Plan

LABVIEW ENVIRONMENT
USING LABVIEW
CREATING VIS
 LABVIEW
Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench
(LabVIEW) is a graphical programming language that uses
icons instead of lines of text to create programs.

Importance Of LabVIEW
National Instruments
Certificates
 Virtual instruments

Programs created using LabVIEW are called virtual

instruments (VIs). This is because the appearance and
operations of these programs imitate physical instruments.

LabVIEW contains a comprehensive set of VIs.

It also contains tools to help you troubleshoot your code.
Parts of a VI
Front Panel
The front panel is the user interface for the VI.
Block Diagram
After you build the front panel, you add code using graphical
representations of functions to control the front panel objects.
Launching LabVIEW
LabVIEW Projects
In LabVIEW, you use projects to group together LabVIEW and non-LabVIEW files,
create build specifications, deploy and download files to targets, build applications,
and shared libraries.
You also must use a project to work with a Real-Time (RT), Field-Programmable
Gate Array (FPGA), or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) target.
The Project Explorer Window
The Project Explorer window contains the Standard, Project, Build
Specifications, and Source Control toolbars at the top to enable you to
perform various operations in a LabVIEW project.
Front Panel
When you open a new or existing VI, the front panel of the VI
appears.
Controls and Indicators
You build the front panel with controls and indicators, which
are the interactive input and output terminals of a VI,
respectively.
Controls and Indicators
Every control or indicator has a data type associated with it.
The commonly used data types are:
Controls Palette
The Controls palette contains the controls and indicators you
use to create the front panel.
Shortcut Menus
All LabVIEW objects have associated shortcut menus. To
access the shortcut menu, right-click the object.
Property Dialog Box
Front panel objects also have property dialog boxes that you can
use to change the look or behavior of front panel objects.
Property Dialog Box (Contd.)
Front Panel Toolbar
Each window in LabVIEW has a toolbar associated with it. You
use the front panel toolbar buttons to run and edit VIs. The
components of the front panel toolbar are displayed.
Block Diagram
After you build the front panel, you add code using graphical
representations of functions to control the front panel objects.
The block diagram contains this graphical source code.
Controls and Indicator Terminals
Terminals are entry and exit ports that exchange information
between the front panel and block diagram. The terminals
represent the data type of the control or indicator.
Block Diagram Terminals
When you design the front panel, the controls and indicators have
corresponding terminals on the block diagram.
Controls, Indicators, and Constants
Controls, indicators, and constants behave as inputs and outputs of the
block diagram algorithm.
Block Diagram Nodes
Nodes are objects on the block diagram that have inputs and/or
outputs and perform operations when a VI runs.
Wires
You transfer data among block diagram objects through wires.
Each wire has a single data source, but you can wire it to many
VIs and functions that read the data.
There are two ways for wiring:
Automatic
Manual.
Functions Palette
The Functions palette contains the VIs, functions, and constants
you use to create the block diagram. The Functions palette is
divided into various categories.
Block Diagram Toolbar
When you run a VI, buttons appear on the block diagram
toolbar. You can use these buttons to debug the VI.
Searching for Controls, VI, and Functions
You search for the function or VI using the Search button.
LabVIEW lists all matching items that either start with or
contain the text you typed.
Selecting a Tool
You can create, modify, and debug VIs using the tools provided by
LabVIEW. When using the Automatic tool selection, LabVIEW chooses
which tool to select based on the current location of the mouse.
Using LABVIEW
DATAFLOW
BUILDING A SIMPLE VI
HELP UTILITIES
 Dataflow

Most text-based programming languages follow a

control flow model of program execution.
LabVIEW follows a dataflow model for executing
VIs.
Dataflow
In control flow, the sequential order of program elements
determines the execution order of a program. LabVIEW
follows a dataflow model for running VIs. A block diagram
node executes when it receives all required inputs and
produces output data.
Dataflow (Contd.)
In a situation where one code segment must execute before
another and no data dependency exists between the
functions, use other programming methods, such as error
clusters, to force the order of execution.
 Building A Simple VI

Most programs built in LabVIEW have three main tasks: acquiring

data, analyzing the acquired data, and presenting the result.
Express VIs are designed specifically for completing common,
frequently used operations.
Features and Categories of Express VIs
Express VIs are grouped together in the Express category on the
Functions palette. Express VIs can be divided into the following three
task areas:
Acquire
Analyze
Present
Acquire
Express VIs used for the Acquire task includes DAQ Assistant,
Instrument I/O Assistant, Simulate Signal, and Read from Measurement
File. The Read from Measurement File Express VI is used to read from
file and Simulate Signal generates data.
Analyze
Common Express VIs used for the Analyze task include Amplitude and
Level Measurements, Statistics, Spectral Measurements, Tone
Measurements, and Filter.
Present
Express VIs used for the Present task either perform a function or are
indicators that present data on the front panel. The Express VIs for this task
include Write to Measurement File, Build Text, DAQ Assistant, and
Instrument I/O Assistant.
Running a VI
You can run the VI after the Express VIs have been configured
and wired together. When you have finished building your VI,
click the Run button on the toolbar to execute the VI.
Run Button Errors
If a VI does not run, it is known as a broken or nonexecutable VI. In such
VIs, the Run button appears broken. This happens when the VI you are
creating or editing contains errors. Generally, this means that a required
input is not wired or a wire is broken.
 Help Utilities

