What are my options for deploying DAQ assistant with a built LabView application.

[MarkMoss]

I am currently working on a LabView application which I intend to build with LabView Application Builder and deploy on a couple of computers within the company.  The application's end-users will need to create and edit DAQmx scales and virtual channels using the DAQ assistant once the application is deployed.  It looks like we (or anybody else) is only licensed use use the DAQ assistant to create scales and virtual channels if there is also a valid license for LabView, LabWindows, or Measurement Studio also installed on the computer.

(See http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/402D2EB45062FBC486256DD600634695 for the licensing restrictions message that pops up if you create a scale without having LabView, LabWindows, or Measurement Studio installed.)

Is there an option to buy/obtain a deployment license which would allow my end-users to use the DAQ assistant without purchasing a LabView, LabWindows, or Measurement Studio development system license which they would not otherwise need or use?

Thanks,

Mark Moss

[Dennis_Knutson]

That link does not apply at all. The link was referring to using the DAQ Assistant with an evaluation (unlicensed) version of LabVIEW. As a matter of fact, you cannot use the DAQ Assistant at all with a built application. The only way to start up the DAQ Assistant is to do so from the block diagram and you don't have a block diagram in an exe.

You can skip the DAQ Assistant altogether and use the low level DAQmx functions and with front panel controls, modify any aspect of task that you want. You will also install DAQmx and you have the option of installing MAX on the pc. Tasks can be added/modified there.

[MarkMoss]

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Dennis Knutson wrote:

That link does not apply at all. The link was referring to using the DAQ Assistant with an evaluation (unlicensed) version of LabVIEW. As a matter of fact, you cannot use the DAQ Assistant at all with a built application. The only way to start up the DAQ Assistant is to do so from the block diagram and you don't have a block diagram in an exe.

You can skip the DAQ Assistant altogether and use the low level DAQmx functions and with front panel controls, modify any aspect of task that you want. You will also install DAQmx and you have the option of installing MAX on the pc. Tasks can be added/modified there.

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I get the same message as shown in that KB article if I start MAX and then attempt to create a DAQmx Scale without having LabView installed on the computer.  I would prefer to do what you suggest (Install MAX and allow the user to create/edit scales and virtual channels using DAQ Assistant within MAX), but it doesn't appear the license for DAQ Assistant and/or NI-DAQmx will allow the end-user to do so without also installing a LabView, LabWindows, or MeasurementStudio development system.

What I'd really like to know is if there is a deployment licence I can purchase, or otherwise (legally) obtain, to allow the end-user to use DAQ Assistant within MAX without purchasing an otherwise unneeded LabView, LabWindows, or MeasurementStudio development system license.

Thanks,

Mark Moss

[Dennis_Knutson]

I'm not sure what exactly might be happening on your system. I can create/modify a task on a pc without LabVIEW being installed. In any case, I never use the DAQ Assistant and I know that channels/scales/ranges can be changed in a built program using the low level DAQmx functions and only DAQmx and the LabVIEW run-time installed.

[Kameralina]

Hello,

Dennis is right.  The NI-DAQmx drivers themselves do not need to be licensed, so as long as they are there, you will have access to Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) and be able to edit tasks.  The low-level VIs (you can see them used in the LabVIEW shipping examples) are the ones you should use. 

[MarkMoss]

Thanks, everybody, for your quick responses.  I probably wasn't clear enough in my original question.

I know I can use the low-level VI's to create and modify scales, tasks, etc. programmatically.  However, what I want to do is let my users create their own custom scales (for a new sensor, for example) through NI-MAX.  According to the message that pops up when I begin to create a custom scale in NI-MAX on a system without LabView installed, I'm only allowed to create scales, tasks, and channels if I have a properly-licensed development system installed (LabView, LabWindows, or MeasurementStudio) on that computer.

What I want to know is if there is a deployment license, or similar, available that would let my users create scales in NI-MAX, without violating the license terms, on a computer that has my built application, but no development system, installed.

Thanks,

Mark Moss

[Kameralina]

Hello Mark,

I have been able to successfully create tasks, scales, and associate custom scales to tasks in MAX on a system without any of the development environments. 
NI-MAX is not activation-driven, and can be installed on a system without having any of the NI development environments.

Can you step us through what you are doing?  I am having trouble understanding when you are receiving this error as playing with MAX in the way you described should not cause that.

Have you tried yet using the low level VIs?  The low-level VIs we are speaking of are not for creating scales or modifying tasks.  The low-level VIs are the basic DAQmx Read/Write, Timing, Start Task, Stop Task, etc.  You do not need to use the DAQ Assistant at all, and instead you can creat the task in MAX itself and apply the custom scale from there.

[MarkMoss]

First, I should mention that this is probably not specifically a LabView problem.  I asked the question here because I want to find out how I can let my users create their own custom scales in NI-MAX for use with my built LabView application.  Using the low-level VI's is no problem at all.  In fact, in my LabView program, I build the task based on the physical channels and scales specified by the user.  However, I need to allow the user to create their own custom scales after my built LabView program has been installed on the computer.

1. Open NI-MAX on a computer doesn't have LabView installed.
2. Expand the "Scales" item in the tree.
3. Right-click on the "NI-DAQmx Scales" item and choose "Create New DAQmx Scale..." from the context menu.
4. After choosing "Create New DAQmx Scale...", the a dialog box pops up (see attached image) informing me that I'm not allowed to create new scales unless I have a LabView, LabWindows, or MeasurementStudio installed.
5. If I check the "I understand and will comply with the Licensing Restrictions" box, nothing prevents me from creating a new scale, but it appears that to do so would violate the license terms.

[Kameralina]

Hello Mark,

Thank you for your reply.

It seems that the message you are seeing is merely a message and not an error.  Your users should be able to create and modify tasks easily even though they see the message.  If it does not stop you from doing what you need, then I would not be worried about the message since you do have a LabVIEW license on the development system and shouldn't be concerned with violating any licenses.

Take care!