Build Specification does not include all files for my VI.

[Henrik1972]

Hi!

As a part of a semester project i have build a VI to control a filtration unit. The VI is working fine on my computer, but I graduate next month and I have to deliver the files on to a person on the university. The problem is that even though i use the "Build Specification" function (i use LabView 2011 Professional Development System), files are still missing when the program is started on the new computer. A warning in the project file indicates that files are missing or removed to a different location. A file named pid.lib is not found, and it seems like the path to each file is the same as on my computer, but the build specification doesn't change that to fit the new computer.

I am a LabView newbe, and I have searced this forum and help files to try to solve this by my self, but now my time is becoming limited. Can anyone help me with this?

Henrik jepsen

Masterstudent Chemical Enginnering

Denmark

[TiTou]

The computer on which you're going to run your VI needs the LabVIEW 2011 RTE (run time engine), it is free and you cyn download it form NI website, just use the search.

And if you use LabVIEW toolkits in your application, they may require additional RTE, I'm not too sure about the PID Toolkit...

What I suggest is that you also use a build specification to create an installer, when you do so, by default it includes the installers your app will require (LabVIEW RTE and also additional toolkit installers).

Hope this helps

[Henrik1972]

Hi TiTou!

Thanks for your reply. The computer I have to transfer my files to has the same LabView version installed as I have. Shouldn't that solve the problem with the run time engine?

Henrik

[TiTou]

It will only if that computer also has all the additional toolkits you're using in your app are also installed. Check that the PID toolkit is installed ont both.

[A.Rohde · Accepted solution]

Hi Henrik

You can see what versions of LabVIEW and which Toolkits is installed in Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX). If you Open MAX, and Select "My System" --> "Software in the left menu, then you can see all software installed.

If you click on the LabVIEW installation. In this case LabVIEW 2011, you can see all toolkits installed.

When you run a LabVIEW project / application on another PC, LabVIEW will use a defined priority of where to load the files from. This is specified in Tools --> Options --> Path --> VI Search Path.

So LabVIEW will frist try to find the VI/VI library in the folder of your project and if the VI is not located there it will look for it as a build function in the vilib, userlib or instrlib folders of LabVIEW. These folders contains VI's and VI libraries installed with LabVIEW.

In this case, as mentioned above you properly don't have the same toolkits installed on both machines. Therefore the PID.lib is not found in the vilib folder as it should be, and thereby you get the error. You can confirm this by reviewing the installed modules as mentioned above.

Best Regards

Anders Rohde

Applications Engineer

National Instruments Denmark

[Henrik1972]

Hi Anders!

I will check the installes toolkits on the reciever PC. Somehow I had the comprehension that building an application in LabView would make it possible to use the program on another computer without having to install the complete package of LabView and the toolkits. I tried to build an application to a PC with the correct run time engine installed. It was possible to open the vi, but data acquisition and control inputs did not work. Do you have a beginners guide to vi export? I probably can't figure out which check marks to choose (which files to include and exclude) and why I have to choose that.

Henrik

[A.Rohde]

Hi Henrik

I'm sorry I think I misunderstood you. You wrote something about a warning in the project, and you shouldn't have a project if you build an application. You also wrote that it was possible to "open the vi" again on you other computer you should only distribute the built application (exe file, alias file, data folder and ini file), there should be no vi files in this. Are you refering to the exe file in the above parts?

It is possible to run the application without having LabVIEW and all toolkits installed, but you will still need to install the drivers (for data-acquisition that is NI-DAQmx) and the Run-Time Engine with the same version as the LabVIEW version that built the application. Some toolkits also have a seperate Run-Time Engine but the PID does not. The error might come if you try to open the VI files instead of the exe files, because then you would need to have the PID toolkit since the functions are not compiled into the exe file.

The easiest way to distribute you application is to first go into built specification and build an "Application (exe)", after this you can again in the build specification select "Installer", in the installer you include the built application and under additional installers you can choose LabVIEW Run-Time Engine, NI-DAQmx, and other things you application depends on.

Best Regards

Anders Rohde

Applications Engineer

National Instruments Denmark 

[Henrik1972]

Hi Anders and TiTou!

I found a problem with the definition of names of my DAQ-6009 USB devices (I have two). Somehow the name Dev-1 switched place with Dev-2 during export of the projectfiles (I used Source Distribution). That was the reason for the missing respons from the program. A rename in "Measurement & Automation" of the hardware solved the problem. Why this name confusion occured is a mystery to me. But the main issue is: It works now.

Henrik

[TiTou]

Ok, well this is a interesting issue! 

Is there mode we can do to help? I'm sorry I won't be able to explain the swap name mistery...