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Some test sequencing tools incorporate the idea of configuration based variant handling, where you could define different test variants (e.g. testing at ambient temperature, hot, cold), each variant having it's own set of test limits.

Individual test steps can then be assigned to the previously defined variants. By chossing the desired test variant, the according steps will be executed without having the need to implement additional logic within the sequence.

When LV throws an error, it's all very easy to catch via callback and/or is auto propigated through the system to Runstate.SequenceError etc.so it can be detected.

When LV throws a warning... the data doesn't seem to go much of anywhere in TS... and unlike LV it doesn't propigate from step to step either.

I'd like to catch and log these warnings in my error handlers (naturally with different logic, but I don't want to lose the data either, it's important sometimes!)

from poking around, it looks like my options are:

(1) creating a custom steptype wrapper around all LabVIEW step calls,

(2) editing each VI called by TS manually

(3) some fun expression(s) in the 'add additional result' or 'post expressions' sectionsof each LV step, to create new variables in TS on the fly... (or using a post-step callback to do the same)

It would be nice if the LV adapter / LV steptypes had some native way of catching this 'almost error' behavior and getting it into the report at least. I don't know if leaning on the error callback is the right answer, since, afterall, these aren't errors... but having a warning callback feels too LV specific...

How about a checkbox in the LV adapter, where you could specify 'treat warnings like errors' and then in the Error callback you could check to see if the bool was false, and punt as desired?

Is there something I'm not seeing that would be a better solution?

--Elaine R.

Browse path directly from Testand

Hi there !

I am a super noob with Teststand, so please be lenient ! I wonder why, as we can do it with LabVIEW, there is no way to browse path from Testand to fill a variable or an input of a step ? The idea : rigth-click on the value then "Browse path..." (new option added because of the path type of the variable/input). Opening of the Windows Explorer with the "Select folder" option. Once clicked, this correctly formats and fills the field of the variable/input.

Thanks for reading,

Matthieu.

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When editing the Value text within Step Settings for a parameter, the Undo command completely reverts back to the state of the step prior to any entry modification. This is frustrating when a notable amount of code has been added/edited to an entry box and you want to "back up" a bit to a point somewhere between now and when you started editing. This functionality is already present in the expression browser: activating the Undo simply steps back into the process of the code you are writing. Can this functionality also be present in the Step Settings pane when entering code there? Once you press "Enter" to complete the entry, then the functionality could be as before (Undo reverts the entire edit). But when you're in the middle of typing code, Undo seems like it should just reverse the last steps of the code you are writing rather than completely abolish everything you've done during the edit.

Essentially, while actually editing the Value entry there should be a temporary Undo stack that is used for the text edits. This stack can be abolished and the main Undo Stack is resumed when the entry is submitted (press Enter, select a different field, etc.).

Imagine the scenario where you have some custom types files and you want to validate those types are in good shape. So you want to run the TestStand "Sequence" Analyzer utlity on them.

To do this, I need to create an arbitrary analyzer project, make sure it is configured to analyze the type palettes, and then run that analyzer project.

If I were doing a 1-off sequence file, I can just open the sequence file and click the Start Analysis button (don't need to create an analyzer project if I just want to accept all the normal defaults). However, if I open the types palette I can't select the types file I am interested in and just hit the Start Analysis button (it's disabled).

I'd love to be able to have the "start Analysis" button enabled and work if I am in the types palette, and have it just analyze the types file I have selected. Or analyze StationGlobals if I am in the station globals window. Or users configuration if I am in the user manager.

The default process models internally enable/disable the PostResultListEntry callbacks in ways that aren't intuitive to users seeking to quickly edit a callback to customize/override behavior.

It would be nice to see that instead of simply turning off the callback (leaving users to wonder why their override doesn't work like all the others, except if they read the help/ or think to turn on 'on the fly reporting') as part of the process model based on the options....

