Sometimes we just want to review or edit the FPGA VIs in LabVIEW project, but there will be huge stopping point of installing whole FPGA in the PC which might takes ages to install and also consumes too much of the disk spaces. FPGA compilers would take as much as 20+ GB. This would essentially include FPGA Farm compiler, ISE and Vivado compilers.
One way to escape so much of installation time and saving the disk space is to carefully un-check the FPGA compiler during installation process.
The general practice we follow for the team is that, we only install FPGA module in individual development PCs of team members and dedicate a separate PC which does the compilation process. In the dedicated compiler PC we would need to install all FPGA compilers + FPGA module.
Below is the simple oversight on installation process which helps you avoid FPGA compilers.
1. During installation select the FPGA module to install.
2. Immediately you will see a popup which asks to install Compilation Tools, select "No"
3. The selection of "No" in the previous dialog will keep the cross mark in other three compiler components under FPGA deployment options. This essentially means that compilers will not be installed, however FPGA module will be installed. Then you can proceed to install by clicking Next>>
Eventually only FPGA module necessary to edit the FPGA VIs will be installed and saves you installation time and disk space.
Ajay is a professional developer and architect of NI-LabVIEW applications with extreme interest in getting the hardware connected to LabVIEW and automating the stuff. Recently he is also putting his hands in NI-TestStand to get very dirty on it. He is also a good mentor for the various interns in his career. He is ready to help the people in techie roles.