what version of the runtime engine is used in distribution kit

[menchar]

I have both CVI 7.1.1 and CVI 8.0.1 installed on my development system.

If I create a distribution kit in the 7.1 IDE, which runtime engine will be included?

Thanks for any help.

[LuisG]

If you create a distribution kit with the CVI 7.1.1 ADE, it should include the 7.1 RTE.

Luis

[menchar]

Thanks, but that's curious.

My development system, which has both CVI 7.1.1 and 8.0.1 installed, uses the CVI 8.0.1.356 RTE - as verified using the NI Measurement and Automation Explorer.

So if I build and debug a CVI 7.1.1 app on my development system, is uses the 8.0.1.356 RTE.  But you're saying that the CVI 7.1.1 IDE will distribute the 7.1.1 RTE.

Sure seems like you could get different behavior that way. 

[Mert_A.]

Hi,

That's correct.  Up until CVI 8.0, the runtime engine was distributed strictly via merge modules (.msm files) which were cached locally under the CVI installation directory.  Specifically, CVI 7.1 would distribute the 7.1 runtime engine merge modules found under the CVI71\redist directory.  As of 8.0, the merge modules are now installed to a common location: Program Files\Common Files\Merge Modules.  We also now provide two (transparent) ways to include the runtime engine in your distribution: piece-by-piece via merge modules or wholesale via a self-sufficient installer exactly like the one that gets installed with the IDE (and some other drivers).  The latter actually caches itself as well as the equivalent merge modules on your system.  The end effect is that you are now almost guaranteed to distribute the exact version of the runtime engine that is on your system.*

Hope that was more clarifying than confusing.

Mert A.
National Instruments

*Almost. Because the merge modules do not cache themselves, if the newest version of the runtime engine on your system was installed by a CVI-built distribution that used the merge modules, then you could still be out of date.