Where to place custom step types in teststand 4.1?

Hi,
I have placed custom step types like ieee ssh etc, in the folder c:/documents....../components/user folder.
But i could view them, when i use insert step in sequence editor.
Please let me know is there any other location for teststand 4.1?
Thanks in advance.
Kris.

This link shows you the default paths for TestStand 4.1
Regards
Ray Farmer
Regards
Ray Farmer

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Automatically Installing Custom Step Types in TestStand 4.2

We have developed Custom Step types that needs to be integrated in a deployed TestStand System (customized UI with TestStand RunTime Engine) . We can customize the palette manually and add the related INI file. We also understand that the information gets saved in Testexec.ini in Cfg folder @ C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\TestStand 4.2\Cfg. What I am curious is how this process can be automated.
Thanks

dug9000 wrote:
I just want to add to the above that there are very good reasons to use type palettes even in a deployment. Using a type palette in a deployment ensures that all of the sequences on the deployed machine will use the version of the type in the type palette file... Using type palettes is recommended as a way to control which type versions are being used and to keep types more organized and centralized.
Absolutely - that's exactly why we're doing it this way. Our customer is in a regulated industry, and we need to control their development environment configuration very tightly. Speaking of which, so when will there be VIPM (TestStand Edition)?
Copyright © 2004-2015 Christopher G. Relf. Some Rights Reserved. This posting is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

Insert a specified built-in or custom step type in Teststand using CVI

I try to build a step type . this step type specifies an adapter of DLL, which is developed under CVI. I want to use Teststand API functions in CVI to fulfill the following functions.
1, insert a specified built-in or custom step type into current sequence;
2, insert a specified built-in or custom step type into another sequence.
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Hi Jacky,
There is an example program called Programmatically Inserting a Step into a TestStand Sequence Using LabWindows/CVI and a KnowledgeBase called Programmatically Inserting a New Step in the Currently Executing Sequence that should answer your question.
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Best Regards,
Jonathan N.
National Instruments

Custom Step Type SubSteps Bug ?

Hi,
I'm having what I think is a bug. I'm doing a custom step type in teststand 4.2 and I can't put the pre-step substep before the post-step. I also know that TestStand are not executing them correctly since my pre-step create an object and the two post-step uses this object to set informations.
Please look at the picture below

Hi Crusader,
Though the Pre-Step is being listed after the Post-Step substeps in your image, it will execute before them because of its very nature as a Pre-Step. As per the TestStand Reference Manual, the Pre-Step substep will execute immediately before the module, and the Post-Step substep will execute immediately after the module.
The Move Up and Move Down buttons on the dialog are meant to function only when you have multiple substeps of the same type, in which case order of operation becomes important. For example, if you were to highlight one of your Post-Step substeps, these buttons would make themselves available.
Derrick S.
Product Manager
NI DIAdem
National Instruments

Add-on step types for TestStand?

I am almost certainly reinventing some wheels with Teststand by creating some basic test types.
For example, I just wrote a custom step type for taking an analog measurement from a DAQmx instrument. Surely someone has done this before, and surely someone will want to do it again. There's nothing proprietary about code that simple, and I'd be happy to give it away if there was a place to post it.
Two questions:
1. Is there an open-source repository for sharing custom step types?
2. Are there add-ons for purchase with canned step types beyond those which come with TestStand?
-Arthur

Hi Jigg,
I looked at Averna.com, and I don't see any add-ins available on their website. It looks like they offer services mostly.
It's a good point about TS projects being so varied and customized. However, if custom step types are well architected, as the built-in step types are, then they ought to be reusable by others.
You're right also that I can accomplish my DAQmx steps easily using an Action step with the LV adapter. My motivation for the custom step is to improve the interface for setting up such an action. In particular, when using an IO channel in TS, I have to manually type in a text string for the DeviceName value, whereas I'd like to choose from a list of global names (e.g. with the global channel list control in LV). I can get this affect by using an Enum in a wrapper VI, which maps to an array of channel constants; but this is fragile if the available channels are changed (e.g. added, removed or renamed in MAX).
Additionally, a custom step type is better than a step template for my purposes, because I can propagate changes in the step type to instances of steps throughout the test. This is incredibly valuable to me during development and debugging. It saves me time when I want to update a step that I've used many times throughout a test sequence. Although TS isn't itself a programming language, I find that I expect it to share certain traits with programming languages to facilitate development, such as type abstractions and a strict enforcement of congruency between types and instances. But I digress....
Thanks for your suggestions.

How can I include multiple limits in the sequence file documentation for custom step type?

