Jim Kring Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 I don't know if anyone else has discovered this already, but it's pretty cool... How to create a system (dialog) cluster control Summary: we will be replacing the cluster frame with a System (Dialog) Recessed Frame, using the control editor . Steps: 1) Place a System (Dialog) Recessed Frame on the front panel. Select it and then Edit>>Copy (<ctrl>+C) it to the clipboard. 2) Place a cluster shell onto the front panel. Select it and then Edit>>Customize Control to open it in the Control Editor dialog 3) Change from Customize Mode to Edit Mode, by pressing the small "wrench" button. 4) Right-click on the cluster frame and select Import at Same Size from the pop up menu. 5) For added style.. 5.A) make the cluster background transparent so that you can see system color of the front panel 5.B) move the cluster's label so that it hovers over the frame, and 5.C) color the label so that it has a system color background with a transparent foreground (to hide the shadow). voil Quote Link to comment
Chris Davis Posted January 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Pretty cool Jim! That could be useful when you have to display a cluster to a user, and you want it to have a different look than the standard LV cluster. Chris Quote Link to comment
PJM_labview Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 While this is nice, I wish that we could reduce the border thickness at will. Not beeing able to do so pretty much render array of cluster as user interface object useless (because every items inside the cluster is spaced 8 pixels apart). Note: if someone figured out a way around this, please speak up PJM Quote Link to comment
BChandler Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 While this is nice, I wish that we could reduce the border thickness at will. Not beeing able to do so pretty much render array of cluster as user interface object useless (because every items inside the cluster is spaced 8 pixels apart). Note: if someone figured out a way around this, please speak up PJM I guess my reply got lost in the recent site crash. I was wondering if your objection to this was because of the wasted 8 pixels or because of the visable border around each element in the array? The border problem can be solved by coloring the Array container before putting an element into it. As in the attached example, which shows your method, system box method of this messgae and (smaller boarder) and method with no visable box at all. (written in LV6.1) Download File:post-2910-1139792348.vi Quote Link to comment
i2dx Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 hey, that's cool, Jim! until now, I was using a cluster from the "classic" menu and made the frame and background transparent. then I wrapped the "dialog" border around the elements. the result looks like your solution, but yours is more "generic". thx! cb Quote Link to comment
Mike Ashe Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 I don't know if anyone else has discovered this already, but it's pretty cool...How to create a system (dialog) cluster control Nice. I have not played with clusters like this for front panels. However I once used something like your technique to make a very large and complex cluster that was being passed all through a large application into a very small "reference" looking control. When it was on a front panel it was about 20x15 pixels, but in it's natural state it was over 1000x1000. I love seeing creative uses of control editing. Too bad I haven't seen any (so far) that are scriptable. It would be nice to make up our own floating tool palette that had a bunch of control customizatin transformations. Then we could select a control, hit the appropriate palette button and get the whoe recipe applied to that control. The closest I have seen is your boolean tool. Great work, thanks again. Quote Link to comment
PJM_labview Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 I guess my reply got lost in the recent site crash. I was wondering if your objection to this was because of the wasted 8 pixels or because of the visable border around each element in the array? The border problem can be solved by coloring the Array container before putting an element into it. As in the attached example, which shows your method, system box method of this messgae and (smaller boarder) and method with no visable box at all. (written in LV6.1) I am aware that I can color the border. The issue is that, regardless of coloring or no coloring, you always end up with a minimum of 8 pixels between elements in your cluster. Below is a screen shot of your example slightly modified. PJM Quote Link to comment
BChandler Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 you always end up with a minimum of 8 pixels between elements in your cluster.PJM True. I can't see anyway around it. Of cource the reason for a forced gap is to allow the mouse access to the cluster functions, like Reorder elements. What is a user interface that is so sensitive to an 8 pixels gap? (and must use a cluster-array not a simple array). -WDC Quote Link to comment
Donald Posted March 8, 2006 Report Share Posted March 8, 2006 :!: I don't know if anyone else has discovered this already, but it's pretty cool...How to create a system (dialog) cluster control Summary: we will be replacing the cluster frame with a System (Dialog) Recessed Frame, using the control editor . Steps: 1) Place a System (Dialog) Recessed Frame on the front panel. Select it and then Edit>>Copy (<ctrl>+C) it to the clipboard. 2) Place a cluster shell onto the front panel. Select it and then Edit>>Customize Control to open it in the Control Editor dialog 3) Change from Customize Mode to Edit Mode, by pressing the small "wrench" button. 4) Right-click on the cluster frame and select Import at Same Size from the pop up menu. 5) For added style.. 5.A) make the cluster background transparent so that you can see system color of the front panel 5.B) move the cluster's label so that it hovers over the frame, and 5.C) color the label so that it has a system color background with a transparent foreground (to hide the shadow). Donald says: If you use the LabVIEW color picker, I think this is a mistake or at least I don't understand how you select a real dialog label color... and will not work for Windows XP. Windows XP with default desktop settings has a DIALOG tab control which is a bit lighter than a dialog background. Also when the user changes the default desktop the label doesn't follow the new settings. I use the Dialog Label (from Dialog Control palette) to pick the Dialog Color from, it goes much faster than selecting foreground and background color from the LV color picker. I don't even know how to use to color picker to have this special System Dialog Label Color. Anyone??? Please use my LabVIEW 7.1 example "Dialog Label Color Test.vi to test the different behavior. Should an empty dialog cluster not be a part of OpenG toolkit? voil Quote Link to comment
David Wisti Posted March 8, 2006 Report Share Posted March 8, 2006 For your user.lib with Donalds updates. Download File:post-319-1141835467.ctl Quote Link to comment
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