non-modal dialog box

[sydney]

I have a project with a producer-consumer pattern where the producer queues msgs to the consumer via an event structure and a msg queue. The consumer is also a FSM (state machine). I need to add a non-modal dialog box to the GUI so that I can recognize the events from the main GUI as well as the non-modal dialog box. I already have added modal dialog boxes which run OK, but, since they are modal, only the dialog box will receive events until I close the box. I also need to have the ability to hide or minimize the box while I work with the main GUI since I plan on this dialog box showing a list of items that the user will need to see while using the main GUI. If I bring up the non-modal dialog box in the producer event structure, I'll lock out all other events. If I do this in the consumer I'll run into other problems with the existing GUI. What I think I have to do is try to run this in another thread initiated from the event structure, but I have not yet figured out how to do this. I would love to hear some ideas on this one... In the meanwhile I'll be experimenting and checking the examples for more insight.

[crossrulz]

The most simple way would probably make another consumer loop for showing your non-modal dialog boxes. Have another queue (or notifier) running around to tell the loop to run a certain window. You would be limited to one dialog box opening in the new consumer, but it is a quick and easy way to handle your issue.

[sydney]

That is an interesting suggestion! I will experiment with it this weekend. Silly me, I really just thought that the modal button was going to do all and completely forgot about handling the events........

[sydney]

I did some experimenting around and found the following things had to be done after using you separate loop/ msg queue idea. I had to make a custom VI that was neither modal or free floating since I wanted the minimize icon to be used. I also had to implement a 'Singleton' pattern idea even though I am not using OOP so that the button event to bring this up will only ever bring one VI up. Then I discovered that the 'look and feel' needed another fix up so that the button event would reopen the front panel via a property node when the event was generated and the VI was in minimized state. Works great! thanks for the pointer.