Which LabVIEW version do you use for new projects?

[Jim Kring]

As usual, I am curious about how people use LabVIEW -- please take the poll (above) and let me know your thoughts. This time, I'm interested in your opinions, because I want to know how best to support OpenG users. Right now, almost all OpenG libraries are compatible with 6.1 or greater. But, that means that we can't easily support certain new data types like the time stamp, 64-bit integers, or LabVIEW objects. I'm curious how many users we might stand to alienate by starting to use new versions of LabVIEW for subsequent package releases. Keep in mind that you will still be able to use existing versions of packages that support 6.1 or greater. It would only be newer releases that would be limited to newer versions of LabVIEW and these new releases would likely come, as a result of needing to support new data types and LabVIEW features.

[Justin Goeres]

I use 8.5 for all of my new projects. There are still several projects that I maintain that still live in 7.1.1, but I can't remember that I've ever, for instance, seen a new OpenG package and thought "OMG! That's exactly what I need in that software I wrote 4 years ago!."

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

I almost always use the most recent release when I start a project. But since many of my projects are long term engagements, I have active contracts servicing applications from 6.1 - 8.5.

I will only bump version in mid-development if I need a bug fix or need to implement drivers for 3rd party hardware.

Ben

[Yair]

We still use 7.0 exclusively, but we plan on moving to the newest version soon and will then only use 7.0 to support existing projects.

[Jim Kring]

QUOTE (Yen @ Mar 15 2008, 11:20 AM)

We still use 7.0 exclusively, but we plan on moving to the newest version soon and will then only use 7.0 to support existing projects.

It's good to hear that you are upgrading -- you were on my list of concerns

[crelf]

QUOTE (Jim Kring @ Mar 14 2008, 10:31 PM)

...because http://forums.openg.org/index.php?showtopic=815' rel='nofollow' target="_blank">I want to know how best to support OpenG users...

It's a juggling act. I think it's noble to strip down to the lowest common denominator and support the earliest version possible, but I'm not really interested in keeping v6.1 (or 7.1 either) just to support anything I create or edit for OpenG. Personally, while I'm not going to actively go out of my way to make everything in the latest version, I'm equally not going ot go out of my way to use the oldest possible version either. I'll be aiming at 8.x from now on, but I won't be necessarily sticking to it (eg: if it makes sense for me to use LVOOP, then I'll use 8.2, etc)

[Jim Kring]

QUOTE (crelf @ Mar 15 2008, 12:57 PM)

It's a juggling act. I think it's noble to strip down to the lowest common denominator and support the earliest version possible, but I'm not really interested in keeping v6.1 (or 7.1 either) just to support anything I create or edit for OpenG. Personally, while I'm not going to actively go out of my way to make everything in the latest version, I'm equally not going ot go out of my way to use the oldest possible version either. I'll be aiming at 8.x from now on, but I won't be necessarily sticking to it (eg: if it makes sense for me to use LVOOP, then I'll use 8.2, etc)

Here is my analysis of the initial poll results:

• 90% of people are using 8.2 or greater for new projects
  
• nobody is using 8.0 (must be buggy)
  
• 6.66% are using 7.1
  
• 3.33% are using 7.0
  

I think that its probably safe to start using 8.2 for OpenG development. This will greatly simplify our process, since it's damn hard (in many cases) to support 6.1 and 8.x at the same time.

Certaily, we'll want to wait until more people have a chance to respond to the poll -- there are only 25 people who have voted, since the poll was created yesterday, and most polls on LAVA tend to get anywhere between 75 and 125 votes.

[Michael Aivaliotis]

Maybe people should update their LAVA profile with the LabVIEW version used. Then I can query the database for a complete list. :ninja:

[Ton Plomp]

QUOTE (Michael_Aivaliotis @ Mar 16 2008, 05:03 AM)

Maybe people should update their LAVA profile with the LabVIEW version used. Then I can query the database for a complete list. :ninja:

Good idea!

(and in 8.2 I have the option to create polymorphic VIs)

But LabVIEW 8.0 is just 2.5 years old isn't that a little bit too early?

Ton

[crelf]

QUOTE (Jim Kring @ Mar 15 2008, 05:29 PM)

I think that its probably safe to start using 8.2 for OpenG development. This will greatly simplify our process, since it's damn hard (in many cases) to support 6.1 and 8.x at the same time.

I'd be more than happy with 8.2 - especially with the introduction of LVOOP.

QUOTE (Michael_Aivaliotis @ Mar 16 2008, 12:03 AM)

Maybe people should update their LAVA profile with the LabVIEW version used. Then I can query the database for a complete list. :ninja:

Can you determine which of those users are active LabVIEW users? Maybe by number of visits? (I don't think number of posts is best, as I'm sure there are plenty of lurkers).

[Jim Kring]

QUOTE (tcplomp @ Mar 16 2008, 03:01 AM)

But LabVIEW 8.0 is just 2.5 years old isn't that a little bit too early?

A long time ago, when LabVIEW was on a X.0, X.1, Y.0, Y.1 release pattern, we decided that when LabVIEW released a N.1 release, it was probably OK for OpenG to switch development to LabVIEW (N-1).1 (for example, when LabVIEW 7.1 was released, it was OK for us to start using 6.1). When 8.0 was released, it was really buggy. This mean't that a lot of people didn't upgrade from 7.1 to 8.0. And, most people gradually upgraded as 8.2, 8.2.1, 8.5, and 8.5.1(?) were released -- but, they skipped 8.0 and went to 8.2 or greater as quick as they could. I think the fact that 8.6 is getting close to release means that it's probably OK to jump to 8.2. And, there is enough significantly new stuff in LabVIEW 8.2 that it makes pretty compelling argument for OpenG Developers to add new stuff. And, cool new OpenG features/tools will attract more people to use OpenG.