Hi,
I have a custom Step Type that contains Measurements property under Results. Its type is Array of NI_LimitMeasurement.
I would like to see the values in the sequence file documentation like NI_MultipleNumericLimitTest type.
Is there any trick to do that?
Thanks,
Andras

Hi Andras,
I have made a slight change to the sequencefile 'docgen_txt.seq'.
In the Sequence 'Step Doc' is a section which handles MultipleNumericLimit step type. There is a precondition check on the step 'Add Multiple Numeric Limits' if the step is of type 'NI_MultipleNumericLimit'. As your step type is based on the MultipleNumeric Limit type, I have just removed this precondition and just relied on the existence of Parameters.Step.Result.Measurement. Equally you could add a new section in this sequence to handle your Custom Step Type which is only called when the precodition match your type name.
Now when you run the DocGen tool it handles your custom step type.
Find attached my modified sequencefile 'docgen_txt.seq'.
Just copy the contents of '..\National Instruments\TestStand 3.5\Components\NI\Tools\DocGen' to the User folder. Then place the attached file in the User\Tools\DocGen overwritting the version that is in that folder.
Then launch TestStand and try it out on your sequence file.
If you are using the html version, then you will have to make the same change into Step Doc sequence of the docgen_html sequence file.
Hope this helps
Regards
Ray Farmer
Message Edited by Ray Farmer on 05-19-2007 05:28 PM
Regards
Ray Farmer
Attachments:
docgen_txt.seq ‏184 KB

Database, custom step types, ann XML report issues...All in one

TS3.0
Have a number of issues to do the above. I'll try and explain them in order. I'm sure there all linked, but can't figure out how...
The "Custom" Steps.....They are copies of the NI Numeric/Multiple Numeric tests, with a added post step to translate the error code into something meaningful.... No big deal.
XML Issue
When the report is generated the the Multiple numeric saves fine(See Multiple.txt, the step is of numeric type, all is well). However strange things happen in the Numeric test. see "Simple.txt" for a snipit of the result file. As you can see the "error code" contains the measurement. Why....?
Also in the XML the result seems to be reported as a normal step(like an action) and not a numeric test....
DATABASE Issues
Now when loggin to the standard DB that ships with TS, with the 1 change to the tables, to record our custom types in the DB. Everything works fine and is recorded untill the 1st instance of a skipped "Custom_MultipleNumericLimit Test" , at which point the DB (Microsoft Access) throws a wobbly(error message) and states that "No such col exsists". When the DB is looked at everything is recorded upto the point where a skipped Custom Step happend(and the error message). When the custom type is run normally(ie not skipped), the resutls are recorded fine, no problems.
Can't get my head around whats going on. I've check the property flags, and as far as I can tell every thing is in order for these custom steps(ie they look the same as the TestStand steps they are based on). It records fine in the XML.
Attachments:
Zip file with XML snipits.zip ‏1 KB

Can you be more specific details about your database problem, specifically:
1) the changes that you made to the default schema
2) the changes that you made to the database tables
3) the entire error message text for the logging error
Scott Richardson
National Instruments

The custom step type

How can I possibly do the custom step type with MS VB and after that to use this with ActiveX Automation Adapter?
"Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living..." - Albert Einstein

Hi,
The process of generating custom steps is basically the same what every adapter you use. ( See user manual chapter 9)
As an example I've taken the Computer Demo sequence found in the TestStand\Examples\ for VB and created a custom step for the Power On test.
Attached is the an ini file called MyTest.ini. Places this in Teststand\cfg\TypePalettes folder.
Then launch TestStand and you should find the new step in the palette.
(This is for TestStand 2.0.1)
Hope this get you started
Regards
Ray Farmer
Regards
Ray Farmer
Attachments:
MyTypes.ini ‏41 KB

Creating a step type "launcher" that would insert the appropriate built-in or custom step type at edit time

