extra distributions required for installer.....

[Intaris]

I'm getting some strange messages when trying to build a LV 8.6 installer on WIndows XP.

I'm using USB over VISA, some LVOOP and nothing else of note.  I can build the application no problem, and it runs as expected.

When I try to make an installer, the installer claims it needs something from "Ni System Components". It claims this can be found on Disc 2 of the device drivers (which it doesn't find), "NI signal express" or "VIsion builder AI" and asks me for the appropriate distribution to include it in my installer.  I have no idea what I am using which would require any of these and I don't want to include anything in my installer for which the customer doesn't have a license.

How can I find out WHAT requires these things so that I can remove them?

Shane. 

[Intaris]

Somehow this post ended up in the CVI board..... (I never even read the CVI board so I don't know how THAT happened)

I could have sworn it was in the LabVIEW board just a couple of minutes ago.

Did someone move my post by mistake or am I senile?

Shane. 

[Intaris]

Somehow this post ended up in the CVI board..... (I never even read the CVI board so I don't know how THAT happened)

I could have sworn it was in the LabVIEW board just a couple of minutes ago.

Did someone move my post by mistake or am I senile?

Shane. 

[WesW]

Hi Shane,

Actually, this is by design, and don't worry - you're not pulling in any additional drivers that you're not intending. It's because NI's software is modular, and  underlying software components are shared across many products.  Please see the following KB for more information:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/C3666BA408F81E59862570D20056E692?OpenDocument

Thanks,

- Wes

[Intaris]

I understand the modular thing, but I fail to see why ANYTHING I'm doing would require anything feom Signalexpress, Vision builder or the like.  I appreciate that a single VI from one of these packages may require me to include that distribution, but I don't even have those packeges INSTALLED, so how can that be?

I also did a fresh LV install from the 4th Quarter 2008 DVDs.

Shane.

[WesW]

So it's not that you're accidentally using a Signal Express or Vision VI somewhere.  Instead, it's that those products contain some of the same components and building blocks as the VISA and USB support you are using.  For example, under the hood, Signal Express contains VISA and some of its dependencies (such as MAX, LabVIEW runtime engine, MSVC runtime, and a significant number of others). 

If Signal Express had a newer version of any of these components, then those were upgraded during its install, and became part of the "software stack" you are actually using with VISA and USB.   In order for the engine to build a deployment that reproduces the same versions of components you are actually using on your system, it has recorded which distributions contain those, and that is what is being prompted for.

Regards,

- Wes

Message Edited by WesW on 12-16-2008 09:55 AM

[Intaris]

So different toolkits within a single Developer suite deplyment can have different versions?

That's not really a good thing.

But if I don't have the aforesaid toolkits installed, how can it be that I need to use the distributions when building an installer.

Shane.

[WesW]

So different toolkits within a single Developer suite deplyment can have different versions?

Yes, every single toolkit and distribution isn't necessarily rebuilt every time (or rebuilt at the exact same time) the developer suite releases, so there are likely slight version differences.

But if I don't have the aforesaid toolkits installed, how can it be that I need to use the distributions when building an installer.

A distribution is just a collection of multiple components, some of which I've mentioned as being shared.  When you uninstalled those other distributions, the underlying components that are shared are actually NOT uninstalled until they aren't needed anymore (each component is reference counted seperately).  The system keeps track of what component came from what distribution, so that is why it's still asking for those other distributions (because the shared component portions of some of them ARE still installed).

Regards,

- Wes

Message Edited by WesW on 12-17-2008 01:15 PM

[Intaris]

So a new fresh install is the only way around this?

I wasn't aware the toolkits are not properly uninstalled.

Shane.

[WesW]

HI Shane,

Just to clarify, the toolskits are being uninstalled as designed - so this is working properly.  It's just like if you install Microsoft Office, and install Word and Excel.  If you uninstall Word, it still leaves behind many components, such as the Microsoft spell checker.  Only when you remove Word, Excel, and any other Microsoft application that uses it, then the spell checker component will go away. 

In this case, if you removed all NI software, then all of the NI shared components will go away.  However, if you have access to those distributions, providing them when prompted is the simplest solution.  If you don't want to worry about being prompted for the CDs/DVDs every time, you can check the box on the disk propt that says "cache this distribution", then it will be copied down to the hard drive and be pulled from there next time you build.

Regards,

 - Wes

Message Edited by WesW on 12-17-2008 04:14 PM