Variable pixels for Shift+Arrow

[JÞB]

For about a decade and a half I have consistently changed the default block diagram grid spacing to 4. Why, to match the shift arrow moves.  Hold it!  Why not make the shift arrow moves equal the grid spacing?  

Yes, I a genius!  The Kudos button is lower left!

[JÞB]

Top left.  They moved the kudos button 

[Bob_Schor]

Jeff,

     I'm glad you pointed this out to me.  I personally like the 8-pixel spacing (I read Peter Blume's "The LabVIEW Style Book" many times, and strive to keep all my block diagrams on a single laptop screen),  so wouldn't want the "default" to be a larger spacing, particularly on the Block Diagram.  

     I'd never thought of changing the Grid spacing.  Maybe there should be an option on the Tools/Option/Front Panel to make Cursor "Shift" spacing equal Grid spacing, but then what do you do when Front Panel and Block Diagram "grids" are different sizes?  I guess I'm saying I wouldn't want them to necessarily be "locked" together ...

Bob Schor

Oops -- I think I got "Block Diagram" and "Front Panel" mixed up in Jeff's original post.  Since I'm clearly "confused", take my Kudo with the Grain of Salt it deserves ...

[AristosQueue (NI)]

Shift + arrow already does grid spacing. It has since it was introduced. I just tested it and it works. What's the issue?

[JÞB]

AQ.  I think that is only on the FP.  The FP behavior was ailign to next grid then move by grid spacing 

BD behavior was move 4 pixels.  That inconsistancy always makes me want to ask about what kinds of inter team barriers you all used to have to work through.   

Honestly, the behavior I would prefer is "consistantly move grid number of pixels with shift arrow and possibly use ctl arrow as align arrow direction bounds to next grid with up down left right aligning top bottom left and right bounds to next grid respectively" ctrl alt shift arrow aligning opposite bounds to grid might be discussed but, one overshoot and reverse would be easier to key in my opinion.

 Then we would have intuitive and consistant arrow hot key behavior that doesn't confuse even some really experienced LabVIEW developers.  That would be nice!

[AristosQueue (NI)]

Nope, I just tested... it's the BD. Set your grid size to 100 and it'll be obvious -- select some stuff and shift+arrow and your items will move 100 pixels (assuming they're on the grid to begin with). It's the same behavior as the FP.

Are you sure you don't have the grid visible but deactivated??? If you drag things around with the mouse, are they snapping to the grid? If not, then the grid is deactivated. You can enable it with the Edit menu or the ctrl+# shortcut key (on American keyboards... it's something else on European keyboards).

[JÞB]

Well certainly I have snap to block diagram grid turned off!   It plays poorly with cleanup options and make / unmake space

[AristosQueue (NI)]

Um, well, then it should be obvious... if the grid isn't active then it isn't active, so it doesn't affect anything, including the shift+arrow sizes.

Honestly, I'm surprised you're even using it... we know from CEIP data that nearly zero percent of the user base uses the block diagram grid. Why are you turning on the diagram alignment grid if not to use it for alignment? If you aren't using it for alignment, most people say it just creates visual noise interfering with seeing wires. Why are you bothering to set it to size four currently.

[JÞB]

Size 4 for shift arrow move sighting.   Visual noise reduced with transparency setting.  On for visual indication of run / edit mode or, clone, or locked / checkout.  

Lots of great information about the vi with BD Grid on.

Now, I'll ask "If CEIP data shows a very low percentage of users using bd grid, why haven't you fixed the default settings so that people who turn it on aren't annoyed?"

Having the grid dafaults "different spacing than shift arrow default" and "too dark" does make it very ineffective.   Or, in other words, The bd grid is a feature that needs improvements. 

Can this idea be re titled with that last sentance?

[AristosQueue (NI)]

If we do any work on the block diagram grid, it will be to eliminate the feature entirely. Be careful what you ask for.

[JÞB]