ActiveX refnum custom probe as numeric

[TS9]

Hi all,

   Ok this may be simple or impossible but I can't figure it out. 

When you probe an ActiveX refnum wire on the diagram, it shows as a unique number (or 0 if its not valid).  This is useful if the refnum changes (like stepping thru a XML file using DOMDocument) 

   However when I tried to do a custom probe, the probe shows up as the refnum control icon so you can't see a number.  This doesn't help me.  I tried changing that control in the custom probe to a numeric but it breaks.  (actually when I tried to use a numeric array as the custom probe in LV2010 for a refnum array, it gave me a message about incompatible type and then it crashed)

  Is there a way to show the number of the refnum in a custom probe?  I guess that would be the same as showing the number instead of the control on a regular front diagram, so maybe it has to be separated out first but how does the simple builtin probe do it?

On a side note, using the Probe Watch Window, for 1D or 2D arrays, the Probe Display just shows a single element.  Is there a way to expand the array to show more than 1 element in that window? The values are all shown on the left side in a single line but with 2D arrays especially its hard to see where the next column starts.

Thanks for your help.

[Joel Khan · Accepted solution]

TS9,

Please refer to the following Knowledge Base when attempting to display a refnum value in labview. Using type casting to U32 I was able to extract the refnum number and output to a indicator using the following code. I had to make the display format for the indicator hexadecimal; you can do this by right clicking the indicator and clicking display format.

You can use this idea when you create a custom probe. Make sure you select "new.." custom probe (and select new probe). This will create a vi with a block diagram and front panel. You could create a custom probe that does the same as this indicator. 

Hope this helps. 

<Joel Khan | Applications Engineering | National Instruments | Rice University BSEE> 

[TS9]

Cool.  That works great.  Thanks.