0.7 Functions

Any G program can become a function. Three operations must be done:

1. Edit connecting input and/or output terminals
2. Edit the icon (optional but recommended)
3. Save the G program

Connectors

Open the Fibonacci.vi for this example.

On the Front Panel window, right click on the icon located on the right upper corner of the window and select Show Connector .

This brings up the connector pane as shown in [link] .

Right click on the connector pane and select Patterns . A menu with connector patterns is presented from which you can select the appropriate pattern. For this example select the pattern highlighted in [link] .

Click on the connector terminal followed by a click on the input or output control to which the terminal is to be associated. In [link] , the left connector terminal is associated with the numeric input control n .

Repeat for all the input and output controls that are to be associated to the terminals. For the Fibonacci.vi , [link] shows the right connector terminal associated with the Fib(n) output terminal.

Icon editor

Right click on the connector pane and select Edit Icon… from the pop-up menu. This will bring the icon editor ( [link] ).

Edit the icon for black and white, 16-color and 256-color displays and click OK when completed.

Save the G program to complete the function.

Invoking functions

To invoke functions, right click on the Block Diagram window and select Select a VI… from the pop-up menu. This will bring a file dialog box. Find the desired function to be part of the program and click OK .

In the example shown in [link] , the Fibonacci series of the first 20 Fibonacci numbers is stored in an array. The numbers are computed by invoking the Fibonacci.vi function.