Welcome to the VIPM Idea Exchange. Here's your chance to collaborate with JKI engineers and other users to influence the future of VI Package Manager. How can VIPM make your life easier or help you work smarter? Tell us!
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Replace Table View with Tree View in Main GUI
My VIPM Package Table has so many entries now that I have to scroll up and down to view all the entries. I was thinking that a Tree View of the packages would make it easier to view and organise.
For instance the OpenG Package would be the root folder and clicking on this folder would show all the individual packages ie. Array Library, Boolean Library etc..
Support Layers for Non-VI icons (Sub-Palettes, category, etc)
Better indication for types of packages: Free, Trial, "For Money"
Native Support for Dynamic Palettes
I think it would be really cool if a dynamic palettes (I will call it that after the OpenG package name, but there maybe a better descriptor for it?) were a first class feature of VIPM. There would be nothing better than being able to open up a native LabVIEW palette and being able to select from your code - all conveniently in the one place just like the OpenG ogrsc_dynamicpalette package does for OpenG etc...
Allow Adding Multiple Files to Palette Editor
I thought a cool new feature would be to allow adding multiple files on Insert... >> VI... to the Palette Editor instead of one at a time (and opposed to the entire folder).
Build vip packages from the project explorer "Build Specifications"
So I have a lightbulb moment today: why do I have to switch from LabVIEW to VIPM to build packages? Why can't I right click on a package build definition in my project's "Build Specifications" and either edit the configuration or build it directly from there?
Install package for all supported LV version
Better UI for Adding Dependencies
I not sure if this got bought up before (in the beta?) but I would like a better UI for interacting with dependencies then there currently is. I just find it hard to find what I want unless I know the exact spelling of the package name (VIPM 3.0) or display name (VIPM 2010) and scrolling through everything is not that fun
Option to "Remove block diagrams" in VIPB
When removing the block diagram from reuse VIs destined for the LV Dev environment, we limit that toolset for a single LV version obviously. Thus it would be nice to have the ability to build more than one package with a single build specification; one for each of a number of specified LV versions. Instead of specifying "LabVIEW 2012" vs. "LabVIEW 2012 or later", then maybe an optional selection list where you could tick of which LV versions to build for (resulting in N vip-files).
Or maybe I should just automate our dev process some more to do the above myself? Maybe I can use the VIPB API to do that...
Best regards,
Steen
Hi Joerg,
This should be possible with a post-build custom action VI.
(it's still not a native feature)
-Jim
Sort packages by license type
At the moment I need to go over each license and find afterwards that I actually installed a trial version or some other tool that I won't be able to use.
If VIPM could organize the packages not only by the name of the license type but also by a deeper understanding of it (there aren't that many license types in VIPM after all) then I'll feel much safer while installing packages from VIPM.
Support for Multiple Installation Locations for a Palette
The idea is that Palette to Installation Location relationship would be one to many.
Implement "Install for previous LabVIEW version"
VIPM currently allows the user to install for the LV version that the package was developed for, and for later versions as well if we have configured the package to allow this. VIPM uses Mass Compile for this (unless the user has disabled Mass Compile in VIPM of course). I suggest one of two changes:
1) Either allow the end-user to install a package for an earlier version of LabVIEW than the package was built for. This requires the user to have installed the lowest LV version that the downloaded package demands, as well as having installed the target LV version as well. Then VIPM could use the "Save for Previous..." method and re-create the palette for the user.
2) Or, allow the VIP-developer to build packages for earlier versions of LV than the VIs are developed for. This poses the same requirements on the developer, having both the source and target LV versions installed, and would enable VIPB to use "Save for Previous..." when building the packages.
I prefer 2), as that basically automates the process I'd otherwise go through to make our VIPs available for earlier versions of LV, but without me having to handle duplicate build scripts for VIPB. And it puts fewer requirements on our end users.
