Labview version backward compatible

[hetsay55@yahoo.com]

Hi,

I'm using Labview 8.2 and all my codes are written in this version. I have problems open Labview 8.5 codes in Labview 8.2 and vice versa.

Is Labview backward and forward compatible?

My codes are written in 8.2 and the company wants to upgrade to 8.5 for example, will cause a big trouble for me.

Do I have to rewrite all my codes in Labview 8.5? If this is true and then it's not very nice of NI Labview.

Also I cannot view my teamates' codes written in 8.5 on my 8.2 system.

What should I do? Please help.

Thanks

Phong

[RavensFan]

8.5 can open VI's saved in 8.2.  If you save the VI, then it will now be saved as a LV 8.5.

LV 8.2 cannot open 8.5 files.  If you need to see a file in LV 8.2, you need to open it in 8.5, and do a Save for Previous Version in the File menu.

How to Upgrade or Revert a VI to a Different Version of LabVIEW

[Darin.K]

Why of course you should be constantly upgrading to the latest and greatest version of LV. 

I always expected LVN code to be incompatible with LVN+1, but it always seemed unconventional that LVN.x was not compatible with LVN.x+1.  For example, based on version numbers I would expect LV8.2 to at least try to open LV8.6.  Obvious fails for new features, but I would have liked it to try.  Alas no.  For better or worse, at least the major version changes every year so it meets expectations, if not my hopes.

If your company is looking to bump up (but not take the leap to LV11), I'd suggest LV8.6 over LV8.5.  LV8.2 was very good to me, and LV8.6 adds a few nice touches.  Upconverting here is not a problem.  In fact, I usually try to upconvert version by version instead of doing it in one fell swoop.  Mass compile is your friend.

Bouncing between versions is a major pain (I don't have to tell you this apparently).  Having multiple versions on the same machine also presents challenges (try telling the difference between the IDE at a glance).