSocket Start.vi from Functions Palette

BML-2015-105.4.1 14
 3. Wire the following three terminals of LabSocket Start.vi (Figure 4):
• IP Address – a cluster containing two strings is wired to this input:
o LabSocket_Server is the IP address of the LabSocket Server.
Two options are available here:

i) Enter the IP Address of the LabSocket Server Virtual

Machine relative to the LabVIEW Host platform. (Recall that
this IP address value was obtained in Section 4.1, step 9).
OR
ii) Enter the string “labsocket.com” (without quotes) to use
the LabSocket Server software on Bergmans Mechatronics’
existing cloud server. This option is intended for users who
want to quickly start using the system and not for
production purposes.

o External is the IP address of the LabSocket Server VM relative

to the browser. Leave this value blank if this address is the
same as the LabSocket_Server IP address or you’re using
Bergmans Mechatronics’ cloud server.

• Server Credentials – a cluster of two text strings each containing the

string “LabVIEW” is wired to this input. This is the default value for
this input and matches the default settings of the message broker.
(See Section 11, User Administration, for instructions on changing the
message broker credentials)

• URL – wire a string indicator to this terminal. This indicator will display
the URL at which the Target VI may be accessed with a browser. The
URL is based on the filename of the VI. If “labsocket.com” is used as
the LabSocket Server IP address, a random four-digit number is
appended to the URL.

Details about the terminals of LabSocket Start.vi are available in Section 8,

LabSocket Start VIs.

4. Add a while loop, a Wait VI, and simple controls and indicators as shown
below (Figure 4). Wire the error out terminal of LabSocket Start.vi to the
edge of the while loop. This wire forces LabSocket Start.vi to complete
execution before the while loop starts.

BML-2015-105.4.1 15
 a) Block Diagram

b) Front Panel
Figure 4. Simple Demo.vi

5. Set the mechanical action of buttons to either "Switched when Pressed"

or "Switched when Released". Save the file to disk. In this guide, the

BML-2015-105.4.1 16
 filename Simple Demo.vi is used, although any name is acceptable.

6. Start the VI by pressing the VI Run button.

7. The LabSocket Status window will appear. The URL at which the Target VI
may be accessed will be displayed in the Log page of this window
(Figure 5). This URL will match that output on the URL terminal of
LabSocket Start.vi. See Section 9, LabSocket Status Window, for
additional information about the LabSocket Status window

Figure 5. LabSocket Status Window (Log Page)

BML-2015-105.4.1 17
 8. When a browser is pointed to the URL displayed in the LabSocket
Status window, it will automatically display a representation of the Front
Panel. All supported controls and indicators in the front panel will also
become synchronized with those in the browser (Figures 6 and 7).

Each browser that connects to the system via the URL of the web client
will contain the same content as the first browser. Each user also has the
ability to change any of the active controls in the browser.

Figure 6. Front Panel of Target VI “Simple Demo.vi”

Figure 7. Browser Representation of Target VI “SimpleDemo.vi”

BML-2015-105.4.1 18
5.2 Creating a MultiClient Mapping Mode Application

5.2.1 MultiClient Mapping Mode – How it Works

In MultiClient Mapping mode, each browser client connects to a unique instance
of the Target VI. With reference to Figure 8, this mapping mode operates as
follows: A “Server” VI is the top level VI in the application. The “LabSocket-MC
Start” VI on the block diagram of this VI is used to invoke MultiClient Mapping
mode

“LabSocket-MC Start” VI is similar to the “LabSocket Start” VI described in the

Basic Mapping mode section but includes two additional inputs: 1) the path to
the Target VI; and, 2) the maximum number of browser clients that may connect
to the system.

Server VI Path to Target VI Prototype is

LabSocket-MC input into LabSocket-MC Start.vi
Start.vi

Target
VI 1
Target VI
Prototype
Browser 1 LabSocket (inactive)
Target
Browser 2 Support
VI 2
Browser n VIs
…

Data to and
from browsers Target
VI n
Copies of Target VI
(Front panels not visible)
Figure 8 Overview of MultiClient Mapping Mode

As browsers connect to and disconnect from the system, LabSocket starts and
stops unique instances of the Target VI. When a browser is connected to the
system, LabSocket automatically synchronizes each browser with a unique
Target VI instance. The significance of MultiClient mapping mode is that is
enables each remote user to interact in an independent session with an instance
of the Target VI

BML-2015-105.4.1 19
5.2.2 Step-by-Step Instructions
The following instructions show how to use LabSocket to access a Target VI in
MultiClient Mapping mode. The instructions consist of creating two VIs: 1) a
simple Target VI; and, 2) a top-level Server VI that calls the LabSocket software
and identifies the Target VI.

