unable to access emailed simulation

[laurab]

I emailed a simulation to myself so I could access it on my home computer. I am not able to open any of the files - I get an error saying that the file is not a VI. How can I get this file to open on my computer?

[John Lum]

Possible answers:

1. Check out KB 2GCEHGDV on the NI Web site. I got to it by searching for the following string, which I'm assuming is part of the error message you got:

+"the file" +"is not a vi"

2. Not likely, but maybe the file(s) got corrupted along the way. The simplest proof of corruption would be if the size of the file on your work computer is at all different than its size on your home machine. To find the exact file size in each location (if Windows), navigate to it in Windows Explorer, right-click, and choose Properties. Look at the specific value of Size, in bytes, that is given.

If neither of these helps, you might be more specific about the exact error message text, or you might even post a reply here with the offending VI attached to
see if anyone else can open it.

Hope it helps,
John Lum
National Instruments

[laurab]

John, Thanks for your comments - I tried to do the suggestions, but I cannot access a security option like it says to do in KB 2GCEHGDV. When I right-click on anything - the files or folders and go to "Properties", I don't have the option to go to "Advanced" or "Security". I am going to try to attach one of the files - if anyone can open it, please let me know. Thanks!

[laurab]

One more thing - the main reason I need to be able to open this file is b/c it has been deleted from the work computer. If I can't access the file, I will have to start from scratch again. I have no basis of comparison to determine if the files have been corrupted, but the files look like somewhat healthy sizes, so it doesn't seem as though it is a blank simulation or anything like that. I have been told that sometimes Labview programs gets altered by the process of emailing them and that is where my problem probably lies. Do you know of anyway of altering the file so that it can be opened? Thank you.

[John Lum]

It's too bad this is your only remaining copy, because that makes it harder to determine what happened and how you can avoid the problem next time.

Looking at your file (the raw binary), the header portion clearly doesn't follow the pattern of a LabVIEW VI or VI library (LLB). For a VI, the first few bytes are "RSRC" followed by an EOL and some other identifying info. Similar info appears in your file, but not until several tens of bytes in. Your file also has a tail that does not correspond to a LabVIEW VI or LLB. Cutting out the "bad" beginning and end doesn't result in a loadable VI, either (thought it was worth a stab).

I wouldn't guess that your file got randomly corrupted, since some of the binary seems to make sense. Anyway, there sh
ouldn't be a problem e-mailing a LabVIEW VI or any other binary unless your mail server blocks files over a certain size.

My guess is that your VI isn't really a VI after all. Are you 100% sure you created it by doing File >> Save (or a variant of Save)? It doesn't appear to be a LabVIEW-built executable or DLL, or a VI template, or anything else I can think of. Remembering exactly how it was created might help to diagnose the problem.

An NI Applications Engineer will review this thread; it's possible that he/she might have some additional help, but you've got me stumped.

Sorry I couldn't help more,
John

[laurab]

I am completely positive that it is a Labview created document - I created it using nothing else but Labview. And I saved it by going to File and Save. Thanks for trying, though.

[BrandonS]

I have heard on one other time where emailing a VI caused it to become corrupt. A simple solution to avoid this would be to zip all attachments before you send then with a zipping utility like winzip. Just a thought.