1. OpenG – Projects and Community
As presented by Jim Kring
February 4, 2002
Over the past year and half, several individuals have done an enormous amount of work on various open source LabVIEW projects. Today, the community of users at OpenG.org is approaching The various OpenG packages have been downloaded several thousands of times -- something is obviously working. Since this is the first OpenG user/developer group meeting, I wanted to take a look at why a community based upon the open sharing of tools, knowledge, and support works. The subsequent ideas are my interpretation of why this community works, specifically its purpose and principles . I want to share these ideas with you and refine them together.

2. OpenG Package Tools (OGPT)
Integrated tools for:
building, installing, uninstalling, verifying, querying, updating, developing, and maintaining LabVIEW software packages
Consists of a package installer (now) and several add-ons (future)
The OpenG Package Tools project is a collection of LabVIEW tools for building, installing, uninstalling, verifying, querying, updating, developing, and maintaining LabVIEW software packages. Each software package consists of an archive of files along with information about the package like its version, a description, platform and LabVIEW version requirments, etc. The power of the OpenG packages is the ability to target specific files to specific platforms. Also there is the ability to embed Script VIs, which will be executed on the target system before and after install and uninstall, as well as during package verification.
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

3. OGPT - Package Installer (OGPI)
Core Module of the OGPT’s
Builds Installs and Uninstalls Packages on Windows, Mac, Linux (LabVIEW Zip Tools - zlib)
Basic User Interfaces
Windows Explorer Shell extensions for *.ogp files
The OpenG Package Installer (OGPI) is the core module of the OpenG Package Tools. It provides all of the programattic functionality required to build, install, and uninstall packages. It also includes some basic user interfaces to that functionality. For more enhanced functionality, add-ons to the OGPI are required. The OpenG Package Installer and various add-ons are included with the OpenG Toolkit and the OpenG Developer's Toolkit.
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

4. OGPT - Package Installer (OGPI)
Demonstration
The OpenG Package Installer (OGPI) is the core module of the OpenG Package Tools. It provides all of the programattic functionality required to build, install, and uninstall packages. It also includes some basic user interfaces to that functionality. For more enhanced functionality, add-ons to the OGPI are required. The OpenG Package Installer and various add-ons are included with the OpenG Toolkit and the OpenG Developer's Toolkit.
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

5. OpenG User Group Meeting
OpenG Toolkit (OGTK)
A collection of various packages of VIs, integrated into the palette and development environment
Distribution of *.ogp files
The OpenG toolkit was born as a monolithic distribution of VIs contained in a single zip file. This distribution mechanism is not practical because it means that the entire archive must be rebuilt and distributed each time an individual package is changed. A better way of doing things is to distribute each package individually. However, now there are versioning requirements and package dependencies to manage. Fortunately all of these things can be managed, as well.
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

6. OpenG User Group Meeting
OGTK – Palette Pkg
A mechanism to dynamically populate the “default” palette with VIs and subpalettes
Allows the OGTK to be distributed as a collection of individual pkg’s
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

7. OpenG User Group Meeting
OGTK – Palette Pkg
Synchronize with Directory
Dynamic Palettes!
<OpenG.lib>\palette
Functions
Controls
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

8. OGTK - LabVIEW Data Tools
Tools for parsing LabVIEW data and type descriptors
Variant wrapper adds polymorphism
Makes next-generation of LabVIEW tools possible
Implements at run-time what LabVIEW does at edit-time
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

9. OGTK - LabVIEW Data Tools
Get/set data names
Enums
Clusters
Arrays
Low-level type descriptor tools
Additional objects
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

10. OGTK - LabVIEW Data Tools
Example - Update Cluster Elements
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

11. OGTK - Variant Config File VIs
Fully recursive flattening and unflattening of LabVIEW data to INI files.
First use-case of the LabVIEW Data Tools pkg.
Supports almost all “common” LabVIEW Data Types
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

12. OGTK - Variant Config File VIs
Simple Example
[Channel1]
Active=FALSE
Maximum=
Measure=Voltage
Channel Name=""
Array="<size(s)=3> "
[Channel2]
error in (no error).status=FALSE
error in (no error).code=0
error in (no error).source=""
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

13. OGTK - Variant Config File VIs
Recursion Example
[Channel1]
Active=FALSE
Maximum=
Measure=Voltage
Channel Name=""
Array="<size(s)=3> "
Array.<size(s)>=2
Array 0.Active=TRUE
Array 0.Maximum=
Array 0.SubArray="<size(s)=3> "
Array 1.Active=FALSE
Array 1.Maximum=
Array 1.SubArray="<size(s)=3> "
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

14. OpenG User Group Meeting
OGTK – Zip Tools
Multi-platform support
Win32: lvzlib.dll
Mac: lvzlib.shlb
Linux: lvzlib.so
Provides the core packing/unpacking functionality for OpenG Package Files (*.ogp) used by OGPI
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

15. OGTK – Zip Tools (extras)
Implements string inflation/deflation
Implements MacBinary (on Mac) encode/decode for preserving resource fork during packing
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

16. OpenG App. Builder (OGAB)
Programmatic App Builds
Building by double-clicking .bld file (Win)
Icons for .bld files
Right-Click .bld file to launch custom build settings dialog
The OpenG Application Builder is an add-on package, which augments the features of the LabVIEW™ Application Builder, which must be installed on the target system in order to install/use the OpenG Application Builder. The LabVIEW™ Application Builder is a tool that allows one to build stand-alone run-time applications from LabVIEW™ VIs.
The OpenG Application Builder overcomes a major limitation of the LabVIEW™ Application Builder by adding a programmatic interface for building applications. However, it also adds some the other useful features, which include:
Building an application by double-clicking on a .bld file from Windows explorer
Icons for .bld files
Right-Clicking .bld file to launch custom build settings dialog
Optional segregation of OpenG VIs into an external library with their diagrams and front panels left intact and addition of LGPL text file, thus achieving LGPL compliance
Windows date bug fix
Command line interface for batch files
Open a VI in the LabVIEW Run-Time environment, for testing an application before building an .exe.
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