1. Create a new Target VI that contains a while loop, a Wait VI, a Get
Date/Time String VI, and controls and indicators as shown below
(Figure 9). It is important to note that in MultiClient Mapping mode, the
Target VI does not contain any LabSocket VIs.

2. Set the mechanical action of the Stop button to either "Switched when
Pressed" or "Switched when Released". Save the file to disk. In this guide,
the filename MultiClientTarget.vi is used, although any name is
acceptable.

BML-2015-105.4.1 20
 a) Block Diagram

b) Front Panel

Figure 9. MultiClientTarget.vi

BML-2015-105.4.1 21
 3. Create a new Server VI. Add to this VI a while loop, a Wait VI, and
controls and indicators as shown below (Figure 10).

4. Also add the LabSocket-MC Start.vi to the block diagram of the Server VI.
This VI can be found in the Tools Palette under Addons>LabSocket
(Figure 11).

5. LabSocket-MC Start.vi has the same terminals as LabSocket Start.vi plus

two additional terminals:
• Maximum Number of Clients – This terminal specifies the maximum
number of browsers that can connect to the system simultaneously.
For this application, set this input to 10.
• Target VI – This terminal specifies the path to the Target VI. For this
application, add i) a reference to the Target VI created above; ii) a VI
Path property node; and, iii) a Close Reference VI and wire these
elements together (See the block diagram in Figure 10).

6. Save the Server VI. In this guide the filename Server.vi is used, though
any name is allowed.

BML-2015-105.4.1 22
 a) Block Diagram

b) Front Panel

Figure 10. MultiClientServer.vi

BML-2015-105.4.1 23
 Figure 11. Selecting LabSocket-MC Start.vi from Functions Palette

BML-2015-105.4.1 24
 7. Start the application by pressing the Run Arrow in the Server.vi front
panel. Note that MultiClientTarget.vi is not running and will remain in this
state for the duration of this exercise.

8. Point several browsers to the URL displayed in the LabSocket

Status window. Each browser will be connected to a unique instance of
the Target VI as shown in Figure 12. These instances are copies of the
Target VI that are created automatically as peers to the Target VI for
each browser client. The file name of each instance is the name of the
Target VI with the characters “_XXX” appended to the name, when XXX is
a unique ID number for the browser client. When a browser client
disconnects from the system, its corresponding Target VI instance is
automatically deleted.

BML-2015-105.4.1 25
 Figure 12. Three Browsers, Each Connected to a Unique Instance of
MultiClientTarget.vi

BML-2015-105.4.1 26
6 Standalone Applications
Two types of standalone applications may be created using LabSocket: I)
executables for Windows platforms; and, ii) deployed applications for
CompactRIO 903x NI Linux Real-Time Targets. Any number of either application
type may be created using a single LabSocket license.

Sections 6.1 and 6.2 describe procedure for creating standalone executables
using Basic and MultiClient Client Mapping, respectively. Section 6.3 provides
instructions on how to deploy a Basic Client Mapping application to a cRIO-903x
platform.

6.1 Basic Mapping

This procedure demonstrates how to create a standalone Windows executable
using the Simple Demo.vi Target created in Section 5.1, Creating a Basic
Mapping Mode Application, as an example. Figure 13 shows the initial state of
the Basic Mapping.lvproj example LabVIEW project that will be used to create
the standalone executable.

Figure 13. Initial State of Basic Mapping,lvproj Project

1. Right-click on Build Specifications and select New>Application (EXE). This

opens the Application Properties Dialog Box.

2. On the Information page, enter values for the Build Specification Name,
Target Filename and Destination Directory. Any values may be used for
these fields. The values used in this procedure are shown in Figure 14.

