LabWindows/CVI Reviews & Product Details

LabView is great for one or two instruments running one or two tests. The programs are easy to start, stable, good looking and support just about every kind of hardware.

I prefer text-based programming environments like VB, C#, Python, etc. because I think they handle larger programs better. The main limitation to LabView for larger programs is the schematic based environment. A design with too many wire connections can turn into a hellish self-destructing haystack when a central block moves or changes. For the same reason, programs of all sizes are spatially inefficient - an entire screen of well-made LabView can often be reduced to ten text lines of VB.

All of that to say this:

If you find yourself stuck in a lab where NI software is a mandate, look for CVI. Last I checked CVI was still included with the highest license level of Labview. NI keeps it hushed, I think because it looks like circa 1999 Microsoft MFC. LabWindows/CVI lets you circumvent arbitrary and capricious requirements to use clunky software when Microsoft publishes a perfectly usable, completely free version of C#.

LabWindows/CVI is fairly clunky itself, but I believe it's the lesser of two evils. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

NI keeps it hushed, I think because it looks like circa 1999 Microsoft MFC. LabWindows/CVI lets you circumvent arbitrary and capricious requirements to use clunky software when Microsoft publishes a perfectly usable, completely free version of C#. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

LabWindows/CVI has a good UI integration which allows you to design your GUI and have the codes generated very easily. Most people used it to create instrument drivers. However, it can be used to beyond this scope. Since it's an ANSI C IDE, you can use it like a regular IDE tool for simple C projects. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

It's just an ANSI C IDE and compiler, period. There is no C++ features available. Hence, the nice exception handling and object-oriented programming (OOP) features are missing. The traditional error-code scheme really lacks the ability for the program to pass important error information in details, and hence, hampers the debug efforts when things fail. C++'s exception handling really helps simplifying the error handling and retains the failure details. The OOP feature can simplify the coding structure and complexity, making the codes more intuitive and readable. I wished that LabWindows/CVI can be upgraded to a C++ IDE/compiler. If for some reason some people just wanted the pure C features, the C++ compiler can always be restricted into the C-only mode. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.