DSC 8.0 Run-Time custom installation

[ROMP]

Hello,

I have developed an application using DSC 8.0 features and it runs fine on my development computer. I have a couple of questions regarding deploying a buillt executable on customer computer.

1. Can application exe be located in a folder different as DSC RTS installation?
2. Can DSC Run-Time 8.0 be installed in location different as default? I started an installation process of DSC RTS 8.0, but the Browse... button to select custom destination is disabled.

Ideally, I would like to achieve that application executable ( and all folder hiearchy needed ) would be separate from DSC RTS ( as when building pure LV code). If this is not possible, than 2 options exists:

a: to install application structure to default DSC RTS location  or
b: to install DSC RTS to a custom location of my application ( prefered )

Please, can you explain me what option do I have.

I can not find a document that would describe a complete procedure for deploying DSC application with all possiblle options that could happen, as we all know that DSC applications are usually preety complicated and consists of many parts deployment can be very frustrating. This is a request for NI folks to put together one complete document ( kind of " Deployment Bible" ) for version 8.0

Regards,

ROMP

[Prashanth]

Hi ROMP,

You can install your DSC 8 application to any folder you like and it does not have to be constrained to the DSC Run-Time installation folder. Hence, I suggest that you install the LabVIEW DSC Run-Time in the default location and then customize where your application will be installed. Have a great day!

Regards,
Prashanth

[REM1]

The 8.0 DSC RTS installs some services and things like MAX so it has no actual central install location which is why the browse button is disabled.  This differs from previous versions which required you to put your code inside the main RTS folder.  You can install your files to any location on the target computer.

[ROMP]

Thank you Prahanth and REM1.

OK, so I've build an executable and made an installer to create custom folders structure needed on a target computer. Before that I installed LV DSC 8.0 RTS and upgraded it to 8.0.1. I've included additional installers ( Enhanced DSC Deployment Support, NI Variable Engine, LV RTS 8.0.1 and some others). Also, custom IO Servers were copied to target PC, too.

After application installation, I start the application but he can not find this modules:

<vilib>:\platform\TimedLoop\XdataNode\XdataNode.xnode

<vilib>:\variable\varXNode.llb\varXNode.xnode

When I searched for this files, I found out that they are not installed ( no platform folder at all, only tagger folder inside variable). Why these folders are missing? Did I make a mistake when building executable and installer ?

What is even more strange, when I start the same application on a machine with full LV + DSC development, it is the same! Even though  these files are there for sure. Looks like it can not find them. If I put everything in LabVIEW 8.0 folder, it works. Must be something with Search Order.

Any suggestions?

Regards,

romp

[Prashanth]

Hi Romp,

This is a known issue that some DSC 8.0.1 executables give the 'varXNode.xnode' message and NI R&D has been working on it and it may be solved in the next release of DSC version 8.2. In the mean time as a workaround you can replace your shared variable nodes with data socket vis. Also, another thing to try would be to enable your debug option in the build specifications. However, if you are able to get rid of the message from the executable by placing your project in the LabVIEW folder, then that may be an easier way to go around this issue. Have a great day!

Regards,
Prashanth

[Matt361]

I'm having a simular issue but am using LV8.2. Has this issue been fixed yet? it seems to work fine while developing the app. but as soon as I build it, it can't fined varxnode.xnode.

Thanks,

Matt

[Rudi_N]

Matt:

Please try the following and let me know what you find.

1. Open your project from the project explorer
2. Right-click on your application and select Properties
3. Click on Advanced in the Category list
4. Disable Enable Enhanced DSC Run-Time Support

I am curious to know what you find.

Regards,

Rudi N.

[Rudi_N]

Matt:

Please try the following and let me know what you find.

1. Open your project from the project explorer
2. Right-click on your application and select Properties
3. Click on Advanced in the Category list
4. Disable Enable Enhanced DSC Run-Time Support

I am curious to know what you find.

Regards,

Rudi N.

[Matt361]

Thanks for the Advice,

That did seem to fix the problem. But now I'm confused. I was told that I need to check that if I am using logging or alarms with my shared variables. But these functions apear to work without that checked. Why?

Thanks,

Matt

[Rudi_N]

Matt:

It is great to know that the suggestion got rid of the error. Could you please confirm that everything is now working fine? It is curious that you were still experiencing this issue in LabVIEW 8.2.

Thanks,
Rudi N.