VI References to Running Clones

[ww.brown]

How to I get VI references to two clones (of the same reentrant VI) running on a remote machine?  I have tried the "clone.vi:1" notation but only get Error 7: file not found.  I have successfully obtained common VI references running on the same remote machine.

[ww.brown · Accepted solution]

I have answered my own question.  After acquiring an application reference for the remote machine, you wire the "<my clone name>.vi:<instance #>" string to the Open VI Reference "vi path" port.  This works because the clones are in memory (by definition).

WB

[Pie566942.0]

According to the LabVIEW 2017 Help, "Note LabVIEW does not support the ability to open a reference to a clone VI with the Open VI Reference function. Using this function to open a reference to a clone VI may cause LabVIEW to crash."  NI appears to have made it more challenging to get a VI reference to a clone, because <instance #> is not 0 or 1-indexed (LV 2016).  My clone VI name is gui.vi:2230002.  Clearly this isn't something I'm supposed to do, but does anyone know a way to get <instance #> without asking each clone to return it?

Thank you,

Steve K

[Gregory]

You can use the Clone Name property node as you are launching the clone.

[Pie566942.0]

Thanks Gregory,

But I didn't author the clones.  I'm looking for a way to get <instance #> without asking each clone to return it.

-Steve K

[Gregory]

I see... It seems like the AllVIsInMemory property doesn't care about clones, and I cannot find any other way to get the clone names either. 

If I understand this post correctly, it is not possible.

[ww.brown]

I had a related problem with clones in 2012-13.  Attached is a solution sent by NI in 2013.  Hope this helps!  WB

[drjdpowell]

The LabVIEW Task Manager has the ability to list all the clones.   You could dig that functionality out of it.

[Gregory]

Hi drjdpowell,

I just flipped through that task manager quickly. If I understand correctly, it will find statically referenced clones, but it will only find asynchronously launched clones if you drop the "clone beacon" VI which is just an FGV that keeps track of asynchronous clones.

[drjdpowell]

It uses multiple techniques, one being to search for clones up to a certain number (like the first 100).   Give it a try.