What shall I do with my project created under Labview 64bit?

[abingdonbell]

Since I start to use a new PC with Windows 7 x64, I start to built my project in labview x64. It was more than a year ago, and the project involvoes some cameras, IO board, etc. 

There were troubles, such as some devices that I use labview to control don't have x64 drivers or the drivers didn't work properly; however, I manage to make my system work till this moment that I need to embed some Matlab scripts in my project and we just paid for the Mathscripts, but I suddenly realised that Mathscript doesn't support LV 64 bit.

So, the questions are 

1. Can I use Mathscripts under LB 64 bit?

2. Even if I can, is that a good idea to stick with lv 64 bit with all those peripheral driver troubles?

Alternatively, shall I migrate to 32 bit LV, I just try to open my project with 32 bit LV 2011, there are lots of missing VIs. It seems I have to spend some time reconnect hundreds of VIs and other unexpected issues? 

Either way, I need to spend some time on NOTHING?

Could anyone who has some experience on this issue shed some light on me?? 

Thanks.

[RavensFan · Accepted solution]

Suppose you create a 32 bit LabVIEW program that just runs your Mathscript code.  You can create it like a server that when it gets launched, it just sits there waiting for commands and data, processes them, and sends back results.  You can add to your 64 bit program a communication section that sends the commands and data to the 32 bit program by way of TCP/IP and waits for the results.  If both programs are running on the same PC then Localhost or 127.0.0.1  Of course you will want to set up some good error checking in case the communication breaks down.  But it would allow you to get your Mathscript code into LabVIEW and not have to do a lot of work to your existing program (other than had the communication part) to keep it working.

[abingdonbell]

Ravens Fan,

Thanks. This sould like a good approach for my current issue. 

But, do you have any general opinion on the 32/64bit LV? Since I start using the 64 bit LV, I had quite a few problems only due to the 64 bit compatibility.

Is it a good idea to keep on the 64 bit track?  At the end of the day, how much benefit I gain from using 64bit LV? Is it much faster? I could run a comparison after I make the 32 bit program work, but it's good to hear some other's opinions.  One contact of ours from NI told me it's better to use 32bit. What do you think? Thanks.

[Ben]

SInce I prefer to watch others venture into unknown regions to learn the dangers, I have avoided 64 bit LV due to the lack of driver support and the dnager of unknown bugs (minimzing risk is part of my job).

THe only reason that I would move to 64 bit LV is to take advantage of the expanded address space available in a 64 bit environment. Some of my 3D apps bump into the upper limit of 32 bit machines and would probably be the first to migrate.

Just my 2 cents,

Ben

[Albert.Geven]

The driver issue is not related to LabVIEW64 bit but to Windows7 64 bit. So In fact it is a matter of time before all drivers are available and in  fact most are already available.

I'm waiting for 64 bit Mathscript, is that already planned?

[abingdonbell]

Thanks for replies. 

Ben, I agree with you. 

Albert, technically you are right. But in my case, I have a camera which run in Labview with sdk from the manufacturer. The 32 bit library is fully functions while the 64 bit SDK allow only displaying half of the mage. I have chased them for the support for 64bit wrapper for more than a year until I gave up. Not every manufacturer provide full support for 64 bit programs. It may be a matter of time, but who likes waiting?

[Albert.Geven]

I agree, but that means in my case, buy camera's from vendors that update.

We use Ueye camera's and although we had to rewrite the LabVIEW part. the underlying dll is good, and also 64 bit available.

In fact I learned how not to use reantrancy from that LabVIEW Lib.

The original example used a reentrant vi for databuffering, so for 5 buffers you needed to call that vi 5 times and surely not in a for loop.