Add "Close.vi" from instr.lib to workspace

[zou]

Close.vi is a common name found in most instrument drivers.

When add Close.vi from my driver to the workspace, TestStand automatically replace it with the same named VI in Agilent driver (the first driver in the instr.lib), even when I used full path for my Close.vi

There is no way to specify use relative path or full path.

Anyone had same problem?  Is there a workaround?

TestStand 2017 SP1 64bit, on Windows 10.

[santo_13]

This is a common issue, you need to make the VIs unique by adding namespace like a lvlib or lvproj.

I would not recommend directly calling VIs from Instr.lib or User.lib or vi.lib directly in a TestStand step, instead create a VI wrapper. This VI wrapper can reside relative to the sequence.

[zou]

Thanks for the quick response.

Are you talking about rename the Close.vi to "libname Close.vi" for all drivers?

I'm using absolute path for the Close.vi in the seq. as workaround.

The problem is build distribute package.  I've to add the VI to the workspace.

[santo_13]

Prefixing the VIs with the library name is one way and that would work.

Using absolute path is fine as long as you are certain that you will not be migrating to newer TS or LV versions or you will have to update each step to relink to the new LV directory.

I would not recommend including files that go under instr.lib to be part of the TS package, instead create a separate package for each instrument driver and make your TS project package be dependent on the instrument driver packages. This ensures the packages are modular and not directly coupled (you can update each of them independent of each other).

[zou]

The target pc is shared by other projects.   Rename driver VIs will cause compatible issue.

I end up delete the whole driver from the workspace, and then add the driver folder back.  That worked.

In the sequence, I replace the absolute path with relative path, relative to the instr.lib: driver folder name\sub folder name\Close.vi

So as long as instr.lib is in the search path, any version of LabVIEW will work.

The driver was downloaded from the manufacture website.  Not NI certified.

The distribution is not final release, just for fixing some bugs in the driver, and other changes in the sequence.

Thank you very much for you advise.

George Zou