2.1 Icons and connector panes

After you build a VI front panel and block diagram, build the icon and the connector pane so you can use the VI as a subVI.

Creating an icon

Every VI displays an icon, shown in , in the upper right corner of the front panel and block diagram windows. Anicon is a graphical representation of a VI. It can contain text, images, or a combination of both. If you use a VI as asubVI, the icon identifies the subVI on the block diagram of the VI.

The default icon contains a number that indicates how many new VIs you have opened since launching LabVIEW. Create customicons to replace the default icon by right-clicking the icon in the upper right corner of the front panel or block diagramand selecting Edit Icon from the shortcut menu or double-clicking the icon in the upper right corner of thefront panel. You also can edit icons by selecting File>>VI Properties selecting General from the Category pull-down menu, and clicking the Edit Icon button.

Use the tools on the left side of the Icon Editor dialog box to create the icon design in the editing area. The normal size image of the icon appears in theappropriate box to the right of the editing area, as shown in the dialog box in .

Depending on the type of monitor you use, you can design a separate icon for monochrome, 16-color, and 256-colormode. LabVIEW uses the monochrome icon for printing unless you have a color printer.

Use the Edit menu to cut, copy, and paste images from and to the icon. When you select a portion of theicon and paste an image, LabVIEW resizes the image to fit into the selection area. You also can drag a graphic from anywherein your file system and drop it in the upper right corner of the front panel or block diagram. LabVIEW converts the graphicto a $32\times 32$ pixel icon.

Use the Copy from option on the right side of the Icon Editor dialog box to copy from a color icon to a black-and-white icon and vice versa. After youselect a Copy from option, click the OK button to complete the change.

Use the tools on the left side of the Icon Editor dialog box to create the icon design in the editing area. The normal size image of the icon appears in theappropriate box to the right of the editing area. The following tasks can be performed with these tools:

• Use the Pencil tool to draw and erase pixel by pixel.
• Use the Line tool to draw straight lines. To draw horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines, press the <Shift> key while you use this tool to drag the cursor.
• Use the Color Copy tool to copy the foreground color from an element in the icon.
• Use the Fill tool to fill an outlined area with the foreground color.
• Use the Rectangle tool to draw a rectangular border in the foreground color. Double-click this tool to framethe icon in the foreground color.
• Use the Filled Rectangle tool to draw a rectangle with a foreground color frame and filled with thebackground color. Double-click this tool to frame the icon in the foreground color and fill it with the backgroundcolor.
• Use the Select tool to select an area of the icon to cut, copy, move, or make other changes. Double-click thistool and press the <Delete> key to delete the entire icon.
• Use the Text tool to enter text into the icon. Double-click this tool to select a differentfont. ( Windows ) The Small Fonts option works well in icons.
• Use the Foreground/Background tool to display the current foreground and background colors. Click eachrectangle to display a color palette from which you can select new colors.
• Use the options on the right side of the editing area to perform the following tasks:

  • Show terminals

    Displays the terminal pattern of the connector pane.

  • Ok

    Saves the drawing as the icon and returns to the frontpanel.

  • Cancel

    Returns to the front panel without saving anychanges.
• The menu bar in the Icon Editor dialog box contains more editing options such as Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste , and Clear .

Setting up the connector pane

To use a VI as a subVI, you need to build a connector pane , shown in . The connector pane is a set of terminals that corresponds to the controls andindicators of that VI, similar to the parameter list of a function call in text-based programming languages. Theconnector pane defines the inputs and outputs you can wire to the VI so you can use it as a subVI.

Define connections by assigning a front panel control or indicator to each of the connector pane terminals. To define aconnector pane, right-click the icon in the upper right corner of the front panel window and select Show Connector from the shortcut menu. The connector pane replaces the icon. Each rectangle on the connector pane represents aterminal. Use the rectangles to assign inputs and outputs. The number of terminals LabVIEW displays on the connector panedepends on the number of controls and indicators on the front panel. The following front panel has four controls and oneindicator, so LabVIEW displays four input terminals and one output terminal on the connector pane.

Selecting and modifying terminal patterns

Select a different terminal pattern for a VI by right-clicking the connector pane and selecting Patterns from the shortcut menu. Select a connector pane pattern with extraterminals. You can leave the extra terminals unconnected until you need them. This flexibility enables you to make changeswith minimal effect on the hierarchy of the VIs. You also can have more front panel controls or indicators than terminals.

A solid border highlights the pattern currently associated with the icon. The maximum number of terminals available for asubVI is 28.

The most commonly used pattern is shown in . This pattern is used as a standard to assist in simplifyingwiring. The top inputs and outputs are commonly used for passing references and the bottom inputs and outputs are usedfor error handling. Refer to the section on Clusters for more information about error handling.

To change the spatial arrangement of the connector pane patterns, right-click the connector pane and select Flip Horizontal, Flip Vertical, or Rotate 90 Degrees from the shortcut menu.

Assigning terminals to controls and indicators

After you select a pattern to use for the connector pane, you must define connections by assigning a front panel control orindicator to each of the connector pane terminals. When you link controls and indicators to the connector pane, placeinputs on the left and outputs on the right to prevent complicated, unclear wiring patterns in your VIs.

To assign a terminal to a front panel control or indicator, click a terminal of the connector pane, then click the frontpanel control or indicator you want to assign to that terminal. Click an open space on the front panel. The terminalchanges to the data type color of the control to indicate that you connected the terminal.

You also can select the control or indicator first and then select the terminal.