Distributing Measurement Studio ActiveX ApplicationsPrimary Software: Measurement Studio>>Professional Edition (Base Package)Primary Software Version: 6.0 Primary Software Fixed Version: N/A Secondary Software: N/A
Problem: How do I redistribute Measurement Studio ActiveX applications? Solution: After you have created applications with Measurement Studio, you might want to distribute those applications to other computers as an executable file of some type. Depending on the programming environment in which you created your application, you might be able to automatically create an installer that contains the necessary files for distribution. However, in some cases, you will need to manually copy and register all of the files on which your application depends. Automatic Creation of Installer To distribute applications, you must create an installer that installs the application on the target computer. The installer you create must include support files for your Measurement Studio application. These files are located in the \Redist directory on the Measurement Studio installation CD. This directory includes merge modules, run-time files, and National Instruments installers. Some or all of these files may be required for the application to run on the target computer. Refer to the Distribution Status column in the NI Installers table for more information about which files you can freely distribute.When choosing which files to include in your installer, consider the following questions:
MSI and Non-MSI-Based Installers If you use an MSI-based installer application, you must include the appropriate merge modules in your installer package. If you use a non-MSI-based installer application, you must include the run-time files in your installer and register the appropriate .ocx or .dll file. You must also design your installer to check the version numbers of the .ocx and .dll files to ensure that you do not overwrite a newer version with an older version.Measurement Studio Components After you have determined what type of installer you want to create, determine what components your Measurement Studio application uses. Include the necessary support files for those components in your installer. The following tables list the Measurement Studio components and their related MSI and non-MSI-based files. Refer to the appropriate table for the type of installer you are creating. MSI-Based Installers The following table lists the Measurement Studio and third-party merge modules that may be needed in your MSI installer.
1The .msm files are located n the \Redist\MeasurementStudio\MSMs directory on the Measurement Studio CD.2The third-party merge modules are installed with the application you are using to create an MSI-based installer. Look for these merge modules in the appropriate installation directory. 3NI-Reports requires DCOM 1.2 or later on Windows 95 machines. Non-MSI-Based Installers The following table lists the individual Measurement Studio and third-party files that may be needed for a non-MSI-based installer.
1The Measurement Studio unpackaged files are located in the \Redist\MeasurementStudio\UnpackagedFiles\ on the Measurement Studio CD. Look in the appropriate component folder for each component's unpackaged files.2 windows\system[32]represents the directory you set up to contain all system files on your particular operating system.3Search in the Microsoft Knowledge Base for article 259403 for more information about redistributing the third-party files listed in the Third-Party Files column in the Non-MSI-Based Installer table. 4 opengl32.dll is required for Windows95 Retail only. glu32.dll is required for Windows95 Retail only. Do not install opengl32.dll or glu32.dll if they already exist on the target computer.5NI-Reports requires DCOM 1.2 or later on Windows 95 machines. 6The National Instruments shared directory is stored in the NISHAREDDIR value under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\National Instruments\Common\Installer registry key.7Do not register this file. National Instruments Installers Several of the Measurement Studio components that you might include in your applications are stand-alone run-time systems for which National Instruments provides an installer. The following table lists these installers and information regarding the redistribution status of each. When you distribute these installers, you must include them with your installer and instruct your users to run them separately from your installer. These installers are located in the \Redist\NiInstallers\ directory on the Measurement Studio CD. Look in the appropriate folder for each component installer. You must distribute the entire contents of the appropriate component folder.
1These installers are not freely redistributable. Before you include these installers in your application, you must either verify that each target machine for your application already has a valid license for the associated National Instruments application, or you must get written distribution authorization from National Instruments. You can freely distribute the VISA runtime engine which can be found on the NI Drivers and Updates. 2This NI-DAQ installer is valid only for Measurement Studio features. You can get the full NI-DAQ installer from National Instruments or from the NI-DAQ hardware installation. 3You run this installer only if your application uses any of the following IVI class drivers:
Additional Information The following list includes additional considerations you must make as you create an installer to distribute your Measurement Studio applications to other computers.
Related Links: Drivers & Updates: NI-VISA Run-Time Enginer 4.3 for Windows Developer Zone: Instrument Driver Network Product & Services: Interchangeable Virtual Instruments (IVI) Support: NI Technical Support Attachments:
Report Date: 04/04/2003 Last Updated: 05/01/2009 Document ID: 2W3G520Q |
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