Questions about BLT

[David_Staab]

I skimmed your product documentation and watched the intro video. I have some questions I didn't see the answers to:

1. Does BLT work with LabVIEW-built DLLs and .NET assemblies, or just applications?
2. Do BLT's licensing and distribution features work with installers built using other tools, like the Wix toolset for MS Visual Studio?
3. Is there a way to provide offline activation for user licenses, or only for machine licenses?
4. Is it possible to host updates and licensing from our own servers, or must we use Studio Bods's?
5. Does BLT build the LabVIEW RTE into the installer, or is it downloaded separately only if necessary?
6. Does BLT work with LabVIEW Real-Time applications and targets?

[mbaudot]

Hi David and than you for contacting us about BLT.

1. BLT only works with executables for Windows. We definitely plan to expand the features to other types of build in the future, but we cannot give a timeline for this right now.

2. BLT protects your executable. Then it allows you to generate an installer (using InnoSetup) but this is optional. You can still use whatever technology of installer you want and it will keep all the features of BLT built in your exe.

If you choose to embed your LabVIEW exe in a Wix installer, that's fine, you will distribute this installer to your customer and it will work as expected.

Then, let's say you make a change in your program and want to push an update, BLT doesn't distribute a product update into an Installer. It embeds your new exe in a zip archive, and will replace the files on your customer's computer, giving him the new version. There is many options to execute some custom actions with the update distribution and I can explain these more if you want. I hope this answers your question.

3. A User license can be set to be allowed on multiple machines. If these machines doesn't have connectivity to the Licensing Server, you will require to go with the Offline Activation process for each of these machines, even if they are activated with the same license.

4. This is definitely an option for you to host updates and/or licensing on your server. If you are interested to, you can look at the system requirements and you will need to contact us for pricing.

5. BLT can embed the LabVIEW RTE with your installer, but this is optional. If you do so, the LV RTE is distributed with the installer, and not downloaded separately if necessary.

6. BLT doesn't currently works on Real-Time targets. Only on Windows. However, we are already working on it and this will be our next major update coming in few months.

I hope I've answerd to everything. Feel free to contact us if you have further questions or comments.

Best regards,

Matthias.