Better expose the option to customize the TestStand menus and toolbar

[Al.B]

I have noticed that many TestStand users are not aware that the sequence editor menu bar and tool bar are fully customizable.  This option is fairly well hidden: You have to right click the toolbar (not a common operation) to access the "customize..." option.  There should be a way to access the Customize dialog from the TestStand Menus, perhaps in Configure:

It would also be nice if this was accessible from the UI configuration tab in the Sequence Editor options.

[AlejandroMartinezMeza]

Hi. I have tried to customize my Configure menu, but I do not think that I have that option enabled. I only have it in my Tools menu.

Do you think that is a version issue? (I have TestStand 2014)

[dug9000]

The tools menu menuitem is just for customizing the tools menu, not the sequence editor toolbars/menus. There is no menu item to customize the menuitems. The only way currently is to right-click on the toolbar/menu area.

Here's what it looks like when you right-click:

[AlejandroMartinezMeza]

I tried with the right click options but I did not find a way to customize my Configure menu.

I was asking for this option because I have a client's operation manual (just in paper) and in there I saw his Configure menu is customized.

But it is ok, thanks for the answer, I think I am going to customize my Tools menu with the new menu items, their functions should be the same.

[warren_scott]

That customization of the Configure menu came from having configuration entry points in the loaded process model.

Those come from process model sequences that are specified (through sequence properties) as configuration entry point sequences.

[dug9000]

warren is correct, menu items can also be added using process model entry points.

Just to clarify, there are at least 3 ways to customize the sequence editor menus.

1) Right-Click on toolbar in sequence editor and choose "Customize" - this only applies to the sequence editor. When in this mode a dialog displays and you can drag/drop re-order, insert and remove toolbar buttons and menu items, but only those that are built-in to the sequence editor, you can't add new custom items, though you can move around the placeholders for where new items are added via the process model entry point mechanism, look for menu items called <Entry Point Location - Execution> and <Entry Point Location - Configuration>.

2) Process model execution and configuration entry points - These are special sequences you can create in a process model, if you edit the sequence properties for a process model sequence you will see all of the various settings involved. These special entry point sequences show up in the corresponding menu locations you specify, both in the sequence editor, and in the custom user interfaces that ship with TestStand. Executing the menu item effectively executes the sequence.

3) Tools menu items - choose the "Customize" menu item in the Tools menu. This allows adding custom menu items to the Tools menu that will show up in both the sequence editor and the custom user interfaces that ship with TestStand.

Let me know if anyone has any questions about these and I will try to clarify.