multiple menu selections

[robosys]

Hello All,
I am developing a 'graph data & print' popup vi using log files for a medium sized application. A requirement states the user could select graph channels from the run time drop down menu, see attached jpeg example. I have developed code to generate the menus but the user doesnt want to have navigate repeatedly to the edit, Graph, Channel to make their selections.

Theres roughly 25 channels. For example, to choose channels 1, 2 & 3 the menu mouse clicks would be:

Edit >> Graph x >> Channel 1
Edit >> Graph x >> Channel 2
Edit >> Graph x >> Channel 3

Instead they want to navigate once to Graph x then make multiple selections from the menu

Edit >> Graph x >> Channel 1 & Channel 2 & Channel 3

I am uncetain if theres a Windows key combo for this or if the Labview user events could seamlessly re-popup the previous selection to give the illusion the menu has remained OR am I trying to break Microsofts convention for menu behaviour. If anyone could point me to an example or advise I would appreciate it.

Regards
Chris

[GerdW]

Hi robosys,

Theres roughly 25 channels.

For sure your user requirement breaks usual Windows menu handling scheme.

But: For this number of selections (aka data channels) I would create just one menu item which calls a dialog subVI. In this subVI you can open a small frontpanel and allow selection of available channels efficiently, e.g. using a listbox or an array of buttons…

[Bob_Schor]

I had a similar problem, but I solved it a different way.  At the present time, the maximum number of channels we expect is 24.  We configure the chart with a Plot Legend (which identifies all of the channels).  Initially, we also turned on the Plot Visibility Checkboxes, which would let us turn on or off each of the channels (I think we initialized them via a Property node to be all On).

However, we also wanted to be able to give each plot a variable scale.  We solved this by putting a Scales array between the Plot and Plot Legend, and placing this Array in an Event structure.  We interpret a Scale = 0 entry as "Do not Show".  Here's what it looks like without any data ...

BS

[robosys]

Hello Gerd and Bob,

Both great guidance, Gerds comments made me think a bit more about the menu behaviour. Typically if you want to open a file you navigate File >> Open and a big file popup provides all kinds of file related features. I should be aiming to create somthing along those lines but for my graphs.

Bobs thoughts are helpfull too ive got a fair number of requirments for the layout. I need to use the mixed signal graph and program the number of graphs to display with equal size, which channels go to which graph... I cannot show the graph key as the graph vi will be printed and Ive got to fill an A4 with the graphs, but the functionality described could be set into the menu. Typically: Edit >> Visible >> Graph >> Channel 1 

Thanks guys youve put me on the right track.

Regards

Chris