Mimicking Controls From an Actual Image

[jmpugh]

Hello Wizards of Wires!

I am creating a LabVIEW application that runs through a series of tests for a circuit breaker. I was thinking it would be nice if the LabVIEW front panel was an actual image of the front of the breaker itself. So pressing the "close button" (in LabVIEW) would result in the same action as if you had actually hit the close button on the breaker itself.

Is there an easy way to turn "sections" of a graphic into actual controls? Would also be nice to have the indicator lights displaying correctly through the front panel. Just curious if anybody had done anything like this. If I must, I can use the decorations to make a rough appoximation of the the breaker and use the same old, same old controls.

Thanks for your help folks!

-- Jason

[mfitzsimons]

Maybe chop out sections of the image and replace it with a custom control that you have an image of the breaker.  Also, you could just place a control with the image on top of the breaker. This link will give you some instructions on how to create a control with an image.

http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361D-01/lvconcepts/custom_cont_ind_type/

Using the Control Editor Window

Use the Control Editor window to customize controls and indicators and to define the private data control for a LabVIEW class. For example, you can change the size, color, and relative position of the elements of a control or indicator and import images into the control or indicator.

[RavensFan]

Sure.  You cold drop an picture image onto the front panel.  Set it's Z-order through the Reorder button so it's all the way in the back.

You can create boolean buttons.  Customize them so that some or all of their parts have a transparent color so the background graphics show through.

You can also use picture controls to display pictures on the front panel and do special customization so things like mouse down and mouse up could change the appearance of the picture, though I haven't played with that myself yet.

[tst]

I would go with Ravens Fan's suggestion of using the picture control. With mouse down events you can know exactly where you clicked. Here are some examples for working with it.

[Ben]

Although the Picture control can hadle special cases like "just switch when you click the trip bar" but an easier approach uses the method tst showed in his "External Resourse Nugget"

It let me do this!

(Yes it changes appearence when pushed in!)

Do you want it to be more real than that?

Ben

[jmpugh]

Thanks everyone! I even got some of the LabVIEW heavyweight to respond to my distress signal!

I was certain there was a way to do it and I had a few ideas, but wanted to get some more input on it.  It's hard to get backed into a corner with LabVIEW...at least if you are willing to jump through some hoops on occasion. 😉

Thanks again!