IS IT POSSIBLE TO BUILD EXE FOR SERIAL WITH VISA AND SERIAL DRIVER IN PACKAGE?

[Wolleee]

Hi,

Im trying to build an execuatble with visa and serial, is it possible to put the drivers for this in the package or do i need to the end user to download the visa and serial engines from ni.com?

Thank you

[Dennis_Knutson]

You create an installer with VISA runtime included. You should also consider including MAX and exporting the hardware configuration.

[Wolleee]

Should i also inculde the serial drivers because it is a serial device it will be communicating too or is that included in the visa download? Also it wont be communicating to any NI equipment it will be using serial to mediate for two external devices, should i still include MAX?

[Hooovahh]

What's with all the yelling?

Anyway, if you device is detected by Windows, then there is no need to include any drivers.  Most USB to serial devices just work now a days.  Those that don't work right away usually connect to Windows update and work.  And the few that don't work right away, usually come with drivers on a seperate install from a CD or a download.  

An easy way to include these drivers is in the settings for the installer, in application builder.  There you can include an EXE which gets ran at the end of the normal NI install.  This is selected under the Advanced section of the installer properties, and you can choose "Run Executable at end of installation".  This EXE needs to be added to the project first, but then it will be included and ran.

There are more comprehensive options, like install shield, or Inno Setup, but for a simple thing like this the NI method works.  If you wanted options like a Minimum install, or a Full install where drivers and the run-time engine don't get installed, I would suggest one of those other methods.

[Wolleee]

Ha,

Sorry for the all caps.  I created an exe that is utilizing visa and serial and neither of the devices was recognized in the i/o control for the ports.  I installed the driver for one of the devices, but still get nothing when the ports are refreshed. Only labview runtime engine was downloaded, so i will try with the visa download and the serial download which ni states is required for serial devices.

[Hooovahh]

When you make an installer under the "Additional Installers" section you can specify other things to include.  This is meant to be all the NI software needed to run your application on a fresh new PC.  So here you can include the LabVIEW Run-time Engine, and VISA Run-time.

Beyond that all you need to do is make sure you COM port is listed in Windows Device Manager.  If it shows up there, then it should show up in your LabVIEW program when you run it.  Assuming you have your app, the LabVIEW Run-time Engine, and the VISA Run-time installed.

[Wolleee]

Hoovah,

Thank you for your help.  Greatly appreciated.  In the additional installers the ni visa is a much older version than the current one.  Is it possible to update that or should i just include the new downloader in the source files?

[Dennis_Knutson]

And if you are using a USB-RS232 converter, you must include its driver as well.

[Wolleee]

wow that is something i am using, but windows seems to catch that one everytime it is plugged into a new computer. 

[mcduff]

Just a guess here.

When you plug in usb-to-serial driver the com port assigned to it may not be static. That is, in your original program, COM3 may no longer be COM3, when plugged into a new computer. You need to scan for available ports at the beginning of your program.

You can try the Find VISA Resources, look for it in the palettes.

cheers,

mcduff