File extension for global variables

[Jim Kring]

Yeah, I know that it is bad to use globals. But let's say you had too. What would you use as the file extension. LabVIEW will use the .vi extension, by default from the Save dialog. And, LabVIEW does not recognize the .glb extension. However, I have seen people use .gbl as a file extension for global variables. What naming convention do you use?

[jeffwass]

Yeah, I know that it is bad to use globals. But let's say you had too. What would you use as the file extension. LabVIEW will use the .vi extension, by default from the Save dialog. And, LabVIEW does not recognize the .glb extension. However, I have seen people use .gbl as a file extension for global variables. What naming convention do you use?

For LabVIEW 2 globals, if that's what you're referring to, I just use them as regular VI's, with VI extension, etc. However, I use the filename like InstrGlobal.vi or something similar. Perhaps, in retrospect, it would be better to put the Global as the first part of the name, so all global routines in the hierarchy would be grouped together when browsing. I also have some kind of pic of a globe on the VI icon, so it's obvious when looking at the BD it's a global.

[Jim Kring]

Jeff: Actually, I was referring to plain old global variables, available from the Structures palette or by selecting New... >> Global Variable from the menu.

[jeffwass]

Jeff: Actually, I was referring to plain old global variables, available from the Structures palette or by selecting New... >> Global Variable from the menu.

Ahh, I never use those, I guess it was ingrained in my learning that they're bad, so I've just opted for LV2 (or USR) globals instead.

[Jim Kring]

Jeff: I'm in the same boat. I'm doing some research on how best to introduce concepts and conventions for new LabVIEW developers

[Jim Kring]

The poll is now closed. Thank you to all who voted and for your feedback.

[Aristos Queue]

QUOTE(Jim Kring @ Feb 11 2006, 09:43 AM)

The poll is now closed. Thank you to all who voted and for your feedback.

Yeah, I know the poll was closed back in 2006, but it appeared today on the front page of LAVA, and I thought I'd mention something that may not have been thought of back in 2006, since at that point LV8.0 was fairly new. The LabVIEW project will handle items that have the .vi file extension a lot better than VIs with non-standard file extensions. If you actually load non-standard-extension VIs into memory, then the project will know they're VIs. But until you do that, it judges based solely on the file extension, and it may not be displayed with the right icons or get the right popup menu items.