How to design a front panel vector indicator (display)

[Infodeck1]

Dear everyone,

I am trying to create from a scratch a vector front panel indicator. I would like to to pass both wind speed and direction to this single vector display or indicator. This vector would be in form or a circle with appropriate scales, and a  needle. The needle would move round the circle indicating the wind direction and the length of the needed increases with change in wind speed.

I wonder if any one could point me in the right direction please

Thanks for helping

infodeck1

[_Ian_]

I'd go for an x-y graph.

Plotting a line from the origin to another coordinate will give you length and direction which can be updated as the data comes in. I'm pretty sure I've seen polar to x-y coordinate functions on the palettes which might make life easier but I forget where to find them right now.

Playing around with transparency or background images on the graph will make it look like a circle rather than a boring rectangular graph.

Ian

[aeastet]

If you use a gage control I think you can get what you are looking for. If you do not want the numbers inside then you can turn them off. You can also customize the control to make it look like what you want. See the code below.

[Infodeck1]

Thanks  for your sample VI,

I am not sure I understand what you meant by using gauge control. I intend to make the red needle go round for the wind direction and at the same time the length of the red needle changing with increase in wind speed. So only one indicator showing two events at the same time.

Thanks for your help

infodeck1

[Infodeck1]

Thanks for your suggestion, I found the polar plot on the pallete programming => Graphics and sounds =>picture plots. I would investigate how to use this to achieve my goal.

Looked at the x-y graph, I am wondering how to change the appearance to circlular display if its possible?

Thanks for your help

Infodeck1

[_Ian_]

The polar plot could be a good route, although perhaps a little more effort to implement.

Tim's suggestion sounds pretty simple (although I can't open his example). I wondered about this to start with, but wasn't sure how best to represent the windspeed via the length of the dial.

For x-y graph implementation, see the attached. I've just put some decorations on the front panel and plonked an xy graph on top. The graph is made transparent (shift-right click, select paintbrush, right click the graph, click the T in the top right corner of the colour box)

Hope that helps. Don't forget to consider the other options on offer - this is only one route (although it does seem to work!)

Ian

EDIT: Oops, forgot the attachment! Lets try again...

[aeastet]

what version of LabVIEW are you using?

[_Ian_]

I'm festering back in v8.5.

If you could back save a version that'd be great - I'm curious!

Thanks,

Ian

[Infodeck1]

I am using labVIEW 2010.

Thanks guys

Infodeck1

[Ben]

i used a 3D graph to render the wind spped vector.

Two points, the origin and the vector is all it takes.

Ben