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Load Schemas Programmatically

Hello,

It would be nice if there were an easy means of programmatically loading a database schema for result processing.

Here's my context for asking:

We have a custom database schema that must be loaded on all of our stations and we'd prefer that it "just works" when our customized database result processing plugin is loaded.

I managed to accomplish this by studying the format of TestStandDatabaseSchemas.ini and writing a parser to insert our schema as necessary. This was a bit painful, though, and the possibility of the format changing without notice has crossed my mind.

Thanks as usual to the R&D team. (Assuming this idea gets some traction! )

Kind regards,

Mr. Jim

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Hi,

Several years that I'm facing this issue : I'd love to be able to rename a file when building my TestStand project image.

It would be particularly nice to ease the installation of a Type Palette thanks to this feature (taken from TS help):

TestStand also searches the TypePalettes directory for type palette files with the Install_ prefix. When TestStand finds a type palette file to install with a base filename that is not the same as any existing type palette file, TestStand removes the Install_prefix and adds the type palette to the type palette list. When TestStand finds a type palette file to install with a base filename that matches an existing type palette, TestStand merges the types from the install file into the existing type palette file and deletes the install file. This method is better than modifying the existing type palette file because this method is more modular and flexible for deployment and updates.

So, in my project I made a type palette file xxx.ini. When deploying this file, I'd love to rename it Install_xxx.ini so TS can install/merge it on the destination computer !

This is just an example of the use case, it could be applied to any file within my deployement image.

I am a AE here in the UK. Just had a customer with TestStand.

He was given a project to do in TestStand that was estimated 5 days to develop, but his managers told him to add another 5 days on just for deployment of the system, mainly because they have issues deploying the system.

The problem was including a DLL in the Workspace. Of course this is very easy to do, but they were expecting that it would automatically add the DLL to the workspace when in the sequence they were calling it, given how powerful TestStand is.

Would it be wise to add this small feature into TestStand to smoothen out the process of deployment for newer customers?

It looks like it's a widerspread issue due to the fact that the manager would recommend 5 days for deployment due to experiences with previous projects. I understand to those who have used TestStand before may think it is not much to just add the DLL into the workspace, however adding an auto include feature would be nice and could even save newer engineers time.

In addition, he suggested including .NET and C++ installers because most of the Engineers he knows use these instead of LabVIEW.

Let me know what you think of this Idea.

Daniel

(This idea was created as response to this discussion board topic: https://forums.ni.com/t5/NI-TestStand/ExpandPathMacros-FindFile/m-p/3767542#M56811)

The commands "Engine.FindFile", "Engine.FindPath" and "Engine.ExpandPathMacros" only support one macro:

$(Platform)

but there are other generic paths that could be helpful e.g. when trying to call a third-party .dll (that's my main usecase) or write a logfile:

-------

$(commonprogramfiles) - The actual folder name varies depending on Windows language settings and bitness. No absolute paths possible but a lot third-party .dlls are here.

$(temp)

$(localappdata)

$(appdata)

$(user)

$(public)

$(MyData) - The actual folder name varies depending on current user and Windows language settings

It hopefully shouldn't be too hard to access the windows functions which get the actual names via macros.

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Hi all,

There are times, for instance, when I am paused at a breakpoint and I want to copy the full name expression of some deeply nested variable that only appears at runtime.

I wish there was an option on the context menu that would allow me to copy the full path of some variable.

For instance, in the following illustration I want to be able to copy the string

"Parameters.ModelPluginConfiguration.Plugins[0].PluginSpecific.RuntimeVariables.PerSocket[0]"

I've added a context menu option called "Copy Path", but maybe that's the wrong nomenclature.

Am I ignorant of some functionality that already does this? (Besides typing it in the watch window?)

Thanks as usual,

Mr. Jim

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When TestStand launches, it determines the active LabVIEW version and copies the TestStand API VIs into <LabVIEW>\vi.lib\AddOns if not already present. (SOURCE)

I suggest there should be an additional step here and TestStand should call that LabVIEW version to mass compile these VIs.

Currently, the VI version remains unchanged which means when you open a LabVIEW code module which uses these, you'll sometimes find you have a 'dirty dot' due to unsaved changes because of the recompilation. It also means that you wouldn't be able to run a sequence using the LabVIEW Run-Time Engine until you've switched to Development and converted the VIs.

This is a minor annoyance but it would be nice if TestStand could cut out the additional version conversion step.

I do wonder whether the transfer of the TestStand API VIs into the vi.lib could actually occur when LabVIEW is installed if a TestStand installation is detected. Perhaps this might be relevant for other addons which existing LabVIEW installations have.

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The concept of TestStand Environments was introduced in TestStand 2016 and allows you to define multiple configurations on a single test station or development PC. It would be nice if there was an option to link a sequence file to a specific environment, similar to how you can set a sequence file to "Require Specific Model" In the Advanced tab of the Sequence File Properties. When a sequence file is loaded, the engine could check to see if the required environment matches the current environment and:

Automatically relaunch the app in the correct environment
Generate an error
Prompt the user for an action
Other??

It would be nice to choose the behavior when a required environment doesn't match.

If anyone has other thoughts or use cases, please share below.

-Trent

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Hi all,

Based on a lot of experimentation, there is no way at run-time to map a logical name to a VISA descriptor in the Session Manager API.

...at least not without adding an entry to NISessionMgr.ini.

