Empty string constant in a cluster

[AmandaBacala]

I think I remember seeing somewhere that you get points deducted for using a general string constant that happens to be empty as opposed to an empty string constant. This might be mentioned in the style guide.

But I just noticed that you can't put an empty string constant in a cluster constant! Only a string constant that is empty.

So if I needed to create a cluster constant of empty strings, would I lose style points for using a string constant with nothing in it rather than an empty string constant? If so, is there a way to do this without losing style points?

[Gregory · Accepted solution]

I wouldn't worry about that. But, in cases where you do want an empty string, like to clear out an indicator, it is good to use dedicated empty string constant

[JÞB · Accepted solution]

The empty string constant isn't really a constant.  Its really a vi similar to this:

saved without its block diagram.  That is the reason it won't go in a cluster (and how would you change the string value?)

[AmandaBacala]

Makes sense! Thank you!

[altenbach]

If you need to make a cluster constant, other things are much more important:

1. Give each element a descriptive label and show it.
2. Display the elements in cluster order to avoid surprises (e.g. "arrange vertically").
3. Give each element a useful default value. (whatever they typically are or even a sentinel string "- empty -", "N/A", "not set", etc.)

This often simplifies the code and is automatically self-documenting, especially if you later always use (un)bundle by name.

[altenbach]

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@JÞB wrote:

That is the reason it won't go in a cluster (and how would you change the string value?)

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This explanation is incorrect. It is true that the space constant is a VI (for no good reason, really), but primitives such as , EOL, Tab, -Inf, Pi, Ln2, etc. are NOT subVIs but still cannot go into a cluster constant container.

There reason is more general. Clusters cannot contain constants. Period. 😉

(They can contains other stuff such a free labels and decorations, though. :D)

( I guess disallowing constants was a very early design decision and probably not a bad one. Still, constant could be allowed in principle, because they just define a datatype and initial value)