Caution - LabVIEW 2019 VISA Runtime Engine is not available yet

[asukumari]

For those of you developing in 2019 version that depends on VISA platform. Be aware that NI hasn't released the 2019 VISA run time installer yet which can be installed offline. This will be a problem only if you release your software as EXE. Instead you can release it as an installer so that the installer will grab the necessary drivers and add-ons and install it (granted you have admin access) to support your application.

Meanwhile I do not think there is any other workaround for now. So keep working on 2018 version until you are absolutely sure that you will be able to download and install all other required add-ons for the latest version (especially if you do not have admin access) to the systems.

Also I am certain that installing any drivers of NI requires admin rights by default. You application can be used on a user profile but all the underlying drivers needs to be done with admin privileges. Especially since it will change your REGISTRY.

If anyone has any other alternatives. Please do suggest.

[MichaelBalzer · Accepted solution]

I posted about the DAQmx runtime here, but it's the same conclusion you've found (build it yourself into an installer):

https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA00Z00000159txSAA&l=en-US

I hope this isn't the way forward, and DAQmx / VISA runtimes will continue to be published as separate, offline installers.

[asukumari]

Yes I hope NI releases them as offline installers as well.

[asukumari]

Is there a way to get notified if NI releases these 2019 run time engines?

[iannicholson]

Any news on this? I see the NI-VISA installer but no Runtime installer. My .EXE is <9MB, I hope NI doesn't expect us to bundle a 993MB installer with each update......

EDIT: There is an update here, but it looks like it will only help if the PC in question has web access...

https://forums.ni.com/t5/Instrument-Control-GPIB-Serial/VISA-runtime-download-link/m-p/3955967/highl...

[RTSLVU]

Well you only need an "installer" for the initial installation to also install all of the dependencies like NI-VISA, NI-488.2, etc.

Once your target system has the runtime dependencies installed any updates to your LabVIEW executable should only require replacing the executable itself. You shouldn't need new runtime packages.

Unless of course you upgraded LabVIEW versions

[iannicholson]

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@RTSLVU wrote:

Well you only need an "installer" for the initial installation to also install all of the dependencies like NI-VISA, NI-488.2, etc.

Once your target system has the runtime dependencies installed any updates to your LabVIEW executable should only require replacing the executable itself. You shouldn't need new runtime packages.

Unless of course you upgraded LabVIEW versions

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Agreed. But when we have a PC fail in the field, we need to send out the runtimes.

Also, I've seen NI multiple times recommend to build an installer package with the runtimes and executables all-in-one; I can't see any scenario where it make sense to do this unless you never plan to update the EXE...

[RTSLVU]

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@iannicholson wrote:

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Agreed. But when we have a PC fail in the field, we need to send out the runtimes.

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Sure but in that case it would be a fresh install, so an "Installer" would be the best way to insure all of the dependencies were installed. 

[iannicholson]

So I should be building a bare installer and a full installer with each EXE update? Sometimes I build 8 or 10 updates in a day! Seems like a lot of extra packaging for something that's rarely needed (but very important when it is).

[RTSLVU]

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@iannicholson wrote:

So I should be building a bare installer and a full installer with each EXE update? Sometimes I build 8 or 10 updates in a day! Seems like a lot of extra packaging for something that's rarely needed (but very important when it is).

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Again, no need to build an installer unless you are deploying to a new target that has none of the dependencies already installed. 

OR you updated LabVIEW or one of the dependencies (like NI-VISA) to a new version.

BTW: This is why I still have LabVIEW 2014, 2015, 2016 still installed on my development system. If I need to update something written in LV 2015 I use LV 2015. I don't upgrade everything to every new LV version that comes out, I don't have time for that.