TestStandCustomized4.0 SampleManual

NI TestStand II: Customization TM
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Course Manual
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Course Software Version 4.0
July 2007 Edition
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Part Number 323038E-01
NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual
Copyright
© 2001–2007 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.
Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent
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of National Instruments Corporation.

National Instruments respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected by
copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to
others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable
license or other legal restriction.
Trademarks
National Instruments, NI, ni.com, NI TestStand, and LabVIEW are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation. Refer to the Terms
of Use section on ni.com/legal for more information about National Instruments trademarks.
Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
Members of the National Instruments Alliance Partner Program are business entities independent from National Instruments and have
no agency, partnership, or joint-venture relationship with National Instruments.
Patents
For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software,
the patents.txt file on your CD, or ni.com/legal/patents.
Contents
Student Guide
A. NI Certification .....................................................................................................v
B. Course Description ...............................................................................................v
C. What You Need to Get Started .............................................................................vi
D. Installing the Course Software..............................................................................vi
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E. Course Goals.........................................................................................................vii
F. Course Conventions ..............................................................................................viii
Lesson 1
Test Frameworks
A. Purpose of the Test Framework ............................................................................1-2
B. Components of a Framework................................................................................1-3
C. Framework Requirements.....................................................................................1-4
Summary – Quiz .........................................................................................................1-6
Lesson 2
TestStand API
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A. Introduction to the TestStand API ........................................................................2-2
B. TestStand API Organization .................................................................................2-5
C. Calling the TestStand API ....................................................................................2-22
D. Typical Uses of the TestStand API.......................................................................2-35
Summary – Quiz .........................................................................................................2-39
Lesson 3
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Custom Steps
A. Custom Step Types ...............................................................................................3-2
B. Step Templates......................................................................................................3-20
Summary – Quiz .........................................................................................................3-21
Lesson 4
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Process Models
A. Process Model Structure .......................................................................................4-2
B. Customizing a Process Model...............................................................................4-11
C. Common Process Model Modifications ...............................................................4-12
Summary – Quiz .........................................................................................................4-32
© National Instruments Corporation iii NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

Contents
Lesson 5
User Interfaces
A. Available User Interfaces......................................................................................5-2
B. TestStand User Interface Controls ........................................................................5-5
C. User Interface Messages .......................................................................................5-20
D. Front-End Callbacks .............................................................................................5-24
Summary – Quiz .........................................................................................................5-25
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Lesson 6
Customizing Database Interaction
A. Relational Databases.............................................................................................6-2
B. Structured Query Language ..................................................................................6-5
C. Customizing Database Interaction ........................................................................6-9
D. Modifying Schemas ..............................................................................................6-10
E. Database Step Types .............................................................................................6-17
Summary – Quiz .........................................................................................................6-29
Lesson 7
Design Considerations
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A. Choosing Where to Implement Functions ............................................................7-2
B. Data Management .................................................................................................7-8
C. Error Handling ......................................................................................................7-10
D. Framework Deployment .......................................................................................7-13
Summary – Quiz .........................................................................................................7-14
Appendix A
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Additional Information and Resources
Course Evaluation
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NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual iv ni.com

Lesson 3 Custom Steps
Lesson 3: Custom Steps
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TOPICS
A. Custom Step Types
B. Step Templates
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Custom steps are useful tools you can provide to test developers along with the test framework.
Some custom steps interact with the process model or user interface directly, so the developer
can tie into the framework in new ways. There are two varieties of custom steps:
• Custom step types are completely new step types you can use to customize most aspects of
a step, including data storage, run-time behavior, and default settings.
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• Step templates are existing step types with a customized set of default settings.
This lesson describes custom step types and compares them to step templates.
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© National Instruments Corporation 3-1 NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

• Use custom step types to
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– Modify the run-time behavior of step types
– Modify the properties and result collection of step types
– Create dialog boxes to set the step properties
– Modify the step description and default settings
– Define code templates to simplify module creation
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You can use custom step types to influence the behavior of a step much more than normal step
settings. Using custom step types, you can modify the run-time behavior of the step to perform
additional operations as the step runs. You can also modify the data that the step stores and the
results that the step creates to log to databases or reports. Refer to Lesson 4, Process Models, for
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more information on result collection. Custom step types can define their own configuration
dialog boxes so the test developer can configure the settings of the step. You can modify the step
description, menu location, icon, and other appearance settings for a custom step type. Custom
step types may have predefined settings for each of the standard step properties. You can disable
built-in properties so that the test developer cannot modify them. You can also define code
templates from a custom step type, so the test developer has a starting point when creating code
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modules.
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Custom Step Types – Creation
Create custom step types from the Types pane
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Custom Step Types – Creation

