Right-Click drag-and-drop for creating Copy/Reference/Local

[Vikas_K]

I am not sure how many feel this way but I sometimes feel there are too many mouse clicks to do what I want to do in LabVIEW. One of them is the ability to create references, property nodes etc. For a given control or an indicator.

At the moment you can make copy of any control/indicator simply by dragging it (using mouse left button) while holding the Ctrl button down.  If I want to create a reference, I have to right click on the control/indicator > Create > then choose "Reference". 

Instead, I propose that simply dragging the control/indicator using the Right mouse button will bring up the following menu.

I understand this may not be ideal for Mac users, but I am sure an alternate method can be devised.

[SteenSchmidt]

Or, instead of the 'create' context menu popping up you could cycle through the actual objects in the 'create' menu by dragging and then scrolling the mouse wheel;

On the BD:

1) Right-click on a terminal and drag to a new location.

2) While still holding the right mouse button down, you now have a local variable floating under your mouse pointer.

3) Scrolling the mouse wheel one way will cycle throughthese objects: local->reference->property node->invoke node->constant->control->indicator->...start over. Scrolling the other way will reverse through the objects.

4) Release the right mouse button and your selected object is now on the BD.

The above is the same list as in the 'create' menu, but I suggest starting the selection with a local variable instead of a constant as the local will probably be selected more often. Selecting a property node or invoke node this way will not let you select which property or method, but instead just select a default property/method when dropped on the BD. This isn't a problem as with auto tool selection on it's really easy to straight away left click and select a property after you've dropped the node.

Cheers,

Steen

[Vikas_K]

Or that! This could even apply for the Property Nodes where you have to hunt through 2-3 levels of menus before you get to the one that you need.

[tst]

> This could even apply for the Property Nodes where you have to hunt through 2-3 levels of menus

I think this idea would work better for that - http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-Idea-Exchange/Add-Intellisense-support-to-the-property-node/idi-p/15...

[Vikas_K]

That was going to be my next suggestion! You beat me to it by an year tst!

In general I think there are a lot of areas where shortcuts and mouse clicks can reduce the amount of repetitive work in LabVIEW.

Thanks for the input.

[Darren]

Any idea that has received less than 2 kudos within 2 years after posting will be automatically declined.