Import CVI 6.0 *.prj files in CVI 9.0

[vix]

I've been evaluating the new CVI 9.0, so I imported one of my old CVI 6.0 prj file.

I see I can organize my project dividing files into folders, that are a sort of virtual ones (not necessary matching the real dosk folders...), and I think this is really useful.

In the 6.0 Create Distribution Kit window there is the File Groups section, where I can organize the files I need (for example images, txt files, ...).

When I import this prj into CVI 9.0 I'm not able to find these files and file groups anymore.

How they are imported into CVI 9.0?

Moreover I use LabVIEW 8.2, and I like the way I can create exe and installer. In the build EXE Properties window (under Source Files --> Project Files) I can see the whole project folder/file structure, and I can easily specify different destinations for files or folders.

In CVI 9.0  under Build --> Distribution --> Edit myProject --> Files there is the Local Files and Directories section. In the Files area I can see only myProject file, and not its content; on the right there are the list of the files not divided as in the Project, and I can't reorder them by type....

Is there a way to see the project folder structure (that can be different from the Hard Disk folder structure) in this window?

[Mert_A.]

In the 9.0 distribution editor there is no concept of a logical "file group" in the same sense as the legacy distribution kit editor. In the old editor, you were shown a list of logical file groups, each of which had a target directory. This organization scheme has been replaced by one that emphasizes filesystem structure, rather than logical structure. The Files tab shows two file browsers: the top one represents your development machine's filesystem, and the bottom one represents the files and directories created by your installer. To configure your installation, you simply move files from the upper browser to the lower browser, organized however you want your target system to look after installation. Since the old logical file groups had to install all files to a single directory, you will still see all of these files together within a single directory in the lower browser.

When you convert your 6.0 distribution configuration to 9.0, your file groups will no longer be named, but the installation browser should have folders corresponding to the file group target directories which contain all the files from the group.

Currently, the project groupings in the upper (local) browser do not replicate the logical folders (e.g. "Source Files", "Include Files", etc) that exist in the project tree. If this is something you would like to see, I'd recommend filing a product suggestion.

Please let me know if you still have questions.

Mert A.

National Instruments

[vix]

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This organization scheme has been replaced by one that emphasizes filesystem structure, rather than logical structure.

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I suspected this, but I don't like this behaviour very much. I prefer keeping a logical structure different from the filesystem structure: this is also why I don't like the new auto-populating folder in LabVIEW 8.6.

When I saw the 9.0 distribution editor I easily understood how I can create a new installer from scratch, moving files from the top browser to the bottom one, creating folders on the target machine, ...

Probably I didn't explain my question very well in my first post:

• in our company we developed a lot of big projects with 6.0, and every projects has hundreds of files (sources, images, documentaion, ...) Is there a way to automatically import these projects into 9.0 without having to manually recreate the installer settings? All these settings are already included in the 6.0 *.prj file....
• is there a way to move a whole folder (with all its contents) from the top browser to the bottom one?
• is there a way to list files by type (not only by name or date) in the top browser?

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When you convert your 6.0 distribution configuration to 9.0, your file groups will no longer be named, but the installation browser should have folders corresponding to the file group target directories which contain all the files from the group.

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With the word 'convert', do you mean 'automatically import' or 'completely recreate'?I know how to create an installer (for a new project, for example), but I don't like having to recreate the installers for all my existing projects.....

I think that it would be extremely useful if project grouping replicated the logical folders, so I'm certainly filing a product suggestion.

Thanks for your help, and best regards

[Mert_A.]

To answer your questions:

• Yes, distribution settings from your CVI 6.0 projects can be automatically converted to the new format. When you load your project in CVI 9.0, the first time you bring up the Build>>Distributions>>Manage Distributions dialog, you will be shown a dialog that asks you whether you would like to convert the distributions for the projects in your workspace. You will only be asked once; if you decline, then later change your mind, you'll have to delete your workspace file (or just remove the "Don't Update DistKit = True" lines) in order to be prompted again.
• Yes, there are three ways. First, you can press the "Add Contents" button (I agree that the label is not clear), which will add the selected directory in the local browser as a subdirectory of the selected directory of the installation browser. You can also just drag files/directories from the local browser to the installation browser. Lastly, you can drag files/directories from Explorer into the installation browser.
• No, you can only sort by the displayed columns, which are Name, File Size, and Date Modified. 

As implied by the first bullet, when I said convert, I meant "automatically import". Let me know if you need any further details.

Mert A.

National Instruments