Using VI Packages in your Projects

Whenever you are working on a LabVIEW project, you'll want to make sure that:

1. you have the same VI Packages (and versions) installed in LabVIEW as you did the last time you were working on the project.
2. all team members working on a project are using the same VI Packages and versions.

This is called "configuration management" -- managing which VI Packages are being using for each project.  Configuration management is something that VIPM Professional makes very easy.

VI Package Configurations

VIPM Professional allows you to create a VI Package Configuration(*.vipc) file for each of your LabVIEW projects.  The *.vipc file contains a list of all the VI Packages (and exact versions) being used in your project.  We recommend that you keep your *.vipc file in your LabVIEW project's folder (along with all your VIs, CTLs, and other source code) so that you can easily add your *.vipc file to source code control and so it's readily available when you're starting work on your project.

Applying a VI Package Configuration

When you Apply a VI Package Configuration, VIPM will install all of the VI Packages that are listed in the VI Package Configuration.

You can Apply a *.vipc file by right-clicking on it in File Explorer and choosing  Apply Configuration.



You can also Apply a VI Package Configuration by opening it in VIPM and clicking on the Apply Package Conifguration toolbar button.

Storing VI Package Files inside VI Package Configurations

One of the added features of VI Package Configurations is that they store all of the VI Package (*.vip and *.ogp) files inside the *.vipc file (note: you don't have to store the actual VI Package files, inside a VI Package Configuration, if you don't want to -- it's optional).



Storing VI Packages in your VI Package Configuration file has two great benefits:

1. The VI Packages used by your LabVIEW project are always available on any computer where you have your LabVIEW project source code.
2. You can easily share VI Packages over the network, by adding your *.vipc file into source code control, along with your LabVIEW project's source code.
   

Controlling VI Package Upgrades

Other benefits of using a VI Package Configuration, is that you can easily see when upgrades are available for VI Packages used in a LabVIEW project -- VI Packages with upgrades available show up with a star on their icon, in the VI Package Configuration.



You can then choose, on a per VI Package basis, which upgrades you wish to use on your LabVIEW project.



This precise control of upgrades allows you to make practical decisions about when to upgrade, based on the value and risk associated with upgrading each individual VI Package.  VIPM and VI Package Configurations put you in control!