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Integrating the Project Explorer into my US


crelf

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I'm putting together the next generation of the VI Engineering VISTA Tool Suite, and I'm radically changing the UI to include some usability components that newer versions of LabVIEW have exposed. Unfortunatley, there's one component that I don't find exposed: the Project Explorer. I'd like to include a PE 'container' on my FP and have the code react to user's clicking on it. Does anyone have any ideas?

Here's a quick mock-up of what I'd like to see (it's not the final UI for the suite - just a representation of what I'd like to see at the node level :) )

http://forums.lavag.org/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=5521

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This would seem to me to be a pipe dream. I wish you luck, but I cannot believe there's hope. The project's UI is made to be plugged into, not made to be plugged in. Although the project is written in large measure using G code, it controls many of the underpinnings of LabVIEW and as such cannot itself use many of LV's features. I suspect if you do find a way to host the project, you'll also find many ways to deadlock LV's user interface.

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QUOTE(Aristos Queue @ Apr 16 2007, 10:45 AM)

Bugger - I was hoping you weren't going to say that :)

QUOTE(Aristos Queue @ Apr 16 2007, 10:45 AM)

The project's UI is made to be plugged into, not made to be plugged in.

Since you mention it, how do I plug in to the project UI?

QUOTE(chrisdavis @ Apr 16 2007, 11:28 AM)

The project file is just an XML file, so it could be parsed...

Thanks Chris - that was going to be my backup if I couldn't get to the PE directly. Looks like it's my best option at this stage

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QUOTE(chrisdavis @ Apr 16 2007, 12:25 PM)

Did you like that? :laugh: Try to pry doors open, that's my motto...

QUOTE(chrisdavis @ Apr 16 2007, 12:25 PM)

I figured you had thought of parsing the file itself.

Yeah - I had, and it'll probably work just fine, but it means that users need to save their project files (or I need to programmatically do it for them) for my tool suite to work. I was hoping for something a little cleaner.

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QUOTE(crelf @ Apr 15 2007, 09:05 PM)

Since you mention it, how do I plug in to the project UI?

Oh, let's see, what answers can I give to this one? Hm...

"Carefully."

"With a VI."

"The same way the NI programmers do."

"What's green, hangs on a wall, and whistles?"

"I don't know, and I'm pretty sure I couldn't tell you if I did."

Honestly, given how much documentation LAVA has about the mythical XNodes (one would think you people were anthropologists and not programmers given how much time you spend hunting that imaginary beast), I have been surprised that no one has posted anything about the project architecture. I mean, really, the project has been out for two versions of LV now, yet its secrets are still hidden. I mean, wow. It's enough to make me think that I could put an easter egg right on the splash screen when LV launches and it would slip right past all of you for a couple years.

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QUOTE(Jim Kring @ Apr 16 2007, 06:03 PM)

Project plugins must be digitally signed by NI, in order for the framework to accept them.

I assume AQ very well knows that the project environment requires digital signature. I wonder why he did give an impression that that it can be passed somehow...

Crelf, you can access information on project explorer but in pure G you cannot place it on front panel.

Tomi

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QUOTE(Tomi Maila @ Apr 16 2007, 10:56 AM)

I assume AQ very well knows that the project environment requires digital signature. I wonder why he did give an impression that that it can be passed somehow...

Nope, I actually didn't know this. My last answer there was quite serious -- I don't know. I've never really dug into that code. I've never had cause to work with the G providers. Other members of the LabVOOP team handle that stuff.

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QUOTE(Aristos Queue @ Apr 16 2007, 08:51 PM)

Nope, I actually didn't know this.

Now you know then :) Perhaps you can "accidentally" embed a backdoor to allow 3rd party plugins to the project environment in the next major version of LabVIEW ;) Seriously it would be nice if project was open to 3rd party extensions in a similar way as Eclipse is open to extensions.

Tomi

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QUOTE(Tomi Maila @ Apr 16 2007, 12:27 PM)

Now you know then :) Perhaps you can "accidentally" embed a backdoor to allow 3rd party plugins to the project environment in the next major version of LabVIEW ;) Seriously it would be nice if project was open to 3rd party extensions in a similar way as Eclipse is open to extensions.

Tomi

Hmmm, a project framework built on the idea of extension points -- LabVIEW and Java really have a lot in common. Really makes one think about the possibilities. Except that LabVIEW's framework is not "open" in the real sense of the word. If only we had a more open framework for...

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QUOTE(Jim Kring @ Apr 16 2007, 11:21 PM)

Except that LabVIEW's framework is not "open" in the real sense of the word.

Well resource\Framework\Providers\Project has some interesting VIs:

  • Get all project Items is what your probably after

Then resource\Framework\Providers\lvdesktop.llb looks promising

Crelf you have to do the hard work

Ton

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QUOTE(Aristos Queue @ Apr 15 2007, 09:52 PM)

It's enough to make me think that I could put an easter egg right on the splash screen when LV launches and it would slip right past all of you for a couple years.

If, in theory, an easter egg was on the splash screen, how would one best look for it?

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