NI TestStand

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

generate teststand sequence from xml


Hi All,
We are designing a macro recorder in our software and we want to generate a TestStand test sequence from the input of the user. The macro recorder will generates xml file that contains all informations about the steps of the sequence and using xslt stylesheet transformation we want to generate Python script or c/c++ code,  but we also want to generate TestStand sequence as a text file. I looked in the .seq sequence file and the format seems to be difficult to use...
Ideally, I'm looking for a solution that is os independant and that don't use TestStand directly because the user of our software may want to generate sequence without TS installed of his computer.
Did anybody done this before ?
Does documentation exist on the sequence file format (text format)?
Any idea will be appreciate...
Thanks
0 Kudos
Message 1 of 8
(3,954 Views)
I wouldn't recommend attempting to duplicate the .seq file format.  It is subject to change between versions of TestStand and is not documented outside of NI.
 
It would be much easier if you make a sequence file translator tool that takes your file format and uses the TestStand API to create a sequence file.  You could add the tool as a Custom Tools Menu item that would automatically load the newly created Sequence File in TestStand.  You will need the TestStand engine installed to generate a file, and the TestStand development system to write a sequence file.  You would need TestStand to be able to use the file, so there is no reason that you couldn't keep your custom format until it is loaded into TestStand.
 
Hope this helps,
 
Allen P.
NI
0 Kudos
Message 2 of 8
(3,947 Views)

Hi Allen P,

I have one concern using the TestStand API. Suppose, I create an executable file that use the TestStand API to create sequence files and to add steps.  (Note that it won't be call from TestStand Sequence Editor). From this executable, I should be able to insert custom step of my type palette. 

- Does TestStand is able to insert step without knowledge of the step type inserted? i.e. a kind of step link that will be resolved when the sequence is opened?!?!
- or is it possible to give type palette information to the TS api or TS engine dynamically that will allow the api to add custom step type?

Vincent

0 Kudos
Message 3 of 8
(3,913 Views)
TestStand requires a custom step type to be in memory before creating a step of that type. To get a custom step type in memory, you can add it to a type palette or load a sequence file with the type. You can attach a type to a sequence file by dragging it to the types view for the file, or you can just keep a step of the desired type within a sequence in the file.
0 Kudos
Message 4 of 8
(3,909 Views)
Hi James,
 
But is it possible to load a type palette from the TestStand API?
 
Vincent
0 Kudos
Message 5 of 8
(3,898 Views)
This thread has more information about the topic- http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=330&message.id=8575
0 Kudos
Message 6 of 8
(3,881 Views)

Vincent,

We are currently investigating the possibility of adding a similar feature looking for into a future version of TestStand.  Would you mind if I contacted you (offline, I have your email that you registered with NI) to get some additional information about your use case? 

Allen P.

NI

0 Kudos
Message 7 of 8
(3,841 Views)

Hi Allen P.,

Yes, I'm available for more discussion.

Thanks.

Vincent

 

0 Kudos
Message 8 of 8
(3,828 Views)