Deployment utility - Build error

[Gary_H]

Hi,

I'm trying to deploy a Teststand project using the Deployment Utility in Teststand 3.1.

Having gone through the process of selecting and then analysing the source files to clear any errors, I

have then gone onto the Build part of the deployment process.

Unfortunately an Installer is not created, and the following text appears in the Build Log window:

Processing Workspace...
Done processing workspace file
Beginning build process, please wait.
11:27
An installer was not created due to an error
The build is finished
11:28
Error Code:1
Could not process LabVIEW VIs. Fix any broken VIs before rebuilding. LabVIEW error:
Invoke Node in TestStand - Dist Cmp Settings to Disk Hier.vi->TestStand - Build VI Distribution.vi->TestStand - Build VI Distribution AX Wrapper.vi->TestStand - Build VI Distribution AX Wrapper.vi.ProxyCaller 

I can see that the VI's mentioned above are NI's own, and so would not expect any to be "broken", but I checked each one mentioned above in the Labview 7.1. environment.

As expected there were no "broken" vi's found.

Assuming the "Error Code 1" can be interpreted as a Labview general error code, this tells me that there is an incorrect parameter.

But I have no indication which parameter is at fault.

This is the first time I have used the Deployment Utility, so it may well be that I have mis-understood a requirement which has caused the NI VI to fail.

Any suggestions as to how I should debug this error would be much appreciated.

thanks.

Gary.

[RayFarmer]

Hi,

You are right in that its not a problem with the NI VI's and what should have been reported is the actual VI the NI VI's had a problem with, maybe this will get sorted out in a much later release of TestStand.

What, is usually the problem, is the version of the NI VI's and the version of your VI's are different and performing a mass compiling of all VI's and LLB to the version of the LabVIEW you are using generally does the trick. Don't forget to include the TestStand folders.

Hope this helps

Ray Farmer

[Gary_H]

Ray,

Thanks for the suggestion.

We have several PC's in the development team, one in particular has had various versions of Labview and Teststand installed during it's lifetime, plus a few un-intentional modifications applied by newcomers to the world of NI.

I shall follow your advice using one of our newer PC's.

thanks,

Gary.

[Gary_H]

Finally resolved the Build errors using the following 3 methods:

1. Mass compiled all VI's created as part of the project.

This highlighted problems by reporting some files as "Failed to save...."  after

mass compiling.

Opening and saving the unsaved mass compiled files in Labview prevented

these errors.

This still did not clear all the Build error messages, however the next error message

relating to a 3rd party VI was easier to understand, and was cleared by correcting

the VI code.

Next Build attempt caused an Error Code 8 (File permission error) occurred - resolved

by removing Read Only directory/file attributes on project files.

Next Build attempt caused an Error Code 7 (File not found, path may be incorrect).

2. Checked Teststand paths.

Used the View\Paths option in the Sequence Editor to check any and all paths within

the project.

This showed up some errors, relating to code still called by sequence steps

but removed from project.

Corrected all references to missing code by editing erroneous sequence steps.

Performed Build process again - but still Error Code 7, followed by a long string

of references to Labview VI's which appear to be part of the Teststand system.  

3. Created a simple project.

Rather than try Build the original project with all it's needs, a single sequence

containg a single step was added to a new workspace file.

By starting off with the simplest of Build processes, which included only the

simple workspace file but no \User files or Teststand Engine:

 - there was a successful Build which provided an installer.  

Next, selected to Install Test Engine and the Simple\Labview Operator Interface:

- this also proved to be a successful Build.

Next, selected to load \User files:

- this caused the Error Code 7 when another Build was performed.

The Build status log reported many references to associated VI's which could not be

opened in the \User directory.

All the files were related to the Teststand 2.0.1 Operator Interface (Old).

A check of the \Operator Interfaces\User directory showed that the

Operator Interfaces\NI directory had been copied, entirely, into the User area,

with the above files included.

This being normal practice while developing code based on original NI source.

Removing the copied ...\Operator Interfaces\User\NI\.. directory allowed a successful build.

I believe I am correct in saying that selecting the option to include

the \User code as part of the Build process, caused some incompatible

VI's (Teststand 2.0.1 Operator Interface (Old)) to be processed,

hence the Error Code 7.

In future I'll pay more attention to the \User areas.

regards,

Gary.

[RayFarmer]

Hats off to you...

A possible problem for the User folder. If you install a later version of TestStand to a the same location as a previous build, your User folder will retain there contents and therefore you will probably gets some incompatibilties.

If your User folders are updated from the current versions NI folders, then you shouldn't have any problem.

Regards

Ray Farmer