How to set FileWritingFormat -> python

[Leonard_007]

Hello Community,

I am using TestStand 2017 and the ActiveX API for

programming in Python. 

The goal is to load a sequence file and change its format (mostly binary) to xml. so far, I have found the following:

engine =win32com.client.Dispatch("TestStand.Engine")

seqFile = engine.GetSequenceFile("file.seq")

xmlFile = seqFile.AsPropertyObjectFile.FileWritingFormat(3)

The following error occur:

AttributeError: 'function' object has no attribute 'FileWritingFormat'.

The 'FileWritingFormat' method can be used in the TestStand GUI, but why doesn't it work when using the ActiveX?
Thank you in advance 🙏

[Oli_Wachno · Accepted solution]

You want to set a property, so this should be an assignment rather than a method call

I guess 

seqFile.AsPropertyObjectFile.FileWritingFormat = 3

should do what you want to

[Leonard_007]

Hello Oli,

thank you very much, that works fine. However, a ' PropertyObjects were not released' error occurs. I have executed the following to close the engine after the API:

engine.UnloadAllModules()

engine.ReleaseSequenceFileEx(seq_file, 0x0)

seq_file = None

engine.ShutDown(True)# someone suggested to not use, it doesn’t make any difference

I found a solution on this page, however only the cumbersome way via the GUI works for me. There under Debug-Options you can uncheck 'Report Object Leaks ... '. Then everything works. But, it is only the dialog window is not shown, the error still remains.

Thanks again. 🙏

[Oli_Wachno]

Simply put: 

each object created has to be released again. In my experience, it's best to have the release sequence just opposite to the sequence in which you instantiate objects.

I am usually working with the API in TestSatnd itself, so I don't really know what it exactly looks like in Python.

Is it possible you are opening further object refences?

I am shutting down the engine every time, since I consider this a good practice

[Leonard_007]

Good morning, Oli,

thank you for the hint. The code flow in Python is very similar to the one in TestStand. Apparently, you have to execute following when closing:

Engine.ReleaseSequenceFileEx(sequence_file, 0x4)

Engine.UnloadAllModules()

sequence_file = None

Engine.ShutDown(True)

Then the release leak error doesn't come anymore 🙂

[Oli_Wachno]

Good Job! Thanks for sharing your findings 😊