Read text from a string control in a compiled LabView executable from C#

I have a third party complied LabVIEW executable and no source code. I need to read values from the front panel in C#. I know that LabVIEW controls and indicators are not actual windows. Is there a way to programmatically access this information(i.e. without using screenshots and OCR)? I couldn't find this exact question answered in this forum. I've read a few things about VI Server doing this from LabVIEW, but I don't think you can access VI Server from C#. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

You should certainly be able to access VI Server from C#. LabVIEW has an ActiveX server built in that allows other applications to access a sizeable subset of VI Server functionality. I would guess you could access ActiveX servers directly from C#, but the worst-case scenario would be to wrap the ActiveX calls into a .NET assembly. I've seen this done before. This blog entry is slightly off topic, but might help you.
Actually, I do need to revise this answer... If you are working with a LabVIEW DLL, the DLL would have to be compiled with the ActiveX Server option enabled. Otherwise, LabVIEW won't include the code that allows the DLL to be hooked into using this method. So if you don't have the source and you can't recompile it, you might be out of luck. Does the DLL really not have a function that exports this string value?
Message Edited by Jarrod S. on 10-26-2006 01:39 PM
Jarrod S.
National Instruments

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Interacting with a compiled LABView executable from another VI

I'm using a piece of hardware that has it's driver executable written in LABView. I would like to interact with it from the inside of my own VI. There's no dedicated LABView driver and I don't have access to the source code. Communication happens over USB. The particular functionality that I need is changing one numeric control, which governs the current that's provided.
Could someone help me with this in any way?
If that matters, I'm using LV2013.

Was the exe built with VI Server/ActiveX enabled? If so, all you need is a set control value method. If your company was the one that commissioned the exe, for a small cost the vendor can enable this option and rebuild it. If you did commission it, you should have required the source code in the contract.
Other options include using something like AutoIT. You could also turn on NI-Spy/I/O Trace and capture all of the VISA commands. Even though there might not be a driver, you should have a manual that you can read. Implementing a single command should be pretty trivial.

How can I call a LabVIEW executable from within another LabVIEW executable?

I have a customer requirement for two LabVIEW executables. Based on their current setup, they need to run executable "A" or "B", both of which are under independent revision control. I have created a third "selection" executable that allows the operator to choose between one of the two, but I am receiving errors when I attempt to call a LabVIEW executable from within a LabVIEW executable using either the "System exec" VI or the "Run Application" VI. If I call a non-LabVIEW executable (such as Windows Explorer) everything works fine.

> I have a customer requirement for two LabVIEW executables. Based on
> their current setup, they need to run executable "A" or "B", both of
> which are under independent revision control. I have created a third
> "selection" executable that allows the operator to choose between one
> of the two, but I am receiving errors when I attempt to call a LabVIEW
> executable from within a LabVIEW executable using either the "System
> exec" VI or the "Run Application" VI. If I call a non-LabVIEW
> executable (such as Windows Explorer) everything works fine.
As with the other poster, I suspect a path problem. You might try the
path out in a shell window, and if it works, copy the complete absolute
path to LV to see if that works. LV is basically passing the comma
nd to
the OS and doesn't even know what is in it, so you should be able to get
it to work.
The other poster commented on subpanels, which is a good suggestion, but
without going to LV7, an EXE can have open more than one VI. You can
use the VI Server and the Run method to fire up another top-level VI.
The decision is whether you want both to be in unique processes.
Greg McKaskle

Is it possible to call a VI that is inside a LabVIEW executable from a TestStand sequence?

I have created a custom TestStand operator interface and have modified the default sequential process model to display a UUT information dialog that prompts for more information than just the UUT serial number. This UUT information dialog is a LabVIEW VI. To distribute the operator interface, I build it into an executable. As part of the build process, I make a copy of the UUT information dialog VI (which is part of my operator interface project) and place it in the same folder as the executable. I have then configured the sequential process model to call the dialog VI from this location. It would be really nice if I could embed the UUT information dialog VI inside the operator interface executable so that I could distribute just an executable instead of an executable and separate VIs. Is this possible? In other words, is it possible to call a VI that is inside a LabVIEW executable from a TestStand sequence just like a standard LabVIEW VI call?