BML-2015-105.4.1 27
 Figure 14. Build Specification Information Page

3. On the Source Files page, click on the Target VI and select it as a Startup
VI (Figure 15)

Figure 15. Build Specification Source Files Page

BML-2015-105.4.1 28
 4. Review the settings on the Destinations page (Figure 16). The
Destination path setting displayed here should match that selected on the
Information page.

Figure 16 Build Specifications Destinations Page

BML-2015-105.4.1 29
 5. Review the settings on the Source File Settings page (Figure 17). No
changes are necessary here.

Figure 17 Build Specification Source File Settings Page

6. Press Build to build the executable. Upon completion, the executable can
be found in the build destination directory (Figure 18). As an option, the
project may be closed and LabVIEW may be exited.

Figure 18. Executable Located in Build Destination Directory

BML-2015-105.4.1 30
 7. Double-click on the application icon to run it, then point a browser to the
URL in the LabSocket Status Window to access it remotely (Figure 19).

a) Simple Demo.vi Operating as a Standalone Executable

b) Accessing the Simple Demo.vi Executable in a Browser

Figure 19. Browser Access to a Standalone Basic Mapping Executable

6.2 MultiClient Mapping

This procedure demonstrates how to create a standalone Windows executable
using the MultiClientTarget.vi and MultiClientServer.vi VIs created in Section 5.2,
Creating a MultiClient Mapping Mode Application, as an example. Figure 20
shows the initial state of the MultiClient Mapping.lvproj example LabVIEW project
that will be used to create the standalone executable.

BML-2015-105.4.1 31
 Figure 20. Initial State of MultiClient Mapping,lvproj Project

1. Right-click on Build Specifications and select New>Application (EXE). This

opens the Application Properties Dialog Box.

2. On the Information page, enter values for the Build Specification Name,
Target Filename and Destination Directory. Any values may be used for
these fields. The values used in this procedure are shown in Figure 21.

Figure 21. Build Specification Information Page

BML-2015-105.4.1 32
 3. On the Source Files page, set MultiClientServer.vi as a Startup VI and
MultiClientTarget.vi an Always Included VI. (Figure 22).

Figure 22. Build Specification Source Files Page

4. Select the Destinations Category

a. The Destination path setting for the executable should match that
selected on the Information page (Figure 23a).
b. The Destination path setting for the “Support Directory” should be
the “data” directory within the Destination directory of the
executable (Figure 23b). This directory will be the location for the
prototype Target VI and copies of this VI that are created when
browsers connect to the executable.

BML-2015-105.4.1 33
 a) Destination for MultiClient.exe

b). Destination of Support Directory

Figure 23. Build Specification Destinations Page

BML-2015-105.4.1 34
 5. Review the settings on the Source File Settings page (Figure 24). The
default values for “Inclusion Type” and “Destination”, shown in Table 2,
should be used.

Table 2. Recommended Source File Settings for

Standalone MultiClient Applications
Project File Inclusion Type Destination
MultiClientServer.vi Startup VI MultiClient.exe
MultiClientTarget.vi Always Included Support Directory

BML-2015-105.4.1 35
 a) Source File Settings for MultiClientServer.vi

b) Source File Settings for MutliClientTarget.vi

Figure 24. Build Specification Source File Settings

BML-2015-105.4.1 36
 6. Press Build to build the executable. Upon completion, the executable can
be found in the build destination directory (Figure 25). As an option, the
project may be closed and LabVIEW may be exited.

Figure 25. MultiClient Executable Located in Build Destination Directory

7. Double-click on the application icon to run it, then point multiple browsers
to the URL in the LabSocket Status Window to establish remote
connections to independent instances of the Target VI (Figure 26).

BML-2015-105.4.1 37
 Figure 26. Three Browsers, Each Connected to a Unique Instance of
MultiClientTarget.vi Launched from Executable of MultiClientServer.vi

BML-2015-105.4.1 38
6.3 Deploying to NI Linux Real-Time Targets
The following instructions describe how to deploy a Target VI that includes the
LabSocket software to a CompactRIO cRIO-903x for operation in headless mode
and using the LabSocket Basic client mapping mode.

These instructions assume that the cRIO-903x device has already been
connected to the development platform and that a LabVIEW project that
includes the cRIO-903x device has already been created.

