Compare VI tool add-on to base development package / edition

[jmorris]

Hello all,

My company has hired some contractors to help review our LabVIEW work, and purchased LabVIEW base development packages for them to use (since they don't need to build the final application or anything like that).  Imagine my surprise to find that the Compare tool, which is essential to do reviews of non-trivial VIs, is not included in the base development package!

Now lots of other references I have found on the web indicate that it is only in the Professional package (which is ridiculous for such a basic tool, in my opinion), but one NI page (http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/3493C58EA0E842FA86256F86006142C0) implies that compare is now in the Full package, and only the command line compare tool requires the Professional package.  Can anyone tell me if that is true?

As an even better option, is there any add-on I can purchase to get the Compare VI functionality added to my Base package?  The Buy LabVIEW page (http://www.ni.com/labview/buy/) lists "Code Quality Review" as an add-on option, but I've come to think that it just means VI Analyzer, and the Compare functionality is not listed in that table (a pretty big gotcha to not list, again in my opinion).  I hate to tell my boss that we need to go from a $1000 package to a $3000 or $5000 package, for each contractor, just so they will be able to review the code.

Thanks for your help!

-Joe

[mikeporter]

So let me ask a stupid question. Why do these so-called "consultants" need you to buy their tools for them? When I hire a carpenter to work on my house, I expect him to have the needed hammers and saws needed to do the work.

Better to dump these loosers and find someone who is prepared to do the work when they show up. Think about it, if they don't even own their own license, how good a review are you really going to get?

Mike...

PS: Please feel free to pass this message on to them verbatim.

[jmorris]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for your opinion, although I will note that even the really good hammers and saws do not generally cost multiple thousands of dollars.  We have an existing good relationship with this other company, and they have experience with LabVIEW, they just don't own the version that we are requiring them to use.

All that aside, do you happen to know whether the Compare VI tool is included in one of the available LabVIEW add-ons, whether there are any other good way to compare VIs, or failing that whether I would need the Full or Professional edition of LabVIEW to have that tool be built in?

-Joe

[mikeporter]

Whether they don't have license or they don't have the current version, the point is the same: They aren't ready to do the work -- which is especially egregious now that we know this is a company that is jerking you around.

By the way, have you checked out how much it costs a carpenter to setup I'm business? We are talking tens of thousands of dollars.

Mike...

[Gregory]

According to this page it is only available in the Professional Development Environment.

[jmorris]

Thank you gregoryj, I agree that page looks pretty definitive.  I guess I have to hope that someone knows about some other option available (add-on or otherwise), or just pay the big bucks.

[natasftw]

It doesn't exist on Full.  I just gave it a try.  It's professional only.  The KB has the wrong software type in the "primary software" section but everything else in the KB says professional only.

[jmorris]

Thanks for the confirmation, natasftw!

[Hooovahh]

Glad you found the answer you were looking for.  I also share the opinion Mike has mentioned.  It is a bit crazy to think you need that much up front cost for code review, but companies that specialize in this type of work will have processes already in place, using what ever unit test, and code review practices they deem necessary.  

Having to pay for the contractors tools seems a bit backwards to me, that is unless the end customer (you) wanted to purchase licenses to have for later after these guys are done, but shouldn't be required to get the job done.  I mean do you also have to purchase a computer for them to work on?  Do you have to pay for their Windows, and Office licenses?  What about their email servers?  These are all things I would expect software developers, or system integrators to have and not put in as a cost on a PO but instead roll it into their expenses.

NI has several companies which are Alliance partners, which will have all of these things and more and won't charge extra for.  Maybe one is in your area.

[jmorris · Accepted solution]

FYI, to finish up this topic, I eventually got an official answer back from NI: there are no other add-ons or third-party tools that allow graphical comparison of VIs.  So, as previous repliers have said (thank you again), the Professional development environment is your only option for using that tool.