MVE Create Bound Variables (DSC Module)

[Mattjk]

I would like to use the MVE Create Bound Variables.vi in my program to allow the user to choose and bind shared variables from an OPC server the exact same way you would do it in explorer.  This is the path of the vi I want to use:

C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2009\resource\dialog\variable\MVE\MVE Create Bound Variables.vi

The problem is that I don't know what kind of path it is looking for to run properly.  NI should really make these VIs that are built into Labview available to the programmer to use.  I just spent three days re-creating the shared variable properties dialog because I couldn't locate it and was told that I couldn't use it.  I just want to pass Labview functionality to the user upon run-time.

Thanks

Matt

[BTreece]

Hi Matt, 

Could you elaborate on what it is you are trying to do?  It sounds like you want to user to be able to create or modify the IO server that you have set up.  If this is the case, there is already an express VI in the DSC module that will do this.  It is called Create and Configure IO Server.  Try giving this a try and see if it will suit your needs.  

Brandon Treece

Applications Engineer

National Instruments

[Mattjk]

Here is what I want to do:

I have to write emissions monitoring software for a company that is not the end user.  The end user is Plants that have smoke stacks that will be monitoring emissions using devices.  Our customer wants a universal program to read emissions devices that are not predefined.  They have provided us with an OPC program.  If I create an OPC client in Project Explorer I can right click and "Create bound variables".  Then I can create a shared variable which is linked to an OPC tag.  This is all fine but what I just explained I want to do programmatically.  The way I envision the program to work is that our customer configures the program by selecting from a menu, which variables off the device to read.  The device can be a multitude of brands which all have different sensors etc. which are not predefined.  

Basically I want to create a bunch of shared variables and allow the user to select what they are binded to the same way I, as a Labview user can select from a list dialog what I want them to be binded to.  NI has done it and passed it to me.  Now I want to pass it to my users.  All I really want is to call the "create bound variables" dialog in my program.  I have tried this:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/2E8BAD0EA218A7558625712E0003F044?OpenDocument

without success.  The problem with this is that I need to know the path and it is not an ideal method to pass to my user.

Thanks

Matt

[BTreece]

Unfortunately, since the VI is password protected, I cannot look into the VI to see exactly how it works.  Since the VI is not on the palette, it is not designed to be used in top level development.  However, I think that there are other ways to do this.  You can set up the I/O server using the VI that I mentioned before.  You can create the shared variables programmatically by using the Create Shared Variable VI.  Once you have created all of your shared variables, you can refer to this document for assistance in binding the variables.  

Brandon Treece

Applications Engineer

National Instruments