Localized Diagram Expansion

[Ken_Brey]

I would like a feature similar to Control-Click-Drag which creates room within a diagram.  However, this version (Alt-Click-Drag) would create a rectangle of empty space bounded by the endpoints fo the drag, but only move those objects which within the new area.  Those objects would expand outward and push any objects which they bump into while expanding.  Objects which are distant would not be pushed.

[X.]

Maybe NI could first fix the problems existing with the current "Expand" function:

gives:

The expansion is already local in the sense that it is not propagated beyong the For Loop. I am not implying that I have a solution, just pointing one of the problems with the expansion. Your suggestion ("bomb expansion") sounds fun but I am afraid it would result in very messy diagrams (usually one expands when things are becoming packed already).

[Mads]

Expansions, contractions(!) - and cleanups should generally have a minimized effect on the surrounding structures. If you want to expand an area, and it is possible (i.e. geometrically and (optionally) wire-bend wise...) without moving other parts of the diagram, then LabVIEW should not move those other parts. For limited cleanups the same principle has been proposed here.

[X.]

I agree (and BTW, that limited selection cleanup works in LV 2012) but who would want the result I am showing above? I am just saying, do the cleanup for me, please.

[EWest]

I agree with Mads, and I think he captures what Ken is proposing.  I'll sum it up like this: You should be able to "push" block diagram objects out of the way, and the pushing propagates only as far as is necessary to ensure that no blocks are too close together, or wires are bent backwards. For example, if I have a big For loop with a string of VIs inside it, and then I need to add another VI, I should be able to push the VIs apart to create separation, but without exanding the surrounding For loop.  This is especially applicable when working on a top-level VI like a State machine or Queued Message Handler.  I don't want my overall architecture to grow when I need to add a bit more space to insert a new VI.

[Mads]

I do not think the limited cleanup's behaviour have been changed in 2012. It might have been tewaked, but it still allows itself to modify the layout outside the selected cleanup area - and even worse; it modifies parts of the code that could have been kept 100% intact without it having any effect on the cleanup. The core of the idea I proposed was to truly limit the cleanup to the selected area; with no expansion outside it allowed - but even if it did get to expand beyound that frame it should *never* move structures that can be kept as they...This is especially visible if you have paralell while loops for example. Try to cleanup something within one of them that does not require the while loop to expand towards the other loop. If they share output wires the wires coming out of the other loop might need to strech to match the new length of the other structure, but that's not what LabVIEW does - it actually moves and streches the whole other loop as well. This easily makes more mess than the cleanup removed.

[X.]

We agree on the fact the clean-up tool (and other so-called productivity enhancement tools) need some serious overhaull (I am wondering what kind of feedback the beta testers provided to NI and what was fixed and what was posponed to ... whenever :-).

Again, my point is that before you ask for NEW features, check whether the existing ones are in need of a fix (i.e. a corrective action request, aka CAR).

[Darren]

Any idea that has received less than 7 kudos within 7 years after posting will be automatically declined.