Does TestStand really pick out bugs from a VI? If yes, how?

[NE☼]

Friends,

I started learning TestStand and i have version 3.5. I read most of the documents available at NI.com. I understood the structure of TS and other components like Sequence Editor, Station Models, module adapters, Built in steps, user defines steps, control flow statements etc. But still unable to find answers of my  very basic questions like -

1. Does it really pick out bugs from a compiled vi? if yes, how?

2. What all types of errors it can pick out?

3. Why do i have to code in TestStand to test a vi?

4. Do I have to make another software to check code?

I went through examples but they are very specific.

If I test a vi by specifying module for a particular step, it just waits untill the vi finishes running. As other softwares do, it should also tell me errors occured inside like crossed data type limits, restricted value feeded etc.

Can anybody please guide me how to perform tests for VIs?

--ALOK 

[RayFarmer]

Hi,

----1. Does it really pick out bugs from a compiled vi? if yes, how?

TestStand is not really designed for the testing of bugs in VI's or any other code module.

----2. What all types of errors it can pick out?

Providing you return the error code, etc, from the VI connector pane (via its ErrorOut cluster) this is passed back to the Step properties Step.Result.Error. Its then up to you, generating the sequence file to trap for error condition.

----3. Why do i have to code in TestStand to test a vi?

You have to provide those sequence of steps be able to test the UUT. If it happens to be a piece of code rather than a piece of hardware, then the same applies. How much you do in teststand and how much you do in code, such as LabVIEW, is down to the programmer.

----4. Do I have to make another software to check code?

Not sure if this is relevant to TestStand, see earlier answers. There are other tools available for testing of code. There is one for LabVIEW called the LabVIEW Analyser Toolkit.

Regards

Ray Farmer

Message Edited by Ray Farmer on 05-24-2006 10:32 AM