Database Connectivity Toolkit does not even load in labview 8.5

[Joe_H]

As far as the toolkit not being able to be used in 8.5 without loading an older version of LV is not true. I loaded the developers kit on a new PC just the other day and the toolkit works just fine. In fact I am using it right now for some database things. The only problem that I have had with it, is that the variant to data vi would not go on the block diagram from the functions pallette. I searched the KB and found a workaround that worked and now it runs just fine. I have never seen that error that you posted.

I am sure that NI has tested the toolkit with all of the versions of LV.

[Travis_M.]

Hello,

To address your specific concerns with this toolkit:

1) We DO go through comprehensive product testing with all of our toolkits.  We go through lots of testing when we release a new version of the toolkit, and the Database toolkit was no exception.  The last version that was released was heavily tested and we stand by its quality.  We also do testing of every toolkit with every LabVIEW release.  This is one of the toolkits that did not change with the release of 8.5 (it is still the same version we had with 7.1, 8.0, etc…).  The testing we do for toolkits that have not changed version is focused on making sure the toolkit is compatible with the new LabVIEW version and previous versions (where applicable) to a high degree of certainty.   We also have groups who use this specific toolkit internally for some of our development tools, so when we decided to go ahead with the Database TK for 8.5 we had a high degree of confidence that no new major problems existed.  The VIs that will not open with 8.5 are compatibility VIs for the SQL toolkit (deprecated some time ago) which were created in the LabVIEW 5.x timeframe.  While these VIs are obviously important to our users, in practice, they aren’t used nearly as much as the main toolkit VIs, and so the toolkit was shipped with them compiled in the older format.  The VIs should work if they are compiled up to the new version using your copy of LabVIEW 8.2.  The statements “they haven't even OPENED the database toolkit internally since 7.1”, “they actually do ZERO compatibility testing of toolkits”, and “You can't even OPEN the database toolkit in labview 8.5” are all completely incorrect.  However, I do apologize that your upgrade experience has been difficult, and you have had to devote this much time to work around some problems with our toolkit.  I assure you, it is never our intention to break anybody’s code, and we are doing our best to make sure our testing procedures catch these problems so that we can decide whether or not to fix them before shipping.

2) We took your (and other users’) concerns to heart when you reported them before.  The bugs you and others have reported with the toolkit (including the variant problem) are being looked at and we hope to fix them the next time we release a new version of the toolkit.  Until then, please let us know if you have any questions on the use of the workarounds.

If you have any other specific technical issues that you’d like us to help out with, please create new threads for those issues and we’ll do our best to help out!

Message Edited by Travis M. on 10-25-2007 02:37 PM

[billings11]

I can only say when I install labview 8.5 and the toolkits all install to the wrong labview version directories until I uninstall them all from my system first and then reinstall them to 8.5 until I finally get everything in he right place...

None of my applications will open because they are calling 5.1 database connectivity vi's and 8.5 can't open them until I mass compile them.  I'm sure anyone would agree that If they are shipping with labview 8.5 they should be shipped in an 8.5-compatible state. 

I took your suggestion and started new threads about additional problems.  I'm sorry but I keep finding really serious problems every time I try a feature I haven't tried since upgrading.  When I stop finding new problems I'll be happy to stop posting.

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&thread.id=283992

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&message.id=283727#M283727

Message Edited by billings11 on 11-13-2007 09:31 AM

[JohnBoy]

I use the Database Connectivity Toolkit a lot mith LabVIEW 7.1.  The problems outlined here would certainly stop me buying a later version of LabVIEW.

[Share_Good]

Hi all,

I encounterd the similar but not same problem.

i am NOT able to install report generation toolkit supplied with LabVIEW 8.5.

it shows as if it is installing, but actually not.

i dont find the report generation VIs in functions pallette.

i dont find the "_office" folder itself inside vi.lib folder.

i am currently using MS Office 2003 and hope the report generation toolkit is compatible with it.

and i follow the below sequence:

1. install LabVIEW 8.5

2. install NI TestStand 4.0.1

3. install Device Drivers

4. install toolkit

is the above order correct?

