What's the best way to make data from a cRIO available to whoever wants it?

[David99999]

Lets say I've got a compactRIO connected to the network, and I want upper management to have the ability to view the live data. Obviously they won't have a LabVIEW license. What's the best way to go about this?

Do I make a basic website with a RESTful API? I know there's the HTTP client VI's, never used them though. 

Or is there an easier way to do this? I've got the application builder module.......maybe I can just make an application designed to communicate with the cRIO via network published variables, and all they have to do is install it on their computer? (Edit: For the record, I may be thinking of using network published shared variables in an incorrect manner, haven't used those yet either)

[crossrulz · Accepted solution]

I am personally not a fan of Network Published Shared Variables.  They are slow and VERY insecure (anybody on the network can update them).  I would make a client application that somebody can run that makes a TCP connection to the cRIO to read off the data.  This would require a TCP server loop on your cRIO.

[David99999]

Ok so you’re saying make a client application using LabView? That can distributed?

[rolfk]

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@David99999 wrote:

Ok so you’re saying make a client application using LabView? That can distributed?

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A LabViEW built app certainly can be distributed.