1. Add the Target VI to cRIO-903x target device in the LabVIEW project. In

this procedure the demo VI “LabSocket Demo – Element Test.vi” will be
used as the Target VI. (Figure 27)

Figure 27. Adding Target VI LabSocket Demo – Element Test.vi to CompactRIO

cRIO-9030 Target Node in LabVIEW Project

BML-2015-105.4.1 39
 2. Right-click on Build Specification and select New > Real-Time Application.
The Application Properties pop-up window will open.

3. Enter the Build specification name on the Information page. In this case
the name is “Element Test” is used (Figure 28).

Figure 28. Real-Time Application Information Page

BML-2015-105.4.1 40
 4. Select the Source Files page. Select the name of the Target VI
(“LabSocket Demo – Element Test.vi”) in this case and select it as a
Startup VI (Figure 29).

Figure 29. Real-Time Application Source Files Page

BML-2015-105.4.1 41
 5. The default settings for the Destinations and Source File Setting
categories are shown in Figures 30 and 31 for reference purposes. These
settings do not need to be changed.

Figure 30. Real-Time Application Destinations Page

BML-2015-105.4.1 42
 Figure 31. Real-Time Application Source File Settings Page

6. Click Build to build the real-time application.

7. Click OK to close the Real-Time Application properties window.

8. In the Project tree, right-click on the build specification (“Element Test”

in this case). Select Run as startup.

9. Right-click on the build specification. Select Deploy.

10.Right-click on the target in the Project tree and select Utilities > Restart
to restart the cRIO.

11.After the cRIO restarts, the Target VI may be accessed remotely in a

browser using the URL displayed in the LabSocket Status Window shown
on the display of the cRIO. Figure 32 demonstrates browser access to
the “LabSocket Demo - Element Test.vi” operating on a cRIO-9030.

BML-2015-105.4.1 43
 Target)VI)Opera2ng)on)cRIO)
Display)Connected)to)
cRIO%9030))
Mini)DisplayPort)

Target)VI)Displayed))
in)Browser)on)Mac)
cRIO%9030)

LabVIEW)Project)for)
Target)VI)
(in)Windows)VM)on)Mac))

Figure 32. Browser Access to LabSocket Demo – Element Test.vi operating on

CompactRIO cRIO-9030

BML-2015-105.4.1 44
7. Example Files
The LabSocket VIPM package installation process in Section 4.2, LabSocket
Software Installation, automatically installs a set of example Target VIs that
illustrate the capabilities the system. These VIs may be accessed by
selecting Help > Find Examples... from the main LabVIEW window. Select
the Directory Structure radio button. In the directory structure, double-click on
the LabSocket directory, to locate the examples (Figure 33).

Figure 33. Example Files Supplied with LabSocket System

Two types of example VIs are included with the LabSocket VIPM: The first type
is example VIs that demonstrate replication of front panel elements. These VIs
are listed in Table 3. Although each of these VIs operates in Basic client
mapping mode, the concepts demonstrated in these VIs are applicable to
MultiClient mapping mode.

The second type of example VIs demonstrate MultiClient mapping (Table 4).
These VIs can be found within the MultiClient directory in the LabSocket
example directory described above.

