Two Monitors for more LabVIEW code view

[Daklu]

Maybe by CLADs, but not where I work. I often get berrated for using too much abstraction and too many subVIs.

I'd be willing to bet the total number CLADs >> the total number of crelfs. Ergo, your "excessive" use of sub vis is insufficient to counteract the collective impact of CLADs (and uncertified users) who do not use enough sub vis.

Seriously though, subVIs are great, and, just like everything else, should be used when appropriate. Just to get a little BD space is not one of them IMHO

[crelf]

I am well aware of that. I purposely used shall to make this an enforced requirement. But, since I don't have to meet ISO or IEEE9001, this is more of a 'do as I say, not as I do' requirement...

That's the best kind of requirement

BTW: your post resulted in LAVA sending me 8 emails! Seems a bit excessive for a quoted reply...

Not sure why - I did build the reply (I'm on vacation at the moment, so I'm working on my phone.

[GregFreeman]

I currently have 3 monitors (two up top, one in the center below). Hope to get a 4th soon.

I see what Darren is going for...

[asbo]

I'd be willing to bet the total number CLADs >> the total number of crelfs.

It's bittersweet, but we take what we can get.

[Daklu]

It doesn't matter if it is one digram that fits on a whole roomfull of screens. I am proffering that more than one screen is shoddy programming. Why? Because I have to run the whole screen in debug to see one bit of it (and assume I don't know which bit I want to see yet).

Perhaps it is your debugging technique that is shoddy? (Just kidding... I couldn't resist. )

I have experienced the same frustration with the block diagram jumping all over the place while I step through a vi. As my programming skills have evolved I've switched back and forth between allowing multiple loops and not allowing multiple loops. With actor-oriented programming I find I rarely need to step through the code looking for an error. Usually it's pretty clear where the error is coming from so I can set a probe and a breakpoint and get the info I need to take the next step. And since most of my loops sit around waiting for a message, in those cases where I do need to step through the code the block diagram doesn't jump around.

Admittedly, sometimes I do create sub vis purely for the sake of saving space because it better establishes readability*. When I do I'll mark it private and put it in a virtual folder named "Space Savers" or something like that to indicate it falls outside of the abstraction levels (both public and private) I've established for that component.

(*When I say readability, I'm not referring to just the readability of a block diagram. Usually I'm more concerned with clarity of the app as a whole rather than readability of any single block diagram. In other words, I favor decisions that help the developer understand how components interact over decisions that help the developer understand any single block diagram.)

[patleb]

I use PXI 1045 all day much of the time. The 8106 controller only has one monitor output but I'm not whining. I'ts just not that difficult to remember where you differnet windows are. Sounds like some of you are really spoiled.

[asbo]

Haha, for me, it has very little to do with knowing my windows are more to do with being able to see all my code at the same time as my spec documents, notes, calling code, callee code...

Try a multi-monitor setup and you'll never want to go back. That doesn't mean you can't cope, though. All of the testers I work on are single monitor and I do just fine.