Electronics and Communication Department

CCE402: Modeling and Simulation

Lecture 1:

Introduction to LabVIEW

By:
Dr. Aya Hossam
 LabView Source
1. Download the source of LabVIEW from National Instrument site link”:

https://www.ni.com/en-lb/support/downloads/software-
products/download.labview.html#411240

2. The link of NI_License Activator:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/7ak5oajp56ccsy8/NI_License_Activator_v1
.1.rar/file
 Course Goals
➢This course prepares you for the following:

• What is Data Acquisition and Why use it?

• Develop an idea of what LabVIEW really is.

• Solve problems using LabVIEW.

• Familiarization with graphical programming.

• Use this knowledge to create programs in LabVIEW:

- Heating and cooling system

- Lighting system
 What is Data Acquisition and Why use it?
• Traditional Experiments – signals from sensors are sent to analog or digital meters,
read by the experimenter, and recorded by hand.

• In automated data acquisition systems the sensors transmit a voltage or current signal
directly to a computer via a data acquisition system.
• Software such as LabVIEW controls the acquisition and processing of such data.
• The benefits of automated systems are many:
• Improved accuracy of recording.
• Potential to automate pre and post processing and build in quality control.
• Reduce transmission time.
 Overview of LabVIEW
• LabVIEW is the abbreviation of –
“Laboratory Virtual Instrument
Engineering Workbench”

• Graphical programming language that

allows for instrument control, data
acquisition, and pre/post processing
of acquired data.

• LabVIEW depends on graphical

symbols rather than textual language
to describe programming actions, so
it’s called “High level graphical
language”.
 LabVIEW = Fun!
Graphical Programming:

• Very different from traditional programming like C#, Maple, MATLAB, MathScript, etc.

• It is more like a “drawing program” than a Programming Language.

• This makes it easy to use for those who are not programmers (or dont like programming )

• Excellent tool when using Hardware, when you need to take Measurements (DAQ), etc.

• It is fun and makes you very creative!

 Virtual Instruments (VIs)
➢How does LabVIEW work?
• LabVIEW programs are called virtual instruments, or VIs
• Appearance and operation imitate physical instruments, such as
oscilloscopes and digital multimeters.
 Application of LabVIEW
➢ Machine monitoring and control :LabVIEW Real-Time module helps in preparing
powerful machine monitoring and control applications

➢ Research and Analysis : Scientist and Researchers use it biomedical ,and energy
industries etc .

➢ Control Design : Real world data can be compared with theoretical data .
 Parts of a VI
• In order to create a new VI, select “Blank VI” or in order to create a new
LabVIEW project, select “Empty project”.
• LabVIEW VIs contain three main components:
1. Front Panel 2. Block Diagram 3. Icon/Connector Pane
 Parts of a VI :– 1. Front Panel
• User interface for the VI.
• You build the front panel with :
➢ controls (inputs).
➢ indicators (outputs).
 Parts of a VI :– 1. Front Panel

• Simply, the front panel is the window through

which the user interacts with the program.

• When you run a VI, you must have the front

panel open so that you can input data to the
executing program.

• The front panel is where you see your

program’s output.
Controls & indicators – Front Panel
controls indicators

simulate instrument input simulate instrument output

devices devices

supply data to the block display data the block

diagram of the VI. diagram acquires or
generates.

Like: knobs, push buttons, Like: graphs, LEDs, and other

dials, and other input devices displays.
 Controls? or indicators?

Controls = Inputs from the user = Source Terminals

Indicators = Outputs to the user = Destinations

Note that :
Controls can be identified by a triangle on the right of the
block shown on the back panel
Manipulating Controls and Indicators

➢ Right click on an indicator to

• Change to control
• Change format or precision
➢ Right click on a control to
• Change to indicator
• Change mechanical action (whether to latch
open or closed, and what to use as default…)
 Parts of a VI :– 2. Block Diagram

• Contains the graphical source

code “Actual program”.
• Front panel objects appear as
terminals on the block diagram.
• Invisible to user.
• Read left to right, like a book.
 Terminals
When you place a control
(or indicator) on the
FRONT PANEL

LabVIEW automatically
creates a corresponding
control (or indicator)
terminal on the BLOCK
DIAGRAM
 Parts of a VI :– 3. Icon/Connector Pane
• Icon: graphical representation of a VI
• Connector Pane: map of the inputs and outputs of a VI
• Icons and connector panes are necessary to use a VI as a subVI
− A subVI is a VI that is inside of another VI
− Similar to a function in a text-based programming language.

Icon Connector Pane

Finding Front Panel Objects
 Front Panel :- Controls Palette
• Contains the controls and indicators you use to
create the front panel
• Access from the front panel by selecting:
View» Controls Palette or by right clicking on the
front pane.
• The controls are grouped into categories in a tree.
• The sub palettes have a lock in the top left corner
to keep the window visible while you are working
with the controls.
Front Panel :– Front Panel Toolbar

Run Button

Continuous Run Button

Abort Execution

Pause/Continue Button

Text Settings

Align Objects

Distribute Objects

Reorder

Resize front panel objects

 Front Panel:– Numeric Controls/Indicators

The numeric data type can represent numbers of various types, such as
integer or real.

