1. VAB™ for INFINITY Tutorial
Brief introduction to making your own
VAB applications

2. Tutorial Overview Unit 1 - Important Toolbar Buttons
Unit 2 - Loading Example Worksheets
Unit 3 - Creating your own Worksheets

3. Unit 1 - Important Toolbar Buttons
VAB for INFINITY Toolbar

4. Important Toolbar Buttons
File Commands

5. Important Toolbar Buttons
Component Selection

6. Important Toolbar Buttons
Connection/Mode Selection

7. Important Toolbar Buttons
Run/Stop Selection

8. Important Toolbar Buttons
File Commands

9. Important Toolbar Buttons
File Commands
New
Creates a new, blank worksheet

10. Important Toolbar Buttons
File Commands
Open
Allows user to select an existing worksheet
New
Creates a new, blank worksheet

11. Important Toolbar Buttons
File Commands
Open examples
Allows user to select from example worksheets
Open
Allows user to select an existing worksheet
New
Creates a new, blank worksheet

12. Important Toolbar Buttons
File Commands
Save
For saving current worksheet
Open examples
Allows user to select from example worksheets
Open
Allows user to select an existing worksheet
New
Creates a new, blank worksheet

13. Important Toolbar Buttons
Component Selection

14. Important Toolbar Buttons
Component Selection
Select blocks
Brings up block function selector dialog box to allow user to select from available components

15. Important Toolbar Buttons
Connection/Mode Selection

16. Important Toolbar Buttons
Connection/Mode Selection
Setup Mode
Default mode, used for selecting and arranging components

17. Important Toolbar Buttons
Connection/Mode Selection
Setup Mode
Default mode, used for selecting and arranging components
Connect
Allows connections to be made
among blocks such that the data
output from a given block may be
used as input for another block -
this is the usual connection mode

18. Important Toolbar Buttons
Connection/Mode Selection
Setup Mode
Default mode, used for selecting and arranging components
Connect
Allows connections to be made
among blocks such that the data
output from a given block may be
used as input for another block -
this is the usual connection mode
Conditional Connection
To allow connections to be made among blocks
such that the data output from a given block may be
used to control whether another block is allowed to run

19. Important Toolbar Buttons
Connection/Mode Selection
Setup Mode
Default mode, used for selecting and arranging components
Parameter Connection
To allow connections to be made among blocks
such that the data output from a given block may be
used to set a parameter of another block dynamically
Connect
Allows connections to be made
among blocks such that the data
output from a given block may be
used as input for another block -
this is the usual connection mode
Conditional Connection
To allow connections to be made among blocks
such that the data output from a given block may be
used to control whether another block is allowed to run

20. Important Toolbar Buttons
Connection/Mode Selection
Delete
Used for deleting components
Setup Mode
Default mode, used for selecting and arranging components
Parameter Connection
To allow connections to be made among blocks
such that the data output from a given block may be
used to set a parameter of another block dynamically
Connect
Allows connections to be made
among blocks such that the data
output from a given block may be
used as input for another block -
this is the usual connection mode
Conditional Connection
To allow connections to be made among blocks
such that the data output from a given block may be
used to control whether another block is allowed to run

21. Important Toolbar Buttons
Run/Stop Selection

22. Important Toolbar Buttons
Run/Stop Selection
Run
Starts execution of the system and
runs until ‘Stop’ is pressed

23. Important Toolbar Buttons
Run/Stop Selection
Stop
Used to stop the current
execution of the system
Run
Starts execution of the system and
runs until ‘Stop’ is pressed

24. Unit 2 - Loading Example Worksheets
Useful for initial learning
May be used as basis for new designs
Two methods of loading examples
Use ‘Open examples’ toolbar button
Use ‘Open’ toolbar button and browse

25. ‘Open examples’ Method
File Commands
Open examples
Allows user to select from example worksheets
Select ‘Open examples’ using the toolbar button

26. ‘Open examples’ Method
Simply click on desired tab, then desired Lab

27. Unit 3 - Creating your own Worksheets
Creating your first worksheet
Using other Connection Modes
Parameter Connections
Conditional Connections
Using Global Variables as Parameters
Tips and Tricks
A few Important points
Framesize
Precision
Sample Rate

28. Creating your first worksheet
Select Components
Arrange Components
Connect Components
‘Run’ the algorithm
Modify Component Parameters

29. Step 1 - Select Components
Component Selection
Select blocks
Brings up block function selector dialog box to allow user to select from available components
Click on ‘Select blocks’ toolbar button

