🧩 Actor Framework

Actor Framework 2.0.0.18 · Released 24 Apr 2025
Back-ported from LabVIEW 2024 Q3 for LabVIEW 2020 or later

✨ What’s New

#	Feature	Why it matters
1	AF Debug.lvlib merged into Actor Framework.lvlib — DETT tracing is now encapsulated in DETT Format.lvclass implementing Trace Format.lvclass.	Consolidates debug utilities into a single library and makes it easier to extend trace formats.
2	Generate Trace.vi** loads trace formats dynamically** (defaults to DETT Format.lvclass; override via AFDebugTraceFormat INI token).	Plug-in architecture lets you swap in custom trace sinks without recompiling the framework.
3	Automatic actor registration — Actor.vi no longer sends Register Actor Msg; registration is performed inside Actor Core.vi just before message handling begins.	Removes boilerplate and speeds up actor startup.
4	Stop Autostop Nested Actors.vi (protected)	Gives parent actors a “rogue-child panic button” to halt all autostop children while the parent keeps running.
5	Testing Support Palette — Adds Launch Actor.vi, Init Actor Queues FOR TESTING ONLY.vi, and Test Launch for Nested Actor Without Caller.vi.	Enables fast, headless unit testing of actors in CI pipelines.
6	Enqueuer / Last-Ack controls & constants now on palettes	Makes common datatype constants drag-and-drop accessible in development.
7	Improved PPL build experience — Specialty messages (Batch, Reply, Report Error, Self-Addressed) are now inside libraries; legacy copies are deprecated.	Simplifies PPL builds and avoids duplicate symbol errors.

For expanded notes, and a list of breaking changes, see the full 2.0.0.18 release page.

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Overview

Actor Framework (AF) is NI’s reference implementation of the Actor Model in LabVIEW. It enables large-scale, message-oriented applications with asynchronous actors that can be launched, monitored, and shut down predictably. This repo is the canonical upstream for AF beginning with v2.x and is maintained under the MIT license.

• Primary LabVIEW target: 2020 SP1 or later (32- & 64-bit)
• Package format: VIPM (.vip) built by GitHub Actions for every merge to main and tagged release.

State Pattern Actor is an add-on for Actor Framework that enables behavioral state for actors that inherit from this package's actor class. As it is optional, it has a separate installer.

• Primary LabVIEW target: The initial commit targets 2013 or later. It is likely unreasonable to maintain this level of backward compatibility.
• Package format: VIPM ('.vip')
• License variance: The initial commit and package are licensed under NI's old Sample Code license (2014). This should be updated to the MIT license with the next revision.

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Getting Started

1. Install the latest package from the Releases page or drag-and-drop the .vip onto VIPM.
2. Open Examples/Actor Framework/ in LabVIEW to explore sample projects.
3. For IDE palette integration, restart LabVIEW after installation.

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Contributing

We welcome both code and non-code contributions – everything from bug fixes and performance tweaks to documentation, testing, and discussion.

Contributor License Agreement (CLA)

External contributors must sign NI’s CLA once per GitHub account. A bot will prompt you on your first pull request; if not, NI staff will reach out directly.

Standard Feature Workflow

1. Check or Create an Issue
   • Discuss ideas on Discord or open a GitHub Discussion.
   • Once approved, the Steering Committee applies the label Workflow: Open to contribution.
2. Assignment
   • Comment on any issue labeled Workflow: Open to Contribution.
   • A maintainer assigns you and NI creates the feature branch.
3. First-Time Setup
   • Follow the steps in docs/self-hosted-runner.md (in progress) to register a self-hosted runner if you need one.
   • Fork the repository to your GitHub account.
4. Feature Development
   • Clone (or sync) your fork.
   • Implement changes and push to develop in your fork.
5. Build
   • CI builds a .vip and posts it as a pre-release on your fork’s Releases page.
6. Test
   • Install the pre-release package and verify the issue is resolved.
   • Note: the company name of your package will show the fork’s owner instead of “NI”.
7. Pull Request
   • Open a PR targeting the feature branch in the upstream repo.
   • Sign the CLA if the contribution is intended to ship with LabVIEW.
   • The Steering Committee and maintainers review, test, and iterate.
8. Merge & Release
   • After approval, the PR is eventually merged into main.
   • The functionality appears in the next LabVIEW release, and the GitHub release stream provides interim bug-fix and feature drops.

Other Ways to Help

• Test Actor Framework 2.0
• Improve Docs – README, CONTRIBUTING.md, Wiki.

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Governance & Communication & Communication

Actor Framework follows the same open-governance model as the LabVIEW Icon Editor:

• Technical Steering Committee (SteerCo): NI staff & community architects oversee roadmap and reviews.
• BDFL: NI retains final decision power for major direction changes.
• Discord: Join the NI Open Source Discord for real-time chat.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. By contributing, you agree to license your work under these terms so NI and the LabVIEW community can incorporate it into future LabVIEW distributions.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the LabVIEW community & the contributors who made Actor Framework 2.0 possible. Special thanks to @niACS, @CaseyZS, for leading the 2024 Q3 back-port initiative.

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