Can I Set the Default LabVIEW Version Programmatically?

Issue Details

I have multiple versions of LabVIEW installed on my computer, but I want to define which version is used to open .vi files—programmatically. This is especially important because some code that requires a specific LabVIEW version.

My main concerns are:

• Where is the default LabVIEW version information stored?
• Can this be edited or scripted to consistently launch a specific version?
• Will LabVIEW override these settings when launched?

These questions arise because LabVIEW tends to reset file associations each time it is opened, making it difficult to maintain a consistent default version.

Solution

Yes, you can programmatically control which version of LabVIEW opens .vi files by modifying the Windows Registry and using LabVIEW configuration options.

1. Registry File Associations
Windows stores file associations in the Registry. For .vi files, the extension is mapped to a file type (e.g., LabVIEWInstrument), which then defines an open command.

You can see in the registry all the different "LabVIEW*" types that are defined and could use something else to set the path for the open. That could be done programmatically or by creating a .reg file with the keys for these file types and importing it.

2. Prevent LabVIEW from Overwriting Settings

LabVIEW automatically updates file associations when launched. To prevent this:

• Add the following token to the LabVIEW.ini file:
  • RegisterExtensions=False
  • This disables LabVIEW’s automatic registry updates, allowing your custom settings to persist