Select File»VI Properties, select Window Appearance from the Category pull-down menu, and click the Customize button to display this dialog box. By default, the settings take effect when the VI runs.
Note If you remove the checkmarks from the Show toolbar when running, Show Abort button, and Allow user to close window checkboxes, consider adding a stop button to the front panel so the user can stop the VI.
This dialog box includes the following components:
Window has title bar—Displays the title bar, which includes the title and the Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons. You also can use the Front Panel Window:Title Bar Visible property to automatically display a title on the front panel.
Show menu bar—Displays the menu bar. You also can use the Show Menu Bar property to display the menu bar programmatically.
Show vertical scroll bar—Displays the vertical scroll bar. If you hide the vertical and horizontal scroll bars, the user can reveal the hidden parts of the front panel only by expanding the front panel. If you scale the front panel objects or disallow resizing of the front panel, the user cannot reveal the hidden parts of the front panel.
If you turn off the vertical scroll bar by right-clicking the scroll bar in the front panel window and selecting Vertical Scrollbar»Always Off, you can display the scroll bar again by enabling the Show vertical scroll bar option in this dialog box.
Note If you add a splitter bar to the front panel, you cannot change this option in this dialog box. The option reflects the settings of the upper-leftmost pane when there are splitter bars on the front panel.
Show horizontal scroll bar—Displays the horizontal scroll bar. If you hide the horizontal and vertical scroll bars, the user can reveal the hidden parts of the front panel only by expanding the front panel. If you scale the front panel objects or disallow resizing of the front panel, the user cannot reveal the hidden parts of the front panel.
If you turn off the horizontal scroll bar by right-clicking the scroll bar in the front panel window and selecting Horizontal Scrollbar»Always Off, you can display the scroll bar again by enabling the Show horizontal scroll bar option in this dialog box.
Note If you add a splitter bar to the front panel, you cannot change this option. The behavior remains as you set it before you added the splitter bar.
Show toolbar when running—Displays the toolbar when the VI runs. You also can use the Tool Bar:Visible property to programmatically display the toolbar when the VI runs.
Show Abort button—Displays the Abort button in edit mode and in run mode. You also can use the Tool Bar:Show Abort Button property to display the abort button programmatically.
Show Run button—Displays the Run button in edit mode and in run mode. You also can use the Tool Bar:Show Run Button property to programmatically display the Run button on the toolbar while the VI runs.
Show Run Continuously button—Displays the Run Continuously button in edit mode and in run mode. You also can use the Tool Bar:Show Free Run Button property to programmatically display the Run Continuously button on the toolbar while the VI runs.
Show front panel when loaded—Automatically opens the front panel when the VI loads. You also can use the Show Front Panel On Load property to display the front panel programmatically.
Note LabVIEW ignores this option when you use the VI Server to load the VI. Use the Front Panel:Open method to open the front panel of a VI you load using the VI Server.
Window Behavior—Sets the behavior of the front panel window. You also can use the Front Panel Window:Behavior property to set the behavior programmatically. This property is applied when the VI is running or is reserved for running.
Default—Resets the front panel to its default behavior so it does not behave as a floating or modal window.
Floating—Keeps the front panel on top of all other non-floating LabVIEW windows, except modal windows. Unlike other floating windows in LabVIEW, such as the Controls and Functions palettes, you do not have to click on the title bar to give focus to a floating front panel window. Instead, you can click anywhere in the window. Floating front panel windows also do not relinquish focus immediately after receiving it. (Windows and macOS) If multiple floating windows are open, the last one whose title bar you click appears on top.
Hide when LabVIEW is not active—Configures the front panel so when you switch from LabVIEW to another application or when a modal LabVIEW window appears, the window does not appear. When this option is disabled, the front panel window does not automatically hide when you switch from LabVIEW to another application.
Note If you place a checkmark in the Allow user to minimize window checkbox, select the Floating option, and place a checkmark in the Hide when LabVIEW is not active checkbox, the front panel window might not behave as expected. For example, on Windows, if you cannot minimize a window, it does not appear in the taskbar. Windows that hide when the application does not have focus also hide their icons in the taskbar. The appearance and disappearance of an item in the taskbar each time the focus changes between LabVIEW and another application can be distracting to the user.
Note If you select the Floating option, place a checkmark in the Hide when LabVIEW is not active checkbox, and add the VI to a shared library, you might experience unexpected behavior when calling the shared library from an application besides LabVIEW. If you click on the application from which you called the shared library, LabVIEW is no longer active, and the floating shared library front panel window hides. You can bring the front panel window back by clicking on an open LabVIEW window that is not set to hide or by using the Task Manager to switch to the Run-Time Engine.
Modal—Keeps the front panel on top of all other LabVIEW windows until you close the window or open another modal window. You cannot interact with other windows while a modal window is open. Most dialog boxes in LabVIEW are modal windows, such as the Options dialog box. (macOS) The operating system ignores settings for the Close, Minimize, and Maximize window buttons when you select Modal.
Window Runs Transparently—(Windows and macOS) Specifies to use a semi-transparent window style when the VI is running. You also can use the Front Panel Window:Run VI Transparently property to set the VI to run transparently.
%—(Windows and macOS) The level of transparency is a percentage where 0 is opaque and 99 is the highest value you can set for a window without the window becoming invisible. You also can use the Front Panel Window:Transparency property to set the transparency level of a VI, including setting the transparency level to 100.
Allow user to close window—Allows you to close the VI window.
Allow user to resize window—Allows you to resize the VI window. You also can use the Front Panel Window:Resizable property to configure this option programmatically.
Allow user to minimize window—Allows you to minimize the VI window. When this option is enabled, the front panel is available in the taskbar. You also can use the Front Panel Window:Minimizable property to configure this option programmatically.
Allow default run-time shortcut menus—Allows objects on the front panel to display the default shortcut menu of data operations in run mode. If you remove the checkmark from this checkbox, you can continue to include customized run-time shortcut menus.
Highlight Enter boolean—Highlights any Boolean parameter associated with the <Enter> key with a dark border. Use this control to associate keys with controls using the Key Navigation page of the Properties dialog box.
