How to Modify a Labview exe?

[random_guy77]

I have a Labview exe that I did not create, but trying to modify. I have the dll file, and the VI's that went into creating the GUI. I've never worked with a labview exe until trying to modify this, so I'm pretty new into this site of the program. I always thought what you created had to run in labview. Anyways, I've spent the last couple days doing some research and playing around with some of the stuff, but so far haven't had any luck. Each change either hasn't done anything, or has completely prevented the application from opening. I'm not trying to do anything that complex, at least I don't think it is that complex, once a file is loaded into the gui, I want to have the GUI locked except for the run button to prevent an accidental change in values. If anyone is anyone able to help it will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[RavensFan]

You need the original source code that was used to make the .exe.  That means all the .vi files.  I don't know what .dll file you are referring to.

You will modify the VI files as needed, then build a new .exe from those modified files.

Since you haven't used LabVIEW before, start with tutorials. How to Learn LV

[Corey.Rotunno]

I am a little confused by the term "loading a file into the GUI". For some background information though, generally you cannot change an .exe without the source code and a professional development license. What you get when you run an .exe is running in LabVIEW (runtime). The .exe is basically a package of VI's that the application needs to run. You can have VI's or code that are external to the .exe that are required to run, these are generally referred to as dependencies. Depending on how the application was designed, you could theoretically change some of the external dependencies to change how the .exe executes but generally this is not how people design their executable applications to function.

[random_guy77]

The exe that I want to modify allows you to load a configuration file for all the settings before running. Once that file is loaded I'd like to lock down all the registers, so the values can't be changed while running. 

[Bob_Schor]

If the original LabVIEW program was written correctly, you shouldn't have a problem.  A configuration file, having the values you want to use when the program is run, is read by the program (generally when it starts) and the values are saved in memory for the duration of the program.  Once read, changing the values won't matter until (a) you save the (now-changed) file and (b) run the application again, now using the changed file.

That's kind of the point of a Configuration File -- to have a (relatively static) set of variables that are read once, used throughout the program, but can be modified if the situation (configuration) changes.

Bob Schor

[random_guy77]

The issue I'm having is if while running the program it happens to fail, the values get changed back to the original values of when you launch the program. If you don't notice the change it will mess up future runs, which is why I'd like to be able to lock the configuration variables when I'm going to be doing a large set of runs. 

[RavensFan]

But if the program was written correctly, when the program restarts, it will read the configuration file again and reload those values.

[billko]

Could be why this person wants to modify it.  😉

[random_guy77]

Yup! That's what I want to modify. At the moment if it fails while running, you have to reload the configuration file or it uses the values from when starting the application. I want the configuration values to stay obviously. 

[RavensFan]

Which gets back to the answers already given.

Fix the source code so it does what you want.  Make a new .exe.