Which Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime(s) Should I Include in My Installer?

Updated Mar 29, 2023

Reported In

Software

  • LabVIEW

Issue Details

I want to set up a Build Specification to build an installer in LabVIEW 2017 that shall include the LabVIEW Runtime. The Runtime's installer has three sub-options in the Additional Installers settings for "Installers to Include":
  • NI VC2008MSMs
  • NI VC2010MSMs
  • NI VC2015 Runtime
Their description is about the same in the description field. As I want to reduce the size of my build file, do I need to include all three?

Solution

The three installers in question are three different versions of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable ("MSVC"). Many applications rely on it.

Unless you include old hardware drivers, or third party software into your installer that relies on an older version of MSVC, the latest version of MSVC is sufficient to install.

Additional Information

  • The version(s) of MSVC that are installed with a National Instruments software can be found in the readme file of that product.
  • Below is a table of installer footprints with NI LabVIEW Runtime 2017 SP1 f1 and different configurations of the MSVC Runtime (note the zero added size of the 2015 version).
  • Currently, the LabVIEW Runtime 2017 SP1 requires MSVC2015. Therefore a newly created installer will install this version, even if deselected.
MSVC Runtime Version(s)
Size in MB*
NI VC2015 Runtime139
NI VC2010MSMs153
NI VC2008MSMs150
(none of them)139
2015+2010153
2015+2008150
2010+2008163
all three163

*: As compiled on a current English language installation of LabVIEW 2017 SP1 f1 on Windows 10 64bit.

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