Trying to integrate PTC Integrity with TestStand

[Mark_Gillespie]

Does anyone have any experience with using PTC Integrity to actually run test sequences and get pass/fail feedback from TestStand? I have received assurances from PTC sales that it can be done. I would feel better if I had some independent confirmation.

[MilanR]

Hi Mark_Gillespie,

I am not too familiar with the PTC Integrity software in specific but in general TestStand is capable with interfacing with many different applications. TestStand is capable of calling C .DLL API functions, ActiveX servers and objects, and TestStand is capable of running command line applications so if PTC Integrity uses any of those methods of communication you should be able to interface with the software from TestStand.

Best,

Milan

Applications Engineering

National Instruments

ni.com/support

[Mark_Gillespie]

Thank you for the feedback. I have been looking at the TestStand UI in Labview to get a feel for the TestStand API. I still don't have much info on the PTC Integrity product.

[SachaE · Accepted solution]

Hi Mark,

  your first question looked to be less about calling in to PTC from TestStand and more about calling TestStand from the management layer that is PTC integrity. 

Fundamentally, I can't see an issue since the sequence editor or user interfaces can take command line arguments, so as long as you can get some configuration out of PTC integrity that then calls in to a .exe, you should be fine.

The end result of a sequence running with a process model is of course some version of a report or databased values, so closing the loop on seeing the data being available to be mined inside of PTC would also be something that would need answering.

Is PTC something that you already have or are being asked to trial or a company decision has been made on?

I guess it's still a little up in the air if you don't have the infrastructure or demo or PTC integrity yet, and since the PTC.com website doesn't mention TestStand that can raise a couple of flags, but if you can get them to arrange a demo, doing it on the same client PC as you have TestStand on would be the quickest way of finding out if it integrates.

On a side note, PTC integrity appears to be similar to IBM's Rational Product. The IBM Rational Group did a presentation at NIWeek this year

Thanks

Sacha

[Mark_Gillespie]

Our company has committed to running several pilot projects with Integrity. I still don't have my hands on their software and don't have full access to their support yet, so I am stuck for now.  

Your comment on command line arguments is interesting and I will investigate that further. I have been playing around with the Labview TSUI examples and have been able to get pass/fail and report name/location information out of TS, using the "caption" methods. I haven't been able to get the "GetCaptionText" method to pull information yet, but when I use the "ConnectCaption" method tied to a label it works fine.

Your are correct that PTC and IBM are competitors, offering many of the same products. Our company uses components of both product lines, but PTC seems to be winning at the moment. They both seem to focus their sales efforts on senior management so the first I hear about these things is when I get my marching orders.

At any rate, if I can get this to work it will add a lot of test visibility to our processes. Whether that is a good or bad thing, time will tell. Thanks for the help.

[SachaE]

Hi Mark,

  no problem - it may pay to get your local field engineer involved (or call your local branch to find out who that is) so we can offer guidance from our side on the TestStand side of things, or put you in touch with the appropriate resources to help you vet this out assuming you can get the demo version of the PTC Integrity software.

Just a thought.

Thanks

Sacha

[Pete_Cooper@Genie_Industries]

In regards with TestStand integration to PTC Integrity and requirements management and ALM (Application Life Cycle Management) we are working closely with PTC Integrity with the capability for running and managing tests (sequence files and the TestStand Test Executive - User Interface) with the PTC Integrity Environment. I am wanting the PTC Integrity tool to demonstrate that it can run automated tests and record the history and test status of the tests that were executed from TestStand. We have not purchased PTC Integrity yet due to its high cost but it is being evaluated and it is a strong contender.

PTC Integrity has already provided a demo to me that demonstrated the TestStand can be called from PTC Integrity remotely through web services. I have provided PTC Integrity with some feed back on its TestStand integration capabilities that I would like to see performed by the PTC Integrity tool. PTC Integrity will be coming back to me shortly with another demo for the capabilities that I would like to see demonstrated with TestStand Integration with PTC Integrity.

I am developing the TestStand User Interface with .Net instead of LabView because of the large library set of .Net calls that work with JINI. PTC Integrity API is written for Java so .Net is a natural fit. I can use the TestStand API with .Net accessing web service calls with the PTC Integrity API. LabView could of been used also but it is easier to do it with the .Net and the TestStand APIs.