Graphical User Interface

A LabWindows/CVI graphical user interface (GUI) can consist of panels, pull-down menus, graphs, meters, and many other controls and indicators. The following figure shows a typical GUI created with LabWindows/CVI. You can build a GUI in LabWindows/CVI interactively using the User Interface EditorUser Interface Editor, a drag-and-drop editor with tools for designing, arranging, and customizing user interface objects. With the interactive User Interface Editor, you can build an extensive GUI for your program without writing any code. The User Interface Library also has functions for creating or altering the appearance of the controls on your GUI during run time, so you can programmatically add to, change, or build your entire GUI. When you are finished designing the GUI in the User Interface Editor, save the GUIsave the GUI as a User Interface Resource (.uir) file.

Objects in a Typical LabWindows/CVI GUI

Here are some of the graphical objects that are available for creating a GUI using LabWindows/CVI and how they operate:

• A panel is a rectangular region of the screen that contains the controls and menu bars. Panels provide the backdrop for many different activities, such as representing the front panel instrument. You can also select from a group of pop-up panels.
• A menu bar appears at the top of a panel and contains a set of menu titles.
• A control accepts input from the user and displays information. Controls can have a data type associated with them.

Related Topics

Developing and Running a Program

Creating Objects for a Graphical User Interface

Responding to Events in a Graphical User Interface