Select Tools»Options to display the Options dialog box and select Paths from the Category list to display this page.

Use this page to define the paths to various LabVIEW resources and to specify the order of the directories LabVIEW searches.

Note If LabVIEW cannot find a VI, you can replace the missing VI with a VI of any name. LabVIEW replaces all instances of the missing VI with the VI that you select.

This page includes the following components:

Option Description
Path Chooser

Selects the path to configure. Temporary Directory and Default Directory can contain only one path. VI Search Path can contain multiple paths.

  • Temporary Directory—Allows you to modify the absolute pathname to the directory for temporary files, which varies according to platform, as follows:
    • (Windows) The default is windows\temp, where windows is the operating system directory.
    • (macOS) The default is an invisible Temporary Items folder at the top of the hard drive, which is where Apple recommends storing temporary files. If the development environment crashes, the temporary files move to the trash when you restart.
    • (Linux) The default is /tmp.
    Note Changes to this option take effect the next time you start LabVIEW.
  • Default Directory—Allows you to modify the absolute pathname to the default directory, which is the directory where LabVIEW automatically stores information. The Default Directory function also returns this value.
    Note Changes to this option take effect the next time you start LabVIEW.
  • Default Data Directory—Specifies where to store any file a VI generates, such as .lvm files. The default is the LabVIEW Data directory in the default file directory on the operating system.
    Note Changes to this option take effect the next time you start LabVIEW.
    You also can use the Application:Default:Data Directory property to specify the default data directory programmatically.
  • VI Search Path—Allows you to modify the path that LabVIEW uses to search for a missing subVI, control, or external subroutine. Use this option to list, in order, the path of directories for LabVIEW to search. When you edit the search path, you can add new items in specific locations, remove paths, and select from a list of predefined paths.
    Note (Windows) If LabVIEW cannot find a dependency at the expected path, but searches and finds a Windows shortcut to the dependency, that Windows shortcut will become part of the expected path of the dependency. A warning will alert you to this change. For example, if a subVI was expected at C:\MySource\MySubVI.vi but could not be located, LabVIEW will begin to search. If LabVIEW finds MySubVI.vi through SourceShortcut.lnk\MySubVI.vi, LabVIEW will load MySubVI.vi through this path and make SourceShortcut.lnk part of the expected path for MySubVI.vi.
Use default

Sets the displayed path to its default value. This checkbox contains a checkmark by default. To edit the displayed path, remove the checkmark from the checkbox.
Path List

Displays the value of the path selected in the Path Chooser list. If Use default is checked, you cannot edit this field.

If a path in the list does not exist, a warning symbol appears next to the path.
Browse

Browses to a directory. Click the Select Folder button in the file dialog box to add the path to the Path field.
Path

Displays the path that you selected.

  • !—

    Copies <osdatadir> to the Path field. <osdatadir> represents the path to the default file directory on the operating system. The ! button is grayed out unless you select Default Data Directory from the Path Chooser pull-down menu and remove the checkmark from the Use default checkbox.

  • Symbolic Search Locations—

    Lists symbolic search locations in a pull-down menu. Click this button and select a location to copy to the Path field. The Symbolic Search Locations button is dimmed unless you select VI Search Path in Path Chooser and remove the checkmark from the Use default checkbox.

    Select from the following directories:
    • <topvi> refers to the directory that contains the top-level VI that LabVIEW is opening.
    • <foundvi> refers to a list of all directories where you have previously located a subVI. During a search, LabVIEW adds to this list any directory in which LabVIEW finds a subVI. <foundvi> helps you locate a directory of VIs that has been moved or renamed. When you open a VI that calls another VI that has been moved, you must find that directory only once and then LabVIEW adds this path to the list of directories.
    • <vilib> refers to the vi.lib directory in the labview directory.
    • <userlib> refers to the user.lib directory in the labview directory.
    • <instrlib> refers to the instr.lib directory in the labview directory.
    • <osdatadir> refers to the default file directory on the operating system.
Insert Before

Inserts the symbolic path in the Path field before the path selected in the Path list. This button is dimmed unless you select a symbolic path.
Insert After

Inserts the symbolic path in the Path field after the path selected in the Path list. This button is dimmed unless you select a symbolic path.
Replace

Replaces the path selected in the Path list with the path in the Path field.
Remove

Removes the path selected in the Path list and places it in the in the Path field.