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Use labels to identify objects on the front panel and block diagram.

LabVIEW includes two kinds of labels—owned labels and free labels. Owned labels belong to and move with a particular object and annotate that object only. You can move an owned label independently, but when you move the object that owns the label, the label moves with the object. You can hide owned labels, but you cannot copy or delete them independently of their owners. You can display a separate owned label called a unit label for numeric controls and indicators by right-clicking the numeric control or indicator and selecting Visible Items»Unit Label from the shortcut menu.

Free labels are not attached to any object, and you can create, move, rotate, or delete them independently. Use them to annotate front panels and block diagrams.

Free labels are useful for documenting code on the block diagram and for listing user instructions on the front panel. Double-click an open space or use the Labeling tool to create free labels or to edit either type of label.

You should create descriptive labels for controls to design a user interface that is easy to use.

Captions

Front panel objects also can have captions. Right-click the object and select Visible Items»Caption from the shortcut menu to display the caption. You can use captions instead of labels to localize a VI without breaking the VI. Unlike a label, a caption does not affect the name of the object, and you can use it as a more descriptive object label. The caption appears only on the front panel.

If you assign the object to a connector pane terminal, the caption appears in a tip strip when you use the Wiring tool to move the cursor over the terminal on the block diagram. The caption also appears next to the terminal in the Context Help window if you move the cursor over the connector pane or VI icon.

Captions are useful for providing detailed descriptions when the label text needs to be concise or for providing concise descriptions when the label text needs to be more detailed. Captions also are useful when creating localized versions of your applications.

Boolean Text

Boolean controls and indicators have Boolean text labels in addition to their owned labels. Boolean text labels change depending on the value of the control or indicator. Initially, many Boolean controls and indicators display the word ON in the TRUE state and the word OFF in the FALSE state. When you click the button with the Operating tool, the control toggles to the opposite state.

The Boolean controls that do not appear on the Controls palette as labeled Booleans are unlabeled by default. Right-click the control and select Visible Item»Boolean Text from the shortcut menu to label the Boolean object.

Moving Owned Labels and Captions

You can create custom user interfaces by moving control or indicator labels and captions on the front panel to different positions around the front panel object. You also can move terminal labels on the block diagram.

When you move the label or caption, LabVIEW aligns it to preset positions directly surrounding the front panel or block diagram object. Each object has three preset positions on each side. As you move the label or caption, you can press the spacebar to temporarily disable the preset alignment positions and place the label or caption where you want. After you position the label or caption, you can lock the label to the front panel or block diagram object. By locking the label or caption to an object, you can move both the label and the object together and avoid losing the label position you select.

Note  Placing a label or any other object over or partially covering a control or indicator slows down screen updates and can make the control or indicator flicker.