Exercise 1
An Introduction to G

In 1988 the National Instruments Corporation created a novel, icon-driven, data-flow programming language called G for the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the Apple Macintosh computer. Think of drawing a schematic wiring diagram of a laboratory instrument and you will have an intuitive feeling for what G programming is about.

As other platforms acquired a Graphical User Interface G was ported to them, embedded within a self-contained programming environment called LabVIEW™ (an acronym for Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workstation). LabVIEW™ is the de facto standard for instrument control, simulation, and data analysis in industry and academe.

I.    Examine a Virtual Instrument

One can use G to create a Virtual Instrument (VI) with controls and indicators that mimic the behavior of an actual instrument. Shop facilities are not needed since the software is the instrument!

LabVIEW™ provides an interface for G that contains file handling capabilities. A VI can be stored separately as a file, identified by a file extension (vi) or compressed to save space within a LabVIEW library, identified by a file extension (llb).

Download GTsoftware.zip.  Double click on GTsoftware.llb to open the LabVIEW library.  Double click on simulation.vi or select it from the LabVIEW file menu.

The VI that opens simulates the temperature acquired from a digital thermometer connected to your computer. Try changing the controls labeled Scale, Wait (ms), and Method on the front panel of the simulation. Notice their effect on the indicators. Stop the simulation by clicking the red stop button (shaped like a stop sign) at the top of the front panel. When the simulation stops the front panel displays a Tool Bar, and a Menu Bar on a PC. You will examine the tool bar and the menu bar in the next exercise.

II.    Finish up

Create your own folder (directory) using your name or moniker as a label. Save simulation.vi in your folder.

Quit LabVIEW™ or go to the next exercise.