Master VI Timer

Question

I have set up an instrument control project using the producer-consumer architecture. Now I would like to implement a "Master Timer" VI that can be started, stopped, and reset using the P-C VI. Furthermore, I would like to display the seconds and minutes from the sub-VI on the front panel of the P-C VI. I need the timer to start based on an event from the P-C VI (a button press), and stop on an event from the P-C VI (another button press). I have attached the timer (sub-VI) that I would like to use - it is fairly simple. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to implement this architecture as described?
Attachments:
Timer.vi ‏10 KB

Answer 1

Hey Plato,
It is not entirely clear what you were trying to do in your VI, but:
It was not a producer consumer architecture (check here for how to implement that architecture);
You did not attach your global VI so I am not sure of the exact output you are looking for;
I have attached something that may be what you are looking for.  It uses a simple notifier triggered by an event in the producer loop to tell the consumer loop to start the timer.  The consumer loop will run at a rate of 10 Hz so that it does not have to wait for notification to calculate the time passed since the timing start was triggered.  You close the VI in the traditional Windows manner which destroys the notifier and results in an error in the consumer loop which triggers a graceful shutdown there.
Anyway, let me know if this is kind of what you are looking for.  Cheers, Matt
Matt Richardson
Certified LabVIEW Developer
MSR Consulting, LLC
Attachments:
timing.vi ‏15 KB