Troubleshooting and Debugging Vis Exercise 3-1 Concept: Using Help Goal Become familiar with using the Context Help window, the LabVIEW Help, and the NI Example Finder. Description This exercise consists of a series of tasks designed to help you become familiar with the LabVIEW Help tools. NI Example Finder 1. You have a DAQ device in your computer, and you want to learn how to communicate with it using LabVIEW. Use the NI Example Finder to find a VI that communicates with a DAQ device. Open LabVIEW. Select Help»Find Examples to open the NI Example Finder. Confirm that the Task option is selected on the Browse tab. Double-click the Hardware Input and Output folder. Select DAQm»Analog Measurements»Voltage De bp peo Select Aeq&Graph Voltage-Int Cik.vi. Notice that a description of the VI is provided in the Information text box so that you can verify that this VI meets your needs. Double-click Aeq&Graph Voltage-Int Clk.vi to open the VI. Close the VI after you finish exploring it. 2. You want to learn more about using Express VIs to filter signals. Use the NI Example Finder to find an appropriate VI. OQ The NI Example Finder should still be open from the previous step. If not, open the NI Example Finder. Click the Search tab in the NI Example Finder. (© National instruments Corporation a anew core 1 ExercisesLesson Taubeshotng and Debugging Vis Q Enter express in the Enter keyword(s) field to find VIs that contain Express VIs. Double-click the Express result that appears in the Double-click keyword(s) field. This keyword is associated with many example Vis, as demonstrated by the number of VIs returned. You can select any one of these VIs and read the description in the Information text box Double-click Express Filter.vi to open it. Context Help Window 3. Use the Context Help window to lear about the Express VIs used in the Express Filter VI Open the block diagram by selecting Window»Show Block Diagram. (Open the Context Help window by selecting Help»Show Context Help. ‘Move the Context Help window to a convenient area where the window does not hide part of the block diagram. Place your mouse cursor over the Simulate Signal Express VI. The Context Help window content changes to show information about the object that your mouse is over. ‘Move your mouse aver another Express VI. Notice the Context Help window content changes corresponding to the location of the mouse cursor. G Move your mouse over one of the Tone Measurements Express VIs. Q. Examine the configuration details in the Context Help window. This gives you the information about how the Express VI is configured. © Double-click the Tone Measurements Express VI to open the configuration dialog box. Notice that the selections in the ‘configuration dialog box match the information in the Context Help window. Q Click the OK button to close the configuration dialog box. LabVIEW Cora 1 Evarcises 32 ‘nicom nAnnnnnLesson 3 Toubeshootng and Debugging Vis 4, Anchor the Context Help window so that you can move your mouse without the contents of the window changing. The Context Help window should show information about the Simulate Signal Express VI. Q Move your mouse over the Simulate Signal Express VI S @ To anchor the context help window, select the Lock button in the lower left corner of the window. @ Tip Ifthe contents of the window change before you lock the window, avoid passing your mouse over other objects on the way to the Context Help window. Move the window closer to the object of interest to view Context Help for that item. Move your mouse over another object. Notice the contents of the window do not change while the Lock button is selected. Deselect the Lock button to resume normal operation of the window 5. Modify the Description and Tip associated with the Simulated frequency control to change the content shown in the Context Help window. Select Window»Show Front Panel to open the front panel of the VI. o Move your mouse over the Simulated frequency control o Read the contents of the Context Help window. Right-click the Simulated frequency control. oo Select Description and Tip from the shortcut menu, o Replace the text in the "Simulated frequency" Description box with the text: This is the description of the control. o Replace the text in the "Simulated frequency" Tip box with the lext: This is the tip for the control. OD Click the OK bution, Move your mouse over the Simulated frequency control. Q Notice that the contents of the Context Help window changed to match the text you typed in the Description field of the Description and Tip dialog box. Q Run the VI (© Nevona Instruments Corporation 38 LanViEW care 1 Parle‘Lesson 3 Troubleshooting and Debugging Vis Place your mouse cursor over the Simulated frequency control. © Notice that the tool tip that appears matches the text you typed in the Tip field of the Description and Tip dialog box Q Click the Stop button. LabVIEW Help 6. Use the LabVIEW Help to learn more information about the Filter Express VI @ Select Window»Show Block Diagram to open the block diagram of the Express Filter VI. Right-click the Filter Express VI and select Help from the shortcut menu. This opens the LabVIEW Help topic for the Filter Express VI BZ Note To access the LabVIEW Help for this topic, you can also select the Detailed Help link in the Context Help window while the Filter Express VI is selected, or click the question mark in the Context Help window. UW Explore the topic. For example, what is the purpose of the Cutoff Frequency (Hz) dialog box option? Q Close the LabVIEW Help window. 7. Close the Express Filter VI when you finish. Do not save changes. End of Exercise 3-1 LABVIEW Core 1 Ererises a4 iconLasson § Troubleshooting and Debugging Vis Exercise 3-2 Concept: Debugging Goal Use the debugging tools built into LabVIEW. Description Complete the following steps to load a broken VI and correct the errors. Use single-stepping and execution highlighting to step through the VI 1. Open and examine the Debug Exercise (Main) VI Select File»Open. Q Open debug Exercise (Main) .vi in the \ LabVIEW Core 1\Debugging directory. The following front panel appears. Figure 3-1. Debug Exercise (Main).vi Front Panel a Notice the Run button on the toolbar appears broken, indicating that the VI is broken and cannot run. (© Nationa instruments Corporation 35 LadVIEW Gore f Exercises