LabVIEW

Problem

I'm really tired of dropping sequence structures, timing VIs, subtract functions and creating indicators, just to get an idea of the execution time of a VI or portion of a VI.

I'm spending 30 seconds doing this, and then another 30 ripping it out of the VI once I'm done. I want my minute back.

Solution

I just drop the timing probes along my error wire, and see the dt between the execution of the probes. I usually have error wires at least enforcing data flow throughout my VIs.

3 seconds of setup, 0 seconds of cleanup (just close the VI or probe window). 97% success.

Installation and Basic Use

1. Place the attached probes in <LabVIEW Data Directory>\Probes
   • Data Directory Path can be found in LabVIEW by navigating to Tools»Options»Paths.
2. Place the probes on error wires around the sections whose timing you care about.
3. Mark the first executed probe as t0 (optional).
4. Execute your code and view the results in the probe window(s).

A Few Extra Details

• Tab 1 shows you the elapsed time since the previously executed probe.
  • Mark a probe as t0 to just ignore the bogus value returned (the first probe can't have a dt). Check the t0 check box to do this.
• Tab 2 lets you set a conditional breakpoint, based on whether or not the dt was greater than a particular value.
• The time deltas are based on execution order of the probes, not on placement order.
• The microsecond version of the probe only works on Windows.
  • Obviously, take the microsecond values with a grain of salt, since we are talking about Windows, here. Useful for an order-of-magnitude idea of sub millisecond execution times.
• Probes are compiled for LabVIEW 8.6 or later.