Ryan,
The dialog that you've created isn't being directly called by the OI at all and shouldn't need to be included in the same directory as the OI for distribution. Since you are modifying the PreUUT of the default process model, you will give the path to the VI in that step, create a deployment and then manually copy the VI to the directory referenced in the step. The VI is considered a support file for the process model and is not related to the OI at all.
Test Engineer - CTA

How can I separate the "Icons and Text" of the browser control buttons (Back, Forward, etc.) from the Icons on the Add-on toolbar?

At home, this is not an issue. I don't know why it's different here at work--same installation, same settings (as far as I can tell).
Windows Vista
Firefox 7.0.1
Status-4-Evar installed to turn add-on bar into a status bar
I have a NoScript add-on icon in the corner, which works fine. If I add a GreaseMonkey icon from the Customize menu, the "Icon and Text" appears for that icon, like the Icon and Text from the browser controls (Home, stop, etc). Other add-on icons also show Icon and Text (S4E, for instance). NoScript is the only one I've found so far which collapses down to just an Icon.
This leads to the status (add-on) bar having a much larger height than I like. Essentially what I want is for only the Icon to appear in the Status bar (Add-on toolbar), while keeping Icons and Text in the Browser controls. My current workaround is simply removing the other add-on icons from the status (add-on) toolbar, but that takes away the ease of toggling and setting options.
Please tell me if I can provide you with anything else, and thanks for your help.
Edit: I've got some screenshots to show what I mean.
[http://i41.tinypic.com/ftek9s.jpg desired behavior]
[http://i43.tinypic.com/1z6a4h3.jpg problem when icon is added]

Surely there must be some UserChrome.css that will solve this problem. Something like this:
/* Remove text titles for icons in add-on bar */
addonbar .button-text {
visibility: collapse !important;
Unfortunately that does not work. I probably have the button text item name wrong (there is a pound sign before addonbar but it doesn't show in this posting).

How to create session id from different string controls

how to create session id from different string controls

fais,
Please create the VI you are talking about and save some default data into all of the controls. Also on the front panel, place the session ID that should be generated by that data. Now, post your VI to a response so I can download it. I can then take this VI and help you create the functionality. (Please post what version of LabVIEW you are using.)
My guess it that you are going to need to use a good number of string concatenations as well as a few string indexes to get parts of strings out. As for the date, you can use a Property node with the Numeric Text.Text property to get the actual string displayed on the front panel for the date and parse out the parts that you want.
Randy Hoskin
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
h
ttp://www.ni.com/ask

Calling labview executable from teststand

I have a labview VI that I build into an exe, and I'd like to call it from my teststand sequence in the setup - other test steps need to use its capabilities in the remainder of the sequence (main). If it were just a VI, then no problem, the inputs would be visible to me, and I could pass them in. Since it's an executable, though, my step is of type "Call Executable", but I don't see anywhere that it allows me to pass in the inputs it needs. Thoughts?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

What version of TestStand are you using? With TestStand 4.0 for the 'Call Executable' step there is a line called
Argument Expression:
Enter your parameters to pass into your LabVIEW executable. You will have to know which ones to pass in and in what order. I believe you can seperate the arguments by spaces. In my attachment, I pass in one parameter to a LabVIEW executable.
Remember, though you have to set the Build properties in LabVIEW to allow it to Pass command parameters to the application.
Thanks,
PH
Attachments:
Call Executable.JPG ‏48 KB

How do I run a labview executable from C++

I have an application written in C++ that runs some VIs in the Labview Development Environment. I'm using Labview 6.02 and VisualC++ and the runtime engine is installed. What I want to do is not use the LDE and just call the LV executable from C++. I found some documentation but what I tried is not working for me. What I am looking for is a good example of C++ code that runs a LV executable.
The help would be appreciated.