[VISA Logical Names]
LittleOldComPort = "ASRL1::INSTR"

If I don't do this I can't open an instrument session. I'd still like to use the session manager, but use an external method to map my logical names. (e.g. a database, XML, or something a little less obscure than an .ini file buried in program files)

If the Session Manager is still a supported product, is it possible to add a method to add a logical names for VISA descriptors without using the INI file?

If there's already a way to do this, please excuse my ignorance.

Thanks as always,

Mr. Jim

Trying to minimize memory used by Teststand, I have selected from sequence properties "Disable Result Recording for All Steps". This works great except for sequence which DO need to record results. There is currently no way to override this sequence option to enable recording for the specific measurement steps. I would recommend added an option which allows the step to 'Override' the sequence disable result recording setting. In TestStand 2014 there is an option under the Step / Run Options / Result Recording Options to "Enabled (overriding sequence setting)" but this does NOT work to enable / override the sequence setting, the results don't get recorded. The only solution I found was to NOT enable the sequence "Disable Result Reporting" option on sequences with measurements, and select each step, disabling the Result Recording, except for the measurement steps.

In the first TestStand tutorial, one suggestion for tracking local variable values is to apply a breakpoint to the code, then step through the execution and observe the variable values on the Variables tab in the Execution window. One problem I see with this is that with each Step Over in the execution, the focus switches back to the Steps tab. I have to keep switching back to the Variables tab to see the values. And this method is taught in the NI tutorial.

Perhaps NI can provide a way to lock focus on one of the tabs, in this case Variables, as we step through the execution (such as when debugging code). Maybe allow the user to jump to another view manually, but then set the focus such as when the next Step is requested, the view automatically jumps back to the view that was set in focus lock. This would make such a method truly helpful when debugging a TestStand sequence.

Problem:

I create a model plugin and add some model callbacks to it. Then I want to access those model callbacks from my client file. I have to now add them to the process model so they show up in the list when I go to add callbacks. I get that I can add it as a blue sequence and it will work However, that is confusing to other developers if they don't know the plugin has the callback in it. It is painful to change the process model every time I create a new plugin because the process model could be used on hundreds of machines whereas my plugin may only be needed for 1 or 2 machines.

Solution:

Option 1: Show all callbacks from any plugins in the callback dialog list

Option 2: create a configurable list of model callbacks. Basically add any sequence files marked as model to the list and it will show all the callbacks from the sequence files in the list to the client, unless it cannot find the file in any search directory. Then it wouldn't show.

Option 3: From the add callback dialog allow the user to browse to a sequence file which contains model callbacks

I think adding this functionality will greatly help in making the plugins more abstracted from the process models. Just saying.

Cheers,

Redirecting particular Sequence by Name

Recently I am trying to customize process model and found somethig that may be useful for making fast process.

Here is the Idea.

Suppose I have ~20 sequence(Engine callback, Process model callback etc..). If i want to edit any one of this sequence than I have to scroll down and select particular sequence. Moreover, sometime if two or three sequence has same initial name than I have to increase the length of sequence column and find sequence of my interest.

but what if teststand has ability that i just give initial character and teststand redirect selection to the sequence starting with same character(like in windows or Step Type in teststand)

Greetings,

The current behavior of the Batch Synchronization options "One Thread Only (first thread executes step, remaining threads skip)" and "Serial (one thread at a time)" is that the threads wait at that step until all threads have gotten to that point before it executes using the selected behavior. It essentially has a rendezvous built into the step. There are many times when I want the first thread that encounters that step to perform the action immediately (and then continue, with other threads skipping that step) without waiting for the other threads to also get to that point in the test.

For example, I may have three threads running in the Batch model and when the first one gets to a certain point in the test I want it to perform some action (log activity, turn something on, etc.) that I only want to be done once. I can use the "One Thread Only" option, but this causes the test to pause until all of the threads have reached that point before it performs the action of the step (once). Additionally, the remaining threads also pause at that step until the first thread completes the activity. So the undesirable delay is twofold: the first thread doesn't run the step until the other threads have also reached that point, and the other threads now wait until that activity is completed before continuing.

It would be great to have the option to select how I want this to behave. If the rendezvous could be selectable then it would provide the desired functionality. I'm sure custom coding could create this effect somehow, but I don't see a straightforward way to have only one thread run a step (and others skip) without waiting for the other threads to arrive or the remaining threads to wait until the first completes. The "Serial" Batch Synchronization option can be implemented in a different way without major effort (using locks, rendezvous, etc.), but the "One Thread Only" with selectable rendezvous option is what is truly missing (and it may make sense to have it available for both).

NI TestStand Idea Exchange

Select VI PPL View

Load Schemas Programmatically

Add ability to rename a file when building the deployement

Auto include libraries/DLLs in TestStand Workspace after drag and drop for deployment

Additional macros for "Engine.FindFile", "Engine.FindPath" and "Engine.ExpandPathMacros"

NameOf() has the option to return the entire name

Copy Full Variable Name Expression From Context Menu

Message Popup step: Add Font Justification Setting

TestStand API LabVIEW VIs should be automatically mass compiled when copied into \vi.lib\AddOns

Highlight steps which reference a particular variable

Add a Menu for PropertyOption Constants in Functions that Use Them

Provide ability to link a Sequence File to a specific Environment File

Session Manager: Add VISA Logical Names at Run-Time Without INI File Entries

Preloading Modules - Get information about unloaded module(s)

Override sequence disable result recording on all steps

Locking focus in the TestStand Execution window.

Create a configurable Model Callback list

Redirecting particular Sequence by Name

Add Rendezvous option to Batch Synchronization selections

Allow model plugins access to Engine callbacks