topic Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label in LabVIEW

mouser pointer changes on unit label

reza_sed — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:56:45 GMT

I noticed that whenever the mouse pointer goes over a unit label it changes its icon from the default to an entry field icon (icon # 3), although you cannot enter or write anything in the unit label field. Furthermore if you click inside the field the flashing line appears but, as intended, does not allow the user to write anything inside.

Is there a reason why this is happening or left this way? More importantly how can i make sure that the cursor does not change when hovering over unit labels and prevent the user from clicking inside the unit label field?- in some way disable the unit label but not the numerical field itself

thanks

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

Ray.R — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:03:01 GMT

Which version of Labview are you using? I ask so that you can find the tools palette. In LV7.1 and older, it was under "Window" menu, with LV8.x, it is under "View" menu.

Is the top box green? If so, it is in automatic tool select. Click on it to turn it off. Try repeating your steps.

Message Edited by JoeLabView on 01-11-2008 11:03 AM

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

GerdW — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:04:14 GMT

Hi reza,

usually the user is allowed to change the unit!

I often use this feature in my programs, for instance set different ranges for several pressure calibrators (0-2.5kPa, 0-70bar)...

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

reza_sed — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:14:46 GMT

What i am building is an application to give to customers so it will always be in runtime and I would like to prevent the user from changing the units, which seems to be the case. I don't know if I have added a feature i don't remember but during runtime i cannot change the unit label, which is great personnaly, but at the same time it is a little misleading when the icon turns into an entry field but you cannot enter anything. (If i try entering something it switches to the actual numerical field)

Again this is all during run time and that is when i would like to prevent the mouse pointer from turnning into an entry icon

Ps, I have labview 8.5

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

reza_sed — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:20:34 GMT

Looking at my program again i see i have set a property node for the unit label text and that is why i cannot change it during runtime......but again i cannot find anyway to control the mouse poniter only on the unit label and not on the associated numerical field...or even better somehow to disable the unit label field but not the numberical field

thanks

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

Ray.R — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:18:46 GMT

reza_sed wrote:

Again this is all during run time and that is when i would like to prevent the mouse pointer from turnning into an entry icon

Oops.. I didn't realize that this was happening during runtime. So disregard my original post.

I will re-read your posts to better understand the issue..

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

GerdW — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:14:02 GMT

Hi reza,

why don't you use a text label when you have a fixed unit? Then the mouse pointer will not change!
Or you use a string indicator, then the mouse pointer will change, but the user can't change the unit text...

See attached front panel for different possibilities

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

TCPlomp — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:15:55 GMT

Maybe it is controlled by the 'Allow default run-time shortcut menus'

Ton

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

reza_sed — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:32:44 GMT

I use the numerical indicators to represent various things, in other words I am building a user interface and by selecting different options the same indicator represents different values. Therefore I have to use the caption to represent the name since it changes and I need the unit lable to represent the units. The units do change sometimes too since the user can switch from metric to imperial units and therefore the unit label is not always constant.

To fix the problem i have placed string indicators on top of the unit labels but this makes the code a little untidy since i have alot of these string indicators just there doing the exact same thing as the unit labels. I was hoping that the unit labels would have some property where i could make them disabled (1) and thus the mouse pointer would stay the same when hovering over them.

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

GerdW — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:42:51 GMT

Hi reza,

you can also place some transparent text labels (or decorations) on top of the unit label. Now the user can see the unit, but (s)he cannot click it as the decorations prevents it!

I need to correct myself:
in the picture above (frontpanel.png) the string marked as unit label is also a text label... In this program I didn't use any unit labels, just strings or text labels. Shame on me

Message Edited by GerdW on 01-14-2008 02:42 PM

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

Ben — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:09:16 GMT

Transparent decoration over units control will do the trick (as mentioned by Gerd).

Message Edited by Ben on 01-14-2008 08:09 AM

Re: mouser pointer changes on unit label

reza_sed — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:13:12 GMT

That's a good trick, i will try that as well