Building Code into an Executable

Use an Application document (.gcomp) to build code into an executable.

Before you begin, create a project that contains the files you want to include in your executable.

1. Create a new Application document.
   1. On the Project Files tab, right-click one or more VIs you want to include in your executable and select Create Application/Library from item.
   2. In the Create Application or Library dialog box, set Type to Application.
      
   3. Enter values in Application name and Namespace.
   4. Determine whether to enable the Include dependencies not in an Application or Library checkbox. If you enable the Include dependencies not in an Application or Library checkbox, the Application or Library document you create includes any dependencies one or more of your VIs require that are not already in an Application or Library document.
      
   5. Click OK.
      
2. In the Application document, select a VI and enable the Top-level VI checkbox. The panel of the top-level VI launches when you run the executable.

   You must choose at least one VI to be the top-level VI. If you enable the Top-level VI checkbox for multiple VIs, the VIs launch in separate windows when you run the executable.

3. On the Document tab, enter information about your application in the Details section.
   
4. Optional: In the Icon section, click the ... button to import a .ico file to use as the icon of the executable.
   
5. Optional: If your application requires additional binary files located outside the application directory, add the binary file locations.
   
   1. In the Document tab, under the Run time section, click + to add an additional binary file location.
      
   2. Enter the file path or browse to the location of the additional binary file.
      
6. Click Build. The Build Queue tab shows the status of the build process.

Click Locate item in Windows Explorer to locate the executable in the output directory.