Floating Windows in LV 8

[bfarley]

I have an application built in LV 7.1 that uses floating windows.  They are started from the VI server and then shown/hidden under top level vi control.  In LV 7.1 they work as expected - when they are showing, if you click on the top level VI they lose focus but stay on top.

I recompliled the application with LV 8.  Now the windows don't float.  They show/hide as expected, but when you click on the top level vi, they disappear.  Since they are floating, there isn't a button for them on the taskbar either.  You can only bring them back to the front by using Windows Alt-Tab.  I verified that rhe windows are still set to "floating" in the window behavior section of the Window Appearance property

Is this a V8 issue or has the operation of floating windows different?

Thanks,

Bill F

[Ching_F.]

Hi bfarley,

Is there a chance that you could post some your VI's here?  I have written a couple of example programs that seem to be working fine in LabVIEW 7.1, LabVIEW 8.0, and LabVIEW 8.20. 

I did not find any information on the operation of floating windows changing between LabVIEW 7.1 and LabVIEW 8.0. 

If you post your VI's or example VI's that illustrate this phenomenon, I would be more than happy to take a look at them.

Best of luck on your application, and have a great day!!

[bfarley]

Thanks,

Attached is the files needed.  This is a stripped down version of the app so most of what you see wont work.

Start the DASS Test VI.  This will load a file called TrialsModeTyphoon.vi from the server.  Prress START.  Press RF Control.  This will cause the "Trials Mode" window to appear.  This vi is set to float.  Click the DASS Test window.  The Trials Mode window disappears.  You can use Alt-Tab to bring the window back to the front.

This doesn't happen in 7.1

Bill Farley

[Ching_F.]

Hi Bill,

I tried following your directions, but I was unable to get the VI's to work as expected.  I opened DASS Test.vi, pressed the Start button, and nothing happened.  I tried this several times, and was unsuccessful.  I then tried opening TrialsModeTyphoon.vi and pressing all of the RF Boolean controls.  Again, this did not cause anything to happen.  Please let me know what else I can do to make these VI's work or at least what I can do to get the "Trials Mode" floating window to appear.

Also, can you please run the simple example that I have attached?  Open up Main8.vi, select the path for Float8.vi, and then run Main8.vi.  This will open Float8.vi which should be a floating window.  When I run this VI, Float8.vi will always remain on top of Main8.vi even if Main8.vi is the active window.  Please let me know if you are not seeing this behavior with this example.

Let me know what you find.  Best of luck on your application, and have a great day!!

[bfarley]

After pressing the START button.  You must press the RF Control button to make the VI appear.  Did you do this?

I will try your example

Bill F

[Ching_F.]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for clarifying that.  I have been able to see the behavior you are experiencing.  To resolve this issue, open the TrialsMode Typhoon.vi, go to File » VI Properties, select Window Appearance from the Category pull-down menu, select Custom Click on the Customize… button, and uncheck the Allow user to minimize window feature.  This should resolve the issue, but please let me know if this does not work.

Best of luck on your application, and have an excellent day!!

[bfarley]

Ching,

OK, now it works.  Again - is this a change in LV 8?  If selecting "User can minimize.." on a floating window stops the window from floating - shouldn't LV account for that?  Like graying out the option if floating is selected.

Thanks,

Bill F

[bfarley]

Ching

I guess I spoke too soon.  It works when running in LV, but when compiled the windows disappear.  I compiled the app that I posted before and the windows disappear.

The only difference is now you cant bring them back to the front using Alt-Tab.

What now?  This sure looks like a LV bug to me

Bill F

[Ching_F.]

Hi Bill,

In response to the first post, LabVIEW does state that you should not use the floating window and "User can minimize..." options together.  A dialog box with a warning will pop up if you attempt to use these two options together.  In addition, this information is located in the Customize Window Appearance Help.

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Floating—Keeps the front panel on top of all other non-floating LabVIEW windows. Windows and Mac OS If multiple floating windows are open, the last one whose title bar you click appears on top.

• Hide when LabVIEW is not active—Configures the front panel so when you switch from LabVIEW to another application or when a modal LabVIEW window appears, the window does not appear.

  Note  If you place a checkmark in the Allow user to minimize window checkbox, select the Floating option, and place a checkmark in the Hide when LabVIEW is not active checkbox, the front panel window might not behave as expected. For example, on Windows, if you cannot minimize a window, it does not appear in the taskbar. Windows that hide when the application does not have focus also hide their icons in the taskbar. The appearance and disappearance of an item in the taskbar each time the focus changes between LabVIEW and another application can be distracting to the user.

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Can you please attach the executable that you created?  I turned my example into an executable, and the floating window still functioned as expected.  Since I cannot recreate the issue, I'd like to take a look at your application and see if I can find what is causing this to happen.

Have a wonderful day, and I hope to hear from you soon!!

[bfarley]

Thanks.  I didn't recall ever seeing that message box before.

Here is the exe I compiled.  Operate same as before.  Press START, press RF Control, floating window appears.  Click main window, floating window disappears.

Bill F