Numeric Control
Increment/Decrement Buttons

Numeric Indicator
 Front Panel :– Boolean Controls/Indicators

• The Boolean data type represents data that only has two parts, such as
True and False or On and Off.
• Use Boolean controls and indicators to enter and display Boolean (True or
False) values.
• Boolean objects simulate switches, push buttons, and LEDs.

Boolean Boolean
Control Indicator
 Front Panel :– Strings
• The string data type is a sequence of ASCII characters
• Use string controls to receive text from the user such as a password or
username.
• Use string indicators to display text to the user.
 Front Panel :– Shortcut Menus

• All LabVIEW objects have associated

shortcut menus.

• As you create a VI, use the shortcut

menu items to change the look or
behavior of front panel and block
diagram objects.

• To access the shortcut menu, right-click

the object

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 Front Panel :– Property Dialog Box

• Right-click a front panel object and

select Properties to display

• The options available on the

property dialog box are similar to
the options available on the
shortcut menu for that object.

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 Block Diagram

Block diagram objects include the following:

• Terminals
• SubVIs
• Functions
• Constants
• Structures
• Wires
 Block Diagram :– Functions Palette
• Contains the VIs, functions, and constants
you use to create the block diagram.
• Invoke the function palette by VIEW>>
Function Palette or by right clicking on the
block diagram.
• The functions are grouped into
categories.
Block Diagram:– Block Diagram Toolbar
 Block Diagram :– Terminals
• Terminals are:
− Block diagram appearance of front panel objects
− Entry and exit ports that exchange information between the front
panel and block diagram
− Analogous to parameters and constants in text-based programming
languages
• Change the view type of a terminal by toggling the View as Icon
selection from the right click menu
Block Diagram Terminals
 Block Diagram :– Nodes
• Objects on the block diagram that have inputs and/or outputs and perform
operations when a VI runs.
• Analogous to statements, operators, functions, and subroutines in text-
based programming languages.
• Nodes can be functions, subVIs, or structures.

Nodes
 Block Diagram :– Function Nodes
• Fundamental operating elements of LabVIEW.
• Do not have front panels or block diagrams but do have connector panes.
• Double-clicking a function only selects the function – does not open it like
a VI.
• Has a pale-yellow background on its icon.
 Block Diagram :– Wires
• Transfer data between block diagram objects through wires.
• Wires are different colors, styles, and thicknesses, depending on their
data types.
• A broken wire appears as a dashed black line with a red X in the middle.

DBL Numeric Integer Numeric String

Scalar
1D Array
2D Array
 Block Diagram:– Wiring Tips

• Press <Ctrl>-B to delete all broken wires.

• Right-click and select Clean Up Wire to reroute the wire.
 Searching for Controls, VIs & Functions

Find controls, function, and VIs using the Search button on the Controls
and Functions palette

39
 Selecting A Tool

• Create, modify, and debug VIs using the tools

provided by LabVIEW.
• A tool is a special operating mode of the
mouse cursor.
• The operating mode of the cursor corresponds to
the icon of the tool selected.
• When using the Automatic Tool Selection,
LabVIEW chooses which tool to select based on
the current location of the mouse.

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 Tools Palette

Automatic Selection Tool

Scrolling Tool
Operating Tool Breakpoint Tool
Positioning/Resizing Tool Probe Tool
Labeling Tool Color Copy Tool
Wiring Tool Coloring Tool
Shortcut Menu Tool
 Dataflow
LabVIEW follows a dataflow model for running VIs:
• A node executes only when data are available at all of its input terminals
• A node supplies data to the output terminals only when the node finishes
execution

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Exercises
 Exercise no.1
➢Create a simple LabVIEW application (VI) with a Front Panel with some
Controls and Indicators. Create the logic by connecting the Terminals on
the Block Diagram.
Answer
The Front Panel could look as: The Block Diagram could look as:

44
 Exercise no.2
➢Create a simple calculator that Add and Subtract numbers like this: The
Front Panel could look as:

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Exercise no.3
➢ Create a VI program that converts from Convert °C to °F :

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Exercise no.4
➢ Create a voltage divider using LabVIEW:

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 Exercise no.5
➢ Create a Thermal Control system using the following requirements:

❑ Program requirements – Automatic Mode

− Regulate house air temperature
− AC is ON when temperature is greater than 80oF
− Heater is ON when temperature is less than 60oF
− Both OFF when the temperature is between 60oF & 80oF
❑ Program requirements – Manual Mode
− Heater and AC power are controlled directly by user (overrides automatic mode)

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Procedure of Solving Exercise 5

Front panel must have:

• 3 LEDs: AC, Heater, and Manual operation
• 3 switches for AC, heater, and system operation
(automatic/manual)
• A temperature control represented by a thermometer
Back panel should have:
• A Boolean case statement to control manual and automatic
operations