Distributed Files Tab

Use the Distributed Files tab to view the list of files you specified to include in the deployment on the System Source tab, configure the installer destination location and settings for each file, and specify options for deploying LabVIEW files.

The Distributed Files tab contains the following options:

• Distributed Files —The files the system includes.
  Note The string <SubVIs: Save to destination > as part of the item text in the Distributed Files list always denotes subVIs. You can change the location the subVIs are saved to using the SubVI Location option on the LabVIEW VI Options dialog box.

  The Distributed Files context menu contains the following options:

  • Copy Source Path —Copies the source path for the selected file. If the selected file is a file in the destination directory then it will copy the path of the source file used when the image was created.
  • Browse to Source Path —Opens the selected file in Windows Explorer. If the selected file is a file in the destination directory then it will open the source file used when the image was created.
  • Copy Destination Path —Copies the destination path for the selected file. If the selected file is a top-level source file then it will copy the destination where the file will go in the current deployment.
  • Browse to Destination Path —Opens the selected file in Windows Explorer. If the selected file is a top-level source file then it will browse to the destination where the file will go in the current deployment.
  Note The Distributed Files context menu options are disabled if the files do not exist, such as if the image directory is changed or if source files are moved.
• View —Specifies how the distributed files are displayed. You can display the files with the following views:
  • View Workspace —Displays the files as they appear in the workspace.
  • View Source —Displays the source of the files on the development computer. Use this view to exclude files from the full deployment.
  • View Build Preview —Displays the destination for the files on the test station computer. Use this view to exclude files from the full deployment or to modify the Installation Destination Subdirectory control to change the destination for top-level files in the directory. When you create a patch deployment, this view displays a list of the files included in the destination from the previous deployment and indicates the modification state of the file, such as Unknown , Not modified , Modified , New , Dependency , or No longer required . The modification state reflects the state of the source version of the file. Changes you make to the file during deployment might mean that the deployment utility includes in the patch deployment a file that has not been modified or excludes a modified file from the patch deployment. For example, if you add a file to a LabVIEW project but the file is not part of the deployed test system, the modification state of the file you added to the project is New , but the deployment utility removes the unused file and does not include it in the patch deployment. Use the Build Status tab of the deployment utility or the status log text files to determine which files the utility adds to the patch deployment and why the files were required.
  • View Dependency Destination —Displays the destination of files the deployment utility created in the image directory of the dependency deployment. This read-only view is available only when you create a patch deployment.
  • View Previous Build Destination —Displays the destination of the files the deployment utility created in the image directory of the previous deployment. This read-only view is available only when you create a patch deployment.
• File Properties tab —Contains the following options:
  • File Status —The file inclusion status for files in the deployment. Contains the following options:
    • Include in Patch if Required —Includes new or modified files from the previous full or baseline patch deployment.
    • Force Include in Patch —Always includes the file in the patch deployment, regardless of modification state.
    • Do not Include in Patch —Does not include the file in the patch deployment. This option is available only when the top-level file is not modified or new or when you select Manual Mode in the User Files to Include control on the Mode tab. You must always include dependencies.
    • Remove from Deployed System —Deletes the file in the full deployment if it is no longer a dependency. This option is available only when you create a full deployment.
      Note You cannot use a patch deployment to delete files from a deployed test system. You must create a full deployment to remove top-level files from a deployed test system.
  • Source Path —The path of the selected file. This option is disabled when there is no file selected in the Distributed Files list.
  • Replacement Path —The path of the file to use to replace the selected file. This option is enabled only when you create a patch deployment and select Manual Mode in the User Files to Include option on the Mode tab. This option is also enabled if you select the environment file that you specified in the Active Environment File field on the System Source tab, and you enable the Determine File Destinations Using Environment File option. If you replace the active environment file with another environment file, the paths specified in the replacement file are used to determine the destination of deployed files.
  • Include without Processing Item or Dependencies —When you enable this option, the deployment utility copies the selected file to the deployment image directory without any additional processing during the build.
    Note You must ensure the files work correctly without modifications. The deployment utility does not attempt to find or include any dependencies of the file during analysis.
    You must ensure the LabVIEW Run-Time Engine can run the VIs for which you enable this option. The deployment utility does not attempt to determine if VIs with this setting are broken but does check for broken VIs in the image directory after copying the VIs to warn you if VIs you do not process break processed code modules. The deployment utility returns a warning if it includes a file in a deployment image directory as a dependency and you enabled the Include without Processing Item or Dependencies option for the file.
  • Include All Files in LabVIEW Project —When you enable this option, the deployment utility analyzes the specified LabVIEW project and lists all project files in the Distributed Files control after analysis. If you do not enable this option, the Distributed Files control lists only the project files that are called by sequence files in the deployment. This option is available only when you select a LabVIEW project in the Distributed Files control. When you enable this option for a LabVIEW project and select View Source from the View ring control on the Distributed Files tab, files appear as children of the LabVIEW project to which they belong. You can choose whether or not to include project files in the deployment by selecting or deselecting them in the Distributed Files control. When you select View Build Preview from the View ring control on the Distributed Files tab, you can select the destination for the LabVIEW project, which determines the destination for all the files in the project.
