Showing Mouse Coordinates on FP

[R.Kuwajima]

Since most (if not all) controls and indicators can be moved around with "position" property node programatically, the X and Y coordinates on the front panel are useful information to have.

As of right now, users have to adjust the position values by trial and error to know what values suit the UI, or maybe make a program to capture the mouse position programatically.

So I've been getting feedbacks from customer about a function where one can view the coordinates of the mouse all of the time. (meaning no programming is necessary)

I was thinking about two methods (see attached)

 

1. Show coordinates along with the mouse

2. Show coordinates at the bottom of the pane

Thanks,

[fabric]

I'd happily take mouse coordinates in the status bar. Kudos for that. (Not too keen on option 1 though...)

[Norbert_B]

I see option 1 only valid if it is bound to a specific key. As long as the key is pressed, you see the coordinates, stop pressing => no coordinates anymore.

I feel that option 2 is a very good idea, hence kudos.

Norbert

[SteenSchmidt]

Yes to option 2.

/Steen

[MichaelAivaliotis]

Don't forget we already have an indicator in the form of a tip strip when we move or resize objects. Perhaps the same display code can be used by NI? The tip strip would only display when hovering over a VI. Also, the bottom left corner also contains the lvproj namespace so your image isn't accurate in all use cases.

Another option is to move the tip strip into the bottom left corner as well.

[fabric]

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@michael_Aivaliotis wrote:

Another option is to move the tip strip into the bottom left corner as well.

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Ahh - Nice idea!  

The status bar could just show what is relevant at the time. If space is an issue then there is probably no need to show the project namespace while the mouse is hovering or resizing.

[gsussman]

+1 for adding to the status bar

I would also like to see a delta position from the start of a drag operation.

[SteveP]

This would also help to align controls with each other or set mutliple controls to the same X and/or Y coordiates, especially ones that are on different tab pages.  You could note where a control's locations was on one tab, switch to another tab and move the desired control to the same location.

[David_Staab]

Which coordinates? Screen coords, Panel coords, or Pane coords? And the latter two systems are offset by the origin...do we show coordinates from the origin or adjust them from the top-left visible corner?

I'm not critiquing the request; rather, I think it needs to be expanded beyond just showing a pair of numbers in the status bar. There's lots more information required to really know which pixel you're hovering over.

[fabric]

Pane coordinates of course! 😉 Along with a right-click option (finally!) to snap pane origin to (0,0)...