Do you know of any configuration managment tools for LabView?

[gold]

Having a configuration management tool is vital to our projects. A tool that can track file revisions, allow file documentation, comparisons, and reversion etc.... Some coworkers here feel that Labviews' version control, even when partnered with Visual Source Safe is insufficient. They hold to the fact that it is essential to have a text file output or equivalent for file comparisons. The ability to compare file differences visually is a new concept and not readily accepted. I am wondering if anyone else has run into this need/problem and found a solution. I am looking at OverVIEW, by Timeslice as a possible help. The bottom line is that we require a easily comparable/verifiable document to contro
l the versions of our software. Pictures in this case don't seem to be worth 1000 words. There has to be the ability to print out the LV source but without a driving need (ie..$$$) I can't see NI providing this.

[Ben]

If they are demanding that they get a text based version of the source, they asking for something that just does not exist!

Rumors say LV7 maybe.

In the old days they used to insist on having a signed 7-copy record of my times and expenses. That was before they learned to trust computers to report info correctly.

Before that, all official transactions had to take place in Latin.

These days no one asks for hard-copies or Latin.

LV is shaping the computer development environment of tomorow. Adapt or die.

Ben

[Mark_Ireton]

I don't see why a running a "diff" on two text files is any different than a diff on two vi's. Either way, a tool is needed to find the minor differences. I wouldn't want to search through hundreds of lines of C code just to find the one line that changed.

One thing that may give the old school some comfort is LV's printing capability. Select File->Print and print complete documentation. Of course you need to appropriately document your vi for the document to be useful.

[gold]

I'm Laughin! I agree with you! Just trying to find a way to satisfy all parties involved. Thanks for the input.

[GabbyG]

I understand your colleagues quite well. With all benefits of programming in G, documentation, verification, version management is still an open issue. I have not seen NI source code control in operation (and currently we lack the $), so this might help. But I am getting uneasy more and more as our current project grows and grows.
Talking about source code management, that does certainly not mean a "diff" of two C-sources on an editor. I was working for a company that sold SNiFF and had the chance to use it free of charge. Well, that was a great tool. I still miss something similar for G.
Labview VI's have a tendency two develop easily into a mesh of crisscross lines that are difficult to follow and understand unless you redraw again and again those wires
meticuloulsy, regroup here, combine there, sub-vi somewhere else. Everyone is a new version without a real change of the logic. And you better have a dual monitor system and of course a 21" screen, but that you know!

After all, vi-editor is still going strong in certain groups although IMHO it should be dead and buried since 20 years ago. To say that that a vi diagram is the future and take it or die is harsh. A good sourcecode tool would help it's acceptance a lot.

Gabi