LV 8 app builder

[george seifert]

It seems like creating an installer now is a 2 step process. First I have to build the executable. Then I have create the installer. Or am I missing something? I suppose it's growing pains, I'm not sure this is any easier.

Plus I really miss having the installer ask if they want to overwrite certain files (like ini files). Ok that was a few versions back, but I still miss it.

George

[kennoncotton]

It seems like creating an installer now is a 2 step process. First I have to build the executable. Then I have create the installer. Or am I missing something? I suppose it's growing pains, I'm not sure this is any easier.

Yes it is now a 2 step process, really it always has been but it was an automatic 2 step process. No ease advantage I guess but it is more flexible since it gives you the ability to include more than one exe, dll or source distribution in an installer. Also you can rebuild the exe and test it on your local machine without having to rebuild both the exe and installer or change the settings and build and remember to change them back. It may take a little getting used to but I think you'll find a use for it.

Ideally when you try to build an installer that includes the output of an exe build and the exe build isn't up to date, the installer build would recognize that and build the exe before it builds itself, sorry we couldn't get everything into 8.0.

You can build both the exe and installer in one step by selecting the exe then while pressing ctrl select the installer so that both are highlighted, then right click on one of them and choose build. This will build all the selected build specifications in the order they were selected.

Kennon

[george seifert]

You can build both the exe and installer in one step by selecting the exe then while pressing ctrl select the installer so that both are highlighted, then right click on one of them and choose build. This will build all the selected build specifications in the order they were selected.

Kennon

So the order they're selected IS important. I discovered that I could build both, but I must have selected them in them in the wrong order. I got some errors because it must have tried to build the installer first. I gave up on trying to do both at once because I figured it wasn't working right.

George

[Chris]

Hi Kennon,

While we are on the topic of the new LV8 Installer, can you tell me this. If you build an application that has the LV Runtime Engine and your exe file and you install it on a computer. Then you modify your application and re-build it. When you go to install it on the computer again, will it automatically detect that the correct LV Runtime Engine is already installed and bypass that step, or will it re-install it all over again?

[jhoskins]

Hi chris,

I asked this on the exchange as well and the answer that I got from the person that is responsible for the developement of the installer is yes the installer checks to see if any NI software is present and that it will not install the software if it is the same version or greater. in your case it would look to see if that version of the runtime engine is installed if it is then it will skip this step in the install.

Joe

[kennoncotton]

So I've been looking for an excuse to post one more time so I'd get a LabVIEW flag under my name, and even though Joe has answered the question, I'll post that yes the installer will look at a higher level than it has in the past and only install what has a newer version.

You will have to bump the version number of your part of the installer as well so that it will be installed or uninstall your part first. When you run the installer the last screen you get before all the copying happens will show a summary of what will be installed and removed.