The APPic framework features a UDP server/client that allows for communicating on the local (physical) network with devices or applications that are configured for other IP network ranges. A common use-case is scanning the network for other APPic software instances, mostly running on distributed systems (eg embedded devices).

An APPic UDP message consists of

• APPIC prefix (APPIC): String “APPIC”
• Local MAC address (LADR): String (hex notation)
• Local Port (LPOR): Unsigned word
• Remote MAC address (RADR): String (hex notation)
• Data Block (DATA): String

Command and parameter data are transmitted serialized within the data block. The dollar sign (ASCII-Code 0x24) serves as a separation character for the following two elements:

• Command Name (CMD): String
• Parameters (PARAM): String

The PARAM string can consist of more than one parameter. These are then again separated by the dollar sign (ASCII-Code 0x24).

The NetDX UDP Client uses LabVIEWs UDP Write function to write a NetDX UDP message to a UDP socket. Messages are sent to the broadcast IPv4 address 0xFFFFFFFF (255.255.255.255).

• UDP Network Connection in (Reference to the UDP socket)
• Command and Data (written to DATA message field)
• Remote MAC Address (hex) (written to RADR message field)
• Remote Port (used as port number for the UDP socket)

• Local MAC Address (hex) (written to LADR message field)
• Local Port (written to LPOR message field)

The NetDX UDP Server listens (default: port 33334) for incoming APPic NetDX UDP messages, and reacts accordingly.

1. Process message only if first 5 bytes equal APPIC
2. Process message only if one of the following is true

   1. RADR equals the receivers MAC address
   2. RADR equals 0x000000000000
3. Read LADR and LPOR fields in case the command requires an addressed reply (a NetDX UDP message to the very specific device that sent the message)

Triggers the APPic System Event named UDP on the target device with the given parameters.

  EVENT$<%event-parameter%>$<%event-data%>

• event-parameter: The parameter field of the APPic event datatype
• event-data: The data field of the APPic event datatype

None.

A UDP message is broadcast to all local (physical) network interfaces, and every device running the APPic framework with the UDP server enabled will answer with another UDP message containing the IP address and the MAC address of the device.

Triggers all targets to report their IP address and MAC address via UDP broadcast

  REPORT

Sends IP address and MAC address to the EVENT command of the caller's APPic UDP server.
Message is sent as NetDX UDP broadcast (RADR = 0x0000 0000 0000).

  EVENT$REPORT$<%ip-address%>$<%mac-address%>

• ip-address: IP address of the device (dot notation)
• mac-address: MAC address of the device (dot notation)

Restarts the target if possible (only supported for targets running real-time OS)

  RESTART

None.

Sets the IP address of the target if possible (only supported for targets running real-time OS)

  SET-IP$<%ip-address%>$<%subnet-mask%>$<%gateway%>$<%dns-server%>$<%hostname%>

• ip-address: IP address to set (dot notation)
• subnet-mask: Subnet mask to set (dot notation)
• gateway: Default gateway to set (dot notation)
• dns-server: DNS server to set (dot notation)
• hostname: Hostname of the device (optional)

None.

Sets the date and time of the target if possible (only supported for targets running real-time OS)

  SET-DATE$<%datetime%>

• datetime: Datetime string formatted as %<%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S>T

None.

Enables / disables the startup application if possible (only supported for targets running real-time OS)

  SET-STARTUP$<%boolean%>

• boolean: String (True for true, anything else for false)

None.

Lets the LEDs of the device show a blink pattern (only supported for devices with LEDs)

  IDENTIFY

None.

Executes an APPic command

  EXECUTE$<%kernel%>$<%command%>$<%parameters%>

• kernel: Addressed Kernel
• command: Command to execute
• parameters: Call parameters

None.

Requests information on the application running.

  INFO

Sends information from the APP_SYSTEM global variable to the EVENT command of the caller's APPic UDP server.
Message is sent as NetDX UDP unicast (to LADR, LPOR).

  EVENT$INFO$<%name%>$<%ident%>$<%title%>$<%debug%>$<%timestamp%>

• name: Name of the application
• ident: Identifier of the application
• title: Title of the application
• debug: Debug mode enabled (true) or disabled (false)
• timestamp: Current date and time of the device formatted as <%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S>T

Requests information on the version numbers, kernels and modules of application running.

  VERSION

Sends version information to the EVENT command of the caller's APPic UDP server.
Message is sent as NetDX UDP unicast (to LADR, LPOR).

  EVENT$VERSION$<%app-version%>$<%appic-version%>$<%kernels%>$<%modules%>

• app-version: Version number (release) of the application
• appic-version: Version number (release) of the APPic Framework used in the application
• kernels: Spreadsheet string of all loaded kernels
• modules: Spreadsheet string of all loaded modules