LabVIEW
Darren's Weekly Nugget 11/20/2006
@Darren wrote:
The number of elements in the array that is wired to the Array to Cluster function is dynamic, i.e. it could be anything at run-time. Since the elements in a cluster are a part of its data type, and LabVIEW is a strictly-typed language, LabVIEW cannot compile a VI that contains a cluster with an unknown number of elements. Thus, you must statically define the number of elements in the generated cluster at edit time.
And yes, we are aware of the difficulties regarding functions with these "hidden" configuration options, and we're looking into ways of addressing this issue in a future LabVIEW version.
-D
The Array to Cluster node should, IMO, have an optional "type" input that allows setting the output cluster type and, therefore, size. One of the most common patterns for using the Array to Cluster node is when one is iterating over the elements of a cluster, by first converting it to an array using the Cluster to Array node, which means that you have the original cluster type readily available.
In fact, this technique is possible with arbitrary clusters using the OpenG Variant tools (lvdata library): convert the cluster to an array of variants, iterate over the array, and convert the array of variants back into a cluster.
Message Edited by Jim Kring on 11-23-2006 10:20 AM
You mean like this (actual code)
Shane.
Message Edited by shoneill on 11-24-2006 08:17 AM
Just one thing I noticed about the "array to cluster" function, the maximum size that can be set is 256 but what surprised me is that 0 can be set
but if 0 is set it will actually operate like if 1 was set...Weird, no ?
That's too much honor... Basically I said "you can't do this" and there you came with the trick.
Your hate of "you can't do this"-replies is the one to be honored 😉
I once read this sentence (don't remember who it is from) "We are not limited by the vast domain of the possible, but by the space inside us"
Love your come-back Shane. 
Since many of us are putting together the same constructs (cluster to array ...) so we can iterate through a cluster....
How would Y'all feel about adding the ability to directly index through a cluster on the edge of a For or While loop?
Is this a good idea or a bad one?
Your thoughts?
Ben
@shoneill wrote:
Jim,
You mean like this (actual code)
Shane.Message Edited by shoneill on 11-24-2006 08:17 AM
Hi Shane,
The Type Cast function is a good solution for clusters of fixed-width clusters (i.e., brown-wired clusters), with elements of numerics, booleans, etc. However, it won't work on variable-widthed clusters (i.e., pink-wired clusters), with elements of strings, arrays, etc.
Cheers,
Message Edited by Jim Kring on 11-24-2006 12:10 PM
