Icon Editor

Icon Editor

The Icon Editor dialog box is a built-in tool in the LabVIEW IDE to help create custom icons for VIs. The VI Icon is an important documentation tool because it controls the appearance of the VI as a SubVI on the Block Diagram. In LabVIEW 2009 the Icon Editor was completely redone. This page is for the Icon Editor for LabVIEW 2009 and later. For the Icon Editor before LabVIEW 2009 see the page Icon Editor (LabVIEW 8.6 and Earlier).

Accessing the Icon Editor

To access the Icon Editor do one of the following: From the Block Diagram, Front Panel, or Control Editor windows:

• Double-click on the Icon
• Right-click on the Icon and select, Edit Icon...
• Select File»VI Properties or File»Control Properties to display the VI Properties dialog box or Control Properties dialog box, respectively. Then select General from the Category pull-down menu and click the Edit Icon button.
• Right-click a project library, statechart, class, or XControl item in the Project Explorer window and select Properties from the shortcut menu to display the corresponding Properties dialog box. Then click the Edit button on the General Settings page.

Layers

VI or Library icons are saved with information in Layers. The use of layers allows the modification of overlapping parts of an icon separately. The Layers page of the Icon Editor dialog box allows configuration the name, opacity, visibility, and order of the layers of an icon. The Layers Page is not shown by default, select Layers»Show Layers Page in the Icon Editor' menu to display the Layers page.

User Layers

There can be multiple User Layers. A user layer is created anytime a glyph is drag-and-dropped into the Icon edit area.

Editing Tools

The editing tools are the set of buttons right of the Icon Edit Area. The tools consist of the following:

Symbol	Tool Name		Actions
			Single Click	Double Click	Left-Click in Edit Area	Right-Click in Edit Area
	Pencil Tool		Selects Tool	Nothing	Draws individual pixels with the Line Color (or if starting pixel is the Line Color toggles to using the Fill Color)	Draws individual pixels with the Fill Color (or if starting pixel is the Fill Color toggles to using the Line Color)
	Line Tool		Selects Tool	Nothing	Draws line by with Line Color	Draws line by with Fill Color
	Dropper Tool		Selects Tool	Nothing	Selects the color clicked on as the Line Color	Selects the color clicked on as the Fill Color
	Fill Tool		Selects Tool	Nothing	Fills all connected pixels of the Line Color	Fills all connected pixels of the Fill Color
	Rectangle Tool		Selects Tool	Adds a one-pixel border to the entire icon in the Line Color	Draws a rectangle with the Line Color	Draws a rectangle with the Fill Color
	Filled Rectangle Tool		Selects Tool	Adds a one-pixel border to the entire icon in the Line Color and fills the icon in the Fill Color	Draws a rectangle with the Line Color as the border filled in with the Fill Color	Draws a rectangle with the Fill Color as the border filled in with the Line Color
	Ellipse Tool		Selects Tool	Nothing	Draws an ellipse with the Line Color	Draws an ellipse with the Fill Color
	Filled Ellipse Tool		Selects Tool	Nothing	Draws an ellipse with the Line Color as the border filled in with the Fill Color	Draws an ellipse with the Fill Color as the border filled in with the Line Color
	Eraser Tool		Selects Tool	Nothing	Draws individual pixels as transparent
	Text Tool		Selects Tool	Display the Text Tool page of the Icon Editor Properties dialog box. Use this page to specify the font, alignment, and font size of the text you enter with the Text tool.	Either click places the starting position of the text. While text is active, you can move the text by pressing the arrow keys. Note: This text is not the same as the Text layer.
	Select Tool		Selects Tool	Select the entire icon	Draws selection rectangle. Note: You can cut, copy, or move pixels only from user layers which don't include the Template or Text layers.
	Move Tool		Selects Tool	Nothing	Moves all pixels in the user layer you select. Use the Select tool to move pixels from multiple user layers at once.
	Horizontal Flip Tool		Horizontally flips the selected user layer. Note: You also can press the <F> key to flip a user layer you select.	Nothing
	Clockwise Flip Tool		Rotates the selected user layer in a clockwise direction. If you do not select a layer, this tool rotates all user layers. Note: You also can press the <R> key to rotate a user layer you select.	Nothing
	Color Selection Tools	Line Color Selector	Pops-up color selector for selecting Line Color	Nothing
		Fill Color Selector	Pops-up color selector for selecting Fill Color
		Swap Color Arrows	Swaps the Line Color and Fill Color

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History

Version	Change(s)
	In LabVIEW 2012 the Icon API is released as Object-Oriented Classes. It allows for scripting Icons with access to Text, Glyph, and user layers.
	In LabVIEW 2009 the Icon Editor was completely redone to allow different layers in an Icon with tabs for Templates, Icon Text, and Glyphs. See the page Icon Editor (LabVIEW 8.6 and Earlier) for the editor for LabVIEW 8.6 and earlier.

See also

• Icon API

External links

• Enhanced Icon Editor - NI Community Page