Creating a Project Library

LabVIEW project libraries are collections of VIs, type definitions, shared variables, palette files, and other files, including other project libraries. When you create and save a new project library, LabVIEW creates a project library file (.lvlib), which includes the properties of the project library and the references to files that the project library owns.

Complete the following steps to create a project library.

  1. From the Project Explorer window, right-click My Computer and select New»Library from the shortcut menu. LabVIEW creates a project library file that appears in the Project Explorer window as part of the LabVIEW project.

    From the Getting Started Window or a blank VI, you also can select File»New to display the New dialog box. In the Other Files folder of the Create New tree, double-click the Library option. A stand-alone project library window for the new project library file appears.
  2. To add files to a project library, right-click the project library icon and select Add»File or Add»Folder (Snapshot) from the shortcut menu. You can add the same types of files that you can add to projects. You also can drag an item in the project so it appears under the project library.

    Only one project library can own a specific VI. However, you can associate files not specific to LabVIEW, such as a text file or HTML file, with multiple project libraries.
Note  If you add a VI that is not in memory to a project library, a dialog box appears that prompts you to save changes to the VI. Save changes to the VI so it will link correctly to the owning project library.
  1. Select File»Save All or right-click the project library icon and select Save»Save As from the shortcut menu to name and save the project library file.
  2. Right-click the project library icon and select Properties from the shortcut menu to display the Project Library Properties dialog box.
  3. From the General Settings page, set the version number, create an icon, and assign security settings to the project library.
Note Note  LabVIEW applies the project library icon you create to the icon of all existing objects in the library. In addition, the icon you create becomes the default icon for any new VIs you create from within the project library. You can create a template icon to edit and use in all VIs that a project library owns.
  1. From the Documentation page, enter information for context help for the project library.
  2. From the Item Settings page, set access options for files in the project library.
  3. Click the OK button to update the project library with the edited settings and close the dialog box.

You also can create a project library from a project folder.

You also can use a sort option to organize items within an unlocked project library.

Use the CreateOrAddLibrary polymorphic VI in the labview\vi.lib\Utility\Variable directory to programmatically add a library to a project or a parent item such as a target, folder, or another library.

 Open VI