> I have an application written in C++ that runs some VIs in the Labview
> Development Environment. I'm using Labview 6.02 and VisualC++ and the
> runtime engine is installed. What I want to do is not use the LDE and
> just call the LV executable from C++. I found some documentation but
> what I tried is not working for me. What I am looking for is a good
> example of C++ code that runs a LV executable.
> The help would be appreciated.
>
One possibility is to think of the LV executable the same as an
executable built with any other development tool. Invoke it using the
command function that launches via the command line or a fork command.
Another possibility is to make a DLL instead of an EXE.
Finally, you have the option of using the VI Server through a
ctiveX.
This will work better if you have only one of the executables or the LV
editing environment on a particular PC.
Greg McKaskle

Reading text file, Replace string, Write to new file....

I'm kind a lost of on this problem. Using the BufferedReader class and BufferedWriter class, develop an application that reads lines of text from a file. Replace any occurrence of the word *?the?* with *?JAVAJAVA?* and change all characters to upper case before writing each line to a different text file named outfile.txt. Finally, have your application use the appropriate method on the File class to return the absolute path of the outfile.txt file and output the path to the screen.
* Created December 10, 2008
* @author Fausto Rivera
* Colorado Technical University - Online Campus
* IT271-0804B-02 Intermediate Object Oriented Programming II
* Phase 2 IP
* Instructor: Cheryl B Frederick
import java.io.File;
import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.BufferedWriter;
import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
import java.io.FileReader;
import java.io.FileWriter;
import java.io.IOException;
public class FRiveraReader {
      public static void main(String[] args) {
      // instantiated a new application object to initialize the application
      FRiveraReader application = new FRiveraReader();}
//      application.getReadfr(); // call to openFile method
//      application.doWritefr(); // call to readRecords method
//      application.closeFile(); // call to closeFile method
public FRiveraReader(){}
public void getReadfr (String friveraInfile, String fr []){
   int i;
   File fileName = makeAbsoluteFilename(friveraInfile);
   try{
    BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(fileName));
    String line = reader.readLine();
     i=0;
      while (line != null) {
       fr[i] =line;
       line = reader.readLine();
    i++;
reader.close();
catch(IOException e) {
System.out.println("Error with reading file:" + friveraInfile);
}//end of getOrder method
public void doWritefr(String friveraOutfile, String fw[]){//String name of file, String array to be written
int i;
File fileNameout = makeAbsoluteFilename(friveraOutfile);
try {
BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter (fileNameout));
i=0;
while (fw[i] != null) {
   writer.write(fw[i] + "%n"); //need delimiters between data in file;also, reader reads a line
   i++;
writer.close();
catch(FileNotFoundException e) {
System.out.println("File not found");
catch(IOException e) {
System.out.println("Error with reading file:" + friveraOutfile);
}//end of getOrder method
private File makeAbsoluteFilename(String friveraOutfile)//these 2 classes used to resolve file name
        File file = new File(friveraOutfile);
        if(!file.isAbsolute()) {
            file = new File(friveraOutfile);
        return file;

