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DGU

Slim app builder

Status: New

One thing prevent our company to upgrade to newer labview is that the run-time engine gets too big. Even I really like the features in later version, I still have to save the files back to 7.1 then to 7.0 to build application installer. Under 7.0, the run-time engine is very small, and the installer is less than 10MB and I can easily email the program to customers. In version 8.0, the run-time engine is 65MB and now the latest version is well above 100MB.

 

What I would like to see is that application builder get smart, only pick what is needed and build slim app.

7 Comments
JackDunaway
Trusted Enthusiast

I think this is actually the first idea that explicitly asks for this, but exactly what you asked for is discussed here in Build executables that don't require a runtime engine and Segment the LabVIEW Run Time Engine (RTE) to ONLY Necessary Components.

 

Let me get this straight... you're using the current development environment (8.6.1, or 2009), but you're using Save for Previous Version all the way down to 7.0 just for the smaller installer?

 

Anyway, I agree wholeheartedly. Kudos.

muks
Proven Zealot
I agree and kudos!!!
DGU
Member
Member

Our email system only allow attachment less than 10MB, and I think most of the companies also have size limit for their email system.

 

I am actually only use version 8.0 but I am playing with evaluation copy of 2009. I am not sure if these new features will work when I save them back to version 8.0 then to version 7.1 then to version 7.0. That is kind hassle already to have three version of labview installed on my computer plus managing all these files for different version.

 

Don't let LabVIEW becoming windows and grow bigger for each release.  Thanks for support.

altenbach
Knight of NI

Nobody in his right mind should distribute applications via e-mail. Host it on an ftp server or web page and e-mail out links to it.

 

This way you can also update the application at any time, preventing people from installing a stale application from an ancient e-mail message. 

DGU
Member
Member
For serial users, e-mail is not good choice. But for what we have to send to customers, and for a couple MBytes size small program, it is definitely overkill to ask customers to download and install a 100 MB package.
kdmcmullan
Member

 

I upgraded my LabVIEW from 7 to 2009 and the installer shot up from 15Mb to 1.2Gb. I nearly fell off my seat! For this reason, some of my other project teams have declined to upgrade to 2009 and now I need to support multiple environments.

 

Surely the included installers could intelligently leave out al teh sub components which aren't used by the project?

 

Here's an imaginary (but not too far fetched) scenario: one of the reasons some of my customers like LabVIEW over line-based languages is that they're not necessariy very good with the whole computing thing, so they like little pictures. If I suggested the jack in to my FTP server, they'd probably think that was some new swear word.

 

Lightwave-Computing
Member

This would be a huge benefit to me also.  Sometimes I do a remote install using a VNC connection, often when a PC is being replaced at a lumber mill site.  The applications typically are not super complex and run either DAQ or serial or TCP/IP controlled instruments.  I keep a copy of LV 7.1 for just these kinds of applications, since it is stable on Windows XP, and can be installed quickly.