LabVIEW Idea Exchange

Remark: This example is using the numerical-double-data-type but it is valid for all other data-types, too. I'm using LabView 2011SP1 (german)

Creating a reference from a numerical-control is not new and very easy to do via the context menu. But I'm missing a similar function to create a double-control from a double-reference / double-reference-control.

This would be very helpful especially when there is a VI that requires a reference to a special data type as input and you need to create a control of exactly this datatype.

As already suggested in an other idea here in this board it would also be helpful to have a context menu entry that allows to create a reference control from a numerical control without make the detour with a reference in the block diagram.

Auto wire is very convenient most of the time. Sometimes, however, something like this happens:

To avoid that, you either need to place the second node very far away and move it back, or manually delete the wires, which can be a pain. Especially considering you see the wires it's going to add while you're dragging it, but have no way to tell LabVIEW you don't want them other than deleting them manually. It would be nice to be able to hold a key down to temporarily disable this feature.

But what if you don't notice it's going to place a wire until you've already placed it? There should be a key for that too. If there haven't been any edits since the last time something was auto-wired, you could just press a key and the last auto-wire would go away. A good way to do this would be to just have the auto-wiring count as a separate action in the undo buffer, so you can hit Ctrl+Z once to get rid of the wires, and again if you don't want the object you placed at all.

I would often like to directly compare numbers within an array control stretched vertically and with fixed-width font and have tried in vain in the past to include the sign of the number automatically so that alignment is not lost between psotive and negative numbers.

I'd love to be able to display the sign always (+ and -) so that I can maintain constant number width in my displays.

The digits under the long fgreen line SEEM to be the same decimal palce, but they are not.  The shift due to the sign is hard to spot and makes a cursory glance insufficient to distinguish numbers from each other.

I know I can get this done using minimum field width and padding with spaces but why can't I just show the sign?

That's all.

Shane.

If you configure a plot to use both left and right axes, the little dash marks can be mistaken for negative signs on the right axis:

In the above example, the right axis ranges from +80deg to +120deg. But it sure doesn't look like it!

Can we have an option to turn off those dashes? Or change the symbol?

Hi All,

I have recently encountered some problems when using libraries in my code whilst needing/wanting to disconnect multiple VI's from that library. I have found the process of manually selecting the VI's for disconnection to be rather tedious and time consuming (especially if they have enums and subVI's associated with them), I would suggest that perhaps the option of "disconnect all VI's from library" could possibility. After a brief discussion with some of my colleagues, some of which are very experienced developers, I have found they are reluctant to use them for this and various other reasons. I have managed to find a workaround for the solution on LAVA with this handy little script. I was surprised this functionality was not included in the development environment. Any input from other users with regards to the pro and cons they have encountered when using the libraries and other suggested workarounds would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I remember this in previous (pre-8.2) versions of LabVIEW - not sure why it was removed.  I have a use case to use projects as templates (like when someone wants to write a plugin for a utility I've written, I want to be able to send them a zip containing a project, methods, etc).  The project includes installer settings (so their files go into the right place under my util's plugins folder, but when they build and try to install their plugin, they get an error if another plugin bult using the same template has already been installed.  This is because the "Upgrade Code" (stored in the lvproj file) is the same (it tells Windows that the two products are the same, so subsequent installs are seen as upgrades or replacements, not new installs.

My memory tells me that I used to be able to hit a "Generate" button somewhere which would give me build a new code - all I'm asking for is that back (I can add a step in my work instruction to hit that button before you build).

I don't currently have a workaround for this (other than having engineers manually edit the lvproj file) - if anyone has a better idea, I'd love to hear it for the interim!

It would be nice to have a method to add words and phrases to the dictionary in the VI Analyzer.

It would be nice to have a short-cut key for toggling the tools palette instead of clicking view->tools palette.  I know several people have included versions of this in request for larger changes to the UI but I haven't found this request by itself.

Situation: if you use many SubVIs and one SubVI has an error, the arrow button is broken. A click on the button shows the error list and shows the first VI which is not executable.

If a sub-sub-SubVI has the error I have to click though all the vis to see the error.

I'd like to have only the "really" VI listed with the error.

Example:

main vi

- SubVI 1

- SubVI 2

-- sub-SubVI 1

---- sub-sub-SubVI 1

If sub-sub-SubVI 1 has an error and I click on the broken arrow button, it lists SubVI 2. There I have to click on the arrow button again and it lists the sub-SubVI 1 and so on.

It's much better when the error list show directly sub-sub-SubVI 1.

Hi

Suppose we have a big code in that a part of the code need not be executed ( still obeying the data flow).There is no option to do that .Those who are familiar with Matlab /Python  know there is acommenting option .Once commended thet statements will not get executed.The problem with LabVIEW now is in abid code if we want to try if a node need not get executed we have to delete it then claerind of wire will come.If we want to include it again we still have to do thwe same thing.If something is there ( may be a rectangle) when drawn around  a particular node keeps it away from the execution it will make development/testing  easy

I cannot find any way to turn off autogrow on the front panel. For example, if I put a tab control down, it autogrows to include someething that I put down. This is very annoying because I spend a lot of time trying to get things to fit to a window. The auto grow makes it so I have to constantly resize things.

In fact, it would be good to have a global function that turns off all autogrow.

It would be nice to have a primitive to check if a certain value is in an array. It seems like something that would exist already.

There's really nothing more to say here.

   I've developed a UI technique for creating highly-configurable apps that utilizes a lot of Text Ring controls to allow the user to select from a list of channels or labels or ...  I track the lists of channels, labels, alarms, etc. as the app is configured, and load the Text Rings with them so that the end user does not have to ensure absolutely correct spelling.  Then I convert the text ring to a string value before storing the configuration.  Since the list of channels is so dynamic, it is much safer to save each selected channel as a string than as a position within a list.

   The trick is that when I convert from the Text Ring to the String, I have to use the value of the Text Ring to index an array of all the strings.  Often I keep that array in a handy place, like a shift register, but at times, it is more convenient to read the Strings[] property of the Text Ring itself.  What would be even more convenient would be if there were a "Current String" property that returned the String value associated with the current Text Ring (integer) value.

I've thought for some time that the editing of icons and the glyphs available is very limited.

Is there any way to have a user folder available where I can place icons or glyphs that I’ve created or downloaded. That can then become available to me in the icon editor either under a new tab or in the glyphs?

Using the quick-drop with a wire (typically the error wire) selected, one can insert a vi.

It would be awesome to select two wires (say the error, and a tdms refnum), and insert a single vi that consumes both wires, as opposed to creating two vis - one for each wire.

One of the many attractive things about LabVIEW, is the fact that if you can think logically, most likely, you could write LabVIEW code. However, there are lots of coding opportunities in the world, that require code that is developed in C or C++, especially products that use embedded SW.

Since "G" is based upon "C", I was wondering if it would be feasible to create a development tool that would allow the user to develop in LabVIEW, but also convert or create equivalent "C" or "C++" code that could could literally be inserted into a program. I've used the .dll creation utility for C developers to use in various "test" type applications, but have yet to find a way to use that method constructively for embedded projects.