G-Web Development with CSM

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This project uses the CSM framework to publish LabVIEW applications as Web Services, enabling remote monitoring and control through a G-Web front-end in the browser. By exposing just one CSM-RunScript endpoint, all functionality of every CSM module in the back end becomes accessible — no need to write a separate Web Service VI for each feature.

Ideal for NI cRIO/PXI and other RT targets — users access the device over the local network directly from a browser with no client software required.

Full documentation: CSM-Wiki - G-Web Application Development

System Architecture

graph TB
    Browser["Browser (Client)"]

    subgraph LabVIEW EXE/RT Target
        subgraph "NI Web Server (Host PC or RT)"
            GW["G-Web Application<br/>(HTML/CSS/JS Front-end)"]
            RS["CSM-RunScript API (POST)<br/>Web Service Back-end"]
        end

        subgraph "LabVIEW Application"
            Bus[CSM Invisible Bus]
            M1[CSM Module A]
            M2[CSM Module B]
            MN[CSM Module N]
        end
    end

    Browser -->|"① Load Web Page"| GW
    GW -.->|"HTML/CSS/JS"| Browser
    Browser -->|"② HTTP POST CSM Script"| RS
    RS -->|Send CSM Script| Bus
    Bus <-->|CSM Message| M1
    Bus <-->|CSM Message| M2
    Bus <-->|CSM Message| MN
    RS -->|Return Result| Browser

    style RS fill:#e1f5ff
    style Bus fill:#fff4e6,stroke-dasharray:5 5
    style GW fill:#e8f5e9
    style Browser fill:#f5e6ff

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Key Advantages

• Single endpoint, full functionality: Expose only one CSM-RunScript endpoint to access all features of every CSM module in the back end.
• Modular development: Message-driven architecture based on the CSM framework — loosely coupled modules that are easy to extend and maintain.
• No client required: Users access the application directly from a browser with no client software installation needed.
• Rapid web enablement: Quickly convert an existing LabVIEW application into a web application without writing a separate Web Service for each feature.
• Embedded deployment friendly: Especially suited for deployment on cRIO, PXI, and other RT targets for remote monitoring and control.

Project Structure

G-Web-Development-with-CSM/
├── LabVIEW Project with Web Serivces/   # LabVIEW back-end project
│   ├── LabVIEW Project with Web Serivces.lvproj
│   ├── Test WebService.vi               # Web Service test VI
│   └── WebService/
│       ├── CSM WebService.lvlib         # Web Service library
│       ├── Startup Main.vi              # Application entry point
│       ├── Methods/
│       │   └── CSM-RunScript.vi         # The single Web Service endpoint
│       ├── CSM/
│       │   └── CSM.vi                   # CSM application main module
│       └── Support/                     # Support VIs
└── G-Web Application/                   # G-Web front-end project (NI LabVIEW NXG Web Module)
    └── Web Application/                 # Deployable web application (.gwebproject)

CSM-RunScript Endpoint

Item	Description
Method	POST
URL	http://<host>:<port>/CSMWebService/CSM-RunScript
Request body	CSM script string (plain text)
Response	Execution result string (plain text)

# Synchronous call — waits for the result
API: Read >> channel0 -@ SomeModule

# Asynchronous call — does not wait for the result
API: Start ->| SomeModule

Quick Start

1. Build your CSM application: Implement your business-logic modules in LabVIEW using the CSM framework.
2. Open the back-end project: Open LabVIEW Project with Web Serivces/LabVIEW Project with Web Serivces.lvproj in LabVIEW and add or modify business modules inside WebService/CSM/CSM.vi.
3. Open the front-end project: Open G-Web Application/Web Application/Web Application.gwebproject in NI LabVIEW NXG Web Module and configure the HTTP node to point to the CSM-RunScript endpoint.
4. Deploy and run: Right-click the Web Service → Deploy, or run WebService/Startup Main.vi directly; build the G-Web application and publish it to the NI Web Server.
5. Access from browser: http://<device-IP>:<port>/CSMWebService/

Dependencies

• Communicable State Machine (CSM)
• LabVIEW Application Web Server
• NI LabVIEW NXG Web Module

References

• CSM-Wiki - G-Web Application Development
• Communicable State Machine (CSM) Framework
• LabVIEW Web Services Official Documentation