Distribution of TestStand

[QW123z]

Hi, 

I hope someone can help or point me in the right direction? 

I need to distribute a test stand solution to a number of production PC’s 

I have Test Stand 2.0.1 I am trying to use Engine Installation Wizard to have a base install package for the target PC’s. 

On the target PC Test Stand appears to install. 

I then copy in the directory structure used for the test as it is on the development PC. 

This is done as I have been unable to get the base install package to do this for me, it either goes in under C:\TestStand or it is not installed. 

The Test Control Executive, a .exe file, is run only to give an error as follows:

            Run-time error ‘-17306(ffffbc66)

            Unknown variable or property name ‘Debug’.

            Error accessing item ‘Debug’. 

The notes for the test stand course (3.5 and 4.0) appear to be  a world apart from what I an seeing in 2.0.1 !!!! 

Chapter 17 of the user manual talks about “Relative Path for Destination control to specify the destination subdirectory of the distributed TestStand engine where the installation installs the specified files”. 

As my file structure is under C: it tried to but that in, it did not appear to work!! 

Can anyone give some direction? 

Thanks

Simon

[Hillman]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the post and I hope your well today!

Im an applications engineer in the uk - and Im looking into your error.

Currently I am installing teststand 2.0 on to my development machine and also onto a lab machine (target machine).

I will then use the engine installation wizard.. and see how it goes.

Kind Regards,

[Hillman]

Hi Simon (again),

Im having issues locating Teststand 2.0 at the moment.

So when it installs, does nothing appear at the destination?

And what options in the 'select files to include' window are you selecting?

Kind Regards

[QW123z]

Hilman, Thanks for your time on this. Files are installed, normally test stand dir and its sub dir's but not any of my files. See attached as an example of what I have tried with 'select files to include'. ThanksSimon 

[Hillman]

Hi,

I hope your well.

I have no installed teststand 2.. how big is your project, can you send it / is this seen with an example file?

Kind Regards,

[QW123z]

Hillman  

This was my last tried I have two files the size are as follows: 

SetupTSEngine.exe is 212Kb

TSEngine.cab is 147Mb 

Will I try to reduce these files or is this OK? 

With this setup my folder ATG is put under C:\Teststand, where as in my original it is C:\ATG 

Thanks

Simon

[Hillman]

Hi Simon,

I think the key to this is the idea of relative file path.. I think to go up a directory maybe try ..\, to stop test engine placing files in c:\ teststand. 

This is the advice I found from the custEd for teststand 2.0:

"

Distributing the TestStand Run-time Engine
Another useful feature of TestStand is the ability to distribute it to other computers. The Sequence
Editor is for developing test sequences; however, it might not be needed by an operator that will
run sequences but no develop them. You can use the TestStand Run-time Engine to deploy
TestStand on computers other than the development system.
The process for deploying TestStand involves three steps:
1. Create a Run-Time TestStand Engine Installation: The menu option Tools»Run Engine
Installation Wizard guides you through creating a TestStand engine and builds an installer for
you. This engine includes all of the required TestStand parts to run a sequence on a machine
separate from the development system. The installer wizard builds the installer to include any
modifications that were made to TestStand including the Process Model, tools, step types, and
callback files.
2. Distribute the Operator Interface: After the engine is installed, you also need to copy the
Operator Interface used to display the sequence and sequence results. Without the Operator
Interface, the engine cannot view or run the sequence.
3. Distribute the Sequence and Code Modules: Finally, you also must copy the sequence files and
code modules that the sequence steps call. Without the sequence files or the code modules, you
can view the sequence but not run it.
For detailed information about completing these steps, consult Chapter 16 of the TestStand User
Manual.

"

let me know what you think,

Kind Regards

[QW123z]

Hillman, 

A big thank you as that has now installed the folders where I expect them. 

Unfortunately I still got the original error. 

Copied my StationGlobals.ini to C:\TestStand\Cfg  and the error went and I now have the user interface. 

I select “Test UUT” only to be presented with the default Enter Serial Number which is not correct. 

I should be presented with a LabView based list of product to be test from which one is highlighted and OK is used to run the sequence specific to that product. 

I went into View -> Options on the user interface and went to the Module tab and pointed it to the Station model under C\:ATG our own model. 

Once this was done I started to get what I would expect at the start. 

I have still to run the full suit of tests but so far so good. 

Any suggestion as to how to over cone the two twists above? 

Thanks

Simon

[Hillman]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the reply and Im glad we're making some progress with your issue.

I am sorry - Im alittle confused by what the two twists are, please explain.

Looking into a few aspects of your questions I found a few links I want to share with you.

1) Is it possible to enter a serial number in the main sequence, instead of in the "Pre UUT"?

"If you pass the UUT data type as a parameter in the "MainSequence Callback" step in the "Test UUTs" sequence of the process model, you will have access to the serial number in your mainsequence."

2) Programmatically change station option in TestStand 2.0.1

" I had an issue with changing the station model but that was overcome by the GetStationModelSequenceFile() function and StationModelSequenceFilePath variable. "

3) Loading a Client Sequence File Dynamically in TestStand

"example".

Please re-explain , and I'll endevour to help. I would like to make a note that NI don't offically support TestStand 2 anymore - but Im just trying to help 🙂

Kind Regards, 

[QW123z]

Hillman, 

Your help is much appreciated.

I understand that NI don't officially support Test Stand 2

We have a budgetary quote in with management to bring us up to date but until then we have to  go with Test Stand 2 

We do have 3.0 but unfortunately the bulk of what I have was written in 2.0 and with time constrains we need to get this out there and then later see about bring it into the present !!!  

My two concerns are that the install did not put on to the target PC the StationGlobals.ini and did not point to the SequentialModel_ProdTest.seq that I am using on the development PC. 

Minor concerns for the moment until I run the full application on the target PC to ensure nothing else has gone astray!!! 

Once more thanks for you help 

Simon