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0 Kudos
paloff

Graphical distinguishing of menues, pains, borders, icons etc in Teststand sequence Editor

Status: New Submitted by Member on 02-05-2024 01:01 AM Comment

I just switched from TS2019 to TS2023. I am not finding a way to configure the TS editor, witch is a hard to orientate flash of white and black screen. The color separation of the different panes, icons, step colors, fields  and  menues is not given and there are no clearly visible frames distinguished by backcolors. Working with this new GUI is tedious and not suitable, not suporting a rapid development idea. The attention of development shold be by the code and not by  the absorbing search and brain consuming editor.  How can I use the old 2019 condition gain? Could you please change this in the NEXT Teststand version?

1 Kudos
isabell_L

No selection of any field inside Offline Processing Utility (ORPU) when application starts

Status: New Submitted by Member on 12-22-2023 04:48 AM Comment

When user opens the Offline Processing Utility and at the same time starts to type on the keyboard the user can accidently rename the profile.

(Attached a screen-recording to visualize)

It would be great if there was no selected row or column when starting/opening ORPU. The renaming of the profile disturbs the production since the database logging will not work as expected.

 

When we start ORPU we already have the '/tray' enabled but somehow its still possible to accidently rename the Profile.

2 Kudos
Mr._Jim

Support TestStand Engine Events Using LabVIEW Dynamic Event Registration

Status: New Submitted by Active Participant on 08-03-2023 12:13 PM 1 Comment

Hi folks,

 

When writing TestStand UI components using LabVIEW, there are a lot of scenarios where using a callback VI to handle a TestStand event is the right move. As of writing this, that's the only way.

 

There have also been plenty of times when I would have preferred to handle a TestStand event directly within a LabVIEW event structure. In these kinds of scenarios my code would be less complicated if we had the ability to directly register TestStand engine events with LabVIEW's "Register for Events" node.

 

Years ago when learning TestStand, I tried to do this out of intuition and I was kind of surprised that it wasn't supported.

 

Below is an illustration of what I'm proposing.

 

TestStandDynamicEvents.png

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9 Kudos
MaximeR

Review all idea Exchange and Update status

Status: New Submitted by Active Participant on 07-11-2023 08:11 AM 3 Comment

I think it can a be a really good idea to review and give feedback on all Idea exchange.

 

You ask us to give feedback but you don't finish the loop.

 

Some idea are mark as new for many years now...

3 Kudos
--thatguy

Integrate Diff Merge Utility into Sequence Editor

Status: New Submitted by Member on 03-14-2023 05:24 PM Comment

TestStand File Diff and Merge Utility is not very useful for code reviews on its own.  It seems adequate for notifying the user that a sequence was added, however from the tool itself the user cannot actually review the newly added or removed sequence's contents.  Why is there no + on the item tree to go deeper.

 

Alternatively:

If I have to right-click a sequence and select "Go to location" then why bother with the separate tool to begin with?  Why isn't the diff utility integrated into TestStand's sequence editor itself?  Seems like a side-by-side comparison within Sequence Editor would allow a reviewer to poke and prod around all the hidden settings that are often missed using the existing utility.

 

6 Kudos
--thatguy

Improve TestStand Diff Merge Utility Reporting

Status: New Submitted by Member on 03-14-2023 05:01 PM Comment

TestStand File Diff and Merge Utility has the ability to produce reports in XML format with a slew of dependencies on TestStand (stylesheets, button images, etc.) making them not very portable.  Yes, I know they can be packaged with the extra utility, but that's a hassle too.  Now instead of managing a file I have to manage a folder of files.

 

Additionally, these reports only seem to work with Internet Explorer which I'm hearing is going away. Not sure if it's just me, but Edge's IE mode doesn't seem to work for these reports either.

 

Can NI do something to address this?

  • Make a browser extension that works with at least chromium based browsers.
  • Figure out a nice PDF format.

 

Ideally, I want to upload the file type into my code review platform of choice (git, perforce swarm, crucible, network folder share, etc.) and not require my reviewer to have TestStand installed on their machine.

3 Kudos
Mr._Jim

Order Types Alphabetically in Type Selection Context Menu

Status: New Submitted by Active Participant on 08-06-2021 10:09 AM 3 Comment

When assigning a type to a property, the list of types is in an unordered pile. In the next release, can someone please alphabetize it?

 

(PS. Do not ask about the context of this image. It's not pretty. 😏 )

 

PileOTypes.png

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6 Kudos
Mr._Jim

Remove bold text for Label Description in Step Settings

Status: New Submitted by Active Participant on 05-13-2021 12:38 PM 1 Comment

I think it would enhance readability if, in the step settings of a label step, the label description text were no longer bold.

I cringe every time I fill one of these out or read it back to myself.

