Front panel Style select

[Ben_L]

Hi all,

Since the release of the new “Silver” control style in LabVIEW 2011, I had the idea of having a style control on the front panel. You would essentially click the drop down box and it would change all/selected controls and indicators on the front panel to that style.

Take a look at the mock up below.

The idea could be extended to having a style of control that the User could populate, notice the “User” on the drop down.

I hope that you like my suggestion I can certainly see many uses for this.

[JackDunaway]

First, Kudos - this is a great Idea. Second, this Idea runs deeper - allow me to elaborate.

I would like to see an overrideable hierarchy of control style options. For instance, the application can define the default skin (in LabVIEW.ini), then a project setting could either inherit from app or override this option as a project setting (stored in .lvproj file), and a VI can either inherit from perhaps project or owning library or define the override style (as shown in the idea above, via ring on FP toolbar), and finally a control can either inherit from it's owning VI (or maybe even pane) or override style.

The override style of a VI's FP Controls would be a design choice by the VI developer, where the typical "skin" for SubVIs would be "inherit from project (or library)" and a typical UI's controls might be "User Defined" or "System" (but probably not Modern, Classic, or Silver).

For precedence, note how Fonts already implement a similar override capability.

[SteveChandler]

I have a strong suspicion that in the not too distant future the entire user visible parts of LabVIEW will become obsolete. I know that NI is trying to distinguish LabVIEW as the development environment and G as the code. I am guessing that the WebUI is an experiment that will lead to a complete overhaul of LabVIEW. At least I hope so. I would really love it if I could develop LabVIEW G code in Eclipse.

[G-Money]

Skinning is definitely a trend in programming environments. This was not something that was thought of when LabVIEW was made but something people are coming to expect from modern personalization of software trends. 

To your idea, I think that something like this would be possible using VI Scripting. You would programmatically pull out what type of controls/indicators are present and then replace them with a similar type in a different style. It may take some time to go through all the options and choose the best one so it might be a little clunky. I would make this a option in some menu instead of a drop down menu on the toolbar because of this (drop down menus make me think of quick acting features and not something that could take some time). I like the idea though.

[Darin.K]

I mentioned this is the private Beta thread and I'll repeat it here.  I would like to see something akin to a Style Sheet for Front Panel objects.   These would be IMO XML based files that could specify overrides for specific objects or fonts.

You could override panel colors, what the size of the AppFont or DlgFont is, or even locations and sizes of controls.  For every <property>value</property> tag LV would write value to the specified objects property labelled 'property'.  Properties not written will be left alone.

I would also add a nice wizard utility which lets you capture the current properties of a FP.  Add some checkboxes to control how specific you want to get (all properties, cosmetic only, etc.).  For example, lay out the FP at different screen resolutions, capture a style sheet for each one, then dynamic FP drawing becomes a relative breeze.

[johnsold]

Another advantage of this idea would be to easily convert controls/indicators which were created from a subVI on the block diagram.  Depending on how long ago the subVI was last updated, the controls created that way often a look very obsolete.

How would this handle strict type defs?

Lynn

[SteenSchmidt]

Wouldn't work with system controls though, as many properties for instance aren't supported by those.

Cheers,

Steen

[Manzolli]

I would like it as option of a context menu when one or more controls/indicators are selected. Kudos!

[usrfrnly]

This is just getting so much more sadly necessary with the NXG Style as a fourth design language while several controls (I'm looking at you IMAQdx) still await their Silver versions. There is really no way to have a completely consistent UI and it makes some LabVIEW apps look amateurish and dated. 

also: How is this marked new? This suggestion is almost in Junior High.