Measurement Studio for VC++

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Knob Pointer Fill Problems

Hi,
 
After upgrading from Meas. Studio 6 to 8.1.1, I've noticed some strange behavior with pointer fills in CNiKnob objects created via a certain sequence. To demonstrate:
1) Open the NI example project "Knob Styles", edit the dialog, and open the property pages for IDC_VERTICAL_KNOB.
2) Change the "Pointer-1" Fill Style to "Fill to Minimum" and its Value to "50".
3) Add a new Pointer, which is automatically named "Pointer-2", and change its Value to "99".
4) Change the "Pointer-1" Fill Style back to "None" and its value to "5".
Notice that the fill only goes down to 50 where it should go down to 0. Even if you click OK, the incorrect fill remains.
 
An even stranger behavior occurs with a similar sequence:
1) as above
2) as above
3) Change the Style to "Dial".
4) Add a new Pointer, which is automatically named "Pointer-2", and change its Value to "99".
5) Change the "Pointer-2" Fill Style to "Fill to Minimum".
Notice the strange gap in the fill. Now click repeatedly within the "Pointers:" selection box and notice that the fill alternately disappears and reappears with every control update! Even if you click OK and then repeatedly resize the control on the dialog, the fill comes and goes.
 
I admit that these sequences are odd, but that's what my old app does, and it ran fine under version 6. I wonder if this behavior could be a symptom of a larger problem with version 8.1.1.
 
Thankfully, I found a work-around. Insert a step between 2 and 3 in either sequence:
2.5) Change the "Pointer-1" Value to "0".
With that, both strange behaviors are avoided, as far as I can tell without lots of testing of different cases.
 
Claus
 
0 Kudos
Message 1 of 10
(9,163 Views)
Hi Claus,

I was able to reproduce the behavior that you saw.  The issue is understanding what is meant by selecting "None" for the fill style for Pointer-1.  Instead of being transparent and allowing Pointer-2's fill to appear, Pointer-1 suppresses any fill from appearing up to the number in its Value field.

I agree with you that this is unexpected behavior and so I will file a Corrective Action Request for this issue.  Thanks for letting us know about this.


Jessica
National Instruments
Product Support Engineer
0 Kudos
Message 2 of 10
(9,140 Views)

Thanks, Jessica, for replying.

I think there's more to it than a transparency issue. After the first sequence (above), you can move Pointer-1 all around but the fill bottom stays at 50. Also, the second sequence (above) causes a gap in the fill as well as flashing of the fill when the control gets updated.

I'm glad to hear it will be fixed, because I've already found a case where my work-around (above) fails to avoid it.

Claus

 

0 Kudos
Message 3 of 10
(9,133 Views)
Hi Claus,

You are right.  The Fill Style has more unexpected behavior as the Value field is changed.  I will make sure I include each symptom in the Corrective Action Report.  Thanks for bringing this to our attention.


Jessica
National Instruments
Product Support Engineer
0 Kudos
Message 4 of 10
(9,112 Views)

Is there any progress on this? I noticed Measurement Studio 8.5 has come out but this is not on the bugs fixed list.

Thanks

0 Kudos
Message 5 of 10
(8,589 Views)
Hi Claus,

This will be fixed in the next release of the Measurement Studio ActiveX controls.  You are correct that the Measurement Studio 8.5 read me file does not list this bug fix as the release did not include ActiveX controls.

I would like to discuss this further with you off the forums.  If you will give me permission, I can control our web administrator for your contact information and will email you directly.


Jessica
National Instruments
Product Support Engineer
0 Kudos
Message 6 of 10
(8,566 Views)

Hi, Jessica,

I'm a bit confused because the other issue I found with another ActiveX control has been claimed to be fixed (http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=231&thread.id=5510). I have not tried 8.5 yet, however, to verify.

Please do email me directly. Thanks.

Claus

 

0 Kudos
Message 7 of 10
(8,550 Views)
Hi Claus,

Actually those bug fixes are included in the 8.5 release of the C++ components.  We documented these bug fixes in the Measurement Studio 8.5 for Visual Studio 2005 Readme.  The updater that Jessica is referring to will be released soon and all that will contain is the latest version of the ActiveX controls. This is useful for customers programming in Visual Studio 6.0 as we didn't include the updated ActiveX controls in that package.  We did include the updated ActiveX controls in the 2005 installer which you get when you install C++ support.

Now, I don't remember which version of Visual Studio you were using, but if you are using VS 2005, you are good to go. If you are using VS 6, then Jessica will contact you offline.

Just let us know.

Best Regards,
Jonathan N.
National Instruments
0 Kudos
Message 8 of 10
(8,546 Views)

Hi, Jonathan,

Thanks for the ReadMe link. I had only found this one (http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/6898).

Yes, we are using VS2005, so I will try version 8.5 out.

Claus

0 Kudos
Message 9 of 10
(8,543 Views)
I tried out version 8.5 and it works. Thank you.
0 Kudos
Message 10 of 10
(8,474 Views)