I have modified my code as far as being able to create a text file, write to string, and change to upper case. Now, how can I connected input to the output stream and then replace all the instances of the string "the" for the string "JAVAJAVA"? When the file is created, it goes into a loop writing the following:
nJAVA.IO.BUFFEREDWRITER@19821F%nJAVA.IO.BUFFEREDWRITER@19821F%nJAVA.IO.BUFFEREDWRITER@19821F%nJAVA.IO.BUFFEREDWRITER@19821F%nJAVA.IO.BUFFEREDWRITER@19821F%nJAVA.IO.BUFFEREDWRITER@19821F%
Here is my modified code
import java.io.File;
import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.BufferedWriter;
import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
import java.io.FileReader;
import java.io.FileWriter;
import java.io.IOException;
public class FRiveraReader {
public FRiveraReader() {}
private static final String inFile = "C:\\Documents and Settings\\Fausto Rivera\\My Documents\\NetBeansProjects\\Rivera_F_IT271_0804B_02_PH2_IP\\friverainfile.txt";//the path name of your file
public void myReadfr (){
   try {
    BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(inFile));
    //String "JAVAJAVA" = String "the";
    System.out.println(inFile);
    String line = reader.readLine();
      while (reader != null) {
       line = reader.readLine();
reader.close();
catch(IOException e) {
System.out.println("Error with reading file:" + inFile);
}//end of myReadfr method
public void myWritefr(){//String name of file, String array to be written
File outFile = new File ("C:\\Documents and Settings\\Fausto Rivera\\My Documents\\NetBeansProjects\\Rivera_F_IT271_0804B_02_PH2_IP\\myoutFile.txt");
try {
BufferedWriter writer = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter (outFile));
String newline = writer.toString() .toUpperCase();
while (writer != null) {
   writer.write(newline + "%n"); //need delimiters between data in file;also, reader reads a line
writer.close();
catch(FileNotFoundException e) {
System.out.println("File not found");
catch(IOException e) {
System.out.println("Error writing file:" + outFile);
}//end of getOrder method
private File makeAbsoluteFilename(String myoutFile)//these 2 classes used to resolve file name
        File file = new File(myoutFile);
        if(!file.isAbsolute()) {
            file = new File(myoutFile);
        return file;
}Edited by: FRiveraJr on Dec 17, 2008 12:10 PM

How can I drag and drop an item from one Tree control to another in LabVIEW 7.1?

You can use the mouse up and down event on the two tree controls but the problem is making the correct selection in the second tree control. I want to be able to switch over to the selection bar of the second tree control so that I can place my item in the correct position. I know all possible workarounds with double-clicks and so on... but I really want a windows drag and drop.
This is what I have for the moment. Please check the library below. I need to activate the selection bar of the second tree control somehow to get the position in the control. The VI below is written in LV 7.1
Attachments:
Drag&Drop.llb ‏65 KB

Hi Jones,
As far as I know this feature is currently not supported by the Tree control. A workaround, would be to use the vertical position of the mouse in the button up event to determine what line you�re dropping the item.
If you would like the Tree control to include the drag and drop feature, please submit this as a Product Suggestion under the feedback at www.ni.com/contact.
Good luck!
Best regards,
Philip C.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
www.ni.com/ask
- Philip Courtois, Thinkbot Solutions

How can labview update the string control (text-edit box) after we have pressed the carriage return key on the keyboard during text-editing within that box?

Dear readers,
I have been trying to work out how to get labview to detect the event when a 'string' control has been modified, where the user has finished editing the string either by 1) pressing the enter key on the keyboard, or by 2) taking the focus away from the string control again. For example.. if I use the mouse to click on the string control and then I type 1234 into the box, I would like to have a routine that does something once the user hits the Enter key of the keyboard, or when the user takes the focus away from the string control again by clicking on something else. I would like the routine to respond even when the user didn't change anything in the text box (such as when we mouse-click on the edit box to go into edit mode, and then mouse-click on something else to remove the focus with no changes to the contents in edit-box).
The purpose of my routine is to have a edit-box for a user to change for example the centre-frequency of a vector network analyser, so that the centre-frequency of the network analyser can change once the user finishes entering a new value in the text-edit box by hitting Enter key after the number is keyed in. Even if the user has clicked on the edit box, but changes their mind by mouse-clicking on something else to remove focus from the edit box, I would still like labview to detect the event when the control loses focus, so that the centre frequency can be updated anyway (to the same value that was already in the edit box).
So far, I've tried set the string control option to 'limit to single line', so that I can try to scan for a carriage return .. '\n' ... pattern in the string. Unfortunately this doesn't work because labview doesn't seem to attach the '\n' to the end of that single line.
Could someone please suggest ways to set a flag when a user hits Enter during text-edit mode of a string control, or when focus has been removed from the string control?
While I've only described my problem for controlling a single control parameter on the gpib device, I'd like to make this feature work so that I can do the same kind of thing with other control parameters as well.
Thanks so much in advance.
Kenny

Hi Kenny,
instead of using the event structure, you can directly achieve to what you want by the KeyFocus property of the string control.
- Enable Limit to single line option
- Create the property KeyFocus in read mode and connect an indicator
Each time you click on the string to modify it KeyFocus is True; when you click away or hit Enter KeyFocus is False.
You can toggle your settings when KeyFocus changes from True to False.
Alberto

In the NI Library VI: Extract Numbers, the string control is automatically loaded each time the VI is opened with "Counting to five: one 2 three 4.0 five. Where is this string data coming from?

