Seneca5 Software Blog » GUI

Better Multicolumn Listbox Icons

Craig Bedward — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 02:55:00 +0000

Previously, I posted a listbox control with improved icons. Some have asked if it can be used for multicolumn listboxes, too. Well, yet it can. And here it is.

(Actually, you can just use the listbox control. Right click and select Replace. Replace it with a multicolumn listbox. The new multicolumn box will maintain the improved icons.)

Download VI: MulticolumListBoxIcons2.0

Easy Pop-Up Windows

Craig Bedward — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:57:30 +0000

You can make pop-up windows quickly and easily by using tab controls.

By using tab controls, you can create the same visual effect and the same functionality as a pop-up window, but you don’t need to create a sub-VI. Since you never leave the VI, you don’t need to worry about passing information into and out of the dialog, simplifiying the code.

While this technique may not be appropriate for every situation, it is a nice trick to have when you need a quick pop-up window.

Give it a try. An example VI is attached.

Download VI: QuickPopUp.vi

Better Listbox Icons

Craig Bedward — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:11:29 +0000

The standard LabVIEW listbox control has very archaic icons. So I made some improvements. You can use this control as a direct replacement for the standard control, but it looks a lot better.

This takes advantage of the properties for the listbox to load your own custom graphics.

Download VI: ListBoxIcons2.0.vi

Close with Class

Craig Bedward — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:57:34 +0000

One rule to remember when designing a user interface is to do things in standard ways.

For example, if you want to close a program in Windows, you click the red X button in the upper right-hand corner of the window. Most LabVIEW™ have a tell-tale “Stop” or “Done” button. That always bugs me. Why shouldn’t a LabVIEW program end the same way any other Windows program ends?

Why indeed. Here’s how to do it.

In order to catch the press of the Close button, you need to use an event structure. The event structure allows you to tie into the Panel Close? event to make it run your code.

You will find the event under Event Source. Take note of the question mark in the event name. There is also an event called Panel Close. You need the one with the question mark. It is a filter event. Since it is a filter event, it is indicated with a red arrow.

Filter events get called before the event is processed. By wiring a TRUE to the discard, the event is killed, so the standard event handling is not processed. We have complete control over what we want to do in response to the event.

Now you have no excuse. So, please, no more “Stop” buttons.

Download Example: CloseButtonToStopVI.vi