TestStand - VEE Icon in properties

[mrbean]

 I opened the Computer.seq file that comes with TestStand 3.1 found in C:\Program Files\National Instruments\TestStand 3.1\Examples\VEE\Using ActiveX (VEE 6.0).

I've attached a couple of bitmaps that show the screens I have questions about

It appears that the Adapter chosen for VEE tests is 'none'.  That's OK.  What I'm wondering is how the VEE icon got displayed to the left of each step, and how the VEE type was placed where it is (in the Properties area for any of the steps).

[AllenP]

The VEE Icon is chosen in the VEE Step Type.  In that sequence, select Sequence File Types.  Right-click the step type, and select the properties.   Under the General Tab, you will see the choice to Designate an Icon.

Hope this helps!

Allen P.

NI

[mrbean]

When I'm working in the example (Computer.seq) and I select a test, the InsertStep shows me VEE (along with Synchronization, Database, IVI, LabVIEW) as a step type.  However, when I'm working with a new sequence, the VEE step type doesn't show up.  How can I make that one of the choices?

[AllenP]

You will have to copy the types to a Type Palette File.

To do this-

1)  Create a new Type Palette File Document.  You can do this by selecting the Type Palette, choosing Customize from the Palette selection, and choosing Create.

2)  Copy every type you would like from the Sequence File to the Type Palette File. Save the Type Palette File.

Now, whenever you load TestStand, you will have access to these Step Types.

Allen P.

NI

[mrbean]

I found the View::Type Palette area and selected Customize.  I also read in the TestStand Reference Manual ch 11, describes how to do this somewhat.  It mentions there that “You must prefix the file names of the type palettes you install with Install_.  At startup, TestStand searches the TypePalettes directory for type palette files with the Install_ prefix.  When TestStand finds a type palette file to install whose base file name is not the same as any existing type palette, TestStand removes the Install_ prefix and adds the type palette to the type palette list. 

So, I created a Install_MyTypes.ini file, but it's not clear how I add a new type to it.

I found this in the VEE example "Step, Instance of Type 'VB_VEE_NumericLimitTest", but when I enter this it says it already exists.

And how is the VEE icon created.  Help!

[AllenP]

The Install prefix is only used for distributing the type to other machines.  If you simply add your type palette file to the list, it will always be loaded.

To copy it, simply select the Step Types from the example Sequence File, and paste them in the Types Document you created.

I'm not sure what you mean about how the icon is created.  It was created in an icon editor and placed in the Components/NI/Icon directory.  In the Step Type Properties, the icon is selected in the "Designate an Icon" choice.

Allen P.

NI

[mrbean]

I think I finally see where to do most of what you're talking about.  However, I have some other questions:

1) In general, will I only update MyTypes.ini - are the NI type files off limits?

2) You said, "The Install prefix is only used for distributing the type to other machines.  If you simply add your type palette file to the list, it will always be loaded".  Would I copy the MyTypes.ini file to the other machine, then bring up TestStand?

3) You said, "To copy it, simply select the Step Types from the example Sequence File, and paste them in the Types Document you created."  I see the following types of steps

Step, Instance of Type 'VB_VEE_NumericLimitTest'

Step, Instance of Type 'VB_VEE_PassFailTest'

In this case, I had an example to work from, and it shows me two types. 

a) Do you know how to interpret what these steps are saying

b) What if I want to add my own types, how do I know what is correct syntax

[AllenP]

1)  It's not required, but I would recommend either only modifying the MyTypes.ini file or creating your own types document in addition to this one.  For example, if you plan on distributing a subset of your steps to another developer, it would make sense to create a new types document for this purpose.

2)  If you are copying MyTypes.ini to another machine, you would be usually replacing a file that is already in the TypePallettes List.  So be careful in doing this, as there may be types defined in that document that will now be overwritten.  If you named the document Install_MyNewTypes.ini and opened Teststand, it would add MyNewTypes.ini to the list, and replace the file with one of that name.

3)  The names are arbitrary and were chosen by the developer who made these step types.  They represent two step types for calling VEE code.  Each has a different behavior, and are based on the default NI Step Types (Numeric Limit Test and Pass/Fail Test).  If you want to add your own type, you can call it whatever you want (although a unique name is best, since you can only load one type of a given name in memory at any time).  The Step Type Properties are much more useful in terms of defining what the step does and how it behaves.

Allen P.

NI