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Which liscence Do I need to Download Old Versions of LabView

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I am a graduate student working in a lab that uses NI hardware and software to collect data from an electrode array. My thesis involves modifying LabView Code to allow for more robust recording options. The problem is this system was developed a long time ago by a different lab. I have been told to avoid upgrading the drivers and runtime software on the recording computer as it could mess up our current system. This leaves my only choice to be compiling new software to work with the old drivers (LabView Runtime 8.2.1 and NI-DAQmx 14.2 are the main ones). The only way to do this as I understand is to compile the code using an older version of LabVIEW. I've tried following the steps here: https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA03q000000YHcjCAG&l=en-US but my problem is that we don't have an active service program and any of the people that would know about this are long gone (that's the nature of grad school). We could spare funds to purchase a license but I don't think that would even allow us to download an old version (https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Download-older-version/td-p/4220960)

 

Is having an active service program the only way to get an old version of LabVIEW? We don't need maintenance or anything, all we need is an old version of LabVIEW to modify and compile some code. All in all, I am new to this and very confused and could use some nudges in the right direction. I appreciate any help!

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Yeah, having an active SSP is the only legal way to access the older versions of software.

 

Since someone from your Lab developed that software long ago, they must have had installed LabVIEW 8.2.1 somewhere, if you could find that computer and use it, it makes life easier.

Santhosh
Soliton Technologies

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Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately the person that developed the code is from a different lab across the country. I know that lab has the developer version of LabVIEW 8.2.1 on their computer. Is there any way to transfer that to our computer? Otherwise I may have to resort to asking for their cooperation in compiling code for us. I don't like this option since I know they are very busy and I am new to programming in LabVIEW so there will be much bug fixing and repeated requests for compilation on my part.

 

As another alternative, is it even possible to purchase an active service program? I've tried inputting the serial numbers of each piece of NI hardware (we have 3) into the bottom of this page https://www.ni.com/my-support/s/technical-support but I got this error: "We're sorry, we don't have a match for the number you entered, or a service contract is not associated with that serial number or system." I'm unsure of the cost of such a program but I'd like to at least fully compare all my options.

 

This is a major roadblock in completing my PhD thesis, so I very much appreciate all of your help.

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This is not entirely true. If you have a valid license you should be able to run any version of LabVIEW for which the license was issued and any earlier version of LabVIEW as well. Now actually downloading it another matter. NI has not made it easy for people who have valid licenses but do not have a current support agreement to actually download versions that your license entitles you to.

 

More importantly is does your lab have a valid license? If this was developed in a different lab then they actually have the license. A LabVIEW license can legally be used on two computers provided it is not used at the same time. In order for you to install and use it you will need a valid license. If I am not mistaken I have a copy of the install media for LabVIEW 8.2.1. Worst case scenario I could make a copy of it. You will need to get a valid license. Have you tried contacting NI. They may have a way for you to get the install media.



Mark Yedinak
Certified LabVIEW Architect
LabVIEW Champion

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?"
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
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@Mark_Yedinak wrote:

This is not entirely true. If you have a valid license you should be able to run any version of LabVIEW for which the license was issued and any earlier version of LabVIEW as well. Now actually downloading it another matter. NI has not made it easy for people who have valid licenses but do not have a current support agreement to actually download versions that your license entitles you to.

 

More importantly is does your lab have a valid license? If this was developed in a different lab then they actually have the license. A LabVIEW license can legally be used on two computers provided it is not used at the same time. In order for you to install and use it you will need a valid license. If I am not mistaken I have a copy of the install media for LabVIEW 8.2.1. Worst case scenario I could make a copy of it. You will need to get a valid license. Have you tried contacting NI. They may have a way for you to get the install media.


IIRC, in another post, someone pointed out that as per EULA you cannot distribute installation media.

Santhosh
Soliton Technologies

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@NueralMural wrote:

 

Is there any way to transfer that to our computer?

 

 


At the bottom of the page of your first link in your original post, is another link for exactly what you ask. "Transfer an NI Software License to Another User"

 

 


@NueralMural wrote:

... asking for their cooperation in compiling code for us.


This statement make me think you might be a bit confused about how LabVIEW works.

 

---------------------------------------------
Certified LabVIEW Developer (CLD)
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@NueralMural wrote:

 I have been told to avoid upgrading the drivers and runtime software on the recording computer as it could mess up our current system. 


Does your current "system" just involve the code you are working with, or something else? 

 

If you are afraid to mess up the installation, you can create a virtual machine using a program like VirtualBox to create a separate Windows environment. Within this environment you can install whichever LabVIEW versions / drivers you please without changing your colleague's installation.

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I suppose transfer was the wrong word. They would not be willing to transfer it. I was hoping we might be able to copy the install media to another computer and install using our own license. I have not purchased a license yet as our lab's funds are limited and I didn't want to spend the money until I was sure I could get LabVIEW 8.2.1. It seems the only way to legally acquire this version is to talk to NI, so I will try to call them tomorrow. I am hoping this is not exorbitantly expensive.

 

As for my confusion about how LabVIEW works, you are probably right. My understanding though is that a project needs to be rebuilt every time a change is made, and in order to get the resulting executable to run on our analysis computer (which uses LabVIEW Runtime 8.2.1) we need to build it on LabVIEW 8.2.1. I should mention that we also use 3 NI PCI cards and the LabVIEW code uses functions from NI-DAQmx to read and write to these cards. I believe compatibility with this hardware and with DAQmx is the reason I was told to not update anything. It seems to have taken whoever set this system up a long time to get everything working and stable.

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@santo_13 wrote:

@Mark_Yedinak wrote:

This is not entirely true. If you have a valid license you should be able to run any version of LabVIEW for which the license was issued and any earlier version of LabVIEW as well. Now actually downloading it another matter. NI has not made it easy for people who have valid licenses but do not have a current support agreement to actually download versions that your license entitles you to.

 

More importantly is does your lab have a valid license? If this was developed in a different lab then they actually have the license. A LabVIEW license can legally be used on two computers provided it is not used at the same time. In order for you to install and use it you will need a valid license. If I am not mistaken I have a copy of the install media for LabVIEW 8.2.1. Worst case scenario I could make a copy of it. You will need to get a valid license. Have you tried contacting NI. They may have a way for you to get the install media.


IIRC, in another post, someone pointed out that as per EULA you cannot distribute installation media.


I would have to double check that. If that is so then I don't have the install media. At least I can't distribute it.



Mark Yedinak
Certified LabVIEW Architect
LabVIEW Champion

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?"
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
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Updated DAQmx drivers are often compatible with older hardware. Are you running on Windows XP? 

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