Getting used to Labview 'logic'

[joecloud]

Hello!
I'm fairly new to the forums- as a member. But I have been on here a lot in the past because it has always been a good resource for code and getting better with the electronics/labview.
Anyways, I'm trying to understand the 'logic' if you will- behind labview programming. I'm starting to get used to the idea of the VIs, and putting together block diagrams. But I'm clueless about structures. I haven't messed with them, mainly because I haven't needed to, but I've seen a lot of sample code for different things, even screenshots posted here on CD that include them. Can anyone explain to me the purpose behind them, and when to use what appears to be the different types of structures? (while loop etc..)

Thanks,

[nicholsjj]

This page is a good start on the basic types of programming structures http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_programming

A very simple view of the three basic labview structures would be...

While: A programming structure that will repeat as long as(while) the condition set in the loop exists. This can be through time, sensor data, loop iteration etc...

Sequence: A programming structure that will carry out events in order from left to right(in sequence). The best way to look at this structure is as a movie real or newspaper cartoon. The structure will go frame by frame. Our team used this structure to run our autonomous routine this year.

Case: A programming structure that will run an event based on a Boolean input of true or false.(the stated case) Let's say you have a button that returns the value of 0 when not pressed and 1 when pressed. You use a case to run a different VI for when the button is and isn't pressed.

[Greg McKaskle]

My suggestion would be to google LabVIEW Loops, LabVIEW case structure, etc.

You should find a combination of videos, walk throughs and reference material that in many ways is easier than digging through the stuff installed with the product. And of course if you still have specific questions, you should ask them here.

Greg McKaskle

[Greg McKaskle]

I found a few additional resources that may be what you were looking for.

The first is generically called the 101 content. It can be found at ni.com/lv101.

The structure descriptions are located at http://www.ni.com/academic/students/...on-structures/


A more basic and different style of instruction is found at http://curriculum.cs2n.org/lv1

Greg McKaskle