What is the difference between "System" buttons and boolean buttons?

[Karl T.]

I'm writing a VI with an event structure that allows me to push different buttons to control external instruments, but I found two types of buttons worked: "System" buttons and "Boolean" buttons. On the surface, the functionality seems the same: I can write the VI so that either one works, and they work in the same way, but which one is right?

Here is a little more info on what I'm doing. I have a case structure that has one "timeout" case, which just measures the position of a movable stage. Another case, if a "system"-type button is pressed, moves the stage to an absolute position. Another case activated by a "boolean"-type button moves the stage to the zero point. I could switch these and it would still work, but I don't understand how the buttons are different.

Also, right now I'm using the "run continuously" function so that the loop just repeats. Is this the right way to do it? I could put everything inside a loop, and make my own stop button for it. Would that be better? Worse? --> I think I found the answer to my own question: run continuously will stop and start the code at each instance, so a while loop will be better because it doesn't start and stop repeatedly. (True?)

Thanks,
Karl

Message Edited by Karl T. on 03-31-2008 05:43 PM

[Matthew_Kelton]

Karl,

You never want to design your program to have to use the run continuously button.  It is more for debugging than anything else.  Using a while loop with your own stop button is the preferred method of doing things.

The System, 3-D, and Classic Booleans all basically work the same.  The appearance is different.  The System buttons look like your OS buttons that you see on all your other programs.  The 3-D were introduced in LV6 and remain standard across different OS's and are not affected by System color changes or System theme changes.  The classics behave similarly to the 3-D, but they are the older controls that existed prior to LV6 and have been kept for legacy's sake.

There are arguments for using system controls vs. 3-D controls (I don't think most people use the classic controls much anymore).  So, you really have to make a personal decision as to which you prefer to use.  NI pushes the system controls, but you'll notice there is a large number of controls which are not available in the system pallette.  I have made versions that look like system controls, but they do not automatically update for theme or system color changes.

[TroyK]

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Matthew Kelton wrote:
(I don't think most people use the classic controls much anymore).

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I have used 'classic' controls a couple of times because you can easily hide the border of a cluster or array by setting it's color to invisible.
No functional change, just useful cosmetically sometimes.

[Karl T.]

Great, thanks!