Community Nugget: Clear up your front panel a bit

[GregFreeman]

While this does not directly relate, it does have to do w/ captions and labels. As was mentioned earlier, captions can only be changed from the front panel. I use captions when you have something like "Car Wash Status Indicator" (CLD example) but on the block diagram you don't want all that text. So you set the label to cwStatInd or something of the like.

Now, because captions can only be changed from the FP, you have to right click hide (or move) label, show caption, edit caption. Then change label and hide it again or go to the BD and change it. Why isn't the caption the default shown when you drop a control on the FP. That way you set the caption on the FP, go to the BD and change the label--- DONE.

This only makes sense to me. If there is a way to set the caption as the default shown, please let me know! It will save me a decent amount of time. If not, then I will propose this suggestion in the idea exchange.

[RavensFan]

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for(imstuck) wrote:

 As was mentioned earlier, captions can only be changed from the front panel. I use captions when you have something like "Car Wash Status Indicator" (CLD example) but on the block diagram you don't want all that text. So you set the label to cwStatInd or something of the like.

Now, because captions can only be changed from the FP, you have to right click hide (or move) label, show caption, edit caption. Then change label and hide it again or go to the BD and change it. Why isn't the caption the default shown when you drop a control on the FP. That way you set the caption on the FP, go to the BD and change the label--- DONE.

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Who said ou can only change captions from the front panel?  You can change them from the block diagram if you right click and open the properties dialog.

Yes, I agree that using a caption is a good method for giving a long front panel name that you don't want showing up on the BD.

[tst]

You're all correct, this is a very good idea. Good enough for me to go to the extreme measure of travelling back in time and suggesting in the idea exchange and then even adding a post in THIS VERY THREAD with a VERY LARGE FONT pointing to that idea:

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tst wrote:

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Ben wrote:

Can anyone provide a good reason why we should keep putting the default in there aside from some rule ? 

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Yes. The reason this convention exists is because the label (caption, actually, but that does not necessarily exist) appears as a tip strip when you hover over the input of the subVI. This is where it's useful to see the default value of non-required controls.

However, this exchange has given me a new idea:

Show the default value of controls in subVIs which aren't required in the tip strip

This will allow us to stop using the default value in parentheses, exactly as you wish, while keeping the advantage of seeing the value when it's needed.

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[JÞB]

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Jeff Bohrer wrote:

Idea'd HERE

With all due respect for the community's efforts!I'll be happy to share the kudo's (Laura F  Can kudos be shared?)

"Laura, please mark this as a dup post.  Credit to TST"

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But don't forget the style guide recomendation!

[JÞB]

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smercurio_fc wrote:
I disagree. I think tst should get the credit for this idea. But that's just me, I guess.

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No- not just you-

TST- Nice time travel! and yes GREAT idea

[Yamaeda]

I annoy myself with the "error (no error)" as much as the next guy, but if you promptly want to follow the guild line you could go with:

"Error (no)"

 /Y