Comment, "sequence file global"

I'm running a Win2K (8186 Controller) machine running TestStand 3.0 and LabWindows/CVI 7.0. How can I place comments in the comment field of my Sequence File Globals? There are fields on the column headings labeled Field, Type, Value, and Comment. The column labeled Comment does not have a box in Properties... to place a comment.
Tony

Hey Tony,
When you double click on the Sequence File Global, does a dialog come up allowing you to change the value and properties of the Global? If this is the case could you post a screenshot of what this dialog looks like? Also I just want to double check, this is all in the TestStand Sequence Editor, and not a TestStand Operator Interface correct? I have pasted a screenshot of what mine looks like below.
Message Edited by Patrick P. on 03-05-2007 09:25 AM
Pat P.
Software Engineer
National Instruments
Attachments:
TSscreenshot.JPG ‏685 KB

Similar Messages

Documenting Usage Instances of Sequence File Globals

I'm new to TestStand 3.5, and I'm inheriting someone else's work.
Is there a way to find out in what sequences and steps each of the individual Sequence File Globals are being set and called?
Maybe someone's written a utility to do this?

Hi Alan,
You can use TestStand API methods to get File Globals in your Sequence File:
1. First, get the Sequence File Object containing the File Globals by using TestStand API method "Engine.GetSequenceFileEx";
2. Then, get the PropertyObject that contains the default values of the global variables for the Sequence File by calling "SequenceFile.FileGlobalsDefaultValues" property;
3. Finally, run "Engine.ReleaseSequenceFileEx" method to release the reference of object.
Regards
MY

How do I read the Visual Source Safe version of a sequence file?

I can read the TestStand Version using RunState.SequenceFile.Data.Version. I would like to sink the version numbers in VSS and TestStand up. How do I obtain the version number maintained by VSS.
Thanks, Jeff

One way to get the VSS version number is through the command line using the History command. See VSS help for more info. I think it would be possible to create an EXE step in TestStand that would execute the VSS command line and pipe the output to a file, where it could be read with some custom code. Of course it would be nice if there was a built-in TS step to do this. Here is an example of the VSS history command usage and it's output.
---- Example -----
C:\DevStudio\Vss\win32>ss history $/tekcal-ni/projects/80e0x/80e0x.seq -#2
History of $/tekcal-ni/projects/80e0x/80E0X.seq ...
Label: "Beta1"
User: Marki Date: 4/29/02 Time: 8:45a
Labeled
Label comment: Release to Customer Service.
***************** Version
14 *****************
User: Marki Date: 4/26/02 Time: 3:00p
Checked in $/TekCal-NI/Projects/80E0X
Comment: Changed delay time for DC Accuracy/Linearity from 0 to 100 mS.
---- End of Example -----
If you just want the last version, use the "-#1" option instead of -#2 as in this example. VSS uses labels or whole number version numbers, so you would need to relate this to your TS version number, perhaps with a sequence file global variable.

Saving persistent data in sequence file

I need to be able to save data collected and processed during one session and have it available during the next session (i.e. I want to be able to update the initial value of some sequence file globals). How do I do this in TestStand? e.g. I might want to keep track of how many times a particular sequence has been run. I know that I can store this information in StationGlobals, but the variable is unique to the sequence and does not qualify as a global.

To Hurst -
I still could not reproduce the problem. I have attached two sequences.
temp30a.seq:
"MainSequence" calls teh "Alter Default Globals" sequence in temp30b.seq
temp30b.seq:
Contains file globals string with value "Original".
"Alter Default Globals" alters itself and increments the count.
"MainSequence" displays the file global
Open temp30a.seq and run "MainSequence". Close execution display.
Open temp30b.seq and run "MainSequence". You will get a prompt showing "New Value", not "Original"
Scott Richardson (NI)
Scott Richardson
National Instruments
Attachments:
temp30a.seq ‏13 KB
temp30b.seq ‏29 KB

I want to Access the Sequence File Comment In the User Interface...

