Development Tools
Tools Window Title
All Workers development tools now show the project and target that a tool is running on in the tool's window title. The format is: Tool Name : Project Name : Target Name.
Workers tools menu (upgrade)
If a LabVIEW project contains a real-time target, the Workers tools menu now allows you to select the target that you want run a tool on.
New tools have also been added to the Workers tools menu, most notably the RT Worker Convert tool. Additional tools have been added to the new dropdown menu named "Other Tools".
Create/Add Worker tool (upgrade)
If you select a real-time target in the Workers tools menu and then open the Create/Add Worker tool, you will see the option to create a non-reentrant Worker for the real-time target. This option allows you to create a Worker with a Main NR.vi which is the non-reentrant version of a Worker’s default reentrant Main.vi.
Worker Library tool (upgrade)
The Worker Library tool has been completely reworked. Functional Workers supplied in Workers v4.0 now include a Message Pump Worker and TCP Server and Client Worker library. The new Worker Library allows you to also add your own functional Workers or libraries of Workers to the tool for easy reuse within your projects, or for easy distribution to customers.
TCP Server and Client Worker Library (new)
A TCP Server and Client Worker library has been added to the Worker Library tool in Workers v4.0. Using the public APIs of these Workers, you can easily stream data between Workers applications running on different targets. E.g., a Workers application running on a cRIO to a Workers application running on a PC. More information about the TCP Server and Client Workers and their public APIs can be found in their example project documentation through the Workers Library tool.
Debug Server (replacement)
Welcome to the new and improved way to debug your Workers applications. The Workers Debug Server replaces the Workers Debugger used in previous versions of the framework. Unlike the Workers Debugger (which was code that was executed within the LabVIEW development environment every time you ran a Workers application) the Workers Debug Server is a separate application that connects to a Workers application over TCP data streams.
The biggest advantage that the Debug Server brings to the framework is the ability to debug Workers applications regardless of what form or platform they are running on. This allows you to see what is happening within your Workers applications, whether they be running in the LabVIEW development environment, as an executable application, or as code running on a real-time cRIO over a network.
You can learn more about the new Workers Debug Server in the section Debug Server.
RT Worker Convert tool (new)
This tool can convert a Worker with a Main.vi into a Worker with a Main NR.vi. It is not possible to use the standard LabVIEW debugging tools (e.g., adding breakpoints, highlighting dataflow, etc.) on reentrant VIs running on real-time targets.
To make it easier to develop and debug your Workers on real-time targets, the non-reentrant version of a Worker’s Main.vi was created and exists with a different filename: Main NR.vi.
You can use a Worker with a Main NR.vi the same way you would a Worker with a Main.vi but note that because the VI is non-reentrant, you cannot load multiple instances of a Worker with a Main NR.vi.
The RT Worker Convert tool makes it easy to turn a reentrant Workers Main.vi into a non-reentrant Main NR.vi, and vice-versa. It is still possible to use Workers with a Main.vi on real-time targets, but to debug them with the standard LabVIEW debugging tools, you’ll need to convert a Main.vi into a Main NR.vi first.
The RT Worker Convert tool is shown below. To use the tool, you simple select one or more Workers with either a Main.vi (left) or with a Main NR.vi (right) and then press the convert button.
Create Base Class tool (new)
This tool can be used to create an abstract base class, that you can inherit your Workers from. This tool creates a class containing a Common Cases.vi, where you can add common MHL cases that can be used by all Workers that inherit from it.
Change Inheritance tool (new)
This tool allows you to easily change the inheritance of one or more Workers or their abstract base classes, in a project.
MHL Case Viewer tool (new)
This tool allows you to see all the MHL cases of the Workers in a project, along with the MHL cases in Worker base classes, and shows you which cases override parent class MHL cases. The right-click menu for the MHL case list (right) allows you to directly jump to a selected Worker's MHL case, or the overridden case of the parent class.
Quickdrop Shortcuts
Create Case Label (Upgrade)
The Create Case Label Quickdrop shortcut (Ctrl+9) has been upgraded and now allows you to either create a new case label for a Worker's visible MHL case, or rename a MHL case.
If you select Rename Case then the dialog below will appear, allowing you to rename the case name of a Workers MHL. The tool will automatically update the MHL case's corresponding Case Label with the new name you select.
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