Bryan

I'd like to change the font/colors/etc properties of the font text box so that it stands out a little more. Right now, I have to do this by manually changing its properties with the color tool/etc and then copy/paste it wherever I want to add a comment. I'm wondering if there is a config or something in the LabVIEW INI file that will allow me to change the comment properties so that I don't have to manually do it myself everytime I want to add a comment. Anybody know?

If that's the case, than I'm the LabVIEW Architect for my company... and (have been told) the guru. Quite frankly, that scares the chit out of me since compared to most seasoned people in here, I'm pretty much a little ankle-biter.

So, if I understand you correctly, if the other application sets the serial settings and accesses the port, the command line method will then contain the values used/set by the application? Interesting. I'll have to give it a try. UPDATE: You're right! Now the command line returns the correct values. All I need to do is write a function to parse out all of the information. Thanks!

I just tried using the command line approach and the values returned to me don't match the configuration in device manager. i.e. Device Manager = 9600,8,n,1. command line = 1200,7,e,1. I only have one com port on my current machine, so I'm sure I'm accessing the correct one.

Yeah, I've thought of that. I haven't been able to get LabVIEW and other support applications I need to all install on DSL and run in RAM. I have 62+ machines that I'd like to have up and running the same application all at the same time. I don't really want to have to buy 62+ USB sticks to accomplish that task. I'd really just like to get something up so that I can run a LabVIEW executable and install GE's "vmisft" software onto it (since my LabVIEW application depends on it to access the VME bus). Inasmuch as I would like to do this in LabVIEW, I'm afraid I may have to go an alternative route and get some sort of linux-only solution where I have a linux C-application that does the features I'd need, which is essentially to receive, parse, execute and respond to commands I send to the computer over the network. Unfortunately, with my little knowledge of c-programming in Linux, I may have to consult one of our resident Linux gurus for help with this.

I thought this would be an easy one? Nobody has any insight? I can provide add'l information if anybody needs it.

This is in LV8 BTW. It seemed like a simple enough task to do, but it doesn't work how I envisioned. I haven't beat my head over this too much as I have other things going on, but maybe you guys can tell me what I'm missing. We have a computer that has it's serial settings applied by a completely different application (non LV or NI). What I want to do is read those serial settings into LabVIEW for use in one of our verification applications. Sounds simple enough, right? When I look at say, the COM1 settings under device manager, I see certain settings. When I try to read those settings into LabVIEW using the NI VISA resource name and property node, I get the typical default values (9600,8,N,1). Then, I'll open MAX and it will show a port settings conflict. I'm not a VISA guru by any means and this is the only way I currently know of to access a serial port in LabVIEW and it's always worked fine for me, but I've never used it in this manner before. Is it possible to see the "Windows" settings from NI VISA to read into LabVIEW, or do I have to look at a different route? For those curious, our LabVIEW application runs a hardware verification on the system and checks for communication over the serial ports. The other application that's supposed to run on the system sets the values, which are different per system (and we have 60+ systems to check). Whenever we wrote our verification application,we weren't told what the settings were SUPPOSED to be, so our application has always used the defaults just to check for communication. But, when we run our application, it changes the settings in VISA and seems to be affecting the windows settings to the point where when we finish our verification and start the other application, it generates errors. At least, I THINK that this is what's causing the errors. I just figured it better (and the easiest way to remedy the problem) to just read in what the other application set the com port settings to, then use that for our verification so that we don't see the problem anymore. Maybe this is something easy and I'm missing something simple. I've been working 8pm to 6am for the past couple of weeks and my brain isn't running at peak performance.

QUOTE(LV Punk @ May 9 2007, 06:30 AM) Welcome to the club. They haven't banned YouTube where I work yet, but I'm sure it's on the way. It's funny though, most (respectable) employees are responsible with their non work-related internet surfing. I don't think the "powers that be" understand that by closing a sometimes much needed avenue for distraction, or stress relief only coerces employees to find other ways to seek the occasional much needed escape. That, or they just become stressed out. One of my favorite "demotivational poster" quotes: "Pressure - It can turn a lump of coal into a flawless diamond, or a good employee into a perfect basketcase."

What if one wanted to use the parallel port on a computer anyway to save money, or for a home project or something of the like? I've thought of doing something like that just to do it. It would be cool (or IS cool if it already has been done) for someone to write a LabVIEW driver for the parallel port. I know I'm risking someone saying "Cool! How 'bout you do that?" (it happens a LOT here at work), but it would be something neat for people interested in creating something for a home project or in case someone just is set on using a parallel port anyway.

I'm not familiar with using BootROM or any type of network image booting, so I'll have to read up on it. All of my linux stuff I'm pretty much learning as I go. Would this require me to permanently change things in the BIOS? I'm assuming it would as I would have to somehow tell the computer not to use the image on it's local drive at boot, which would require me to go into each computer's BIOS and force it to look for a network image instead of using the installed local image. My intent is to disturb the hardware/firmware the least amount possible. This would be done on equipment for a military contract and thier configuration control is very strict. If I change anything it may have to go through a documentation and possibly an approval process. The software engineering group boots from a USB device on these units frequently, I'm essentially going in through the same method as they do, but with different software and a different USB device.

