How to install LabVIEW on Windows

Any general Software Development Environment contains a text-based interface where we write the lines of code using a specific programming language. But in some special scenarios, we need to write code using the data-flow approach so that the program execution imitates a physical instrument. 

This is useful in building industrial applications, measurement applications, condition monitoring, etc. LabVIEW, which stands for Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench is a Programming Environment that is used for this purpose. In this article, we will learn about LabVIEW, its features, and the installation process on Windows Environment.

Table of Contents

• Overview of LabVIEW
• Features of LabVIEW
• Prerequisites and System Requirements
• Steps to install LabVIEW on Windows
• Frequently Asked Questions

Overview of LabVIEW

LabVIEW is a program development environment that allows us to develop automated research, validation, and production test systems. It is much like a modern C or BASIC development environment that uses a graphical programming language, G, to create programs in block diagram form. This is different from the other programming systems which use text-based languages to create lines of code. LabVIEW programs are called virtual instruments (VIs) because their appearance and operation can imitate actual instruments. Now, let us see its features before installing it on the Windows System.

If you would like to Enrich your career and become a professional in LabVIEW, then visit Mindmajix - A Global online training platform: “LabVIEW Training” Course. This course will help you to achieve excellence in this domain.

Features of LabVIEW

• It has an Interactive UI
  The user interface of LabVIEW is called Front Panel due to its resemblance to the physical instrument. It contains knobs, push buttons, graphs, and other controls and indicators for interacting with users.
• LabVIEW supports Modular Development
  We can use the LabVIEW programs as top-level programs or as subprograms within other programs. These are called subVIs that adhere to modular programming. 

• It helps to simplify the development process
  We can divide each task into subVI which represents the application function. We can accomplish each sub-task and then combine all of them into a larger task. This makes debugging very simple.
• It offers huge library support
  LabVIEW has libraries for data acquisition, GPIB, serial instrument control, data analysis, data presentation, and data storage along with the conventional development tools to make the program development efficient. 
• It is a versatile tool
  We can use LabVIEW for various applications such as developing Production Test Systems, designing Smart Machines or Industrial Equipment, validating Electronic Designs, measuring Physical Systems with Sensors or Actuators, and many more.

Prerequisites

Before installing LabVIEW on our Windows platform, make sure that your system fulfills the system requirements as mentioned below:

• Processor: If you are using a 32-bit Windows System, it should have a Pentium 4M  or equivalent processor. And, for a 64-bit system, the processor should be Pentium 4 G1 or higher.
• RAM: Your system must have 1 GB of free RAM.
• Storage: There should be at least 5 GB of free storage space.
  Along with these, a minimum Screen Resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels is required to install LabVIEW. After satisfying these requirements, we can now install LabVIEW on our system.

Check Out: LabVIEW Interview Questions

Steps to install LabVIEW on Windows

Step 1: Visit https://www.ni.com/en.html and create your account as shown below:

Step 2: Verify your account by clicking on the verification link received in the mailbox. After verifying your account, you can download the LabVIEW installer file.

Step 3: Go to https://www.ni.com/en/support/downloads/software-products/download.labview.html#477864 and select your platform and LabVIEW edition. We are selecting the community edition which is freely available for non-commercial use. Then, click on the download button as shown below:

Step 4: Navigate to the folder where the file has been downloaded. Right-click on it and mount the ISO file as demonstrated below:

Step 5: Double-click on the ‘install’ file to start the installation: 

Step 6: The installation wizard launches as outlined below. Accept the terms and click on the ‘Next’ option.

Step 7:  Continue by clicking on the ‘Next’ button.

Step 8: Now, the installation of the NI Package manager starts. 

Step 9: After this, the installer setup pops up as outlined below. You can select the additional items to install for specific requirements. We recommend leaving the default preference as it is and continuing to the ‘Next’ option.

Step 10: Accept the license terms and click on the ‘Next’ button.

 

Step 11: Further, continue by selecting the ‘Next’ option. 

Step 12: The installation process starts as depicted below:

Step 13: Once the installation is complete, a list of licenses appears as shown below. Click on the ‘Activate’ button.

Step 14: After the license has been activated, select the ‘close’ option to close the wizard.

Step 15: Now, Launch LabVIEW community software which pops up as outlined below:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is G-Programming Language? 
G is a data flow programming language that serves as a basis for the LabVIEW Environment. Each program in G-code is called a Virtual Instrument (VI) which is the building block in the LabVIEW environment.

2. Is LabVIEW free or paid?
LabVIEW is available both as a free and paid version. Its community edition can be freely downloaded without any license. We recommend going through the terms of the community edition at https://www.ni.com/en/support/documentation/supplemental/20/labview-community-edition-usage-details.html for more information. 

3. What is the pricing of LabVIEW paid editions?
LabVIEW offers three paid editions which are Base, Full, and Professional Version. The base version is available at INR 45,600.00/year, the Full version at INR 143,700.00/year, and the Professional Version at INR 239,300.00/year.

4. What is the use of .NET in LabVIEW?
Using .NET, we can access the objects, properties, methods, and events associated with .NET servers. LabVIEW also allows us to host the .NET in the interface controls on the front panel in a virtual instrument

5. Is there any community support for LabVIEW? 
Yes, National Instruments Corporation, who developed LabVIEW provides wide community support through online forums. You resolve your queries on the community forum which is available at https://forums.ni.com/.

Conclusion

LabVIEW is a useful graphical programming environment that simplifies scientific computation, process monitoring and control, and test and measurement applications. It allows users to customize the environment and communicate with web clients through HTTP requests. With these features, it is a popular choice among industry experts for test systems, design validations, R&D, monitoring and instrumentation, etc. 

After knowing about the features of LabVIEW, we can easily install it and use it as per the requirements. Go ahead and utilize this powerful graphical programming environment for your industrial needs.