Lesson 2

Navigating LabVIEW

TOPICS
A. Virtual Instruments (VIs) G. Searching for Controls, VIs
B. Parts of a VI and Functions
C. Starting a VI H. Selecting a Tool
D. Project Explorer I. Dataflow
E. Front Panel J. Building a Simple VI
F. Block Diagram

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A. Virtual Instruments (VIs)

Virtual Instrument (VI) – A LabVIEW

program

The appearance and operation of VIs imitate physical instruments,

such as oscilloscopes and digital multimeters.

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B. Parts of a VI

LabVIEW VIs contain three main components:

1. Front Panel 2. Block Diagram 3. Icon/Connector Pane

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B. Parts of a VI – Front Panel

Front Panel – User interface for the VI

You build the front panel

with controls (inputs) and
indicators (outputs)

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B. Parts of a VI – Block Diagram

Block Diagram – Contains the

graphical source code

Front panel objects

appear as terminals on
the block diagram

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B. Parts of a VI – Icon/Connector Pane
• Icon: graphical representation of a VI
• Connector Pane: map of the inputs and outputs of a VI
• Icons and connector panes are necessary to use a VI as
a subVI
− A subVI is a VI that is inside of another VI
− Similar to a function in a text-based programming
language
Icon Connector Pane

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C. Starting a VI

Demonstrate using the Getting Started dialog box and the

New dialog box to start a VI.

DEMONSTRATION
D. Project Explorer
Use LabVIEW Projects to:
• Group LabVIEW files and non-LabVIEW files
• Create build specifications
• Deploy or download files to targets

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Using the Project Explorer

Demonstrate creating a project, adding files, and removing

files.

DEMONSTRATION
E. Front Panel – Controls Palette
• Contains the controls and indicators you use to
create the front panel
• Access from the front panel by selecting
View»Controls Palette

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E. Front Panel – Front Panel Toolbar

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E. Front Panel – Controls & Indicators

• Controls
− Knobs, push buttons, dials, and other input devices
− Simulate instrument input devices and supply data to the block
diagram of the VI
• Indicators
− Graphs, LEDs, and other displays
− Simulate instrument output devices and display data the block
diagram acquires or generates

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 E. Front Panel – Numeric Controls/Indicators

The numeric data type can represent numbers of various

types, such as integer or real

Numeric Control
Increment/Decrement Buttons

Numeric Indicator

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E. Front Panel – Boolean Controls/Indicators

• The Boolean data type represents data that only has two
parts, such as True and False or On and Off
• Use Boolean controls and indicators to enter and display
Boolean (True or False) values
• Boolean objects simulate switches, push buttons, and LEDs

Boolean Boolean
Control Indicator

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E. Front Panel – Strings

• The string data type is a sequence of ASCII characters

• Use string controls to receive text from the user such as a
password or user name
• Use string indicators to display text to the user

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E. Front Panel – Shortcut Menus
• All LabVIEW objects have
associated shortcut menus
• As you create a VI, use the
shortcut menu items to change
the look or behavior of front
panel and block diagram
objects
• To access the shortcut menu,
right-click the object

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E. Front Panel – Property Dialog Box
• Right-click a front panel
object and select
Properties to display
• The options available on
the property dialog box
are similar to the options
available on the shortcut
menu for that object

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E. Front Panel – Configure Multiple Objects

• Select multiple objects to simultaneously configure shared

properties

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F. Block Diagram

Block diagram objects include the

following:
• Terminals
• SubVIs
• Functions
• Constants
• Structures
• Wires

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F. Block Diagram – Functions Palette
Contains the VIs, functions, and constants
you use to create the block diagram

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F. Block Diagram – Block Diagram Toolbar

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F. Block Diagram – Terminals

• Terminals are:
− Block diagram appearance of front panel objects
− Entry and exit ports that exchange information between the
front panel and block diagram
− Analogous to parameters and constants in text-based
programming languages
• Change the view type of a terminal by toggling the View as
Icon selection from the context menu

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F. Block Diagram Terminals

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F. Block Diagram – Nodes

• Objects on the block diagram that have inputs and/or

outputs and perform operations when a VI runs
• Analogous to statements, operators, functions, and
subroutines in text-based programming languages
• Nodes can be functions, subVIs, or structures
Nodes

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F. Block Diagram – Function Nodes

• Fundamental operating elements of LabVIEW

• Do not have front panels or block diagrams, but do have
connector panes
• Double-clicking a function only selects the function – does
not open it like a VI
• Has a pale yellow background on its icon

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F. Block Diagram – SubVI Nodes

• SubVI: VIs that you build to use inside of another VI

• Any VI has the potential to be used as a subVI
• When you double-click a subVI on the block diagram, you
can view the front panel and block diagram of the subVI
− The upper right corner of the front panel and block diagram
displays the icon for the current VI
− This is the icon that appears when you place the VI on a block
diagram as a subVI

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F. Block Diagram – SubVI Nodes
• Express VIs are a special type of subVI
− Require minimal wiring because you configure them
with dialog boxes
− Save the configuration of an Express VI as a subVI
• Icons for Express VIs appear on the block diagram
as icons surrounded by a blue field

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F. Block Diagram – Icons/Expandable Nodes

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F. Block Diagram – Wires

• Transfer data between block diagram objects through wires

• Wires are different colors, styles, and thicknesses,
depending on their data types
• A broken wire appears as a dashed
black line with a red X in the middle

DBL Numeric Integer Numeric String

Scalar
1D Array
2D Array

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F. Block Diagram – Wiring Tips

• Press <Ctrl>-B to delete all broken wires

• Right-click and select Clean Up Wire to reroute the wire

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F. Block Diagram – Wiring Tips

Use the Clean Up Diagram tool to reroute multiple wires and

objects to improve readability
1. Select a section of your block diagram
2. Click the Clean Up Diagram button on the block diagram
toolbar

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Exercise 2-1
Concept: Exploring a VI

Identify the parts of an existing VI.

