View as icon is evil?

[sunflower2772]

I perused through the CLD sample vi, and ALL of the samples' variables are not in view as icon. I attach one of the sample vi. 

What gives?  Is this some kind of secret convention I dont know about? Or is it just a personal preference that makes the block diagrams look more neat? View as icon looks messy? :womanwink:

[johnsold]

Many of us started using LV before the View as Icon became available, so we are accustomed to the smaller image.  We never saw any advantage to occupying the extra block diagram space.  So we set the preferences to turn that option off.  LV does allow you the choice. Set it as you prefer. The program performance does not change.  If your organization has a standard for style or usage, you should follow that, of course.

Lynn

[LV_Pro]

"Aristos Queue" did mention one reason to view as icon, which is when doing LVOOP it shows more info about OOP controls. As mentioned before, this "feature" was added only a few releases ago, so many of us are used to the "old" view. It does take up a lot of "real estate" on a block diagram, so that can be an issue.

[Olivier_L]

Another interesting  blockdiagram Display option since LV 2010 is "View Cluster as Icon" option for Typedef clusters constant.

For big clusters defined as constants on the diagram, i.e. for initializing an Array or a Queue, it can use a lot of block diagram space. Now, you can change it as an Icon, getting the custom icon defined in the Control Editor.

[DFGray]

Some would insist that you stick with one format or the other, but, as has been hinted above, there are real uses for both modes of viewing.  I use icons only when the icon would give me an advantage over the terminal/cluster viewer.  Icons view is a good idea for classes and clusters (assuming you have taken the time to create good icons).  For almost anything else, I think it eats block diagram space and gives little in return.  However, this is my opinion and is definitely not shared by others.  It really comes down to a matter of taste.

[WG-]

@johnsold where in the preferences of LabVIEW I can tell it that I want "view as icon" to be default, for controls and indicators.

[RavensFan]

Tools >> Options >> Block Diagram

Very first checkbox at the top under General "Place front panel terminals as icons"  in LV 2010.

[Guruthilak]

Tools->Options->Blockdigram->Place front panel terminals as icons