LabVIEW Idea Exchange
This recent idea reminded me of something I have wanted for quite some time now: the ability to determine if a property is read or write based on wiring, not some half-buried option in the right-click menu.
The basic idea is simple: all properties have two terminals, one for writing and one for reading (except read-only of course). No right-clicking, just wire up the direction you want.
The bottom case is a bit interesting. I see a few possibilities:
1. Passthrough (cosmetically saves branching, crossing, etc.) Same behaviour regardless of errors.
2. Read then write : returns previous value. What happens if there is an error? Passthrough, old value?
3. Write then read: almost always passthrough. In case of error would it return old (ie. actual value) or passthrough?
4. Do not allow this.
I would expect it to perform the write and then the read (3) or passthrough (1). What is more important to me is the actual value and not the intended value. Mentally I just see data flowing into then out of the PN when both are wired.
Bottom line: I see no reason not to permit the wiring to determine read or write of a property.
If there is a cop-out lack of consensus and simultaneous connections are not allowed, I would at least ask for a keyboard modifier (say shift) such that I can shift-drag to expand the PN and get the same property repeated instead of going down the list. Then I could at least do the write+read with a lot less mouse movement.
