The command line interface for LabVIEW supports the following operations:

  • MassCompile — Mass compiles the files in the specified directory.
  • ExecuteBuildSpec — Builds an application or a library using the settings in the specified build specification(s) and returns the path of the output files.
  • RunVI — Runs a VI with the predefined connector pane interface and returns the output or error information.
  • CloseLabVIEW — Closes LabVIEW without any prompts.
  • CreateComparisonReport — Generates a VI comparison report for two specified VIs.
  • (VI Analyzer Toolkit) RunVIAnalyzer — Runs the specified VI analyzer task in the LabVIEW VI Analyzer Toolkit and saves the test report to the specified location.
  • (Unit Test Framework Toolkit) RunUnitTests — Runs tests on the specified files in the LabVIEW Unit Test Framework Toolkit and saves the JUnit file to the specified location.

You can also create custom operations to run in LabVIEW.

MassCompile

Mass compiles the files in the specified directory.

The following table lists the available arguments of this operation. Required arguments are in bold.

Note Caching VIs can significantly decrease the execution time of a mass compile because LabVIEW does not have to load cached VIs when you compile a top-level VI. However, VI caching consumes more system memory. If you mass compile a folder that contains VIs with the same name in different subfolders and the VIs do not belong to a library, VI caching may cause cross-linking.

To run this operation in the CLI for LabVIEW, execute a command using the following syntax:

LabVIEWCLI -OperationName MassCompile -DirectoryToCompile < directory of file(s) > -MassCompileLogFile < path to log file > -AppendToMassCompileLog < true or false > -NumOfVIsToCache < number of VIs to cache > -ReloadLVSBs < true or false >

For example, LabVIEWCLI -OperationName MassCompile -DirectoryToCompile "C:\temp" -MassCompileLogFile "C:\temp\log.txt" -AppendToMassCompileLog true -NumOfVIsToCache 0 -ReloadLVSBs false

ExecuteBuildSpec

Builds an application or a library using the settings in the specified build specification(s) and returns the path of the output files.

The following table lists the available arguments of this operation. Required arguments are in bold.

Argument Description Default
−ProjectPath Path to the LabVIEW project .lvproj file that contains the build specification. —
−TargetName Target that contains the build specification. My Computer
−BuildSpecName Name of the build specification that appears under Build Specifications in the Project Explorer window. Empty string—The CLI for LabVIEW builds all build specifications under the specified target.

To run this operation in the CLI for LabVIEW, execute a command with the following syntax:

LabVIEWCLI -OperationName ExecuteBuildSpec -ProjectPath < path to project > -TargetName < name of target > -BuildSpecName < name of build specification >

For example, LabVIEWCLI -OperationName ExecuteBuildSpec -ProjectPath "C:\temp\test.lvproj" -TargetName "My Computer" -BuildSpecName "My DLL"

RunVI

Runs a VI with the following connector pane interface and returns the output or error information.

Terminal Data Type Description

Command line arguments for the VI.

CLI for LabVIEW exit code that the VI returns.

Output or error information to include in the CLI for LabVIEW console or log file.

The following table lists the available arguments of this operation. Required arguments are in bold.

Argument Description Default
−VIPath Path to the VI to run in LabVIEW. If the connector pane of the VI does not match the predefined interface, the CLI for LabVIEW returns an error. —
< Command line arguments for the VI > Elements of the input array of the VI. Separate elements with spaces. —

To run this operation in the CLI for LabVIEW, execute a command with the following syntax:

LabVIEWCLI -OperationName RunVI -VIPath < VI path > < first element of array > < second element of array >...

For example, LabVIEWCLI -OperationName RunVI -VIPath "C:\Users\inlabview.APAC\Documents\DemoProject\RunVI.vi" 101 202

CloseLabVIEW

Closes LabVIEW without any prompts.

Note Any unsaved changes will be lost if a VI is open when you run this operation. Make sure you save all your changes before running this operation.

This operation does not have any arguments.

To run this operation in the CLI for LabVIEW, execute the following command:

LabVIEWCLI -OperationName CloseLabVIEW

CreateComparisonReport

Compares two specified VIs and outputs an HTML, XML, Word, or text report containing the results of the comparison operation.

