How to stop TestStand taking control of other desktop programs while running

[seanymac]

Hi All,

I am using TestStand 2014, LabView 2015 & Windows 7 OS

When I run TestStand I like to keep one or 2 LabView VI's open (a graph or result file to show indicator values) to track the progress of my run. I also need VI's to open from TestStand steps (In LabView VI: File/VI Properties/Category:Window Appearance->Customize.../'Show front panel when called' & 'Close afterwards if originally closed' options selected) when the step is run and close when I enter control values.

My issue is if I am working on another desktop program (i.e. typing an email of writing a word document) while my TestStand sequence is running then TestStand pulls control from the other program I am using. This is very counter productive when a hour long TestStand sequence is constantly preventing a user from typing on another program in parallel. 

I have scrolled through TestStand settings in vain to resolve this issue. Please can anyone provide me with a solution to allow me to run TestStand where the LabView VI's don't constantly take precedence over other Desktop programs?

Any help much appreciated.

Regards,

Sean

[isakbm]

Hi,

It is unclear to me what you mean by TestStand "pulling controll" from your other applications. Could you describe in a bit more detail what you are experiencing? Do your other non-TestStand applications stop responding? 

It could be that TestStand is hogging CPU cycles. Have you checked the CPU usage of TestStand or your LabVIEW instances using windows task manager?

Isak

[WireWeaver]

I believe the terminology you're looking for is "Active Window" - in other words, when one of the LabVIEW VIs is launched from TestStand with show front panel enabled, the launched window becomes active and gets focus instead of the previously active window.

So it seems like the overall question is - in LabVIEW, is there a way to show front panel when called, but not get window focus?

-Trent

[seanymac]

Hi Isak and Trent,

Thanks for replying. Apologies if I wan't very clear in my description.

Trent has summed up the situation perfectly "in LabVIEW, is there a way to show front panel when called, but not get window focus?"

I am looking for an option to allow me to work on another program in parallel with TestStand i.e typing up a Microsoft Word document. My issue is that the LabView front panel takes focus from the currently selected program when called from TestStand. I then have to select the other program (Word) again to give it focus to continue typing. 

I am aware that this is a TestStand forum so if the answer lies within a LabView property option I may have to ask my question elsewhere! I am hoping that there is a magic switch in TestStand to help me resolve this issue.

Thanks,

Sean

[WireWeaver · Accepted solution]

Judging by the looks of this VI Server method, it looks like it can be specified with the "Activate" property:

http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361M-01/lvprop/vi_open_front_panel/

That's not ideal because it would require changing your code rather than just updating a property or setting. If you only have a handful of VIs that you need to do this with, it's probably not as much of a problem then.

Edit: There may be a better way to do this that i'm not aware of. I asked around and it seems like the general consensus is there isn't a way to do this outside of using a VI Server reference. I think it's worth posting on the LV Idea exchange an idea to expose the activate property via the VI properties when 'Show Front Panel when called' is selected.

-Trent

[seanymac]

Hi Trent,

Thanks for giving up your time to look into this, much appreciated. I only have 3 VI's in my sequence that I need to edit so the "Activate" property solution will work in my case.

I will look into posting on the LabView idea exchange as you suggested.

Best Regards,

Sean