TIPS thread

[jpdrolet]

Here we can share and discuss useful tips and shortcuts you use in LabVIEW after years of experience.

(Michael: Maybe this topic should have its own forum if there are many entries...)

My favourites:

Use one labview.ini file per project

There are many benefits to have one labview.ini file per project since different projects may require differents settings.

In this labview.ini file, set the default directory to your project directory:

the file dialogs will conveniently start from this directory

the list of recently opened VIs will be uniwue to each project

the builtin SCC can have different location for each project

For each project I have created a shortcut to launch LabVIEW with this labview.ini file

"path\to\labview.exe" -pref "path\to\project\labview.ini" <optional path to VIs to launch/load at startup>

I even have created a custom file extension *.lvini that launches LabVIEW when dbl-click on the inifile.

The command line is

"path\to\labview.exe" -pref "%l"

If you work with several versions, you can create several extensions (lvini70, lvini71,...)

Work on SUBST drive

When I work on many versions/branches of a project concurrently there are potential problems of cross linking and paths. It is not straightforward to start the same project from a different directory as there are numerous paths still pointing to the previous directory.

I used to SUBST the working directory to a logical drive e.g. when launching the project I map its directory to say drive Y:

I start the project with a command file located in the project directory:

rem delete the actual Y: subst, if anysubst Y: /drem subst the directory where is located this command file to Y: (dot == current directory)subst Y: .rem start LabVIEWstart "" "c:\program files\national instruments\labview 7.0\labview.exe" -pref "y:\labview.ini"rem or start "" "y:\labview.lvini" if the lvini extension is defined

This way the project has always the same root path whatever the version I work with. There is less danger of crosslinking since the actual directory is not explicitely referred to.

[Mark Balla]

Very cool Thread thank's for starting it :thumbup:

I came up with this one while trying to program while rocking my 6 moth old daughter to sleep.

I bought a ms optical mouse which has 3 additional programmable buttons.

I programmed the buttons to the 3 keys I used the most in LabView Ctrl,Shift, and Delete.

I was amazed at how much faster I could do things when It only required one hand.

example:

Copying objects one handed

Select (left mouse)

Add to selection (Mouse Shift, Left click)

Copy objects (Mouse Ctrl, Drag Left click)

Copy objects in line (Mouse Ctrl Shift, Drag Left click)

It also makes it easier to do short cuts

Like (Switch Windows)Ctrl-E , (Save)Ctrl-S

You only have to tap the keyboard with one finger instead of contorting you hand to push 2 buttons at once.

Every machine that I program on now has a programable mouse.

[Michael Aivaliotis]

Just to close off this topic in case someone stumbles upon it. All LabVIEW tips and tricks will be now handled through the Tips and Tricks Wiki page.