NI TestStand Idea Exchange

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Kudos

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Boolean Arrays in AllOf, AnyOf, etc.

Custom TestStand UI suggestion.

I would like the same functionality as with Sequence Editor when double clicking on Sequence Call step (already configured) and it goes into the Subsequence directly and you can view the SubSequence.

I would like to see that functionality in the TestStand Custom UI when double clicking on the Sequence Call step with Sequence View Manager and it goes into the Subsequence so it can it viewed.

This would come in handy when debugging a subsequence and setting break points in the subsequence and then viewing variables during execution.

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Add plugin to Quick Drop for TestStand

When I get called to look at an issue that has occurred with a test, the account logged into TestStand is typically a restricted user (i.e. Operator). Since the Operator account has very limited options, in order to really do much immediate troubleshooting I need to stop the test and re-run it in the Administrator account. At best this is inconvenient and inefficient if the spot the error occurred is late in the test. However, it is extremely frustrating when it's an intermittent run-time error and I can't do any real-time debug because Operator is logged in. The only real alternative I can think of (when the problem is intermittent) is to leave it logged in as Administrator so I can debug whenever it happens to occur. This is not really an acceptable practice in most cases.

It would be fantastic if there were an override that let's an Administrator provide the proper credentials to perform the desired task that would normally be off-limits to the Operator. The basic premise of this suggestion is similar to the functionality within Windows; if you try to connect to a secured location or perform a task that requires administrator privileges, a dialog box pops up asking you to enter authorized credentials.

I run into many situations where I wish this feature was present. The issue is not always within TestStand (could be a database connection issue, etc.), but it is TestStand that throws the error and in Operator mode the only option is "Run Cleanup". Significant time, effort, frustration, and efficiency could be saved if I could simply enter my credentials as an administrator to perform the tasks I need to do.

Regards

On an unrelated side note, I find it humorous that "TestStand" is considered a misspelled word when using the forum spell checker. 🙂

Currently you can right click the insertion palette and change the position / menu items that are shown / hidden in the insertion palette from a context based dialog box. (can also be done from the same box in the type palettes view).

It would be useful to be able to modify this programatically.

Currently you can only programatically play with the typepalettefilelist from the engine property object and insert new ones or remove old ones.

If a sequence file is loaded that has a step type in it that is not currently loaded by a type palette file, then it shows up in the insertion palette (as it should do), but if the testexec.ini file says this should be set to "hide" then it is hidden.

Thoughts

Thanks
Sacha

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Match PCRE Regular Expression Function

I would love native support of regular expressions (PCRE regex) in TestStand expressions, with the ability to output captured groups.

For instance, hypothetically:

Number EvaluateRegex(String string, String pattern, Number indexToSearchFrom = 0, Boolean ignoreCase = False, Array CapturedGroups)

I have successfully implemented a sequence to perform Microsoft's version of regex evaluation...

...but it takes several steps and uses Microsoft's flavor of regular expression syntax. This is frustrating for me because I already use moderately complex PCRE expressions all the time, and Microsoft's syntax varies enough to present an additional learning curve. It's also much more cumbersome that just using a native TestStand function within an expression.

My idea is similar to this one, but I'm looking for a function. Whenever people ask for regex support on the forums, it seems that workarounds are presented using simple string functions, but these don't cover my more advanced use cases.

Since day one of using TestStand I have been looking for this feature and I have always wondered why it is absent.

Thank you,

Mr. Jim

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Often times a sequence file ends up containing dozens (or even hundreds) of sequences. Currently they all show up in the sequence editor Sequence Window as a flat list. It sure would be nice to view them organized in folders so that, for instance, all my sequences dealing with Rs485 communications or whatever could be group together in a "folder" called "RS485". Also it would be great if there was a displayable property for each sequence showing the date/time last modified. Then you could sort the list on that and see which sequences have changed. (really helpful if you have multiple guys who might be making changes.)

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Add Debugging feature: Execute to cursor

It would be nice to have the same debug feature like in Visual Studio

There is a possibility to run/execute to cursor's position.

