BreakPoint
Create Constant/Indicator/Control Block Diagram Changes
So I don't even know what I want anymore when it comes to this but I just felt like I needed to get something out as a bit of history for my own sanity.
So back in LabVIEW 2019 a new feature was added which added the Create Constant, Create Control, and Create Indicator at the top of a menu after right clicking a terminal. I was resistant to it mostly because it was ALWAYS there, even on operations when a create isn't the most common thing you want to do. Terminals out of a loop often need Indexing, Conditional, Concatenating, or Last settings. A Boolean, Enum, and Error going to a case structure I often want to use Replace With Case Selector. Creating things is not what I want here. The feature when it was new was talked about in several places like this thread. One argument for it was consistency. You always know those 3 top things will be there, whether you need them or not.
Time marches on and developers start getting used to this feature. I was reluctant, and still say the feature should be more intelligent, but still I used it and didn't use the INI key that got rid of them. But then in LabVIEW 2023, NI decided to remove these right click features because there is now a new feature. Double click to create controls/indicators/constants. I mostly like this feature. It will take time to get used to it. I will miss being able to break a VI by just dropping down a broken wire by double clicking a random spot, then double clicking another, then putting down a comment saying why I broke it. It isn't elegant but it is quick. (does anyone have a better work flow for this BTW? Maybe a QuickDrop force break?)
Well NI decided this feature was good enough to remove the right click menu. So much for being consistent I guess. And while searching for this I found a thing on the idea exchange, to add a double click for creating these objects, and it was declined, because "NI will not implement this idea, in 2019 and later the Create menu options for terminals are always available a the top".
At this point I don't even know what I want. There are INI keys to have the double click have the old behavior, and there are right click tools that likely could restore the original Create menus, but also I kinda got used to them, but also I don't like them in some situations. I'm just frustrated at IDE behavior changes. I get that if NI would make these new features Opt-In that there probably wouldn't be much adoption. But I do remember back in the day NI introducing new features as an INI key for a version, then adding it officially like Quick Bold. And that wasn't even a huge change.
I'd probably like it more if it were in every version of LabVIEW I use. I'd like the Create Menu if it were in every version of LabVIEW I use. As it is I think the IDE whiplash is part of my complaint. If you've ever tried to develop in LabVIEW 1 on the demo floor of NI Connect you'll notice how features are missing. I get that progress needs to happen, but features being added in one version, then removed later is what is weird. Thanks Darren to at least add those menus back.
