Darren's Weekly Nugget 07/03/2006

[Darren]

Sweet!  An actual convert!  Ok, here are my comments on your comments:

1.  You're using LabVIEW 7.1.  I don't have any empirical evidence, but it *seems* to me that the Auto Tool's behavior becomes more refined with every release.  You'd think I'd have a better handle on specifics, being in LabVIEW R&D and all, but alas, my areas of esoteric knowledge apply elsewhere.

2.  I agree that it would be nice to wire to the top/bottom of locals, constants, etc.  Sounds like you need to make a visit to the Product Suggestion Center.  😉

3.  Regarding the sizing of cluster constants, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect that this issue will in some way be addressed in a future LabVIEW version.  😉

4.  I already have two 19" monitors.  I think a 3rd would be nice, although I'm not sure where I would put it.  As for my resolution, people make fun of me because I run 1024x768.  Even my own teammates.  Then again, I'm the only guy on my team who doesn't need glasses.  I'd like to keep it that way.  🙂

5.  I've never noticed issues when wiring to the corners of wires...probably because I've never tried it.  Generally I wire to the horizontal or vertical portion of the wire on either side of the bend.

6.  I also have never noticed the control -> connector wiring issue.  I would *almost* consider this a bug.  If you agree strongly enough, file a bug report through the standard support channels...seems like something that could be changed.

7.  Although I am a fierce advocate of the Auto Tool, I despise Auto Tool locking.  I have Auto Tool locking turned off, so when I need a custom tool (95% of the time it's the paintbrush tool), I can tab to it, then I shift-right click to bring up the Tools palette so I can turn the Auto Tool back on (by clicking the green light in the Tools palette) once I'm done.

In summary, I'm glad you're using the Auto Tool.  I think another reason I enjoy the Auto Tool is that I can type pretty well with just my left hand, so when I need to rename a control, or type a short comment, my right hand never leaves the mouse, and my left hand isn't shackled to the Tab key.  Good stuff.

-D

[PaulG.]

I like your nuggets, Darren (thanks!) but my old habits die hard. I really gave this a shot, but after one day I reverted back to manual tool. I've been coding in LV since '96 (10 YEARS?!?!?!) I don't see how it can be any faster if I'm a two-handed programmer, anyway. And I'll bet I'm faster two-handed with manual tools than you are single-handed with Auto Tool.

PaulG.
7.1
XP

[Darren]

You may want to rethink that bet, Paul.  You know they call me Wireslinger around these parts?

Well...not really, but they should.  😉

-D

[Ben]

Darren wrote;

"You know they call me Wireslinger around these parts?"

And I guess you did not participate in the "code-off" last year at NI-Week just to cut us a break.

Ben

[Darren]

Come on, Ben...you know better than that.  Those conspiracy nuts over at LAVA would have flipped out over a coding competition that an NI employee just so happened to win.  😉

-D

[Ben]

Dictionary Challenge

http://www.ni.com/devzone/lvzone/codechallenge2_results.htm

"tag you are it." 

Ben

[crelf]

Darren wrote:

Those conspiracy nuts over at LAVA...

Hey!  I resemble that remark!

Message Edited by crelf on 07-22-2006 09:34 AM

[chutla]

I was very impressed with the Auto-tool since it first came out.   It almost always knows what I want it to do.  The only time it's a little flaky is when you have a very dense block diagram...it sometimes connects things I don't want it to!  But that's usually an indication it's time to get some alignment tools out and clean up my diagram.  If I lay things out well, the Auto-tool is much better behaved.

Eric

[Jaegen]

Darren,

You mention bringing up the palette to switch back to the Auto Tool.  Can't you just hit Shift-Tab?  I use Shift-Tab to turn the tool off and on.  Other than this, I was suprised/excited to find that I use the Auto Tool exactly as you do, and for the exact same reasons.

Jaegen

[devchander]

To auto, or not to auto??

That's the question!

Reading all your posts, probably will give it a shot, one of these days