Click with the right mouse button on the icon at the upper right corner of the vi Window and select the command "Vi properties..." on the pop menu. If you are using LabView 6.0 or greater, at the ring menu "Category:", choose "Windows Appearance", and select the "Dialog type of appearance. Or, in the same category you can select "Custom", hit the button "Customize" and then select the options you want, ammong them the options that metters to you are:
"Show Front Panel When Called" and "Close Afterwards if Originally Closed". In the older versions of LabView, like 5.1, the organization of the properties are a little diferent, but still the same options.
William