How to use application builder to generate installation disk without compiling the the support files?

[michenglaoxu]

Hello,

What I am trying to do is to use LV application builder generating an installation disk without compiling the support files. I mean:

the support fils like the help files are located on a different directory , for example, installation disk is D drive, help file directory is: D:\Help\...,  not compiled in the installation Data set.

So,  when the installation disk is running, it only copy this directory file into the destiny directory. Of course, we can write a different bat file to do this. However, beside this method, is there any way, like using LV application builder to do this without writing a batch file.  Any suggestion will be appreciated.

[Jarrod_S.]

Which version of LabVIEW are you using? Your options will depend on that. Thanks!

[michenglaoxu]

I have both version 7.1 and 8. Currently, I am working on the version 7.1 and will move to 8.0 soon.

[Jarrod_S.]

For LabVIEW 7.1, this can be done in a few short steps. First, add your help file as a support file in the Application Builder. Then go to the Installer tab, choose to create an installer and click on the Files button at the bottom. From this dialog (shown below), you can specify the destination for each component in your install package. If you have added your help file as a support file, it will show up in the Files in Installation list. Click on your help file to highlight it. You can now choose where to install the file to by specifying an installation destination and a subdirectory. The default subdirectory is called data, but if you want to change that, just type in a new subdirectory name as I have done below:

Hope this helps!

Message Edited by Jarrod S. on 01-23-2006 10:17 AM

[michenglaoxu]

Thansk. it is close to the solution of my problem.

Let me make my question more clear, suppose I have a support directory like Help directory, but the files number and name in the directroy may vary. in this situation, How to generate application?

[Jarrod_S.]

In LabVIEW 7.1, there isn't a very direct way to do this. Every time you build the application, you'll have to include the specific support file you want. Make sure to save a Build file (*.bld) for the application so you don't have to start from scratch every time.

In LabVIEW 8 this process will be easier with the introduction of the LabVIEW Project. The LabVIEW Project is a way to organize all your LabVIEW and non-LabVIEW files (such as help files) in one specific location. One option you have is to store files in various virtual folders. That doesn't represent their storage on disk, just in the project. You could for instance create a Help Files virtual folder and include the whole virtual folder under Support Files in your executable build specification. Then, whatever was in that virtual folder would automatically be included as a support file when you build the application, and you would similarly have the option to port all those files to a specific destination directory (as in my previous post). You can also programmatically edit the contents of  a virtual folder from LabVIEW using VI Server.