Classic Palettes on LV 8.2.1

[m3nth]

After an initial install of LV 8.2 I was really disappointed with the Palette setup.  Not that the new setup is bad, but that there's no easy way to get the previous 'Classic' setup.  Further efforts to get the palettes into some usable configuration where most function/control drops take two clicks instead of three was a huge headache that revealed several inconsistencies and problems in the palette editing interface.

So here's my quick list--if I missed something please feel free to point it out. 

From what I could find there is:

1) No easy way to switch to a classic menu mode
2) No easy way to move items from a submenu to a top-level menu (palette editing)
3) No easy way to show a submenu and a top level menu at the same time (palette editing)
4) No way to access the "Always Visible Categories" option when in icon mode instead of category mode

Item 4 implementation half makes sense if you stick with the fact that you're talking about 'categories', but in icon mode you may want to hide an icon.  How do do that?  Switch to category mode, hide the category, switch back to icon mode (puhlease, can we just leave the option enabled so it works in icon mode to hide things?)

Item 3 is also possible, but not easy.  In fact, I did it on accident and afterwards could not figure out how I showed two menus at the same time to move icons back and forth.  Then the rep I talked to at NI couldn't either and said to file a product suggestion.  At any rate, it's a capability but I'm not sure how to get it to work.

Item 2 is solved by implementing Item 3 (or making it straightforward since I know it is already implemented)

Without two windows side-by-side to move items from a sub-menu to the main menu, it is still possible to set up the palettes 'classic'-style but just really painful.
- Find the item you want to move to the top level
- Display the .mnu file path
- Go to the top level
- RIght Click > Insert subpalette
- Select option for link to an existing .mnu file
- Paste the directory for the LabVIEW menus which you found previously in Explorer
- Select the right file
- Repeat this 10 or so times to get everything moved.

The result is eventually a more classic looking palette, but it was very very difficult to obtain, given that it probably could have been a check mark.  Attached are screenshots of what I eventually wound up with after a first cut.

[Marc_A]

I'm not sure I see the problem. I use the categories layout (picture attached). Aside from a different appearance, it works the same way. The top section of icons on your functions palette is the programming category, this automatically expands on mine since it is the first category so I see the same thing. The bottom section of your palette are just icons that represent each category. You see a G icon, I see the word "OpenG", but hovering over it expands the OpenG palette in exactly the same way. I've never clicked more than twice to select a function. I didn't go through any process to rearrange the palettes, so what is different?

I do agree that the palette editing is tedious, and an effort should definitely be made to simplify it.

[tst]

OpenG should have a classic palettes setup.

[Coal_Man]

I understand the frustration with the functions palette.  It is very flexible in what you can make easily accessable, and is a personal choice for each developer depending on what functions he/she uses the most.  However, it does take some effort to customize your view the way you want it to be. 

I would recommend that you create a product suggestion explaining your difficulties with the edit functions palette utility along with cases in which it might be useful to change to the classic view with a push of a button.  R&D listens to these suggestions very closely so that we can further improve LabVIEW. 

The product suggestion center can be found here:

http://digital.ni.com/applications/psc.nsf/default?openform

Have a great day,

[tst]

You might also wish to read Greg's explanation here.