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Kudos

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When building any type of distribution it would be nice to have the following actions

1) Pre-Image Build Script -> Execute windows command or batch file

2) Post-Image Build -> Execute windows command or batch file

3) Post-Distribution Build -> Execute windows command or batch file

The purpose of the three entry points is to allow the user to preform actions of their choosing.

Action #1 is to be run just prior to Starting Analysis to allow the user to preform any automated actions prior to analyzing the build project.

Action #2 is to be run after the deployment image structure and all files are created on disk but before the distribution package is create. The purpose of this action is to allow the user to inject any files, update files, preform verification or hashing and so on. In my specific use case, I need to create a file that has relative paths and a hash value for each file being deployed. This process is automated but currently run manually prior to a package build.

Action #3 is to be run after the Distribution package is made. Automate any file steps such as uploading the file to a network location, or generating an automated email.

Each action should call the script with parameters such as path info, deployment name or provide a list of variables that users can choose to have added to the command line for each action.

If the action script or command returns a non-zero value the Build process should terminate.

Re-Posted from (https://forums.ni.com/t5/NI-TestStand/TestStand-Deployment-Utility-Scripts/td-p/4373139)

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It would be nice to have an Auto-populating folder option for TestStand projects much the same way that LabVIEW project do.

Folders added to TestStand projects are snapshots of the folder's contents when added. Any files added to the folder on disk afterwards are not marked for inclusion with the deployment at analysis time. This behavior is fine as a default.

However, there are times when you do want to automatically include all files in a folder. Having an auto-populating folder option would mark the folder and all its contents for inclusion automatically with the deployment at analysis time. After analysis is over the user could still choose to uncheck any files they wish before selecting the build button.

From version to version, it's only natural that developers will be adding new files to established folders. Since the TestStand project doesn't aid in development activities, it's easy for folks to forget to add files while they're developing. We often have a faulty build or two with each release because necessary files aren't making it into the build. We ultimately have to delete the folders in the project and re-add them, then go through the hassle of fixing the paths and included files. An auto-populating folder option that integrates with the build utility would save us time and headaches.

I find myself creating arrays alot and I usually have the array already made in excel or note pad or another type of file in which the list might be around 20 or more entries. Now in the past I've come up with a simple way to import the arrayed data from a file, but however i don't believe everyone is doing this and generally I don't need the file in which gets imported (usually a simpler version of the master). So i suggest could we add the support to copy from excel or from notepad and paste special into an array.

Conclusion:

This idea might not be the best, fastest, or easiest way to import arrays from other programs, but the idea would be to find an easy way to import arrays.

Thanks,

Provide error logging

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Did not know where to put this idea since NI Requirements Gateway Tool is not listed anywhere in Idea Labels.

Since IBM is phasing out Rational Requisite Pro (end of life) and replacing it with IBM Requirements Composer, NI should provide capability to interface with at least with IBM Requirements Composer and other current Requirements Management Tools that are commercially available today. NI also should provide some kind of tools that create ATML test descriptions from the Requirements Management Tools or tools like Rhapsody that can automatically generate test sequence files for TestStand.

The Update VI Calls tool only works on sequence files right now. I'd like it to also work on Step Types in type palettes.

Here's the situation where it would be useful for me: I'm working on a set of custom step types for a customer, which use VIs as Edit-Substeps and Post-Substeps. Some of these VIs are shared between multiple step types.

The issue that I'm having is that if a customer requests a change to one of these shared VIs (for instance, to add another input or output), then I have to go through and manually update all of the substeps in all of the referencing step types. I've already had a situation where I missed an update of an edit substep. This didn't show up in our automated testing, because it is only run at edit time, but caused an error for the customer which they didn't know how to interpret. Our testing process now has to include manual opening of every single edit substep to make sure they all still work before every release.

As part of my validation before a release to the customer, I run the Update VI Calls tool to make sure that there are no broken VIs in the sequence files I'm shipping. The Update VI calls tool already makes sure that I've updated any step modules, but it doesn't catch if I've forgotten to update a Step Type's substeps.

And yes, I know, I could write my own tool to traverse a type palette and do the updating myself, but I'd like to see this integrated into the existing tool.

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Sequence File Validation

Add plugin to Quick Drop for TestStand

When profiling an sequence, it's would be useful if also the version of .NET DLL that was loaded/unloaded could be displayed in the report in a new column next to Item Name. I have not found a way to do do this. I think this would be helpful to be able to compare performance of different versions of DLL:s, and also when troubleshooting sequences (e.g. when adding search directories and wrong version of a DLL is used by mistake).

Currently the only way I found to see version loaded was using tools like Visual Studio or Process Explorer, but that's run time, requiring breakpoints etc - the above approach would provide an better overview of the execution, and is more convenient.

At our facility, we have a shared Users.ini file on a network that is used by all test systems in our entire organization (somewhere between 150 and 200 systems). It contains hundreds of different users and many different user groups and its contents change frequently. I recently upgraded to a newer version of TestStand and learned that a single Users.ini cannot be used by multiple versions of TestStand; it can only be used by the version of TestStand in which it was created (or saved, when upgrading).

