USB-Portable Compiled Application

[m3nth]

I would like to take a compiled LabVIEW application with me anywhere and run it from my USB drive.  I do this with other programs I need to have handy when using other computers, such as my customized version of Firefox.

However, the LabVIEW run-time engine needs to be installed on a computer before any LabVIEW-compiled programs can run.  Is there a way to install the necessary run-time files onto a portable drive so the program can run anywhere without having to install the run-time engine on the computer being used?  Right now I am severely limited by this (basically I can't really have a truly portable application) because the run-time engine needs to be installed on whatever computer I'm using at the moment, and not only that, but it requires Administrator priviledges.  Even in the cases where I do have Administrator priviledges (not very often when using other people's computers, or corporate computers for that matter), I am then left with an installed run-time engine on whatever computer I needed to use, even after I'm finished using it.  There is no easy way to pop an application in, run it, then exit gracefully, without an install/deinstall process and the need for access rights.

I don't need Administrator priviledges to use a computer, surf the web, or run a custom utility I need to use--unless that utility is written in LabVIEW.  That doesn't sit real well with me... especially since LabVIEW is perfect for making a slew of custom utilities.  Is there a workaround or solution for this?  A way to point the application to a locally installed run-time engine perhaps?

[LV_Pro]

I don't have a complete answer for you, but there was a related thread a few weeks back, where the NI "rep" basically said no. The problem, as I recall, was that the LabVIEW Run time has entries in the registry. The previous post was about putting the whole development system on a usb drive/memory stick, which has other issues as well (license violation being the biggie), but there were technical problems as well. Sorry that my heat/humidity baked brain isn't remembering the date of the last thread. It definitely would be nice to have the whole exe on a transportable media though.

P.M.

[m3nth]

I thought there was a zero percent chance of this working after seeing error messages about needing the run-time library installed and then not being able to install it due to lack of priviledges, etc etc... but I took the long-shot and found the installed files from the run-time library.  These were in the National Instruments\Shared\LabVIEW Run-Time\x.x\ directory (x.x = LV Version#).

I basically took the whole directory and copied it onto my memory stick with my application and it loads right now... it loads everything locally.  Actually, it hickupped once or twice but then it would work after restarting.  Very good... I'm extremely glad to find it doesn't have to have an absolute link to the registry somewhere in order to load correctly.

[DanRichards]

Hi everybody,

This thread actually shows that another customer was successful, too.

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&thread.id=383650&view=by_date_ascending&page=1

--Dan

[nanoT]

Hi All,

Recently, I have the exact same needs as the thread starter, There is a need to run a LV application built on LV2010SP1(exe or installer) on a non-LV installed  windows system(clean), but the whole issue of admin rights restrictions prevents me from even installing the free Run-Time Engine.

I have followed the tips from the the above posts, whereby, the content of whole folder in:  ...National Instruments\Shared\LabVIEW Run-Time\2010\  ,was copied and placed next the .exe file .

Keeping my fingers crossed... after a few nervous seconds... Voila! My application screen appears... BUT.......it complains that certain library files are missing.Previously  I have tested on a clean computer with RTE installed, the applications works properly.

Appreciate any pointers and comments.

Cheers!

[m3nth]

haven't looked at this in a long time... maybe you could find that library file and/or VI's from a full LabVIEW install and copy them to the USB drive so it could possibly find them in the local directory when it tries to start