Best regards,
Steen, GPower
Allow libraries as build source (instead of folders)
Sometimes my source for folder has old (or not yet finalized) VIs that I don't want to distribute, in my project I remove these VIs from the library/class, but since VIPM picks a whole folder as the build-source these VIs show up in the package.
By selecting library or class as the build source these functions wouldn't be included.
Use the LabVIEW Project tree to initialise a new build definition
I ventured into the wonderful world of VIPM package building recently, and am impressed. However, one thing that immediately caused me issues was the use of a Source Folder as the root of the package definition. I wanted to point VIPM at my existing LabVIEW Project. Why? Because in my harddisk folder I have VIs not included in the Project, legacy files and VIs no longer in use. When pointing VIPM to the root folder it automatically picked up all these unwanted files, and it was a nightmare of "build error" after "build error" attempting to find them all and selectively remove them from the "Source File Settings" tree.
Idea: Can VIPM analyse the LabVIEW Project tree in the first instance of creating a new package to determine which VIs (files) are wanted and which are not to initialise/populate the Source File Settings?
Preview pane for packages
user ranking of packages
Allow duplicate vi name in the same package
The name of the vip file shouldn't be an identifier that VIPM uses.
Apply VIPC file on Project load
This will probably require a new tag in the project file to specify where the dependencies package is on disk. It'll probably also require access to a new Filter event from LV that notifies some process/tool of an impending File Open operation. So I don't expect much out of this request, but I'd sure like to see it!
Allow Abort on Network Tasks
I ran into the situation a few times when I wanted to abort what I was doing but couldn't. This seemed to be for network tasks. I thought it would be cool if I could abort these in the future.
Compatible with LabVIEW (CwLV) Field
Reinstall package files.
Ulrik, GPower
Distribute reuse components as packed project libraries
Make It Easier To Add Real Time Palettes
I have built a number of internal libraries where I want the same support on desktop and RT palettes. This involves recreating the palettes from scratch currently.
There should be an easy way to have the same palette on both.
LabVIEW Version Specific Deprecated Packages
Easy Synch to upgrade Custom Category
Have been playing with the Custom Category and I really like it.
One way could be to allow the Custom Category to be synchronised to the currently installed Category palette with the press of a button:
I am just trying to think of the best of both worlds where your Top Level mnu package is not an external dependency and its really easy to update wrt changes.
Another idea is that it could be a separate package that is included as a sub-package (ties into Expose Sub Package idea. VIPM can upgrade to the latest if not already installed, but the user is only ever distributing/installing one package.
License files in RTF Format
Incompatible packages - more comparison selections
In VI Package Builder I'd like to be able to specify a less-than-or-equal package version in the Incompatible Packages section.
The use case is this:
I update a low-level reuse VIP A, breaking compatibility with some of the VIPs that depend on A. Currently (VIPM 2013), in A, I can only select Incompatible Packages with versions "greater-than-or-equal", or "equal". What I'd like is for the VIP A installer to tell the user that they must upgrade their already installed VIP B, that depends on A, if they want to proceed with upgrading A. To do that I need to be able to specify package B from a version downwards as an Incompatible Package in package A.
Makes sense?
Cheers,
Steen
Install VI Package Manager with admin privilege by default
Nitrof
Search function should return results from package descriptions as well
I recently gave a presentation on VIPM Professional to a room full of colleagues, trying to convince them that we should all own a copy. The question was asked "Would this tool provide me with a flexible way to search our reuse libraries for some functionality that I am looking for"? Alas, I had to answer "No". This would be IMMENSELY helpful!
Expose Sub-packages
It would be really cool if I could add multiple dependency packages to a package as sub-packages so I could ship one package that contained all required packages.
I can currently do this with a .vipc file, but love the idea that a package could do it.
Another good reason for sub-packages over .vipc files that I forgot to mention: .vipc files currently have to be installed in the same version they were created. For example, this means that to support multiple versions of LabVIEW for a package release, I have to add multiple .vipc files if I want to include dependencies + package in a .zip release.
To start with I don't mind if its not exposed through the UI - as I would more than happy to do it myself with hooks.