This is problematic because it means I have to maintain multiple Users.ini files for the different versions of TestStand in use at my facility; whenever I need to make a user change, instead of changing it in one location, I have to make the same change in multiple Users.ini files. Because there is a mixture of TestStand versions in use at my facility, it would be really nice if different versions of TestStand were able to use the same Users.ini file.

Why restrict to load the type pallets always from <user or NI>…Components\TypePalettes folder?

It will be very helpful I can configure my path to the load my custom type pallets, this will resolve the issue handling different type Palettes for different customers / projects / sequences.

Or even better, if given the option to associate the type pallet to sequence files / sequence model. Just like Edit -> Sequence File Properties -> Model Option -> Require specific model.

Hello,

I had recentlty to modify the public interface of one of my custom step.

The automatic type conflict detection diden't work ! I had to modify all my sequence file manually, by only launch the "reload prototype" !

(All versions of my custom step has been upgraded in order to generate a conflict !)

So, i thaught, i could use the "sequence file converter tool" to upgrade existing sequence files ...

But no !

The sequence file converter only converts the properties which cannot be modified by the final user. (The one who write sequences)

=> The NI Answer is : All properties that could be modified on a step instance, will not be upgraded by the sequence file converter.

So, neither the default action will never be upgraded, nor all properties ....

AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ! What can i do for my customer hundred of sequenceFiles ....

So, I had customized my custom step in order to lock all properties for the end user (Disable properties) ...

I thaught the Sequence file converter will detect that the step instances could not be modified ... and then it will do the right work !

Even with this lock, the sequence converter don't upgrade my existing sequences !

The NI answer to my problem is : You should do it right from the begining !

It is well known that the projects need didn't change during the software life cycle !!!!!!

So i decide to do my own sequence file converter for my application ... and it works fine ... but i think this need is general ... and could be integrated into TestStand.

I would like, in the sequenceFileConverter, to be abble to :

Select a path which contains recursively many sequences
Select a or multiple CustomSteps to upgrade
And launch an automatic "Force upgrade"

The tool could ask other options like ...

Keep properties or apply default
Updgrade action interface or not
keep existing parameters, and initialize default parameters with default values
Apply default parameters

I know very well that the behaviour of such a tool would need many parameters in order to handle all needs.

But, this could be done in many times ...

The first need is something like an automatic prototype reload, with existing parameters reusing, and default values for type mismatch, or new parameters.

Thanks for help.

Manu.

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Professional Development package should include source code control (SCC) and Requirements Gateway right out of the box.

I know that bundled SCC was a problem in the past that NI wants to avoid, but I feel that a "Professional" development system isn't very professional without it and Requirements Gateway. However, It is very difficult and painful for me to get separate funds approved for important items that really needs to be already there right out of the box.

I already use free SVN, but TestStand does not recognize it, so it is not "integrated".

Eugene

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Modifying names in interface are never good idea, but some times it is must.

No matter is the change made in LabVIEW Front Panel or in TestStand type cluster mapping. Or the cluster type is changed for some other reason. The changes needs to be applied in LabVIEW module call parameters.

When you have multiple sequence files and multiple calls to same VI or with same cluster type in each of them, you would not really want to go trough the steps one by one.

Ideas:

- Cluster mapping changes apllied with LabVIEW Protorype reload

- Cluster mapping changes applied to hole sequence file or/and to all same VI calls in the sequence file

- Need of cluster mapping change applying notified with Analyzer

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When user opens the Offline Processing Utility and at the same time starts to type on the keyboard the user can accidently rename the profile.

(Attached a screen-recording to visualize)

It would be great if there was no selected row or column when starting/opening ORPU. The renaming of the profile disturbs the production since the database logging will not work as expected.

When we start ORPU we already have the '/tray' enabled but somehow its still possible to accidently rename the Profile.

Add feature to allow commands and sequences created in Tools->Customize->Customize Tool Menu->Add Tools Menu Item.
When customer creates a command or sequence in this section he would like to put it in the toolbar for quick access , TestTand does not allow this task. TestStand allows the toolbar customization for items that are TS native basically

NI TestStand Idea Exchange

TestStand Deployment Utility Scripts

Add an "Insert Folder From Disk (Auto-Populating)..." option to projects for Improved Deployment Experience

Analzye a Subsequence within the Main Sequence

Copy and Paste from other programs into Arrays

teststand property search please

Provide error logging

Expand NI Requirements Gateway Tool to interface with latest Requirements Management Tools

Make Update VI Calls Tool Work on Type Palettes

Sequence File Validation

Make watch expressions savable and loadable

Add plugin to Quick Drop for TestStand

Teststand Execution Profiler - add loaded DLL version info

Make Users.ini files shareable by different versions of TestStand

Option to load Type pallets from the User defined Path

Smarter Sequence file converter ...

Professional Development package should include source code control (SCC) and Requirements Gateway

Apply Cluster Passing Changes - Improvements

No selection of any field inside Offline Processing Utility (ORPU) when application starts

Add feature to allow commands and sequences created in Tools->Customize->Customize Tool Menu->Add Tools Menu Item

Add ability to install and manage addons for TestStand