File Diff/Merge hangs

[PatSpring]

My File Diff/Merge hangs displaying a dialog titled "Diffing Status" with status of "Calculating Differences..." and a cancel button. I let it set for several minutes and also tried turning off On-Access virus scanning.  Clicking cancel is ignored. Have to stop the application via Task Manager.

I tried making to sequences that just had a label in each and I get the same results.

TestStand 2013

Windows 7 64bit

Dell M4800

[B_Sherm]

Was the File Diff/Merge working properly and now it is not working? If so, what has changed in that time?

If it never worked before, it could be that it was corrupt from the install. You can go into Control Panel >> National Instruments Software >> NI Teststand 2013 >> Repair. Browse to the install file whether it is on hard disk from downloading from ni.com/downloads or if you have it on a disc. Make sure that the Tools portion is selected. This should repair the File Diff/Merge. 

[hsalem]

I get this problem as well, with TestStand 2014 and 2014 SP1.

Here's a screenshot:

The "Diffing Status" box can be moved around freely. Opening Task Manager shows the program running normally. Hitting the Cancel button does nothing, I can only shut it off from Task Manager.

File Differ works fine when setting TestStand 2013 as Active from the TestStand Version Selector.

I tried repairing both TestStand 2013 and TestStand 2014 SP1, didn't help. Apparently File Differ.exe is only installed with 2013.

[hsalem]

Nevermind my previous post, it's been resolved. I had to install the latest TestStand 2013 patch (SP1 f3 I believe). Works now.

[wiltdavi]

Did you ever get it to work in 2014 SP1?  I have getting the same issue currently and it was previously working.  I think it stopped working when I upgraded from 2014 to 2014 SP1 but I do not know for certain.

[hsalem]

I got the same results, TestStand 2014 SP1 causes the same old hangup. I'll let you know if I manage to fix it.

[wiltdavi]

I opened a ticket with NI on this issue also.  I think it might have to do with some combination of NI software installed on the system becaues I found one of our systems that is at 2014 SP1 and the File Diff/Merge works.  I know it is not a corupted tool because I tried coping the exe from the working system to the hanging system and this did not resolve the issue.  I believe this stopped working when I upgraded to 2014 SP1 from 2014.  This was previously work on this system.

I will post anything I hear back from NI.

[dug9000]

Have you tried using the version selector to re-register the verison of TestStand you are using? Are you launching the differ from the launcher exe (i.e. the one the shortcut in the start menu points to) or filediffer.exe directly from the bin folder? Whichever you are doing, have you tried the other?

Thanks for any info.

-Doug

[wiltdavi]

So the shortcut in the start menu points to the exe I was using directily: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\Shared\TestStand\FileDifferLauncher.exe.  I tested it both from executing this exe directly and from the short cut in the start menu and get the same result.  I am not aware of anything located in a Bin folder.

I ran the re-registration as you suggested and now it does not work at all.  When I try to execute the above VI I now get an error saying "The currently registered version of TestStand does not have a differ".  I verified TestStand still opens and runs correctly.

[wiltdavi]

Just to provide an update.  I had to close my service request for this issue before it was resolved because the system with the issue was repurposed to a different project and when doing this the system was re-imaged.