Before you design a project, you might find it useful to review common development pitfalls and software engineering life cycle models.
Before you develop your own VIs, create a list of tasks your users will need to perform. Determine the user interface components and the number and type of controls and indicators you need for data analysis, displaying analysis results, and so on. Think about and discuss with prospective users or other team members how and when the user will need to access functions and features. Create sample front panels to show to prospective users or team members and determine if the front panel helps your users accomplish their tasks. Use this interactive process to refine the user interface as necessary.
Divide your application into logical pieces of manageable size. Begin with a high-level block diagram that includes the main components of your application. For example, the block diagram could include different sections for configuration, acquisition, analysis, data display, data logging, and error handling.
After you design the high-level block diagram, define the inputs and outputs. Then, design the subVIs that make up the main components of the high-level block diagram. Test subVIs as you create them. You can create higher level test routines, but catching errors in a small module is easier than testing a hierarchy of several VIs. You might find that the initial design of the high-level block diagram is incomplete. Using subVIs to accomplish low-level tasks makes it easier to modify or reorganize your application.
Select Help�Find Examples to launch the NI Example Finder. You can browse the example VIs to examine the block diagrams of VIs and to see examples of subVIs.
Select File�Create Project to launch the Create Project dialog box, which lists customizable templates and sample projects for common applications.
Use the Project Explorer window to manage LabVIEW projects.
Using modular programming helps you manage changes and debug the block diagram quickly. Create subVIs for common or frequent operations that you can reuse. Using subVIs makes the high-level block diagram easy to read, debug, understand, and maintain. You might find it useful to identify a design technique when you work on a project.
If multiple developers work on the same project, define programming responsibilities, interfaces, and coding standards in the beginning to ensure the development process and the application work well together. Refer to the LabVIEW Style Checklist for more information about coding standards.
Keep master copies of the VIs on a single computer and institute a source control policy. You can use the LabVIEW Professional Development System with third-party source control providers so you can check out files, track changes, and merge changes from within LabVIEW.
Before editing VIs, recompile any VIs that were last edited on a different platform to improve load time during editing sessions. After you open the VIs, press the <Ctrl-Shift> keys while clicking the Run button to recompile all VIs in memory. (macOS) Press the <Option-Shift> keys while clicking the Run button. (Linux) Press the <Meta-Shift> keys while clicking the Run button. Then select File�Save All to save all VIs in memory.