Path Type Function needs another return for an empty path

[RTSLVU]

Path Type Function returns 0 Absolute Path if the path is empty.

It should return 2 <Not A Path> or better yet a 3 <Empty Path> when path is empty.

Sure I could check to see if the control = not a path or = empty path, but it would be nce to have one function to check.

[AristosQueue (NI)]

RTSLVU: This is a very old API that predates my time on LabVIEW. My guess is that there was a desire to strictly segregate "type" from "value" in the language primitives. That seems like a good division to have in the language primitives, but I can see the use for a higher-level function also in the palettes that aggregates the functionality.

As a workaround today, you can, of course, write such a VI yourself and add it to your user.lib.

Out of curiosity... what would you name such a VI, assuming we kept the existing primitives in the palettes?

[crossrulz]

It is called the OpenG Valid Path.vi.  It is in the OpenG file library.

[RTSLVU]

I would not change the name at all, just add the new fuctionality

[AristosQueue (NI)]

RTSLVU: My point was that the existing primitives need to stay exactly as they are, untouched, but that a new combo functionality could be introduced as a new VI in the palettes.

An empty path as an absolute path is a valid path on UNIX-based systems.

[RTSLVU]

I see, couldn't he functionality be different depending on the operating system?

[AristosQueue (NI)]

> I see, couldn't he functionality be different depending on the operating system?

Not really... what about a windows machine that is processing information from a remote client? The path might not be interpreted on the local system. As a primitive of the language, we need a node that can handle even the bleeding edge use cases.

A new higher level node might be given more specialized functionality (even if it is the 80% use case, it's still a specialization).

[Darren]

RTSLVU: I'm planning on adding a VI to the Comparison palette in LabVIEW 2014 called "Is Path and Not Empty?". It will return a TRUE if the input path is anything other than <Not a Path> or empty path. Is this a sufficient solution for your use case? If so, I'll move this idea to "In Development".

[RTSLVU]

Yes that would work for me.