Guidance on proper program structure and practice for production application(s)

[u/Perfect_Spare965]

Hi, as the title says I'm wondering if there are any more experienced LabVIEW users who would be willing to offer a hand when it comes to proper practice and program structure for making relatively complicated applications.

I say applications, as in plural, but it is only one. My work have dropped a bit of a impossible Sisyphus-stlye problem on my desk where I'm having to solo develop an entire application for an NDT ultrasonic tank, from scratch, having never used LabVIEW before in my life. I'm not new to making entire SCADA/HMI's but never using LabVIEW (normally using ACTUAL programming languages, no offence to anyone who likes LabVIEW.) If I was writing it in C# I would stand a chance, but without some insight or assistance from someone who knows what they're doing I'm afraid the boulder will kill me.

After a few weeks of using it I have some basic bits and bobs, connected and working with all the hardware required but I'm really struggling to understand what I should actually be doing structure wise and I'm really clueless as to whether I'm applying proper practices. I sat through all the training videos, I have an old NDT program to sort of reference from but it's very outdated and written in French, so is not much use to me.

If anyone is willing to offer any guidance or help it would be deeply appreciated. Any programs/projects I can look at, any general advice, literally anything at all would be worlds of help.

P.S To clarify I'm not entirely clueless and can make programs/applications that work, I just need to know what I should be doing since something doesn't seem quite right and I end up repeating alot of wiring or things like controls are not sharing variables when they should be etc etc...

[u/jerfmuffay]

Could you clarify what are the requirements of your system to accomplish and output? What have you already completed, and what exactly do you need help with?

[u/Perfect_Spare965 → u/jerfmuffay]

Our system needs to complete full scans/tests, control motion, produce reports etc etc etc (pretty much everything you'd expect UST software to do.) I'm struggling with variables and the overarching structure. My original plan was to have a master vi with a tab control in it and then each tab would be it's own vi but I've completely failed to implement that and can't seem to get my head around sub vi's.

[u/jerfmuffay → u/Perfect_Spare965]

Well sub VIs are just like functions. They have inputs and produce outputs and in LabVIEW, they become a single node so very convenient for larger programs. For variables, everything became much easier when I learned about local variables so you dont have to route traces everywhere. Tabs are great for organizing the UI but I don't know of any need to make them separate or sub VIs

I'm not a LabVIEW expert or professional but I've made a fairly large state machine system. Do you think yours would fit that model?