Open Application Reference

Returns a reference to a VI Server application running on the specified computer. If you specify an empty string for machine name, it returns a reference to the local LabVIEW application in which this function is running. If you do specify a machine name, it attempts to establish a TCP connection with a remote VI Server on that machine on the specified port. You can use this VI to get references to global VIs and custom controls. Details

machine name is the address of the computer that runs an instance of LabVIEW to which you want to establish a connection. This address can be in dotted decimal notation (such as 130.164.15.250) or domain name notation (such as foo.ni.com). An empty string causes this function to return a reference to the local instance of LabVIEW.
port number is the port on which the remote LabVIEW application is listening. The default is to use the default VI Server listener port number (3363).
timeout ms is in milliseconds. If the connection is not established in the specified time, the VI completes and returns an error. The default is 60,000 ms (1 minute). A value of –1 indicates to wait indefinitely.
error in describes error conditions that occur before this VI or function runs. The default is no error. If an error occurred before this VI or function runs, the VI or function passes the error in value to error out. This VI or function runs normally only if no error occurs before this VI or function runs. If an error occurs while this VI or function runs, it runs normally and sets its own error status in error out. Use the Simple Error Handler or General Error Handler VIs to display the description of the error code. Use error in and error out to check errors and to specify execution order by wiring error out from one node to error in of the next node.
status is TRUE (X) if an error occurred before this VI or function ran or FALSE (checkmark) to indicate a warning or that no error occurred before this VI or function ran. The default is FALSE.
code is the error or warning code. The default is 0. If status is TRUE, code is a non-zero error code. If status is FALSE, code is 0 or a warning code.
source describes the origin of the error or warning and is, in most cases, the name of the VI or function that produced the error or warning. The default is an empty string.
application reference is the reference to the specified application.
error out contains error information. If error in indicates that an error occurred before this VI or function ran, error out contains the same error information. Otherwise, it describes the error status that this VI or function produces. Right-click the error out indicator on the front panel and select Explain Error from the shortcut menu for more information about the error.
status is TRUE (X) if an error occurred or FALSE (checkmark) to indicate a warning or that no error occurred.
code is the error or warning code. If status is TRUE, code is a non-zero error code. If status is FALSE, code is 0 or a warning code.
source describes the origin of the error or warning and is, in most cases, the name of the VI or function that produced the error or warning.

Open Application Reference Details

You can use the application reference output as an input to the Property and Invoke Nodes to get or set properties and invoke methods on the application. Using it as the input to the Open VI Reference function lets you get references to VIs in that application. Close the reference with the Close LV Object Reference function. If you forget to close this reference, it closes automatically when the top level VI associated with this function finishes executing. However, it is good practice to conserve the resources involved in maintaining the connection by closing the reference when you finish using it.