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Vision Development Module License

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I've done some research on the license I need for my deployment machines but get confused when it comes to the Vision Development Module.

 

My Setup: 

I have LabVIEW (2017) as my top level program that calls and runs a Vision Builder Inspection (2019) using the API toolkit. I understand I need the Run-Time for LabVIEW installed on the deployment machine and also need a license for the Vision Builder AI Run-Time for each machine this is being deployed to. 

 

In the VBAI inspection that LabVIEW calls, I am running LabVIEW vi's to process the image (combine two images into one) and also using IMAQ Create in the top level LabVIEW vi in order to retrieve those images from the VBAI inspection. Therefore I need the Vision Development Module. 

 

With LabVIEW, the Run-Time is free with the professional version. I then noticed there was a Vision Development Module Development kit, not just a Run-Time. For clarification, the Vision Development Module Development does not work the same way as the LabVIEW Pro works when it comes to the Run-Time? In order for the program to work on multiple deployment machines I would need a Vision Development Module Run-Time License for each machine? 

 

This will be deployed on 10+ machines so I'm trying to fully understand the licenses before the purchase is made. Any help appreciated or any advice for work arounds are welcomed. Thanks!!!

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Hi ClaytonFromEdge,

Not all Vision VIs require licensing. Quite a few, especially those commonly used in conjunction with driver tasks in Vision Acquisition Software (VAS) such as for image creation and management and file read/write, are free and do not require any license activation.

 

There are a few ways to tell if a function requires licensing for VDM or VAS.

If a VI's name is mentioned within the .lvlib file at

<vi.lib>\vision\NI_Vision_Development_Module.lvlib , it requires a VDM development license to develop for, or a runtime license for a deployed application

If it's in this .lvlib file at

<vi.lib>\vision\driver\NI_Vision_Acquisition_Software.lvlib , it requires a VAS license to use those NI-IMAQdx features for development or deployment.

Another way to check is if you open up the VIs in question and view their front panels. In the attached image, I have the IMAQ Create VI (unlicensed) and IMAQ GetPixelValue VI (licensed) shown. Unlicensed VIs show their VI name in the title bar as-is, whereas the licensed VIs will have the above mentioned .lvlib file names prefixed onto the title bar.

 

Titlebar showing .lvlib prefix for licensed VIsTitlebar showing .lvlib prefix for licensed VIs

 

 

Similarly, if you enable context help with the default level of info shown (as in, you do not activate the lower-left button to show full VI paths), you'll also see whether they belong to the licensed .lvlib files mentioned.

 

Context help showing .lvlib prefix for licensed VIsContext help showing .lvlib prefix for licensed VIs

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Hey Vijay,

 

Thanks for that information. For the IMAQ Create VI, I was looking at detailed help and was seeing that it required Vision Development Module to use it. This made me think I needed the license for VDM which in reality I only need the Vision Acquisition SW License.

 

When it comes to the VAS License, it comes with VDM and also comes with Vision Builder AI. I went ahead and installed my purchased VBAI Run-Time License on the test machine and by default, with the same serial number as the VBAI Run-Time, VAS was installed and activated. This was great since all I needed were these two things but then I took a look at VBAI License webpage and noticed VAS was not included with the Run-Time version. Am I missing something that is allowing the machine to have a VAS License?

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That's interesting; I've never noticed that language in the detailed help saying what's required. By contrast, if you look at e.g. the NI-IMAQ Initialize VI (caled IMAQ Init), the detailed help doesn't say Requires, but rather says Installed with for Vision Acquisition Software. I can submit that feedback to the development team, but I can't provide any knowledge on if or how that might be improved for functions which don't require licensing.

 

Also note that in LabVIEW NXG right now, I don't believe we have any edit-time methods like I mentioned for LabVIEW to tell which functions would require VDM runtime licensing when you go to build your application.

 

On your question about the Vision Builder AI Runtime license, I can confirm from looking at our internal systems that when you activate the VBAI runtime license on your system, that same activation will activate the Vision Acquisition Software license as well*. Unless I'm missing something, it seems like the website listing you linked to is incorrect. I'll submit that feedback as well.

 

* The Vision Acquisition license is a little special. We actually include the ability to activate it with just about every other Vision-related license you might purchase, including VDM development, VDM debug/deployment, VBAI Runtime, VBAI development, VBAI for RT targets, VBAI development toolkit, and several other bundles which contain Vision-related software.

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Awesome!! Thanks, Vijay, for clearing that confusion up. 

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