Save Options a Bit Confusing

Question

Hi,
I've been using LabVIEW for about 7 months now, and am still a bit confused about the save options.  It seems that whenever I modify a sub-VI for my app, the previous sub-VI I created ends up with the same settings that I changed in the newly modified one.
Example:  I use an existing VI created by Daytronic Corp for monitoring a binary signal.  I change the channel and a few other settings, and name the file oil press.vi, saving it in the new folder I created for my app.  Then I close the oil press.vi I modified, then close the original, unchanged VI without saving it.  When I create another VI starting with the original, unmodified one again, and save it using the same procedure, but using a different filename (let's call it fuel press.vi), oil press.vi takes on the characteristics of fuel press.vi, although the filename is still oil press.vi.  So, I end up having to use the "replace" option on the block diagram and select oil press.vi as the replacement file.  I have to keep doing this for every sub-vi I create.
This take a lot of time and is a bit annoying.
I hope you can understand what I'm saying.  The Save options seem confusing to me, with all the references to keeping a vi in memory, closing the original, etc.  Is there some text or a tutorial online that explains the save options in a simpler, more direct form?  I have even read about it in my book (Labview for Everyone) and it doesn't go into much more detail about how saving the Vis actually works.
Thanks!
Todd Munsell
Turbine Engine Test Technician/IT Tech
Wood Group Pratt & Whitney Industrial Turbine Services, LLC
Plattsburgh, NY

Answer 1

Hi Mike,
Actually, I'm using LV 8.5.  It's the descriptions of the save options that are slightly confusing.  The information about what's left in memory and what's closed and opened is what's got me baffled.
For example, what, in layman's terms, do each of these options below mean... exactly?  I would think that an option that simply says "Save as path/filename" would be enough.  Then, the renamed, saved file stays open, since that's the one that's currently being used, and the original is closed and left as it was.  Which option (and sub-option) would I choose to do this?
The number of options below seems a bit excessive, and not very clearly defined, at least to me.   Even the explanation in the book "LabVIEW for Everyone", which is supposed to be for beginners, doesn't do a very good job of describing exactly what each option does.  Thanks again!
Original file—Displays the path to the open file. You can
use this field to determine the location of a file on disk.
Copy—Creates and saves a copy of the file in memory to disk with a name you
choose. If you enter a new file path or name for the file, the original file on
disk is not overwritten or deleted.
Substitute copy for original—Both the original file and the
new file exist on disk, but the original VI closes and the new VI opens. Use
this option if you
want to create a copy of the original file and immediately edit the copy.
Caution  If the original file has
calling VIs in memory, this option updates all these callers to refer to the new
file.
If the original file is in a project
library or project, this option substitutes the new file for the original in the
project library or project.
Create unopened disk copy—Both the original file and the
new file exist on disk, but only the original file remains open in memory. Use
this option if you
want to create a copy of the original file but continue editing the original
file, for example, if you want to create a backup copy. This option does not update
callers in memory to refer to the new file. You can update callers manually by
finding all instances of a
VI and updating the name of each instance. If the original file is in a
library or project, this option does not add the new file to the same library or
project.
Open additional copy—Both the original file and the new
file exist on disk and are open in memory. You must give the copy a new name,
because two files of the same name cannot exist in the same application instance
at the same time. Use this option if you want to create a copy of the original file,
continue editing the original file, and also immediately edit the new file. This
option does not
update callers in memory to refer to the new file. You can update callers
manually by finding all
instances of a VI and updating the name of each instance. If the original
file is in a library or project, you have the option of adding the new
file to the same library or project by placing checkmarks in the appropriate
checkboxes. If you place a checkmark in the checkbox to add the copy to the
library, the checkbox to add the copy to the project is disabled and
unchecked.
Rename—Renames the file in memory with a new name you
choose. This option
closes and deletes the original file and opens the file with the new name, so
only the new file exists on disk and in memory. Use this option if you want to
change the name and/or location of the original file.
Caution  If the original file has
calling VIs in memory, this option updates all these callers to refer to the new
file.
If the original file is in a library or
project, this option adds the new file to the same library or project,
and removes the original file.
Duplicate hierarchy to new location— Use this option if you want to
save the original
VI and its hierarchy to a new location. You might want to rename the new VI
hierarchy after duplicating it.
Message Edited by tmunsell on 08-09-2008 01:54 AM
Message Edited by tmunsell on 08-09-2008 01:56 AM
Todd Munsell
Turbine Engine Test Technician/IT Tech
Wood Group Pratt & Whitney Industrial Turbine Services, LLC
Plattsburgh, NY