epics variable with a period ( . ) or colon ( : ) doesn't work?

[marnie]

Hello!

I'm trying to configure an epics client with variables containing a period and&or a colon.

The colon is blocked - but it works with copying it from somewhere else.

After setting a period into the name it works until i run the vi. Then LabView collapses totally.

And no - it's not possible to change the name of the variable 🙂

Hope there are some answers out there!

Thanks!
Markus

[Verne_D]

Hi Markus,

The period is a disallowed character because of the way EPICS specifies variables and records (record.variable). My understanding is that allowing extra periods gums this up and causes LV to crash. There is an existing bug report that the documentation omits this piece of information under the number #217113. The fact that you can copy a period in, unfortunately, is a bug. I'll be reporting your findings to the R&D department, but there's not much else I can offer you.

I can enter the colon (LV 2009 SP1 & 2009) without trouble. What version of LV are you using?

[marnie]

Hey Verne!

Thanks for the quick answer! I can use the colon in a variable name too - copy & pase - without any crashes. The problem is that i also have to use the period - wich is impossilbe as I understand. That's really sad because i neet the information saved in this variable and i think they don't wanna change their whole system for me 😄

Anyway - thanks for your help!

Markus

[Verne_D]

Hi Markus,

Yeah... I wish I had more for you, but that's about the sum of it. Maybe you could get one of the configuration people to make up a dummy variable that mirrors the one you're interested in, but doesn't have the naming conflict?

P.S. I think the typing of the colon was fixed for LV2009, I just don't have an older install of DSC to check against.