labwindows vs visual studio

[ZZippo]

Hi guys, Here is my problem: I have to build a gui for a company and I would like to use LabWindows. I have built guis using LabWindows in the past and I know the tool.  The problem is that this company has a gui built with Visual Studio Express Edition, and they would like me to use Visual Studio. Now I have to convince them to spend some money to buy LabWindows. As I have not used VisualStudio in the past for building guis, I would grateful if you could put together a LabVindows vs VisualStudio comparison to help me convince them that LabWindows is better.  Many thanks,zzippoPS: I have read  http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=180&message.id=219&query.id=1123122#M219 

[dummy_decoy]

ouch ! that's quite subjective.

from a programmer's point of view: i often hear that CVI is easier to use. this argument is totally biased by people who have never used the more recent form of GUI development using WinForms in Visual Studio. anyway, it is clear that if you are at ease with CVI you will develop your GUI faster and it will cost less... but CVI needs a specific library whereas Visual Studio uses library which are often already installed on a Windows system. CVI is a C compiler, while Visual Studio also includes VB.NET, C++ and C#, all three languages are a lot more helpful to developpers with exception handling and a more suitable way of managing memory.

now from a user's point of view: CVI has a look-and-feel which is quite different from a standard windows application and may rebute people at first. many controls are looking really different.

finally, from the point of view of the people mandating the development: Visual Studio Express Edition is free... (hummm... i seem to remember that you can't use Visual Studio Express for professional development. are they breaking the law ? )

well, i am sorry, i can't convince them to use CVI, i find Visual Studio far better. and frankly, you should try developping a GUI with Visual Studio using a language as easy as VB.NET or C#. you will understand the word "easier". (however, i discourage writing a WinForms GUI using C or C++, that's just a nightmare).

[ZZippo]

Thank you dummy_decoy!

 Anybody from NI  with other ideas?

[Jas.W]

Hi ZZippo,

The following links will show you all the feature that are available with LabWindows. This saves me writing some epic post listing all the features that are already listed elsewhere. Its more than likely that the context of your application will influence whether these features apply to the application or not. By this I mean that with LabWindows you'll have guaranteed support and integration with NI hardware to easily implement the hardware into your program. 

Here is the link to the features of LabWindows: 

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/3590 

Here is another link to some resources describing how other features can be implemented

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/5556

Hopefully those links are useful in showing off what LabWindows can do. If you have any other questions then please feel free to post again.

Kind Regards,

Jas.W 

[ZZippo]

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the answer!

Regards,

ZZippo