(Yes, I'm aware of the ability to mouse over the step itself and read the tooltip)

 

Maybe my use case is unusual, but I'll often write a few sentences in there to describe what a sequence or code block does.

 

Thanks,

 

Mr. Jim

 

 

Ow, my eyes:

 

BoldLabelText.png

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1 Kudos
Mr._Jim

Instantly Clone Subsequence Parameter as Local or FileGlobal

Status: New Submitted by Active Participant on 03-22-2021 10:16 AM 1 Comment

CreateSameProperty.png

 

Let's say we have a parameter to a subsequence of a named type, and we want to create a so-named Local or FileGlobal with the same type.

One way to do this with our current workflow is to:

  • Type the same property name in the parameter value
  • Right-click the parameter
  • Click on "Create Locals.whatever"
  • mouse over the types menu
  • Glance through most of the types, select the custom type

 

I'm proposing a simpler workflow for cases when you just want to duplicate or "clone" the property with the same name and type in Locals or FileGlobals:

  • Right-click the empty parameter value
  • Select "Create Locals.whatever" or "Create FileGlobals.whatever"

The respective menu options would appear if the so-named variable does not already exist.

The subproperty is created in the Locals or FileGlobals with the same type as the parameter.

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0 Kudos
Mr._Jim

Ability to exclude sequence file attributes from search results

Status: New Submitted by Active Participant on 03-10-2021 02:40 PM Comment

Hi there,

 

When using the Find/Replace dialog in TestStand, it would be nice to have a checkbox under "Elements to Search" that allows the user to choose whether or not to include sequence file attributes in the the results. I guess I could put together a regex to accomplish what I need to, but a checkbox would be nice.

 

FindOption.png

 

Why am I asking for this?

I'm used to quickly working my way through find results by using the CTRL+G / CTRL+Shift+G shortcuts. When I hit one of these attributes there's about a 4 second delay before the sequence file attributes dialog opens. This is super annoying in the workflow of the find results, and the vast majority of the time I'm not interested in searching the ignored Sequence Analyzer messages.

 

Thanks,

 

Mr. Jim

 

IgnoredMessages.png

 

 

 

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5 Kudos
bienieck

Add Tools to Custom Toolbars

Status: New Submitted by Active Participant on 11-25-2020 01:57 AM Comment

I would like to see the possibility to add Tools (Menu > Tools) to Toolbars. See the recording below:

tools.gif

 

As you can see from Tools section I can select only "Customize". It could be great to have the ability to use custom tools when customizing toolbars and menus.

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7 Kudos
kent.wedeking

Loaded Environment File indicated on TestStand splash screen

Status: New Submitted by Member on 11-16-2020 11:03 AM Comment

If you are using a custom environment file for TestStand 2016 and later, it would be great if, on startup, the splash screen indicated the loaded Env file name and path.

 

As you can see below, in our custom TestStand RTOI we are showing the loaded environment file on the splash screen when it loaded.  The TestStand 2019 splash screen is shown for comparison.

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6 Kudos
_carl

API that doesn't rely on ActiveX UI Components

Status: New Submitted by Member on 08-18-2020 11:50 AM 1 Comment

The TestStand API doesn't provide a simple, robust mechanism allowing developers to programatically run sequences outside of the ActiveX UIs.

 

On many an occasion I've wanted to wrap the following basic functionality:

  • Run a specific sequence file (with or without a [typically custom] process model)
  • Wait for it to complete.
  • Retrieve the result.

It's something I've needed to do in all of the following situations:

  • Integrating into a customer's existing framework
  • Integrating into my own automated test framework
  • Providing a simple API to a customer
  • Creating customized UIs that rely on UI messages and events rather than the ActiveX Controls

The solution I've ended up defaulting to in the past has been some variation on:

  • Start with the full-featured C# UI.
  • Scrape out all visible ActiveX Controls, and hide the window so that it's running in the background.
  • Integrate a TCP/IP (or equivalent) client into the application that has the ability to listen for requests and then implement them through the AxApplicationMgr.
  • Build a TCP/IP server assembly that launches the client application and exposes the necessary API for simple interactions.

The approach above is time-consuming, error-prone, and feels like a hack -- but given that TestStand does not expose any easy mechanism for simply running a sequence, this is what I've ended up having to resort to.

0 Kudos
T999

message popup customization (font/enable-disable...)

Status: New Submitted by Member on 07-21-2020 03:25 PM Comment

- Disabling the editing of text in the response text box of a message popup step.

- Ability to include various fonts in the message popup rather than one overall font for everything...

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4 Kudos
nclark

Add LabVIEW Class Objects in Get Property Value.vi and Set Property Value.vi

Status: New Submitted by Member on 12-12-2019 03:15 PM 1 Comment

TestStand's LabVIEW interface could benefit by being able to programmatically get and set LabVIEW Class Objects using the Get Property Value.vi and the Set Property Value.vi.

