Code Sharing with LabVIEW SP1

[Bob_Schor]

I'm working on a project involving processing of Video information with some students.  We all have LabVIEW 2015 installed on our computers, and keep the LabVIEW Project code in a Subversion Repository to which we all religiously Commit and Update.

If I install the LabVIEW 2015 SP1 upgrade (from the Spring 2016 USB Key), will I "break" the ability to share code with them?  I notice that LabVIEW Update (probably) gives me the ability to upgrade isolated elements to SP1, but I have not (yet) done so, and I'm pretty sure that they, also, haven't upgraded.

I know that installing a new Release (e.g. LabVIEW 2016, out in August), will require us all to upgrade "in parallel", but I don't recall any discussion of compatibility issues between a Release and its Service Pack version.

Does anyone have sufficient Knowledge or Experience to say "Go Ahead" or "Wait"?  [NI, feel free to Chime In with the Authoritative Answer ...]

Bob Schor

[nathand · Accepted solution]

I don't ever remember a service pack release breaking compatibility with the "main" release, although it may take longer to open your code because every switch between the base and service-pack versions will likely force a recompile.

[crossrulz]

From my experience, using the SP does not affect your code unless you do not have the "Separate From Compiled" selected.  Even then, LabVIEW 2015 will still open VIs written in LabVIEW 2015 SP1.

[Bob_Schor]

Crossrulz,

     I'm still trying to parse your statement with two "nots" and an "unless", forget about whether I have "Separate from Compiled" selected (I do not have it checked, which I believe is the default).  Time to flip a coin ...

Bob Schor

[crossrulz · Accepted solution]

There may be some code that gets compiled slightly differently due to the SP1 changes.  But with the Separate From Compiled turned on, this will actually cause the VI file to not even be touched.  By the way, you should be using the SFC since it will help a ton with your SVN tracking.  With it checked, only the actual code is checked into Subversion.  Therefore a lower level subVI getting updated will not cause a top level VI to also need checked in.

Service Packs are almost nothing but bug fixes.  Sometimes they sneak in a feature and don't advertise it to the masses.

So, in summary, you can use 2015 SP1 and have your collegues open the VIs in 2015 with no issues.  But all of you really should update if for nothing else but the bug fixes.

[Bob_Schor]

Nathan and Crossrulz,

     Your replies conform to my somewhat-limited experience.  I've mostly been working "solo", so if I upgraded on some of my machines, but perhaps not all, I might not have noticed (I didn't ever see a problem, but maybe I was lucky?).  Now that I'm working with students, I really didn't want to mess them up.  In addition, the SP1 Distribution Kit has a very limited distribution (we have one key for the entire University, and I generally get it first because I keep asking "Has the Kit arrived yet?"), so my students are unlikely to get it.  I will, however, recommend that they run NI Update and let the Updater tell them which 2015 software updates are available ...

Bob Schor