Check if File or Folder Exists.vi Returning False in Built Application

Updated Nov 9, 2017

Reported In

Software

  • LabVIEW 2017 Full
  • LabVIEW 2017 Professional
  • LabVIEW 2017 Base

Other

Windows 10

Issue Details

My project executes as expected when operating in the development environment, but does not successfully open a VI called by a file path when built as an application. The application doesn't show any errors when run. When I run the application in debugging mode, I can see that the Check if File or Folder Exists VI is returning a false value for the file, even though when run in project mode the same VI returns true. 

Solution

In built applications, use the Not a Path constant with an Equal? operator to determine if the path exists. 

Additional Information

This is expected behavior from the Check if File or Folder Exists VI. The only container files it's designed to work on are LLBs, so using it on EXEs, ZIPs, and other similar container files will not work.