LVRT 8.5 in the Windows Registry: where is it?

[Slyfer]

Hi, 

I am not satisfied with the NI installer system. So I moved to thing like NSIS (http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page) which is spectacular until now and really gives full control over every aspect of the installation/uninstallation process.

So I made my application with LV 8.5.

The idea is that during the installation process, the NSIS installer will check if the Labview Runtime 8.5 is installed in the system, if yes it will continue the installation, if not it will start the installation of the LVRT 8.5 first.

So where in the Windows Registry I can find the information about the presence of the LVRT 8.5?

In other words: When I succesfully install the LVRT 8.5 in a Windows XP machine, which Strings and Dwords it will write in my registry? and in which Paths of the registry?

Thanks

PS: Windows Vista? Does it have a registry??  

[smercurio_fc]

Yes, Vista still has a registry. Microsoft has no plans to move into the 21st century anytime soon. Hech, they're still in the 90's with those new commercials with Seinfeld.

Anyway, on my system the Run-Time versions are in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\National Instruments\LabVIEW Run-Time.

[Slyfer]

With the help of a software called VeriTest-Rational Install Analyzer, I did the following:

1) opened a Virtual Machine with VMware player, with a fresh Windows XP  (nothing installed by NI product)

2) checked an image of the system registry with this utility

3) installed LVRT redistributable 8.5

4) re-checked image for comparison with 2).

The result of the comparison (before and after the installation of LVRT 8.5) was a HTML report file (1,69Mb)

Summary of File Changes 

Files Added: 128 

Directories Added: 34 

Files Deleted: 2 

Directories Deleted: 2 

Files Changed: 42 

Program Files Exes: 32 

System Dir Exes Added: 5 

Files Outside of Appropriate Areas: 3 

Summary of Registry Changes 

Values Added: 1572 HKCR HKCU HKLM 

Keys Added: 1012 HKCR HKCU HKLM 

Values Deleted: 123 HKCR HKCU HKLM 

Keys Deleted: 13 HKCR HKCU HKLM 

Values Changed: 87 HKCR HKCU HKLM 

So it messes a lot into the system, and lot of informations added to the registry are in form of BINARY and plug-ins strings for explorer/firefox, etc that I don't care.

I cannot go through all of that.

I am asking to someone inside National Instrument if they can tell me which is the most important key into the registry that REVEALS the LVRT8.5 installed.

Thanks

PS: the key "HKLM\Software\National Instrument\Labview Run-time" is not done by the LVRT, but by the development enviroinment.

In fact when you install any Labview, you automatically install the run-time, and you can find it installed under the national instrument \shared folder.

So that key means, in my opinion, that you have the LV development system installed.

In am asking the presence of LVRT 8.5 in a host computer, not in the workstation of the developer.

Thanks

[smercurio_fc]

---

Slyfer wrote:

PS: the key "HKLM\Software\National Instrument\Labview Run-time" is not done by the LVRT, but by the development enviroinment.

---

Interesting. Did not know that. Now why would NI use a different key with the Run-Time installer I ask myself...

[Slyfer]

Indeed I am not sure of this, but it was something that I thought.

I found this done by the LVRT (a new key added): 

HKLM\SOFTWARE\National Instruments\LabVIEW Run-Time\8.5\

Path	String	C:\Programmi\National Instruments\Shared\LabVIEW Run-Time\8.5\
Version	String	8.5.0
VersionString	String	8.5.0

 But as far as I know, LVRT is installed also by the Dev.Enviroinment. I just would like to have an official answer from someone inside NI. Maybe the installer of the LVRT "redistributable" and the "Developer System" bith write the same entry and I've found the solution.
I wouldn't like to mess the things up, unistalling and reinstalling LV Development system because it takes an afternoon 🙂 

[AndreaN · Accepted solution]

Hello Slyfer,

you're correct.

The registry keys written by the Development Environment or just by the Run Time are the same.

So, just like you said, you find them under HKLM\Software\National Instruments\LabVIEW Run Time\8.5.

Regards,