View cluster FP controls & BD constants as icons

[mje]

Let's face it, clusters can get absolutely huge from a real-estate perspective, both on the front panel and the block diagram. The only solution I've ever used to avoid the ugliness of a huge cluster is to always use a hidden control, even for constants in the diagram, that way I get my nice little icon regardless of the physical size of the cluster. I have one problem with this though, and that's when dealing with clusters that are connected to a VIs connection terminal. I consider it very poor form to hide anything that's connected, but often enough I have to just to preserve the sanity of my panels (as well as myself). My only solution so far has been to just leave a comment saying "ControlX is hidden" or something like that, so anyone browsing the panel knows to look for it in the diagram if they want to locate it.

What I'd really like is to be able to represent any cluster as an icon, so it takes up a fixed (and small) amount of space. Bonus points for being able to switch between icon and full form on the fly so I can edit the data. Double bonus points if this can apply to BD constants too, since there's nothing worse than having a typedef'd constant resize in a diagram and oblilterate some formatting.

[Rio C.]

Look at post #15 on this thread.

JDave shows a couple of ways to put a large cluster in a small space without making it invisible. A drawback may be that the contents aren't readily visible, but that's easier to deal with than non-visible controls.

Rio

[Grampa_of_Oliva_n_Eden]

For the BD constant explosion issue I use will put my type def onstants in a sub-VI with an icon mathcing the type def. as I mention in my Nugget on Type definitions.

It takes care of the type def expanding when editied and also gives you an oppertunity to document the data a little more.

Ben

[mje]

Interesting ideas, thanks both of you.

[Steen Schmidt]

I actually logged in to post a few suggestions or wishes, and this was exactly one of them. I really wish we had the option to show clusters as (descriptive) icons instead of controls or indicators. You can already do this with refnum controls for instance. It would be faster (performance-wise) and easier than the workarounds suggested above.

Cheers,

Steen

[Grampa_of_Oliva_n_Eden]

QUOTE (Steen Schmidt @ Apr 1 2009, 04:44 AM)

... It would be faster (performance-wise) and easier than the workarounds suggested above.

Cheers,

Steen

LV is smart enough to fold code that is constant. Have you benchmarked this difference?

Curious,

Ben

[Aristos Queue]

QUOTE (neBulus @ Apr 1 2009, 05:28 AM)

LV is smart enough to fold code that is constant. Have you benchmarked this difference?

But if you change that constant into a hidden control, it is not a constant any more. And LV can't assume that it is a constant even when it isn't on the conpane because LV has no way of knowing that you won't use VI server to set its value or to unhide it or something like that.