Has anyone called the Solver dll in Labview?

[Roadrunner 125]

I have developed a non-linear mathematical model in Excel that uses it's Solver routine. I am currently trying to convert this over into the Labview environment because the equations are more manageable and the front panel interface is more marketable. However, I need the power of the Solver dll.

Frontline Systems (www.solver.com) provides an evaluation version of the dll but I am new to this and I was wondering if anyone has done it and could provide a VI which calls this dll or has any suggestions, please?

I think it would be pretty nifty if Labview could provide this sort of optimisation power. (It's current optimisation routines in the Mathematics toolbox are pretty limited and are not nearly as powerful as Solver)
. But I'm sure a labview guru could configure a simple VI which calls the Solver dll for a multi-dimensional non-linear problems similar to Excel....

Many thanks in anticipation!!!

[SVences]

Hello �

You might want to consider using a Call Library Function Node. This node supports a large number of data types and calling conventions. You can use it to call functions in most standard and custom-made DLLs and shared libraries.

Refer to the Configuring the Call Library Function Node section of Chapter 2, Shared Libraries (DLLs), of the Using External Code in LabVIEW manual (attached) for more information about using the Call Library Node to call code from text-based programming languages.

Hope this helps!

S Vences
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[Ted@kodak]

Hello,

I have used the activeX Excel automation class reference to invoke the solver from LabView.

You set up a spreadsheet to run the solver manually. Required are a data range, calculated range, guess coefficients range, range to hold the difference between the calculated range and the data range, and a cell to sum the differences. You launch the solver manually and add whatever constraints you determine are necessary.

You then create a macro in Excel to run the solver.

From LabView you use activeX Excel application method to call the Excel macro which runs the solver.
Additionally, you can pass up to 30 arguments to the macro with the data and guess coefficients.

The macro runs through the automation call and you then read back the cell values of the solver result coefficients using a range property object.

This is really fast.

regards,

Ted@kodak

[a3j]

Hi Roadrunner,

Have you got what you wanted? I am also looking for the way to interface with the Solver.

[Andy F.]

a3j,

The method that was mentioned by Ted@Kodak would be the best method for using solver in Excel with LabVIEW.  If you have any specific questions please let me know.  There is a great set of tutorials that talk all about interfacing with Excel using ActiveX here.  If you have any specific questions repost and we will be glad to help as much as possible. 

Thanks!
Andy F.