labview 8.0.1 unresponsive when editing

[Dave_Thomson]

   I've got a good-sized program that I wrote in LV 8.0.1.  It has several parallel processes for things like data acquistion, instrument control, and user interface.  The user interface VI is optional - the whole program can run without it, but almost all operator interaction is through it.  As this is an R&D project, the user interface has grown and grown.  It has 11 tabs and hundreds of controls and indicators.  I've programmed it so that it only responds to controls on the selected tab and only updates indicators on the selected tab.  This works fine when running.  It is responsive, but doesn't interfere with the more important tasks.
   Unfortunately, it has gotten unwieldy in editing mode.  Most changes I make to the front panel or block diagram invokes seconds or more of delay before I can make another change.  Copying controls, adding a wire, whatever.  Saves take 10 seconds or more.  Any of these changes or saves can not-infrequently lead to a permanent hang or crash.
   I don't recall seeing this in previous versions, though my user interfaces haven't generally gotten this top heavy before.  I can't test this in a previous version since I wrote it in 8 from scratch, and I don't want to bother messing with saving backwards.  (Besides, it uses 8.0 features that 7.x doesn't support.)  I have tried it on several different computers (W2K and WXP) with similar results.  So it isn't just some corruption on one computer.
   So my question is:  has anyone else noticed this type of effect?  Are there any fixes?  Any known reasons?  This VI is part of a project, and I suspected that the project might include some new overhead.  But the editing problem still occurs when the VI is opened outside of the project.

[Jimmie_A.]

Hello David!
I haven't heard this reported before and I have seen some huge applications in LabVIEW. Well I have heard about slower response when working with the FPGA module but that is all.
Link here is quite old and I cannot see that should matter on a new computer:
Slow Front Panel or Block Diagram Response in LabVIEW
http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/862567530005F09C8625667B00044B35?OpenDocument
It might also be so that one of your VIs is corrupt and this can actually cause this behavior but is quite hard to find these.
See these forum posts
LabVIEW 8 very slow to edit large VI
http://sine.ni.com/niforum/niforum?forumDU=http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&messag...
Block diagram slow to edit 
http://sine.ni.com/niforum/niforum?forumDU=http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&messag...

[Ben]

Hi Dave,

These are the things that stick in my mind.

1) Drag controls and indicators off of the tab control before making changes. Put them back afterwards.

2) Save UI VI as a new name.

3) How'ss your physical memory doing? (Please excuse me for even asking this).

Please keep us advised as to what you find.

Ben

[Dave_Thomson]

Jimmie, Ben,
   Thanks for your suggestions.  Unfortunately, (fortunately!), most of the problem has disappeared, for no reason I can tell.  As of this morning, the delays are an annoying 1 to 2 seconds, compared to an intolerable 10 to 20 seconds yesterday.  At this point, it is acting very smilarly to the issues described in your last two links, Jimmie.  I'm curious about the first of those two.  Could we track down the CAR on that and see how it was resolved.  It sounds like the same type of problem, but the thread ends with an NI acknowledgement of a bug but no resolution.
   One other commonality with the threads you mention:  I do use a lot of type-defs.  (As for the first link, I tested some graphics settings with no apparent difference.)
   Ben, I tried the Save As trick but it didn't do anything.  As for my physical memory, it's not so good.  I use a Palm clone to keep my schedule in, so I don't miss many appointments, and I don't have to remember phone numbers.  But I do tend to forget other things.  😞

Regards,
   Dave