Easy way to find inputs into a node/function/etc.

[jsmith2020]

Hi all,

I'm really new to LabVIEW (I have to use it for a project I'm working on), and I was wondering if there is any easy way to select/determine the source of what goes into a node or function without having to trace the wire all the way back manually. The block diagram I'm working with is pretty messy so it's tough to see exactly what inputs feed into each node/function block. I'd like to be able to look at the inputs of a given node/function block and easily see "variable x goes into this" or something like that.

This image shows an example of what I mean. For the subtraction function with the blue circle around it, how can I easily identify the two inputs into that function without manually tracing the wire?

[Darren]

You can try the Find Wire Source right-click plugin:

https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-Shortcut-Menu-Plug-Ins/Find-Wire-Source-llb/ta-p/3521499

Also, as you learn LabVIEW, you may want to find some materials on writing more modular, scalable code so you don't end up with diagrams that are so large they are difficult to understand without needing tools like this.

[cbutcher]

It won't cross structure boundaries, but you can double click on wires to highlight them.

That might help, although as Darren pointed out the solution ideally is to not write code that becomes difficult to read 🙂

[jsmith2020]

@Darren, I didn't actually write this, I just inherited it. I'm actually supposed to port this over to Python to make it more automated and flexible. But I'll try the plugin and hope that helps! Thanks!

[RavensFan · Accepted solution]

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@cbutcher wrote:

It won't cross structure boundaries, but you can double click on wires to highlight them.

That might help, although as Darren pointed out the solution ideally is to not write code that becomes difficult to read 🙂

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You can also triple click which gets the entire wire.

Single click, just that segment, single straight line..

Double click, gets multiple segments, so it includes bends, but only up to junctions.

Triple click, gets multiple segments and branches, so it includes junctions.

[jsmith2020]

@RavensFan, this actually seems to be the best bet so far! I've had trouble installing the plugin mentioned above, so triple clicking seems to be the easiest. It's not perfect as it still doesn't cross boundaries, but it's easy enough to see where the wires connect at the boundaries to move between them.

Thanks!

[cbutcher]

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@RavensFan wrote:

You can also triple click which gets the entire wire.

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You can? Is that related to some preference or option?

I just tried and couldn't get anything beyond double clicking (and based on the OP's response to you post, it sounds like (s)he can't either).

[Darren]

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@jsmith2020 wrote:

I've had trouble installing the plugin mentioned above

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If you have time to share, I'd like to know what specifically you had trouble with, so we can improve the instructions for installing plug-ins if necessary.

[Darren]

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@cbutcher wrote:

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@RavensFan wrote:

You can also triple click which gets the entire wire.

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You can? Is that related to some preference or option?

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No preference or option. Note that triple-click will select an entire wire including branches, but will not go past terminal boundaries (including tunnels).

[jsmith2020]

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@Darren wrote:

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@jsmith2020 wrote:

I've had trouble installing the plugin mentioned above

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If you have time to share, I'd like to know what specifically you had trouble with, so we can improve the instructions for installing plug-ins if necessary.

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I didn't have a "PopupsMenu" folder in my "LabVIEW Data" directory so I tried to create one and then another subfolder (edit menu or something like that), and place the plugin in that directory, but the plugin didn't show up in the pop-up menu when I right-clicked the wire.