About LabVIEW Evaluation and Activation (Windows)
Use the LabVIEW Platform DVDs to install LabVIEW and many LabVIEW modules and toolkits and evaluate the products for free for 30 days. This topic explains what you can expect when you evaluate LabVIEW, modules, or toolkits and how you can activate those products after you evaluate them.
Evaluating LabVIEW, Modules, or Toolkits
You can access all the tools, VIs and functions, help, and examples available to the LabVIEW Professional Development System and most modules or toolkits in a free 30-day evaluation mode.
Evaluating LabVIEW
When you run LabVIEW in evaluation mode, LabVIEW includes the following limitations:
- A 30-day time limit until the evaluation version expires—While not activated, LabVIEW prompts you to activate the product each time you launch LabVIEW. You can continue to run LabVIEW in evaluation mode.
- An evaluation version watermark during the 30-day time limit—All user VIs and controls have an evaluation watermark and any VIs you create while in non-activated mode, except for subVIs in a subpanel of a VI, include a watermark on all displayed front panel windows.
After the evaluation period for LabVIEW expires, you are no longer able to launch LabVIEW.
Evaluating Modules and Toolkits
After the evaluation period for a module or toolkit expires, you are no longer able to perform the following actions:
- Run VIs from the module or toolkit.
- Run VIs that use VIs from the module or toolkit.
- Build VIs that use VIs from the module or toolkit into an executable or shared library.
- Access menus, tools, or palettes installed by the module or toolkit.
When you install a module or toolkit for evaluation, you install the help for the module or toolkit. The help for the module or toolkit remains installed after the 30-day evaluation period. Also, the NI Example Finder displays all module or toolkit examples after the 30-day evaluation period. You must uninstall the module or toolkit to remove the help and examples.
If you run LabVIEW in evaluation mode, you receive functionality of the Professional Development System. If you then purchase and activate a LabVIEW license, you receive full functionality of the development system you purchase. For example, if you create a VI using features that are only available in the Professional Development System and then you purchase and activate the Full Development System, the VI you created using the Professional Development System will be broken.
Activating LabVIEW, Modules, or Toolkits after Evaluation
To activate the LabVIEW license, use the serial number you received on the Certificate of Ownership included in the software kit. You can activate the LabVIEW license in any of the following ways:
- During installation, enter the serial number when prompted and complete the installation and activation process.
- After you launch LabVIEW in evaluation mode, click the Activate Products button in the LabVIEW dialog box.
- Select Help»Activate LabVIEW Components while LabVIEW is running in evaluation mode or select Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI License Manager to launch NI License Manager. The license activation does not take effect until you restart LabVIEW.
If you purchase add-on software, such as modules or toolkits, use NI License Manager to activate the software. If you do not see the software listed in NI License Manager, you can install it from the LabVIEW Platform DVDs.
LabVIEW installs the Application Builder when you install LabVIEW. If you activate the LabVIEW Professional Development System, you automatically activate the Application Builder. If you activate the LabVIEW Base Package or Full Development System, you must purchase and activate the Application Builder separately.
LabVIEW also installs Remote Panels when you install LabVIEW. The LabVIEW Base and Full Development Systems include a remote front panel license that allows one client connection. The LabVIEW Professional Development System includes a remote front panel license that allows five client connections. You do not have to reinstall Remote Panels to upgrade the remote front panel license.
Upgrading from an Evaluation Version to a Paid Version
If you are upgrading from an evaluation version to a paid version, you do not need to reinstall your software. Follow the prompts that appear when you launch your application or use NI License Manager to activate the software.
Moving between Paid Versions
If at a later time you decide to move to a different product package, such as upgrading from LabVIEW Base Package to LabVIEW Professional Development System, you can activate the new package without installing additional software. Use NI License Manager to activate your software.
Refer to Activating Your Software for more information about software activation.