Option to Supply a Name to a Clone on clone creation and address by that or by ID

[danny_t]

I dislike using Clone IDs, Whenever I have used Clones in real life application, I always start by editing the Start Module VI and adding in a Clone name input. As I do this for all my clones the input name tends to be specific like 'Bay Name', or 'PSU Name' but a generic 'Clone Name' would be good.

I then pass that Clone Name into my MHL Data cluster in 'Initialize', each clone now knows it own name this allows things like

• A Request to all Clones to get the instance for a name, so calling code can work in terms of Set Voltage(UUT_PSU), Set Voltage(RIG_PSU) rather than Set Voltage(45568) Set Voltage(40056), making a clone manager more code easier to read. -- I know this could be done in a clone manger with a Map or table, but I like the idea of the Clone know its own name.
• As the clone knows it own name, because I gave it its name, this means clone instance configuration is easier, I have can have a single configuration ini file with each clone name as separate sections or I can have each clone read from its own ini file simple based on its own name.
• Modules other than the clone manager can if needed talk to the correct clone using the name they do not need to know about the instance.

Thinking about this it would be, to my mind, a great feature addition to DQMH is by default there was a optional for providing a clone name at startup that was accessible as a Mod Admin property alongside the Module ID.

[1984]

I had a somewhat similar request here: https://forums.ni.com/t5/DQMH-Consortium-Toolkits-Feature/Populate-Active-modules-ring-with-Instance...

A workaround we use fairly often is creating an enum where 0=DONT USE and the rest are the module "names". It works in most cases although I consider it poor because:

- modules need to be created in an order

- can't shutdown and create a new clone with the same name

[Olivier-JOURDAN]

Hi @danny_t,

We think that it would be a "nice to have" feature.

But we also need to prioritize the developments.

As far as you can implement your own clone name handling, we are declining your idea.

That said, thank you for your input; it is most appreciated.

Please keep those ideas coming!