Code Module Visualization in LabVIEW

[JackDunaway]

Greeting, wireworkers! I have an idea and a need for some software development tools, just not the bandwidth to develop them by myself. Would you help me?

 

Problem description: I find myself needing/wanting to visualize dependencies of code modules in LabVIEW. A "module" is loosely defined here, as perhaps a library, a VI, a project...

 

Current tools available: VI Hierarchy gives a nice view of static dependencies of a single VI; Class Hierarchy gives a decent view of a project's object model; the Dependencies section of a LVproj give a good listing of all static dependencies of the project.

 

Rationale for a new tool: Make it easy to visualize how code modules are interconnected, to be used as a debug and design tool for system architectures written in LabVIEW.

 

Want to help?: Just drop a line -- either private message or email. Ideally, you've got some experience with the LV Linker and Javascript; no worries if not, I can help out. Likewise, ideally you've found yourself wanting similar tools to enhance your experience developing systems.

 

What happens to the tools we create?: The immediate goal is to help ourselves on our own projects and scratch our recreational programming itches; in the future, perhaps there's enough polish and interest to release open source to the community.

 

Here are a few ideas:

 

1. Dependencies of top-level application modules (interactive source: http://www.findtheconversation.com/concept-map)

 

 

2. Relative size of libraries and their inter-connectedness (interactive source: http://redotheweb.com/CodeFlower/)

 

 

3. How VIs connect to each other, grouped by library (interactive source: http://redotheweb.com/DependencyWheel/)

 

 

4. Coupling and cohesion between methods grouped by library (interactive source: http://bl.ocks.org/mbostock/4062045)

 

[JackDunaway]

Thanks all for the response -- a team is currently chatting offline to schedule an initial meeting. And just to answer a few questions publicly:

• This is a non-commercial, "after-hours", open source project for fun, but it's meant to help us perform our day jobs better
• No picture controls; all visualizations are rendered in the browser using existing javascript libraries (LabVIEW<->js communication using JSON)
• If you'd like to "follow along at home", ping me and I'll gladly send details to dial-in as a viewer on our video/screensharing brainstorming/work calls
  

Best,

Jack

[Thoric]

This looks like a great idea Jack, and I wish I could help but I doubt I have the free time (or knowhow) so let me instead wish everyone involved the best of luck with the development!

[jzoller]

I just wanted to chime in and say I think this is a fantastic idea.  It's something I've been looking at and tinkering with for a while (using kineticjs), particularly a re-visualization of the profiler and trace execution data to a format that's more connected to how the diagram and hierarchy look.

 

No time until the new year, though... making money interferes with all the fun stuff.