I can access the comment from the MainSequence of the Sequence, but not the sequence comment (SeqEditor: Edit->Sequence File Properties...).
I'm using the following C command:
TS_PropertyGetProperty (panelRec->seqFile->seqFileH, &errorInfo, TS_PropertyComment, CAVT_CSTRING, &psCommentStr);
the psCommentStr comes up empty and I get no errors, although, I know that there is a comment entered in the field. I added this call to the UpdateOnSequenceChange function of seqdisp.c of the Example User Interface.
I'm pretty sure that this should work, but all I get is a "" (Empty string).

Hi Capt. Jack,
The comment property of a sequence file is not stored in the PropertyObject of the sequence file itself. It is instead stored in the sequence file's PropertyObjectFile.Data PropertyObject's PropertyObject.Comment property. There is a KnowledgeBase document at the following link that explains this along with an easy to follow sequence file example that uses ActiveX Automation Adapter steps to access the sequence file's own comment property in the manner mentioned above:
Link -> http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/3efedde4322fef19862567740067f3cc/64fbaf3526e8511786256bd1006b8e1c?OpenDocument
Jason F.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
www.ni.com/ask

Can I create a global custom step type, available for all sequence files through a single copy?

I would like to create a custom step type and make it available to any (new or existing) sequence file, without having to copy/paste it every time, to avoid maintenance problems...

Hi Andre,
You need to create the custom step type in the station view rather in the sequence file view.
There's a step type button near the Users Button.
Click on this button then proceed in creating the custom step type as you would have done in the sequence file.
If you are using TS 1.0.x then the new step type will be added to the types palette.ini.
If you are using TS 2.0 then will be able generate a new group ini file to hold your custom step types.
Regard
Ray Farmer
Regards
Ray Farmer

How do I save a running sequence file

Part of my testing requires a large number of variables to be passed to and from the UUT within TestStand. I can store some of these variables in the station globals, but I'd like the option to store others in the sequence files at run time and save them to disk (save the sequence file) at the end of the test. I can create variables in the station globals and commit the globals to disk just fine (LabVIEW vi's using the TestStand API). However, I cannot figure out how to do the same thing with a sequence file. My code is able to create and populate the locals variables with no problem, but I cannot save the running sequence file to disk with the new locals (or file globals) intact (they disappear when the sequence ends.) The reason I want to save the sequence file is to avoid manually entering all these variables into each sequence file locals list.
So, I think the questions are:
How do I make the new locals or file globals a part of the running sequence file?
How do I save the sequence file to disk before it stops running?
I can increment the change count on the file. I have figured out two or three ways to save the file while it's running without errors (although I doubt it's actually doing anything.) I'm using the TestStand API in LabVIEW vi's to pull this off and cannot find the functions I'm looking for.
Sorry if this is rambling, it's kind of hard to describe.

Hi Lars,
The reason that we can't save the local variables created during
runtime is because TestStand creates a runtime copy of the variables
when the sequence starts. After the sequence is finished executing,
this copy is discarded. The reason behind this is that TestStand allows
for a single sequence to have multiple executions at the same time, and
each instance gets its own runtime copy of the local variables. If new
locals could be saved to the actual sequence file in memory, it could
cause major problems for other execution threads of that particular
.seq file.
You can use the API to add variables to the actual file using
GetSequenceFileEx and incrementing the Change Count, or create a
separate sequence that modifies another sequence file, but adding these
locals to the sequence file from itself isn't possible.
Hope this helps Lars,
Have a good one.
Dan Weiland
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
www.ni.com/support
Dan Weiland

Database Polling - Using Update a Sequence File - Not working

Hi All,
We need to use the Database Adapter Polling feature to poll a table for inserts and updates. In the database configuration page of "After Read" , we have used "Update a Sequencing File".
But the process is not being triggered. Any one has successfully tried this option.
Do we need to do any additional configurations ?
Please respond. Its urgent.
Thanks,
Sayama

If this is your first time working with the Property Loader I recommend the following steps:
- Save the Sequence File and go to Tools-> Import/Export Properties…
- Set the Data Location to be a File (You can change it later if you need to use a Database).
- Enter the file path.
- Select a File Format.
- Go to the Properties Tab and from the Available properties list (tree) select your global variable. The global variable should appear in the selected properties list.
- Click the Export Button.
- If you go back to the Source Destination File and click on View File you will notice that the file you selected was generated and that it has a special format.
You will identify the name of your variable under <File Globals> and the variable value under ‘Variable Value’.
Change the variable value to whatever value you want and save the file.
- Now, if you click the Import Button, the tool will get the value from the source file and set the edit-time copy of the sequence global variable to the value you entered in the file.
- Click the Done button and go and check the value of the sequence global variable. The value should be the value you entered in the file.

