Labview 2013 & JKI Right-Click Framework

[AusTEX]

I just tried to get the JKI right-click framework working in LV 2013.  It seems very hit or miss on if it works, mostly miss.  Anyone else using JKI RCF with LV 2013?  Is it working for you?

[Antoine Chalons]

Issues started to happen with LV 2011 and the last update of JKI RCF was released in july 2009 (unless I've missed something).

 

I think JKI folks are busy on other products now and I suspect that Quick Drop is a serious enough alternative for JKI to not put too much effort into the RCF anymore.

[jcarmody]

A few of us have converted RCF plugins into QD.

[crossrulz]

Almost all of the plugins I used with RCF are also available with Quick Drop.  I haven't used RCF since 2011 came out.  NI did something with  that release that messed up the RCF and JKI has no intentions what-so-ever to keep RCF up to date.  I was told by a couple of them that they only made it to force NI to release scripting.

[AusTEX]

Thanks for the info.  I like the quick drop functionality as well, especially since it works every time.  But I think the way the right click framework worked was so much better IMHO.  I like being able to right-click on something and a list pops up of the functions that can work on what I've selected.  Much better than having to memroize a bunch of shortcut keys or having to do more mouse clicks.  Looks like I'll have to commit myself to drinking the quick drop kool-aid (I hope its grape).

[Yair]

Thanks for the info.  I like the quick drop functionality as well, especially since it works every time.  But I think the way the right click framework worked was so much better IMHO.  I like being able to right-click on something and a list pops up of the functions that can work on what I've selected.  Much better than having to memroize a bunch of shortcut keys or having to do more mouse clicks.

 

Then vote for this, and get others to do so too - http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-Idea-Exchange/Supercharge-Quick-Drop-Turn-QD-keyboard-shortcuts-into-first/idi-p/2620153

This isn't as convenient as the RCF method, but I expect it should still be usable (and certainly faster, as the RCF has to run the checking VI for each installed plugin every time you right click).

 

Also, you can look into LabVIEW speak and quick edit, which already have a list of options today.

[hooovahh]

Then vote for this, and get others to do so too - http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-Idea-Exchange/Supercharge-Quick-Drop-Turn-QD-keyboard-shortcuts-into-first/idi-p/2620153

I don't know why that idea doesn't have more kudos.  Are people not using more quick drop items then what comes with LabVIEW?  As soon as you start installing some of the ones posted on NI's site, or making your own, you realize quickly that QD only works well if you have very few functions.  As soon as you have more then say 5 you start to run out of shortcuts, and only having one modifier key (the shift key) is also quite limiting.  If QD is going to grow it needs to be overhauled.  Not necessarily in the way TST suggested but in some way.

[Michael Aivaliotis]

I think right-click is far superior to quick-drop IMO. But, yes, JKI has dropped support for it. So no use barking up that tree. It's better if NI had a built-in API to support right-click actions. If you think about it, quick-drop (and the JKI right-click) is a hack on top of an IDE that's not designed to support extensions or user-defined automation.

[AusTEX]

Agree completely.  The RCF is a much faster, better, simpler interface.  Too bad that JKI doesn't show it more love.

[hooovahh]

Agree completely.  The RCF is a much faster, better, simpler interface.  Too bad that JKI doesn't show it more love.

Some prefer one development style over the other.  Some see right click menus a break in the development flow slowing down the developer.  If I know the function names I want to use, traversing through the palette takes alot longer then it does just typing it in quick drop.  I did use the RCF and know it can be used for things that seem clunky in QD.  Honestly I don't know which I prefer.  I think I can adapt to either given enough time.  But when it comes down to it using an official feature that isn't quite perfect, is better in my opinion, then using a more cumbersome method with more flexibility.

 

Often times I see NI develop some new thing that obviously gets inspiration from the community (the Icon Editor is one).  When the NI method gets good enough we as a community start to abandon the older way of doing stuff, with the knowledge that we no longer need to support and maintain a project, and instead NI has sorta taken over it.  This then helps the community focus on other cool new projects that NI hasn't tackled yet.  And so the cycle of ever improving software development continues.