unable to build installer in LV 8

[daveu]

I am attempting to build an installer for a stand alone application. I want to include "Additional Installers".... LV Run-Time Engine 8.0, NI-DAQmx 8.0, and NI-VISA Runtime 3.4.

I downloaded the most recent drivers from ni.com, and saved them to the hard drive. I then re-routed the "Installer source location" to the folder in which these drivers were located......no luck. I continually get a message stating..........

"Unable to locate the installer source for "National Instruments Device Drivers - November 2005" distribution. Locate the distribution and try again."

From that point, again, I told it where to look, only to get the same message.

I notice that it seems to be looking for ...... Files of type: NI Distribution ID (*.id)

I don't know what else to try. Please help!

Thanks in advance...

Dave

[LV_ENG]

Hello Dave,

I am not very familiar with LV8 but I have been using LV7 and other versions before.

Usually when you create an installor LV "merge" your code with the LV run-time and DAQmx drivers without you having to specify it.

Just create the installor without adding anything else and try the application.

Regards,

Chris

[daveu]

Chris,

I tried building the installer with no "Additional Installers" selected. It was unsuccessful for reasons that are beyond my understanding.  I haven't the slightest as to what the error means or how to resolve it. Again, any help is greatly appreciated.

The error read:

The build was unsuccessful.

Possible reasons

CDK_Build_Invoke.vi.ProxyCaller >> CDK_Build_Invoke.vi >> CDK_Engine_Main.vi >> CDK_Engine_Build.vi >> NI.MDF.lvlib:MDFBuildDist_Build.vi

Thanks.

Dave

[daveu]

I love how my last reply to this thread has been viewed 43 times.........with no response       

........ helpful

Anyways, I found the disk that the "Additional Installers" required. Copied the disk content to the hard drive and setup the installer build so the VISA run-time and NI-DAQ 8.0 get the drivers needed. HOWEVER, I still get an error that is confusing.....

Build was unsuccessful, possible reasons:

CDK_Build_Invoke.vi.ProxyCaller >> CDK_Build_Invoke.vi >> CDK_Engine_Main.vi >> CDK_Engine_Build.vi >> NI.MDF.lvlib:MDFBuildDist_Build.vi

'Then it seems to list the order in which it built the installer'

Loading product development information, Adding files to installer, Done adding files, Preparing to build deployment, etc..etc....Setting developer part information, Starting final build.

*******************************

Error: Caught an exception of an unkown type. (Error code -1)

**** End Error Report

Done building deployment

That's it, and although it seems to have built SOMETHING (since it seems like it built the installer), but when i tried running the installer i get a error stating "Fatal Error. Unable to find initialization file." 

Now can ANYONE give me ANY insight as to what is going on here? Or what I could try? There is literally no documentation that i could reference for this, nor is there anywhere else that i can get help besides this forum. Without (of course) paying NI $300 to get support. Please help if possible, or at least let me know if anyone has come accross anything like this when building an installer in LV8.0.

thanks, dave

[Laura F.]

Hello Dave,

Do you get these errors no matter what you build, or just when you are building a particular VI?  Can you try building a simple VI that doesn't use any driver like NI-DAQmx?  This way, we can narrow down if it is related to a driver, and if so try reinstalling that driver.

Regards,

Laura

[daveu]

Hi Laura,

I'm attempting to build 2 things, an application and an installer. I can build the application fine. It's when I build the installer that I get the error. I tried building the installer with no "Additional Installers" (DAQmx, Run-time 8.0, VISA run-time 3.4), but i get the same error. Since I get the same error with or without additional installers, I doubt that including them is related to the error.

Thanks for responding

Dave

[JLS]

Hello,

I have seen similar problems with building installers which attempt to include NI-DAQmx, however, it is interesting that this still occurs when you don't include additional installers.  I am concerned by the language you used in saving drivers to your hard drive.  When you installed the drivers, did you change the installation path in the wizard, or allow it to install in the directory it originally suggested?

I think for sanity we should explore the following:

0. Install DAQmx to it's default directory according to the wizard.

1. Create a new project in LabVIEW.

2. Add a DAQmx shipping example VI to that project.

3. Run the VI to make sure it functions correctly.

4. Build an exe from that VI and make sure the exe runs correctly.

5. Build the installer and attempt to include the DAQmx driver.

This way we'll be working with a case which almost anyone who has DAQmx installed can reproduce exactly!

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing back from you!

Best Regards,

JLS

Message Edited by JLS on 04-14-2006 02:53 PM

[daveu]

JLS,

I did everything that you recommended, as far as building a new project using a working example VI. The apllication built with no errors and worked correctly when run. The installer built with no errors.  I included DAQmx and LV 8.0 run-time. Everything was peachy.

So I attempted to re-build the installer for MY application (which includes DAQmx, LV 8.0 run-time, and NI-VISA run-time 3.4). At no piont during the 'Installer build', does it ever stop or prompt me for anything, which to me means that it's finding what it needs. But when it completes, i get the error as previsouly described (CDK_Build_Invoke.vi.ProxyCaller >> CDK_Build_Invoke.vi >> CDK_Engine_Main.vi >> CDK_Engine_Build.vi >> NI.MDF.lvlib:MDFBuildDist_Build.vi). Since the only difference was including the VISA run-time, i removed it from the additional installers and attempted to re-build the installer (Now i'm including only DAQmx and LV 8.0 run-time, the same as in the example project you had me build, which was successful). However, i get that same quirky error. It does build an installer, but when i tried running the installer, i immediately get an error saying "Fatal Error. Unable to find initialization file." 

I realize this makes my application look like the culprit, however i would think that any problems there would get caught in the .exe build.

Any ideas?

David

[Ronald_Byrd_(NI)]

Hi David,

It might be helpful if you could post a log file. To get a log file, find the labview.ini file in your LabVIEW directory (usually c:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 8.0) and add this line at the bottom:

CDK.EnableLog=True

Then build the installer again, and look in your %temp% directory for a "*.log" file with the same name as your build specification name.

Regards,
Ron

[daveu]

Ron,

Here is the log file you requested. Thanks.

David