Icon and Expanded Node Views for SubVIs and Express VIs

You can display subVIs and Express VIs on the block diagram as either icons or as expandable nodes. By default, subVIs appear as icons, and Express VIs appear as expandable nodes.

An expandable node appears as an icon surrounded by a field.

  • For subVIs, the field is yellow.
  • For Express VIs, the field is blue.

Expandable nodes display a configurable number of VI terminals under the field in the expanded field. You can resize an expandable subVI or Express VI. When you resize an expandable subVI or Express VI, the input and output terminals of the subVI or Express VI appear below the icon.

  • Optional terminals appear with gray backgrounds.
  • Recommended or required terminals that you do not resize to display in the expanded field appear as input or output arrows in the field around the icon.

If you wire a value to an optional terminal that is in the expanded field and then resize the VI so the terminal no longer appears in the expanded field:

  • The optional terminal appears as an input or output arrow in the field around the icon.
  • The optional terminal remains wired.

If you simply unwire an optional terminal that is in the expanded field, the terminal remains in the expanded field.

By default, inputs appear above outputs when you expand the subVI or Express VI.

The label of an expandable subVI or Express VIs appears in the field that surrounds the icon.

Figure 8. SubVI as Expandable Node shows an expandable subVI that displays four of ten input and output terminals.

Figure 8. SubVI as Expandable Node
Expandable subVI showing input and output terminals with labels.
Note Only new subVIs you add to the block diagram appear as expandable nodes. You cannot convert all existing subVIs displayed as icons to expandable nodes. You cannot add Express VIs to the block diagram as icons by default.