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RavensFan

Better error descriptions for Application Builder

Status: New

I frequently see people posting messages about issues they have using the application builder.  They report an error number and the text of the error description.

 

Here are some recent examples:

 

Error 1 while building in 8.2

Build Error, Error 6 occurred at AB_Source_VI.lvclass:

Get Error 6 about 50% of time when building Application

Build installer error code -12 while copying distribution

 

The error description always has a long path through numerous VI's that make up the application builder package pointing to where the error occurred.  But the description never seems to give any detail about what actually caused the error.  It is often too long of a file name, or too deep of a path that gave too long of a path/filename which the app. builder VI's could not handle.

 

It would be helpful to both the people who are having the issue, and to the people trying to help on the forums when they post their message asking for help, to have some information as to where to look.

 

Maybe that information is already available and I just don't know where to find it.  Fortunately for me, I don't think I've come across this problem.  One, I haven't need to build a whole lot of executables.  Two, I keep my project folders at the root level of my hard drive, so the initial part of the path is always short.  (e.g.  c:\ProjectFolder\......)  I know if you stored projects in a My Documents directory, the initial path is ridiculously long because of the way Windows locates My Documents on your hard drive  (e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\My UserName\My Documents\ProjectFolder in XP) so you've already wasted 40-50 characters even before you give the directory name for you project folder.

 

My request:  Let's show some meaningful information in the error dialog box for Applicaiton Builder errors that can help people figure out how to fix it.

11 Comments
Vladimir_Drzik
Active Participant

Big kudos to this one. My favorite AB's error screen is the one with completely empty "details" section. Smiley Mad


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RavensFan
Knight of NI

One more reason to add as to why I always base my projects in the c:\ root directory is so that if I transfer my app from one PC to another such as working on it at home, or I am logged onto a PC as our generic technician password vs. my personal username, I don't have to worry about the path to the application being different to the My Documents directory because of either a different username or different OS (XP vs. Vista paths.)

shb
Active Participant
Active Participant

This idea seems to be partially implemented in LV 12.

 

When a VI is broken (error 1003), there is additional information not present in LV 11. All broken SubVIs are listed with the reason why they are broken.

 

The VI Hierarchy of <vi.lib>\AppBuilder\AB_Classes\Application\Create_INI_File.vi has changed, so let's hope that error 1 does not appear any more. (Error 1 was risen from this Create_INI_File.vi.)

shb
Active Participant
Active Participant

I have posted an idea about one detail.

shb
Active Participant
Active Participant

There is still room for improvement in LV12: Build application still fails with error 1

shb
Active Participant
Active Participant

Please also include in the error dialog the failing build (like 'build 1 of 2, "My Demo App" '). This information is currently not displayed and it is sometimes only guessing if it was the application or the installer build which has failed.

shb
Active Participant
Active Participant

Hello NI,

 

some suggestions for improving the error 1 from "EndUpdateResource.vi" are here:

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Build-application-still-fails-with-error-1-in-LV12/m-p/2433858#M7495...

 

pixxture
Member

A Million kudos.  YES GIVE US SOME INFORMATION.

Most of the time I either re-boot or attempt a re-compile and it does compile.  Other times it takes numerous attempts to compile, lots of time wasted.  99% of the time I don't have to change code. 

 

Give us a hint.

RavensFan
Knight of NI

Don't just say "a million kudos".  Actually add 1 by clicking the Up Arrow, near the kudo count.

shb
Active Participant
Active Participant

Hello NI,

 

Here are some minor issues about the failure message when some VIs are broken:

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/minor-issues-in-message-about-failed-builds/td-p/2451888