Working with LV project

[MimiKLM]

Hi,

I need to ask for some advice about how it is working with projects.

I use LV 8.6.

My project size is let say around two hundreds files. The deepest nest level is let say eight.

I need to distribute the code. I have two variants then:

--Variant A: just copy the root folder of my project to the destination

--Variant B: prepare a code distribution using LV Project (LVP)

I'd like to use the LV RTE so the I've to follow B variant. And then the problem starts.

Although the code itself doesn't have a broken arrow, I couldn’t successfully prepare the code distribution. LVP indicated that something wrong (missing subVIs) with my code. And it was indeed. I found out that a few subVIs were really missing.

So, that are my questions:

1. How it is possible that having a missing VIs in my project I still have not broken arrow in the top level VI?

2. What the LVP is really doing during preparing the source distribution?

K.

[zenthoef]

1. Are the VIs that are missing ones you created? Your project might be linking to VIs that are not in the file structure on disk. Perhaps they are on a network drive, flash drive, etc... Check in the Dependencies section of the Project Explorer. Do you see the missing VIs there? If so, they are living somewhere else other than your file structure for your project. Copy those files to the same location as all your other files and do a mass compile.

2. Not sure. Is the source distribution the same thing as building an EXE? A little confused what you mean by this...

[MimiKLM]

1. Let assume that my applicatiion consist with local and networked files. Are you saying that if I save all my files and further detach/disconnect my networked files then unless I call these files the application (under development mode) will be ok and I'll have unbroken arrow? 

2. Source distribution is one of form of builds. What it is doing checking dependencies including instr.lib, vi.lib and user.lib and 'exporting' it to a one destination. Then you can use it along with RTE which doesn't have 'autometed' links as Development Env.

[zenthoef]

1. LabVIEW searches for files if it doesn't find them where it expects them. So your top level VI can appear to be fine as LabVIEW goes out and searches for dependencies. So its quite possible to have your program compile (non-broken run arrow), but have other kind of issues because of this. Are the missing files in your dependencies section of your Project Explorer?

2. From: http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361E-01/lvhowto/caveats_apps_dlls/  Do you have conflicts in your project? 

[MimiKLM]

1. Is there any chance do disable file seaching in LV? and doing so force the LV to relay on paths within VIs?

2. I don't have any conflicts. What if I would have?

[zenthoef]

1. I highly doubt it. The best thing to do is to manage your project well to avoid this. I use the project explorer at my work and never have problems due to cross linking. However, some other people I know don't use the Project Explorer and occasionally run into weird problems. Read this article, especially the section on cross-linking, to learn best practices for the Project Explorer. http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/7197

2. From  http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361E-01/lvhowto/caveats_apps_dlls/: you would not be able to build a source distribution if you had conflicts. Just another possibility about why you are having issues.

[NIquist · Accepted solution]

Similar issue here that might help:  http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/visarc-problem-in-source-distribution/td-p/889915

[MimiKLM]

Hey NIquist,

It is exactly our problem!

We came across this problem trying merging drivers developed in different versions of LV.

Thanks for that

K.