What is New for TestStand 3.0?
Primary Software: TestStand
Primary Software Version: 1.0
Primary Software Fixed Version: N/A
Secondary Software: N/A
Problem: What is new for TestStand 3.0?
Solution:
The following list describes the new features in TestStand 3.0 and other changes since TestStand 2.0.1.
Improved Language and ADE Integration
LabVIEW Adapter
The LabVIEW Adapter (formerly the LabVIEW Standard Prototype Adapter) offers the following new features when used with LabVIEW 7.0:
- Call VIs with any connector pane
- Run VIs with the LabVIEW Run-Time Engine
- Call VIs on remote systems, including LabVIEW Real-Time (RT) systems
- Significant performance improvements
LabWindows/CVI Adapter
TestStand 3.0 allows you to use the LabWindows/CVI Adapter (formerly the C/CVI Standard Prototype Adapter) to call LabWindows/CVI functions with any prototype. Parameter data types include numerics, strings, objects, arrays, and C structures.
C/C++ DLL Adapter
In TestStand 3.0, you can use the C/C++ DLL Adapter (formerly the DLL Flexible Prototype Adapter) to perform the following tasks:
- Call static global and class methods in C++ DLLs
- Integrate with Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 for code generation, editing, and debugging
- Pass TestStand data to Measurement Studio C++ class object parameters, such as CNiReal64Vector and CNiReal64Matrix
.NET Adapter
Use the .NET Adapter to perform the following tasks:
- Call methods and access properties in .NET assemblies
- Integrate with Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 for code generation, editing, and debugging
ActiveX/COM Adapter
In TestStand 3.0, you can use the ActiveX/COM Adapter (formerly the ActiveX Automation Adapter) to call COM servers with custom interfaces. This feature is limited to automation data types.
Sequence Adapter
In TestStand 3.0, you can use the Sequence Adapter to launch new threads and executions that are initialized as single-threaded apartment, which allows the thread to create or launch dialog boxes that contain ActiveX controls. In addition, the TestStand Engine launches Edit <Step Type> dialog boxes for steps in threads that are initialized as single-threaded apartment.
Java Step Type
TestStand 3.0 includes an example step type for calling Java class methods.
Simple Operator Interface Development
TestStand 3.0 introduces the TestStand User Interface (UI) Controls, which are ActiveX controls designed to radically simplify the development of custom operator interfaces.
Example operator interfaces are available for LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, Microsoft Visual Basic .NET, C#, and C++ (MFC).
New System Deployment Tools
TestStand 3.0 introduces the TestStand Deployment Utility, which creates an installer and an installable image for deploying your TestStand system to one or more target machines.
The installer you create can include the following:
- Your TestStand workspace and associated files
- Any files stored in your TestStand User directories
- The TestStand Engine
Improved Report Generation and Database Logging Capabilities
TestStand 3.0 offers report generation features such as built-in XML reporting and on-the-fly report generation. TestStand 3.0 also offers on-the-fly database logging.
Productivity Enhancements
The following features represent some of the major productivity enhancements in TestStand 3.0:
- Find and Replace capability
- Next/Previous buttons in the Sequence File windows in the TestStand Sequence Editor
- Ability to change the step type and adapter for an existing step
- Improved layout and editing of parameters on Specify Module dialog boxes
- New execution debugging options that break on step failure as well as on sequence failure
- Ability for the TestStand Sequence Editor to automatically assign unique IDs to steps and for Goto steps to use these unique IDs as targets
- Links to the TestStand Help from within all TestStand dialog boxes
- New station option that allows branching during an interactive execution
- New station option that determines whether failures and errors from nested executions propagate to the calling execution
- Enhancements to breakpoints and watch expressions, including saving breakpoints and watch expressions with your workspace, disabling breakpoints, and breaking on watch expression change
- Smart editing in expression controls
- Integration of help into Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003
- VI and function reference help
Miscellaneous Features
- License management
- Specify Module dialog boxes and Edit <Step> dialog boxes support read-only mode
- Remote Engine now displays an icon in the system tray. Use this system tray icon to get engine status information and to exit the Remote Engine application
- Updates to the LabVIEW palette for TestStand provide improved usability, as well as new polymorphic VIs for getting and setting property values
- Removed the TestStand Sequence Editor option to allow editing of National Instruments step types
- Improvements to the Multiple Numeric Limit Test step type
- New switching expression functions, which include Find Route capability
- Basic math and string functions in expressions
TestStand 3.0 API Additions and Changes
The following features are some of the many enhancements to the TestStand API for TestStand 3.0:
- Addition of a dual ActiveX interface
- Ability to programmatically configure adapters, step code modules and parameters, search directories, external viewers, and Tools menu
Note TestStand 3.0 rearranged many of the adapter-specific properties of steps, which are located under the TS.SData property of a step. Do not access these properties directly. Instead, use the adapter-specific module interface for the Module object for the step.
- A new Thread.RunTimeVariables property, which allows you to attach object references to adhere to the lifetime of a thread
- A new SequenceContext.Calling step property, which allows you to see which step calls an asynchronous sequence
- A new AddPostStepCustomUIMessage method, which allows you to register a post-step expression that generates an event when True
- Support in the EditArgs class for the SelectedPropertyObjects property, which allows a Tools menu item to edit a selected variable, such as arrays
- A new UIMessage.Acknowledge method that allows an operator interface to respond to a UI message before returning from an event invocation
- Model State events which communicate UUT status information to operator interfaces
- Complete methods and properties in the StepType and Step classes
- Definitions for all station options in the new StationOptions class
Related Links:
Attachments:
Report Date: 08/31/2007
Last Updated: 11/10/2007
Document ID: 4CUD4KXU
