User-Interface Requirements

National Instruments IVI Driver

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User-Interface Requirements

The interactive capabilities of simulation drivers place additional requirements on your system. The simulation driver .dll files require the LabWindows/CVI Run–Time Engine. The IVI Compliance Package installation program installs the LabWindows/CVI Run–Time Engine.

If you want to deploy a simulation driver on a system that does not have the LabWindows/CVI Run–Time Engine, you must modify and recompile the simulation driver source code. This section describes the modifications you must make for LabWindows/CVI 5.0 or later.

LabWindows/CVI 5.0.x—To modify and recompile the simulation driver using the LabWindows/CVI 5.0.x compiler, complete the following steps:

  1. Edit the .c file of the simulation driver. The .c file for each simulation driver contains the following statements:

    #ifndef ALLOW_INTERACTIVE_SIMULATION

    #define ALLOW_INTERACTIVE_SIMULATION

    To prevent your program from trying to invoke the LabWindows/CVI Run–Time Engine, change the ALLOW_INTERACTIVE_SIMULATION macro definition from 1 to 0 so that the compiler does not process any of the user interface code.

  2. Enable the Instrument Driver Support Only command in the Build menu of the Project window. When you enable Instrument Driver Support Only, your project does not link to the LabWindows CVI Run–Time Engine. To enable Instrument Driver Support Only, select Build»Instrument Driver Support Only.
  3. Select Build»Create Dynamic Link Library in the Project window to compile the simulation driver .dll file. The Create Dynamic Link Library dialog box appears. Be sure to export the symbols from the .h file of the simulation driver as follows:
    1. Click Change to display the DLL Export Options dialog.
    2. Select Include File Symbols from the Export What control.
    3. Select the .h file for the simulation driver in the Which Project Include Files list control.
  4. Click OK to create the DLL.

LabWindows/CVI 5.5—To modify and recompile the simulation driver using the LabWindows/CVI 5.5 compiler, complete the following steps:

  1. Edit the .c file of the simulation driver. The .c file for each simulation driver contains the following statements:

    #ifndef ALLOW_INTERACTIVE_SIMULATION

    #define ALLOW_INTERACTIVE_SIMULATION

    To prevent your program from trying to invoke the LabWindows/CVI Run–Time Engine, change the ALLOW_INTERACTIVE_SIMULATION macro definition from 1 to 0 so that the compiler does not process any of the user interface code.

  2. Select Build»Target Settings in the Project window. The Target Settings dialog appears. Enable Instrument Driver Support Only if you do not want to link to the LabWindows/CVI Run-Time Engine. Be sure to export the symbols from the .h file of the simulation driver by completing the following steps:
    1. Click Change in the export section to display the DLL Export Options dialog box.
    2. Select Include File Symbols from the Export What control.
    3. Select the .h file for the simulation driver in the Which Project Include Files list control.
  3. Select Build»Create Release Dynamic Link Library in the Project window to compile the simulation .dll file.

LabWindows/CVI 6.0 and 7.0—To modify and recompile the simulation driver using the LabWindows/CVI 6.0 or 7.0 compiler, complete the following steps:

  1. Edit the .c file of the simulation driver. The .c file for each simulation driver contains the following statements:

    #ifndef ALLOW_INTERACTIVE_SIMULATION

    #define ALLOW_INTERACTIVE_SIMULATION

    To prevent your program from trying to invoke the LabWindows/CVI Run–Time Engine, change the ALLOW_INTERACTIVE_SIMULATION macro definition from 1 to 0 so that the compiler does not process any of the user interface code.

  2. Select Build»Target Settings in the Project window. The Target Settings dialog appears. Select Instrument Driver Only from the Runtime Support control. Be sure to export the symbols from the .h file of the simulation driver by completing the following steps:
    1. Click Change in the export section to display the DLL Export Options dialog box.
    2. Select Include File Symbols from the Export What control.
    3. Select the .h file for the simulation driver in the Which Project Include Files list control.
  3. Select Build»Create Release Dynamic Link Library in the Project window to compile the simulation .dll file.

After you compile the simulation driver, the resulting .dll does not require the LabWindows/CVI Run–Time Engine, but you cannot use the interactive simulation panels. If you attempt to enable interactive simulation without the LabWindows/CVI Run–Time Engine, the simulation driver returns an error.

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