Introduction to LabVIEW

Gordana.Collier@kingston.ac.uk

LabVIEW Graphical Development System

Useful in a broad range of applications
Can compile code for multiple OS and devices

Virtual Instrumentation Applications

Measurements
Circuits and Electronics
Measurements and Instrumentation
Control
Plant modeling forControl
Automatic Controls and Dynamic Systems
Mechatronics and Robotics
Design
Signal and Image Processing
Embedded System Programming
(PC, DSP, FPGA, Microcontroller)

Simulation and Prototyping

A single graphical development platform

Design

Prototype

Deploy

The NI Approach Integrated Hardware Platforms

PXI Modular Instrumentation

High-Speed High-Resolution
Multifunction
Dynamic
Instrument
Digitizers and DMMs Data Acquisition Signal Acquisition Control
Digitizers

Signal Conditioning
and Switching

Unit Under Test

Laptop PC

Desktop PC

Digital I/O

Counter/
Timers

Machine
Vision

Motion
Control

Distributed I/O and

Embedded Control

PDA

Section I LabVIEW Environment

LabVIEW Environment

Front Panel / Block Diagram

Toolbar /Tools Palette
Data Flow Execution
Debugging Techniques

Components of a LabVIEW Application

Creating a VI

C. Additional Help

Context Help
Data Flow Execution
Debugging

Open and Run LabVIEW

Start>All Programs>National Instruments LabVIEW 8.6
On Getting Started Screen
open one of the following:
1.
2.
3.

Blank VI: New>Blank VI

Empty Project: New>Empty Projects
Example: Examples>Find Examples

LabVIEW Programs Are Called Virtual Instruments (VIs)

Each VI has 2 Windows:
1. Front Panel
2. Block Diagram

VI Front Panel
User Interface (UI)

Controls = Inputs
Indicators = Outputs

VI Block Diagram
Graphical Code
Data travels on wires from
controls through functions to
indicators
Blocks execute by Dataflow

Controls Palette (Controls & Indicators)

(Places items on the Front Panel Window)

Customize
Palette
View

Controls Palette (Controls & Indicators)

Indicator:
Numeric Slide

Controls Palette (Controls & Indicators)

Control:
Numeric

Functions (and Structures) Palette

(Places items on the Block Diagram Window)

Structure:
While Loop

Status Toolbar

Run Button
Continuous Run Button
Abort Execution

Context Help Window

Help>Show Context Help or <Ctrl+H> keys
Hover cursor over object to update window
Additional Help
Right-Click on the VI icon and
choose Help, or
Choose Detailed Help. on
the context help window

Dataflow Programming
Block diagram execution
Dependent on the flow of data
Block diagram does NOT execute
left to right

Node executes when data is

available to ALL input terminals
Nodes supply data to all output
terminals when done

Debugging Techniques
Finding Errors
Click on broken Run button.
Window showing error appears.

Execution Highlighting
Click on Execution Highlighting button; data
flow is animated using bubbles. Values are
displayed on wires.

Probes
Right-click on wire to display probe and it shows
data as it flows through wire segment.
You can also select Probe tool from Tools palette
and click on wire.

Status Toolbar
Additional Buttons on
the Diagram Toolbar

Execution Highlighting Button

Retain Wire Values Button
Step Function Buttons

Section II Elements of Typical Programs

Functions

Types of Functions
Functions Palette & Searching

Loops

While Loop
For Loop

Decision Making and File IO

Case Structure
Select (simple If statement)
File I/O

Types of Controls and Indicators Available

Numeric Data

Express Controls Palette

Number input and display

Analog Sliders, Dials, and Gauges

Boolean Data

Buttons and LEDs

Array & Matrix Data

Numeric Display
Chart
Graph
XY Graph
Intensity Graph
3D graph: point, surface, and
model

Decorations
-Tab Control
- Arrows

Other

- Strings and text boxes

- Picture/Image Display
- ActiveX Controls

Types of Functions Available

Input and Output

Signal and Data Simulation

Acquire and Generate Real Signals with DAQ
Instrument I/O Assistant (Serial & GPIB)
ActiveX for communication with other programs

Analysis

Signal Processing
Statistics
Advanced Math and Formulas
Continuous Time Solver

Storage
File I/O

Express Functions Palette

Types of Functions (from the Functions Palette)

Functions
fundamental operating elements of LabVIEW;
no front panel or block diagram (yellow)
Express VI
interactive VIs with configurable dialog page (blue border)
Standard VI
modular VIs customized by wiring

Searching for Controls, VIs, and Functions

Palettes are filled with hundreds
of VIs
Press the search button to index the
all VIs for text searching
Click and drag an item from the
search window to the block diagram
Double-click an item to open the
owning palette

Loops

While Loop

While Loops
i terminal counts iteration
Always runs at least once
Runs until stop condition is
met

For Loops
i terminal counts iterations
Run according to input N of
count terminal

For Loop

Drawing a Loop
2. Enclose code to be repeated
1. Select the structure

3. Drop or drag additional nodes and then wire

Timing a Loop
1. Loop Time Delay
Configure the Time Delay Express VI for seconds to wait
each iteration of the loop (works on For and While loops).

