Best Way To Distribute My Application Online

[Eyecheck2003]

Hi:

I have not used Labview in a while so a bit out of the loop.

I have created a VI in LV 7.1 and I want to turn into an application that people can easily download from our server and run on their server.

I have Application Builder 7.1  but have two problems:

1) It gives me a folder full of stuff.  I would have to zip and put on web.  Then my users (very non-technical types) would have to download zip, unzip, run installer.   Ideally, this would be like other applications that people can download from web.  You click on it, say run, and magically it installs the app.  What is best way to do this?

2) I tried using the Installer on my daughters Vista machine but at very end of install, it crashed saying did not have permission to modify registry.

Ideas on how to best solve?

Lastly, if I kept the app on my server, how painful is it to use web page inputs to feed a VI and then output from VI displayed back on web page for user.  If I had the VI and hired somebody to do the web face, is that trivial (cheap) or a lot of work?  i.e., if I create the behind the scenes VI part, how hard to use this as the heart of a web app?

Thanks for any help.

Chris 

[smercurio_fc]

In order for the users to be able to run the app from their local computer they will need the LabVIEW Runtime Engine. This is no different than other languages like Java or .NET. Installing the Runtime Engine requires administrative privileges. There's nothing you can do about this - it's just the way it is.

You can deploy your app as a web service.  As to how feasible this is, it really all depends on what your app is and how much data is being transferred. This will have a toll on your server as well as your internet connection. 

[Eyecheck2003]

Thanks and understand the need for the LV engine.  Is there a cleaner way for me to distribute so that non-techies don't have to unzip a folder.  So, for example, in my install folder, there is 6 items.  Is there a better way to have people install this other than

1) Download the zipped folder;

2) Unzip;

3) Run the installer?

Also, on my daughter's computer, I did have permission and entered her password but still got the registry error.

[smercurio_fc]

You could create a self-extracting archive that's setup to automatically launch the setup after it extracts.

As for the registry error, I (thankfully) don't use Vista. However, I do know that there have been issues installing apps as a regular user who puts in the administrative password vs installing the app as a user who is an administrator. Yay, Microsoft!

[GerdW]

Hi Eyecheck,

1) You can create self-extracting archives, which also execute a given file after unzipping...

2) LV7.1 was published long before Vista arives at the horizon. And there's a reason why NI doesn't support LV7.1 for each and every kind of Windows... Maybe some problems with Vista's (internal) "support" for older software written for Win95/XP (hiding/prohibiting access to registry/special folders)?

[Eyecheck2003]

ok, that makes sense.

Suggestions of where to go to get someone to build the app for me in a new version of LV App Builder and then stick in a Self Extracting file?  So, for example, just blind search on Guru.com or is there a better resource?

Chris

[Dennis_Knutson]

You can advertise in the Job Postings board.