NI TestStand Idea Exchange

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Simplify exporting arrays of properties

Currently, to export properties which are part of an array, such as the limits of a multiple numeric limit test, you have to specify each index of the array separately, like in the first screen shot, or else you get all of the raw XML, which is difficult to interpret and use.

This is both labor intensive and unituitive. . If instead we had the option to export the array with the "?" and have it parse the information out like in picture 1, it would be much simpler to use.

Regards,

Kyle Mozdzyn

Applications Engineering

National Instruments

Empty Array Literal

Currently, there is no unambiguous solution for passing empty Array of X (where X is a different type than 64-bit Floating Point) as a sequence parameter. If we use {} it is assumed to be of type 64-bit Floating Point. To have an empty Array of Strings we can use ambigues Split("",""). I have no idea how to pass e.g. empty Array of Signed 64-bit Integer without creating empty variables.

It would useful to have Empty Array Literals of a particular type e.g.:

{} - default

{}i64 - for Signed 64-bit Integer

{}ui64 - for Unsigned 64-bit Integer

{}s - for String

{}b - for Boolean

{}r - for Object Reference

{}c - for Container

{}TYPE_NAME - for type definition where TYPE_NAME is type definition name; e.g. Path.

Create Custom Data Type from Variable Pane

In some cases it could be handy, if you were able to convert a container you've constructed in the variable pane into a type directly from the variables pane.

One case could be, if you chose to store some settings in the sequence file, but the settings are dependent upon fx equipment or the product variant. It can be handy to have a variable with the settings, and an array of settings specific to various configurations from which you can choose. But the 'settings' container and the type in the array of settings containers, of course have to align. And this is best achieved by a custom data type.

Often sequences start out for one configuration only, and later on the need for multiple configurations occurs - and that's why I think it could be handy - if you were able to convert a container, already in the variable pane, into a custom data type.

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step properties copy / paste

Looping inside the Expressions

Hi,

I have a table in file globals (2D array).

Each column of the table has an associate variable in file global.

For i want my custom step to run N time which is the number of rows in the table.

In each iteration, i want to take each value of the row and assign the value to the asscoiated variable in file global.

so, i want to have a looping mechanism in the expression.

I guess it is not explicitly present right now. Right now, i use teststand API to update the variable.

It would be nice to have looping in expression. This will improve my custom steps performance.

Regards,

Muthuraman S

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There are some macros to specify report file name by expression in report options.

Specifying Report File Paths by Expression - NI TestStand 2014 Help - National Instruments
https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/teststand/page/specify-report-file-path-by-expression.html

$(FileDate) contains speces in the string, e.g., "2015 12 15". If you want to delete space, you need to use $(FileYear), $(FileMonth), and $(FileDate) instead.

But there is no similar expression for time, i. e., there is only $(FileTime) and we do not have any macro such as $(FileHour).

SearchAndReplace function doesn't work for the macros. It is very helpful if we have $(FileHour), $(FileMin), and $(FileSec) as standard macros.

Before:

ReportOptions 01.png

After:

ReportOptions 02.png

When TestStand has a problem with a module, it provides a Red Exclamation mark to show detail on the problem.

When you hove over the Red Exclamation mark, you get the details, sometimes with a file path to the detailed error log.

Need a way to copy/paste the data from the details bubble. Better would be a hyperlink to the file location.

Right now my workaround is:

- Screen capture while hovering over the red exclamation mark

- Paste the screen capture in MS Paint

- Re arrange the windows to show MS Paint & MS Explorer

- Navigate down file path to find the log file.

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Define Variables as Constant

Because of the way .NET applications and assemblies are invoked in TestStand they are a child process of TestStand. This means that they share TestStand's resources. For most applications this is not an issue but if the application or library being instrumented by TestStand is resource intensive this creates a significant problem. In the scenario that served as the impetus for this suggestion we saw performance 1/10 that when running the target application outside of TestStand.

To correct this I recommend the .NET adapter architecture be changed or be able to be configured such that instead of directly instantiating target applications a call to create an object with a .NET adapter would create a separate process that consisted of a TestStand WCF client wrapper process that would host the target .NET process and communicate with the parent TestStand instance via WCF.

Here is a simple block diagram of the intended architecture:

Enable mouse button navigation

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User Defined Expression Functions

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The MOST annoying part of working with TestStand is the fact that the developer has to re-enter e-v-e-r-y bloody value for a given parameter when the prototype changes in a LabVIEW VI. I seem to recall that older versions of TestStand would allow the user to do that, but the more recent version don't. Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me and this was never possible..

In any case... When dealing with two parameters which have over 300 (yes!! THREE HUNDRED) entries, this is a bloody nightmare!! Doing it once is nightmareish.. Doing it multiple times is a death sentence!!! Sidenote: I inherited the code and cannot change its structure...

In this particular case, the valeus are all Locals.

The first idea on this subject is to allow editing the original parameters when making changes to a prototype (LabVIEW or any other source). Or as the sister idea to this one, allow to Copy & Pate the contents of a container! See this thread!

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Step highlighting or tagging

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Expression Numeric Functions

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See discussion here: http://forums.ni.com/t5/NI-TestStand/TestStand-and-LabVIEW-treat-polymorphics-with-instances-with/m-p/3064942#M47429

Say I have a LabVIEW Class, and that class contains a method that's a polymorphic VI, and that polymorphic has instances. If I set the instances' access scope to private, and the polymorphic to public, then I can force developers that use the class to use the polymorphic VI (and not call the instances directly). That's awesome. I like that.

but...

Say I'm building a TestStand API that uses a polymorphic and its instances as described above. I create a LabVIEW action step, with a Class Member Call call type, and I target my class. TestStand doesn't support polymorphic VIs, which means neither the polymorphic nor its instances show up in the Member Name list.

This means that, to support my LabVIEW users and my TestStand users, I need to create two separate APIs. The idea is to modify TestStand to allow for Polymorphic VI spacing between the LabVIEW action step type and the polymorphic member VIs.

NI TestStand Idea Exchange

Simplify exporting arrays of properties

Empty Array Literal

Create Custom Data Type from Variable Pane

step properties copy / paste

Looping inside the Expressions

Using time string in report file path without space character

Add ability to search for instances of custom data types

TestStand - Step Error - More info cannot be copied to clipboard

Add a native DateTime data type to the TestStand Engine

Define Variables as Constant

Host .NET processes outside of TestStand's application space

Enable mouse button navigation

User Defined Expression Functions

Allow the sequence parameter to be used with default value if none specified

Allow to edit parameter when prototype changes

Message Popup step: Add Font Justification Setting

Step highlighting or tagging

Make watch expressions savable and loadable

Expression Numeric Functions

Modify TestStand to be a static link to a particular instance VI via a Polymorphic VI in a LabVIEW action step