 

After much toil with this subject, I've finally come to the conclusion that I cannot get a LabVIEW Class Object from TestStand using LabVIEW. I've tried both the Get Property Value.vi and a combination of property and invoke nodes to no avail.

 

Capture.PNG

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13 Kudos
nclark

Highlight Broken Steps and Sequences with Errors

Status: New Submitted by Member on 10-01-2019 04:52 PM Comment

TestStand is in dire need of a way to quickly and effectively find broken steps in long sequences.

 

I'm working on large sequence files which often call and utilize other long sequences. Needless to say, I often need to address steps which have become broken due to code rework. As of now (TS 2017), there are only two ways for me to know if a step will not run.

  1. Text is red within the Step Settings window.
  2. Sequence Analyzer reports an Error.

I would like to suggest a third option, one that would be more readily available than either of the other two options. If the step itself was highlighted, text reddened, or somehow otherwise flagged as an error, then the operator won't have to hunt through each of the step settings windows or the sequence analyzer results. All the operator would have to do is open the sequence file and notice that a step appears out of place.

 

It would be nice if sequences could also show if they have broken steps.

 

Included is an example of how this might look.

 

TS_errors_are_highlighted.png

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0 Kudos
nclark

Override a Type Def to Cluster Pass - LabVIEW Action Steps

Status: New Submitted by Member on 10-01-2019 03:28 PM 2 Comment

I'm working extensively with LabVIEW VIs and Test Stand, and one of the most helpful features existing is the ability to configure a TestStand type to pass its data to and from a LabVIEW Cluster.

 

I think a great way to expand upon this would be to allow the developer to override specific variables within the LabVIEW cluster.

 

For instance, say I have defined a TestStand type with 5 total variables, all of which may pass to a LabVIEW cluster. If my LabVIEW cluster has at least the same number and type of variables, then this cluster passing has no issue.

 

However, if my LabVIEW cluster has 6 variables, then the TestStand type can only account for its defined five variables, and I am effectively locked out from the sixth variable. I cannot edit the sixth variable, nor can I assign it a default value (see Ex1_broken.PNG)

 

This wouldn't cause an issue if I could override specific variables within the cluster passing. That is to say, if I were given access to that sixth variable from the example, then I could assign it to a local variable. The other five variables would still be satisfied by the TestStand type, and no errors should be generated by the step. (see Ex1_fixed.PNG for what I envision this to look like)

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1 Kudos
JonP

Remove need for AxExecutionViewMgr.ConnectExecutionView() in custom UI

Status: New Submitted by Member on 09-10-2019 06:14 AM Comment

In a custom UI I currently need to have two AxSequenceView controls to display sequences:

  1. Connected to the AxSequenceFileViewMgr. This shows the static view of the sequence file and is where you can attach the debug context menu to loop selected steps etc.
  2. Connected to the AxExecutionViewMgr. This shows exactly the same view of the sequence file during execution, with just an additional "Status" column with the result status of each executed step. You can toggle a breakpoint by clicking in the margin but can not select steps or operate a debug context menu here.

Of course I could display both views in the UI but this feels illogical for the user, so I prefer to show only one and switch between them according to context. However this presents problems:

  1. As this post (not one of mine!) says, you have to display the SequenceFileViewMgr view after loading a program because the Execution View would be blank, and then switch to the Execution View when the program is running.
  2. You have to switch back to the Sequence File view when the program ends in order to re-enable the debug context menu. This means that the step statuses disappear before the user has a chance to look at them in detail. It also means that the new view is not aligned to the execution view (i.e. the first visible step is different) - this may be solvable with a lot of programming but I haven't worked out how!.

It feels to me that it would be better for the API to provide a single view of the sequence file that has the debug facilities available, with a status column that is blank (and gets reblanked at the start of every execution). My UI code would be considerably simplified!

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1 Kudos
knight4

Button timeout on Message Popup step

Status: New Submitted by Member on 09-04-2019 11:24 AM Comment

Could some distinction be made between a button timeout and a button press, on a Message Popup step? Step.Result.ButtonHit returns the same value regardless. Perhaps return a negative value for a timeout, and a positive one for a button press?

 

Thanks 

Bruce

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162 Kudos
dotNet_to_LabW

Dark theme (background) color for TestStand and MAX

Status: Under Consideration Submitted by Member on 05-17-2019 06:37 AM 16 Comment

Hello,

Many SW-Tool providers have realized that how comfortable it is for a programmeruser to work with dark backgrounds. Microsoft did it in 2013 for visual studio and now browser companies are doing the same. Unfortunately, I can Change background color of MAX and TestStand. This makes longer working painful for eyes.

 

An example of such a bakground is attached with the message.

 

Such a feature will improve ergonomics.

 

Thank you

Regards

Ricky

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