Can I save a datalog file in LV 7.1 format from a program written in LV 8.2?

[RCKTMN]

I have a program that I wrote years ago in LabVIEW 7.1.  It used inspection data in a datalog file.  I am making a new programming in LabVIEW 8.2 that needs to write inspection files that can be used by the version 7.1 software.  I do not have access to modify the old software.  Is there ANY way for me to write datalog files in 7.1 format using the new 8.2 program?  I have searched all over for an answer to this problem.  Please let me know if you have a solution!

[smercurio_fc]

I'm not sure I understand the question. The datalog format is based on the datatype that you wire to the datalog VIs. Are you saying the datatype that you're using in your 8.2 code is different than the datatype you used in your 7.1 code?

[RCKTMN]

For clarity, my situation is this.  I need to change some info in the datalog file that was saved using the 7.1 program.  When I open that file in 8.2, it asks me to convert it to the new format.  I then make my changes to it and save it.  Now, if I try to read the datalog file using the 7.1 program, it won't work.

I can't just save a copy of the old datalog file because I need my changes to it to be read by the old labview program. 

[GerdW]

Hi RCKTMN & smercurio,

you discovered the BIG disadvantage of datalog files: they are LV-version dependent.

The internal format is not public, NI can and does change it from LV version to version. That's why you get that "convert?" dialog... So you better try to get a LV7.1 installation to do your changes. And for the future you should try to use binary file operations instead! (I think there's a reason that NI has moved the datalog functions palette into a somewhat hidden subpalette of the file functions )

[RCKTMN]

Yes, I made the earlier program when I was "less good" at LabVIEW.  After some thinking, I think I have come to a possible solution.  I am creating an exe file made in 7.1 that can write to a 7.1 datalog file.  I will pass the info that the exe from my 8.2 program either by temp file or by command line parameters.  I know this is not elegant, but I don't see any other alternative.  I will let you know if this works. 

[RCKTMN · Accepted solution]

Final Update: I solved my problem by doing the above.  I write a text data file to the temp directory and then call the program written in LV 7.1 to write the datalog file from the data in the temp directory. 

BTW, I have learned my lesson; no more datalog files! 😄