topic Re: Pet Peeves in BreakPoint

Pet Peeves

altenbach — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:19:45 GMT

Browsing the forum we will always come across code where something is weird. Maybe this thread collection will help formulate some VI posting guidelines in the future.

Here are some of my pet peeves, I'm sure you have some too.

I don't like:

VIs that are set to "run when opened"
Front panels that are saved with the window "maximized to screen"
Block diagrams that are ... (see above).
VIs that contain spaces in the filename, because they will be replaced by "%20" during download.
Block diagrams with non-white background color. (no matter what you pick, one wire type will be camouflaged ;))
Demo VIs with all controls at default (empty arrays, zeroes, etc.). VIs should have some typical default data so we don't have to guess what the inputs should contain.
...

For points 2 and 3, it seems everybody maximizes everything lately and I am wondering if I am in the minority. 😮 I always work on multiple VIs at the same time and need to see several diagrams at once (plus the web browser, the graphics program, the word processor, etc.). I feel cramped with the window maximised. Maybe others work better in "tunnel vision" mode, where nothing else can distract from the single VI diagram under investigation. 😉 What do you prefer?

Re: Pet Peeves

tbob — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:33:44 GMT

My pet peeve is when someone posts a vi and he/she doesn't mention what version it is in. I usually use LV 7.1.1, and when I try to open an LV 8.x vi, I get the warning message. Then I have to close LV 7.1.1 and open LV 8.2.

But hold on, I have just installed Labview Version Chooser, see http://www.dataact.com/LVC.htm. It recognizes what version the vi is written in and gives you the chance to open it in that version. Pretty good stuff.

Also, I have a dual monitor system, so I can place vi's all over the place. Makes it much easier to copy and paste from one vi to another. I never need to maximize. I share that pet peeve with Altenbach. It is worth the investment in another monitor and a dual video card.

Re: Pet Peeves

Jaegen — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:06:47 GMT

That's funny, because I have two monitors and now I like maximizing VI block diagrams: I can have my LV stuff maximized on one monitor and use the other for everything else. I think this one has to be considered personal preference.

My current pet peeve is NI example VIs with block diagram windows that aren't saved big enough to show all the code - but that's just because I've been looking at a lot of them lately.

Re: Pet Peeves

TCPlomp — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:07:18 GMT

I stumbled upon some code which said just ' F*** you'....

The programmer was kinda annoyed by his own work that he would punish himself every time it ran....
Cursing/swearing is for me the limit. (amongst others)

Ton

Re: Pet Peeves

Dennis_Knutson — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:52:04 GMT

7. Non-descriptive topics (i.e. I need Help)

8. Topic but nothing in the message.

9. "I get an error when running my program" and then not providing the error code.

10. Attaching only the top level VI

11...

Re: Pet Peeves

tbd — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 06:02:55 GMT

... 11) sparsely populated diagrams with Loops and cases the size of Montana

12) Nailing obscure answers - and not receiving a peep of "Thanks" - or stars!

Message Edited by tbd on 03-28-2007 01:04 AM

Re: Pet Peeves

tst — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 10:45:52 GMT

Opening a maximized VI may be annoying, but opening a non-maximized VI with a width of 2842 pixels on a 1024*768 can be more annoying.

altenbach wrote:
Block diagrams with non-white background color. (no matter what you pick, one wire type will be camouflaged ;))

Yes, but what about the white wires?

For those who don't know them, the white wires are a little known feature of LV. They are used to carry all the background data LV needs to perform its work and basically hold the diagram together. You can sometimes see them if you color your diagram in a different color and run with execution highlighting.

Demo VIs with all controls at default (empty arrays, zeroes, etc.). VIs should have some typical default data so we don't have to guess what the inputs should contain.

That's simply easy to forget.

Re: Pet Peeves

shoneill — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 11:18:11 GMT

Or what about front panels / diagrams appearing off-screen due to the previous user's multiple-monitor set-up.......

Shane.

Ps Tst, I agree on the "That's simply easy to forget.". It's the only excuse I have!

Message Edited by shoneill on 03-28-2007 01:18 PM

Re: Pet Peeves

RayFarmer — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 11:47:07 GMT

@tbob wrote:

My pet peeve is when someone posts a vi and he/she doesn't mention what version it is in. I usually use LV 7.1.1, and when I try to open an LV 8.x vi, I get the warning message. Then I have to close LV 7.1.1 and open LV 8.2.

long long long time ago, I did make a suggestion that versions were quoted as part of the message, even make the 'Post a message' mechanism ask for version(s). It would make life easier for those answering the post.

Ray.

Re: Pet Peeves

Ben — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 12:48:17 GMT

I think I generally try to cut the questioner a lot of slack but my biggest peev is the reply that reads

"You can't do that in LabVIEW."

When they really should have posted

"I don't know how to do that in LabVIEW and I am not going to take the time to figure it out or ask anyone who might know."

I can't count the number of times I found myself stopping all real work to nip those falsehoods in the bud.

