How to handle massive array operations

Question

Hi!,
We are working with large arrays of the order of 5000 x 100000 (rows x col).
We wish to perform typical array operations like replace subset, indexing, rotating and addition.
Our questions:
1) How do we work with this array within the same VI without creating indicators or controls. Wiring, we understand, is an option but then the wires will clutter our screen.
2) How do we pass/retrieve this array data to/from sub-VIs without creating indicators or controls.
3) What the fastest recommended methods of handling such large arrays.
4) Our array will be either Boolean or U8. Will both data types give similar speed results?
5) When using the replace subset function, can the subset be same dimension as original array?
6) Can we rotate a particular row within a 2D array? As of now, we extract the row as 1D, rotate and then replace the original row with rotated row.
Any ideas/suggestions (specific to array handling) to help speed our VI will be highly appreciated.
We are using LV 7.1 on Win2000
Thanks,
Gurdas
Gurdas Singh
PhD. Candidate | Civil Engineering | NCSU.edu

Answer 1

Saverio, Joe, Jason and Benoit - Thanks!
Reply to Saverio's inputs:
(1) Not sure what you mean by this. If you need to work with that data in the same VI you use wires - that's the most efficient way of doing it. Are you thinking about local variables or something?
No, we avoid locals like birdflu! What I meant was how do I carry data from one part of my block diagram (BD) to another without using wires (because wires clutter the block diagram)? Is there no variable/container which will hold data without it being a control/indicator? Some of my front panels will be displayed. In such VIs, the moment I use a control/indicator in the BD to "hold" my data, my speeds drop.
(2) OK
(3) OK
(4) LabVIEW stores Booleans as 8-bit data. You should choose the one that makes more sense for your application.
U16 makes most sense.
U8 also does the task, only catch is at the end I need to convert the array into U16 for the last operation to happen (all elements in a col are added; thus final array is 1D row array).
I would use Boolean ONLY if it gives significant speed gains over U8 (I will need to convert Boolean to U16 at the end).
Any inputs/ideas?
(5) OK
(6) You will need to be a little more specifc about this one, though I suspect the Transpose 2D Array function coupled with the Replace Array Subset is what you're looking for.
Lets say the first row of my 2D array has 5 elements, which are 3 6 12 8 1. I want this to become 12 8 1 3 6. In effect I left rotated my first row my two positions.
Rgds,
Gurdas
Gurdas Singh
PhD. Candidate | Civil Engineering | NCSU.edu