Compatibility with Windows 7

[jmoses]

Is an application built with LabWindows/CVI version 8.5 compatible with Windows 7 64-bit?

[John_M.]

Hi jmoses,

The run time engine for CVI is backwards compatible, so as long as you are using either the 2009 or 2009 SP1 run time engines (which are compatible with Window 7 x64) your application should be able to run. That said, it is also worth noting that there are differences between Windows XP and Vista/7, such as changes in the directory structure, which can cause compatibility issues separate from the code itself being able to run. For example, application data is now stored in C:\ProgramData as opposed to the Program Files directory. As long as your application does not try to do anything that Windows now prohibits, you should be fine.

Best Regards,

John M

[jmoses]

Dear John,

Thanks for your reply.  I'm aware of the issue of storing application data in the Program Files directory, and I believe that my applications, built by LabWindows 8.5, are already Vista compatible.  However, they do not include the 2009 run time engine, they include the 8.5 run time engine.  Does this mean they may NOT be compatible with Windows 7 x64? 

We have tried our 8.5 applications, with the 8.5 rte, on Windows 7 x64, and they seem fine on the surface.  We have yet to test them thoroughly.  Is there anything in particular we should watch out for?

Josh

[John_M. · Accepted solution]

Hi Josh,

You are correct, the CVI 8.5 Runtime engine is compatible with Windows Vista. However, because the 8.5 run time engine was released before Windows 7, we have not tested it for compatibility with Windows 7 (or any other future version of Windows). You may not experience any problems running your application on Windows 7, but we cannot ensure compatibility. You will need to either include the 2009 runtime engine with the installer, or have it already on the Windows 7 computer for compatibility to be guaranteed.

John M

[jmoses]

I see!  OK, thank you, John!

Josh

[jmoses]

Now may I ask a related question?

I have LabWindows 8.5 on my computer now.  If I install LabWindows 2009, without uninstalling LabWindows 8.5, will I still be able to rebuild my LW 8.5 projects, in LW 8.5, with the LW 8.5 RTE, to re-create a distribution exactly like the distributions I created before installing LabWindows 2009, or will I lose that ability?

I had a terrible experience, "upgrading," to LabWindows 9.0.  Its RTE really messed up my application's GUI, and I was not able to fully revert from the 9.0 RTE to the 8.5 RTE.  I solved the problem by ditching my LabWindows 9.0 computer, buying a new computer, and installing LabWindows 8.5 on it.  Now that I have this new computer, I don't want to have to buy another one.

[John_M.]

Hi jmoses,

Actually, when you install CVI 2009, you will get the 2009 RTE. At that point, because the run time engines are backwards compatible, everything will use the 2009 RTE on that computer.

Also, you mentioned that when you upgraded to 2009 before, the 2009 RTE messed up your application's GUI... would you mind elaborating some on exactly what happened then?

Best Regards,

John M

[msaxon]

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@John_M. wrote:

...because the run time engines are backwards compatible...

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If only that were true.

[jmoses]

Thank you again, John, for a clear answer to my question.

It was the 9.0 RTE that messed my application's GUI, and I'm no longer worried about it, because I have no plans to use the 9.0 RTE.  However, I do plan to use the 2009 RTE, with that same GUI.  I'll let you know how that goes when I test it.

The most obvious and memorable problem I had with the 9.0 RTE was with zooming in on graphs.  The 8.5 RTE zooms graphs in the X axis only.  That's how I wanted it, and I needed (and still need) to keep it that way.  The 9.0 RTE zooms that same graph on both X and Y axes at once.  As soon as I saw that, I tried to revert back to 8.5, and when that failed, I ditched the computer.