Change Initial Path for searching for Sequence files

[Mikef]

When I use the File menu "Open" command after initially opening TestStand, the search for any sequences starts in the C:\Program Files\National Instruments\TestStand 3.1 directory.

All of my sequences are located in the C:\TestStand directory.

Is there a way to modify the Path settings in TestStand to start it's search in the C:\TestStand directory?

Mike

[gcsd_dano]

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@Mikef wrote:
When I use the File menu "Open" command after initially opening TestStand, the search for any sequences starts in the C:\Program Files\National Instruments\TestStand 3.1 directory.

All of my sequences are located in the C:\TestStand directory.

Is there a way to modify the Path settings in TestStand to start it's search in the C:\TestStand directory?

Mike

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Mike,

I believe there used to be an NI knowledgebase article which tells you how to do this. Basically you need to modify TestStand's FrontEndCallback sequence by adding an action step which calls the SetCurrentDirectoryA function in the OS kernel.
Copy C:\TestStand\Components\NI\Callbacks\FrontEnd\FrontEndCallbacks.seq to C:\TestStand\Components\User\Callbacks\FrontEnd\FrontEndCallbacks.seq, open the file in the sequence editor and add an action step above the logout and login steps. This works for us with TestStand 2.0.

Terry Dano
Harris Corporation

[SarahM]

Hi Mike,

Here's a link to the KnowledgeBase Terry mentioned:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/365DC2996F67D8AF86256AF000558B90?OpenDocument

I hope this helps!

Regards,

Sarah Miracle
National Instruments

[Mikef]

Thanks for the Replies,

I had searched the site yesterday before posting, but didn't find anything. I did find the article that Terry referenced and it was the same basic functionality of the article that Sarah referenced.

I did get the "FrontEndCallbacks.seq" modified and got it working. A bit disappointed that it's not an internal setting to TestStand though, that you need to make a Windows DLL call to get away from the default "C:\Program Files\TestStand 3.1" which is useless.

Mike

[Anand_Jain]

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@Mikef wrote:
Thanks for the Replies,

I had searched the site yesterday before posting, but didn't find anything. I did find the article that Terry referenced and it was the same basic functionality of the article that Sarah referenced.

I did get the "FrontEndCallbacks.seq" modified and got it working. A bit disappointed that it's not an internal setting to TestStand though, that you need to make a Windows DLL call to get away from the default "C:\Program Files\TestStand 3.1" which is useless.

Mike

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Hi

One way to change the initial working directory ie the directory in which file open dialog opens is to change the "Start in" location for the short cut to the sequence editor or any other executable. This can be done in the properties dialog as shown in the attached bitmap.

Hope this helps.
Reagrds
Anand Jain
National Instruments.

[Mikef]

Anand,

Much better solution!!

Thanks,

Mike

[Mikef]

Anand,

Much better solution!!

Thanks,

Mike

[johnny_icon]

I have a client who needed to do something similar. Essentially, they wanted to switch between a "Production" and an "Engineering" environment. I added a Boolean switch on the front panel of their customized OI, and made a call to the DLL referenced in this thread from another example I found on NI's site:

http://sine.ni.com/apps/we/niepd_web_display.display_epd4?p_guid=B123AE0CBCB0111EE034080020E74861&p_...

This way, you don'y need to modify a .seq at all, and you can switch programatically. I also am going to use a .ini, or TestStand resource file to configure these directories outside of LabVIEW.

Message Edited by gnange on 04-25-2006 03:00 PM

[dseel]

Hi:

Do these suggestions still work for Teststand 4?
I'd like to do the same thing - change the default directory from which the operator interface opens sequence files.
However, I've tried both updating the FrontEndCallback with SetCurrentDirectoryA and updating the working directory in my operator interface shortcut. Neither of these solutions worked for me.
I'm using the Teststand 4 CVI Full Featured Operator interface.

Thanks,
Dave

[AndrewMc]

Hey Dave,

I have successfully used the shortcut method with the CVI User Interface for TestStand 4.0.  Can you try on another computer?