LabVIEW Interface

The interface icon as it appears in the Project Explorer

LabVIEW Interface is a kind of class library that implements the concept of interfaces in LabVIEW. An interface defines a contract between the caller and the callee. Any class that inherits from an interface declares that it will provide all methods defined by that interface. In LabVIEW a class may have only one class parent and as many interface parents as it wants to have. An interface may also inherit from one or more other interfaces.

Key features

• Interfaces use the same file extension as classes (*.lvclass).
• Interfaces have their own unique icon () in the Project Explorer.
• Interfaces use the same default ("chain") wire appearance as classes.
• Interfaces are created and changed using the same dialogs as classes.
• Interfaces can provide default implementations for their methods.
• Classes do not inherit the interface library icon or wire appearance.
• Call Parent Class Method cannot invoke interface parent methods.

Best practice

• Do not use the leading "I" when naming interfaces.
• Use a Project Library instead of default implementations in an interface to build function libraries.

History

Version	Change(s)
	Interfaces were added to LabVIEW

See also

• Object-oriented programming