LabVIEW–Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench.

Graphical programming language that allows for instrument control, data

acquisition, and pre/post processing of acquired data.
LabVIEW: Graphical programming language & Data flow.
How does LabVIEW work?
LabVIEW programs are called: Virtual Instruments (VIs) because their appearence and operation
imitate actual instruments.
However, they are analogous to main programs, functions and subroutines from popular
language like C, Fortran, Pascal, …

1.LabVIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench) is a graphical programming

environment which has become prevalent throughout research labs, academia and industry.

2.It is a powerful and versatile analysis and instrumentation software system for measurement and
automation. Its graphical programming language called G programming is performed using a
graphical block diagram that compiles into machine code and eliminates a lot of the syntactical details.

3.LabVIEW offers more flexibility than standard laboratory instruments because it is software based.
Using LabVIEW, the user can originate exactly the type of virtual instrument needed and programmers
can easily view and modify data or control inputs.

4.The popularity of the National Instruments LabVIEW graphical dataflow software for beginners and
experienced programmers in so many different engineering applications and industries can be
attributed to the software’s intuitive graphical programming language used for automating measurement
and control systems.
 5.LabVIEW programs are called virtual instruments (VIs), because their appearance and operation
imitate physical instruments like oscilloscopes.

6.LabVIEW is designed to facilitate data collection and analysis, as well as offers numerous display
options.

7.With data collection, analysis and display combined in a flexible programming environment, the desktop
computer functions as a dedicated measurement device.

8. LabVIEW contains a comprehensive set of VIs and functions for acquiring, analyzing, displaying, and
storing data, as well as tools to help you troubleshoot your code.

Parts of VI:

1.Front Panel.
2.Block diagram.
3.Icon/Connector pane.
 Connector pane

Front panel Block diagram

Front Panel Windows

When you open a new or existing VI, the front panel of the VI appears.
The front panel is the interactive user interface for the VI.
It is named a front panel because it stimulates the front panel of a physical instrument.
Build the front panel with controls and indicators. One of the most powerful features that
LabVIEW offers engineers and scientists is its graphical programming environment to design
custom virtual instruments by creating a graphical user interface on the computer screen.
 controls and indicators

Numeric Use numeric controls and indicators on the front panel to enter and display
numeric data in LabVIEW applications.
Boolean Use Boolean controls and indicators located on the Boolean subpalettes to
enter and display Boolean (TRUE/FALSE) values with objects such as
buttons, switches, and LED lights.
String and path Use string controls and indicators to enter or display text.
Use path controls and indicators to enter or display file or folder paths.
Array, Matrix, Use array and cluster controls and indicators to group data elements of
and Cluster other controls and indicators. Use matrix controls and indicators to enter
Controls and and display matrix data.
Indicators
List, Table, and Use the listbox, tree control, and table controls and indicators located on
Tree Controls the List, Table & Tree and Classic List, Table & Tree palettes to give
and Indicators users a list of items from which to select.
Graph and Chart Use the Graph palette objects to plot numeric data on a graph, chart, or
Controls and plot.
Indicators
Ring and Use the ring and enumerated type controls and indicators located on the
Enumerated Ring & Enum and Classic Ring & Enum palettes to create a list of
Type Controls strings you can cycle through.
and Indicators

Container Use the container controls located on the Containers and Classic
Controls and Containers palettes to group controls and indicators or to display the front
Indicators panel of another VI on the front panel of the current VI. (Windows) You
also can use container controls to display .NET and ActiveX objects on the
front panel.

I/O Name Use the I/O name controls and indicators on the I/O and Classic I/O
Controls and palettes to pass DAQ channel names, VISA resource names, and IVI
Indicators logical names you configure to I/O VIs to communicate with an instrument
or a DAQ device.

Variant and Use the variant control and indicator and class controls and indicators on
Class Controls the Variant & Class palette to interact with variant and class data.
and Indicators

Decorations Use decorations to graphically group or separate front panel objects

Controls and without affecting the functionality of the VI. Decorations include objects
Indicators such as boxes, lines, or arrows.

