Controls as icons?

[PaulG.]

I've noticed a trend ... in books (namely LabVIEW for Everyone), CLAD/CLD/etc. practice tests, and here where I see controls viewed as icons on block diagrams. Maybe I've never gotten used to it because I always view controls as CONTROLS, not icons.

Don't mean to nit-pick, but can a case be made that this is bad form or style? Icons take up more room than they need to, they are the same size as subvi's, and that makes any large block diagram just a little harder to read.

Opinions? I'm curious.

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

No sir, don't like em. Turned off the setting in options.

[Ben]

I do not like the icon view either.

The best argument for them is when the cotrol is a typedef and the icon has been customized.

Regarding the books and practice exams...

Newbies could get confused if shown the terminal.

Experienced wire-workers are expected to know the difference.

I think it way too late to try to turn them into "bad style".

We would have had to have been in the room when NI decided to do the icon thing to accomplish that.

Ben

[Dennis_Knutson]

I hate them and always turn them off. What is the value added of having a front panel knob, spin control, slide, etc., all look different on the block diagram? I think some cause more problems than they attempt to solve. For example, If a table appears on the diagram as a simple 2D string array, I think it's easier to understand how to update it, etc.

[Joe_H]

Hate it, as soon I as I figured out how to turn it off I did. and It has not been back on since. That goes for viewing subVI's as expandable also. Not to mention Express VI's.

[altenbach]

 It's a bit of a tossup. I have icon style turned on, but find myself hiding the icons about 50% of the time. Icon style is somewhat better documenting, for example if you just look at the picture of the diagram, it is obvious if that array of clusters is going to an xy-graph and not some plain indicator. If you disable Icon style, you might needs more descriptive labels.

[Barp]

I did not like at first, and, in general, I convert them to the old style. However, I like to possibility to have both styles and the user customize accordingly.... For those who liked it, have at it... and, BTW, some people really like the Express format even for normal icons because it self-document the block diagram.

[PaulG.]

Thanks for all the input, folks. I've done some playing around this morning and must say I have to rethink my attitude. The controls as icons can be much easier to read from a documentation perspective. Also, I used to shy away from express vi's until I actually started using them, and they, too are great because they self-document. The reason I brought this up is because I understand good form and style is a large part of being a good programmer [not to mention a huge portion of certification exams ] and I am the first to admit I don't always follow the 'Rules' as much as I should. Your opinions here are valuable to me. Thanks again.

[falkpl]

I will make it unanimous I dont use the icons either.  I wish however that I could replace a constants with an icon (especially large clusters) without making a vi that just returned the constant (the only work arround I have found).

Paul

[Will.D]

I also dislike the icon style.

I was trying to help out some unfamiliar-to-labview classmates a while back and I know that they were confused by the fact that things looked different between my diagram and theirs, even though they were identical.

I like what Ben said about how experienced LV users should know the difference and how to change to their preference, but I also agree with Dennis in that it can be confusing to newer users.