Custom ExpressVI Step Update Utility

[NJKirchner]

For those of you who create your own Express VIs and use them within teststand, (if you haven't I suggest you investigate how useful they are w/ TS), you may have felt the pain related to chaging they type definitions of the inputs and outputs of those created express VI.

I have created a very useful utility that can be called from the Tools menu that will take the currently selected step, assuming that it is an express VI, and copy the currently configured values in the express and the mapped parameters and re-drop the express Step.

The big deal, for those of you w/ a strange look on your face, is that typically if you update the input definition of an express step, you lose all configured values.

I doubt that I will get much  response on this forum, but if I get more than 3 people asking for it, I'll bundle it up and send it off.... well ok... just 1 person that understands how cool this is will warrant me packaging this up.

~,~
Norm Kirchner

[Santiago D]

Norm,

I know of at least three other developers, four including me, who would be interested in seeing the tool to update steps calling Express VIs.

Please package up that code and binaries and let us take a look!

Thanks,

Santiago D

[RayFarmer]

That does sound interesting?

What versions would they initially be covering?

regards

Ray

[NJKirchner]

I belive that the initial version was written in 8.2, but I believe that it may be possible to roll it back as far as 7.1 although may take a bit of work (read-> time)

[NJKirchner]

Santiago, looks like your NI. I have packaged up the code and sent it to Allen Picsatello (sp)

For the rest of Y'all I need to protect only those parts of  the code that use LV scripting. But once that is done I'll drop it here too.

but in the meanwhile, I'm going to post a link to a video of the tool in action and then another one a bit later walking you through the code.

I'm converting the 400 meg avi file now, (should be a bit smaller as WMV since it's only screen shots)

[NJKirchner]

Ok folk, the link to the video can be found @ http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5866088452850039568&hl=en

AND on the right hand side of the page, you'll see, a list of other video's I've posted.

Express Step Updater Video - is it's title

Keep a close eye on the cursor because for the first half of it, there is no narration, but all attention should be at the cursor.

If not you'll miss stuff

Unfortunately, because of the time TS takes, it's a little long, but if you're interested it's worth the wait.

Put some music on in the background because there is no audio

[NJKirchner]

Ok, so looks like the video didn't work so hot. I'll find a better way soon. Also working on the released version.

be there soon