Create file global in labVIEW

I have a VI, which is called in TestStand. The VI starts new executions according to a test.ini files. It means, the VI is running until all the seqeunces are done.
In the beginning of this VI I create new FileGlobals. My problem is, that I see the new FileGlobals just after the VI finishes to run. I want to see the changes during the VI is running.

I create the file globals once when the VI starts, and I also set their values. Then the VI starts some new executions (sequences) in the sequence file, where my VI is called from. During those new execution I watch the new file globals, which should be there as I created them programmatically. But the new file globals cannot be whatched, because it seems they are not created.
When all my new executions are done, the VI stops, and then I see immediately the new file global in the whatch viewer in the sequence editor.

How to pass local variables between different sequence files?

Actually i want to pass the data (local variable) from my process model file to a client file. The client file only has the callbacks and those callbacks require some parameters as input which is available in local variables of my process model sequence file. I do not want to use Station Globals.
Please tell me any other way by which i can pass that data.

Which Locals do you want from the model. Every sequence has it's own Locals and there are a bunch of sequences in every process model. Do you want the entry point's Locals? A callback's Locals? Just one of the sequence's Locals? Some Models have way more entry points than others. What if your sequence file is ran with a different entry point?
One option is to create your own callback in the model and pass the data to it as parameters. Then add that callback to your client sequence file and get it out of the parameters.
If you simply want the entry point's locals and you are in your Main Sequence then you could use RunState.Caller.Locals.VariableName. This assumes you will use the same entry point every time you run that sequence file. Or assumes that every entry point you run has the same Local variable name.
Maybe there is an API method that exposes what you are looking for. What is your goal?
Regards,
jigg
CTA, CLA
teststandhelp.com
~Will work for kudos and/or BBQ~

Share the customed data types between sequence files

Is there any way to share the customed data type , ex. containter, between the sequence files?
I created some containters, ex, datatype1 in the File1.seq. The other
file File2.seq calls a subsequence which pass the datatype1 as
parameter. But now I have to copy the datatype1in the custom data type
section in the File2.seq. I didn't find the way in the teststand , when
I want to insert a container which is from another file.
The disdavantage of this way is , if the data type is changed, you have to change the data type in both files.
Thanks
Sundog

You can add the data type to the station globals. Then they would be updated for each sequence that uses them.
Open the stations globals and change the view to Global Types. Add your type there.
Message Edited by paulmw on 01-10-2007 01:01 PM
* I noticed that I can't find the type when tring to create a local varable using the above steps, so it looks like this won't exactly work.
Message Edited by paulmw on 01-10-2007 01:06 PM

Get handle of sequence file using file name

in example it is described how to access the comment of a sequence file.
During report generation I only have the file name of the sequence file not some sequence file struct which is needed.
How do I get that using the sequence file name?

Hi mbrost,
Try this TS2.01f1 example.
I have put in an override TestResult Callback sequence and added some code to obtain the comment of the Sequence File. I have also added a Comment to the Sequence File.
Using RunState.SequenceFile as the ActiveX Reference I get a reference to PropertyObjectFile.Data which return a reference. Using this reference I then call the PropertyObject.Comment() API to obtain the comment string.
Then I display this Comment string in a MessageBox.
Hope this helps
Regards
Ray Farmer
(PS. ignore the name markp01 as NI site is getting people mixed up)
Attachments:
Access_SequenceFile_Comment.seq ‏59 KB

Type List Order Numbers (typelistordernum) change when opening a sequence file in Test Stand

Could you please shed light on the reasons a sequence file changes upon opening in the Test Stand development environment?
Comparing the file before and after, I see that the typelistordernum changed on a few custom types that we defined for the program. .
To clarify the environment, I am using two work stations running the same version of Test Stand. The workstations are kept in sync using Sugar Sync. One would expect that a file saved on one workstation could be loaded on the other work station with no change.
This also happens on files that we pull from version control (GIT). Once opened, they change, which presents a serious problem in avoiding version conflicts and keeping track of real changes.
Test Stand Version: 4.5.1