2. Timed Loops
Configure special timed While loop for desired dt.

Time Delay

Timed Loop

Shift Register Access Previous Loop Data

Available at left or right border of loop structures
Right-click the border and select Add Shift Register
Right terminal stores data on completion of iteration
Left terminal provides stored data at beginning of next iteration

Initial
Value

Before
Loop
Begins

Value 3

First
Iteration

Second
Iteration

Last
Iteration

Making Decisions
1. Case Structures

2. Select

(a)

(c)

(b)

Create SubVI
Enclose area to be converted into a subVI.
Select EditCreate SubVI from the Edit Menu.

LabVIEW Functions and SubVIs operate like subroutines

in other languages
Function Pseudo Code

Calling Program Pseudo Code

function average (in1, in2, out)

{
out = (in1 + in2)/2.0;
}

main
{
average (in1, in2, pointavg)
}

SubVI Block Diagram

Calling VI Block Diagram

Textual Math in LabVIEW

Integrate existing scripts with LabVIEW for faster development
Interactive, easy-to-use, hands-on learning environment
Develop algorithms, explore mathematical concepts, and
analyze results using a single environment
Freedom to choose the most effective syntax, whether
graphical or textual within one VI
Supported Math Tools:
MathScript script node
Mathematica software
Maple software

MathSoft software
MATLAB software
Xmath software

MATLAB is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, Inc.

Math with the MathScript Node

Implement equations and algorithms textually
Input and Output variables created at the border
Generally compatible with popular m-file script language
Terminate statements with a semicolon to disable immediate
output

(FunctionsProgramming
StructuresMathScript)

Prototype your equations in the interactive MathScript Window.

The Interactive MathScript Window

Rapidly develop and test algorithms
Share Scripts and
Variables with the Node
View /Modify Variable
content in 1D, 2D, and 3D
Output

Window

Variable
Workspace
View/Modify
Variable Contents

m-file Script

User Commands
(LabVIEWToolsMathScript Window)

File I/O
File I/O passing data to and from files
Files can be binary, text, or spreadsheet
Write/Read LabVIEW Measurements file (*.lvm)
Writing to LVM file

Reading from LVM file

File I/O Programming Model Under the hood

Open/
Create/
Replace File

Read
and/or
Write to File

Close
File

Check for
Errors

Section III Presenting your Results

Displaying Data on the Front Panel
Controls and Indicators
Graphs and Charts

Signal Processing - advanced

Arrays and clusters
Waveforms
Projects

Control & Indicator Properties

Properties are characteristics or qualities about an object
Properties can be found by right clicking on a Control or Indicator

Properties Include:
Size
Color
Plot Style
Plot color

Features include:
Cursors
Scaling

Graphs Display many data points at once

Waveform graph
special numeric indicator that displays an array of
data
Graph updates after all points have been collected
May be used in a loop if VI collects buffers of data
FunctionsExpressGraph IndicatorsGraph

Charts Add 1 data point at a time with history

Waveform chart
special numeric indicator that can display a history
of values
Chart updates with each individual point it receives
FunctionsExpressGraph IndicatorsChart

Advanced topics

Introduction to Clusters
Data structure that groups data together
Data may be of different types
Analogous to struct in C
Elements must be either all controls or all indicators
Thought of as wires bundled into a cable
Order is important

Arrays and Clusters into Graphs

The Waveform Datatype contains 3 pieces of data:
t0 = Start Time
dt = Time between Samples
Y = Array of Y magnitudes
Two ways to create a Waveform Cluster:

Build Waveform (absolute time)

Cluster (relative time)

LabVIEW Project
Group and organize VIs
Hardware and I/O management
Manage VIs for multiple targets
Build libraries and executables
Manage large LabVIEW applications
Enable version tracking and management
(LabVIEW>Project>New)

Additional Resources
NI Academic Web & Student Corner
http://www.ni.com/academic

Connexions: Full LabVIEW Training Course

www.cnx.rice.edu
Or search for LabVIEW basics

LabVIEW Certification
LabVIEW Fundamentals Exam (free on www.ni.com/academic)
Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer Exam (industry recognized certification )

Get your own copy of LabVIEW Student Edition

www.ni.com/academic

By Robert H Bishop.
Published by Prentice Hall.

The LabVIEW Certification Program

Architect
Mastery of LabVIEW
Expert in large application development
Skilled in leading project teams

Certified
LabVIEW
Architect

Developer
Advanced LabVIEW knowledge
and application development
experience
Project management skills

Certified LabVIEW
Developer

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Proficiency in navigating
LabVIEW environment
Some application
development experience

Fundamentals Exam

Pre-Certification Skills Test

Certified LabVIEW Associate

Developer

Free On-Line Fundamentals Exam

http://www.labviewjobs.com/index.php