How do I pop up windows, or sub-front panel, from the front pannel?

[Akatsuki]

I have this huge thing, and I would like to a button so that when I push it, a windows (like another front panel) pops up and ask me how I would like to configure my device. Then, I can close this window and on the main front panel, I will be able to start it.

PS: I am using labview 7 express

[Dennis_Knutson]

The easiest way is to use the Prompt User for Input Express VI inside a case statement or event structure. If you want to create your own pop-up dialog box, looking at the shipping example called Dialog Box Demo.

[billings11]

Express vis ae fine if you want toenter something extremely simple, but if you want to pop up another vi do this:

Right click on tehsub-vi in the diagram of the main vi.
click on "Sub-VI Node Setup"
Select "Show Front Panel when called' and "Close afterwards if originally closed"

The subvi will have its front panel pop up when it runs.

[Akatsuki]

I am not looking for a pop dialog. I want to hide some configuration from the front panel, because the fornt panel is too crowded. example: I need to put the channel of a data acquisition that I want to read. I would like a buttton that say configure channel, and once I clik on it, a sub-fron pannel will pop and I'll be able to configure them. Anytime I need to change the channel, i just need to push that button.

[Dennis_Knutson]

That doesn't make any sense. You say you're not looking for a pop-up in the first sentence and then in the last, you say you want a subVI to pop-up. A pop-up dialog that you create can have any number of controls on it. The Express VI I mentioned will do the same thing if all you want is numerics, text, or a checkbox. Look at the example I mentioned. The string can be replaced with any control that you want. Use the event structure to capture the press of the button and stick the Express VI or your own inside that event.

If you want to avoid popping up anything at all, then use the tab control. Have all of your main controls on one tab and the channel info on a config tab.

Here's an example in 7.1

Message Edited by Dennis Knutson on 05-20-2005 11:48 AM

[Akatsuki]

Than you very much, I am sorry for the misunderstanding. I though that dialog box meant "only text". I don't really have to use an event strucutre do I. Because I don't really know how it works.
Thank you very, I will now try to build my VI.

[Int_man]

If you are trying to get some additional functionally without using any addtional front-panel space you may want to consider using a tab control. You can use one tab for be the main screen with next tab being used for configuration. You then can add other tabs for other functions.

[Dennis_Knutson]

You don't have to use the event structure it's just that it's very efficient for capturing front panel events. Polling the status of a control is the way you had to do before LabVIEW 6.1. It works but with a lot of front panel controls, the event structure is the way to go.

[Akatsuki]

well, I dont really know how to use the "tab" function easier. It sounds that it might be easier to use than the prompt user. So,, How do you use the tab function??

[tst]

You can simply place a tab control from the containers pallete on the front panel and drag controls and indicators into its different pages. The code doesn't care if the controls are inside the tab.
You can control which page of the tab is displayed by wiring a numeric value into its indicator (or a local variable). You can also make the tabs themselves invisible. There is an example in the example finder which shows some more complex control of tab properties using property nodes.

To learn more, I suggest you read the LabVIEW user manual. Also, try searching this site and google for LabVIEW tutorials. Here and here are a couple you can start with. You can also contact your local NI office and join one of their courses.
In addition, I suggest you read the LabVIEW style guide.