DSC Front Panel Binding Mass Configuration

[BCK]

I have a question concerning the "Front Panel Binding Mass Configuration Tool" in LabVIEW 2010.

When I use the tool to export into a text file, I get the following format for a given front panel control:

SP    My Computer\TestRail.lvlib\__192.168.11.110_LV_TIC100_SP    Read    1

I used an invoke node to dynamically bind the path to the control above, but I get a red PSP LED when I run the vi and it doesn't connect. If I go into the mass config tool, export, change the last column in the format above from a "1" to a "2", import the saved file, and apply it connects, green LED, and works great without changing the path or anything else.

My question is, what does the value in the last column in the export file signify? Is it some enable/disable switch and if so, how do I programmatically get access to it without having to edit text files?

Thanks for any ideas...

[T-REX$]

Hello BCK,

It looks like this issue has been seen before. According to this thread http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Front-Panel-Mass-Binding-Project-Variables-Issue/td-p/378898

""0" for no function, a "1" for network item, and a "2" for project item"

It looks like this should have been resolved as well, but if you are still seeing it in 2010, it clearly has not been. I will see if I can get any more information for you.

[BCK]

T-REX$,

I searched through the discussion forums but didn't have any luck finding any info, thanks for the thread link and reply.

The front panel binding mass config tool seems to be working fine in LV2010, my problem is making the connection programmatically with an invoke node. The invoke node works fine, but defaults this parameter to a "1", forcing me to go into the text file and change the "1" to a "2" - manually.

When I look at the "data binding" tab inside the controls properties, everything is correct after using the invoke node for binding. The only reason I found this problem was comparing two export files from the mass configuration tool. The first was from a vi that I used the invoke node for binding and the other that I did the binding manually through the properties box. When I compared the two I found that using the invoke node the value was a "1" where manually binding the value was a "2".

This parameter doesn't exist as an input to the invoke node, nor is it a selection in the properties of a control.

Now that I know what the parameter represents, I need to know how to change that value programattically through an invoke node or other manner.

Thanks for your help - if you have any thoughts, I would appreciate it.

[T-REX$]

BCK,

Hmm, I'm going to have to do some research to find out how to do this the right way. My first thought was to just programmatically edit the text file. Since thats mildly rediculous, I'll have to look into this on Monday. If you learn anything new between now and Tuesday, please post back here and keep me updated.

[BCK]

T-REX$,

No luck on my side - have you found out anything?

Thanks.

[T-REX$]

Hi BCK,

Sorry for the delay. I tried to set up a simple example here on my end, but couldn't figure out exactly what you were doing. Do you think it would be possible for you to post a simple example here for me to work from? How exactly are you importing from the file programmatically?

[BCK]

T-REX$,

I guess I didn't explain my problem very well.

My problem involves trying to dynamically bind a PSP connection to a control, I don’t have any problems with the mass config. tool and I’m not importing the file programmatically. I created a vi using the invoke node, "data binding: bind to network path" to programmatically bind a URL path to a control, the binding did not work. I had to use the mass config. tool to manually change the “1” to a “2”, via export/import for the connection to work.

However, I think I discovered my problem. I was using the invoke node, "data binding: bind to network path", however, the URL syntax I was using was for a project item path, such as: “My Computer\library.lvlib\shared_variable”.

If I use a network path URL in the format of: “\\computer_name\library\’shared_variable_name’ “. The connection works, because the URL points to a network path, which makes sense as I used the bind to network path invoke node.

Ideally, there would be an invoke node for binding to a project item, in addition to a network path binding. The syntax of a project item URL allows me to use the generic, "My Computer" instead of the actual computer name, required by the network item URL path. The more generic URL of a project item would allow me to run the same software on multiple computers, which is what I need as we will have multiple control stations. It isn’t practical to create instances for each specific computer.

I discovered I can use a network path of “\\localhost\library\’shared_variable_name’ “, to get around the computer name issue. Though, it seems a like a bit of a backward way of accomplishing what I need.

Thanks again for your help.

[T-REX$]

HI BCK,

Thanks for the update. I think I understand the issue now... you have one project that you would like to run on multiple computers, but the project had trouble finding the network variables. Sorry for the misunderstanding on my end. Using localhost to browse to the variable is a great solution to me, and I can't think of any other way to really accomplish accessing the same shared variable items from the individual projects.