NI TestStand Idea Exchange

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In the first TestStand tutorial, one suggestion for tracking local variable values is to apply a breakpoint to the code, then step through the execution and observe the variable values on the Variables tab in the Execution window. One problem I see with this is that with each Step Over in the execution, the focus switches back to the Steps tab. I have to keep switching back to the Variables tab to see the values. And this method is taught in the NI tutorial.

Perhaps NI can provide a way to lock focus on one of the tabs, in this case Variables, as we step through the execution (such as when debugging code). Maybe allow the user to jump to another view manually, but then set the focus such as when the next Step is requested, the view automatically jumps back to the view that was set in focus lock. This would make such a method truly helpful when debugging a TestStand sequence.

TortoiseSVN is an easy to use Source Code Control tool. However, it needs a MSSCC API plugin in order to be integrated with TestStand. On NI web page, PushOK is listed as a tested plugin with TortoiseSVN by NI tech team. PushOK is made by a Russian company. Another AgentSVN plugin is made by an Australia company. From an end user perspective, the time zone difference will cause some difficulty to access tech support in case it is needed. I used TamTamSVN 1.4.9 plugin for TortoiseSVN integration with TestStand and it worked fine. TamTamSVN plugin is made by an US company located near NYC area. I will suggest NI Tech team to test TamTamSVN plugin for TortoiseSVN integration with TestStand to ensure its features and functionality are acceptable to NI applications. If it pass the test, please add it into tested list.

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Add Wait function in Operators/Functions

When running teststand deployment licence there is no Teststand GUI available to set or configure Results Processing.

I think it should be easy to export the active configuration to file. And then have a property loader type step to load the settings back into the sequence at runtime on the deployed machine. Note in my case I want to run different sequences with different reporting requirements on the same deployment PC.

I have found https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-32076
and after more stuffing around than was justified I have got it working with TestStand 2014.

Also it should be much easier to specify a relative UDL file.

I resolved this by adding an expression after ReadEx that was:

Parameters.ModelPlugin.PluginSpecific.Options.ConnectionString="\"FILE NAME="+Left(RunState.SequenceFile.Path, Find(RunState.SequenceFile.Path, "\\", 0, True, True)) +"\\60467Database.udl\""

This means I can select an absolute path to the UDL file in the development directory on my laptop and then use a relative to sequence path in the deployment.

I feel there should be an more obvious way or am I missing something?

We have a custom TestStand UI, where we display some DUT specific waveforms. These waveforms derive from a custom step type which returns an array of waveforms, whereas these will be stored in a TestStand variable type LabVIEWAnalogWaveform.

To pass these waveforms to the GUI, we have to basically build up the waveform again in the GUI, because the representation of the waveforms are different in TS and LV 😞 This is a time-consuming operation. As I know, the only problem is the different representation of t0 --> this is a string in TS, but a timestamp in LV.

There must be a way to pass waveforms from TS to a custom GUI. Either changing the t0 representation in TestStand, or using an automatic conversion.

The return value of PropertyObject.GetValVariant could be simply type casted back to array of waveforms...

Madottati

HEX formatting a string result

When creating an MNL step, and you've created a long list of limits (and unfortunately, had to specify the datasource for each measurement) it would be really nice to be able to right click, copy and paste (or have more buttons on the limits tab that do this). It would be really nice to be able to multiple select lots of these and just paste them and modify them as needed. It's cool that it copies the limits, comparison type, etc. from the measurement above when you add a new one, but it would be REALLY cool if you could copy and paste entire limits by selecting which ones. Would save lots of time in some instances.

TestStand API SearchDirectory objects in TestStand have the following writeable properties:

Disabled
ExcludeFileExtension
ExcludeHiddenSubdirectories
FileExtensionRestrictions
Path
SearchSubdirectories

When you use the SearchDirectories.Insert method to add a new search directory, you can only specify the following for the new search directory:

Disabled

ExcludeFileExtension

FileExtensionRestrictions

Path

SearchSubdirectories

It would be really nice if the SearchDirectories.Insert method also had an additional input parameter for setting the ExcludeHiddenSubdirectories property for the new search directory. This would result in a more consistent interface and fewer API calls when working with new search directories.

The TestStand search directories dialog appears to add and remove items by adding or removing entries to and from the TestExec.ini file directly. This poses a problem because it isn't using the TestStand API to manipulate search directories. This results in a difference in behavior between the API and the dialog. In the case of the dialog, you can add search directory entries that don't exist (invalid paths) but with the API, you can't do so. It would be really nice if either:

1. The search directory dialog used the TestStand API for adding and removing entries (so that there isn't a discrepancy in behavior)

2. The TestStand API allowed addition of non-existent (invalid) search directory paths

It is convenient for me to have search directory entries that are invalid so that my deployments will run on either Windows 7 or Windows XP rather than having to create a separate deployment for each operating system. You can obviously do that through the TestStand search directories dialog. However, that is not possible if you attempt to do it programmatically through the TestStand API.

In addition to using the search directories dialog, I also have a utility that can be used to programmatically modify the search directory entries. Because the TestStand API throws errors if you try to add a search directory entry that is an invalid path, the utility often ends up modifying more than the user-requested changes (by being forced to remove invalid paths that were configured previously through the search directories dialog).

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Jump to desired row number / Step Number

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Alternative/extention for AnyOf command

Hi,

Now when devs want to do the OR-like logical operation ob their objects they have to do it in one of the ways presented

Locals.MyString="AAA" || Locals.MyString="BBB" || Locals.MyString="CCC"

AnyOf(Locals.MyString="AAA",Locals.MyString="BBB",Locals.MyString="CCC")

Wouldn't be better if devs could use SQL-like syntax like, for example, below:

Locals.MyString IN ("AAA","BBB","CCC")

Locals.MyString=("AAA"||"BBB"||"CCC")

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NI TestStand Idea Exchange

Preloading Modules - Get information about unloaded module(s)

Locking focus in the TestStand Execution window.

Test TamTam plugin to support TortoiseSVN integration with TestStand

Coloured Lines or Hidden Content for Nested Loops

Add an Operator /Function to convert values(Numeric,string etc) to dotnet object and viceversa

Add Teststand type libraries to give namespace to types.

TestStand Deployment Utility: Clear ReloadLastWorkspaceAtStartup option

Add Wait function in Operators/Functions

Precondition on Multiple Numeric Limit Test for each measurement

Export Result Processing Active Configuration

More Options in Include Step Results for Report Options

Enable passing LabVIEW Waveform from TestStand to UI

HEX formatting a string result

Add capability to copy and paste Limits in Multiple Numeric Limit Test

SearchDirectories.Insert method should have additional input parameter for excluding hidden subdirectories

TestStand search directories dialog should use TestStand API when adding/removing items rather than adding/removing entries to/from TestExec.ini file

Developers should be able to edit the sequence file whilst executing.

Jump to desired row number / Step Number

New feature proposal: access control to the variable during the execution.

Alternative/extention for AnyOf command