LabVIEW 2022 Beta - New Features

[Christina_R]

---

@Bas.v.E wrote:

Can you explain a bit more about the "decoupling drivers from LabVIEW" feature? What does this mean and which drivers are we talking about?

Does this mean I can use the cRIO2018 drivers while programming in LV2022?

Do you also know a release date?

---

There's now a "global" installation location for VIs (and other supporting files) for a driver, which we call LVAddons. These VIs are "source only" which means they have "Separate compiled code from source file" checked in VI Properties.

We're changing LabVIEW so that when it looks for VIs, examples, etc. for a driver, it will look in the LVAddons location (in addition to the traditional locations within the LabVIEW directory). LabVIEW compiles the VIs (into its version-specific cache) upon first use.

So, you will need to upgrade a driver to a version that supports LVAddons first, and after that you'll be able to upgrade LabVIEW without upgrading the driver.

Not all drivers will be available alongside the upcoming LabVIEW release, which is planned for the third quarter this year (i.e., around August). We currently have one shipping driver that has added LVAddons support (NI-FGEN 21.8).

[crossrulz]

---

@Christina_R wrote:

Not all drivers will be available alongside the upcoming LabVIEW release, which is planned for the third quarter this year (i.e., around August). We currently have one shipping driver that has added LVAddons support (NI-FGEN 21.8).

---

So is there a roadmap for which drivers we should expect to support the LVAddons and when?  I'm still holding out hope for a version of VirtualBench driver I can use post-LabVIEW 2019.

[Intaris]

This is actually great news, but the engineer I am is waiting to see the actual implementation before getting my hopes up too much. Still, this is a significant change which, if it delivers the effect it's aiming for, will be a fantastic one.

This does seem to hint at the ability to install multiple LabVIEW versions side-by-side with fewer problems than currently. Given that, the Idea Exchange entry to put the version number back on the splash screen seems like a no-brainer. And yet NI doesn't want to do that. This is only going to increase confusion going forward.

https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-Idea-Exchange/The-LabVIEW-2021-welcome-screen-should-display-the-ve...

[wiebe@CARYA]

---

@Intaris wrote:

Given that, the Idea Exchange entry to put the version number back on the splash screen seems like a no-brainer. And yet NI doesn't want to do that. This is only going to increase confusion going forward.

https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-Idea-Exchange/The-LabVIEW-2021-welcome-screen-should-display-the-ve...

---

That idea just changed to "in development".

Happy days.

[Intaris]

Splash screen and about are still without, though.

I had hoped the splash screen would contain all relevant info, version, bitness and so on.

[wiebe@CARYA]

---

@Intaris wrote:

Splash screen and about are still without, though.

I had hoped the splash screen would contain all relevant info, version, bitness and so on.

---

I agree. Removing information is probably only ever good for esthetics...

I do often check the about to see which version is open. I do use 1-3 LabVIEW versions at the same time.

[SCW]

Thanks for this great info. This is important to those of us supporting long lifecycle products & systems.

Can you comment on how "Property Nodes" will be decoupled? I understand the explanation about recompiling LabVIEW vi's. But will future versions of LabVIEW also be able to load and use property nodes from older versions of NI-xxxx hardware drivers?

[Christina_R]

---

@Intaris wrote:

Splash screen and about are still without, though.

I had hoped the splash screen would contain all relevant info, version, bitness and so on.

---

I'm a bit confused. The splash screen does contain the version information, just as text rather than in the graphic:

[wiebe@CARYA]

---

@Christina_R wrote:

---

@Intaris wrote:

Splash screen and about are still without, though.

I had hoped the splash screen would contain all relevant info, version, bitness and so on.

---

I'm a bit confused. The splash screen does contain the version information, just as text rather than in the graphic:

---

I didn't check myself. If it's there, great!

[Intaris]

I took a post of your on the Idea Exchange as reference.

Have I misunderstood the meaning of the message?

NI reconsidered the decision to remove the version from the "banner" of the LabVIEW Getting Started window, and we're planning to include it in the upcoming release. Note, though, that the splash screen and about box visual designs will stay aligned with other NI software products, which do not include the versions in the graphics. You will still be able to see the version textually in the lower-left of these screens