Refnum Controls Use the reference number controls located on the Refnum and Classic
and Indicators Refnum palettes to work with files, directories, devices, and network
connections. Use the control refnum to pass front panel object
information to subVIs.
Run Button:

Broken arrow
Align Objects:

Distribute objects:
 Resize Objects:

Reorder:
LabVIEW Help
This help system includes information about LabVIEW programming concepts, step-by-step
instructions for using LabVIEW, and reference information about LabVIEW VIs, functions,
palettes, menus, and tools. *********

To navigate this help system, use the Contents, Index, and Search tabs to the left of this
window.

After you install a LabVIEW add-on such as a toolkit, module, or driver, the documentation
for that add-on appears in the LabVIEW Help or appears in a separate help system you access
by selecting Help»Add-On Help, where Add-On Help is the name of the separate help system
for the add-on.

This help system links to Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of LabVIEW print
documents. You must have Adobe Reader installed to view or search the PDF versions of
these manuals.

Block Diagram:
Block diagram objects include terminals, subVIs, functions, constants, structures and wires to transfer
data among other block diagram objects.
Terminals:
The terminals represent the data type of the control or indicator. A DBL terminal represents a double-
precision, floating-point numeric control. To display a terminal as a data type on the block diagram, right-click
the terminal and select View As Icon from the shortcut menu.

Nodes
Nodes are objects on the block diagram that have inputs and/or outputs and perform
operations when a VI runs. They are analogous to statements, operators, functions, and
subroutines in text-based programming languages.Nodes can be functions, subVIs or
structures.
Functions
Functions are the fundamental operating elements of LabVIEW. Functions do not have front
panels or block diagrams but do have connector panes. Double-clicking a function only selects
the function. A function has a pale yellow background on its icon.
SubVIs
Wires
DATA TYPES
Tool palettes: You can create, modify, and debug VIs using the tools located on the floating
Tools palette.

Shift + mouse right button

PROPERTY DIALOG BOXES:

Front panel objects also have property dialog boxes that you can use to change the look or
behavior of front panel objects. Right-click the front panels object and select Properties from
the shortcut menu to access the property dialog box for an object.
Programs:
Add:

Short cuts:
Summary:
1.You can build the front panel with controls and indicators, which are the interactive input and
output terminals of the VI, respectively.
2.Controls are knobs, push buttons, dials and other input devices.
3.Indicators are graphs, LEDs and other displays. Controls simulate instrument input devices
and supply data to the block diagram of the VI.

4.Indicators simulate instrument output devices and display data the block diagram acquires or
generates.
6.The Boolean data type represents data that only has two parts, such as TRUE and FALSE or
ON and OFF.
7. Use Boolean controls and indicators to enter and display Boolean (True or False) values.
Boolean objects simulate switches, push buttons, and LEDs.
8.The string data type which is a sequence of ASCII characters.

Use string controls to receive text from the user such as a password or user name and indicators
to display text to the user.
 Figure 2.14 that adds two numbers and then subtracts 50.00 from the result of the addition. In this
case, the block diagram executes from left to right, not because the objects are placed in that order, but
because the Subtract function cannot execute until the Add function finishes executing and passes the data
to the Subtract function. A node executes only when data are available at all of its input terminals, and it
supplies data to its output terminals only when it finishes execution.

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

Frequently uses menu options have equivalent keyboard shortcuts:

<Ctrl-S> Save a VI
<Ctrl-R> Run a VI.
<Ctrl-E> Toggle between the front panel and block diagram.
<Ctrl-H> Activate Context Help window.

<Ctrl-B> Remove all broken wires.

<Ctrl-F> Find object
<shift>-right-click to access Tools Palette

Press the <Ctrl> key while using the positioning tool to click and drag a selection to duplicate
an object.
NI LabVIEW Help:

The programmer can use the Context Help window, the LabVIEW Help and the NI Example Finder to
help build and edit VIs. The Context Help window displays basic information about LabVIEW objects
when you move the cursor over each object.
To search all examples using LabVIEW VIs, use the NI Example Finder.
Problems:::

2.6 Compute the equations (X1+2)*log(X1) using functions, Expression node and Express
Formula for the given inputs X1.