Using System Controls

[jp2labview]

I am working through the LabVIEW Intermediate I Course Manual.

On page 3-16, immediately above the start of Section C, it states:

Use the System controls palette to create user interfaces that look more professional, as shown in the third example in Figure 3-7.

Now, I am working through Exercise 3-1 "Concept: User-Interface Design Techniques,", and the "Creating Custom Cursors" section instructs me to, "Place the Set Cursor VI from the Cursor palette inside the While Loop" on page 3-22.

I dropped a Set Cursor VI into my project, inspected it on the front panel, and guess what? The spinner for the Icon Control is a Modern style spinner.

Ok, how do I change this to System style? A professional interface to the world with a mix of System and Modern controls would leave us look like a group of idiots that doesn't know how to program.

Why does LV default to Modern style when their manual states (and I agree) that System style is more professional?

Also, notice the mouse pointer icons that LV uses: Doesn't this remind you of the old Windows 3.1 style mouse pointers? Can I get an up-to-date mouse pointer file/VI for this expensive tool (LabVIEW)?

Windows XP has been out for many years. Shouldn't the mouse pointers have been updated a decade or so ago?

[smercurio_fc]

Whether or not the System Controls are more "professional" than the Modern controls is debatable, even if it states in the course manual. The basic difference between the System Controls and the Modern Controls is that the System Controls adapt to the OS, whereas the Modern Controls look the same regardless of OS. So, if you're running on a Windows machine and want your LabVIEW front panel to look more like a Windows application, you would use the System Controls. The drawback is that they are not as customizable as the Modern Controls, and with good reason, since they have to adapt to the OS.

You replace a control/indicator with the System version the same way you replace any control/indicator. Right-click on the control/indicator, select Replace, and select the appropriate control from the popup palette.

LabVIEW doesn't really default to the Modern or System versions when placing front panel objects. The user places the controls and you pick them from the palette. If you right-click on a wire and select "Create Control" or "Create Indicator", then LabVIEW will create a Modern control if that's what you mean. If you do this on a subVI input or output it will create the same style as that used in the subVI. This can be somewhat annoying when it uses older style controls/indicators and then you have a third look.

As for the mouse pointer icons, I never really gave it much thought, so it never bothered me. I always seemed to have bigger fish to fry.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Just to add something about the input to the Set Cursor. This is a Pict Ring control and if you were to look at the System Controls, there is no equivalent. I don't think I've ever seen a similar control in other windows apps so I don't know what you want to replace it with. The increment/decrement buttons could be replaced if that is what you want. Also, the Create Cursor From File is there on the palette so you can load any cursor you want. I'm also unsure which cursors you are refering to by having a win 3.1 look. The arrow, finger, text insertion, look the same to me in LabVIEW and other windows apps.

[jp2labview]

Windows cursors include a shadow below them to give them more of a 3D look and feel. If I'm not mistaken, this started with Windows 95.

Also, the "finger pointer" is different in LV than what Win32 uses.

I know it seems trivial, but I hate designing interfaces that look outdated.

[falkpl]

I like the system controls but be aware that system controls have some limitations especially in the use of custom colors.  You are stuck with gray backgrounds for the indicators and white for controls, this is not the case with modern or classic controls.  This is because the system control border and background is a single image instead of a border and a background decoration.  I have made a palette of modified (customized controls) which are labview native and look very much like the system controls.  It is alot of work but are reusable.  I can not post them because they are now company intelectual property.  I dont know why NI didnt do this as well.  I really dislike the 3d look and find that almost all of my clients agree.  the 3d look (rounded edges) are a waste of space on the front pannel.

Paul

[Dennis_Knutson]

I now understand what you mean about the cursors being a bit different. Never payed any attention to this either. LabVIEW uses it own windowing scheme and graphics and is not dependent on the OS. This makes LabVIEW look the same on all of the different platforms. Aside from using the Create Cursor from file, I'm not sure if there's anything to change this.

[jp2labview]

Mr. "falkpl",

Is there a way you could give instructions on how to create a "palette of modified (customized controls) which are labview native and look very much lke system controls" without infringing on your company's intelectual property rights?

I would enjoy seeing it, if you can!

~Joe

[smercurio_fc]

There's a section in the LabVIEW Help that talks about how to customize controls (look for "control editor"). The hard part is creating the little individual graphic objects. Here is an example showing a custom control for chess pieces.

[falkpl]

Attached is a simple example of a system like string control.  I have done this for many controls including enums, numberics, clusters plots, arrays .....

It can all be done with customization of controls.  The only thing I am missing is that there are more system colors than Labview has on its palette.  Also the decorations native to labview is also in need of an upgrade.  Each version passes with no change on this front.

Paul