using 7.1, install additional LV8.5 Eval safe?

[richmart]

Hello,

I am currently using LabVIEW 7.1 for my project. For compatibility reasons I would like to additionaly install the Evaluation Version of LabVIEW 8.5 without running into problems with 7.1 .

I depend on 7.1, so I am hesitant to just install 8.5 eval. Does anyone have experiences with running both 7.1 and 8.5 eval on the same machine?

Thank you,

Regards

[Matthew_Williams]

Our experience has been that installing a newer version will generally go smoothly
and as long as you are going to use _only_ the new version you will be fine.

For situations such as you describe, however, where you must maintain the ability
to work in the older version, I would strongly suggest dedicating your current machine to
7.1 and installing the eval on a new machine, especially if you are using any toolkits.

We have a 6.1 machine, a 7.1.1 machine and new development is done on an
8.2.1 machine (which also has 7.1.1, but only so we can open old stuff with
less chance of corrupting it).

Matt

[DJDDA]

If you only have one computer available, you may want to use VMWare to use the two versions in close proximity.

[Matthew_Kelton]

You can easily use the two versions together, with some caveats.  My laptop has LV 6.1, 7.1, 8.0, 8.2.1, and 8.5.  The caveats are in your drivers.  For example, I cannot use NI-DAQ in 6.1 because the version I have installed for 8.5 doesn't support 6.1.  That's not a problem for me.  But it could be for you.

The other thing to be very careful with is that every time to open a different version of LV, Windows reassociates LabVIEW file types with the last version you opened.  SO if you open 8.5 to test, then close it down and double-click on your 7.1 source, it will open in 8.5.  Do a save, and you're in trouble.

What I have ended up doing in my lab is have a multi-boot system with 6.1 and 7.1 on one partition, and another partition with 8.2.1 and 8.5.  This way I can get the drivers that I need for all versions.  I also have a partition with 7.1 with drivers for one specific customer project, as if I update the drivers on my end, the program will crash on their end.  So until I can get them to update their drivers, I need to make sure I never update mine.

[richmart]

Thank you all very much for your fast responses. Considering what you said I think I will have to stick to  7.1.

Regards.