Okay, here's our setup. I'm working with a VME-based system. It has a single board computer with no OS on it. It's essentially a dumb VME setup with a computer and some I/O and communication cards. My task is to have an automated test that exercises the cards to verify their functionality, signals, etc. I can't install anything to the computers since they will later have a home-grown and condensed Linux OS on them (all text, no GUI which runs headless) that loads from the 512MB flash HDD and runs in the 512MB to 1GB RAM memory. Sometimes the linux software is already installed and I don't want to touch, change or otherwise affect what's on the on board hard drive. Right now I have a USB HDD running Mandrake 10.1, LabVIEW 7.1 for Linux along with some other softawre to give me accessibility to the VME cards. The only problem is that I can only run it on one setup at a time and I can have anywhere from 1 to 62+ to check at a time, but I only have one drive and the drive needs to be mounted while the computer is running. The program that I'm running on it acts as a server, allowing me to manipulate and read the signals from another computer on the same network. If I can get multiple computers up and going with the same software, I can verify more than one at a time from a central location. When I'm done, I want to be able to restart the computers and allow them to run off of their own hard drives again. Essentially, my sofware is not intended to be permanently installed on the computers. The use of a text-only OS prevents that anyway. I only want to load/use my LabVIEW stuff when I need to test the system. I wrote this quickly, let me know if it doesn't make sense.

I'd definitely be interested in a "How To" if you want to post one. I'm still looking for a Load into/run from RAM solution, but it's for a future project. My current project is just running off of a USB HDD and doesn't run completely in RAM and I'm not pressed right now for the RAM solution.

A Software Engineering Approach to LabVIEW I personally liked this one and still reference it. Although I don't believe it covers LV8.0+, it has some good techniques and info that I've made standard in my programming.

I don't know about creating a database in TestStand, but it's not too difficult to access one and read/write from/to it. If you have TestStand installed (in the default location) you can see database examples in C:\Program files\National Instruments\TestStand[version]\Examples (I'm using 3.1). Unfortunately, I dont have any examples of my own to post for you. I've been using TS on and off for about 2 years. My original sequences accessing a database were created by building my on DB access routines in LabVIEW and then calling them from TestStand. At that time, I didn't know there were DB-specific step types already built into TS. :headbang:

QUOTE(Jim Kring @ Mar 22 2007, 12:00 PM) Very true! Dammit, why can't any of you guys be located in Central VA? There's no decent LabVIEW jobs around here. *GRRR*

I see all points valid here. If you work at a company and a coworker knows you're on this site, and even who you are (maybe you recommended it to him) or they're even a member, they could use that information against you if you have a falling out or if they have a hidden agenda. But, being LabVIEW programmers, we're all interested in metrics and statistics. I think each member has their own responsibility to make themselves as anonymous as they deem comfortable (posting company names, using real names, posting personal info). Just like you would on any other site on the internet. I think it would be a good idea to have some sort of feature that allows you to be more anonymous, but if that's not implemented, perhaps another nickname (as Tomi suggested) would be a better avenue.

Checked them out. Right now, my time issue is in coming up with something to submit to the repository. I was working on something for a while, but then things got busy at work and at home; wife, son and house take priority. I want to get around to submitting something someday.

I'd apply if I was sure I had enough time to devote to it. I don't know if I meet all of the qualifications anyway.

http://www.ratemyeverything.net/post.aspx?post=760 Link to phone call on YouTube (if you have 22 minutes to spare): http://youtube.com/watch?v=Gp0HyxQv97Q (Math > The Verizon Rep in this sound clip)

^ That's where I got my quote from Ben, if you're interested in that stuff, you should read the book "Angels & Demons" (Dan Brown). I just finished it, pretty good fiction novel. For those who have read it, shall we sway the discussion to matter and antimatter and how they could possibly be involved in the creation of the universe?

I mentioned the salary info and location in one of crelf's job postings to my wife last night just joking around and later caught her online looking up housing costs in the area! I actually looked for an NI job at one point, but found nothing for which I felt was really a good fit. When I lived out in California 2 years ago, I didn't even know JKI existed, or I would have sent in my resume. Only problem is that the SanFrancisco area is much more expensive than in Orange County where I lived and wifey wants to be able to have a house in lieu of a condo. Anyway, I think I took this thread off topic. Welcome rconde!

Great, Aristos Queue has gone plaid.

Hmmm. A doughnut-shaped universe within the confines of a Hawkins pressure cooker? Intriguing.

What about Homer Simpson's theory of the doughnut-shaped universe? Stephen Hawking seemed intrigued by it.

Would definitely seriously consider it if it wasn't so derned cold up there. I don't think I could convince my wife to move to MI. We've lived in upstate PA, but since she's been spoiled by southern Cali and Virginia weather. Plus, your link says your positions are filled and I'm not quite sure if I have what one might consider a "superstar resum