Version Independent Runtime Engine support was introduced in LabVIEW 2017 and allows the LabVIEW runtime to load source files, such as VIs and projects, and build outputs, such as packed project libraries (PPLs), DLLs, and executables that were saved or built in an older version of LabVIEW.

For example, a PPL built in LabVIEW 2017 can now be loaded and executed by the LabVIEW 2018 runtime.

TestStand 2016 SP1 supports this feature in the LabVIEW Adapter. Enabling this feature in TestStand reduces the number of LabVIEW runtime engines that would have to be loaded into the TestStand process to execute LabVIEW code modules.

PPL build specifications in LabVIEW also have an option to specify whether the build output subscribes to this feature. LabVIEW enables these options by default for PPL build specifications you create in LabVIEW 2017 and later.

Disabling the option binds a PPL build specification to a specific version of LabVIEW, prevents any changes to the performance profiles, and helps you avoid unexpected problems resulting from compiler upgrades.

For more information about this feature in LabVIEW, refer to the LabVIEW Help.

TestStand allows users to enable or disable this feature in LabVIEW using the Enable Version Independent Runtime Engine LabVIEW Adapter option.
Note   Changes to this option do not take effect until you restart the TestStand application.

When you enable this adapter option, Version Independent Runtime Engine support is enabled for all instances of LabVIEW runtimes, version 2017 or later, that are used by the TestStand application. TestStand can load and execute LabVIEW files saved in LabVIEW 2017 or later in a later version of the LabVIEW runtime.

For example, if a TestStand sequence calls LabVIEW code modules saved in LabVIEW 2017 and Version Independent Runtime Engine support is enabled, then these LabVIEW files will be loaded and executed in the LabVIEW 2018 Runtime Engine.

When Version Independent Runtime Engine support is disabled, the version of the VI called in TestStand, and all its dependencies, must match the version of the runtime being used to load or run the VI.

When Version Independent Runtime Engine support is enabled, and you are using LabVIEW 2018 or later runtimes and loading files saved in LabVIEW 2017 or later, this restriction no longer applies.
Note   
  • The LabVIEW 2017 runtime does not allow the loading of VIs, PPLs, or DLLs saved in LabVIEW 2016 or earlier, even if Version Independent Runtime Engine support is enabled. The support for this feature in TestStand applies only to LabVIEW 2018 and later runtimes when loading LabVIEW files saved in LabVIEW 2017 or later.
  • The Version Independent Runtime feature is enabled in LabVIEW Development System, version 2017 and later, by default. TestStand 2019 and later versions will not modify this setting on the active LabVIEW Development System.

Errors on Loading a VI with Version Independent Runtime Engine Support Enabled

If a VI is reported as broken in TestStand when Version Independent Runtime Engine support is enabled, complete the following steps to resolve the issue:

  1. Open the VI in the LabVIEW development system. If the VI is broken, fix any errors in the VI and save it.
  2. Ensure that neither the VI nor any of its dependencies are saved in LabVIEW 2016 or earlier.
  3. If the VI is not broken in the LabVIEW development system when Version Independent Runtime Engine support is disabled, the issue may be that the VI has dependencies in LabVIEW folders such as vi.lib, user.lib, or instr.lib. To resolve this issue, NI recommends that you create a deployment of your sequence files and VIs and execute the sequence files from the deployed image. Use the TestStand Deployment Utility to create a deployment of your sequence file(s) and LabVIEW VIs.