App Builder has no options for including runtime engine? Also, is source code hidden on stand alone?

[cayenne]

Hello all, I"m starting to try to use App Builder for the first time, to create an executeable for the end customer. I"m reading through : http://www.ni.com/white-paper/3303/en Thinking the stand alone app is what I want...but reading at the first, it sounds like even though I'm building a 'stand alone' application, that the runtime engine is something that the end customer will have to go and download themselves? Any time I've doing installers on other languages, etc...it included everything the end user needed to install and run the executable without them having to go to a website and download something. I'm actually fairly sure that the end machine they will be installing on is NOT connected to the internet for security purposes. So, am I missing something here? I know I"m starting now to read, but this first part puzzled me so I wanted to ask if I'm reading the wrong thing.... Also, when building an exe.....is there something to check to make sure the source codes/block diagram is not accessible by the end user? Thanks in advance, cayenne

[nathand]

When you build an application, it's just your application - no run-time engine.  After you build the application, you can create another build specification for an installer which will include your application and whatever other support files (DAQ drivers, run-time engine, etc) you choose to include.  That's probably what you're looking for you.  You need to build the application first so that it can be included in the installer.

By default, block diagrams and most front panels are removed from your code during the the build process, leaving only the compiled LabVIEW code which would be very difficult to reverse engineer.  If you look through the source file properties in the build specification you'll see options to remove both the front panel and the block diagram.  Make sure you don't remove the front panel for any VI that the application will display to the user (normally this isn't an issue and the default settings are fine).  Checking the option to enable debugging in the executable also includes the block diagrams in the application as far as I know, so you'll want to leave that unchecked (the default).

[cayenne]

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@nathand wrote:

When you build an application, it's just your application - no run-time engine.  After you build the application, you can create another build specification for an installer which will include your application and whatever other support files (DAQ drivers, run-time engine, etc) you choose to include.  That's probably what you're looking for you.  You need to build the application first so that it can be included in the installer.

By default, block diagrams and most front panels are removed from your code during the the build process, leaving only the compiled LabVIEW code which would be very difficult to reverse engineer.  If you look through the source file properties in the build specification you'll see options to remove both the front panel and the block diagram.  Make sure you don't remove the front panel for any VI that the application will display to the user (normally this isn't an issue and the default settings are fine).  Checking the option to enable debugging in the executable also includes the block diagrams in the application as far as I know, so you'll want to leave that unchecked (the default).

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Thanks.

Hmm...well, I'd just found the Installer portion and read through that.

I've just build the Installer.....I assumed where you put in the 'sources'...that that would build the applicaton for you.

So, just to make sure I have it. I build the exe first. Then...I build an installer...and include the previously generated exe in that?

What is the 'include' sources for then....that would expose my code if I include that?

Thank you in advance,

cayenne

[BillMe]

"Source" files in this case means any files you are including in the installer. It doesn't mean "source code".