Update ActiveX References Error

[ChrisReed]

There MUST be a simple way to update ActiveX References when a third party library has been updated to a new version.

I had made up several VI's that passed the ActiveX Class Refnum around.  This refnum was generated by right-clicking on a standard Automation Refnum and selecting the third party Class - (called DebenuPDFLibraryAX0913.IPDFLibrary).

I then upgraded this Third party software and changed the Refnum to the new version (DebenuPDFLibraryAX0915.IPDFLibrary) and it broke all the links with the existing VI's - fair enough.

So I tried just using the generic Automation Refnum to pass the reference around, but that doesn't recognise any of the Methods/Properties of the Class in each VI.

It seems I'm caught in a Catch-22.  If I use the specific ActiveX Class version to pass around all my VI's then when I upgrade the software I have to change ALL the Automation Refnums to the new Class Value.  If I try and make it generic it doesn't recognise anything in the Class.

How on earth can I just upgrade one VI with the new ActiveX class and have this new reference work for all the VI's I created in my "LabVIEW library".

The links below were in 2002 and 2006 and seem to suggest that one has to MANUALLY go around updating ALL Refnum's.  I really hope there is a better way of doing this now.

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/How-do-I-update-my-ActiveX-controls-without-breaking-existing/m-p/53...

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/How-do-I-quickly-update-the-ActiveX-automation-references-in-my/m-p/...

Chris

[Zach J]

Hi ChrisReed,

Unfortunately there is not a simple way to update the ActiveX References.  Since you are updating the library, every reference would also need to be updated manually.  There is not a tool to do this currently, but it may be worth creating a post on the LabVIEW Idea Exchange!  We are always looking for new ideas to make LabVIEW an even better experience for our users.  I have linked the Idea Exchange below:

LabVIEW Idea Exchange

[ChrisReed]

And does this problem also apply to .NET?

If that is the case I might just have to put a request onto the LabVIEW Idea Exchange.  After all isn't ActiveX on the way out, but .NET is the current and future framework for interoperability in Windows?

Chris

[Eric-J]

This may help answer your question regarding .NET.  I'm afraid that it will not allow your code to be automatically updated though.

Switching between Different Versions of .NET Assemblies in LabVIEW

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/9E2C956A7AFBE0458625753D006C38C7