Overview

Learning Objectives. On completion of this chapter the reader will have a knowledge on:

• Control Structures such as the For Loop and the While Loop

• Shift Registers and Their function

• Feedback Nodes

• Selection Structures, Case Structures, and Sequence Structures

• The Formula Node

• Single and Multidimensional Arrays

• Autoindexing of Arrays

• Functions for Manipulating Arrays

• Creating Cluster Controls and Indicators

• Cluster functions

• Error Handling

• Waveform Charts, Components and Mechanical Actions of Switches

• Single Plot and Multiple Plot Waveform Graphs

• XY Graphs and Intensity Graphs

• Strings, Creating String Controls and Indicators, String Functions

• Tables and List Boxes

• File Input/Output, File I/O VIs and Functions

3.1 Introduction

Structures are graphical representations of the loops and case statements of text-based programming languages. Structures located on the block diagram window are used to repeat blocks of code and to execute code conditionally or in a specific order. LabVIEW includes the following structures the While Loop, For Loop, Case structure, Stacked Sequence structure, Flat Sequence structure, Event structure, and Formula Node which are described in this section. This section also describes on arrays which are used to group data elements of the same type and clusters which group data of different type. In the later sections, the section focuses on waveform charts, waveform graphs, XY graphs, and intensity plots along with strings and files I/Os.

3.2 Control Structures

In any programming language the user probably requires repetition...