logging front panel states

[holomorph]

I've created a LabVIEW application to control our vacuum system; it contains a bunch of controlls for valves and pumps, as well as a bunch of indicators for pressures and temperatures, etc.  I've been asked to add the capability to log the state of *everything* on the front panel, say ever 10 minutes or so, that way if we want to know the state of the system at some time in the past we can look it up. 

So I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to accomplish this.  Ideally I would not have to manually choose everything to log, so if things get added to the front panel in the future they will not have to be manually added to the logging. It should be fairly easy to look at the log and determine the state of whatever componant is of interest. 

My first thought is to open a reference to the front panel, and iterato over all controls, dumping their label and state but I wanted to see if someone here had a better idea.  I'm also looking for suggestions on how to save the data (i.e. just dump it to a spreadsheet file, or perhaps there is a better way. . .).

- Bjorn

[johnsold]

Bjorn,

Look at the configuration file VIs. Use those with your idea of the reference to the front panel.

Lynn

[holomorph]

sorry, configuration file VIs? I'm not sure what you are referring to.


Oh, and I forgot to mention (in case it's importand), I'm using LabVIEW 7.2

Message Edited by holomorph on 07-05-2007 01:27 PM

[johnsold]

I did not know there was a version 7.2. I had 7.0, 7.1, 8.0 and 8.20.

In LV 8.20 they are found on the Functions palette at Programming >> File I/O >> Configuration File VIs. I think they were in similar locations in the earlier versions.

Lynn

[tst]

Go to the OpenG site and get the variant configuration VIs.

One of them saves all the values of all the controls on a FP to a config file.

To learn more about LabVIEW, I suggest you try searching this site and google for LabVIEW tutorials. Here, here, here, here, here and here are a few you can start with and here are some tutorial videos. You can also contact your local NI office and join one of their courses.
In addition, I suggest you read the LabVIEW style guide and the LabVIEW user manual (Help>>Search the LabVIEW Bookshelf).

[holomorph]

Yea, sorry, my bad, I meant 7.1

I will have a look at the configuration file VIs, thanks.

[JohnCS]

Try searching  LabVIEW Help for the item "Logging Front Panel Data."  This works both interactively and programmatically and has been a feature of LabVIEW going back many versions and may accomplish what you want.

[holomorph]

yes, I was just reading about this, it seems to be ideal for what  I want . . . *if* I can figure out how to trigger the logging progmatically every so often. .