topic Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file in LabVIEW

Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

plneo — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 11:20:35 GMT

Hi everyone,

I am using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to generate a .lsb file for my frame grabber card. I am using Labview to automate my frame grabber card (from Matrix Vision, which comes with its own Labview SDK)

I followed the step by step instructions in http://zone.ni.com/devzone/conceptd.nsf/webmain/E4EC7623343805F686256EDD00784341, which was actually meant for Labview 7.1 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003.

When I try to load the .lsb file into my vi, an error message reads "Could not get resource named MV-Open from MV-Open.lsb".

Can I seek advice on this matter?

Thanks.

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

SachaE — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 08:21:26 GMT

Hi,

I was just wondering the reason for going with CIN's?
DLL's are easier to build, more understood, and allow your "driver" to be called from different languages too in the future.

Could you try building a straight DLL and calling it?

If you follow the instructions in that link you posted and generate exactly the same code, does that work?

I'll give it a try here (with CINs), but it may take me a little while to prove it works, and then if it doesn't work, I'll try to find the workaround.

Thanks

Sacha Emery
National Instruments (UK)

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

SachaE — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:48:36 GMT

Hi,

I've run through those instructions and made one that works ok in both debug and release modes (in release mode I had to set the C/C++>>CodeGeneration>>Basic Runtime Checks to Default instead of Both (/RTC1, equiv. to /RTCsu) because it conflicted with the 02 option that's used when creating the release mode version.

Did you do the extern "C" around your code? If not, then you'll get name mangling on the exports to the .lsb "dll" that's created.

Can you follow those instructions on the link through again explicitely and check that you can build the example code first?

Thanks

Sacha Emery
National Instruments (UK)

Message Edited by SachaE on 07-20-2006 02:49 PM

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

plneo — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 14:37:52 GMT

Hi SachaE, To answer some of your questions,

I am using CIN because my frame grabber card from Matrix Vision comes with its LabView SDK, which is making use of CINs. Hence, I have to use CIN. (http://www.matrix-vision.com/support/softwareinfo.php?lang=en)

Your suggested method to use MS Visual Studio .Net 2003 to generate .lsb file for the sample code works. Thanks.

Another question,the LabView SDK that comes with my frame grabber is meant for LabView 7.1. I suppose if I am using LabView 8.0, I shouldnt be expecting any problems, right? I am having some problems withe the code now and I wish to eliminate the possible causes for trouble-shooting purposes.

Thanks.

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

plneo — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:52:20 GMT

Hi SachaE,

I have another warning now. I have managed to generate my .lsb file using MS Visual Studio .Net 2003. However, when I load the code resource, i.e. the .lsb file, I see the following warning and the 'Run' icon disappeared.

MV_Open.vi
- The shared library expected to be at "C:\Program Files\MATRIX VISION\mvLabVIEW SDK\MV_Open\MV_Open.lsb" was loaded from "NULL".

I wonder if you can help me with it? Let me know if you need more information.

Appreciate your help.

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

SachaE — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:27:28 GMT

Hi,

can you post the sdk files and instructions and your cin project back here so I can try to build it?

There's no guarantees that the SDK developed by Matrox for LV 7 will work with LV 8 - you need to take that up with them to verify that they've tried it out since differences in the timing of their functions running in parallel with other parts you may decide to use could be different under LabVIEW 8.0 as it has had speed improvements etc over previous versions.

The SDK they've generated, I'm confused as to what you're trying to acheive now?

Are you saying they've given you the source code for the .lsb files they've provided for version 7 and you're trying to remoake them in LV 8.0?

Usually if someone provides an SDK for a particular piece of hardware they provide the vi's with it too.

If you're re-making them, then I'd recommend making them as DLL's and re-doing the vi's as necessary since that will allow you an easier build process.

Thanks

Sacha Emery
National Instruments (UK)

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

SachaE — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:32:18 GMT

Hi,

just to avoid confusion, I mis-typed Matrix as Matrox. I know it's Matrix Vision.

Thanks

Sacha Emery
National Instruments (UK)

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

plneo — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 14:39:35 GMT

Dear Sacha,

Matrix Vision has provided me with VIs and source codes to enable me to automate the usage of their card using LabView. Matrix Vision have called the collection of VIs and the source codes as "LabView SDK". In all their VIs, they have used CIN and thus, I am using CIN. I understand from Matrix Vision that their VIs and source codes are built and compiled using LabView 5 and Visual Studio 6 and accordingly to them, the VIs have been ensured to work.

At the moment, all I want to do is to make use of their VIs (without any modifications). With the VIs and the source code, all I want is to compile the source code into a .lsb file so that I can load it into their VI. Previously, I only have MS Visual Studio .Net 2003 and thus I have some problems generating the .lsb file.

