Tips and Tricks to Speed LabVIEW Development Useful Nuggets to Save You Time

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Tips and Tricks to Speed LabVIEW
DevelopmentUseful Nuggets to Save You Time
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Agenda

• 15 Tips and Tricks for NI LabVIEW Development
• Beginner Simple tricks to save time
• Intermediate LabVIEW tips you probably didnt
  know about
• Advanced Useful nuggets to put you ahead of the
  game

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Automatically Select the Right Tool

• Avoid manually switching among many tools

Operate Value Tool
Position/Size/Select Tool
Auto Tool
Edit Text Tool
Connect Wire Tool
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Switch Terminal Wires Easily
Hold Down Ctrl and Left-Click on Input Terminal
Note This works only for functions with two
inputs when both inputs have already been wired.
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Easily Scroll Through Structures

• You can use Ctrl Mouse Scroll to scroll
  through
• Case Structures
• Event Structures
• Stacked Sequence Structures
• Diagram Disable Structures

Ctrl Mouse Scroll Wheel
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Quickly Find the Right Palette

• Right-click on a block diagram object for a
  palette shortcut

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Easily Navigate Arrays

• Right-click on an array and select Visible Items
  gtgt Horizontal Scrollbar
• To view last element, select Advanced gtgt Show
  Last Element
• Both horizontal and vertical scrollbars available
  (depending on view)

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Removing Many Breakpoints

• Select Edit gtgt Remove Breakpoints from Hierarchy

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Easily Add Enumeration Items

• Press Ctrl while over Enum to use the Edit Text
  Tool
• Use Shift Enter to repeatedly add items

Shift Enter
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Quickly Open a VI Reference(next to current file
on disk)

• LabVIEW automatically searches in current
  directory
• Right-click on VI and select Call Setup to call
  it dynamically

Good
Better
Best
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Automatically Create Control References

• Simply drag a control into a Control Refnum
• Automatically creates a class-specific,
  type-specific reference

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Drag and Drop to Save Time

• Drag an image into your Front Panel icon
• Select a file and drag into a path constant
• Take a URL from Internet Explorer and drag into a
  string constant
• Drag items from disk or Project Explorer into a
  LabVIEW block diagram

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Quickly Browse Properties and Methods

• View gtgt Class Browser
• Drag a property or method directly into your VI
• Shortcut Ctrl Shift B

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Perform Advanced File I/O Tasks

• New File I/O VIs in LabVIEW 8.20

Recursive File List
Check If File or Folder Exists
Get File Extension
Compare Two Paths
Generate Temporary File Path
MD5 Checksum File
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Implement a For Loop Progress Bar

• Place Progress Bar VI inside for loop
• Opens automatically after a specified amount of
  time
• Download sample code from (http//forums.ni.com/n
  i/board/message?board.id170message.id192115)

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Automatically Analyze Your VIs

• Tools gtgt VI Analyzer gtgt Analyze VIs
• Check performance, style, UI, documentation, and
  more
• Save VI Analyzer settings for later use

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Change the Windows File Dialog(to contain
recently used folders in LabVIEW)

• Add LabVIEW.ini token MRUFolders TRUE
• Maintain easy access to the last 5 directories
  used in LabVIEW

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Other Resources

• ni.com/info - Use info code nugget to download
  presentation
• Weekly LabVIEW Nuggets (click here)
• LabVIEW Style Guide (click here)
• LAVA Favorite Tips and Shortcuts

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Experienced User LabVIEW Intermediate I LabVIEW
Intermediate II
Advanced User LabVIEW Advanced I
Courses
New User LabVIEW Basics I LabVIEW Basics II

• Skills learned
• Modular application development
• Structured design and development practices
• Interapplication communication and connectivity
  techniques

• Skills learned
• LabVIEW environment navigation
• Basics of application creation using LabVIEW
• Basics of data acquisition and instrument control

• Skills learned
• Large application design
• Advanced development techniques
• Multideveloper project implementation

• Certified LabVIEW Architect Exam
• Skills tested
• LabVIEW application development mastery

• Certified LabVIEW Developer Exam
• Skills tested
• LabVIEW application development expertise

• Certifications
• Certified LV Associate Developer Exam
• Skills tested
• LabVIEW environment knowledge

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Connect with the LabVIEW Community
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