Developing Code for Distribution with LabVIEW: Top Five Things You Should Know

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2 Developing Code for Distribution with LabVIEW: Top Five Things You Should Know NI Developer Days 2014 Jason Strydom Application Engineer National Instruments South Africa`

3 Top Five Things You Should Know Straight from Developers 1. Productizing Existing LabVIEW Code Professional Appearance, Architecture, and Documentation 2. Wrapping Other Languages with LabVIEW Beyond the Call Library Function Node 3. The Project Provider Framework Customize the End-User LabVIEW Project Experience 4. Integrating Into the LabVIEW Environment Palettes, Menus, Example Finder, and More 5. Building and Deploying Professionally Using VI Package Manager 3

4 Defining Productization Modifying an internal concept or tool to make it suitable for distribution as a product Adherence to LabVIEW Style Guide, especially in code open to customer (i.e. examples) Professional graphics, icons, and user interface Extensive supporting and in-product documentation GOAL: Ensure a smooth end-to-end user experience for installation, evaluation, purchasing, VS. activation, and advanced use of the product. 4

5 Productize Installers Standard Installer Frameworks MSI, Wise, Installshield Used for standalone applications, utilities and anything not used within LabVIEW (includes TestStand & VeriStand add-on products) VI Package Manager Used for any plug-in for the LabVIEW environment APIs, Tools menu utilities, project providers, UI components, example code, custom probe VIs, and project templates Pre-Use Documentation - ReadMe Cover installation, upgrades, features/bug fixes, supported OS and LabVIEW version, etc. 6

6 Productize Licensing Protect your intellectual property Create trial software, allowing evaluation period Automated activation fulfillment Licensing methods: License with Third Party Licensing & Activation Toolkit (TPLAT) License an Application with InstantPLUS Custom licensing scheme Third party licensing utility BLT for LabVIEW /licensingtoolkit 7

7 Productize Out of the Box Tutorials or Getting Started Guides Intuitive shipping examples Documentation Reduce support load by documenting common customer questions Important for developers to understand how to use the API 8

8 Sell Through LabVIEW Tools Network 1. Completely productize your code Visit /devcenter Review Compatible with LabVIEW Requirements Update your code and documentation accordingly 2. Complete Compatible with LabVIEW process Visit /labview-tools-network/contribute 3. List product on LabVIEW Tools Network 4. Market and sell your product 9

9 Top Five Things You Should Know Straight from Developers 1. Productizing Existing LabVIEW Code Professional Appearance, Architecture, and Documentation 2. Wrapping Other Languages with LabVIEW Beyond the Call Library Function Node 3. The Project Provider Framework Customize the End-User LabVIEW Project Experience 4. Integrating Into the LabVIEW Environment Palettes, Menus, Example Finder, and More 5. Building and Deploying Professionally Using VI Package Manager 11

10 Wrapping Other Languages with LabVIEW Basic Strategies Call Library Function Node Import Shared Library Wizard.NET Constructs ActiveX Calls EXE s and Scripts 12

11 Wrapping Other Languages with LabVIEW Memory management when you are sharing variables between LabVIEW and your application can be really tricky... Since I was interfacing an existing C-based product to LabVIEW, I didn't come at this from the LabVIEW side. But knowing LabVIEW programming was essential [to being successful completing my product]. I hired a local LabVIEW consultant who knew... enough to give me some guidance. Some of the tools and rules he showed me would have been extremely difficult to discover and he saved me weeks of time. 17

12 Top Five Things You Should Know Straight from Developers 1. Productizing Existing LabVIEW Code Professional Appearance, Architecture, and Documentation 2. Wrapping Other Languages with LabVIEW Beyond the Call Library Function Node 3. The Project Provider Framework Customize the End-User LabVIEW Project Experience 4. Integrating Into the LabVIEW Environment Palettes, Menus, Example Finder, and More 5. Building and Deploying Professionally Using VI Package Manager 18

13 LabVIEW Project Providers Add functionality to existing project items and the project environment Toolbars Menu items Icons Overlaying Glyphs Add new items to project window New Objects or Build Specifications Run code on project events Startup/Shutdown Double-Click Drag Right-Click bit.ly/labviewprojectproviders 19

14 Top Five Things You Should Know Straight from Developers 1. Productizing Existing LabVIEW Code Professional Appearance, Architecture, and Documentation 2. Wrapping Other Languages with LabVIEW Beyond the Call Library Function Node 3. The Project Provider Framework Customize the End-User LabVIEW Project Experience 4. Integrating Into the LabVIEW Environment Palettes, Menus, Example Finder, and More 5. Building and Deploying Professionally Using VI Package Manager 23

15 Integrating Into the LabVIEW Environment Palettes Menus Example Finder Quickdrop Shortcuts Scripting/VI Server Custom Probes Custom Error Codes Project Providers Licensing/Activation 24

16 Integration Points LabVIEW Palettes Place mnu file in <LabVIEW>\menus Palette Editor (Tools > Advanced > Edit Palette set) Palette Editing API (Functions > Application Control > Palette Editing) Add your VIs to the best fitting top-level palette Programming, Measurement I/O, Addons, etc. Can be done using VI Package Manager 25

17 Top Five Things You Should Know Straight from Developers 1. Productizing Existing LabVIEW Code Professional Appearance, Architecture, and Documentation 2. Wrapping Other Languages with LabVIEW Beyond the Call Library Function Node 3. The Project Provider Framework Customize the End-User LabVIEW Project Experience 4. Integrating Into the LabVIEW Environment Palettes, Menus, Example Finder, and More 5. Building and Deploying Professionally Using VI Package Manager 30

18 Building and Deploying Professionally VI Package Manager Ideal for LabVIEW toolkits, plugins, add-ons bit.ly/vipackagemanager Installers Ideal for Applications Can also be used for LabVIEW toolkits, plugins, add-ons, etc. bit.ly/labviewinstaller Third Party Utilities Simplify build process, distribution framework, pushing updates to customers, and more WireBird Labs: Deploy, BLT for LabVIEW 31

19 VI Package Manager for API Distribution Create VI Package files from LabVIEW code Find and Install VI Packages, downloadable from the internet Manage VI Packages used in multiple applications 32 Buy and Sell VI Packages on the LabVIEW Tools Network, a marketplace on the web.

20 Building and Deploying Professionally Benefits of VIPM Easily distribute updates to developers and customers Professional, streamlined installation process Configure a VI package to create palettes, menu items, and more during installation bit.ly/vipackagemanager 33

21 Top Five Things You Should Know Straight from Developers 1. Productizing Existing LabVIEW Code Professional Appearance, Architecture, and Documentation 2. Wrapping Other Languages with LabVIEW Beyond the Call Library Function Node 3. The Project Provider Framework Customize the End-User LabVIEW Project Experience 4. Integrating Into the LabVIEW Environment Palettes, Menus, Example Finder, and More 5. Building and Deploying Professionally Using VI Package Manager 36

22 Resources All links from presentation available here: bit.ly/devdayslinks Add-on Developer Center: /devcenter LabVIEW Consultants /findapartner LabVIEW Tools Network /labview-tools-network 37