To create a custom step type, right-click within the Type palette and select Insert Step Type.
You may want to use an existing step type as a starting point for a custom step type. To use an
existing step type, copy a step type from one of the built-in palettes and place the step type in
your Type palette. You must rename the step type before you can edit it. The easiest way to
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rename the step type is to paste two copies of the step type into your Type palette. The second
copy automatically renames itself to avoid a conflict. Delete the first copy. Rename and
customize the second copy.
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Custom Step Types – Locations

• Type palettes
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– MyTypes.ini is most common
– Best for types used by
multiple sequence files
• Sequence files
– Best for types used only
within a single sequence file
– Sequence files maintain a
copy of types used from a
type palette in case the type
palette is missing
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Custom Step Types – Locations

Store custom step types in a Type palette, such as MyTypes.ini, or directly in the sequence file
where you use them. Store the types in a Type palette if you plan to use them in multiple
sequence files. When you use a type from a Type palette, the sequence file automatically
maintains a copy
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of the type in case the Type palette is missing or the type is removed from the palette. The
version settings resolve any differences between the sequence file version of the type and the
Type palette version.
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Custom Step Types – Type Conflicts

• You can only have one type with a given name in memory
at a time
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– Having different types with the same name in memory creates a
conflict
• When you modify a type, TestStand sets the Modified
property
– While the Modified property is set, TestStand prompts you to
resolve any conflicts rather than resolving them automatically
– Remove the Modified property by
• Using the type Warning dialog box
• Incrementing the type version
• Manually disabling the Modified property
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Custom Step Types – Type Conflicts

TestStand permits only one definition for each uniquely named type in memory. Although the
type can appear in multiple files, only one underlying definition of the type exists in memory. If
you modify the type in one file, the type updates in all files.
When you modify a type, TestStand enables the built-in Modified property for the type. When
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you complete your modifications to the type, disable the Modified property by incrementing the
version of the type on the Step Type Properties dialog box or the Type Properties dialog box.
TestStand cannot automatically resolve type conflicts until you have disabled the Modified
property. If you fail to remove the Modified property, TestStand forces you to resolve any type
conflicts manually by using the Type Conflict in File dialog box.
If you load a file that contains a type definition and another type definition of the same name
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already exists in memory, TestStand verifies that the two type definitions are identical. When
TestStand compares two types with the same name, TestStand also compares all the built-in and
custom subproperties in the types. If the types are not identical, TestStand attempts to resolve
this conflict.

Custom Step Types – Versioning
• TestStand automatically
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resolves type conflicts by
selecting the type with the
higher version number if
– You load two types with the
same name
– The types are different
– Neither type has the Modified
property set and the types
have different versions
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Custom Step Types – Versioning

TestStand uses the version number to determine whether to load a type from a file when the type
is already in memory and the version of a type to use when the version numbers are different.
TestStand automatically selects the type with the greater version number if the Modified
property for both types is disabled and each type definition does not specifically require a
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prompt to resolve the type conflict. If TestStand cannot automatically determine which type to
use, or an execution is running and the type that TestStand wants to use is located in the file
being loaded, TestStand informs you of the conflict through the Type Conflict in File dialog box.
You can resolve the conflict using the Type Conflict in File dialog box.
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Custom Step Types – Type Warning Dialog Box
• The type Warning dialog box

displays when
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– You make changes to a type
– You do not remove the modified
property
– You save the sequence file or type
library
• You can configure the dialog
box or station options to
automatically increment the
version
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Custom Step Types – Type Warning Dialog Box

The type Warning dialog box displays when you attempt to perform an operation that
might cause type conflicts that TestStand cannot automatically resolve. If you make changes to a
type, leave the Modified property set, and save the sequence file or type library, the next time
you open the library, TestStand recognizes that the type may conflict with existing types.
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However, TestStand cannot resolve the conflict because the Modified property is set.
You can avoid this dialog box by manually incrementing the type version after you modify
a type. You can also disable the dialog box. You can permit TestStand to automatically
increment versions by enabling the save option in the type Warning dialog box or on the
Preferences tab of the Station Options dialog box.
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Custom Step Types – Type Conflict In File

Dialog Box
• The Type Conflict In File
dialog box displays when
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– You attempt to load two
types with the same name
and version but different
definitions
– You attempt to load two
types with the same name
and version when one type
has the modified property
currently set
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Custom Step Types – Type Conflict In File Dialog Box

TestStand launches the Type Conflict In File dialog box if you load a file that contains a type
definition while another type definition of the same name already exists in memory and
TestStand verifies that the two type definitions are not identical. Specifically, if the type
definitions are not identical and the type versions are identical, or if at least one type is marked
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as modified, TestStand uses the Type Conflict in File dialog box to inform you of the conflict.
The textbox displays information about the conflicting type.
Use this dialog box to select which definition to use or rename one definition so they can both
exist in memory.
The Type Conflict in File dialog box contains the following options:
• Use Currently Loaded Type—Converts the instance of the type in the file to use the
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currently loaded type. The newly loaded file is marked as modified.

