Recommendation: Motor KDC101 Thorlabs/ Queue Event Handler Arq

[ggarmendia]

Hi everyone,

Currently, I am working with two Thorlabs motors KDC101 and a power meter PM100. The main functionality of the program has already been developed(polarimeter) but I wanted to add another feature in which it can be possible to use these three devices in the same panel.

The motors have their own user interface that I want to reuse but it is hidden in the front panel of the main program since it is not supposed to be seen. My first idea was to have a button that will allow me to move to a location in the front panel where these motor panels are located and there another button to go back to the real front panel (check the attachment) but then, it will not be possible to run the power meter at the same time.

The architecture use in the program is a Queue Event Handler with three loops: Event, Message and Adquision/Logging.

Hope you have a better suggestion or idea.

Thank you.

[paul.r · Accepted solution]

I am not sure I fully understand what you are looking to do - you want to have a button on your UI that will allow you to show or hide the ThorLabs GUI Elements? Are those actual buttons on the ThorLABs UI that you want the user to be able to interact with? 

If I understand correctly, the quick and easy way to do what you want is to put those elements on a Tab control, with your other UI elements on the other pages of the tab control. 

A better way to do it is to use sub panels, but that involves a bit more work. With subpanels, your 'main' vi doesnt grow in complexity with each new type of panel you would like to show. With Tab Controls, if you decide you would like to show another panel, your main VI will now need to hold that code as well - which can result in a very complicated main VI. 

[ggarmendia]

Hi paul.ross, 

Answering your questions:

you want to have a button on your UI that will allow you to show or hide the ThorLabs GUI Elements? Are those actual buttons on the ThorLABs UI that you want the user to be able to interact with?

Yes, as an additional feature in the front panel but working at the same time with the power meter. 
Yes, the buttons are usable.

The problem with the TAB is that I have to be able to use the power meter at the same time than both ThorLABs UIs. For that purpose, I have a subVI for measuring the power continuously so the issue is to be able to use all of them at the same time in the front panel: the subVI + the UIs in such a way. Remember that I cannot move the UIs from the front panel.

I will read about subpanels. As you may notice, I am new with LabView so I haven't heard of this before.

Thank you.