BML-2015-105.4.1 45
 Table 3. Front Panel Replication Example VIs
Filename Description
LabSocket*Demo*-*Advanced*Booleans.vi Demonstrates*that*booleans*defined*as*Strict*Type*Defs*are*
replicated*using*images*of*the*true*and*false*states.
LabSocket*Demo*-*Custom*JavaScript.vi Uses*the*LabSocket3Custom3JavaScript.vi3to*insert*arbitrary*
text*into*the*browser*client.**
LabSocket*Demo*-*Custom*JavaScript*-*New*Browser.vi Uses*the*LabSocket3Custom3JavaScript.vi3to*insert*event*
handlers*into*the*browser*client.
LabSocket*Demo*-*Dynamic*Pictures.vi Demonstrates*dynamic*synchronization*of*pictures*elements*
with*those*in*the*browser
LabSocket*Demo*-*Element*Test*-*Simple.vi A*simplified*version*of*"LabSocket*Demo*-*Element*Test.vi"
LabSocket*Demo*-*Element*Test.vi Demonstrates*synchronization*of*Front*Panel*elements*values*
LabSocket*Demo*-*Enum.vi Demonstrates*synchronization*of*enumerated*types
LabSocket*Demo*-*Math*Demo.vi Illustrates*how*to*use*LabSocket*in*a*multiple-VI*system.*The*
front*panel*of*the*main*Target*VI*is*accessible*over*the*web*
while*other*VIs**VI*display*the*Target*VI*URL*and*a*Stop*button*
for*the*application
LabSocket*Demo*-*MultiColumn*ListBox*-*Control.vi Demonstrates*the*use*of*a*MultiColumn*ListBox*as*a*control*
LabSocket*Demo*-*MultiColumn*ListBox.vi Demonstrates*the*eight*combinations*of*MultiColumn*
ListBoxes*that*are*possible*based*on*i)*row*visibility;*ii)*column*
header*visibility;*and,*iii)*presence*of*vertical*scrollbar.
LabSocket*Demo*-*Multiline*Button*Text*and*Accents.vi Illustrates*support*for*buttons*with*multiple*lines*of*text*and*
string*controls*and*indicators*with*accents
LabSocket*Demo*-*Picture*Ring*Simple.vi A*simple*demonstration*of*picture*rings*in*action
LabSocket*Demo*-*Picture*Ring.vi Picture*ring*demonstration
LabSocket*Demo*-*Picture.vi Demonstrates*replication*of*a*picture*element*in*the*browser
LabSocket*Demo*-*Plots*as*Images Illustrates*the*use*of*the*#LS_image*preprocessor*tag*to*
enable*replication*of*plots*as*images
LabSocket*Demo*-*Preprocessor.vi Illustrates*the*use*of*the*#LS_no_display*and*#LS_no_sync*
preprocessor*tags*to*hide*and*unsynchronize,*respectively,*
front*panel*elements
LabSocket*Demo*-*Quiz.vi Illustrates*how*to*set*up*a*simple*quiz*application.**Includes*
dynamic*updates*of*button*text*and*text*indicator*background*
color.*
LabSocket*Demo*-*Stub*VI.vi Demonstrates*the*use*of*the*"element*stub.vi"*that*enables*
developers*to*create*custom*JavaScript*code*for*unsupported*
front*panel*elements.
LabSocket*Demo*-*Tabs.vi Demonstates*synchornization*of*tab*element*pages
LabSocket*Demo*-*Waveform*Chart.vi Demonstration*of*support*for*Waveform*Charts
LabSocket*Demo*-*Waveform*Graph.vi Demonstration*of*support*for*Waveform*Graphs
LabSocket*Demo*-*XY*Graph.vi Demonstration*of*support*for*XY*Graphs

Table 4. MultiClient Mapping Example VIs

Filename Description
Quiz%Server%1.vi Simple%demonstration%of%MultiClient%mapping.%%%Uses
Quiz21.vi%as%Target%VI.
Quiz%Server%2.vi MultiClient%mapping%demonstration%that%includes%interprocess%
communication%with%Target%VI%instances.%%Also,%uses%Basic%
mapping%for%browserEbased%access%to%topElevel%VI.%%Uses
Quiz22.vi%as%Target%VI
BML-2015-105.4.1 46
8. LabSocket Start VIs
The VIs LabSocket Start.vi and LabSocket-MC Start.vi are used to launch the
routines that perform the Target VI Front Panel screenscrape and synchronize
the front panel and browser.

In Basic client mapping applications, the VI LabSocket Start.vi (Figure 34) is

placed on the block diagram on the Target VI. For MultiClient client mapping
applications, the VI LabSocket-MC Start.vi (Figure 35) is placed on block diagram
of the top-level VI of the application.

Connections to these two VIs are summarized in Table 5.

