creating a simple main menu

[Robbo13]

Hi all i'm very new to labview and would appreciate a hand with something. At the moment I'm trying to make a simple main menu which will open different vi's depending on which button is pressed. I've attached screenshots to demonstrate what im saying.

All i want is for each button to open a different VI, and also close the main menu so that i only have 1 window open at a time. So for example clicking deceleration should open deceleration.vi and close the main menu. I've tried to find out how to do this and discovered that i need to use event structures but beyond that i'm stuck.

Cheers, Iain

[MikeS81]

Hi Iain,

you need only one event structure. Create an event case for every button and insert your code there.

Use the "Open VI Reference" function to get a reference to the vi you want to show. With an invoke node you can change the visibility state of it.

Mike

[Robbo13]

thanks Mike,

so when I add the open vi reference block what do i need to connect to it, presumably I have to specify the VI path but do i need anything else?

[AdnanZ]

Hi Iain,

Here is quick example I created.

[Robbo13]

thanks Adnan Z, unfortunately I can't open the files as it says they were created using Labview 8.6 and the Uni only have version 8.5.1. Is there a way you can resave them so they're compatible? 

[AdnanZ]

Here you go.

[Robbo13]

I've followed your example through and got it so that it will close the main menu but it isnt opening the front panel of my sub vi. The only difference i can see is that the block for your sub vi has a number 2 on it whereas mine has a number 1, is this of any significance? Also when I put your sub VI in instead of mine it works properly. Cheers for the help so far, its been brilliant

[AdnanZ · Accepted solution]

You have to set the property of your subVI. Goto File -> VI Properties -> Windows Appearance of my subVI and select the same options for yours.

[Robbo13]

brilliant, thanks so much!

[AdnanZ]

At this point, let me just let you know that having a while loop within an event is not recommended since it can lead to abnormal program behavior; not happening in the example that I have provided, but just something to keep in mind. You should look into the producer/consumer (event based) design pattern which is part of the templates installed with LV. You can find it using the template browser (File >> New). Instead of using queues, you could probably use notifiers. Wish you luck with your application!