Ability to pack more classes onto Block Diagram!

[JackDunaway]

Help! I need a way to pack more Classes onto my Block Diagrams!

This idea is simple and quite subtle- reduce the size of the Class Constant on the Block Diagram. The majority of the footprint belongs to the Class Icon, which cannot be sized smaller, but the additional border graphic that creates the "Object Cube" effect can be reduced to give a total footprint of 42x42 pixels down from 48x48 pixels. (If you're counting, that's a 42% reduction in "fluff", discounting the 32x32 that must remain!)

If you're not crazy about the first-draft artwork, feel free to post a new rendition in the Comments section!

[JackDunaway]

Eagle-eyes may notice I slipped in an additional Idea to the original - changing the color of the "Object Cube" borders to match the dominant color of the Class Wire. Basically, while fiddling with the pixels, it was evident that the Maroon color of the Base LabVIEW Object just didn't look quite right once reduced in size. I decided it made more sense for the Class Constant to inherit it's icon from it's Class Definition, rather than the maroon color from the Base LabVIEW Object. After this change, the prelim artwork had a much more appealing look.

(The one block where this looks weird is the yellow block. Perhaps, that's just a sign that Yellow's not a good color to choose anyway for a wire color!)

So, basically, the essence of this Idea is to reduce the footprint of the Object Constant, and I threw in this secondary Idea to make it more aesthetically palatable. 🙂 Keep an eye out on the Idea Exchange - this could be a new Idea that we can evaluate separately from the size issue 😉

[smercurio_fc]

I've always wondered why there's no "View as Icon"-like option available for class constants on the block diagram. NI sure does love those big icons, as aficianados of Express VIs are well aware of.

[MikeeB]

How about they have the ability to be compressed like a cluster constant, even more space, just add a top hat like the new typedef but in a different place to show class. Or just a top hat, you have to have class to wear a top hat 

[Daklu]

I agree the object contstants are too big, and like smercurio wondered why they aren't 32x32 like all the other icons.  I like the idea, but there's no reason (IMO) why they should be any bigger than other icons.

[JackDunaway]

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@smercurio_fc wrote:

I've always wondered why there's no "View as Icon"-like option available for class constants on the block diagram.

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@Daklu wrote:

I agree the object contstants are too big, and like smercurio wondered why they aren't 32x32 like all the other icons.  I like the idea, but there's no reason (IMO) why they should be any bigger than other icons.

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It seems important to distinguish an object constant from a cluster constant from an Icon-view terminal from a static VI ref from a SubVI.... A SubVI has no borders, whereas all other types have a type of container encapsulating the 32x32 icon.

I'm in favor of reducing the size of the "object box" that surrounds the 32x32 icon, not getting rid of it, but there's no reason we can't evaluate that separately as another Idea!

[David S.]

I have no idea why this primitive is so monolithic. I cringe every time I have to drop it. I agree that it should be reduced to 32x32 or smaller.

[Petru_Tarabuta]

FWIW, the following is a recent duplicate idea: Reduced Class constant Icon size. It was posted on 13 March 2025.