Graph Extensions for
LabVIEW
AN OPEN SOURCE PROJECT
Presenter: Mike King
Contact: mike.king@prolucid.ca
Calgary LabVIEW User Group Meeting
May 31, 2016
Open Source Background
Open source
In general: provides valuable tools, software and learning
In LabVIEW: accelerates development, extends tools available
Expands communities and like minded interest groups (like this one)
Companies using open source
Can stay up to date with new technologies
Reduce training of staff when common technologies are used (hired experience)
Costs are generally lower than commercial alternatives
Contributions can gain publicity and can often pair well with commercial support services
LabVIEW Graphing
Pros
Quick to add visual graphs to applications
Various data types support and graph types (waveform, charts, digital, etc)
Good multi-plot capabilities
Cons
Graph tools such as cursors and annotations are difficult to use
Adding visuals are often done painfully by adding plots / layers
Little customization options available for visual styles
Can’t customize the controls much for functionality
Graph Extensions – What is it?
Graphs are visual tools, so visual interaction is critical for usability.
Graph Extensions are a collection of visual tools that add to LabVIEW’s
graphs
Currently I have built 6 extensions:
Cursors
BGK Color
Peaks and Valleys
Markers
Scroll wheel Zooming
Plot Highlighting
Demos
Demos of these extensions
How to use them?
Simple Most Complex
Most are a single VI Several integrated event VIs and a process thread.
to call or a VI to
use in the event
structure
Project has Examples for Each Extension
Simply reference them in your
project using the Graph
Extensions.lvlib
Use the examples as reference or
as templates to start from.
How do they work?
Graphs have a property to set 3 layers of
picture controls, that most people have never
explored. These let you add any graphics you
want in 3 layers:
Back – Behind all plots and the grid lines
Middle – Behind the plot but in front of the grid
lines
Front – In front of all plots and grid lines
Functional Code Review
About Mike
Find him on NI’s forums, user
‘Mike_King’
Projects on Github:
http://github.com/unipsycho
Email him @Prolucid:
mike.king@prolucid.ca
403-451-5327 x230