Does 'Datasocket Open' require the user interface be idle?

[mike_nrao]

It appears to me that the Datasocket Open VI requires the user interface to be idle before it will complete execution.  Is this correct?  Is there any way around this problem?

[altenbach]

I don't understand your question. What is your definition of "...requires the user interface to be idle ..." ???

[mike_nrao]

What I mean by 'user interface is idle' is the same as what is meant by the 'Must wait until user interface is idle' characteristic of a VI Server Property or Method.  If you look at LabVIEW help for the 'Run VI' method, for example, you'll see that the value for this characteristic is 'Yes' -- meaning that, until the user stops playing with the menu bar, dragging the window around the screen, scrolling a scrollbar, etc.,  the method will not execute.

[AESulzer]

Perhaps a possible solution would be to embed the DataSocket Open.vi (or even the entire DataSocket portion of your code) in a subVI whose front panel is hidden. Have you tried this approach and does it help the problem?

Kind Regards,

[mike_nrao]

Thanks for the quick reply Sulzer.  I'm not sure what you mean by "front panel is hidden".  If all you mean is that the datasocket code is in a subVI whose Front Panel isn't open while running, then the problem remains. 

I attached a simple example of the problem I am having.  Run 'datasocket test.vi'  and follow the instructions on the front panel.

Is seems as if - just like the limitation imposed by some methods of the VI Server- the "Must wait until user interface is idle" characteristic applies no matter what VI the user is interacting with  --- even VI's not in the hierarchy!

What is this characteristic meant to protect us from?  or is it a limitation of LabVIEW's threading architecture?  Can it be fixed in future releases?

[Megan B.]

Hi Mike,

I was able to replicate the behavior you describe in LabVIEW 7.1.  However, when I ran that VI in LabVIEW 8, the control updated even when I scrolled around the front panel.  So it looks like R&D has already incorporated your suggestion into LV 8.  How's that for a fast turnaround?

Let me know if you ARE using 8 and I'm missing something 🙂

Thanks!
Megan B.
National Instruments

[mike_nrao]

Thanks Megan!

I was using 7.1.1.   It does seem to work better in 8.   Interaction with the menus still causes hangups, but the scrollbar issue was fixed.  Thanks for the quick reply.

Michael