Should Ctrl-D on a For Loop include the "N" terminal?

[Darren]

It's really handy to use the Ctrl-Space, Ctrl-D shortcut to create indicators on loop tunnels (and shift registers). Take this code for example:

I can select the For Loop, and very quickly create indicators for the error, style array, and label array by pressing Ctrl-Space, Ctrl-D:

But notice that it also creates a control for the "N" terminal of the loop. I *always* end up deleting this terminal right after it's created.

So the question is, should Ctrl-D on a For Loop ignore the "N" terminal? Here are the potential changes I can think of to make in LabVIEW 2014 to address this issue:

1. No change. The "N" control will always be created (and I'll always end up manually deleting it).
2. Never create a control off the "N" terminal of a For Loop with the Ctrl-D shortcut.
3. Conditionally create it or ignore it, depending on some string typed in the Quick Drop text box before pressing Ctrl-D. For the sake of coding speed, I would prefer this option just be a single character (like "f" for For Loop).

Option (3) is the safest option to satisfy all use cases, but also the least discoverable. Let me know what y'all think.

[Charles_CLA]

Screw safety, this is a development tool that has no impact on previously existing code. Option 2 all the way!

[crossrulz]

Could you detect if an input tunnel is autoindexing?  If so, only create a control for the N if a autoindexed input tunnel is not detected.  I guess you could call that option 4.

If that isn't possible, I say you have more important things to do, so option 1.

[Charles_CLA]

While you're fixing the loops with Ctrl+D, can you make it work with just the tunnels selected? That might make changes to the "N" unnecessary. I've tried numerous times to select a tunnel on the loop and Ctrl+Space Ctrl+D with no results .

[Darren]

crossrulz wrote:

Could you detect if an input tunnel is autoindexing?  If so, only create a control for the N if a autoindexed input tunnel is not detected.  I guess you could call that option 4.

If that isn't possible, I say you have more important things to do, so option 1.

I have more important things to do than improve the usability of productivity features in LabVIEW that I also happen to use every day?

I do like option 4, and I don't think it would be that hard to do.

Charles_CLA wrote:

While you're fixing the loops with Ctrl+D, can you make it work with just the tunnels selected? That might make changes to the "N" unnecessary. I've tried numerous times to select a tunnel on the loop and Ctrl+Space Ctrl+D with no results .

Yeah, Ctrl-D doesn't look at tunnels today. I guess it could. It should be fairly easy for me to add support for the outer (source) terminals of all tunnels...and maybe shift registers too.

[crossrulz]

Darren wrote:

I have more important things to do than improve the usability of productivity features in LabVIEW that I also happen to use every day?

Hey, we need some way to slow you down.  How else can one of us finally catch you?

The more I think about it, the more I like my option 4.  The only time I use the N is when I am not autoindexing an input.  So it makes complete sense.

[Charles_CLA]

If you get the tunnels working, I'd be happy to alpha test it for you

[Darren]

Ok, alpha testers, here you go. Copy this VI to your LabVIEW 2013\resource\dialog\QuickDrop\plugins folder (backup the VI that is already there in case I screwed something up). This update to the Wire All Terminals shortcut implements the following functionality:

• If a For Loop is selected, all tunnels get constants/controls/indicators created except for the 'N' terminal, provided there is at least one auto-indexing input to the loop.
• Including tunnels and shift registers in your selection is now supported.
• Password protection for this plugin VI has been removed (due to a previously-private method becoming public/scripting in 2013).

Let me know what y'all think!

[crossrulz]

Quick initial testing looks good.  Will continue to play with it though.

[Charles_CLA]

Looks good! no issues thus far. Thanks Darren!