17. OpenG App. Builder (OGAB)
Optional segregation of OpenG VIs into an external library with diagrams and front panels intact for LGPL compliance
Command line interface for batch file builds
Open a VI in the LabVIEW Run-Time environment, for testing an application before building an .exe.
The OpenG Application Builder is an add-on package, which augments the features of the LabVIEW™ Application Builder, which must be installed on the target system in order to install/use the OpenG Application Builder. The LabVIEW™ Application Builder is a tool that allows one to build stand-alone run-time applications from LabVIEW™ VIs.
The OpenG Application Builder overcomes a major limitation of the LabVIEW™ Application Builder by adding a programmatic interface for building applications. However, it also adds some the other useful features, which include:
Building an application by double-clicking on a .bld file from Windows explorer
Icons for .bld files
Right-Clicking .bld file to launch custom build settings dialog
Optional segregation of OpenG VIs into an external library with their diagrams and front panels left intact and addition of LGPL text file, thus achieving LGPL compliance
Windows date bug fix
Command line interface for batch files
Open a VI in the LabVIEW Run-Time environment, for testing an application before building an .exe.
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

18. OpenG App. Builder (OGAB)
Currently supports LV 6.0 on Windows
In the future will support all platforms and versions
The OpenG Application Builder is an add-on package, which augments the features of the LabVIEW™ Application Builder, which must be installed on the target system in order to install/use the OpenG Application Builder. The LabVIEW™ Application Builder is a tool that allows one to build stand-alone run-time applications from LabVIEW™ VIs.
The OpenG Application Builder overcomes a major limitation of the LabVIEW™ Application Builder by adding a programmatic interface for building applications. However, it also adds some the other useful features, which include:
Building an application by double-clicking on a .bld file from Windows explorer
Icons for .bld files
Right-Clicking .bld file to launch custom build settings dialog
Optional segregation of OpenG VIs into an external library with their diagrams and front panels left intact and addition of LGPL text file, thus achieving LGPL compliance
Windows date bug fix
Command line interface for batch files
Open a VI in the LabVIEW Run-Time environment, for testing an application before building an .exe.
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

19. Open Source Test Executive (OSTE)
Project Team has formed
Some Internal development and discussion has begun
No releases yet
Visit OpenG.org >> Projects >> OSTE for project homepage URL
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

20. LabXML – An XML toolkit for LV
Creating (with complete design freedom), loading and saving XML files.
Searching in XML-documents
Replacing, adding and deleting elements in XML documents.
Validating XML-files (also against schemas)
Translating XML to other formats (like HTML) by means of XSLT
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

21. LabVNC – A VNC Server for LV
Implements a VNC server for VI Panels
Visit OpenG.org >> Projects >> LabVNC for project homepage URL
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

22. LabSQL – An SQL toolkit for LV
use ADO and SQL in LabVIEW to communicate with databases
Visit OpenG.org >> Projects >> LabSQL for project homepage URL
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

23. LabPython Python toolkit for LV
Load and run a python script dynamically and access variables
Run python scripts in a LabVIEW script node
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

24. LabPython – Python toolkit for LV
Script node uses LabVIEW’s script node plug-in interface
<LV>\resource\script\
If dll’s in the .\resource\script folder conform to the plug-in specification, they may be used with the script node
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

25. LabPython – Python toolkit for LV
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

26. LabVIEW Development Tools (LDT)
OpenG.org >> Projects >> LabVIEW Development Tools
GOOP Class Renaming Tool
VIs in memory Tool
Project Template Instantiation Tool
“Fastloader” tool
No releases in the past year
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

27. LabUseful OpenG Projects
OpenG.org >> Projects >> …
Robust TCP/IP
Read and Create Path
Find Nearest Match Value in Array
Print to PDF
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

28. OpenG User Group Meeting
Many others…
Single VIs and Code Snippets
Auto Backup tool
LabTRIS – another Tetris clone
“Fastloader” tool
BLD File Maker to automate DLL creation .bld files from VI ConPanes
3-Way Switches
Too many others to list
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

29. OpenG User Group Meeting
OpenG.org
Open Source LabVIEW Community Hub
Project Registration
Discussion and Support Forums
Whitepapers and Articles
User Groups
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

30. OpenG.org Project Registration
Project Description
Embed HTML
Link to Files
Embed Images
OpenG.org does not host your project files!
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

31. OpenG User Group Meeting
OpenG.org Forums
Various Forums
Projects
Discussion
Support
User Groups
Announcements
*phpBB is an open source forum application -
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

32. OpenG.org Package Registry (future)
A database of package locations
OpenG Package Installer Plugin client would look to the registry for a listing of available packages
Packages could be both downloaded and installed by the client without any “browsing” by the user
This is a feature that I am really excited to think about. Updating to the latest version of a package or finding new packages could accomplished very easily for end users. The entire process could be automated.
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting

33. OpenG User Group Meeting
Recap
Visit OpenG.org >> Projects to find info on a project
OpenG Package Tools will provide the infrastructure for packaging and distribution
OpenG Toolkit is a distribution of various packages
Let’s get everyone to distribute their packages as .ogp’s
February 4, 2002
OpenG User Group Meeting