LabView 64-Bit vs. 32-Bit

[emw129]

I'm going to need to write LabView Code that is needing to manage huge databases, So I'm going to need to use the 64-bit LabView version soon.  So I can utilize all 16GB of my computers DRAM.  

However, what are the known issues using 64-bit LabView code vs. 32-bit LabView code?

1) Can I switch between the 2 gracefully?

2) Can only one run on a system at a time?

3) Can 32-bit LabView code be used in 64-Bit LabView?

4) Can 64-bit LabView Code be re-used in 32-Bit LabView?

How do I install the 64-bit version?  Do I have to uninstall the 32-bit version first?

[Jacobson-ni]

Questions should be answered in the FAQ below, let me know if there are any questions which aren't answered though.

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/71E9408E6DEAD76C8625760B006B6F98

[altenbach]

You can install both and develop the same code interchangeably in either. Make sure to separate the compiled code to avoid recompile whenever you switch.

Of course you should not try to edit the same VI in both environments at the same time.

Complications occur if you use certain drivers or external DLLs. For example If you have a 32 and 64 but version of the same DLL, you can use the conditional disable structure to load the correct one based on the current bitness.

[Hooovahh]

How are you interfacing with this database?  Because the NI Database Toolkit is 32 bit only, due to some kind of limitation of Microsoft.  Basically the way I think of it, is all toolkits are 32 bit compatible but not all are 64 bit.  So does the benefit of working in a 64 bit memory space better than losing access to those toolkits?  As a result I have never installed or used LabVIEW 64 bit.

[perhult]

I am by no means a database expert, but why would you need lots of memory for Labview just because you are working with  huge databases? Don't you want to do the heavy work in the database instead?