30. Step 1 - Select Components
Selecting blocks
1. Choose the library of interest - i.e., ‘Simulation Library’ for PC-based functions or ‘Real-time Library’ or ‘Native Library’ for DSP-based functions
2. Select desired group from Group List or click on ‘Select All Groups’ to show all functions in currently selected library
3. Highlight desired component in Function List and either drag to worksheet, double click, or click on ‘Add to Worksheet’ button
Select then drag desired component to worksheet

31. Step 2 - Arrange Components
Ensure you are in Setup Mode
Connection/Mode Selection
Setup Mode
Default mode, used for selecting and arranging components

32. Step 2 - Arrange Components
Ensure you are in Setup Mode
Simply click on a component and drag into desired position
Repeat for all components

33. Step 3 - Connect Components
View each component icon as having a left half (destination channels) and a right half (source channels)
Choose the ‘Connect’ toolbar button to enter the connect mode
Make connections by clicking within icon - do not try to click on the channel arrows of the icon
Always click first on a source channel (left half), then destination channel (right half) - or - on a destination channel then a source channel.

34. Step 3 - Connect Components

35. Step 3 - Connect Components
Connection Regions
1. Think of each block icon as having a left side and a right side.

36. Step 3 - Connect Components
Connection Regions
1. Think of each block icon as having a left side and a right side.
2. If a block has multiple channels, mentally split the half into as many regions as there are channels.
For example, the Add block has two input channels, therefore two regions on its left half.

37. Step 3 - Connect Components
Connection Regions
1. Think of each block icon as having a left side and a right side.
2. If a block has multiple channels, mentally split the half into as many regions as there are channels.
For example, the Add block has two input channels, therefore two regions on its left half.
3. Once the regions have been identified mentally, simply begin making connections!
Represents a region of the component to click on

38. Step 3 - Connect Components
Connection/Mode Selection
Ensure you select ‘Connect’ mode
Connect
Allows connections to be made
among blocks such that the data
output from a given block may be
used as input for another block -
this is the usual connection mode

39. Step 3 - Connect Components
Represents area on component to click on

40. Step 3 - Connect Components
Connecting blocks
1. After selecting the ‘Connect’ mode from toolbar, click on the right half of desired ‘source’ block (i.e., Sweep Generator)
First click in this region
Represents area on component to click on

41. Step 3 - Connect Components
Connecting blocks
1. After selecting the ‘Connect’ mode from toolbar, click on the right half of desired ‘source’ block (i.e., Sweep Generator)
2. Next click on left half of desired ‘destination’ block (i.e., Add) - and for blocks with multiple channels, click in region closest to desired channel.
Next click in this region
Represents area on component to click on

42. Step 3 - Connect Components
Connecting blocks
1. After selecting the ‘Connect’ mode from toolbar, click on the right half of desired ‘source’ block (i.e., Sweep Generator)
2. Next click on left half of desired ‘destination’ block (i.e., Add) - and for blocks with multiple channels, click in region closest to desired channel.
Connection Made!
Represents area on component to click on

43. Step 3 - Connect Components
Connecting blocks
1. After selecting the ‘Connect’ mode from toolbar, click on the right half of desired ‘source’ block (i.e., Sweep Generator)
2. Next click on left half of desired ‘destination’ block (i.e., Add) - and for blocks with multiple channels, click in region closest to desired channel.
3. Repeat until all connections are made
Note - you must always click within the block icon - never outside of it (don’t click on the arrows)
Represents area on component to click on

44. Step 4 - ‘Run’ the algorithm
Run/Stop Selection
Run
Starts execution of the system and
runs until ‘Stop’ is pressed
Press ‘Run’ to start execution

45. Step 5 - Modify Component Parameters
Either double-click or right-click on desired component to view/modify its parameters
Modify desired parameters and select OK
Note - this may be done while executing algorithm for live instant feedback

46. Tips and Tricks Component Selection Tips
Use ‘Customize Toolbars…’ under ‘Options’ menu to create toolbars containing components
Drag desired function to empty workspace area
Add additional functions by dragging them on top of the first function
When complete, drag new toolbar (pallet) to edge of workspace and dock if desired
Allows easy component selection without using the Block Function Selector for commonly-used components

47. Tips and Tricks Connection Tips
After clicking on source block, use right mouse button for clicking on multiple destinations
There is never a need to ‘disconnect’ or delete a connection - simply re-connect to desired point and it will automatically disconnect the previous source connection

48. Tips and Tricks The right mouse button
Right-clicking on a blank workspace area allows the right mouse button to be custom configured for commonly-used menu commands
Useful for ‘Block Function Selector’, ‘Previous Level’, and ‘Open file’ commands, etc.