Custom Data Type Change Breaks Operator Interface

[mku]

Hi

TestStand 2017 and Engine 2017 (17.0.0.184) 32 bit.

We are making TestStand drivers that are being called from production test programs.

In a container type definition we add a new field in the container - keeping the existing fields unchanged and update the type definition version.

When we open the calling test program in the sequence editor we get the expected change asterix (*) after the sequence file name.

If we try to run the test program from our operator interface we get a type conflict error.

We are pretty sure that this were not a problem in our previously used TestStand 2014 as long as we only added fields to type definitions and kept the ones that were there before.

This is a pretty big problems for us, since this prevents us from adding fields to used data types without having to update all the calling programs, which we potentially have a lot of.

Any ideas, suggestions, solutions ??

KR Michael

[jeannette9728miller]

To @mku,

Ensure that when you update a container type definition and increase its version, all calling test programs are aware of and compatible with this new version. Before running a test program from the operator interface, ensure that the interface and all connected modules (such as the TestStand Engine) are updated to handle the latest version of the container type. Implement a robust configuration management process where changes to type definitions are tracked and communicated effectively across all relevant components (test programs, operator interfaces, etc.). If possible, design your updates to maintain backward compatibility with existing test programs until they can be updated. Prior to deployment, thoroughly test the updated type definitions and their impact on all connected systems.

[mku]

Hi Jeannette

Thanks for your answer. I'm sure that all versions are the same except for the custom data type that I have updated with from a container with one field, "A" as a number to contain two numbers "A" and "B". The data type version has also been updated.

Prior versions of TestStand were able to load and execute a program made with the initial version only containing "A", even if the container has been updated to have "A" and "B", in the Operator Interface (OI). This is not possible in version 2017 of TestStand. If I open the test program in the TS 2017 editor and save it, it works fine. The problem is that I do not want to open and save the program before running it in the OI - but this is not possible in this version of TS, hence the Q in the user forum.

Kr Michael