LabVIEW application licensing question

[HKPhysicist]

Hello Labview Experts,

1. If I feel that my Labview VI is good enough, how do I package it as a separate application?
2. What software is required to run a Labview application if its user does not have any Labview version installed in his computer?
3. If I develop a Labview application and then distribute it to certain customers to use, do they have to buy any Labview license?

😊

[RTSLVU · Accepted solution]

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@HKPhysicist wrote:

Hello Labview Experts,

1. If I feel that my Labview VI is good enough, how do I package it as a separate application?
2. What software is required to run a Labview application if its user does not have any Labview version installed in his computer?
3. If I develop a Labview application and then distribute it to certain customers to use, do they have to buy any Labview license?

😊

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1. Use the Application Builder.
   1. This is included in the Professional and Community editions.
   2. Can be added on to other editions.
2. At minimum you will need the LabVIEW runtime library and maybe others depending on your application.
   1. The Application builder can also build an "Installer" that contains the LabVIEW and other required NI runtime libraries .
   2. If your program requires any proprietary instrument drivers, you have to also install them separately.
3. No, LabVIEW runtime libraries are free to use and distribute.
4. The program you write and the source code is your (or your company's) intellectual property, and you can charge for your program.
   1. You can not charge more than a small media fee for the LabVIEW runtime or any other required runtime from NI
   2. You CAN NOT charge for anything made using the LabVIEW Community Edition.
      1. Although you can distribute it for free, open-source non-commercial applications.

[HKPhysicist]

Hello,

I've found that Labview VI style software can be a general GUI for many user cases.

Labview application may be a good replacement for web browser (http) UI interface.  In the latter case, the http address of the GUI must be open to all public users.  In the former case, no one other than the target users know where the data are stored.

It sounds like a more secure option.  How do you think?  😊

[HKPhysicist]

Hello RTSLVU,

Now, I have a VI or project opened in a Labview 2021 Community edition, where can I find the "application installer builder" to package it?

 🤔

[rolfk]

Application Builder is meant to build executables. This is a feature that is handy to create self contained applications but also something that is usually needed for commercial applications. The Community Edition is specifically only for non-commercial use and as such if you have VIs that do something that you want to make available for others to use, you provide the VIs itself so they can open them, look at them and run them in LabVIEW (Community Edition or not).

If you want to hide your diagram you are pretty much not likely in non-commercial use mode anymore.