Figure 34. LabSocket Start VI

Figure 35. LabSocket-MC Start VI

BML-2015-105.4.1 47
 Table 5. Terminals of LabSocket Start.vi and LabSocket-MC Start.vi
Default Input
Terminal Description Value
Maximum Defines the maximum number of clients that can connect 1
Number of to the system.
Clients (LabSocket-MC Start.vi only)
Server Cluster containing username and password for access to LabVIEW /
Credentials LabSocket Server LabVIEW
IP Address Cluster containing two strings: XX.XX.XX.XX /
• LabSocket_Server – IP Address of LabSocket Server blank
relative to LabVIEW Host platform. Section 4.1, Step 9
describes how to determine this value.
• External – IP Address of LabSocket Server relative to
browser. Leave blank if same as LabSocket_Server IP
address.
To use the LabSocket server software on the cloud server
at labsocket.com during initial evaluation testing, set
LabSocket_Server to “labsocket.com” (no quotes) and
leave External blank
Application • standalone – Target VI is rendered alone in a web page standalone
Type • moodle_integration – Target VI is rendered within an
iFrame in a Moodle course web page. Contact
Bergmans Mechatronics for more information on this
option.
Authentication User authentication requirement for browser access False
Required • True – A pop-up window appears in browser when web
page loads. User must enter credentials before web
page becomes active (Figure 36)
• False – User credentials are not requested. (In this
case, the browser sends the credentials “client /
client” to the message broker. Unless these credential
settings have been changed, browser access will always
be permitted.)
See Section 11, User Administration, for additional details
about user administration and authentication.
error in Errors that occur before LabSocket Start(-MC).vi is called no error
Target VI Path to Target VI. empty path
(LabSocket-MC Start.vi only)
error out Errors that occur prior to calling or within LabSocket NA
Start(-MC).vi
URL URL for access to Target VI NA

BML-2015-105.4.1 48
 Figure 36. Login Window That Appears When
Authentication Required Input is True

BML-2015-105.4.1 49
9. LabSocket Status Window
The LabSocket Status Window provides details on the operation of the
LabSocket software. The window appears when either the LabSocket Start.vi or
LabSocket-MC Start.vi are called and contains three pages: 1) a Log page; 2) a
Clients page; and, 3) a Diagnostics page. Each of these pages is described in
detail below.

Note that calls to either LabSocket Start.vi and LabSocket-MC Start.vi will launch
the Status Window only if the window is not already active.

9.1 Log Page

The URL at which the Target VI may be accessed will be displayed in the Log
page of this window (Figure 37). This URL will match that output on the URL
terminal of LabSocket(-MC) Start.vi.

Figure 37. LabSocket Status Window (Log Page)

9.2 Clients Page
The Clients page (Figure 38) displays the Client ID of each connected browser in
the “Browser ID” column. The “Last Heartbeat Echo” column displays the time
of the last response from the browser to periodic test signals that are
transmitted to each connected browser. (If an echo signal is not returned from
a browser in greater than 10 seconds, the client is considered inactive and
removed from the list of clients in the Status window.)

BML-2015-105.4.1 50
 Figure 38. LabSocket Status Window – Clients Page

9.3 Diagnostics Page

The Diagnostics page (Figure 39) of the LabSocket Status window displays a
“Loop Period” value. This value is the period of time required to update the
front panel of the Target VI with any changes sent from the browser plus the
time required to detect changes in the Target VI front panel and to send these
changes to each connected browser client.

Figure 39. LabSocket Status Window – Diagnostics Page

BML-2015-105.4.1 51
The Diagnostics page also includes a display of the number of clients currently
connected to the Target VI

Click Close to close the Status window and discontinue the synchronization of
the Target VI and browser. Closing the Status window will not stop the Target
VI and stopping the Target VI does not close the Status window.

BML-2015-105.4.1 52
 10. Advanced Features
This section provides details on the following advanced features of LabSocket: i)
preprocessor tags that allow fine tuning of the browser client; ii) picture ring
support and high-fidelity replication of boolean elements; iii) insertion of custom
JavaScript code into the browser client; and, iv) replication of PNG images in the
browser.

10.1 Preprocessor Tags

Preprocessor tags in the caption or label text of front panel may be used to
specify how individual elements are to be replicated in the browser. These tags
are summarized in Table 6.

