Error when opening NI Example Finder: The NI HelpServer could not be found

Issue Details

I am trying to access the examples for LabVIEW by going to Help>>Find Examples, but I get an error:

Could not find LabVIEW service port from ServiceLocator. You will not be able to browse by Directory Structure. 

When trying to open an example, I am getting: 
An error occurred - The NI HelpServer could not be found

How do I fix either of these errors?

Solution

When LabVIEW starts up it launches a service called Help Server. This opens TCP/IP ports to communicate with other NI applications, namely the NI Example Finder. Sometimes, the ports that these applications access are used by other applications. To fix this problem, you will have to restart the HelpServer. Here are the steps to do this:

1. Navigate to C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW x.x\resource\system. If you are on macOS navigate to /Applications/NationalInstruments/LabVIEW xxxx/ xx-bit/resource/system.

2. Double click on HelpServer.llb. 
3. Launch Set HelpServer Config Settings__NATIONALINSTRUMENTS.vi.
4. Click the Enable Help Server? boolean button so that it in its TRUE state.
5. Run the VI once.
6. Close the VI.
7. Now the Example Finder should work fine.

You can also restart the HelpServer using the following steps:

1. Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\system32.If you are on macOS navigate to /Library/Application Support/National Instruments/Service Locator
2. Double click on nisvcloc.exe.
3. This starts the NI Service Locator service.
   
   To ensure that this Service Locator automatically runs every time Windows starts:
4. Navigate to Start » Program Files » Startup.
5. Right click in the menu and select Create Shortcut.
6. Follow the steps to create a shortcut to C:\WINDOWS\system32\nisvcloc.exe.

1. Navigate to Start » Program Files » Startup.
2. Click in the Apple menu and select System Setting » General » Login Items » Open at Login
3. Click the "+" button and open a folder path to create a link to /Library/ApplicationSupport/NationalInstruments/ServiceLocator/nisvcloc as a Unix Executable File.

If the above steps did not solve the issue then follow these steps to change the port used by the Help Server:

1. Navigate to C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW x.x\resource\system. If you are on macOS navigate to /Applications/NationalInstruments/LabVIEW xxxx/ xx-bit/resource/system.
2. Double click on HelpServer.llb.
3. Launch the HelpServer__NATIONALINSTRUMENTS.vi.
4. Now you can see the port that HelpServer is using. Change the port by stopping and running this VI several times.
5. Hit the Stop button to see the 'Registered?' light go off. Now Run the VI and you will see it come on. 
6. On your last run, close the VI without stopping it. 
7. Now the Example Finder should work fine.

Another possible cause of the problem is if a firewall is blocking the TCP/IP ports the HelpServer is trying to use. Change the settings of the firewall to unblock the correct port, and this should resolve the problem.