Creating an Object w/special Properties

[Fernando0901]

I use multiple  cRIOs to monitor, record, and control specific parameters within reactors at various locations within our building. I am interested in making a new program capable of displaying warnings/current values, and other items. In particular, I have an idea where the object would contain all the current data, and specific properties of the object(size, orientation, location) in addition to a picture of the reactor. My idea is to have this program display a map of a selected location and based on the params of the objects, display a picture of the reactor on the map at the location it has been defined to reside, with the proper orientation(N-S, E-W), with warnings that are displayed if a particular param is out of range. 

This would be my first program using LVOOP and I am not sure if I am biting more than I should try to chew.

My questions are:

Is LVOOP the best method to create this sort of program based on the description i gave?

Is it possible to display properties of an object at locations based values from other properties in the class?

Thanks

[Ben]

First question

Are you capable of developing the application you envision without LVOOP?

You could be making this challenge harder by choosing to do it in LVOOP. To a large extent LVOOP still requires you do most of the work to realize your application but introduces constraints that require extra effort on your part up front. The benefit an app like you describes gets from LVOOP is only realized after you have the first one working and you move onto version #2.

Do you have extra time to do this application using LVOOP?

As I mentioned above there is extra work and a learning curve added when using LVOOP.

Do you have the luxury of writing the application twice?

The first LVOOP project is often a story of survival and after developing it we learn a lot of thing we could have done differently.

But as to your project in general...

i have written that applicaion more than once both with and without LVOOP. each time I write an app like that it is better than the previous time. The LVOOP version gives me the ability to add now objects to the existing application without mods to the original app. I would probably use LVOOP if and when I am asked to repeat the game.

Regardless if you use LVOOP on not you should become very familar with the Picture Control to implement your scheme.

Have fun!

Ben

[Fernando0901]

I havent really tried to do this with clusters. I am not completely proficient at accessing cluster elements, so I was interested in exploring LVOOP for broadening my LV abilities.

Ive got plenty of time I can work on this att home on my personal time or at work when I have spare time. I am not worried about the extra time learning LVOOP will take, because in my eyes, its time I will spend learning LVOOP at some point. 

If I can successful at writing the 1st app, I will likely try to improve the app for a 2nd version. 

I have managed to start this app, but I am hung up on 1 issue. I am able to create multiple objects but I am not sure how I am to only display the 2D picture property of each object on mt FP.  I have an array of objects, with each object containing independent/different pictures. How would I display only the 2d picture of each independent object? I created a method that writes to the Position property of the 2D picture, but my ideas end there. Here is a screen shot.

Seems like im a long ways away from getting something working, but any advice is appreciated. 

[Ben]

You and I are thinking inside out!

Rather than use one picture control to display one object I have used A picture control to display multiple objects.

THis thread has links to other threads that demonstrate how to work with the pictuer control.

A high-level approach COUDL be...

Init/create all of your objects so they know what their image is and where they should appear in the picture.

You can also set a property that passes them a ref to teh picture control.

Create and use a method in the parent of the objects (Update_Display) where the picture control ref >>> Value is uesd INSIDE the method to insert the objects image.

If you want to support over-lapping objects (enforce a Z-Order) then the objects will have to know what their background is but I set that complication to the side for now.

Have fun and post up some images to show of what you learned and entertain us.

Ben