At the monent there is only "set next step to cursor" but this is not compareable with this feature.

Well, I know could set another breakpoint and resume to it. But most times i will forget to delete it....

So why not this stuff ?

Regards

Juergen

See last changes at Undo Button

During development of sequences I often do "trivial" changes in order to check parts of the sequence that I do not want to save afterwards (e.g set Run Modes of steps to Skip). It would be very helpful to see the last changes that can be undone before clicking the Undo-Button arrow (the same applies for the Redo Button of course). This feature would have two major advantages, since one could...

... decide whether it makes sense to save the last changes or whether those were only for trial reasons and hence should be neglected
... undo several changes in one step

This is implemeted in Microsoft Office programs for example (see screenshot from MS Excel) and I use it there pretty often.

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Beable to Group variables

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FTP: Specify settings by expression

If you have lot of code between an if, else, end statement steps (and other flow control structures for, foreach, while, and etc.), it would be nice to roll all that up so you can see more of the flow of the sequence. This will also help to know what steps are in those structures in large sequences. TestStand already has some code folding in the sequence, so this is an expansion of this. Many text and code editors have this feature and it would be a great feature for TestStand.

TestStand Taskbar Jump List

Context Aware AutoComplete

Background --

I LOVE the autocomplete feature within any of the formula windows. Start typing Locals.F, and it allows you to autocomplete to Locals.Foo.

However, if you have Locals.Foo1, Locals.Foo2, Locals.Foo3, etc, you need to keep typing until you get enough to uniquely match the one you want, or start using the arrow keys in the list (or select with a mouse).

The problem is that if you just type Locals.F, the list of items that shows up is the entire list of Locals.*, in the order they are in Locals.* In reality, once I've typed Locals.F, I should only get the locals variables that start with F, so I don't need to down arrow through all the other Locals.Bar1, Locals.Bar2 that are inbetween Locals.Foo1 and Locals.Foo2 (because for some weird reason I really want the order of my locals variables to be Foo1, Bar1, Bar2, Foo2, Foo3).

So, let's restrict the autocomplete function to only show the items that match what I have already typed, or at least regroup the matching variables at the top of the list so they are easier to select from.

Even better would be to have it context aware. If the formula I am typing is "Locals.MyNumber = 3.1415 * Locals.F", and Locals.Foo1 is a string, Locals.Foo2 is an array of booleans, and Locals.Foo3 is a number, then it should skip over Locals.Foo1 and Foo2 because the context requires a number. Foo1, Foo2, Foo3 should all be in the list of items to choose from if I want to arrow up or down in the list (or use a mouse to select), but Foo3 should be the "defaulted" item that is used if I just hit enter after Locals.F.

Hi,

As in the subject: Get the focus out from the OK button in the Expression Browser window.

Now, when you write an expression in the Expression Browser and you'd like to go to new line by hitting Enter, instead of going to new line the Expression Browser closes down.

O course we can use Shift+Enter combination to get to the new line, but the habit is to hit the Enter key.

However, if the focus would be not on the OK button but inside of Expression window the problem would dissapear.

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NI TestStand Idea Exchange

Boolean Arrays in AllOf, AnyOf, etc.

Double Clicking on Sequence Call Step in Custom UI

Add plugin to Quick Drop for TestStand

Extend the Multi-Numeric Step type to the Multi-Measurement with string and Boolean comparisons.

Implement "Administrator Override" option

optional Autosave for the sequence editor

API for the insertion palette for step types

Match PCRE Regular Expression Function

Organize sub-sequences in a sequence file more like file directory structure

Create a way to use the find/replace tool to select actual steps in the TestStand sequence editor instead of just listing matching text values in the find window

Add Debugging feature: Execute to cursor

See last changes at Undo Button

Include Wait(x mSec) or Delay(x mSec) operation

Beable to Group variables

FTP: Specify settings by expression

Add code folding to flow control sections of steps.

TestStand Taskbar Jump List

Context Aware AutoComplete

add check for obsolete methods/properties/events to Sequence Analyzer

Get the focus out from the OK button in the Expression Browser window.