How does one create a LabView-native object for interfacing to custom H/W?

[dlchambers]

I have created an API to some custom hardware.

I've created both C-dll and .NET Assembly, and I can create VIs using either.

However, for programmer simplicity, I'd much prefer to offer LabView support in the form of a LabView-native object.

I've considered doing it via a sub-VI, but I'd really prefer a native object.

Questions:

1) What is the correct/proper name for a such a native LabView object that wraps the API to my custom hardware device?

2) What language is this thing written in?

3) Can I write this thing, or can NI only create such a thing?

4) If i can write it, where can I obtain the SDK for creating it?

Many thanks,

-Dave

[SteveChandler]

It is usually called a "primitive" here but I am not sure if that is the official term. You cannot create those but I think they are created in C. The closest you can get is an xnode. There is a lot of information on Lava about those.

Edit: What's wrong with SubVIs?

[dlchambers]

Only NI can create primitives?

[dlchambers]

Can I create a "compiled" SubVI so that I can obscure the inner workings of the SubVI?

[SteveChandler · Accepted solution]

You can password protect the vi or even remove the block diagram. And yes, only NI can create primitives.

[Dennis_Knutson]

If you have a wrapper VI around a Call Library Function Node or some .NET calls, why bother to hide the diagram? All of the real code is already obscured. No different than what NI does with the DAQmx functions.

If you do decide that there is some reason to hide your code, please do NOT remove the block diagram. It makes it impossible to use in later versions of LabVIEW without you providing an updated version.

[SteveChandler]

Yes, removing the block diagram obscures the code so much that not even newer versions of LabVIEW can make sense of it.

I think under the hood it must be converting it to Perl.

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