Install Citadel5 ODBC on computer without LabView

[Alex Feldman]

I've got a shiny penny for anyone who can tell me how to install
Citadel5 ODBC drivers on a computer that doesn't have Labview, or any
other NI software installed? Supposedly, NI designed Labview7 ODBC
drivers to be installed with DSC only, and that just doesn't cut in in
my book, especially since they've supported standalone ODBC drivers
ever since Bridgeview.

[Alex Feldman]

I guess I'll answer my own question :-)

Must install 3 items from the DSC CD (Runtime or Development should
work)

1) D:\parts\Citadel\Citadel.msi
This will install the ODBC driver.
2) D:\parts\Logos\Logos.msi
Choose only the first option which is Logos OPC server. You don't
need the security and ODBC drivers (they're Citadel4 drivers)
3) D:\parts\nipal\palsetup.msi
This will require a reboot. On the first reboot (or first time
connecting to database) you might get 2 error messages about MSDE.
You can ignore those. They will not show up on subsequent reboots.

I tested this on win2k. Worked fine on 3 computers.
You're welcome :-)

[cs42]

Question is: is this approved by NI (are you allowed to do that)?

Cheers,
Carsten

[Alex Feldman]

From a technical point this is approved by me :-), and nobody else as
far as I know.

From a licensing point, I'm still working on that one. I'm trying to
get in contact with my NI sales rep, since the tech people from
premiere DSC support don't know.

I can post here after I find out more information.

[Jeff B]

Performing the actions in the previous answer to this forum post was
in violation of the LabVIEW DSC or LabVIEW DSC Run-Time license
agreement. For this reason, the post was removed.

National Instruments still provides ODBC drivers and Citadel 4 free of
charge, as part of the Logos installer. A large amount of R&D effort
was put into major improvements in Citadel 5. If you are interested
in the improvements of Citadel 5, you must purchase the DSC
Development Module or the DSC Run-Time to legally obtain these
components.

[Alex Feldman]

Yes, Jeff B, you're right. I just talked to the local NI Sales Rep,
and he said that's the case. However, I think whoever made this
policy is insane. Charging the full price of the runtime system for
ODBC drivers is grossly overpricing the product, no matter how much
effort was put into develponing it.

Also, why would the customer want to install the full version of the
Runtime software, which contains 100s of Megabytes of applications
they don't need? There should be an installer for the ODBC driver
only.

Our company has sold over a hunder computers with NI DSC Runtime
licenses, and hopefully will sell many more, but if NI wants to persue
these types of policies...well...I hope they reconsider.

Alex

p.s. The old ODBC drivers worked better. At least it didn't take 30
seconds to connect to a remote database.