sorting into "buckets"

[adamsdaq]

 I want to create a strategy to sort data into "Buckets'. The immediate need is that I will have a user select a few different analog output channels and I want to sort these out by card. So a list of

Card1_ao1

Card1_ao2

Card3_ao1

Card2_ao5

card1_ao5

card2_ao4

card3_ao4

would become

Card1=ao1,ao2,ao5

Card2=ao4,ao5

Card3=ao1,ao4

Basically I am going through a 2d array and creating a bucket based on the first value, and throwing and sorting out any duplicates into it in the form of a 1D array with a name.

What is the best way to acomplish the task above if the different buckets may be different length arrays? Am I best off using a local variable, a cluster or what? If a cluster is the way to go, does anyone have a good link to a way to programmatically change and bundle by name? I have to think there is a pretty simple way of doing what I want to do. If I were in matlab which is where a mechanical engineer I learned to program  I would just declare a variable "Card1" as an array and add to it. If card #2 comes along and I don't have any variable set I would declare a card #2 array and so on. How do I best do this in Labview?

[JÞB]

A Cluster of 1D arrays is the easiest way to simulate a "Ragged 2D Array" in LabVIEW. See Darrens nugget here

[RavensFan]

I would use an array of clusters.  Each cluster would contain a string and an array.

The string would contain the name of a card.  The array would contain the names of the channels on that card.

The overall array is so that you can have an unspecified number of cards.

See attached LV12 file.

[adamsdaq]

Thanks for the quick replies, I have a meeting shortly but will see if I can either get this to work today or if not on monday. RavensFan, thanks for sending the vi. however is it possible for you to send that in a 2011 version or at least a picture?

Thanks,

Adam

[JÞB]

in 2011

[adamsdaq]

Thanks Jeff,

I don't have much time to play with this one anymore today so will have to get back to it on monday. None the less that looks about what I want the finished display to look like, the challenge now is taking in an array where Collumn #1=card# and Collumn#2=ao# and then turning it into the output that you showed there. I took a look at the Darren's occasional nugget and I think between the two of those I should be able to figure it out, however I am out of time for today. If anyone has any more to add or there is even a piece of out there that I can work off of that would be appreaciated otherwise it looks like you guys gave me a good enough start but I am out of time.

Thanks,

[hawkeye182]

HI, i have been following this post and i was wondering if it is possible that once the sorting has been done according to buckets,can a signal be sent to a comm port from labview and also is it possible to make it more interactive. For example, i want to input data and sort it by buckets and then sent a particular signal to a port according to the bucket that has just been selected.

[hawkeye182]

HI, i have been following this post and i was wondering if it is possible that once the sorting has been done according to buckets,can a signal be sent to a comm port from labview and also is it possible to make it more interactive. For example, i want to input data and sort it by buckets and then sent a particular signal to a port according to the bucket that has just been selected.

[RavensFan]

Of course you can.  You are the programmer so just about anything is possible according to your imagination.  You just need to program it to do what you want.

[hawkeye182]

how can i achieve? should i simply modify the vi sent previously on the same discussion? btw i am a beginner, ive only started using labview since a week now