Preparing Example VIs to Appear in the NI Example Finder

Complete the following steps to prepare example VIs you create to appear in the NI Example Finder and build the data (.bin3) file that stores the task-based browse paths, keywords, and other information about the example VIs you document. LabVIEW uses the .bin3 file to display example VIs in the NI Example Finder.

Note  Make sure the example VIs you document are not write protected.

1. Select Tools»Prepare Example VIs for NI Example Finder to display the Prepare Example VIs for NI Example Finder dialog box.
2. Click the browse button next to the Start directory for examples text box, navigate to the directory that contains the example VIs or projects you want to appear in the NI Example Finder, and click the Select Folder button.

Note  The example VIs you created and the .bin3 file must reside in the following subdirectories of the labview directory: example VIs—examples, instr.lib, or user.lib. For example, labview\user.lib\my_examples is an acceptable directory in which to include the example VIs. The example VIs also must reside in a directory structure identical to the directory structure in which they will reside on the user computer. .bin3 file—examples\exbins, instr.lib, or user.lib

3. In the Double-click the example to document list, navigate to and double-click the example VI you want to document. The VI name appears in the Documentation table. The ADE (application development environment) and version of the ADE in which you created the example VI or project appear in the Documentation table when you scroll up. You cannot change the ADE and Version values.
4. Add task-based browse paths to the example VI for users to navigate to the example VI by task on the Browse page of the NI Example Finder.
   1. In the Double-click to add a browse path list, choose an appropriate task-based browse path for the example VI.
   2. Navigate to the lowest level of the category, then double-click the gray icon to add the category.
   The task-based browse path appears in the Documentation table. You also can copy browse paths from one example VI to another. Double-click the browse path in the Documentation table to remove the browse path from the example VI.
5. (Optional) Repeat step 4 to add more task-based browse paths to the example VI.
6. Add keywords to the example VI for users to enter on the Search page of the NI Example Finder.
   1. In the Double-click to add a word listbox, scroll through the list to find a keyword and double-click the word to add it to the example VI. The keyword appears in the Documentation table.
   2. Enter a word into the New keyword text box and click the Add New Keyword button to add a new keyword to the Double-click to add a word listbox.
   3. Double-click the new keyword in the Double-click to add a word listbox to add the keyword to the example VI. The keyword appears in the Documentation table.
   You also can copy keywords from one example VI to another. Double-click the keyword in the Documentation table to remove the keyword from the example VI. Select the keyword in the Double-click to add a word listbox and click the Remove Keyword button to remove a keyword from the list of keywords.
7. (Optional) Repeat step 6 to add more keywords to the example VI.

   Tip  Click the Save Documentation button to save the example VI documentation you have added. After you save the example VI documentation, you can proceed through step 13 or you can close this dialog box and finish documenting the example VI later. Relaunch the Preparing Examples for NI Example Finder dialog box and navigate to the example VI in the Double-click the example to document list to edit the example VI documentation you saved.

8. If you have not entered a description for the example VI, enter a description in the Example description text box. The description appears in the Description text box of the NI Example Finder when a user selects the VI. If you already entered a description for the example VI on the Documentation page of the VI Properties dialog box, the description appears in the Example description text box.
9. Click the Save Documentation button to save the documentation to the example VI. Clicking this button overrides any existing task-based browse paths, keywords, and description you entered in the Example description text box or in the example VI on the Documentation page of the VI Properties dialog box.
10. (Optional) You also can copy the description from one example VI to another.
11. Repeat steps 1 through 10 for each VI you want to appear in the NI Example Finder.

    Note  If an example VI is part of a project-based example and that example VI can run independently of the LabVIEW project, you can document both the project and example VI. To document a project, navigate to and select the project file (.lvproj) in the Double-click the example to document list. Complete the steps listed above.

12. Build the .bin3 file that stores the task-based browse paths, keywords, and other information about example VIs you document.

    Note  You must add a task-based browse path or a keyword for example VIs you created to appear in the NI Example Finder. If you add only a task-based browse path, the example VIs you created appear only on the Browse page of the NI Example Finder. If you add only a keyword, the example VIs you created appear only on the Search page of the NI Example Finder.

    1. Click the Build Data File tab.
    2. Click the browse button next to the Data file to create (bin3) text box, and navigate to the directory where you want to save the .bin3 file. In order for LabVIEW to locate the .bin3 file, you must save it in one of the following locations within the labview directory:
       • examples\exbins
       • instr.lib
       • user.lib
    3. Enter a meaningful name for the .bin3 file and include the file extension. For example, enter myexamples.bin3, where myexamples is the name of the .llb that contains the example VIs you created. After you enter a name, click the OK button.

       Note  LabVIEW reserves the following prefixes and you cannot use them when you name the .bin3 file: ms, test, lv, daq, cvi, tree, fr, de, ja, vi, im, dsc, rt, _, ko, zh, it, and es.

    4. Click the browse button next to the Directory that contains the examples text box, navigate to the directory that contains the example VIs you want to appear in the NI Example Finder, and click the Select Folder button.
    5. Click the Build File button to build the data file.
13. Click the Done button to exit the Prepare Example VIs for NI Example Finder dialog box.