LabVIEW provides extensive help to assist you when you

are having difficulties performing a particular task. It
offers help in the form of the Context Help window, the
LabVIEW Help, and the NI Example Finder to help you
build and edit VIs. You can also view the Help utilities to
access task-related information.
Context Help Window
The Context Help window displays basic information about LabVIEW
objects when you move the cursor over each object. It displays the icon
for subVIs, functions, constants, controls, and indicators, with wires
attached to each terminal.
Context Help Window (Contd.)
In the Context Help window, the labels of required terminals appear
bold, recommended terminals appear as plain text, and optional
terminals appear dimmed.
LabVIEW Help
You can access the LabVIEW Help either by selecting Help>>Search the
LabVIEW Help or selecting the blue Click here for more help link in the
Context Help window.
NI Example Finder
The New dialog box contains many LabVIEW template VIs
that you can use to start building VIs. However, these template
VIs are only a subset of the hundreds of example VIs included
with LabVIEW.
 Creating VIs

1.USING LOOPS
2.PLOTTING DATA
3.MAKING DECISION
4.DATA TYPES
5. IMPLEMENTING & DOCUMENTING CODE
 Using Loops
Loops enable programmers to execute a
sequence of instructions repeatedly with a
condition specifying when the loop will stop.
LabVIEW uses For and While Loops to control
repetitive operations within a VI.
Placing a While Loop
To place a While Loop, select While Loop from the Structures
sub-palette.
Structure Tunnels
Tunnels feed data into and out of structures. They appear as
colored, solid blocks on the border of the While Loop. When a
tunnel passes data into a loop, the loop executes only after
data arrives at the tunnel. Data passes out of a loop after the
loop terminates.
For Loop
Placing a For Loop is similar to placing a While Loop.
Timing a VI
When a loop finishes executing an iteration, it immediately
begins executing the next iteration, unless it reaches a stop
condition. Most often, you need to control the frequency or
timing of the iteration.
Wait Functions
Wait functions, placed inside a loop, allow a VI to sleep for a set amount of
time. The Time Delay Express VI behaves similar to the Wait (ms) function
with the addition of built-in error clusters. This Express VI allows the
processor to address other tasks during the wait time.
Elapsed Time
The Elapsed Time Express VI indicates the amount of
time that elapses after the specified start time. This VI
allows you to keep track of time when the VI continues to
execute.

Iterative Data Transfer

When programming with loops, you may need to access data from previous
iterations of the loop. This can be done using shift registers that transfer
values from one loop iteration to the next.
Shift Registers
They appear as a pair of terminals directly opposite each other
on the vertical sides of the loop border.
Stacked Shift Registers
Stacked shift registers let you access data values from
multiple previous loop iterations and carry those values to the
next iterations.
Example of Stacked Shift Registers
These shift registers occur only on the left side of the loop
because the right terminal transfers the data generated only
from the current iteration to the next iteration.
 Plotting Data

LabVIEW provides various types of charts and graphs to plot

data. The commonly used charts and graphs are:

1. Waveform Charts
2. Waveform Graphs
3. XY Graphs
Waveform Charts
The waveform chart is a special type of numeric indicator that displays one
or more plots of data typically acquired at a constant rate. Waveform charts
can display single or multiple plots.
Waveform Graphs
The graphs located on the Graph Indicators palette include the waveform
graph. This graph plots only single-valued functions, as in y = f(x), with
points evenly distributed along the x-axis, such as acquired time-varying
waveforms.
XY Graphs
The graphs located on the Graph Indicators palette also
include the XY graph. This type of graph displays any set of
points, evenly sampled or not. You can resize the plot legend
to display multiple plots.
 Making Decision

LabVIEW provides Case structures to enable you to

implement complex decision-making on the block diagram.
You can choose a course of action depending on the result of
a previous action. LabVIEW also provides Formula Nodes to
enable you to implement complicated equations using text-
based instructions.
Case Structures
A Case structure is used when conditional statements are being
executed in a VI. A Case structure contains two or more
subdiagrams or cases.
Specifying a Default Case
If you are not explicitly listing every possible input value, you
need to specify a default case for the Case structure to handle
out-of-range values.
Formula Nodes
A Formula Node is a convenient text-based node that is used
to perform mathematical operations on the block diagram.
These nodes are useful in executing complicated equations
that have many variables.
 LabVIEW Data Types