The following table lists the available arguments of this operation. Required arguments are in bold.
Argument Description Default
−vi1 Name or path of the first VI you are comparing. —
−vi2 Name or path of the second VI you are comparing. —
−reportType Desired file type of the output report. This argument supports the following values:
  • HTML – produces an HTML format report with external images and style file.
  • HTMLSingleFile – produces an HTML form report with embedded images and style definition.
  • MicrosoftWord – produces a report in Microsoft Word format.
    Note Microsoft Word must be installed on your machine for this option to function.
  • PlainText – produces a report in plain text.
  • XML – produces a report in XML format with external images.

If this argument is not specified, it is inferred from the value provided for -reportPath.

 HTMLSingleFile
−reportPath Name or path of the output report. —
−o Overwrites existing reports and supporting files in the specified report directory if they exist. —
−c Creates a new directory for the specified report path if it does not exist. —
−nofp Excludes front panel differences from the comparison report. —
−nofppos Excludes front panel position differences from the comparison report. —
−nobd Excludes block diagram differences from the comparison report. —
−nobdcosm Excludes block diagram cosmetic differences from the comparison report. —
−noattr Excludes VI attribute differences from the comparison report. —
-d Compares the specified VIs without including dependencies. —

To run this operation in the CLI for LabVIEW, execute a command with the following syntax:

LabVIEWCLI -OperationName CreateComparisonReport -vi1 < name or path of first VI > -vi2 < name or path of second VI > -reportType < file type of report > -reportPath < name or path of output report >

For example, LabVIEWCLI -OperationName CreateComparisonReport -vi1 "firstVI.vi" -vi2 "secondVI.vi" -reportType "HTMLSingleFile" -reportPath "report.html"

RunVIAnalyzer

Runs the specified VI analyzer task in the LabVIEW VI Analyzer Toolkit and saves the test report to the specified location.

The following table lists the available arguments of this operation. Required arguments are in bold.

Argument Description Default
−ConfigPath Path to the configuration file that contains VI Analyzer task settings to use in the analysis. You can use a configuration file you saved through the VI Analyzer or the VI Analyzer VIs. Alternatively, you can specify a VI, folder, or LLB to analyze. If you specify an item other than a configuration file, the VI runs all VI Analyzer tests on the specified item. —
−ReportPath Path to the report file. —
−ConfigPassword Password of the configuration file, if any. Empty string
−ReportSaveType Format of the report or results file. The value for this argument must be one of the following:
  • ASCII
  • HTML
  • RSL File
 ASCII
−ResultsPath Path to the results file. If the path is an empty string, LabVIEW ignores this argument.
Note This argument is case sensitive.
 —

To run this operation in the CLI for LabVIEW, execute a command with the following syntax:

LabVIEWCLI -OperationName RunVIAnalyzer -ConfigPath < path to configuration file > -ReportPath < path to report > -ReportSaveType < file type of report > -ConfigPassword < password of configuration file >

For example, LabVIEWCLI -OperationName RunVIAnalyzer -ConfigPath "C:\temp\test.viancfg" -ReportPath "C:\temp\output.html" -ReportSaveType "HTML" -ConfigPassword "abc"

RunUnitTests

Runs tests on the specified files in the LabVIEW Unit Test Framework Toolkit and saves the JUnit file to the specified location.

Note To run this operation, you must install the UTF JUnit Report library using the JKI VI Package Manager (VIPM) software.

The following table lists the available arguments of this operation. Required arguments are in bold.

Argument Description Default
−ProjectPath Path to the project file. —
−JUnitReportPath Path to the output JUnit file. —

To run this operation in the CLI for LabVIEW, execute a command with the following syntax:

LabVIEWCLI -OperationName RunUnitTests -ProjectPath < path to project file > -JUnitReportPath < path to output JUnit file >

For example, LabVIEWCLI -OperationName RunUnitTests -ProjectPath "C:\temp\test.lvproj" -JUnitReportPath "C:\temp\test.xml"