Ben

Message Edited by Ben on 03-28-2007 07:49 AM

Re: Pet Peeves

Ben — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 12:55:09 GMT

Another peev of mine is hypocrasy. See this thread on LAVA

http://forums.lavag.org/LEDarray-t7082.html&st=0

Ben,

Shut up and do some coding!

Message Edited by Ben on 03-28-2007 07:57 AM

Re: Pet Peeves

altenbach — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 14:40:29 GMT

@tst wrote:

...

Yes, but what about the white wires?

For those who don't know them, the white wires are a little known feature of LV. They are used to carry all the background data LV needs to perform its work and basically hold the diagram together. You can sometimes see them if you color your diagram in a different color and run with execution highlighting.

Demo VIs with all controls at default (empty arrays, zeroes, etc.). VIs should have some typical default data so we don't have to guess what the inputs should contain.

That's simply easy to forget.

Yes, the "white wires". Actually, they are not really white, but magically adapt to any current background color. 😉 They also carry data from locals(write) to locals(read).

Loading data into controls is not only easy to forget, beginners also don't really know how to do that. Tha't why we need a nice article "guidelines for posting code" that would explain it in a sentence or two.

Back to the peeves:

Posting a small demo VI but attaching it as a 5MB application distribution, containing all VI.lib VIs used in the project.
Posting a gigantic llb with hundreds of VIs with no word on what the toplevel is.
Attaching an image as a bmp. or as an oversized image containing huge areas of white space.
linking to an image that resides on the posters HD, nobody will ever see it.
Posting a gigantic VI with hundreds of controls and indicators with the only words "It does not work".
Posting a huge diagram without pointing out which of the 20 stacked sequence frames contains the problem code.

Re: Pet Peeves

tbd — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 03:55:47 GMT

#1138 Posting a huge diagram without pointing out which of the 20 nearly identical stacked sequence frames...

#1139 This isn't a pet-peeve, really - more of a one time issue. One time I opened a VI that must have been "doctored" because nothing appeared to happen yet it seems to have changed at least one registry-setting, loaded a key-logger, and installed a malicious-fish screen-saver that made my real pet fish swallow its tongue - then the fish-tank exploded, the house caught on fire, I died, etc...

Message Edited by tbd on 03-29-2007 10:59 PM

Re: Pet Peeves

Ray.R — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 12:08:49 GMT

Altenbach missed this one:

this link

I thought he was gonna loose it.. 😉

Re: Pet Peeves

altenbach — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:52:53 GMT

Modifying a VI, then posting it under the same VI name as the original VI attachment in the original post.

Now anyone needs to save whatever is opened first under a new name, simply to be able to quickly view both versions side-by-side.

(http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&message.id=260015#M260015)

Re: Pet Peeves

MRedRaider — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:56:59 GMT

Using LabVIEW daily for a few years now and still missing the obvious.

Re: Pet Peeves

johnsold — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:02:39 GMT

Posting a VI containing lots of DAQ VIs (or other hardware related stuff) when the question has to do with analysis of data. This is obviously related to the posting with default data peeve.

Posters who, after receiving the same answer from a Knight and several Zealous and Enthusiastic Veterans, ask again why their original program still does not work.

Lynn

p.s., I agree with Ray Farmer that the posting page should ask for LV versions, especially on attached VIs.

Re: Pet Peeves

PhillipBrooks — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:01:12 GMT

Why should it be necessary to tell the forum what version the VI is? Couldn't the VI's header be read by the forum and the text added automatically? The forums already add date/time notes to my posts when I edit them...

Like the one below...

Message Edited by Phillip Brooks on 07-20-2007 09:01 AM

Re: Pet Peeves

mcduff — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 00:29:43 GMT

Reviving old zombie threads 🙂
Threads with single word titles like LabVIEW, DAQ, Help Please!!!
Long threads where the OP asks multiple questions, sometimes changing questions, and gives no kudos.
Attachments with the following extensions: tar, 7z, doc, docx, ppt, pptx
Private messages asking for help
Asking questions such as "can my DAQ sample at XX", when a quick look at the specs would give the answer.
Questions like "I am new to LabVIEW and have been tasked to write facial recognition software/voice recognition software etc." Does anybody know where to start?

mcduff

Re: Pet Peeves

wiebe@CARYA — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 08:50:20 GMT

@mcduff wrote:

Reviving old zombie threads 🙂

Threads with single word titles like LabVIEW, DAQ, Help Please!!!

Long threads where the OP asks multiple questions, sometimes changing questions, and gives no kudos.

Attachments with the following extensions: tar, 7z, doc, docx, ppt, pptx

Private messages asking for help

Asking questions such as "can my DAQ sample at XX", when a quick look at the specs would give the answer.

Questions like "I am new to LabVIEW and have been tasked to write facial recognition software/voice recognition software etc." Does anybody know where to start?

mcduff

8. Attaching images. Insert an image and\or attach a VI. *Sigh*

9. The "LMGTFY" question. Similar to 6., the first hit on Google is the answer.

10. Starting a new thread with the same question.