UI for sequence of modifiable actions?

[DrDavid]

Hi,

I want to program an interface to a cell-stimulation device I have built. What I want to do is have a tab-based user interface of actions (eg, stimulate some cell with a voltage pulse of some particular waveform, or turn on or off channels that will be stimulated etc) that the user can customize and add to a sequence of tasks to perform. So, the user should be able to set a task ie, pause for 5 minutes, and add that to the list of things to do. Then add say, turn on channel 1. Then stimulate with waveform x for 10 minutes. then turn off channel 1, then turn on channel 2, then run stimulation pattern y, etc etc etc.

Once the list of actions is programmed in, the user should be able to run the sequnce of actions, as well as delete mistakes, or reorder the sequence by drag and drop. 

Can I do this with tables or listboxes? Can Labview even do this kind of interface?

Thanks in advance!

David

[johnsold]

David,

Yes.  You can do things like this in LV.

Listboxes are a good way to get input from users. Depending on how many options there are and how complicated things can get, you may want to have a hierarchy.  The tab control is one way to approach that.

To minimize confusion to the user, do not present too many options at any one time.  I suggest only dislaying the options for one stage of the test at a time.  Internally (not displayed) keep an array (of clusters or classes) with the parameters of each stage.  Consider developing some kind of graphic display which will show the user the entire test sequence before the test starts.  For editing bring up the parameters for the stage to be edited and afterwards replace that element in the array.

Lynn