Table 6. Preprocessor Tags

Tag Description Example2Application
#LS_no_display Do/not/replicate/the/target/element/in/the/ Prevent/display/of/a/Target/VI/
browser stop/button
#LS_no_sync Prevents/synchronization/of/the/front/panel/ Prevent/tab/element/
element/with/its/browser/representation synchronization/in/a/Basic/
mapping/application
#LS_image(compression,decimation) Display/the/target/element/as/an/image/in/the/ Display/an/exact/replica/of/a/
browser.//Updated/image/is/only/sent/to/ Graph/element/(eg./intensity/or/
browser/if/image/change/detected./ 3D/plots)

Optional/arguments/are:/
i)/compression/I/image/compression/(0=no/
image/compression,/9=maximum/image/
compression);/and,
/ii)/decimation/I/number/of/iterations/of/main/
LabSocket/processing/loop/to/skip/before/
checking/for/image/update.

Not/supported/on/cRIOI903x/targets.

The effect of the #LS_no_display tag is shown in the screenshot of the example
VI “LabSocket Demo - Preprocessor.vi” in Figure 40. The example VI “LabSocket
Demo - Plots as Images.vi” also demonstrates the effect of preprocessor tags
(see Section 7, Example VIs).

BML-2015-105.4.1 53
Figure 40. Screenshot of “LabSocket Demo – Preprocessor.vi” demonstrating the
use of “#LS_no_display” preprocessor tag to prevent replication of a picture
(L- LabVIEW VI, R – Browser)

BML-2015-105.4.1 54
10.2 Picture Rings and High-Fidelity Boolean Elements
LabSocket supports replication of Picture Ring controls and indicators. This
replication only occurs if the element is a type def, otherwise the element is not
replicated. The example VI “LabSocket Demo – Picture Ring Simple.vi” illustrates
Picture Ring control and indicator replication (Figure 41).

Figure 41. Screenshot of “LabSocket Demo – Picture Ring Simple.vi”

demonstrating the replication of a picture ring control in the browser
(L- LabVIEW VI, R – Browser)

BML-2015-105.4.1 55
LabSocket also supports high-fidelity replication of Boolean controls and element
if the element is a type def. A screenshot of the example VI “LabSocket Demo –
Advanced Booleans.vi” and its browser representation is illustrated in Figure 42.

Figure 42. Screenshot of “LabSocket Demo – Advanced Booleans.vi”

demonstrating high-fidelity representation of Boolean elements
(L- LabVIEW VI, R – Browser)
10.3 Developer Customization
LabSocket provides developers with the ability to customize the browser client
software using two options: i) adding arbitrary JavaScript to the browser client;
and, ii) adding custom JavaScript code for currently unsupported front panel
element types.

10.3.1 Arbitrary JavaScript for the Browser

The “LabSocket Custom JavaScript.vi” VI allows arbitrary JavaScript code to be
included in the browser client. This VI is located in the tools palette at
Addons>LabSocket > LabSocket Custom JavaScript.vi. Any text wired to the
“JavaScript In” terminal of the VI will be included in the browser client code and
executed when the browser page loads. This VI must be called before the
“LabSocket Start.vi”.

The example VI “LabSocket Demo – Custom JavaScript.vi” illustrates the use of

this VI to display custom text in an html <div> element in the browser client. A

BML-2015-105.4.1 56
screenshot of the block diagram of this VI is shown in Figure 43. The front panel
and browser representation are shown in Figure 44.

Figure 43. Screenshot of block diagram of

“LabSocket Demo – Custom JavaScript.vi”

Figure 44. Screenshot of “LabSocket Demo – Custom JavaScript.vi” illustrating

the use of arbitrary JavaScript code to customize the browser client
(L- LabVIEW VI, R – Browser)

BML-2015-105.4.1 57
10.3.2 Custom JavaScript for Unsupported Elements
The second customization option is to add arbitrary JavaScript code to the
browser for LabVIEW front panel element types that are not supported by the
LabSocket system.

During the initial web client creation process, if LabSocket encounters an

element on the Target VI front panel with a VI Server Class Name that is not
supported, it calls a VI named “element stub.vi”. Developers may make any
desired modifications to this VI to add their own JavaScript code to the browser
for these unsupported elements. To assist with the customization, the VI Server
reference to the specific unsupported element is passed into “element stub.vi”.

The VI "element stub.vi" is located in the directory

“<vi.lib>/LabSocket/developer.lib/vi.lib/CreateJavaScript” where <vi.lib> is
typically “C:/Program Files/National Instruments/LabVIEW/vi.lib”

As an example of how this VI might be used, the “element stub.vi” currently

contains simple JavaScript code that adds html <div> elements when arrays or
clusters are encountered. Figure 45 shows the case for handling array elements.
The example VI “LabSocket Demo – Stub.vi” illustrates this capability (Figure
46).