(1) leave the callbacks on and move the 'on the fly' logic into an IF defined section within the sequence

(2) make a second PostResultListEntrys style callback that's explicitly for 'on the fly' that is in addition to other PostResultListEntry behaviors that a user may want to enable/add.

I've had several customers now who have designed custom event loggers / reports around the ProcessModelPostStep callback (with some rather convoluted logic where they dig for results) simply due to the fact that they couldn't understand why their PostResultListEntry callbacks didn't work.... or that they didn't feel comfortable editing the process model in order to remove the logic that force the callback to be disabled when not 'on the fly' and also keep the 'on the fly' reporting unharmed if they want it later.

Cheers,

Elaine R.

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.

something Kekin proposed with the digital signature made me think, that it'd be nice if there was a means to suppliment/append to header/footer of reports in general without having to do it with raw statement steps... (and if this already exists I apologize for not checking first).

I think it'd be neat if there was an approach similar to the 'Additional Results' logic per step that's available. In the 'ModifyReportHeader' callback, or in the report options somewhere, a user would be able to supply the data within a certain list of available options/allowable types, and the report generator/DLL would handle the formatting/whitespace such that it works for txt/html/xml headers without the user having to do the formatting themselves. From my experience, most items added to headers consist of (1) supplimental string data, (2) supplimental numeric data (3) small images/logos(in the case of txt, maybe the alt text can be used, or just the path put into the file...?)

even if the new info was just tucked into the list/table before the failure chain block, it would be a nice time-saver for users who want a generic report but just have one more UUT detail that needs to show up in the header.

Prefix Dependencies for PPLs

There is a major flaw with packed project libraries in LabVIEW. That is that they pull the dependencies in to the same folder as the PPL. For example if you use advanced math functions then lvanlys.dll will be put in the directory. The problem is that LabVIEW doesn't like it when you try to load multiple files with the same name. So if I have a test system with multiple ppls that use the same dependencies I could potentially run into collisions. There is a document here that discusses a solution for this:

https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-Development-Best/Packed-Project-Library-Pitfalls/ta-p/3523762

I would like to see the option to prefix my dependencies for PPLs. This could easily be added to the Packed Project Library Options dialog.

Enums as variants and strings

I'm trying to pull out all parameters from a sequence when it errors and save it as an additional result. This is to help the debugging process in a custom report plugin.

It falls over when enums are used as they can't be pulled out as GetValVariants then converted to strings.

I suggest that the if a variant for enum is called it keeps the number and string text inside of it "[5] Item number 6" for example. This can then be interpretted into a string by Str().

Example expression:

Locals.ConcParams = Locals.ConcParams + "Parameter: " + RunState.Caller.Parameters.GetNthSubProperty("",Locals.X,0).Name + " Value: " + Str(RunState.Caller.Parameters.GetNthSubProperty("",Locals.X,0).GetValVariant("",0))

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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.

NI TestStand Idea Exchange

Create Installers in TestStand Deployment Utility from Previously Created Images

Feature request: display sequence file version in the main window of the sequence editor

Simplfied handling of different test variants

A way to trap LabVIEW Warning data the same as LabVIEW Error Data from Steps

Browse path directly from Testand

Add a Menu for PropertyOption Constants in Functions that Use Them

Utilize text editing UNDO with Step Settings

Easier to analyze items that are not sequence files

Break the explicit association between PostResultListEntry callbacks and 'On the Fly' logging

Native TS Complex Number Type to map LabVIEW Complex Numbers

Better expose the option to customize the TestStand menus and toolbar

Modify Report Header/Footer for additional details akin to "Additional Results"

Prefix Dependencies for PPLs

Enums as variants and strings

Be abble to refresh a STEP according to its STEP_TYPE ...

Copy and Paste from other programs into Arrays

Smart rename into/out of container

Rendezvous Increment/Decrement size

Feature upgrade: Property Loader: Loading from excel files: Ability to load data from different sheets.

Feature proposal: in "On Run-Time Error" combo box in Execution tab in Station option one option shall be added