How can I ensure whether LabVIEW Runtime Engine was installed in my Windows?

[keiran]

I want to develop a install application using NSIS, and I want to silently install LabVIEW Runtime Engine Using NSIS Scripts.

So I must know whether LabVIEW runtime Engine was be installed in Windows,How to? search registry? which Key?? Thanks!

[JaysonR]

I want to develop a install application using NSIS, and I want to silently install LabVIEW Runtime Engine Using NSIS Scripts.

So I must know whether LabVIEW runtime Engine was be installed in Windows,How to? search registry? which Key?? Thanks!

The LabVIEW 8.0 run-time engine registry entry is at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\National Instruments\LabVIEW Run-Time\8.0

There is a key called Path in there. That will point to where the run-time engine is installed on the system.

Hope this helps.

[brian175]

I want to develop a install application using NSIS, and I want to silently install LabVIEW Runtime Engine Using NSIS Scripts.

So I must know whether LabVIEW runtime Engine was be installed in Windows,How to? search registry? which Key?? Thanks!

Hello,

I have been using NSIS for my products and have done exactly what you are trying to for the DataAct Version Chooser. Here is the code that I use to determine if the runtime engine is required:

; Read registry, if Run-Time not installed force component

;Reading component status from registry

ClearErrors

ReadRegStr $R0 HKLM \

"SOFTWARE\National Instruments\LabVIEW Run-Time\7.1" \

"Path"

StrCmp $R0 "" 0 doneRT

SectionGetFlags ${SEC05} $AR_SecFlags ;Reading default section flags

IntOp $AR_SecFlags $AR_SecFlags | 0x0001 ;Turn lowest (enabled) bit on

;Writing modified flags

SectionSetFlags ${SEC05} $AR_SecFlags

doneRT:

In this case you add all of the runtime files in a Section (Sec05 in my case) and it is automatically selected if not already installed. For the DataAct Version Chooser I don't install the full runtime engine, only the minimun files required for DVC so I can use the same check for uninstalling the runtime engine. Depending on wether you are installing the full runtime engine or not, you may need to write an entry to the uninstall registry key to keep track of wether or not the runtime engine was already installed.

NSIS is very powerful, it's great to hear of others using it for LabVIEW applications.

Brian

[keiran]

Hello,

I have been using NSIS for my products and have done exactly what you are trying to for the DataAct Version Chooser. Here is the code that I use to determine if the runtime engine is required:

In this case you add all of the runtime files in a Section (Sec05 in my case) and it is automatically selected if not already installed. For the DataAct Version Chooser I don't install the full runtime engine, only the minimun files required for DVC so I can use the same check for uninstalling the runtime engine. Depending on wether you are installing the full runtime engine or not, you may need to write an entry to the uninstall registry key to keep track of wether or not the runtime engine was already installed.

NSIS is very powerful, it's great to hear of others using it for LabVIEW applications.

Brian

Hi,Brian,Thanks for your help!

Actually you are my guide on using NSIS! Because when I use your LabVIEW Version Chooser, your Chm file attract me(in your chm file, you tell that you use NSIS to make the setup file!). Then I am absorbed in NSIS,

It's very Cool!

I know I run LabVIEW runtime Engine with Command Line:<installer file> [quiet options] [reboot options],But I don't know how can I install LabVIEW Runtime Engine incompletely so that the setup file is small enough. If I include the full runtime engine, the setup file will be too large, how can i slim it? any idear? thanks !

[brian175]

I know I run LabVIEW runtime Engine with Command Line:<installer file> [quiet options] [reboot options],But I don't know how can I install LabVIEW Runtime Engine incompletely so that the setup file is small enough. If I include the full runtime engine, the setup file will be too large, how can i slim it? any idear? thanks !

I attended a NIWeek presentation on "Deployment Techniques for LabVIEW Applications" given by Kennon Cotton where he described that the LabVIEW runtime engine doesn't have to be installed to work. In his example, he showed how to include the necessary files on a CD and run an application right from the CD.

Jack Hamilton has posted a very similar presentation here on LAVA Runtimeless Installer and LabVIEW applications.

The files that need to be included depend on the functionality of your program so you may need to use a little trial and error to determine which files you need. You could do a fresh install of the DataAct Version Chooser and use the files that get installed as your starting point.

If it turns out that you need the full install, which may be the case if your application needs to be an ActiveX server, then you could also try this:

1. Do not include the runtime installer in your application's installer
2. Use the registry check mentioned earlier in this thread to determine if the runtime engine is installed
3. If it is not installed, download the installer (either from NI's website or yours)
4. Install the RTE

This can all be done from within your NSIS script.

I hope that this helps,

Brian