Version control management / backup for LabVIEW

[BrenS]

Hi all,

I am using LV 2022 Q3 and have for many years managing my code and backups manually (dated zip files). I use the VI Revision History to keep track of changes in my high level VIs. I do LV programming as part of my work and is not my full time thing. I haved tried setting up version control using GitHub etc but have found them a liitle awkward - I guess thats because I dont do this as a full time thing and my time is somewhat limited. 

I would like some version management back up system though, especically when I am developing a software package. 

Is there any recommendations for such souce code management systems that work well with LabVIEW? 

I havent checked this out for a few years so my knowlegde on this topic is limited. 

Thanks

B

[matys]

Hello Bren,

you may want to look at TortoiseSVN for this.

The only drawback I can think of is the compare function, which requires a proprietary plugin to work.

This means it can detect changes to your Project, Front Panels and Block Diagrams but it can't show you these differences (e.g. a before an after comparison of two Block Diagrams).

[Intaris]

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@matys wrote:

Hello Bren,

you may want to look at TortoiseSVN for this.

The only drawback I can think of is the compare function, which requires a proprietary plugin to work.

This means it can detect changes to your Project, Front Panels and Block Diagrams but it can't show you these differences (e.g. a before an after comparison of two Block Diagrams).

---

Which third-party plugin is required?

I have set up my tortoise SVN to use LVCompare without installing any third-party tools for it.

[matys]

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@Intaris wrote:

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@matys wrote:

Hello Bren,

you may want to look at TortoiseSVN for this.

The only drawback I can think of is the compare function, which requires a proprietary plugin to work.

This means it can detect changes to your Project, Front Panels and Block Diagrams but it can't show you these differences (e.g. a before an after comparison of two Block Diagrams).

---

Which third-party plugin is required?

I have set up my tortoise SVN to use LVCompare without installing any third-party tools for it.

---

You're right, it's not a plugin. I was mistaken.

LVCompare requires LabVIEW Professional Development System (I don't have the proper license).

[Yamaeda]

As mentioned, Subversion, especially TortoiseSVN (which is an explorer addin) is a light weight solution your problem. I also think GitHub is a bit messy although powerful. Subversion is more streamlined but lacks some features i never use. 🙂

[billko]

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@matys wrote:

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@Intaris wrote:

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@matys wrote:

Hello Bren,

you may want to look at TortoiseSVN for this.

The only drawback I can think of is the compare function, which requires a proprietary plugin to work.

This means it can detect changes to your Project, Front Panels and Block Diagrams but it can't show you these differences (e.g. a before an after comparison of two Block Diagrams).

---

Which third-party plugin is required?

I have set up my tortoise SVN to use LVCompare without installing any third-party tools for it.

---

You're right, it's not a plugin. I was mistaken.

LVCompare requires LabVIEW Professional Development System (I don't have the proper license).

---

If this is for home use, you can always get LV Community Edition, which is LV Pro for free (with caveats, of course).

[ThomasHenkel]

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@matys wrote:

The only drawback I can think of is the compare function, which requires a proprietary plugin to work.

---

What plugin do you mean?

You can configure TortoiseSVN to use the LVCompare.exe:

Settings -> Diff Viewer -> Advanced button -> Add button and enter:

extension:  .vi

program: "C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\Shared\LabVIEW Compare\LVCompare.exe" %mine %base -nobdcosm -nobdpos

Then TortoiseSVN can display the differences between two VIs.

Edit:

Ah, already mentioned by others. And yes, you need the LabVIEW Professional edition.

[crossrulz]

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@BrenS wrote:

I haved tried setting up version control using GitHub etc but have found them a liitle awkward - I guess thats because I dont do this as a full time thing and my time is somewhat limited.

---

For a very large percentage of software control, git is what is being used.  It just flat out won the SCC war, with Mercurial all but gone now and SVN holding on by a thread.

I use the corporate GitHub server for all of my code.  I use SourceTree to manage it with very little issues.  I know certain people prefer the command line, others use Fork.  There are other GUIs out there, but I don't remember them at the top of my head.  The point being, there are tools out there to make git a lot easier.

Before using git, Tortoise SVN was my tool of choice.

[Intaris]

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@crossrulz wrote:

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@BrenS wrote:

I haved tried setting up version control using GitHub etc but have found them a liitle awkward - I guess thats because I dont do this as a full time thing and my time is somewhat limited.

---

For a very large percentage of software control, git is what is being used.  It just flat out won the SCC war, with Mercurial all but gone now and SVN holding on by a thread.

I use the corporate GitHub server for all of my code.  I use SourceTree to manage it with very little issues.  I know certain people prefer the command line, others use Fork.  There are other GUIs out there, but I don't remember them at the top of my head.  The point being, there are tools out there to make git a lot easier.

Before using git, Tortoise SVN was my tool of choice.

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I strongly disagree with the sentiment of this post. Is Git most popular? Yes. Is it the best? Depends on the job and the person. There is no single "best" SCC because people and projects are incredibly diverse. You may have found your favourite, but please just accept that not everybody is going to be the same opinion.

Starting with Git might be a good choice, in fact it's probably going to be where most (>70%) of people land eventually.  But I think SVN is a bit simpler and if you're cutting your first teeth on SCC, I would argue SVN might give people an easier entry point. And don't forget, having any SCC is 10000% better than no SCC.

[BertMcMahan]

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@matys wrote:

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@Intaris wrote:

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@matys wrote:

Hello Bren,

you may want to look at TortoiseSVN for this.

The only drawback I can think of is the compare function, which requires a proprietary plugin to work.

This means it can detect changes to your Project, Front Panels and Block Diagrams but it can't show you these differences (e.g. a before an after comparison of two Block Diagrams).

---

Which third-party plugin is required?

I have set up my tortoise SVN to use LVCompare without installing any third-party tools for it.

---

You're right, it's not a plugin. I was mistaken.

LVCompare requires LabVIEW Professional Development System (I don't have the proper license).

---

Since LV2022 Q3 (the version OP is using), LVCompare is available in all editions.

(https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/upgrading-labview/page/labview-2022q3-changes.html)