Synchronize LabVIEW Project Folders to Directories on Disk
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First introduced in National Instruments LabVIEW 8, the LabVIEW Project dramatically simplified the process of deploying code to LabVIEW Real-Time, FPGA, and embedded targets, but LabVIEW users suggested additional features to help address development challenges. In response to these requests, NI made significant changes to the LabVIEW Project in LabVIEW 8.5, including modifications to the behavior of LabVIEW Project folders. With LabVIEW 8.5, developers using a LabVIEW Project now can synchronize folders in LabVIEW Projects with physical directories in the file system for simplified file management.
Virtual and Auto-Populating Folders
Since the LabVIEW Project was introduced in LabVIEW 8, developers have asked for the ability to define more concrete relationships between folders in a LabVIEW Project and folders on disk. Within a LabVIEW Project, folders create an organizational structure for items such as VIs, documentation files, and external code. In LabVIEW 8 and 8.20, developers could only use virtual folders, which have no corresponding value on disk, within a LabVIEW Project to organize such files.
Beginning with LabVIEW 8.5, you can choose between two types of folders in a LabVIEW Project – virtual folders and auto-populating folders. An auto-populating folder is synchronized to a folder on disk and constantly updates, or populates, to reflect the contents of the folder on disk. Adding an auto-populated folder to a LabVIEW Project effectively adds a directory on disk, along with its subdirectories (in other words, auto-populating folders function recursively). LabVIEW continuously monitors and updates the auto-populating LabVIEW Project folder according to changes made on disk and changes made in the project.
A blue folder icon with a yellow cylinder visually identifies an auto-populating folder (Figure 1), while virtual folders are identified by a silver folder icon.
Figure 1. Auto-populating folders reflect the contents of a directory on disk.
Auto-populated folders provide immediate access to all the files in directories and instantly reflect any changes you make on disk (such as adding, moving, or deleting files). However, with auto-populated folders, you cannot apply a custom organization to files independent of the structure on disk. Such a custom organization of files is possible with virtual folders. You can use both auto-populated folders and virtual folders in the same LabVIEW Project to achieve maximum flexibility.
Refer to the following LabVIEW Help topics for more information about auto-populating folders.
Learn More About LabVIEW 8.5
To learn more about features and changes in LabVIEW 8.5, visit the LabVIEW 8.5 web portal at ni.com.
Launch LabVIEW online to use the latest features.
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