Hi everybody,
I'm looking for tips, pointers,directions... to be able to perform this operation in TS 4.0 sequence Editor, if it's even possible...
I'm managing a test system with a "home-made" virtual instruments abstraction Layer complementary to IVI classes for instruments which do not have classes defined, customizing the sequence editor accordingly for developpers of my department.
So basically when the instrument is IVI, the developper uses the built-in IVI step-type type and when it is not, he uses the the custom step types that I developped for this particular class of instruments.
However there are classes where I do have both IVI and specific drivers available and I do need to use both in the test sequence.
For example let's say there are two sources of DC power available in the testbench, one being a programmable IVI compliant DC power supply, and the other one composed of fixed "blocks" of DC power supply managed by externals relays and you need to use them both in the test sequence.
What I would like to be able to do in the sequence editor is inserting the appropriate step type at edit time just by selecting the source of power supply (by a ring or enum for eg), and if the first ressource is selected, it inserts IVI step type, and if the second ressource is chosen, it inserts the appropriate custom step type.
Any Ideas on how to accomplish this ?
Regards,
Cyril
Cyril Bouton
Active LabVIEW Developper
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Hello Cyril,
Here is an idea that could be done:
You could create a dynamic step by having a step that holds all the properties for both configurations (the superset of the necessary variables) and an extra one that indicates which 'mode' the step is in. Then you create the main Edit substep in whichever language you desire. That substep window will then have a box/dropdown/etc. at the top you can use to choose between modes A & B. When the user changes the value, you would dynamically change the rest of the window to contain the appropriate properties for mode A or B. You then copy the property values in that window to the Step properties, and copy the mode to your variable and you can run the step in that mode. When the step then runs, it checks the mode variable, and depending on its value, it will run the step in mode A or B.
Now we could add a dialog that allows us to choose when we put a step down but we should still allow the user to change later via the Edit substep we create.
I don't think we can create something that inserts a completely different step, but we can have one step that has the ability to do both and we can pick which one we execute. Also note we still don't have the ability to edit the Panels for a step, so we have to use a new window that we call from our Edit substep to complete the step.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Olivier L. | Certified LabVIEW Developer

Stationglobals in a Labview custom step type inside a new thread do not get updated

Hi,
I have a Custom Step type which I use to pass parameters to TestStand from a VI and vice-versa through some step fields. I run the VI inside a sequence in a new thread and expect the VI to update the parameters when I change them through the TestStand StationGlobals.
For example, I have a waveform injection custom step. I want to continuously inject a signal while I do some measurements on it. So, I put this step type in a sequence and ran it in a new thread.
I pass the VI parameter 'Stop_Injection' through a step field as shown in image 1. And I expect the step field to get updated when the new thread is run continuously by passing the corresponding stationglobal in the Pre-expression of the custom step (image 2). But this fails to happen. The VI does not get updated.
On the other hand, if I do not bother with the step field and directly pass the stationglobal (figure 3), it works perfectly.
Any idea why this is happening?
I hope I was clear in my question.
LabVIEW 8.6.1
TestStand 4.1.1
Message Edited by Changi on 08-06-2009 12:50 AM
Attachments:
1.JPG ‏92 KB
2.JPG ‏42 KB
3.JPG ‏91 KB

Hi,
In image 3 you are linked directly to the StationGlobal of which you are continually updating therefore seeing the changes.
In the other you are only linked to the Step.Stop_Injection and are only updating this valve from the stationglobals once in the pre-expression. You are not changing the reference.
Regards
Ray Farmer
Regards
Ray Farmer

How can take a Custom Data Type in TestStand and create a LabVIEW DataType?

I am using LV 8.2 and TS 3.5.
I have an existing Custom Data Type in TestStand and I want to make a LabView Type Def. The TS DataType contains 11 elements: a Visa Resource Container of 2 elements (String, DeviceName and Number, Session), 9 Numerics and 1 String Array. For Backwards compatability, I cannot modify the TestStand DataType.
Thanks,
Jean

Hi Goldee,
You should be able to do that. It's a two step procedure.
1) Creates in LV a custom datatype that maps 1:1 yours TS datatype.
2) Go in the TypePalette in the properties of yours TS Datatype and check into LV Cluster Passing Menu'. Here you can Connect a specific Field of the TS datatype to a Specific Label of the corresponding LV datatype. Once you've done it the TS datatype will result modified, I mean "starred" but the change you applied should not impact the datatype structure itself only the way you pass it to LV.
Have a good day
FiloP
It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.
Richard P. Feynman

Custom Step Type Execution

I've made a custom step type which calls a .NET module. In the Properties>>SubSteps tab I added an Edit type which opens a dialog for the user to enter parameters when they edit that step type. Then I added a Post-stpe type which I thought was what gets called when the step is actually executed in a sequence. When I run a sequence that uses one of these types, the edit dialog pops up again, then only after I close the edit dialog does the post-step run. I assume I read something wrong because I thought the edit step type should only get called when one is editing the custom step type in the sequence editor prior to actually running the sequence that uses that step.

