Question about application builder

[Innoworks]

Hello all

I have a question about building executables with the application builder. I am using Labview 8.0 professional development system.

I manage to create applications with installers and so on. But one thing I don't get to work:

My startup vi references to txt- and bmp files from which I load settings and pictures. This works well just to the point where I have built my application. Then the files which should be loaded can't be found which returns in an error.  I already tried to put the relevant files to "Dynamic Vi's and supported files", but that does not help. What can I do to handle this problem?

Thank you for any advice

Woodi

[GerdW]

Hello woodi,

this applies to different "path to vi" in development mode and executable.
In development mode you get something like "c:\program folder\my_vi.vi", in executable you get "c:\program folder\my_vi.exe\my_vi.vi". Did you notice the additional folder?
So you have to have different "Strip path"/"Build path" when referencing files/folders by hard-wired constants!

Have a better search in the forum, you will find many threads on this!

[TiTou]

Hello Woodi,

This thing happens to 90% of LabVIEW developpers the first time they build their first app.

This is a path issue. When you build an exe, all you VIs are put inside of the exe so when you use "current vi path" + "strip path", the result is different if you are running VI or exe 😉

Before you build, just add a strip path when you get your file path, or better use "directory/file info" to make sure your path is correct before you read/write your text file, if the path is a file path do one more strip path 😉

Hope this helps

[TiTou]

I was not fast enough ...

[Innoworks]

Hi to all

Thank you for your help. I guess I have not had a proper look at the discussion forums. Maybe I had not the right key words in mind, because I found some more topics as soon as the first reply of you came. However I managed to load my files. I was a bit confused about the things with "dynamic VIs and support files" from the application builder.

For others struggling with this problem:

I found this link:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/686119C33C2C30C186256CA70081AC25

and this solution:

Greetings

Woodi

[Kennon_Cotton]

Woodi,

If you are trying to determine whether or not a VI is in the LabVIEW development environment or a built executable.  An easier way to tell is to use the Application.Kind property and check if it is the Run Time System.  If so then the VI is in a built EXE (or DLL), else you are in the development environment.  This is the check we use in the VIs we develop in LabVIEW R&D.  See the attached VI.  Also if you are trying to get the path to the current EXE then you should use the Application.Directory property.  I'm going to ask that the KB you mention be updated.

Kennon

[tst]

Kennon, doesn't that create a problem if the VI was in an LLB? If I remember correctly, that was the reason the OpenG VI uses a while loop - to make absolutely sure that it reached a directory before it returns.

Also, the App.Dir property does not tend to be very useful when running from inside LV as I would normally be interested in either the VI's directory or the EXE's directory.

[Innoworks]

Hi Kennon,

thank you for your advice. Yes, I think this is even more elegant. I will use this method to distinguish wether a VI runs at development environment or as built executable.

Thanks!

Woodi

[Ben]

Hi Kennon,

You wrote "you need to know where your VIs are and where they will end up"

This is one of the challenges I have to face when developing re-usable code. Since I do not know these answer at development time, I have found that the iterative strip path method ALWAYS works.

Ben