Wrap It Up


Wrap It Up!

LabVIEW offers several ways to save your VIs. Saving them in LLB files, which are special LabVIEW files containing groups of VIs, is not recommended. Regardless of how you save, be sure to do it frequently!

You can take advantage of LabVIEW's many useful debugging features if your VIs do not work right away. You can single-step through your diagram node by node, animate the diagram using execution highlighting, and suspend subVIs when they are called so that you can look at input and output values by setting a breakpoint. You can also use the probe to display the value a wire is carrying at any time. Each of these features allow you to take a closer look at your problem.

SubVIs are the LabVIEW equivalent of subroutines. All subVIs must have an icon and a connector. You can create subVIs from existing VIs or from a selected part of a block diagram. To prevent wiring mistakes with subVIs, use their online help and specify their inputs as required, recommended, or optional. Import an existing subVI into a calling VI's block diagram by choosing Select a VI . . . from the Functions palette, and then selecting the subVI you want from the dialog box. SubVIs represent one of LabVIEW's most powerful features. You will find it very easy to develop and debug reusable, low-level subVIs and then call them from higher-level VIs.

As with all programming, it is a good idea to document your work in LabVIEW. You can document an entire VI by entering a description under the Documentation dialog of the VI Properties . . . from the File menu. This description is also visible in the Help window if you pass the cursor over the VI's icon. You can document individual front panel objects and block diagram functions by selecting Description and Tip . . . from the pop-up menu and then entering your text in the resulting dialog box. Descriptions for front panel objects will also appear in the Help window when you pass the cursor over the object.

LabVIEW offers several options for printing VIs; you can print the active window, specify what parts of a VI you want to print (such as front panel, block diagram, or subVI information), or set the VI to print programmatically.

Congratulations! You've now covered LabVIEW's fundamental operations. Now you're ready to learn about some of LabVIEW's powerful structures and functions, and how to write cool programs with them.




LabVIEW for Everyone. Graphical Programming Made Easy and Fun
LabVIEW for Everyone: Graphical Programming Made Easy and Fun (3rd Edition)
ISBN: 0131856723
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 294

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