What is an "Add on"? AND how do I go about making one?

[ashitakaLax]

Ok I've been looking around, and I see a lot of talk about these Labview Add on's/Apps.  I think it is great that Labview is expanding with this, but just what is an Add On.

Is it a glorified vi, with added features? I'm not really sure. 

Are these add ons similar to chrome app, firefox add ons, visual studio add ons, and others?

Can I change what labview does with these add ons?

I'm interested in making an add on,  How do I go about this. 

Being an intern I don't want to fork out lots of dough.  Is there a common API for which developers can use? I do have Labview 2012 dev suite, Can I make an add on with this alone?  I also have Visual Studios 2010, would this be a tool to develop an add on?

Thanks

[Ben]

Add/ons are components tht can be used to enhance an existing set of software.

They are an advanced topic that requires some thought before attempting to create them.

How much experience do you have with dynamically loading VIs and the like?

Yu should really start with the simple stuff before you go for the gusto.

LV 2012 is still in Beta. If you are really using LV 2012 then you should be posting to the Beta forum.

Ben

[Dennis_Knutson]

My first inclination is to say that if you do not know enough about LabVIEW to understand the available add-ons, then you are not really qualified to write one of your own. Everything listed here is an add-on.

[dthor]

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@Ben wrote:

LV 2012 is still in Beta. If you are really using LV 2012 then you should be posting to the Beta forum.

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While true, I think this is another case of the misleading labeling of the Developer Suite. It seems to me that a**bleep**akaLax has the 2012 Developers Suite, which contains LV2011 and other items. Since the Dev Suite was released in 2012, it's called 2012.

I'm sure you already know Ben, but in case others are wondering, here is some info on the confusion. Sadly the Idea was declined, but the reason given provides insight.

EDIT: Apparently ashi-takaLax's name gets bleeped out. Fun times.

[ashitakaLax]

Ben your right that I'm not that experienced with programming in labview, I've been working with it for about 2 years.  I am taking a training program, and I think it would be really neat to divide into some deeper development.  I am really hoping to learn a lot in the process.

as for the labview 2012 I'm currently using 2009, but plan on installing labview 2012 with a disconnected license on my home pc to work with it.

[ashitakaLax]

dthor sorry about the miss use of the dev suite.  I just picked up the latest version my company has today, to install on my home pc.

Still though,  How does one "begin" to start developing an add on. Tools? approach.  I have seen the VIPM, and if that is the only way ok, but I think that is more for simplifiying vi use (from what I understand about it).

So rephrase the question. How to do you begin to development, and what tools do you use.

or is there a website that goes through step by step on this, (i've seen the vipm one)

[Ben]

Then put "create Add-on" at the bottom of your list for now.

You can work up to it.

Re: LV versions...

I hear the same thing from the gang I work with. Dump away, I am used to it by now.

Ben

[ashitakaLax]

Dennis_Knutson.  Way to poop on my parade man. I really just trying to learn more about labview, and what it is capable of.

[Darin.K · Accepted solution]

https://decibel.ni.com/content/groups/labview-add-on-dev-center

[ashitakaLax]

I've looked at this site, but it seems that it is the best source.  I'll dig into it.

Thanks for putting something that answers my question.

By going to the https://decibel.ni.com/content/groups/labview-add-on-dev-center

You select Technical Guides

This gives you a list of step by step instructions on how to build simple add ons.

after looking through a couple of them.  they seem straight forward.