Programmatically reordering controls visually (forward & back) on front panel

[James_W]

Do we assume Mahyar is a spambot and try a Turing test?

[MahyarHooshiar]

James, Thanks for your wise response; however, it's not a nice way of reordering controls in Z direction. You probably know that it is done using a line of command in Visual Studio, or using windows API, but in labview we need to use magic wand! Using two VIs with a hell of precautions is not nice. I've already received my answer, but thanks anyway.

Besides, you may assume whatever you need, but be watchful about what you say. These are not from a spambot. 

[Karthik_Abiram]

I have a similar thing that needs to be done - I need to programatically move controls from front to back & vice versa(not just hiding. Controls needs to be still be visible).

Original:

Desired Effect(via programatically, without scripting):

Please find the sample VI(2013) attached(had tried to get this approach, by changing the order of setting visibility for each control).

James,

I also tried doing via your method(VI not running, and using another VI to set the control properties of the original VI), but without success. If possible, could you please post a sample VI of your method? 

Thanks,

Karthik

[James_W]

any reason why you cant just place the controls in different tabs of a tabe control and flick between the pages to 're-order" Karthik?

(My specific requirement was to show some controls some of the time and block access to controls which were overlaid ontop of other controls which were not visible.)

[Karthik_Abiram]

Thanks for your reply James.

My requirement is a bit more complicated - I need to allow users to move controls at run time, with the option to control the overlapping order of controls.

[James_W]

As has already been specified in this thread, the Order cannot be changed whrn the VI is running, so it needs to be changed from another VI to avoid the VI being running when the order is changed. I don't think you are going to be able to achieve your requirement as from what I understand, the order you wish to be set will only be known once the VI is already running!!

[Gazebo]

How about when the VI isn't running? In my case I have a VI that populates a blank, non-running VI with generated objects, and due to the specific order in which objects are placed I end up covering objects with what should be background decorations.

[Gazebo]

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@Gazebo wrote:

How about when the VI isn't running? In my case I have a VI that populates a blank, non-running VI with generated objects, and due to the specific order in which objects are placed I end up covering objects with what should be background decorations.

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Found a way! By using VI scripting, set the 'Selected' property nodes to true of the objects you want to order, and simulate a Ctrl-Shift-J keypress to send the items to the back. 

Obviously this only works when the VI is in edit mode, but there you go.

[RavensFan]

How did you simulate a Ctrl-Shift-J ?

[Gazebo]

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@RavensFan wrote:

How did you simulate a Ctrl-Shift-J ?

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After a quick search I found this VI. 

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/simulate-arrow-key-events-in-labview/td-p/813477