Front Panel Objects Moving When LabVIEW VI is Run on Another Computer

Issue Details

• I have arranged my controls on my Front Panel to be very neat and organized, However, when I move my VI to a different computer or deploy an executable, all of the Front Panel controls and icons have been rearranged, shifted, or have grown/shrunk.
• I have a front panel that I developed on a main computer and now I would like to change to a different computer with a different resolution. I am concerned that there will be some distortion. What options do I have in LabVIEW? 
• I have designed a front panel for a VI that I am working on. It looks exactly how I want it to look on my development machine. However, when I transfer the VI to another computer with a different screen resolution, the front panel has incorrect proportions. How can I force the front panel to look the same across different computers?
• My front panel looks different on other monitors
• The indicators on my front panel are moving when I run my application on a different computer. It is only happening when I hit run, they move back once I stop the program.
• I created a VI on my laptop, and when I run it on a computer with a lower screen resolution the front panel appears distorted.

Solution

LabVIEW has several options that can be configured so that your Front Panel objects automatically adjust to new window sizes and screen resolution. 

Option 1:

• Inside LabVIEW click File»VI Properties»Categories Drop-down»Window Size
• Click Set to Current Panel Size or make sure that the configured minimum panel size is correct.
• Deselect both check-boxes Maintain proportions of window for different monitor resolutions and Scale all objects on front panel as the window resizes
• Re-save the VI and try moving it to a different computer

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Option 2:

• ​Select all of the text on your Front Panel and change it to a Monospace Font such as Arial
• Re-save the VI and try moving it to a different computer

Option 3:

• Using the User Interface Manager
  • Note: this is not a National Instruments Product and is supported through the forum

Additional Information

These troubleshooting options do not apply to the text labels as they are a set size. For text labels we recommend using Ariel (monospace) for the font.

The Maintain proportions of window for different monitor resolutions option resizes the VI so it takes up approximately the same amount of screen space when opened on a computer with a different monitor resolution. 

The Scale all objects on front panel as the window resizes option automatically resizes all front panel objects with respect to and in proportion to the size of the front panel window. Text does not resize because the font sizes are fixed. 

The use of the Maintain proportions of window for different monitor resolutions also applies to dual monitors having different resolutions.  By selecting Maintain proportions of window for different monitor resolutions this will maintain the proportional front panel size with respect to monitor resolution, however the physical size of the front panel will change. 

For instance you have two monitors, the monitor on the left has a higher resolution than the monitor on the right.  You open a VI and select File»VI Properties»Categories Drop-down»Window Size then select Maintain proportions of window for different monitor resolutions.  If you now move the front panel from left to right you will notice that once the front panel enters the right monitor the physical size will increase, but the proportions remain the same.  This is a perfect example of how to use the property of Maintain proportions of window for different monitor resolutions.

Also before using dual monitors, please check to ensure that the graphics card in the computer supports dual monitors and has the appropriate downloads to ensure that the dual monitors behave correctly.

Some PCs may have the display set to enlarge text and other items. In Windows this can be found at Control Panel >> Display. Make sure the development PC and deployment PC are set the same.

Monospace Font, also called a fixed-pitch, fixed-width, or non-proportional font, is a font whose letters and characters each occupy the same amount of horizontal space. This contrasts with variable-width fonts, where the letters and spacings have different widths. The fonts can grow or shrink depending on the physical size of the monitor you are viewing them on. This can give your Front Panel the appearance of having shifted when in reality it is simply the font causing things to shift and not the Front Panel objects. 

Also, you may encounter this issue if you have any hidden controls or indicators. Make sure before compiling the executable that you know whether or not you have any hidden objects on the front panel. If so, be aware that they can overlap or cover front panel objects when you programmatically unhide them.

There is a small possibility that the settings that you see under VI properties do not reflect the reality. Please try unchecking and checking the settings again, to ensure you are using it as intended.