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Deploying TestStand 3.0

Primary Software: TestStand
Primary Software Version: 3.0
Primary Software Fixed Version: N/A
Secondary Software: N/A

Problem: How deploying test applications changes with TestStand 3.0

Solution: For previous users of TestStand, a key change in the distribution process is how the TestStand Deployment Utility simplifies the complex process of deploying a TestStand system. Unlike the previous TestStand Installation Wizard, the new deployment utility automates many of the steps involved, including collecting sequence files, code modules, and support files for your test system and then creating an installer for these files.

The TestStand Deployment Utility can create installable 'images', which are directories of files to be installed to the target computer. The image is pulled from a TestStand workspace file and the development machine's <TestStand>\...\User subdirectory structure. The deployment utility can then create an installer that installs these components as well as the TestStand Engine, and components in the <TestStand>\...\NI subdirectories.

Before deploying your sequence files and code modules, you can create a workspace file that contains all of the sequence files that your test system could execute. The deployment utility will analyze those sequence files when it runs in order to determine which files they reference and add them to the installer. Also, add to your workspace any files that are not stored in a <TestStand>\...\User directory (if needed) and files that are not referenced directly by your sequence files, such as the support files required by code module DLLs.

New TestStand Deployment Utility highlights:
  • The deployment utility now auto-analyzes all of the LabVIEW VIs that it deploys to determine their complete hierarchies, including all subVIs, DLLs, external subroutines, run-time menus, LabVIEW Express configuration diagrams, and help files that your VIs may reference. It then packages these VIs and their hierarchies to ensure that they will be executable on systems that do not have the LabVIEW development system installed.

  • The deployment utility also performs processing on sequence files in order to remove absolute paths. When it removes absolute paths it will convert them to relative paths based on current sequence file directory, the TestStand Installion directory, Windows\System32 directory, or Windows directory.

  • If you select the TestStand Engine to be built into your installer, you will have the option to configure what components are added to the installer, including distribution of the default operator interfaces, IVI support, tools, and development system files such as the sequence editor executable, .exe. If you have a custom operator interface, add it to your workspace and the deployment utility will analyize the files and allow you to create the textexec.exe installation as a task inside the larger installer.


Related Links: TestStand Manuals

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Report Date: 08/14/2003
Last Updated: 11/16/2004
Document ID: 30DD69Y6

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