Copying Projects

[d.]

Hi,

I've had this problem for a long time and am looking for a solution.  I often find that it's easier to copy an existing project to another folder then edit for a new project.  As far as I can tell, CVI has no way to copy a project.  So what I end up doing is manually editing the .cws and .prj files so that the new paths are correct, then opening CVI.

Recently a client sent me the project they were working on.  Editing the .prj has been completely unsuccessful.  For some reason, CVI sees the source files but is clueless as to the project configurations.  It opens an Untitled project with no files.  I tried adding the files, but then I get compile errors (when my client does not).

Of course NI will help me fix my problem, but the bigger issue is I think there should be a more automated way to copy projects, and/or zip them up, ship them off, and have them build on a different system without having to manually edit .cws and .prj files.

Yuck!

BTW, NI used to have a suggestion link.  What happened to that?

Dave

[d.]

Martin from tech support answered my question.  (I think he's supposed to post here anyway.)

For years, I had copied a folder, edited the .cws and .prj, then worked on the new project.  Martin pointed out to me that if I just open the .prj in CVI, CVI will automatically update the paths to the new folder.

Bottom line: CVI does what I was looking for.  I was doing things in the wrong sequence.

Dave

[vix]

Hi d

this is only partially true.

Let me explain: this is true for .prj, .cws and source files listed in the .prj file.

The problem arises with files used in the "create installer" feature where you could have some problems of paths.

For this reason, some years ago Peter posted this suggestion (http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabWindows-CVI-Idea-Exchange/Save-as-development-distribution/idi-p/1290170) that is now Under consideration.

Feel free to give kudo

[d.]

Hi Vix,

Thanks for the link.  I see the suggestion, but it appears there was has not yet been an implementation.  I still wonder how a "save as" would help since moving the project to a new machine would most likely result in a path change anyway.

I haven't used the NI installer since they "improved" it.  The new improved version generates install files that are 16MB or more.  You can't email an application that size.  I don't need a lot of drivers with my applications, so I create my own installer with Inno Setup.

Thanks,

Dave