How can I use a PCMCIA RS-485 card from a LabView .exe?

[JasonWB]

Hi all,

We are going to be taking a LabView application and compiling it into an executable (.exe) for use by someone who does not have LabView.  This program requires use of either a National Instruments PCMCIA RS-485 card or possibly a USB RS-485 card.  The question is this - how do I use the card since we will not be able to run the MAXX software ahead of time to "install" the card?

Thanks,

Jason

[MissyS]

Hi Jason,

On this deployment machine, you will need to have NI-Serial, NI-VISA, and the LabVIEW Run-time Engine. The version of the LabVIEW run-time engine will need to be the same version as the application was developed on. This can be downloaded from the Drivers and Update page or an installer can be created to install your application as well as the necessary run-time engine.

If your application has RS-485 communication, you will need to install both NI-Serial and NI-VISA on this deployment machine. NI-Serial is the driver for the NI PCMCIA-485 or NI USB-485. The NI-Serial driver allows the devices to be properly configured and recognized in Windows. NI-VISA gives you the programming capability in LabVIEW. You can add both the VISA run-time engine and NI-Serial to your installer. You will need both of these drivers with the NI Serial hardware.

You will have to run through the "Found New Hardware" Wizard when you install the hardware initially on this deployment computer, but setting up the baud rates and communication configuration should be done in your application as normal.

I hope this helps!

Regards,

[JasonWB]

Hi,

Thanks for the response, but I'm a bit confused.  Why do I need the LabView run-time engine?  I'm just running a compiled application - in fact, I have already done that!  I did not need the run-time engine.  In fact, I shouldn't need anything as we will be distributing the executable.  Is the run-time engine free for distribution?

[Dennis_Knutson]

If you are running the executable on your development pc, then the run-time engine is already installed. Without the development system installed, your exe will not run. the rte is free and the inclusion of it is an option when you create an installer. LabVIEW has always required a run-time engine though in the distant past, it was included as part of each exe. The current versions install it separately so that the exe itself is smaller and if you have multiple exe's installed, the rte only needs to be installed once.

There's really no such thing as a stand-alone exe without a run-time anymore. Exe's that you might develop with software from microsoft also require them. The difference is that ms includes the engines as part of the os.

[JasonWB]

OK, thanks this makes sense now.  Is there any way to forcibly include the rte as part of the .exe?  What about the other pieces mentioned previously?  Are they also all free, or is there a way to embed them within the .exe?

The idea is that we want to be able to distribute a .exe with an installation program (if absolutely necessary), but we do NOT want them to have to buy any support SW from LabView.  I assume that is possible?

Thanks,

Jason

[Dennis_Knutson]

You can't 'embed' the rte or any other driver in your exe but you can include other installer's when you create the installation CD. If you have 8.x or greater, it was made much simpler to do this. I don't have anything greater than 7.1 but the on-line help should explain what to do and I know there have been numerous posts on this subject that deal with 8.x installation CD.

Besides the LabVIEW run-time, the VISA run-time is free, and I believe NI-Serial is free as well, but you should check the license agreement that came with it.