"Hide Control" on typedef constants bug

[Bruce Moyer]

Here's a wierd one (a "bug") that I discovered while experimenting with typedefs and diagram terminals that you may want to try out (in LV7.0-7.1.1).

It's possible to create constants on the diagram that are impossible to remove. Here's how.

Create a typedef and place a constant of it on the diagram. Right-click on the constant and select "Advanced"..."Hide Control". Once you do you permanently have this typedef constant affixed to your VI. It isn't possible to move or select the typedef constant anymore and you can't delete it. You can still wire it however.

Bruce Moyer

[Bruce Moyer]

Here's a wierd one (a "bug") that I discovered while experimenting with typedefs and diagram terminals that you may want to try out (in LV7.0-7.1.1).

It's possible to create constants on the diagram that are impossible to remove. Here's how.

Create a typedef and place a constant of it on the diagram. Right-click on the constant and select "Advanced"..."Hide Control". Once you do you permanently have this typedef constant affixed to your VI. It isn't possible to move or select the typedef constant anymore and you can't delete it. You can still wire it however.

Bruce Moyer

[Mike Ashe]

Very interesting. This might provide a way of "watermarking" a VI, or creating an indelible trademark.

It also creates an effective way to place a timelimit on how long an application runs, even if you provide source code. Put a typedef cluster constant on the diagram and wire or not, and let the software run. After you exceed the timelimit have the application delete the typedef VI. This will break your application the next time it is restarted, with no way to fix unless the end user gets another copy of the typedef.

[BChandler]

Here's a wierd one (a "bug") that I discovered while experimenting with typedefs and diagram terminals that you may want to try out (in LV7.0-7.1.1).

It's possible to create constants on the diagram that are impossible to remove.  Here's how.

Create a typedef and place a constant of it on the diagram.  Right-click on the constant and select "Advanced"..."Hide Control".  Once you do you permanently have this typedef constant affixed to your VI.  It isn't possible to move or select the typedef constant anymore and you can't delete it.  You can still wire it however.

Bruce Moyer

3651[/snapback]

That's a new bug too. In LV 6.1 the Advanced tab is grayed out on a type def constant.

[Bob Y.]

Very interesting. This might provide a way of "watermarking" a VI, or creating an indelible trademark.

Update:

I tried this in LabVIEW 7.1 and it works as described. In LabVIEW 8.0, the Advanced menu pull-right is disabled. If you placed one in LabVIEW 7.1 and open the VI in 8.0, it is still "stuck", but you can't "stick" a new one.

Bob Young