What do I need to distribute on Linux systems?

[GFDGreg]

Hi,

We are developing software in LabView on and for XP machines.  However, I am going through the process now of evaluating new distribution options for us.  One of those options is to begin distributing on Linux machines to save us the cost of XP.  What would we need from NI to do this?  Do we need to buy the Full Development Kit?  We would still be developing on Windows Machines, only didstriubuting for Linux.  Would the Linux Application builder be the only thing we need?

Thanks,

Greg

[MikeS81]

Hi Greg,

i think if you furthermore develop on Xp machines, but you want to run on linux machines you only need the runtime engine on your linux system.

Mike

[Wiebe@CARYA]

The Runtime Engine allown will not suffice.

To run VI's with the runtime engine, the VI's need to be compiled. So, you
need to have a Linux version of LabVIEW up and running. You can develop
under XP (if you're carefull with paths, dlls, activex, etc.), and then open
it under Linux, and save it once, or do the exe building.

If you want to run them as executables, you need the application builder (or
Full/Professional version, where it is included). You don't need the
applcation builder, since you can run VI's without diagrams with the runtime
engine. But it will make distribution easier if you use executables.

Regards,

Wiebe.

[GFDGreg]

So, I guess the question becomes then, can I run the linux App Builder under XP?  I don't want to buy a full development version for Linux since I don't intend to do any developing under Linux.  If I could just get the Linux App Builder, compile it on XP and then move it to the Linux distribution machine, that could make sense.  Does that work?

Greg

[MikeS81]

Hi again,

Wiebe is right. I found this links on ni.com

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/9B541DCAFE6D82F686256960006A3B0E?OpenDocument 

from this Thread

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&message.id=94186&requireLogin=False

hope it helps

Mike

Message Edited by MikeS81 on 01-25-2008 03:21 PM

[karlkec]

I'm sorry to beat this to death, but I want to be sure I've got this right.

I have several Labview programs developed on Windows. To be able to run them on Linux, I would have to buy at least one Labview development system for Linux. Is that correct?

Thanks.

Karl

[MikeS81]

Hi Greg

Yes I think that is what you unfortunately have to do.

Mike

[Wiebe@CARYA]

I second that. Been there, done that. Tried everything else, it doesn't
work.

Only think you can save money on is not to buy a full or professional
version. The VI's can run with the runtime engine (once they are compiled
for Linux with a development version), so you don't need an executable. But
it is a
big question if these small savings are wurth the reduced flexibility. Also,
I think you can only edit XControls with the professional version.

Just to be sure, and save you a lot of problems. If you want to go really
embedded, remember that LabVIEW only runs on Intel compatible processors. So
if you put Linux on an ARM processor, there is no way LabVIEW will run on
it. You need to buy the Microprocessor SDK for that, and that will cost you
top $$.

Regards,

Wiebe.

[karlkec]

We were trying to save the cost of the XP OS in deploying some new test stations, but that's apparently not going to work. Thanks a lot for the info. Karl

[Wiebe@CARYA]

If you only have a few products, it's not going to be worth the effort.

In my experiance, the license costs are just a very small fragment of the
price when you switch to Linux. Unless you have expert experiance in house,
you will spent a lot of time tuning the Linux OS (becuase you're not
familiar with it). Also, not everything works like it does under Windows
(file paths for instance), so you will be tuning your own program as well.
These costs will be much bigger then the price of the license.

Regards,

Wiebe.