Problems using Labview as ActiveX Server

Question

Hello,
       I have been having difficulty using Labview as an AcvtiveX server. I have reviewed all the postings on this subject and most are either pre Labview 8.2 and thus do not account for the changes made between 8.2 and 8.5 which broke the Activex server functions. I have looked at the recommendations for changing the to code to export (exported vi's in a DLL or Source distribution) and have tried these with no success. The closest example I have found was posted here http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&thread.id=283417 the example code they posted does ont work for me and still generates and error 3005.
      What i need is simple. I want to turn my applicaiton into a Vi server.. Expose a vi that acceses elements in the Vi server.. (controls, queues, Globals etc) that are in the Vi server context. I would then like to build a vi .. or dll that calls the 'exposed' vi in the vi server to pass data to or from the vi server. The V test.zip example file in the above indicated post is a pretty good example of this .. it just does not seem to work when i build it in 8.5. Are there any GOOD and 'current' examples of using labview as the ActiveX server (Compiled) and calling exposed vis from an external application Labivew, Visual Basic.. etc??  I am only interested in cases where Labview is the Sever. or both client and server.
       I have used a tool "ActiveXplorer" to examine the registered "exe" when the viserver is run. It always shows that there is no Type Library associated and the object is not creatable. There is a .tlb created by the project build however, where as the previous version 8.2.1 of Labview did not build that correctly. I have also tried this on 8.6 with similar error 3005 generated. sooooo what am i missing?
      Thanks
       Louis Ashford

Answer 1

Mike,
       Thank you for your response to my question. The problem is that the example you site does not use the Labview vi as the Server. Excel is actually the vi server and the automation open is using and excel automation object. I am sure that Excel creates proper automation objects .. Labview however does not seem to. So while this example shows how labview can function as a client it is not an example of a compiled Labview Sever being accessed by a 'laview vi'. Possibly I am not looking at the vi that you are thinking of.
       The examples i am aware of:
                    "ActiveX Event Callback for Excel.vi... (Excel is server not Labview vi)
                    "ActiveX Event Callback for IE.vi (same Labview vi is client)
                    "Write Table to XL.vi" ( again excel is the server)
                    "3D Graph Properties - Torus.vi" (accesses an activex Control 'not' and Activex EXE)
                    "3D Lorenz Attractor Draw at Compeltion using 3D Curve.vi (Uses an activex  control not activex Exe server)
                    "3D Parametric Surface - Ribbon.vi (Uses an activex  control not activex Exe server)
                    "3D Surface Example - Fluctuating Sine Wave.vi (Uses an activex  control not activex Exe server)
                    "Excel Macro Example.vi (Uses excel as automation server..not Labview)
                    "FamilyTree.vi (uses MSComctlLib.ITreeView object not Labview as server)
                    "SlideShow.vi" (uses PowerPoint._Application not Laview as server)
      Most of the posts I have seen are for versions prior to  Labview version 8.2 (where the ActiveX server was broken) I have seen only a few posts that actually address the issue i am talking about. however thus far no real solution has been offered. I get the same results when compiling and testing this with 8.6..  as well. So have you tried this Mike? Possibly i am missing something very simple..
      The example i did find and gave the link to is a pretty simple one. This does not work on my machine at all. You can select the automation server that is registered with windows after running the server one time and this then breaks the client vi.. I have found by reselecting the GetViReference property node in the Client vi that it will the 'fix' the client vi as far as labview is concerened and it no longer shows and error. Now when you run the Client vi it will infact find the vi server and will launch it ok. However. The open automation object then hangs.. for quite some time then returns the error
"Error -2146959355 occurred at Server execution failed
 in Client_reader.vi" Obviously the automation Exe (server) was seen because it was opened yet it did not return a valid reference so the subsequent property nodes in the client.vi will fail. Something is wrong with Labviews opening of or creating of automation objects..
          Thanks,,
                Louis Ashford