A file path control is a LabVIEW data type that identifies the location of a file on disk. LabVIEW supports three types of file paths: absolute paths, relative paths, and symbolic paths.

A file path describes each of the following:

  • The volume that contains the file
  • The directories between the top-level of the file system and the file
  • The name of the file

Enter or display a path using the standard syntax for a given platform with the path control (LabVIEW indicator terminal representing a path data type) or indicator.

The following table includes information about the different types of file paths you can use in LabVIEW.

Table 8. Types of File Paths in LabVIEW
Type of File Path Description When to Use
absolute path An absolute path describes the location of a file or directory starting from the top level of the file system. For example, E:\Temp\test.txt. Use an absolute path to point to the same location in a file system, regardless of the current working directory.
relative path A relative path describes the location of a file or directory relative to an arbitrary location in the file system. For example, ..\test.txt. Use a relative path to point to a location that might change with the current working directory.

Use relative paths in VIs to avoid reworking paths in, for example, the following circumstances:

  • You build an application on a different computer.
  • You run the VI on a different computer
symbolic path A symbolic path (or pseudopath) is a predefined short form of a path that you can use in LabVIEW. LabVIEW includes a specific, fixed set of symbolic paths that resolve to different types of locations. Use a symbolic path to point to a location that changes with the execution environment.

For example, symbolic paths resolve to different paths depending on things like:

  • Where on disk LabVIEW is installed
  • Which user is logged in