However, I have gotten a copy of MS Visual C++ 6.0 and have used it to generate the required .lsb file, following the instructions in the manual (Using external code in Labview, April 2003 edition, pages 3-15 and 3-16).

As I have explained earlier, when I used the .lsb file generated by MS Visual C++ 6.0, I see the warning message (The shared library expected to be at ... was loaded from "NULL".) and I wish to know what I have missed or done wrongly. I therefore need your expertise to help me to get the CIN in the VI to work.

I am attaching the MV_Open.lsb file I have generated following the instructions in the manual. Can you see if you are getting the same warning message as me in LabView 8.0?

I am also attaching the VI and the source code provided by Matrix Vision. Can you check if you are able to generate the .lsb file (using MS Visual C++ 6.0) and load it in LabView 8.0 successfully? In order to make the VI to carry out its function, you need the frame grabber card and additional steps. But I just wish to load the .lsb file before I move on to making the VI works.

I hope I have been clear to clarify some of your doubts/questions and ... thanks for helping.

Let me know if you need more clarifications/details.

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

plneo — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 10:00:48 GMT

Dear Sacha,

I just thought you might need additional header/ library files from MV to compile and build the source code. I have included them here.

Thanks.

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

SachaE — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 14:41:41 GMT

Hi,

you said : "At the moment, all I want to do is to make use of their VIs (without any modifications). "

Have you tried just opening the vi's as they were when you installed the sdk and using them?

I can open them in 8.0 fine (comes up with a "grabber.dll missing, but that's just because I don't have the main driver installed), so I don't have to make a .lsb for them, it's already done and included and loads fine direct from the install.

Thanks

Sacha Emery
National Instruments (UK)

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

anotherStefan — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 08:23:43 GMT

Hi guys,

I am the one in charge of the VIs for the MATRIX VISION grabber cards. I started another thread on this issue (VS2005 compiled CINs result in linker warnings under LV 8 ) but this one seems more lively...

I think I found out what caused the problem, but so far I have no idea what the actual reason is. The reason I work with CINs rather then DLL nodes is rather simple: The functions I am calling belong to C++ interface, which is exported by a DLL. However C++ code can't even called easily when A DLL has been build with one compiler and an application shall be build using another compiler. However this is no problem as the interface exported consists of pure virtual interface classes with NO data members. Anyway back to the problem:

A while ago I converted all the CIN projects from VS6 to VS2005 and started to use VS2005 to compile the code. I tested it using my old LV 5 version and LV 6.i and both worked fine. However under LV 8 I got something like a 'Code Interface Node: LabVIEW subroutine link error'. The help isn't really helpful here as it doesn't tell me what the actual problem is. Has there been a code breaking change in the way LV expects CIN nodes internal structure.

Another possibility might be that VS2005 made error during the conversion of the project as this seems to be more like a beta release to me after reading through several newgroups and having worked with it for some month now...

Anyway to help the poor user I will now recompile all the stuff with VS6 again and then (horrible work) will reload all the *.lsb-files into their CINs (is there some script/command line tool to do that?).

However I would really like to get some answers to these effects...

Stefan

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

anotherStefan — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 11:02:27 GMT

I have modified all the workspaces now and recompiled every *.lsb file using VS 2003 instead of VS 2005. Afterwards I reloaded the generated *.lsb files back into the CINs (I HATE doing this) and build a new installer.

Surprise, surprise: These VIs now work again with LV 8...

I uploaded the stuff including VS 2003 workspaces on our website. You can get your copy from here: http://www.matrixvision.de/functions/count.php?url=products/software/LabVIEW/LabVIEW_SDK.exe

In order to build the stuff (if anyone likes to find out why this doesn't work with LV 8 and VS 2005 (so far this is the only combination I am aware of that does NOT work) you also need this package from our website: http://www.matrixvision.de/functions/count.php?url=products/software/mvAquireControl/mvAcquireControlSDK.exe
and you have to register two environment variables before opening visual studio as described in section 6.1 of the manual that comes with the LabVIEW VIs. Maybe it the VS 2005 project conversion wizard but as the MS people again changed the complete file layout of their makefiles a simple diff will NOT reveal any hint...

Hope anyone can tell me what's going on here...

Regards,

Stefan

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

SachaE — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 12:49:14 GMT

Hi Stefan,

sorry for the delay. It looks as if there's something specific in the exact process you're going through that generated the .lsb file which then goes into the CIN VI.

I would still recommend not using CIN's and going over to DLL's which would be a lot easier to work with.

The API you're generating doesn't have too many functions in, so this shouldn't be a huge issue, and is definitely worth a try.

I don't want to leave you in the middle of two companies, so if you could get in contact with microsoft to work out the differences and then post back here, that might lead us towards any ideas about what might be going on.

