You can use a source control provider to share files among multiple users, improve security and quality, and track changes to shared projects. Use LabVIEW with third-party source control providers so you can check out files and track changes from within LabVIEW. Select Tools�Source Control to access the common source control operations within LabVIEW. You can use source control with files in a LabVIEW project or with individual VIs.
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Note��Source control is available only with the Professional Development System. |
A source control provider helps you manage software projects and facilitates file sharing among multiple users and multiple software projects. The provider maintains a centralized master copy of project files. As you make changes, you update the master copy to reflect those changes, which makes it easy for any user to access the latest version of the project files. A source control provider also encourages code reuse by making all code easily accessible.
Source control, also known as source code control, helps improve security and quality. When you decide to modify a file, you check out the file to edit it. After you finish editing the file, you check in the new version of the file, which becomes part of the master copy of the source control project. If you check in incorrect changes, most source control providers allow you to access previous versions of files so you can undo revisions.
A source control provider helps track changes to the software project. When you check in a file, the provider prompts you to describe the changes you made. The source control provider maintains this information so you clearly document the evolution of the project. You can view a revision history for each file in source control.
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Tip�� You can use a sort option to organize items within a project. The sort option you select does not alter the organization of the project on disk, which allows you to merge and compare fewer changes when you submit the project to source control. |
In addition to maintaining the source code, the source control provider can manage other aspects of a software project. For example, you can use a source control provider to track changes made to feature specifications and other documents.
After you select the third-party source control provider you want to use with LabVIEW, you can configure LabVIEW settings for that provider.
If you want to perform source control operations that are not available in LabVIEW, work directly from the source control provider for those specific functions.
Refer to the Software Configuration Management and LabVIEW article on ni.com for more information on how to manage and control source code.