The commonly used data types in LabVIEW

are numeric, Boolean, and string. Other data
types include the enumerated data type and
dynamic data.
Numeric
The numeric data type represents numbers of various types.
When two or more numeric inputs of different
representations are wired to a function, the function may
return output in the larger format.
Floating-Point Numbers:
 Single Precision
 Double Precision
 Extended precision
Integers:
When LabVIEW converts floating-point numbers to integers, the VI
rounds to the nearest even integer:
 Byte(I8)
 Word(I16)
 Long(I32)
 Quad(I64)
Complex Numbers:
In LabVIEW, because complex numbers are a type of floating-point
number, complex numbers are also represented with the orange color :
 Complex single
 Complex Double
 Complex extended
Boolean
LabVIEW stores Boolean data as 8-bit values. Any nonzero value
represents TRUE. Boolean values also have a mechanical action associated
with them.
Strings
On the front panel, strings appear as tables, text entry boxes, and labels. On
the block diagram, strings are represented with the color pink. LabVIEW
includes built-in VIs and functions to format, parse, and edit strings.
Enum
An enum is a combination of data types. It represents a pair of
values, such as a string and a numeric, where the enum can be
one of a list of values.
Dynamic
The dynamic data type appears as a dark blue terminal and
stores the information generated or acquired by an Express VI.
To convert the dynamic data type to any other data types, you
use the Convert from Dynamic Data Express VI.
When you place the Convert from Dynamic Data Express VI on
the block diagram, the Configure Convert from Dynamic Data
dialog box appears.
 Implementing and documenting code

Front Panel Design

In the design phase of the software development method, you identify the inputs
and outputs of the problem. This identification leads directly to the design of the
front panel.
Design of Controls and Indicators
To help users work efficiently with controls and indicators, use labels,
captions, options, and visible items.

Labels
Controls and indicators labels correspond to the names of terminals on the
block diagram.

Captions
Captions help you describe a control on the front panel. Captions do not
appear on the block diagram.

Options
There many options available for controls and indicators. You can set these
options from the shortcut menu of the control or the indicator.

Visible items
you cans et the visible items from the shortcut menu.
Using Color
•White space and alignment are the most important techniques for grouping
and separation.
•Add highlight colors only for important settings.
•Small objects need brighter colors and more contrast than larger objects.
Spacing and Alignment
In menus, use left-justify items, and
right-justify related shortcut.
Use dividing lines between menu
sections to help users find items quickly.

If you want your front panel controls to use the system colors,
choose objects from the System Controls category of the
Controls palette.
User Interface Tips and Tools
LabVIEW has various built-in tools for creating user-friendly front panels.
These tools include system controls, tab controls, decorations, menus, and
automatic resizing of front panel objects.
Tab Controls
Physical instruments usually have good user
interfaces. Borrow heavily from their design
principles, but use smaller or more efficient
controls.

Decorations
You use the decorations located on the
Decorations palette to group or separate objects
on a front panel with boxes, lines, or arrows.

Automatic Resizing of Front Panel Options

Most professional applications do not enlarge every control when the
window changes size, but you can scale a table, graph, or list with the front
panel window, leaving other objects near the window edge. To scale one
front panel object with the front panel, select that object and select
Edit>>Scale Object with Pane.
Documenting Code
Professional developers who maintain and modify VIs know the value of
good documentation. It is suggested that you document a block diagram to
enable easy modification of the code in future. You should also document
the front panel to explain the purpose of the VI and the front panel objects.
Tip Strips and Descriptions
Tip strips are explanations that appear when you position the mouse cursor
over a control or indicator. Descriptions provide additional information
about specific controls and indicators.
VI Properties
The VI Properties dialog box enables you to create VI
descriptions and to link from VIs to HTML files or to
compiled help files. VI Property information displays in the
Context Help window. To access VI Properties, you select
File>>VI Properties.
You use the VI Properties dialog box to specify the Help tag,
and Help path.
Naming Controls
and Indicators
Giving controls and
indicators logical and
descriptive names adds
usability to front
panels.

Comments
There are two types of block diagram comments,
comments that describe the function or operation
of algorithms and comments that explain the
purpose of data that passes through wires.
Commenting VIs
You can insert standard labels either with the Labeling tool or by inserting a
free label from the Decorations subpalette. By default, free labels have a
yellow background color.

•Use comments on the block diagram to explain what code is doing.

•Use free labels to describe how the block diagram functions.

•Use labels on structures to specify the main functionality of the

structure.

•Use free labels to document algorithms that you use on the block
diagrams.

•If you use an algorithm from a reference, provide its information.