Download option "Download AS PNG" overdue

[JÞB]

Seriously, Snippets and the CCT have been around for years.  Why have we not added an option to "Download Attached VI as png"?  Those of us that post primarily by mobile devices are a growing fraction and deserve the moderate consideration of a mobile enabled download view of the code.

[Hooovahh]

Shoving a VI into a PNG is the easy part.  Generating an image that represents that VI is probably harder.  You need LabVIEW running on a server somewhere likely with multiple versions of LabVIEW installed, with a bunch of toolkits installed.  Then through scripting open a VI and save it as an image.  Certainly something NI is capable of, but maintaining this could be a pain with new versions, and missing toolkits.  That being said I think it is a great idea, I just don't see it happening.

[JÞB]

I agree that a perfect implementation is nearly impossible however, I am not asking for perfection.   

Currently,  if I download a vi I need a version of LabVIEW greater than the VI original and any drivers TKs etc or I get incomplete code.  

But, code recovery is not the goal here simply a view of the code to look for obvious clues to the posters meaning and problem.  Often a quick look at a BD provides insight. (That's the PC way of saying "noob code" is easy to debug)

Two approaches appear possible for that.

• Download as PNG stripping the vi object. 
• Print vi as HTML and open download in new tab

Both would be acceptable with the server running only the latest LabVIEW/ NI Device Drivers.

Boards supporting less common software products could be handled case by case but the LabVIEW boards should be enabled.

[markwni]

@JÞB 

Thank you for the idea. I have put it on our idea board. As @Hooovahh and you both point out, it is not as easy as it looks on the tin, but we will take a deeper look at it and see what we can do.

Thank you,

Mark

[JÞB]

---

@markwni wrote:

@JÞB 

Thank you for the idea. I have put it on our idea board. As @Hooovahh and you both point out, it is not as easy as it looks on the tin, but we will take a deeper look at it and see what we can do.

Thank you,

Mark

---

Of course, the other option still is possible a 

VI Viewer for Mobile app 

Is not exactly a new Idea and has had some traction supporting both approaches I offered. 

Hence the "is overdue"  

Thanks for revisiting the needs of the community!

The arguments against included such things as "well, where does NI Stop....everyone using such a viewer would then want a fully featured free IDE."   HMMM. that position evolved!

But rescoping to a Community enabled feature to support mobile device use by community members... that's realistic in this age with current technology. 

[altenbach]

A good idea for small and very simple VIs, but there needs to be some barriers to anything much larger than a postcard.

Even if we can see a picture, only the most glaring errors become obvious. we cannot run, probe, follow the wire, cleanup, etc. etc.

For example if a VI diagram covers 100 screens (as we sometimes encounter here!), I don't want an image that blows up my computer or phone. If a Vi contains deeply stacked sequences inside deeply stacked sequences, I also definitely don't want to see a picture of it.

[JÞB]

---

@altenbach wrote:

A good idea for small and very simple VIs, but there needs to be some barriers to anything much larger than a postcard.

Even if we can see a picture, only the most glaring errors become obvious. we cannot run, probe, follow the wire, cleanup, etc. etc.

For example if a VI diagram covers 100 screens (as we sometimes encounter here!), I don't want an image that blows up my computer or phone. If a Vi contains deeply stacked sequences inside deeply stacked sequences, I also definitely don't want to see a picture of it.

---

I would imagine that the proposed feature could be improved over time. (Possibly limiting png by cyclic complexity in the future)   Or, that those using the option will be self trained to pick up on clues in the thread.  For now the barrier can simply be the members choice to download as png knowing the limitations.

"Perfect" implementation is not as important for me as "Some" implementation.  Or, stated otherwise, even a glass half full is useful to a thirty man.

[AeroSoul]

---

@JÞB wrote:

Currently,  if I download a vi I need a version of LabVIEW greater than the VI original and any drivers TKs etc or I get incomplete code.  

A bit off topic, but is there a way to open newer VIs with old LabVIEW versions? I currently use 2019 and often can't open VIs posted here on the forum. I don't think that VIs made in 2020 are all that different than 2019.

[Hooovahh]

---

@AeroSoul wrote:

---

A bit off topic, but is there a way to open newer VIs with old LabVIEW versions? 

---

No.  The person posting the code can perform a Save for Previous Version, and you can open it.  Also the Code Capture Tool (which is similar to snippets) can save to previous versions.  Some things obviously can't be back saved because there isn't an equivalent function.  If you are looking to just open code on the forum to help others, you can download and use the Community Edition of LabVIEW for free and open the newest version code.

[AeroSoul]

---

@Hooovahh wrote:

Some things obviously can't be back saved because there isn't an equivalent function.  

---

Obviously, but if you open a VI provided by someone and don't have certain packages installed it just shows a "?" SubVI and it could do the same when opening future versions. And of course use version appropriate functions for the rest. Maybe slap on a warning about possible compatibility issues.

It doesn't seem like a big deal to make future compatibility happen, just unwillingness to do so.