Backwards support for OGPB would be nice too.
unattended deployment of VI packages
This could be useful if you have to setup lots of computers with the same libraries. If a unattended way was provided, this could be put in scrips etc.
Especially in our case this could be a reason why we cannot use VIPM. I created a *.vipc file and imported them manually. This worked very nice and easy but I am not willed to do this on all of our computers. A in my opinion easy and usual approach could be to put the functionality in a command line argument. I.e.:
VI Package Manager.exe /addLibrary "C:\library.vipc"
I know that there is the VIPM API. The problem is, that this is usable with the pro version only. To install the pro version on all of our computer would be too expensive and never needed any more after this step.
Be able to have "custom action" VI with sub VI
Create Package from Windows Explorer Right Click Menu
Ability to snapshot palettes (.png) to disk
VIPM API for VIPC Contents
It would be awesome if there were a way to programmatically read the contents of a VIPC file. I don't know that there's a way to do this yet using the VIPM API
Need a way to open VIP URLs from VIPM for Mac/Linux users
Cache Palette Search
This may be an edge case not worth the time but I thought I'd throw it out there. It would be nice if you didn't have to wait for the Palette Dialog to refresh if you have already opened it. A refresh button could force an update or it could refresh after each install (in the background could be nice).
Insert LabVIEW SubVI...
Just something little to speed things up.
LabVIEW Tools Network should show what packages are already installed
View by date / recent additions
Option to create start menu items.
VIPC Contain Multiple Versions Of The Same Package
My suggestion is to have the ability to put multiple versions of the same package into a VIPC. This way when I am installing it offline and not connected to a repository, where all package versions could be available. I could then use the same VIPC for 2012, or 2011, and in both cases I could have the latest version that is supported.
Add a better interface to set up a repository
Manually Set "Show In Palettes" Action
In this case, the "Palettes" tab in VI Package Builder is not used at all.
auto-exclude user-defined folders from build
when creating a new VIP, automatically "exclude from build" folders that match user-defined strings (preferably compatible with labview regular expressions or PCRE). I suggest this because we have a well-defined file structure in our source code repository. all files in certain folders are never included in the build because they are only used during development. It would be nice if this could be auto-configured but only when creating new packages (so there are no surprises when opening an existing package).
Allow Defined Destination of Included Dependent Code
The "show in palettes" button for xctl
The show in palettes button in the package information dialog does not support xctl? If only xctl is added to the controls palette without ctl or vi, then the button is disabled after the package is installed.
Rebuild library after marking some VIs as Exclude from Package
I built a hardware driver, all VIs are part of a library. The library contains some unit testing VIs which I don't need as a part of the VIP distribution, so they are marked as "Exclude from Package" on the Source File Settings section of VIPB.
However, as these VIs are a part of the library, when excluded from the build they cause the library to list them as missing dependencies when the VIP is installed on a development machine (the little yellow exclamation marks in the Project View).
If I move the VIs to outside the library this creates scoping issues with certain private dependencies only accessible from within the library, so they must remain within the library.
Ideally, VIPBuilder would repair the library by removing these dependencies safely within LabVIEW (not just excluding the files from the package) and thus maintaining library integrity. Maybe his can't be done.
But can I ask, what's the proper way to exclude VIs from the package that are listed as belonging to a library without the library becoming bad?
Auto-populate VIPM packages from disk for faster LabView installations on multiple Computers
When i quickly want to have a new LabVIEW installation on another PC or VM, I can let run the LabVIEW installation unattended, but then it takes quite some presence-time to re-install all the VI packages with VIPM. So I usually just copy the whole LabVIEW user.lib folder over to the new VM. While LabVIEW gathers/auto-populates the user libraries automatically and the packages vi folders show up as palettes, VIPM doesn't do this, what in my eyes would be expected behavior. The whole VIPM packages list stays empty even though all the packages are there on disk. But maybe I oversee something, and there is already a way to make this auto-population happen...?
Kundesupport af UserEcho