    Note Packed project libraries the deployment utility creates with LabVIEW 2011 or later always include all the files in a LabVIEW project.
  • Installer Properties —Contains the following options:
    • Installation Destination —Specifies a directory Microsoft Windows or National Instruments defines on the test station computer, such as the <Program Files> directory or the <TestStand> directory, to which the deployment utility copies the selected files. You can select from several installation destination options . This option is dimmed when there is no file selected in the Distributed Files list. By default, the deployment utility installs files on the test station computer to the same location in which the file exists on the development computer. Use the Installation Destination option to install a file to a different location on the test station computer. For example, you can install custom configuration files for test station computer operators that are different from the configuration files test system developers use. You can save the custom configuration files for operators in a directory other than the default TestStand configuration directory on the development computer but install the files in the default TestStand configuration directory on the test station computer.
    • Installation Destination Subdirectory —A subdirectory under the installation destination. This option is dimmed when there is no file selected in the Distributed Files list. By default, the deployment utility installs files on the test station computer to the same location in which the file exists on the development computer. Use the Installation Destination Subdirectory option to install a file to a different location on the test station computer. For example, you can install custom configuration files for test station computer operators that are different from the configuration files test system developers use. You can save the custom configuration files for operators in a directory other than the default TestStand configuration directory on the development computer but install the files in the default TestStand configuration directory on the test station computer.
      Note The deployment utility returns an error when a temporary path includes " .lvlibp ". You must disable the Output VIs to Packed Project Library option in the LabVIEW VI Options dialog box, change the Installation Destination option (and/or the Installation Destination Subdirectory option) on the Distributed Files tab of the TestStand Deployment Utility, enable the Output VIs to Packed Project Library option in the LabVIEW VI Options dialog box, and rebuild the deployment to resolve the error.
    • Register as ActiveX Server —When you enable this option, the installer you build with the deployment utility registers the file you select as an ActiveX Automation server. Register ActiveX server executables or DLLs so that client applications on the test station computer can find the files. This option is dimmed when there is no file selected in the Distributed Files list.
      Note This option is not available for package-based distributions.
    • Force File to Install —Enabling this option overrides the default installer behavior and always overwrites existing files on the test station computer with the files the installer includes. For example, you can overwrite the existing GeneralEngine.cfg file on the test station computer with an updated version you include in the installer.
      Notice When you use this technique, an installer can replace a newer version of a file with an older version of a file, which can be problematic with DLLs because components on the computer might rely on functionality available only in the newer version of the DLL and might break when the installer downgrades the DLL. To avoid this issue, create a later version of the file with the changes you want and include the file in the installer you build with the deployment utility to overwrite only earlier versions of the file.
      Note When you create a full deployment, the deployment utility disables this option for all files by default. When you create a patch deployment, the deployment utility enables this option for all files by default. If you manually enable or disable this option in a full deployment or in a patch deployment, the deployment utility applies the new setting to both types of deployment for all future deployments that include the selected file.
      Note This option is not available for package-based distributions.
      This option is dimmed when you have not selected a file in the Distributed Files control.
    • Create Program Item —When you enable this option, the deployment utility installer creates a Microsoft Windows Start menu item in the group that you specify in the Start Menu Item Group option on the Installer Options tab. For example, you can create a start menu item for a user interface. This option is dimmed when no file is selected in the Distributed Files list.
      Note (Windows 8.1) When you install on Windows 8.1, you might need to right-click the Start screen and select All apps to locate the program item you created. You can pin the program item to the Start screen or Taskbar by right-clicking the program item and selecting Pin to Start or Pin to Taskbar , respectively.
      Note This option is not available for package-based distributions.
    • Shortcuts —Launches the Shortcuts dialog box, in which you can specify shortcuts for the deployment utility installer to create in multiple directories for the file you select. For example, you can create a shortcut to a user interface on the desktop and in the start menu.
• Call Hierarchy tab —Contains a tree view of the selected file and all its callers.
• Analyze Source Files —Causes the deployment utility to analyze the workspace and files in the <TestStand Public> \Components , <TestStand Public> \CodeTemplates , and <TestStand Public> \TestStand version \UserInterfaces directories.
• Expand All —Expands all items in the Distributed Files list.
• Collapse All —Collapses all items in the Distributed Files list.
• Add Patch File —Adds a file to the patch deployment. This option is available only when you create a patch deployment and select Manual Mode in the User Files to Include option on the Mode tab.
  Note You cannot add a new file with the same name and destination as a file already included in the deployment. To add the new file in this case, you must move the existing file to a new destination in the deployment. To replace a file that already exists in the deployment, select the file and use the Replacement Path control.
• Remove Patch File —Removes the selected file from the deployment. This option is available only for files you added using the Add Patch File button.
• LabVIEW Options —Launches the LabVIEW VI Options dialog box, which contains options specific to LabVIEW VIs.

See Also

Deploying TestStand Systems

Effectively Using LabVIEW with TestStand

LabVIEW VI Options dialog box

Patching Deployments

Shortcuts dialog box