how do i make a llb from a vi that i can distribute

[mikeorama]

i cannot figure out how to make a library from my vi's.  I have to distribute my vi's to my customers but i cannot give them the source code.  They will build their own labview programs from my libraries.  I figured out how to make an executable exe but that does me no good.  I tried using the mass compile but i did not find any output files.  I would like to generate a single library file from my highest level vi so that my customers can use it in their labview programs.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Save With Options>Application Distribution will create an llb without diagrams. I absolutely hate getting VIs without diagrams though and will not buy them. I think its better to distribute them with passwords. That way, the end user can upgrade to a newer version of LabVIEW.

[mikeorama]

I cannot find "Save With Options>Application Distribution ".

Is this in the evaluation version of 8.0 ?

Will it generate only one LLB for my highest level vi? 

If it generates LLBs for each vi in the entire hierarchy, and i have to distribute all of those llbs, it would be useless to me, and then the password option would be better.

(my highest level vi would be my customers lowest level vi, and they would have no use tinkering with the source, it would only lead to clutter and confusion)

[Dennis_Knutson]

LabVIEW 8 does thing differently. In the project view, select the Build Specifications and then New>Source Distribution. You can get a single VI with all subVIs. You don't understand about source. If you password protect the VIs, the end user cannot view or modify the source. If you delete the source, the user cannot view or modify the source either but then they can never upgrade their version of LabVIEW either without getting a new set of VIs from you. Imho, it's a great disservice to sell VIs without diagrams. You get the same level of protection by password protecting them.

[mikeorama]

The library thingy did not do as what i expected.  It packaged all of the included sub vis into a single LLB.  Any of the vis can be selected and placed and their diagrams can be viewed.  I would like only my highest level vi to appear. I would like it to appear as a primitive in yellow just the way Labviews lowest level primitives appear, the ones that can not be opened.

Example:  I have a bunch of vis that read a complex data file which is produced by my instrument.  The customer would use this in their program to load the data file and perform their own analysis.  The highest level vi to read the data file would be called "GetRecording".  I would like it to appear as a primitive in their program.  They would not be able to open it.  They would have no idea what is inside it.  They would only need one file "GetRecording" instead of a collection of files.

Is this possible?

[Dennis_Knutson]

You can use the app builder to create a DLL from the top level VI. Then create a VI that uses the Call Library Function Node to access the DLL. It would be this VI that you can password protect so that the user cannot see the diagram. You would have to distribute the DLL along with the top-level VI.

[mikeorama]

ouch, this is getting ugly, you just said the dll word.  i'm hangin up now.  nice chattin.. enjoy the rest of your day.  i hope i remember my passwords.  Later.