how to deal with different LV versions

[Gabi1]

There must be an easy solution for this, or NI is not doing it right:

at one client i have LV8, at another LV 8.2 (computer 1) and LV8.5 (computer 2), the beta version and LV8.5 on my computer. that is becoming too messy with the different applications.

example 1:

i have all the toolkits, drivers and DAQmx installed in 8.5. as i test the LV 2009, i did not install the toolkits. now i open an application that requires DAQmx, and i need to tell LV where to find it. i am afraid to do so, as it will be saved along with the application in LV9. there should be a command to import all toolkits and drivers from previous versions.

example 2:

on one computer i have some instrument drivers installed (LV8). if i save the whole hierarchy for using in another computer, short of saving the whole user.lib and vi.lib, i have no way to export the actual drivers. my workaround right now is save to previous version, but it should not be.

so in short: how to make applications and project compatible on different versions/computers, without having to fiddle with it for 2h each time?

[Mark Yedinak]

I would look at two things that will help with your multiversion environments. First, if you are not using LabVIEW projects already then I would start using them. They help significantly to reduce cross linking issues and generally keep things more organized. Along the same lines I would look into using some sort of source code control. This way you can save code their and branch you applications and keeping working version for each of the different versions you are using.

Now, do you need to distribute source or can you simply distribute stand-alone applications. If the latter then you don't need to be so concerned about the different versions of LabVIEW. However if you do need to distribute different versions you will need to use the approaches I suggested above. In addition, you will need to have each version installed on your development machine. You can save code to an earlier version but that is only supported for two revisions back. So, over time this does not become a workable solution. The only true way to support multiple versions is to have each version installed. If you need to do this I suggest that you look into the SSP program.

[Gabi1]

QUOTE (Mark Yedinak @ May 16 2009, 04:35 PM)

I would look at two things that will help with your multiversion environments. First, if you are not using LabVIEW projects already then I would start using them. They help significantly to reduce cross linking issues and generally keep things more organized. Along the same lines I would look into using some sort of source code control. This way you can save code their and branch you applications and keeping working version for each of the different versions you are using.

Now, do you need to distribute source or can you simply distribute stand-alone applications. If the latter then you don't need to be so concerned about the different versions of LabVIEW. However if you do need to distribute different versions you will need to use the approaches I suggested above. In addition, you will need to have each version installed on your development machine. You can save code to an earlier version but that is only supported for two revisions back. So, over time this does not become a workable solution. The only true way to support multiple versions is to have each version installed. If you need to do this I suggest that you look into the SSP program.

the project explorer doesnt help for toolkit vis, drivers, or DAQmx. it is simply not part of the explorer. one workaround is to always save a copy of the vis in the project directory. didnt do that up to now.

another problem i have is : why should i reinstall all the toolkits for every future installation of LV, if:

1- i didnt buy the new version of the toolkit, or the toolkit didnt change

2- the application saved in a previous version with drivers, where the drivers are installed on the LV folder. open the application in a new LV version, you lost the reference to these drivers. Do I need to reinstall all the drivers?

3- DAQmx hasnt changed - why should i reinstall it?

it is clear that to keep compatibility we need to keep versions of these toolkits on the original LV version. But there must be a simple option to compare / export all vis to the next version.

if its not yet existing...we need to take the challenge!

[Tim_S]

QUOTE (Gabi1 @ May 16 2009, 07:37 AM)

at one client i have LV8, at another LV 8.2 (computer 1) and LV8.5 (computer 2), the beta version and LV8.5 on my computer. that is becoming too messy with the different applications.

Is there a reason you need to install the latest version of the driver? It may benefit you to "standardize" on a version of the driver, LabVIEW, etc.

You may want to look at using virtual machines and performing your development in those, especially if you have different versions of the drivers.

Tim

[BobHamburger]

QUOTE (Tim_S @ May 16 2009, 10:49 PM)

Is there a reason you need to install the latest version of the driver? It may benefit you to "standardize" on a version of the driver, LabVIEW, etc.

You may want to look at using virtual machines and performing your development in those, especially if you have different versions of the drivers.

Tim

I'd go one step further: set up a machine with separate boot partitions for each version of LV that you want to install and support. It's a royal pain to approach it this way, as it requires you to re-install all of the toolkits as you mentioned, but from my perspective it's the only sure-fire way to keep the various versions completely clean and self-consistent. When you install newer versions, there's an annoying tendency for the newer drivers, DAQ stuff, etc., to overwrite what's already in place. Our friends at NI naturally assume that all you're ever interested in is upgrading to the latest and greatest.

[Chris Davis]

QUOTE (BobHamburger @ May 17 2009, 07:27 PM)

I'd go one step further: set up a machine with separate boot partitions for each version of LV that you want to install and support.

Two words. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=04D26402-3199-48A3-AFA2-2DC0B40A73B6&displaylang=en' rel='nofollow' target="_blank">Virtual PC. Its free and does what you are describing without all the complications of dual / triple / quad booting. I even have one setup just for testing software installs. I've set it to "delete changes" on shutdown, so its always a fresh install of XP when I need to test a software install.

I would also echo the calls for source code control, having the ability to "fall back" to a version that works with the click of a mouse is, at times, priceless.

[Gabi1]

QUOTE (Tim_S @ May 17 2009, 04:49 AM)

Is there a reason you need to install the latest version of the driver? It may benefit you to "standardize" on a version of the driver, LabVIEW, etc.

You may want to look at using virtual machines and performing your development in those, especially if you have different versions of the drivers.

Tim

Yes, but how about i just copy a project from one computer to the next, which doesnt have the drivers of the e.g. hp81341 installed. why do i now need to go and look for them on the internet? on my laptop i dont have DAQmx installed (lazy me), why cant i open the project which i started on my lab computer?

QUOTE (BobHamburger @ May 18 2009, 02:27 AM)

I'd go one step further: set up a machine with separate boot partitions for each version of

LV

that you want to install and support. It's a royal pain to approach it this way, as it requires you to re-install all of the toolkits as you mentioned, but from my perspective it's the only sure-fire way to keep the various versions completely clean and self-consistent. When you install newer versions, there's an annoying tendency for the newer drivers, DAQ stuff, etc., to overwrite what's already in place. Our friends at NI naturally assume that all you're ever interested in is upgrading to the latest and greatest.

it doesnt solve the original issue of the drivers, but : Yes, with all the pain involved with different LV versions this might be the only solution. maybe we can ask NI that future versions keep encapsulation into a single folder. also, we need a 'check and update' button: whenever a new version is installed, check for older version for drivers, toolkits...