Tools Palette

The Tools palette is available on the front panel and the block diagram. A tool is a special operating mode of the mouse cursor. The cursor corresponds to the icon of the tool you select on the palette. Use the tools to operate and modify front panel and block diagram objects.

Select Window»Show Tools Palette to display the Tools palette. You can place the Tools palette anywhere on the screen.

Tip  Press the <Shift> key and right-click to display a temporary version of the Tools palette at the location of the cursor.

Click the icons for tool descriptions.

Automatic Tool Selection Operate Value Position/Size/Select Edit Text Connect Wire Object Shortcut Menu Scroll Window Set/Clear Breakpoint Probe Data Get Color Set Color

Automatic Tool SelectionIf automatic tool selection is enabled and you move the cursor over objects on the front panel or block diagram, LabVIEW automatically selects the corresponding tool from the Tools palette. You can disable automatic tool selection and select a tool manually.
Operating—Changes the value of a control or selects the text within a control.
Positioning—Positions, resizes, and selects objects.
Labeling—Edits text and creates free labels. Refer to the Labeling section of Chapter 4, Building the Front Panel, in the LabVIEW User Manual for more information about using the Labeling tool.
Wiring—Wires objects together on the block diagram. Refer to the Using Wires to Link Block Diagram Objects section of Chapter 5, Building the Block Diagram, in the LabVIEW User Manual for more information about using the Wiring tool.
Object Shortcut Menu—Opens the shortcut menu of an object.
Scrolling—Scrolls the window without using the scroll bars.
BreakpointSets breakpoints on VIs, functions, nodes, wires, and structures to pause execution at that location.
ProbeCreates probes on wires. Use the Probe tool to check intermediate values in a VI that produces questionable or unexpected results.
Color Copying—Copies colors for pasting with the Coloring tool.
ColoringSets the foreground and background colors.