Building and Distributing Applications and Libraries

Build your code into a package that you share and run outside or within the development environment.

An application is a program designed to perform a group of coordinated functions or tasks. A web application is an application that is capable of running in web browsers.

A library is a collection of source files, such as VIs, type definitions, classes, and other support files.

Use an Application or Library document (.gcomp) to create an application, library, or custom palette. Each document contains your source files, such as VIs, menus, and text files.

Use the following steps to build and customize your application or library.

  1. Create your application or library.
    OptionDescription
    Create an application To create an executable, create an Application document (.gcomp), add source files to the document, and build the application into an executable.
    Note You can also build your application from the CLI.
    Create a library Use a Library document (.gcomp) to add source files and to create a library or an add-on library.
    Note You can also build your library from the CLI.
  2. Optional: Localize strings—To localize strings for objects that display at run time, such as dialog boxes, add custom entries to a string dictionary file and use the Get Localized String node to retrieve the strings programmatically.
  3. Optional: Optimize your library—Use the command line interface (CLI) to run a predefined command that optimizes library file performance.
  4. Optional: Create an executable—Build your application into an executable.
    Note The target that the executable runs on must have the LabVIEW Run-Time Engine installed.
  5. Package your file—Package your application or library into a package or package installer.
  6. Optional: Add a project to LabVIEW NXG—Add a LabVIEW NXG project that demonstrates the use of an add-on library to LabVIEW NXG as an example or template.