Using XML to load limits

[ckrobinson]

Currently, we're using Excel spreadsheets to load limits into Teststand via the propertly loader.  The only message I found concerning this was dated 2003, which stated that the propertly loader could only read Excel or csv files.  I'm hoping that, in the ensuing years, NI has incorporated a way to use XML files as well.  Can anyone help out with this?

Thanks

[alright_meow]

One way you could currently handle this is to create a code module that will convert your Excel spreadsheets to XML files, and vice versa. Each time you need to load or write to your limits call your custom step to convert them from xml back to Excel.

[ckrobinson]

Thanks for the reply.  Unfortunately, we're trying to get rid of Excel.  It's expensive, and the ActiveX linkages are bug ridden.  XML is a pretty standard way of doing this, and I'm surprised that Teststand doesn't support it.

[Frank_L.]

Hi ckrobinson,

Thanks for posting on the NI Discussion Forums!

At this time, support for XML is not available in the TestStand Property Loader. As alright_meow suggested, there are ways to implement this using custom step types and code modules. If you consider it very important that TestStand natively support XML files for limits loading, I highly encourage you to post on the TestStand Idea Exchange. Our developers monitor which suggestions receive the highest feedback on this page so that they can prioritize which features to implement in the next version of TestStand.

[RaviShrigiri]

You need MS Excel just to create a limits file ( dev machines).

You should be able to load the limits file without using MS Excel ( test machines).

I know one of our customer doing it to reduce cost.