User's Manual

Chapter 1 Required Configuration, Installation, and Upgrade Information
LabVIEW 5.1 Addendum 1-18
© National Instruments Corporation
Converting VIs
Upgrading LabVIEW is an automated process. When you open a VI
created in a previous version, LabVIEW automatically converts and
compiles the VI.
Conversion is a memory-intensive operation. When LabVIEW loads a VI
saved in an earlier version, it loads all components of the converted VI
(front panel, block diagram, and data) into memory, then compiles the VI
in memory. In addition, LabVIEW loads into memory the components of
all subVIs needing conversion.
You can estimate the amount of memory required to convert VIs by
totalling the amount of memory your VIs and all of their subVIs occupy
on disk. If these VIs are in VI libraries, add approximately 30 percent of
the VI library size because the VIs are compressed. The conversion process
might require at least that much memory and an additional 3 MB of
memory to run LabVIEW.
If your computer does not have enough memory to convert your VIs all at
once, convert the VIs in stages, by components. Examine your hierarchy
of VIs and begin by loading and saving subVIs in the lower levels of the
hierarchy. You then can progress gradually to the higher levels of the
hierarchy. You also can choose File»Mass Compile to convert a directory
of VIs. Notice, however, that this option converts VIs in a directory or VI
library in alphabetical order. If a high-level VI is encountered first, Mass
Compile requires approximately the same amount of memory as if you
opened the high-level VI first.
You can monitor your memory usage with the Help»About LabVIEW...
option, which summarizes the amount of memory you have used.
(Macintosh)
Before converting VIs, increase the memory allocated to
LabVIEW from the Finder by selecting the LabVIEW icon, then choosing
Windows»Show VI Info... from the menu.
Upgrading Application Libraries and Toolkits
Most existing toolkits function with LabVIEW 5.1 without problems.
However, you need to move the VIs so they appear in the menus.
LabVIEW 5.1 is compatible with toolkits designed for 3.0, with the
following exceptions.