Configure VIPM to Download LabVIEW Add-Ons for macOS

Updated Dec 22, 2023

Environment

Software

  • JKI VI Package Manager
  • LabVIEW

Operating System

  • Mac OS X

LabVIEW users can access and use LabVIEW add-ons from VI Package Manager (VIPM) from JKI. With LabVIEW 2020 SP1 and later, LabVIEW restricted access to its installation folder to align with best practices recommended by Apple. However, this makes VIPM unable to directly install content into the LabVIEW folder on macOS.

If you are not using macOS or if you are not using LabVIEW 2020 SP1 or later, you can download and manage VIPM packages using the normal process without updating VIPM permissions.

MacOS users who would like to install VIPM Packages for LabVIEW 2020 SP1 or later should follow the steps below to configure VIPM and the LabVIEW folder to have the correct permissions. After adjusting permissions, users can download VIPM packages as normal.
 

  1. Grant both LabVIEW and VI Package manager full disk access.
    • Note: the following steps are applicable to macOS 10.15 and macOS 11.
    1. Go to System Preferences>>Security & Privacy>>Privacy.
    2. Click on the lock to authenticate.
    3. Select Full Disk Access from the list.
    4. Add LabVIEW and VI Package Manager on the right.
  2. Modify the LabVIEW folder access to be more permissive. This will allow LabVIEW folders to be written to by VIPM when run as a user with administrator privileges. 
    • Open /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app and run the following commands:
      • Note that commands below contain filepaths that are version-dependent. The command below is written for LabVIEW 2020. If you’re not using LabVIEW 2020, adjust to the correct path for your version of LabVIEW.
    • sudo chgrp staff /Applications/National\ Instruments/LabVIEW\ 2020\ 64-bit/{vi.lib,vi.lib/addons,vi.lib/_probes,help,examples,examples/exbins,project,project/errors,resource/Framework/Providers,resource/dialog/QuickDrop/plugins,templates,ProjectTemplates,ProjectTemplates/MetaData,ProjectTemplates/Source}
    • sudo chgrp –R staff /Applications/National\ Instruments/LabVIEW\ 2020\ 64-bit/menus
    • [For LabVIEW 2020 SP1 and LabVIEW 2021 only]
      sudo chmod g+w /Applications/National\ Instruments/LabVIEW\ 2020\ 64-bit/{vi.lib,vi.lib/addons,vi.lib/_probes,help,examples,examples/exbins,project,project/errors,resource/Framework/Providers,resource/dialog/QuickDrop/plugins,templates,ProjectTemplates,ProjectTemplates/MetaData,ProjectTemplates/Source}
  3. Run VI Package Manager and install desired packages
    • With some versions of macOS and VIPM, you might need to go into System Preferences to allow running apps from untrusted sources before you can install or launch VIPM.
  4. [Recommended] Once you have downloaded desired VIPM packages, modify the LabVIEW folder to its original permissions. This step is strongly recommended for multi-user shared computers.
    • Open /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app and run the following commands:
      • Note that commands below contain filepaths that are version-dependent. The command below is written for LabVIEW 2020. If you’re not using LabVIEW 2020, adjust to the correct path for your version of LabVIEW.
    • sudo chgrp wheel /Applications/National\ Instruments/LabVIEW\ 2020\ 64-bit/{vi.lib,vi.lib/addons,vi.lib/_probes,help,examples,examples/exbins,project,resource/Framework/Providers,resource/dialog/QuickDrop/plugins,templates,ProjectTemplates,ProjectTemplates/MetaData,ProjectTemplates/Source}
    • sudo chgrp –R wheel /Applications/National\ Instruments/LabVIEW\ 2020\ 64-bit/menus
    • [For LabVIEW 2020 SP1 and LabVIEW 2021 only]
      sudo chmod g-w /Applications/National\ Instruments/LabVIEW\ 2020\ 64-bit/{vi.lib,vi.lib/addons,vi.lib/_probes,help,examples,examples/exbins,project,project/errors,resource/Framework/Providers,resource/dialog/QuickDrop/plugins,templates,ProjectTemplates,ProjectTemplates/MetaData,ProjectTemplates/Source}

Note that files installed by VIPM will remain owned by the user who installed them and can only be upgraded or uninstalled by the same user.
 

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