Operate Menu

The Operate menu contains items you use to control the operation of your VIs. You also can access items for debugging VIs.

Note Some menu items are available only on specific operating systems, with specific LabVIEW development systems, when an item in the Project Explorer window is selected, or when a VI is selected.
  • Run executes the VI. You also can use the Run button on the toolbar.
  • Stop stops the VI before it completes execution. Avoid using the Stop menu item to quit a VI because it can leave the system in an unstable state. You should use a Boolean switch or similar device to stop any VI that continuously executes.
  • Step Into opens a node and pauses. When you select Step Into again, it executes the first action and pauses at the next action of the subVI or structure. This item is similar to the Step Into button on the block diagram toolbar.
  • Step Over executes a node and pauses at the next node. This item is similar to the Step Over button on the block diagram toolbar.
  • Step Out finishes executing the current node and pauses. When the VI finishes executing, the Step Out menu item becomes dimmed. This item is similar to the Step Out button on the block diagram toolbar.
  • Suspend when Called causes the VI to suspend execution when it is called as a subVI. You also can use the Suspend On Call property to suspend a VI programmatically.
  • Print at Completion prints the front panel after the VI runs. This item is similar to the Automatically print front panel every time VI completes execution option on the Print Options page of the VI Properties dialog box. You also can use the Print at Finish property to print the front panel programmatically.
  • Log at Completion performs data logging when the VI completes execution. You also can use the Log at Finish property to enable automatic data logging programmatically.
  • Data Logging accesses data logging functions. Data Logging includes the following items:
  • Change to Run Mode switches the VI to run mode, in which the VI is running or reserved to run. In run mode, all front panel objects have an abridged set of shortcut menu items. You cannot edit a VI while the VI is in run mode, but you can change front panel control values, run and stop the VI, and make selections from the menu bar. When in run mode, this menu item changes to Change to Edit Mode.
  • Connect to Remote Panel connects to and controls a front panel running on a remote computer.
  • Debug Application or Shared Library displays the Debug Application or Shared Library dialog box, which you can use to debug a stand-alone application or shared library that you enabled for debugging with the Application Builder.