Figure 45. Portion of Block Diagram of “element stub.vi”

BML-2015-105.4.1 58
 Figure 46. Screenshot of “LabSocket Demo – Stub VI.vi” illustrating the use of
“element – stub vi” to add custom browser representations for currently
unsupported front panel elements (L- LabVIEW VI, R – Browser)

10.4 Working with Images

A “PNG to Picture Converter” tool is provided with the LabSocket system to

enable images contained in PNG files to be easily rendered in the browser. The
process for working with images is as follows.

1. From the menu bar, select Tools>PNG to Picture Converter…

2. Select the PNG file of interest.

3. A new, unnamed VI will appear. Copy the picture control from this VI to
the front panel of the Target VI.

4. Right-click on the picture. Select Data Operations>Make Current Value

Default

5. Save the Target VI

6. Run the Target VI (assuming the LabSocket Start.vi and other

components necessary for a practical application are already present on
the VI block diagram).

BML-2015-105.4.1 59
A simple Target VI using a picture element and its representation in a browser is
shown in Figure 47.

a) Front Panel b) Browser Representation

Figure 47. PictureDemo.vi Illustrating Rendering of Picture Elements in Browser

Controls and indicators may be superimposed in front of the picture element.

Note that elements in the browser are displayed from back to front in order of
increasing tabbing order value (ie tabbing order value 0 is at the back of the
browser representation, with other elements displayed in front of it). Similarly,
for elements in tab pages, elements are displayed from front to back in order of
increasing tab “Control Order”.

BML-2015-105.4.1 60
11. User Administration
All applications and users connecting to the ActiveMQ message broker require
proper credentials before transmitting or receiving data via the broker. By
default, the broker loads credentials from a configuration file on startup. This
section describes how to modify the credentials in this configuration file.

LDAP User Authentication Option

The message broker can optionally be configured to validate user credentials

stored in a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server. Benefits of
the use of an LDAP server are:

• users can be authenticated using credentials in a customer’s existing

LDAP database
• administrators can manage users without restarting the broker
• a browser-based interface such as phpLDAPadmin can be used to
manage user data:
(http://phpldapadmin.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page)

Contact Bergmans Mechatronics for details on implementing LDAP user

management or to request a VM containing an OpenLDAP server.

In the instructions below, two locations within the VM directory structure are
defined as follows:

$LABSOCKET_HOME = /home/labsocket
$ACTIVEMQ_HOME = /home/labsocket/apache-activemq-5.9.0

To modify the credentials in the ActiveMQ configuration file:

1. Log in to LabSocket Server VM using an ssh client or the VirtualBox

terminal window.
2. Navigate to $ACTIVEMQ_HOME/conf
3. Open activemq-LabSocket.xml in the vi editor
4. The <simpleAuthenticationPlugIn> section beginning on line 47
defines the username and passwords for each user that is permitted to
access the ActiveMQ message broker.

The default users are described in Table 7.

BML-2015-105.4.1 61
 Table 7. Default User Definitions of ActiveMQ Message Broker
in LabSocket Server VM
Username Description
LabVIEW name used by LabSocket Support VIs. This username
and its associated password are wired to the Server
Credentials input of LabSocket Start.vi
LabSocketPHP name used by PHP-based administrative program.
Credentials for this client are defined in the file
$LABSOCKET_HOME/LabSocket_php/credentials.txt
client remote browser user
client2 remote browser user

5. To add, delete or change user credentials, edit the settings in the

<simpleAuthenticationPlugIn> section as required. If changing the
credentials for the LabSocket Support VIs or PHP Administrative program,
but sure to change the credential settings supplied by these clients (ie.
Inputs to LabSocket Start.vi or contents of
$LABSOCKET_HOME/LabSocket_php/credentials.txt.)

6. Save and exit activemq-LabSocket.xml.

To activate the new user settings, restart the Virtual Machine using the
command

sudo shutdown –r now

Enter the password for the user labsocket if prompted.

BML-2015-105.4.1 62