I think it's important to also re-stress the fact that this change will only effect new released of packages. All our existing code that uses OpenG in older versions of LabVIEW will continue to work.

QUOTE (Michael_Aivaliotis @ Mar 15 2008, 08:03 PM)

Maybe people should update their LAVA profile with the LabVIEW version used. Then I can query the database for a complete list. :ninja:

Michael,

Seeing the profile data would provide some interesting statistics. I'd be interested to see the LabVIEW version bin count for Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary LabVIEW versions used, with users filtered by some total post count and/or recency threshold (to ensure that the quality/freshness of data is good).

But, we should keep in mind that there is no fool-proof way to ensure that the profile data is fresh, except for new users (unless the profile data is stored in new database records each time the data is modified or there is some other profile modification time stamp).

Also, the profile contains Primary, 2nd, and 3rd LabVIEW versions used. It doesn't really ask the question: Which LabVIEW version do you use when starting a new project?

I'd be inclined to think that the answer to this question would likely be the highest LabVIEW version in the combined set of LabVIEW versions used, for each user. For example:

for each user in allUsers:	user.max = max([user.primary, user.secondary, user.tertiary])

-Jim

[crelf]

QUOTE (Jim Kring @ Mar 16 2008, 11:53 AM)

And, there is enough significantly new stuff in LabVIEW 8.2 that it makes pretty compelling argument for OpenG Developers to add new stuff. And, cool new OpenG features/tools will attract more people to use OpenG.

My thoughts exactly :thumbup:

[Justin Goeres]

QUOTE (Jim Kring @ Mar 15 2008, 02:29 PM)

• nobody is using 8.0 (must be buggy)
  

If anything, I would've thought 8.0 would be overrepresented here, since anyone using it would have plenty of time to browse LAVA while they're waiting for LabVIEW to launch .

[Jim Kring]

QUOTE (Justin Goeres @ Mar 16 2008, 10:58 AM)

If anything, I would've thought 8.0 would be overrepresented here, since anyone using it would have plenty of time to browse LAVA while they're waiting for LabVIEW to launch .

Hmm... do you think that the/a reason NI went to 8.5 instead of 9.0 is that people stopped upgrading to X.0 releases after 8.0?

[Tomi Maila]

QUOTE (Jim Kring @ Mar 16 2008, 10:28 PM)

Hmm... do you think that the/a reason NI went to 8.5 instead of 9.0 is that people stopped upgrading to X.0 releases after 8.0?

Maybe they just want to release Jeff's new wire together with LV 10.0 and releasing 8.5 instead of 9.0 gives them more time

[Ton Plomp]

QUOTE (Jim Kring @ Mar 16 2008, 09:28 PM)

Hmm... do you think that the/a reason NI went to 8.5 instead of 9.0 is that people stopped upgrading to X.0 releases after 8.0?

No,

LabVIEW 8.5 just had nothing new! (almost nothing)

See my motivation http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&view=by_date_ascending&message.id=302282#M302282' target="_blank">here

Ton

[pallen]

Although we have 8.21, I personally never used it myself. That upgrade came at a time when I was more or less in the middle of a number of projects that I had already started with 7.1 All the reports of initial problems with 8.x versions made me a little nervous.

I have however just started my very first 8.5 project. This time instead of another automotive related test/control fixture, we're making our first move into the aerospace industry! No USB-6009s in this rig. It's PXI goodness all the way. :thumbup:

I'm really hoping to take my programming up another notch (or three) on this one. I've looked into State Charts, and I think I'd really like to go this way. But I'm worried about trying something so completely new with what is going to be a very important first impression. I've been through a couple of the tutorials. But the light hasn't quite snapped on yet. If anyone has any suggestions for me, I'd be most grateful. :worship:

[Daklu]

Given that we've only been using Labview in my group for a little under two years, all the projects I can think of are either in 8.2 or 8.5. Any new projects I create are done in 8.5 although that is not the case for everyone here. Keep in mind, however, that I am the local "expert," having used Labview for all of 1.5 years. Most of the users here have not heard of OpenG nor would know what to do with it if I sent them a link.

[Jim Kring]

QUOTE (Daklu @ Mar 20 2008, 12:42 PM)

Keep in mind, however, that I am the local "expert," having used Labview for all of 1.5 years. Most of the users here have not heard of OpenG nor would know what to do with it if I sent them a link.

So, what are you waiting for? Let's get them up to speed about OpenG -- start them off on the right foot, early

[Rolf Kalbermatter]

QUOTE (Jim Kring @ Mar 16 2008, 03:28 PM)

Hmm... do you think that the/a reason NI went to 8.5 instead of 9.0 is that people stopped upgrading to X.0 releases after 8.0?

After 8.0 they are probably going to skip 9.0 altogether.

And while I started to use 8.2(.1) for many projects I have still many projects in 7.1 and some customers insisting to keep using 7.1 even for new projects because they do not want to keep upgrading every year again their licenses.

Rolf Kalbermatter