unique way of referencing controls?

[mpelc]

I am wondering how to uniquely identify controls, even after a labview session (and my vi) has been closed and reopened.  Control references change each time this happens, so I don't think a control refnum would work.

The reason I want this is that I write all the front panel controls values into a binary INI file so I can reload previous states (datalogging basically)-- using Get All Control Values and then Set Control Value, but the names of the controls might change in the future.

I noticed that there can be two identically named (the Label.Text property) controls but Labview can tell them apart.

I am using Labview v7.1.  Is it possible?  If not, I will just have to make sure to never change the control names.

[RTSLVU]

Here is a discussion on saving and restoring controls that might answer your questions...

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Save-restore-all-numeric-controls-values-to-from-file/m-p/832990/pag...

[Ben]

My Nugget on exploiting Control refs may serve as inspiration at the least and re-use, if someone will back-save it for you, maybe.

The big question hinges on your data strctures since arrays of cluster of arrays of clusters ... was addressed using re-currsive calls and in older version os LV "Acalls B that calls A..." was not supported.

if nothing else it may give you an idea.

Ben

[GregFreeman]

Ben is making the assumption that you will fully understand that entire nugget. I'm still working on it and it's my fourth read. 

I like using the XML to Cluster VIs, however I believe those use variant data in some form, where as ben's method allows you to not worry about that if it changes in future versions.

[Ben]

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@for(imstuck) wrote:

Ben is making the assumption that you will fully understand that entire nugget. I'm still working on it and it's my fourth read. 

I like using the XML to Cluster VIs, however I believe those use variant data in some form, where as ben's method allows you to not worry about that if it changes in future versions.

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Try to write a Nugget that can appeal to developers at all levels and I suspect you find yuorself in a similar situation.

The linked Nugget also uses an ini file as per the O/P's request.

And yes you are correct that changes to the type are handled automatically and do not cause an error.

Ben

[GregFreeman]

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@Ben wrote:

 

Try to write a Nugget that can appeal to developers at all levels and I suspect you find yuorself in a similar situation.

The linked Nugget also uses an ini file as per the O/P's request.

And yes you are correct that changes to the type are handled automatically and do not cause an error.

Ben

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Very true, and a bit off topic but it gets even more hairy on RT systems when you can't use property nodes

[Alain_S]

Why not using Open G library??

They have two VI's "Read INI cluster" & "Write INI cluster" to read and write some control values into an INI file.

That's how I do it all the time 🙂