Show the default value of controls in subVIs which aren't required in the tip strip

[tst]

Earlier, I posted this idea, suggesting that the error in control should not have the default value in parentheses.

Following another discussion, I now suggest an extension of that concept - No control should have the default value in parentheses. This clutters up the front panel and the diagram of the subVI.

Instead, when you hover over the input of a subVI, LabVIEW should look at it and if it's not required, should add the default value to the tip strip automatically:

 

This change will require us to modify all our old code if we don't want to have the clutter, but I can personally live with that. Alternatively, LV can try to be clever and do something like: "If the control isn't required and has parentheses at the end, don't display the default value".

[tst]

P.S. Obviously, this should have some smarts. For example, it should not display the default if the default is empty, such as an empty string or no error.

[JackDunaway]

"Tip strip"... not so much. I would rather leverage the Context Help. I'll Kudos this if the Context Help shows the default value.

[tst]

That's also an option. Personally, I like having the value on the tip strip, because I don't always have the context help window open and this allows checking the value of a specific terminal very quickly.

You do realize that if you kudo it after it's implemented, your kudos aren't worth much, right?  😉

[JackDunaway]

>You do realize that if you kudo it after it's implemented, your kudos aren't worth much, right?

This is not currently implemented. I don't understand... ?

[tst]

I was refering to "I'll Kudos this if the Context Help shows the default value". The idea is there as it is. It's not going to change. You've added an additional option and NI in its infinite wisdom will have to decide, but they won't look at it unless you vote.

[JackDunaway]

Aha, indeed, I missed a rather crucial step.... Kudos.

[tst]

Also, just so it would be clear - I meant that it should appear in the tip strip only when you look at the terminals of a subVI (as shown in the example above), not that it should be added to the control's tip strip.

[Ray.R]

I would prefer having it in the Context Help.

Nothing prevents it from being on both the tip strip and within the Context Help.

Shorter name, smaller icons..  It's all good.

[RandyP]

Hmmm... What if your default value is some ridiculously long string? Just thinking out the options here (since I'm a test engineer). Or what about clusters? Or arrays of clusters? Or clusters with arrays? How about references?

Maybe I'm missing something here, but this seems to have limited usefulness to me; sometimes my (default value) is not the verbatim default value, but a shorthand or summary of the actual default value. I like the idea, but I don't know how you could deal with these issues.

Actually, now that I think of it: One possibility could be a text box in the properties dialog for the control where an alternate (user defined) default value description could live. Something like this:

^^ MS Paint, Baby! ^^ 😃

- Randy

Message Edited by RandyP on 06-10-2010 05:11 PM

[JackDunaway]

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RandyP wrote:

Hmmm... What if your default value is some ridiculously long string? Just thinking out the options here (since I'm a test engineer). Or what about clusters? Or arrays of clusters? Or clusters with arrays? How about references?

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That's the essence of why I support Context Help over Tip Strips. It's still not a perfect solution, but it has the capability of showing images, whereas Tip Strips are limited to flattened text (think Probe Watch Window). Basically, neither solution is perfect, but I'd give precedence to Context Help since it's more flexible with regards to visual representaiton of data (especially complex datatypes).