How do I make a TestStand 2.0 message box stay "on top" of my application?

[VR Man]

Creating a message step in TestStand 2.0 nicely displays the message. My message contains instructions for the user to manually complete in another window. When the user clicks on the other window to follow the instructions, the TestStand message pop-up is no longer on top. I cannot make it modal since I need the user to manipulate the other windows.

Is there a setting that I am missing to make it "always on top"?

Thanks

[Shannon R]

VR Man,

Making a dialog box stay always on top is called making a dialog box modal. There is a setting for the Message Popup step that allows you to make the message popup modal. This checkbox is on the second tab of the Edit Message Popup dialog box (right-click on the Message Popup step and choose Edit Message Settings. The click on the tab labelled "Options".) The "Make Modal" checkbox should be the last option of that tab. This is documented in the TestStand User Manual on page 12-23.

Hope this helps you!
Regards,
Shannon R.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[VR Man]

Hi Shannon,
Unfortunately, this does not help.

As I mentioned in my original question, I cannot use the "modal" option of the dialog, because this option blocks me operator from manipulating the other windows of my application.

When modal is selected, the main application cannot be operated by the user. I need to allow the user to still operate the application while this dialog box hovers on top.

ANy other ideas?

Thanks,
Bob

[Shannon R]

Bob,

Sorry I misunderstood your question. TestStand doesn't provide any built-in functionality to keep a dialog in the forefront of any other active window. That functionality is provided though the Windows API though. The Windows Application Programming Interface (API) provides methods for managing and controlling windows (minimize, maximize, move, resize, rename, close, and so on); managing applications (run application, quit application, print file, and so on; adding and removing network resources; keyboard filtering; and system utilities (mouse cursor position, windows path, screen resolution, system path, and so on). You can find more information about the Windows API on Microsoft's website. You can use these API methods directly from Test
Stand or within your development environment of choice (LabVIEW, CVI, Visual Studio, or Visual Studio.NET). In case you are using LabVIEW, we have a KnowledgeBase that describes how to use the Windows API and also includes a link to some VIs that call the Windows API methods. You can find this document here: KnowledgeBase 2GP9OUYP: How Do I configure My LabVIEW Application Window to Always Be on Top?

I hope that helps you.

Regards,
Shannon R
Applications Engineer
National Instruments