Detailed Error Info at a Glance in Context Help

[Mr._Jim]

Many times a day I need to look at the full text of an error cluster's "source" string.

The workflow for this has always been awkward.

Additionally, "Explain Error" also requires some extra clicks.

What if we combined all of that functionality into the context help so that, when the user mouses over a populated error cluster with context help enabled, the user can see all the relevant information quickly?

[Mr._Jim]

Whoops, I put the wrong error descriptions in "Default" and "Alternate", but you get the idea.

[crossrulz]

Error 43 is only "Operation cancelled by user."  Error 7 is "File not found" or "Nonexistent GPIB interface".

But the actual idea, I like it.  There should be something other than the data type (ie a cluster with a numeric, boolean, and string) to tell the context help to do the error lookup.  Perhaps the exact naming of the items of the cluster?  Or having "error" in the control/indicator name?

I'm also not a fan of the "Default" and "Alternate" outputs.  Just put in all of the possible explanations like the Explain Error already does.

[Mr._Jim]

Hey @crossrulz,

Yes, I did mess up the error explanations as noted above. I guess I could have gone back and fixed the graphic. 

The reason I went for the "Default" and "Alternate" is because of what NI's internal error database VI returns for error 7:

LabVIEW: (Hex 0x7) File not found. The file might be in a different location or deleted. Use the command prompt or the file explorer to verify that the path is correct.
=========================
Nonexistent GPIB interface.

I've gotten the comment, "...but I don't have any GPIB hardware" for error messages like this when they are read by new users or non-LabVIEW people.
I thought it would be more obvious if it were spelled out as an alternate explanation, but I also completely see where you're coming from.

[wiebe@CARYA]

It should (obviously) support multiple errors (the JSON formatting you get when you retain errors in the merge error function). So should explain error...