labVIEW installer distribution

[mrbean]

I have several variations of a LabVIEW build/installer that I'm trying to get working, and I'm wondering if there's a best way to go about this.  Here is what I have.

In one build, I have a A1.vi and a bunch of other files that I want to combine to make A1.exe.  One of the files that A1.vi calls is a subVI that encapsulates a System Exec call to an exe (B1.exe - performs a 32-bit CRC using C code) that I created within a LabWindows/CVI project.  I would like to tell the build to place B1.exe in a specific folder in my D-drive that's based on LabVIEW's Default Data Directory (widget).  Is there a way to do this?  All I see are CommonAppDataFolder, CommonFilesFolder, DesktopFolder...).  Is there a specific way that I should tell LabVIEW that A1.exe is the main guy and that B1.exe is just a dependancy?

Second, I have an A1_Factory.vi that I want to build into an exe.  Once running, the A1_Factory.exe uses Open VI Reference (gets a reference to A1.VIT template), Invoke Node (to set a input parameter to A1.vit), InvokeMethod (to Run VI), and SubPanels (to display multiple instances of A1.VIT).  In this case, A1_Factory.exe needs to be built such that it (at runtime) can find A1.VIT.  A1, recall, uses B1.exe, but in this case (A1_Factory) doesn't use A1.exe, just A1.VIT (multiple times).  Is there a best way create THIS build/installer?

[Smootastic]

Hi mrbean,

1.  You should be able to add B1.exe to your project so you can then add it to the Build Spec for A1.exe.  Then, you can create a destination in A1's build spec to point to the LabVIEW Data folder, which will place the exe into that directory.

2.  Will you be using a relative or absolute path for the .VIT file?  Also, I found a Corrective Action Request (#182139) concerning calling .VITs in LabVIEW Project Libraries from an executable as in they throw errors.  You'll need to make sure the .VIT is not in a library for this to work from the executable.