ATE Coder wrote:
In fact it turns out that conflict resolution is fairly hard to resolve.
For instance, changing a type (add a comment) changes its time stamp. As a result, all sequence files referring to this type are now in conflict.
On testing, Test Stand does not seem to flag these. So, they could be pushed into the repositories as is.
Opening the sequence files on another machine (after pulling to code from repositories), Test Stand detects a conflict that in fact is no conflict at all. Now all these files need to be checked in and pushed up and then pulled down. This increases the chances of code conflicts many folds and seems to be totally superfluous.
Turning off automatic conflict resolution does not seem to resolve this issue.
It would seem that for some reason (inertia?), NI pulled into Test Stand the same tight versioning it uses in LabVIEW. While in LabVIEW, where, in fact, one is editing compiled code, thins might add some value, Test Stand sequences are actually XML file -- source code, which call for a much more relaxed code versioning or none at all as making sure the code works as part of the debugging process and cannot be handled properly by 'versioning'.
I think you might not be using automatic conflict resolution the way it is intended.
Are you using type palette files? If not, I highly recommend you do so. If you put the highest version of your types in a type palette file, use the default automatic conflict resolution settings, and distribute or deploy the type palette file to everywhere where the type is being used, you do not have to resave all of your sequence files everytime the type changes. Sequence files with older versions of the type will be automatically updated when they are loaded on machines that have the latest version in a type palette. This is what automatic conflict resolution does, it automatically/silently updates the types in the sequence files when they are loaded. No need to resave everything before hand. If you have trouble getting this working, let me know exactly what you are doing and what problems you are having and I will hopefully be able to suggest an alternative way of managing types that will not have those problems.
Hope this helps,
-Doug

How to program File Globals?

I modified the text sequence editor to suite my requirements.
I created a "Action" custom type which intern is calling the labview code. I want to pass some numeric value to this function (this numeric value I want to define as FileGlobal.number)
Any suggestion.

Vidula,
1. Create the FileGlobal as a numeric.
2. In your vi, pass your numeric output to the connector pain.
3. In Teststand step, use Specify Module (Reload Module for updated vi) and write this numeric output to the file global using expression.
Should be that easy.

Insert file globals with API

Hello,
how do I add new properties to file globals using API-calls. (VC++ and TS 3.5).
The following code snippet doesn't produce any errors but unfortunately doesn't
produce any file globals either.
seqfile = engine->NewSequenceFile();
propobj = seqfile->AsPropertyObject();
propobjTemp = engine->NewPropertyObject(TS:: PropValType_Boolean,VARIANT_FALSE,(_bstr_t)"",TS:: PropOption_SetOnlyIfDoesNotExist);
propobj->SetPropertyObject((_bstr_t)"FileGlobals.MyBoolean",TS:: PropOption_InsertIfMissing,propobjTemp);
propobjTemp = engine->NewPropertyObject(TS:: PropValType_Number,VARIANT_FALSE,(_bstr_t)"",TS:: PropOption_SetOnlyIfDoesNotExist);
propobj->SetPropertyObject((_bstr_t)"FileGlobals.MyString",TS:: PropOption_InsertIfMissing,propobjTemp);
propobjTemp = engine->NewPropertyObject(TS:: PropValType_NamedType,VARIANT_FALSE,(_bstr_t)"SomeContainer",0);
propobj->SetPropertyObject((_bstr_t)"FileGlobals.MyContainer",TS:: PropOption_InsertIfMissing,propobjTemp);
Thank you for your help.
Mike

Hi,
I have attached an example, which creates a new seqfile, inserts a FileGlobals (check out the lookup string - "Data.FileGlobalDefaults.MyBoolean"), increments the count and saves then releases the sequence file.
Its a bit crude. It will create the sequencefile "MySequenceFile.seq" in the same location where you open the main sequence file.
Hope it helps
Regards
Ray
Regards
Ray Farmer
Attachments:
CreateSeqFile_TS35.seq ‏21 KB

Comment, "sequence file global"

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