Plugins for LabView

[Jacuzzi]

LabView could use plugins (like Adobe!) for a lot of the features suggested by those on this forum, instead of implementation only with the latest release. For a lot of university computers that are running on old DAQ boards or simply cycle through their programmers quickly, upgrading to newer versions of LabView isn't an option, both from a price perspective and from a "reprogramming everything" logistics perspective. (I'm in this situation, with a lab using 6.1)

Plugins that I have in mind are:

• Block Diagram Cleanup Utility plugin for versions of LabView before version 8.6. Whatever algorithm the 8.6+ versions use would still work for wires and other objects strewn across the block diagram, so adding this shouldn't be too difficult.

• Zoom functionality for LabView, period. LabView is a graphical programming language, and anything graphical should have some sort of zoom utility. Whether it be to see a large block diagram in its entirety or to zoom in for people with poor eyesight, or simply a graphical readjustment to suit a different sized monitor, zooming is critical to any graphical process. Certainly, LabView wasn't created for artists, but I still think this is very important. Again. Not too difficult to create a plugin that works natively. Failing that, even an NI-supported zoom-in/zoom-out tool that wouldn't allow editing in those zoomed modes would be helpful.

• LabView canceling when opened. I believe I saw this elsewhere in the forum, but basically just something that would allow you to close LabView if it opened accidentally without going to Task Manager. On older machines it takes forever to open. Easy to implement; basically just a GUI change to allow closing earlier.

• An "Open Recent" option. I don't know if later versions have this, but it just allows opening the last project you worked on so much faster than what directory browsing allows. Again easy to implement as a plugin, I'd imagine. Some sort of cache'd memory and a new menu item.

Thank you for your time.

[crossrulz]

I'm pretty sure I saw the Open Recent back in the 7.1 days.

The I believe the block diagram cleanup is based on the scripting (I'm not going to swear by this).  So it would NOT be a trivial thing to make for earlier versions.

And, to be blunt, there's no reason for NI to make updates for older versions.  They already have a plan to handle criticle updates for versions up to so old (4 years?).  I don't see the benefit for NI to invest in this.  Besides, there's a lot more important things for R&D to do with their time.

[Jacuzzi]

Crossrulz, I think any development for improving software is a development worth pursuing. If there are large projects that are "a lot more important" for R&D to work on, I'm hardly telling them to drop it all for a single customer request.

It would not sabotage the company to pay attention to their customer base, I don't think. My suggestions could apply for future versions as well as older versions. Obviously I'm going to present my own needs here; my suggestions are motivated by a desire for a better workspace for myself. Yet I hope the suggestions are not graded purely as "should we invest in this?" but rather as simply a pooling of what consumers desire.

Thank you for your thoughts. The scripting information in particular may be a misunderstanding on my part. I did not mean with my commentary to make these projects seem trivial, but they are doable.

[jcarmody]

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@Jacuzzi wrote:

>>>  upgrading to newer versions of LabView isn't an option
and...
>>> It would not sabotage the company to pay attention to their customer base
and...
>>> simply a pooling of what consumers desire.

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What you wrote in your original description of this idea says you're not in their customer base.  You used to be, but you're not currently.

[Darren]

Any idea that has not received any kudos within a year after posting will be automatically declined.