Graph Extensions for

LabVIEW
AN OPEN SOURCE PROJECT

Presenter: Mike King

Contact: mike.king@prolucid.ca
Calgary LabVIEW User Group Meeting
May 31, 2016
Open Source Background

 Open source
 In general: provides valuable tools, software and learning
 In LabVIEW: accelerates development, extends tools available
 Expands communities and like minded interest groups (like this one)

 Companies using open source

 Can stay up to date with new technologies
 Reduce training of staff when common technologies are used (hired experience)
 Costs are generally lower than commercial alternatives
 Contributions can gain publicity and can often pair well with commercial support services
LabVIEW Graphing

Pros
 Quick to add visual graphs to applications
 Various data types support and graph types (waveform, charts, digital, etc)
 Good multi-plot capabilities
Cons
 Graph tools such as cursors and annotations are difficult to use
 Adding visuals are often done painfully by adding plots / layers
 Little customization options available for visual styles
 Can’t customize the controls much for functionality
Graph Extensions – What is it?

Graphs are visual tools, so visual interaction is critical for usability.

Graph Extensions are a collection of visual tools that add to LabVIEW’s
graphs
Currently I have built 6 extensions:
 Cursors
 BGK Color
 Peaks and Valleys
 Markers
 Scroll wheel Zooming
 Plot Highlighting
Demos

 Demos of these extensions

 How to use them?

Simple Most Complex

 Most are a single VI  Several integrated event VIs and a process thread.
to call or a VI to
use in the event
structure
Project has Examples for Each Extension

 Simply reference them in your

project using the Graph
Extensions.lvlib
 Use the examples as reference or
as templates to start from.
 How do they work?

 Graphs have a property to set 3 layers of

picture controls, that most people have never
explored. These let you add any graphics you
want in 3 layers:
 Back – Behind all plots and the grid lines
 Middle – Behind the plot but in front of the grid
lines
 Front – In front of all plots and grid lines
Functional Code Review
 About Mike

 Find him on NI’s forums, user

‘Mike_King’
 Projects on Github:
http://github.com/unipsycho

 Email him @Prolucid:

mike.king@prolucid.ca
403-451-5327 x230