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I'm new to LabVIEW, and am having to teach myself the ropes. I was wondering if there is a database where one can look up a specific icon and see what its name is, and maybe a small summary of what it does, including express VIs. I'm having difficulty using the tutorials (amateur online and text-book oriented) because of the differences between versions. Sometimes a tutorial will tell me to find "x" and place on the block diagram, but I can't because it is named something different or has a different icon in the newer version. An index (or glossary) would be very helpful in regards to this situation.
Have you tried context help (ctrl-H)? That will give you a breif summary of what the vi does, plus a description of each terminal. Each one has a link to the more complete help file. I have found that the help files for the included functions is very complete.
Yes, I know about the context help. However, it is only helpful for things that are already placed on the block diagram. I'm looking more for icons that I have not yet placed on the block diagram and need to find and identify.
You should get the same context help when hovering over the icon on the functions palette (i.e. before they are placed). I usually have at least one menu "pinned" so it stays open and I do not have to re-navigate to the palette I am interested in.
Context help works perfectly fine as you browse through the palettes as well. You do not have to have a function on the block diagram. Also, in the on-line help, there is a section called VI and Function Reference. There are topics underneath this listed by palette name. You can browse through this. If you have a name of a function, you can use the search function of the tools palette.
Yeah you are right...it does provides the name. I am still frustrated with the fact that the icons and names of the icons change from version to version. I think I am just frustrated in general from trying to learn this language with practically no programming experience. The user manual and help files are decidedly lacking and I can't afford a text book grrr. Thank you for your input 🙂
omg I am a total n00b! LOL. I didn't see that the Ctrl+h help would
change as you mouse over the palette! Ooops. Thought it only worked on
the block diagram. Thank you for pointing that out to me
