NI TestStand

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Can't write to TestExec.ini

I had made some changes to a 1st level subsequence (one that is called by the  main sequence) and ran some test and all was fine. Then I opened another 1st level subsequence to make similar changes. It opened but I got a message stating that TS couldn't write to TestExec.ini. That was because it was not checked out from ClearCase. Why did TS want to update this file at this time?

 

Inquiring minds want to know.......

 

 

Thanks,

 

jvh

0 Kudos
Message 1 of 15
(4,637 Views)

Hi jvh,

 

I cant remember exactly what's in TestExec.ini but I would guess it stores such data as previous loaded sequence files and sequences. If there wasn't a copy of the file in the default directory I am surprised TestStand didn't generate a new file. So maybe the folder was write protected or that application / user didn't have premission to write in that folder.

 

 

Regards
Ray Farmer
0 Kudos
Message 2 of 15
(4,621 Views)

Hi jvh,

 

TestExec.ini is a configuration file for your TestStand environment.  If anything is modified, configuration wise, it will need to be updated.  I attempted to reproduce your situation by making my TestExec.ini read only and simply modifying a sequence file.  I was unable to get the same error.  Do you know if any configuration options were also changed and what you were changing in the sequence?

 

Thanks

Ryan T
National Instruments
Applications Engineer
0 Kudos
Message 3 of 15
(4,559 Views)

Hi All,

 

This is already old topic and i have also found few similar topics, but no answer to question.

 

I'm now facing similar problem with read only configuration file (TestExes.ini) and i wonder whether someone have solution to this problem.

 

 

1) Is it possible to disable warnings caused by read only config files?

2) Are there some other way to get around this problem?

 

Br. Lauri Lahti

0 Kudos
Message 4 of 15
(4,335 Views)

Sorry.. I got file name wrong.

 

Here is screenshot of error message i got.

 

Error Writing to UserInterface.xml

0 Kudos
Message 5 of 15
(4,335 Views)

Hi Larui,

 

When does this error occur? I've found a KB on error code -17205 that might help you out. It's listed below.

 

Problem

The NI DataFinder is indexing files on my machine (installs with DIAdem or LabVIEW DataFinder Toolkit or DataFinder Server Edition), and I sometimes receive errors -5001 and -17205 when generating XML or ATML reports from TestStand example sequences. I am able to generate HTML and ASCII reports without any errors – what is causing these errors?

 

Solution

An explanation of the cause of these errors is provided below. This issue (as described below) is fixed in the NI DataFinder 2011 when TestStand 2010 SP1 or newer is installed.

The NI DataFinder periodically indexes files in certain default directories, one of which is the National Instruments Public directory. When the DataFinder attempts to index a file, it grabs exclusive read access to the file such that no other process can read or write to the file.

When generating an XML or ATML report, TestStand obtains and releases write access to the file on multiple occasions when creating the file, writing to the file, adding/removing root tags, etc., and TestStand does not expect other applications to lock the file. By default, TestStand will attempt to generate a report file in the same directory as the sequence file being run.

You may encounter the above mentioned errors if all of the following apply:
  1. You install a DataPlugin for TestStand XML or ATML report files
  2. You generate an XML or ATML report for a TestStand sequence, such as a TestStand  example sequence file
  3. DataFinder is configured to index the directory where TestStand generates the report, such as the <TestStand Examples> directory.

To work around this issue, you can manually exclude a directory where TestStand generates reports from NI DataFinder’s list of Search Areas (directories to index).

The Version Selector application installed by TestStand 2010 SP1 automatically configures DataFinder 2011 to exclude files in the <TestStand Public> directory for all version of TestStand installed on a machine. Thus you will not encounter the above mentioned error when running TestStand example sequences if TestStand 2010 SP1 or newer is installed and DataFinder 2011 is indexing files on your machine.

I hope this helps.

 

Josh L.

Applications Engineer
National Instruments
0 Kudos
Message 6 of 15
(4,319 Views)

@Lauri Lahti wrote:

Sorry.. I got file name wrong.

 

Here is screenshot of error message i got.

 

Error Writing to UserInterface.xml


Are you checking this file into source control? Is it marked as read-only?

 

-Doug

0 Kudos
Message 7 of 15
(4,304 Views)

It also could be a permissions issue where you don't have permissions to write to the Program Files directory.

0 Kudos
Message 8 of 15
(4,302 Views)

@AllenP wrote:

It also could be a permissions issue where you don't have permissions to write to the Program Files directory.


Good point. Also, if you are using Windows Vista you should be using TestStand 4.1 or higher and if you are using Windows 7 you should use TestStand 4.2.1 or higher.

 

-Doug

0 Kudos
Message 9 of 15
(4,298 Views)

After studying this problem more it seems to be problem with permission.

 

This error was generated by deployment engine after installing it to Windows 7. Quick fix was to run it as administrator.

Generally speaking it's not good solution to require administrator rights so better solutions are needed.

So what we learn is that installing configuration files which needs write access under program files isn't good choise.

 

What would be better place for configuration files?

I don't want to use teststand default path in order to prevent mixing with other deployment's configuration files.

 

I just wonder why teststand need to write to UserInterface.xml?

 

Br. Lauri

 

Edit: There have been earlier discussion about UserInterface.xml

http://forums.ni.com/t5/NI-TestStand/UserInterface-xml-directory/m-p/716077

 

0 Kudos
Message 10 of 15
(4,287 Views)