Even after deleting the string "Counting to five: one 2 three 4. five." from the string control and replacing it with another string the original string returns after the VI is saved then reopened. Where is this string data coming from? I've attached a copy of the library function. I've been able in my application to get around the problem by replacing the string control with a string constant. But I'm still curious as to what's going on.
Thanks,
Chuck
Solved!
Go to Solution.
Attachments:
Extract Numbers Test.vi ‏9 KB

Chuck,
String control has been set to default with the string you are seeing. To change this, enter the new string, right click the control and select
Data Operations>>Make Current Value Default
Now save your vi.

Reading texts from Child's phone from somewhere other than the phone

Is there a way I can read texts my child sends & receives without having her phone (ie from my computer or table)? iMessage is not the solution because not everyone who texts her has an iPhone, not to mention iMessage uses a lot of data (see many scathing posts about this by other members). Technically, it is my phone. I paid for the device, and I pay for the monthly service. While I'm not interested in the mundane day-to-day conversations she has with her friends, it has recently come to my attention that some inappropriate information has been shared via texting. I'd prefer not to take the phone away from her, as it does provide a useful function (ie, my ability to get ahold of her when she is out with her friends), However, I am finding that part of my job as her parent is to monitor what is being sent and. I also have reason to believe she is deleting text messages she does not want us to see. I look forward to any recommendations that can be provided. Thanks!

Unfortunately, with a smartphone this would not be very helpful. For instance, iMessage normally uses data instead of texting for messages to other Apple devices. There are several other apps which ALSO bypass SMS/MMS capabilities alltogether. Blocking texting on a smartphone WILL NOT keep a user from being able to text, it would simply push them into a messaging type which bypasses the SMS/MMS infrastructure and works solely via data.

How to restrict the copy & paste in string control?

In my application user name & password string controls are there.After typing the username in string control it is copied and paste it in password string control .
I like to restrict the string copy from one string control & paste it into another string control ?
How to do this?
Kumar.
Attachments:
login.vi ‏11 KB

These images illustrate anoth approach to inhibit the copying of text which is available in LV 8.2 (maybe 8.0)
Ben
Message Edited by Ben on 12-07-2006 10:12 AM
Ben Rayner
I am currently active on.. MainStream Preppers
Rayner's Ridge is under construction
Attachments:
Edit_RT_Shortcut.JPG ‏60 KB
Short_cut_Menu_edit.JPG ‏30 KB

How to use string control as terminal window

Hello All
I am trying to create a terminal window in my VI and to do this i have a string control and a string indicator.
I want the user to be able to write a command in the terminal and when hitting enter the control should update, but not before! I would
like the user to be able to enter multiple commands without having to re-click the control with the mouse, so it has to stay in the
control window.
The output from this string control is input to a invoke node to an external motor controller, which replies with a string input to the string indicator.
Tried to do some event case, but not quite sure how I am going to detect only the enter command.
Any ideas how to preceed?
Thanks
Regards
Tommy
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Yeah, in your event structure, look for an event of your string control called "key down"...on the left, there are several parameters coming up (char, vkey etc.) where you can use for example the char to look for char=13 (return).
look here: http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361B-01/lvprop/control_key_down/
good luck
christian
THINK G!! ;-)
Using LabView 2010 and 2011 on Mac and Win
Programming in Microsoft Visual C++ (Win), XCode (Mac)

Read text from a string control in a compiled LabView executable from C#

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