Thanks

Sacha Emery
National Instruments (UK)

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

anotherStefan — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 07:26:05 GMT

Hi SachaE,

no problem with the late response. I haven't been in the office during last week anyway and my workaround with using VS 2003 rather then VS 2005 solved the users problem. However I really want to find out what is going on here. I am pretty sure this will trouble other persons as well in the future and there must be a reason why only LV8 refuses to run with the CIN code I have compiled. I even load the CIN code using LV5 as I always use an older LV version to build my interface for compatibility. So maybe LV8 converts this stuff not entirely correct OR again needs the *.lsb files for reasons I don't know. These however can't be loaded then if they where available (I checked that).

Building a DLL that wraps my DLL would be an option and there is also a newer version (different interface unfortunately) that mostly uses DLL calls now to access our hardware. However this again would be a workaround so I also could stick to the one I am using right now...

Any ideas anybody? This IS a bug (either in LV8 OR in VS2005) and thus the reason should be known, understood and described.

Regards,

Stefan

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

SachaE — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 13:24:53 GMT

Hi,

I've had a browse around our databases, and it appears that there is an issue with the way that 2005 expects to see the .manifest file :

2005 CRT is an instance of the new SxS (side-by-side) support. This means any unmanaged or managed code that uses it must include the .manifest file as a resource component. We need to update the CIN makefile to detect that we are running the VS.NET 2005 nmake and do the extra step.

This should have been resolved in the new release LabVIEW 8.20 which was released this week.

Can you download the trial version from here, and give that a try with the new makefile in there? (I've checked it and it now includes a manifest action section to it).

http://digital.ni.com/demo.nsf/websearch/14f9ce475127ade786256ac60070926c?opendocument

Thanks
Sacha Emery
National Instruments (UK)

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

anotherStefan — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 12:15:31 GMT

Hi,

thanks for the effort! I just found some time to test your suggestion. Unfortunately the LV 8.20 and using the new cintools files did not improve the situation! VS2005 compiled stuff will just not work with newer releases of LV. Please note, the very same CINs work fine with LV5, LV6 and LV 6.i. I haven't tried LV7 but somewhere between version 6.i and 8.0 must be something drooling under the bed...

Anyway as I have my solution now (NEVER use VS2005 to compile CIN code) I will give up here unless anyone has another bright idea.

Thanks a lot for your help. Someday sooner or later this needs to be fixed anyway...

Stefan

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

SachaE — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 10:22:25 GMT

Hi,

that's quite wierd. I've just followed the slight modification to the 2003 instructions, and I can build a lsb file that just adds two numbers fine.

Have you tried something that simple yet in LabVIEW 8.2?

Do you have any unmanaged assemblys you're calling back to that have to appear in the manifest?

http://detritus.blogs.com/lycangeek/2006/03/building_cins_w.html

(I've been playing with the code, so hopefully I've uploaded the correct version)

Thanks

Sacha Emery
National Instruments (UK)

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

anotherStefan — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 11:34:10 GMT

And it's getting even weirder: The unmodified VI from your zip archive behaves exactly the same on my machine (Win XP SP2)! It's shows the same error before AND after I have loaded the recompiled lsb file into the CIN. Thus your compiled lsb file already embedded in the CIN doesn't work either...

I attached a screendump of the situation. Can LV produce any more detailed log messages? Can you provide me with a debug build of the modules responsible for this behaviour?

Regards,

Stefan

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

anotherStefan — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 11:36:06 GMT

I forgot some answers:

- no I don't have any stuff that needs to move into the manifest file

Regards,

Stefan

Re: Using Labview 8 with MS Visual Studio .net 2003 to create .lsb file

Lycangeek — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:29:52 GMT

Sorry for the late response to this thread, but I've just come across it. I'm the guy that updated the CIN makefile to work with 2005 and wrote the blog entry describing the issue with the SxS system. I'll be honest that I've not tried downloading any of the code linked about, but thought I would see exactly where we are. Specifically, Stefan, I'm confused over your last comment. If you are building w/ C or C++, I'd be amazed if you don't need the manifest file since you'll have references out to the C and C++ runtime DLLs.

The screenshot looks like the standard error you'd get if LV fails to load the DLL. Unfortunately, there often isn't a lot of additional error information from the LoadLibrary - often just the error code that the DLL could not be loaded/found. You might want to try it while running the dbgview from www.sysinternals.com and see if you get any other information.

But, if you take the manifest generated by VS.NET and build it into your DLL (either through the makefile I posted or by updating your project w/ the right commands), it should work.

Word of caution - due to the number of steps that have gone on, I strongly recommend you first try to build one of the <labview>\examples\cins examples and make sure that is working - that allows us to seperate a general SxS issue from something specific with your DLL.