Josh,
I think the issue is with the Edit step. Before the custom step type ever runs in a sequence the desire is to be able to edit parameters via some custom mechanism. i.e. one of the main reasons for creating a custom step type is to override and customize the parameter enter\select functionality. When a user adds a step, usually the next thing he or she does is immediately right click and select to edit it and enter parameters. When one of these custom steps is added and you try to 'edit' it, here is where the problems start. If, as you say, the .NET object will not get instantiated until the sequence is actually run, you will never be able to access it and call its functions at edit time. I guess that's why all the examples I've seen use calls to C\C++ style dlls so no objects are involved.
Clearly the problem stems from my misunderstanding of when a .NET object can and\or will be created in custom steps in Test Stand. It just seemed logical to me that one should be able to force creation of an object in a pre-step but I now know that isn't true. However, there has to be some step or event (possibly when the Test Stand environment loads for example) in which I can create any .NET objects I want to use in custom steps. Maybe I'll look into that. If it turns out to be too much trouble to do so, I will stick to doing things via direct C\C++ dll function calls. Most of our .NET modules are just wrappers of multiple C\C++ dlls anyways. If you have any more info or I'm mistaken in my thinking please let me know. Thanks again.

Custom Step Type: Sequence Call

OK, I'm primarily a LabVIEW programmer, but in TestStand I understand how to:
* Create a Custom Step Type
* Link a LabVIEW Module for execution, post substep, edit substep, etc.
* Prevent the user from selecting a different module for an instance of my Custom Step Type.
All good stuff.
Now here's what I want to do: the exact same thing, except that I want the custom step to call a subsequence instead of a LabVIEW VI during execution. Yes, I want to use a LabVIEW VI for the edit substep (to set certain parameters for this instance of the subsequence call. Yes, I want to use a LabVIEW VI for the post substep.
Can this be done?

Hi,
Short answer, yes.
When you create your step type, for the Specify Module you would use a SequcenceCall Adapter instead of your labview adapter.
You would have to have your sequencefile with your sequences already created seperately and you would set the sequencefile not to use a process model in the sequencefile properties.
Regards
Ray Farmer
Regards
Ray Farmer

Know steps names of called sequence file using sequence call step type in TestStand

Hi,
I have a problem in accessing step names in called sequence file using "Sequence call"step type in TestStand 4.0.
I would list out all step names of called sequence file. Is it possible to do through C#.NET? If, yes, Please explain to me in detail with possible example.
Thank you,
regards
RKK

Hey RKK,
I want to first set your expectations for the forums. This is not a place for people to review and rewrite your code for you; this is a place for specific and general questions. I am not saying your question in this thread is inappropriate, because it is a good questions. We should just not post code and ask others to fix it here. If you are looking for this type of service we have alliance members that can help you write your TestStand Operator Interface (www.ni.com/alliance).
As for you question about getting the sequence names for a sequence file that is not the currently running sequence file, you will need to open a reference to that sequence files and then use the API calls that I mentioned in my previous posts. You can use the Enigine.GetSequenceFileEx function to open a reference to sequence file, and you will need to close the reference with the Engine.ReleaseSequenceFile function when you are done using it. After you have a reference to this external Sequence File, you can use the example dll and sequence I previously sent you. I also attach a new sequence file (SeqFile2.seq) plus an updated GetNames.seq to illustrate how to use the above mentioned functions. I hope this helps. Have a great day!
Best Regards,
Software Engineer
Jett R
Attachments:
GetNamesOfSequencesInFile.zip ‏52 KB

Put the report into shape for custom step type

Hi All,
I created a custom step type and also managed to get the results logged into the report file.
In the report file(See ‘[15 33 14][22 10 2007].xml.vi’ please remove the 'vi' extension) the 'StepResult' (created by my custom step type) appears just below the status. Is it possible to get it displayed somehow the cell(measurement column) next to it, like in a Numeric Limit Step? I’m using the ‘horizontal.xsl’ stylesheet and Teststand 3.5.
Furthermore, is it possible to change the name of the column headers? Or the structure of the header?
Cheers
Attila
Attachments:
[15 33 14][22 10 2007].xml.vi ‏17 KB

Hi again Attila,
Further to my above post, I've collaborated with colleagues here and have been able to modify the horizontal.xls stylesheet such that it is suitable for what you require. This modification will ensure that all properties named StepResult will be displayed as you described, in line in the table.
To ensure compatibility with your results in TestStand, a small modification to your sequence file is required. In your sequence file, right click the value for your custom step, go to Advanced > Edit Flags and uncheck all boxes. The text in the bottom of the window should now read "0x0". This should mean that your data is displayed correctly.
I am attaching the modified horizontal.xls for you to use [remove the .vi extension]; please make sure a backup is created before you replace it. The file should be placed in your TestStand directory under Components\NI\Models\TestStandModels\StyleSheets. Modifications to column headers as described in the above post can be made to this file.
I hope this soultion is satisfactory and that you are able to implement it. If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to reply.
Regards,
Tom
Applications Engineering, NI UK
Attachments:
horizontal.xsl.vi ‏84 KB

Where to place custom step types in teststand 4.1?

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