One common use for an Event Structure is to sit "idle" waiting for the User to interact with the Front Panel by "changing something", i.e. pushing a Boolean button, entering a value in a Numeric Control, filling a String input with some text. Until one of these "events" occurs, and if there is no "TimeOut" event, the Event Loop takes zero time from the rest of the program, but the instant LabVIEW handles a change in one of the monitored Events, the Event code runs and "soemthing happens".
A common use for Event Loops is to trigger a particular State of a State Machine. To see an example of this, open LabVIEW, right-click "File", then "Nes .." (the second entry the DropDown list), and choose "From Template", "Design Patterns", :Producer/Consumer Design Pattern (Events)".
When dealing with multiple parallel Loops, like the Event Loop and the Sate Machine Loop, stopping all of them at the same time is a consideration. Notice how the Stop Button stops both the Event Loop and the State Machine Loop when pressed.
Enjoy.
Bob Schor