GOAL
Exercise 2-1
Concept: Exploring a VI

• What are constants and when should you use them?

• What are free labels and when should you use them?

DISCUSSION
G. Searching for Controls, VIs & Functions

Find controls, functions, and VIs using the Search button on

the Controls and Functions palette.

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Exercise 2-2
Concept: Navigating Palettes

Learn to use the palettes and search for controls, functions

and VIs.
GOAL
Exercise 2-2
Concept: Navigating Palettes

• Why would you want to add a function to the Favorites

category in the Functions palette?

DISCUSSION
H. Selecting A Tool

• Create, modify, and debug VIs

using the tools provided by LabVIEW
• A tool is a special operating mode of the
mouse cursor
• The operating mode of the cursor corresponds to the icon of
the tool selected
• When using the Automatic Tool Selection, LabVIEW
chooses which tool to select based on the current location of
the mouse

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Exercise 2-3
Concept: Selecting A Tool

Gain experience using the Automatic Tool Selection to select

which tool to use.
GOAL
Exercise 2-3
Concept: Selecting A Tool

• How do you enable automatic tool selection?

DISCUSSION
I. Dataflow

LabVIEW follows a dataflow model for running VIs

• A node executes only when data are available at all of its
input terminals
• A node supplies data to the output terminals only when the
node finishes execution

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I. Dataflow – Quiz

Which node executes first?

a) Add
b) Subtract
c) Random Number
d) Divide
e) Sine

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I. Dataflow – Quiz Answers

NO CORRECT ANSWER

Which node executes first?

a) Add – possibly
b) Subtract – definitely not
c) Random Number – possibly
d) Divide – possibly
e) Sine – definitely not

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Exercise 2-4
Concept: Dataflow

Understand how dataflow determines the execution order in a

VI.
GOAL
Exercise 2-4
Concept: Dataflow

• Should a well-designed block diagram flow in a particular

direction?

DISCUSSION
J. Building a Simple VI

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J. Building a Simple VI – Acquire

Acquire Express VIs:

• DAQ Assistant Express VI

• Instrument I/O Assistant Express VI

• Simulate Signal Express VI

• Read from Measurement File Express VI

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J. Building a Simple VI – Analyze

Analyze Express VIs:

• Amplitude and Level Measurements Express VI

• Statistics Express VI

• Spectral Measurements Express VI

• Tone Measurements Express VI

• Filter Express VI

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J. Building a Simple VI – Present

• Present tasks are Express VIs that perform a function or

indicators that present data on the front panel of the VI
• Indicators include the Waveform Chart, the Waveform
Graph, and the XY Graph
• Express VIs include the Write to Measurement File Express
VI, Build Text Express VI, DAQ Assistant Express VI, and
the Instrument I/O Assistant Express VI

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J. Building A Simple VI – Running

1. Place Express VI on the block diagram

2. Configure the dialog box that opens
3. Wire Express VIs together
4. Save and run the VI

The Run button appears broken when the VI you

are creating or editing contains errors

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Exercise 2-5
Simple Acquire, Analyze, and Present VI

Create a simple VI that acquires data, analyzes data, and

presents the results.
GOAL
Exercise 2-5
Simple Acquire, Analyze, and Present VI

• How do you determine the file path of the generated text

file?

DISCUSSION
Summary—Quiz
1. Which function executes first:
Add or Subtract?
a) Add
b) Subtract
c) Unknown

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Summary—Quiz Answer
1. Which function executes first:
Add or Subtract?
a) Add
b) Subtract
c) Unknown

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Summary—Quiz
2. Which function executes first:
Sine or Divide?
a) Sine
b) Divide
c) Unknown

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Summary—Quiz Answer
2. Which function executes first:
Sine or Divide?
a) Sine
b) Divide
c) Unknown

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Summary—Quiz
3. Which of the following
functions executes first:
Random Number, Add or
Divide?
a) Random Number
b) Divide
c) Add
d) Unknown

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Summary—Quiz Answer
3. Which of the following
functions executes first:
Random Number, Add or
Divide?
a) Random Number
b) Divide
c) Add
d) Unknown

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Summary—Quiz
4. Which of the following
functions execute last:
Random Number, Subtract or
Add?
a) Random Number
b) Subtract
c) Add
d) Unknown

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Summary—Quiz Answer
4. Which of the following
functions execute last:
Random Number, Subtract or
Add?
a) Random Number
b) Subtract
c) Add
d) Unknown

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Summary—Quiz

5. What are the three parts of a VI?

a) Front Panel
b) Block Diagram
c) Project
d) Icon/Connector Pane

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Summary—Quiz Answer

5. What are the three parts of a VI?

a) Front Panel
b) Block Diagram
c) Project
d) Icon/Connector Pane

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