Use Input Device to Help Program LabVIEW

[RD2011]

Most other Graphical Computer Programs like Drafting Software, PCB Layout software, Schematic Capture software etc. allow users to use alternative HID's to help navigate, provide hot-keys things like that. Has any body got one of these things and given this a shot?

Things to do:

Move the block diagram "under" a selected device, this means with your mouse you pick up an object, with the HID you can slide the block diagram around like scrolling but faster. (Even faster than Shift-Scroll!)

Zoom (one day...)

Hot Keys for placing/routing/cleaning

HID's

Touchpad, providing a way to scroll around with the mouse selects stuff?

Something more magical and unecessary, really: http://www.3dconnexion.com/products/spacemousewireless.html

[Jacobson-ni]

RD2011,

First of all, that 3D mouse does indeed look magical.  I'm not sure how I would ever use that, but I am really glad you linked it.

This is not something I have experience with, but you might be interested in some of the things you can do through VI scripting.  All of our quick drop shortcuts are made using VI scripting.  You could potentially make your own script and add that into LabVIEW.  If you then create some simple macros for your extra keys you could do some pretty cool things.  The links below will help you get started.  To make a Quickdrop Plugin from a template, you can access the template in the following location for LabVIEW 2014 

C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2014\resource\dialog\QuickDrop\Quickdrop Plugin Template.vit

http://labviewartisan.blogspot.com/2009/08/write-your-own-quick-drop-keyboard.html

https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-4973

[RD2011]

This will certainly take some investigating. But it looks like it could be a very powerful way to simplify programming. Let's see what can be done...

[Jacobson-ni]

I'm taking a look into this myself.  This was something I was unaware of in LabVIEW but you have certainly piqued my interest.

[RD2011]

Sounds good! I can't wait to get some time invested in this first thing is to get a USB trackpad or one of those sweet 3D mice.

[JÞB]

Just to get your heartrate up a few beats:

My current development set-up consists of a laptop and dual monitors while docked.

I duplicate the desktop to the left external monitor (I Always save my LabVIEW on Primary monitor) and extend the desktop to monitor 3.

Here comes the fun:  I have mic and earphones and LV Speak is installed

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This is the link to LVSpeak Basic, which will show the components used in the actual LVSpeak+QuickEdit distribution

http://lavag.org/topic/15955-labview-speak-basic/

This is the link to the pre-released version of LVS+QEC along with the marshal/launcher utilites.

LVS+QEC -> https://app.box.com/s/8f8hw6gyjpubcy12yapi

Launcher+Marshal -> https://app.box.com/s/mob2eydr0tiqfrjjrbyv

This is the link to a brief getting started video

http://screencast.com/t/lYnBgbsu-------------------------Credits to Norm Kirchner

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And my Laptop has a touchscreen!   It is a bit odd to watch me code since my right hand moves between mouse and touchscreen while I talk to my computer and type left handed.  When I get fast at it (Still ramping up with LV Speak and working out custom "Flicks" gestures.)  Darren Nattinger might just have some unexpected competition next August.  He is fast- but this setup is getting rather zippy.

[RD2011]

Sounds like a pretty fast setup. At work we have dual monitors and widescreen at that; makes for some serious development area.

I have looked into LabVIEW Speak, but I am skeptical about talking to myself.

When I used to do AutoCAD modelling I could burn through a few hundred clicks a minute, I liked how that program was designed to allow the modeller to navigate through the environment. I am looking to combine those powers into a LabVIEW setup, zoom obviously witholding.

[RD2011]

All of that said. If you design the code properly navigating the environment won't be a problem. I have the unfortunate task of digging up code from the ruins of LabVIEW 6.1 and having to update it.

The days before legitimite standards make for some scary artifacts!

[JÞB]

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@RD2011 wrote:

The days before legitimite standards make for some scary artifacts!

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Three words ( or, one TLA, Three Letter Acronym,) VIA.

[Jacobson-ni]

Jeff,

I tried out the LVS that you linked.

I was very excited, my colleagues were less than thrilled.  It was a very fun tool to use, but I was not able to get it working reliably which was probably a mix of using my manager's $9 omnidirectional mic and trying to be somewhat quiet while using the tool.  I might give this another try when I'm on my personal computer at home.  I was wondering, becuase I didn't get much time to test this out, what do the Space Odyssey commands do?

On the other hand, I was able to make my own quick drop command to make a cluster out of the highlighted controls, so the scripting was pretty successful.