Building a Source Distribution

A source distribution is a collection of files that you can package and send to users. Source distributions are useful if you want to send code to other developers to use in LabVIEW. You can configure settings for specified VIs to add passwords, remove block diagrams, or apply other settings. You also can select different destination directories for VIs in a source distribution without breaking the links between VIs and subVIs.

Before you create a build specification or start the build process, review the caveats and recommendations for LabVIEW build specifications.

Complete the following steps to build a source distribution.

1. Open the LabVIEW project you want to use to build the source distribution. You must have a project open and saved to configure a source distribution build specification.
2. Prepare the VIs you want to use to build the source distribution. Save changes to any VIs in memory.
3. Expand My Computer. Right-click Build Specifications and select New»Source Distribution from the shortcut menu to display the Source Distribution Properties dialog box.
4. Complete the following items on the Distribution Settings page of the dialog box.
   1. Enter a name for the build specification in the Build specification name text box. This name appears under Build Specifications in the Project Explorer window. The name must be unique among other build specification names in the project.
   2. Select the packaging option for the source distribution. If you select Custom, you can create multiple destination directories for files in the source distribution.
   3. Enter the location for the source distribution in the Distribution destination directory text box. You can use the Browse button to navigate to and select a location. If you select a custom packaging option, enter the locations in the Custom Destinations section.
5. From the Source File Settings page, click an item in the Project Files tree to display the configuration options for inclusion, destination directory, password options, and VI settings. Click the Customize VI Settings button to open the VI Settings dialog box, which you can use to remove block diagrams or front panels or to change other VI settings.
6. From the Preview page, click the Generate Preview button to review the generated file hierarchy for the source distribution.

Note  Save changes to VIs in memory before you create or edit a build specification to ensure that the preview is accurate.

7. Click the OK button to update the build specification settings in the project and close the dialog box. The build specification name appears in the project under Build Specifications.

Note  Creating and updating the build specification does not build the source distribution.

Note  When you update the build specification settings, the settings become part of the project. However, you must save the project if you want to save the settings.

8. Right-click the source distribution build specification name and select Build from the shortcut menu. You can find the resulting source distribution in the directory specified in the Distribution destination directory on the Distribution Settings page of the build specification.

Note  You also can click the Build button in the Source Distribution Properties dialog box to build the source distribution and update the build specification in the project.

You also can build a source distribution programmatically from a build specification.

 

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