.seq file generation from an external program

[Manooch_H]

There have been some great suggestions made as to the different ways that one might generate a sequence file from an external program.

To summarize, at the heart of all of these suggestions is the use of the TestStand API to ultimately generate the sequence file.

1. You can create an application that uses the TestStand API to create a sequence file on disk without ever opening TestStand. This would involve using a program that can make use of the TestStand API (LabVIEW, CVI, C#, VB, C/C++). The SequenceBuilderTool example located in the <TestStand Examples>\SequenceBuilderTool directory would be one place to get started. You can also find examples by searching "create sequence file" on ni.com.
2. You can create your own sequence file translator to interpret/parse your custom, standardized file format and translate it to a sequence file using the TestStand API. With a sequence file translator, you can use the Sequence Editor or a User Interface that allows you to open sequence files and simply browse to open one of your custom file formats. Upon selecting the custom file to open, TestStand begins using the appropriate sequence file translator to parse and translate the custom file into a sequence file. Starter examples of sequence file translators written in CVI, LabVIEW, and VC++ are located in the <TestStand Examples>\SequenceFileTranslators directory.
3. National Instruments recently released the NI TestStand ATML Toolkit 1.0 for TestStand 4.2. This toolkit installs a sequence file translator that translates XML files validated against the IEEE ATML Test Description schema. The NI TestStand ATML Toolkit 1.0 is currently free for TestStand users with an active Standard Service Program contract for the TestStand Full Development System or TestStand Custom Sequence Editor. For active SSP users, the TestStand ATML Toolkit can be downloaded from ni.com/src. For more information regarding the Automatic Test Markup Language and a link to the NI TestStand ATML Toolkit 1.0 evaluation version, see below:
   ATML - The Standard for Interfacing Test System Components Using XML
   ATML Toolkit 1.0 Evaluation

Hope this helps!

Message Edited by Manooch_H on 10-27-2009 02:53 PM