[rolfk]

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billings11 wrote:

2.  The database connectivity toolkit ships with many vi's in labview 5.1.  Labview 8.5 will not compile 5.1 vi's.  So you cannot use the database connectivity toolkit without installing an earlier version of labview on the same machine and using it to mass compile to something between 5.1 and 8.5.  Labview 8.5 can't do it by itself.

The bugs are an annoyance, my real issue is that the toolkit obviously was never loaded to a clean 8.5 install and used by anyone at NI or they would have seen the compiling problem.  So the point is toolkit functionality is not checked from release to realease by NI.

---

This is not true. The only VIs that won't load in LabVIEw 8.5 are from the Compatibility library which isn't even installed during a default install. Also those VIs are only necessary for applications that make use of the old SQL Toolkit functions. That Toolkit was obsoleted with the advent of the Database Toolkit and that must be around LabVIEW 5.0. So unless you have an application that you developed back in those days and draged along to the most recent LabVIEW version you shouldn't even be seeing any of these messages.

Or you used the compatiblity VIs in applications created in LabVIEW versions after 5.1 against all good advice, that they are only compatibility VIs and might be not supported in later versions. Those VIs add absolutely nothing in terms of additional functionality, some don't even work anymore since the Database Toolkit does not privide any functioanlity to implement them. Using the standard Database VIs will not only avoid such problems in the future but also make sure your application does not need to load that additional VI layer called SQL compatibility VIs.

Rolf Kalbermatter

[billings11]

Do you have a previous version of labview on the machine?  The Report generation toolkit, like many other toolkits, installs to the older version of labview if you have one.  If you install 8.5 over 8.2, the toolkit will install to the 8.2 directory.  The same is true of the internet toolkit, the database toolkit, etc.  Even DaqMx will install to the wrong folder if you uninstall it and then reinstall (the second time through it goes to the wrong folder).

You have to go into add/remove programs and uninstall the toolkit first.  Then it should install to the new version.  Then if you want to have it still included in the old version you have to install it again I think.  The toolkit installers are all buggy and have been for years.  And most of the toolkits have had new bugs pop up do to labview version changes that are not addressed because they are a low priority.

[Share_Good]

Hi Billings,

You sound perfect.

i forgot to put it that i do have LabVIEW 8.2 installed. and also the toolkit.

Let me try uninstalling all tool kit of 8.2 and try install for 8.5

Thanks for your advice. will let you know as soon as i complete it...

[Travis_M.]

Thanks Rolf, your assessment of the compatibility VIs in the toolkit is accurate.

Due to how we designed our installer was designed you can only install a toolkit for one version of LabVIEW, this is not really a bug, however it is something we are working on improving for our users who develop in multiple versions.  If 'i like original' is having a problem installing a toolkit for multiple versions of LabVIEW, check out KB 288G6JB5 which may give help on how to easily accomplish this.

On a note related to the orginal discussion of this thread, I'm proud to announce the LabVIEW Database Connectivity Toolset 1.0.1 Known Issues.

[rolfk]

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You have to go into add/remove programs and uninstall the toolkit first.  Then it should install to the new version.  Then if you want to have it still included in the old version you have to install it again I think.  The toolkit installers are all buggy and have been for years. 

---

Well it's not that they are really buggy but VERY limited. They have this annoying limitation to only install once on each machine, eventhough I have just about every LabVIEW version on it since LabVIEW 5.0. So what I usually do is install it once, which usually goes into the highest currently installed LabVIEW version and then copy it over to all other LabVIEW versions. It's a pain and I hope they will finally remedy that with the next major LabVIEW upgrade, eventhough that might probably mean that most of those toolkits will be also tied to the license manager control like all the rest of LabVIEW.

That DAQmx removes support from earlier LabVIEW installations was a real disappointment for me. It should not remove it but upgrade it!!!!

Rolf Kalbermatter