Guidance on when to create subSequences in separate Sequence Files

[danny_t]

Hi,

I am pushing through the, now free online TestStand training 😀😍, I am finding the course really good.

One thing I cannot get clear in my mind is when to use a single Sequence file or to break out your subSequences into their own sequence files.

One obvious answer is to do this if a subSequence is going to be used in more than one Main sequence say for different UUT's.

Should I also consider this break out if the amount of code is simply getting to big ?

I have not found any white papers or presentations that cover this, they may be there and I have just missed them. So any pointer of references I should go and read will be gratefully appreciated.

Stay well everyone.

Danny

[~jiggawax~]

Glad you are finding it enjoyable.

This issue is a basic CS question.  It's sorta like, how do you decide which method belongs in a new DLL or its own DLL, etc...  It is more of an "art" than a prescribed set of rules.  So in a way you become a TestStand artist.

I create sequence libraries based on the functionality of the sub sequences.  Think of classes in object oriented programming.  So each sequence file represented a "class" so to speak.  The sub sequences were performing some sort of function related to that class. 

An example would be a UUT communication sequence file.  Each sequence would do something to the UUT.  For example turning it on, setting the frequency, getting the state, etc...  Keeping the sub sequences very simple.  You can even store the handle to the UUT in FileGlobals (sorta like a functional global in LabVIEW) and as long as you don't unload any modules it will stay in memory.

Then when you take it to the next level you can package up the code modules in a packed project library or assembly or dll and in a deployed state the sequence file library and packaged code modules can just sit next to each other on disk and all the dependencies are right there.  It makes deployment super easy. 

Hope this helps,