• Use Type From <Sequence File>—Converts the instance of the type in memory to use the
type from the specified file. All previously loaded files that contain the type and instances of
the type are marked as modified.
• Rename Currently Loaded Type—Renames the type in memory and converts instances of
the type in memory to use the new name. All previously loaded files that contain the type and
instance of the type are marked as modified.
• Rename Type in <Sequence File>—Renames the type in the file and converts instances of
the type in the file to use the new name. The newly loaded file is marked as modified.
• Apply Option to All Conflicts in File—Applies the selected option to all conflicts in the
sequence file.

Custom Step Types – Adding Properties

• Step types can use custom
properties to store data
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• Result container
– Important results of the step
– Data intended for the report or
database
• Root of step or other subfolders
– Temporary data items
– Configuration settings
– Minor results
– Can add to results
programmatically, if necessary
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Custom Step Types – Adding Properties

You can add properties to a custom step type to store data. To add a property, right-click inside
the step type and select Insert Field. Properties added to any folder except the Results folder are
generally used for internal data storage. Examples of properties you might create outside the
Result container include:
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• temporary data items to store data from one substep to the next.
• configuration settings to be set by an edit substep.
• minor results of the step that you may not want to include in the report or the database.
Reserve the Result container for important results of the step that you always intend to include in
the report or database. You can programmatically transfer properties into the result container in
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order to include optional results in the report or database. Refer to Lesson 4, Process Models, for
more information on results and adding items to reports.

Custom Step Types – Step Type Settings

• Right-click the step and select
Properties to edit the step type
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settings
• Step type settings allow you to
– Define
• Menu item name and location
• Step description
• Substeps
• Code templates
– Set default values for the step
settings
– Disable step settings to make the
default values permanent
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Custom Step Types – Step Type Settings

Step types have a number of settings you can configure to customize the type. Right-click a step
and select Properties to open the step Properties dialog box where you can specify step type
settings. Use the step type settings to specify the menu location, specify the icon and step
description as well as configure code module settings, define substeps, and create templates.
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You can use the step type settings to set default values for any of the standard step properties.
You can also disable any of the standard properties so that a test developer cannot override the
default values.
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Custom Step Types – Using Substeps

• Substeps are code modules that
are called when certain events
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occur on the step
• Substeps cannot use a relative
path from a sequence file
– Store code modules in a search path
directory
– <TestStand>\Components\
User\StepTypes is the standard
location
• You can use the substep
modules from built-in step types
– <TestStand>\Components\
NI\StepTypes
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Custom Step Types – Using Substeps

You can use a substep to call a code module when certain events occur for an instance of the
custom step type. There are four types of substeps. Pre-Step and Post-Step substeps influence the
run-time behavior of the step. Edit substeps define configuration options for the step. Custom
substeps are called when you create a new step or when you specify a special event from a user
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interface.
Substeps can only call code modules and cannot use the sequence adapter. Therefore, you must
write any substeps in external languages. You can reuse code for existing substeps by locating
the appropriate code module in the <TestStand>\Components\NI\StepTypes folder.
Substeps cannot use a relative path to a sequence file to locate a code module because the step
type can be used in any sequence file. Therefore, place code modules for substeps into a search
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directory. The <TestStand>\Components\User\StepTypes directory is automatically

configured as a search directory and is set aside for supporting files for custom step types.

Custom Step Types – Pre-Step and Post-Step

Substeps
• Pre-Step substeps execute just before the main code
module of the step
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– Retrieve configuration parameters
– Check property values
• Post-Step substeps execute just after the main code
module of the step
– Compare results to limits
– Add, remove, or modify results
• If the step has multiple Pre-Step or Post-Step substeps,
the substeps execute in the order listed
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Custom Step Types – Pre-Step and Post-Step Substeps

Pre-Step and Post-Step substeps modify the run-time behavior of a custom step type. Pre-Step
substeps execute just before the main code module for the step. Use Pre-Step substeps to retrieve
configuration parameters, check property values, or otherwise prepare the step properties before
executing the main code module. Post-Step substeps execute just after the main code module.
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Use Post-Step substeps to analyze the results of the main code module. Post-Step substeps may
compare results of the code module to configured limits, determine the step status, add
additional results to the results container, or otherwise modify the results of the step. A step can
have multiple Pre-Step substeps. In this case, the substeps execute in the order they are listed.
Multiple Post-Step substeps also execute in the order they are listed.
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Custom Step Types – Pre-Step and Post-Step

Substeps (continued)
Preconditions
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Pre-Expression
Custom step
Pre-Step substep(s) additions
Main module
Evaluation Post-Step substep(s)
order
Post-Expression
PL Status expression
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Custom Step Types – Pre-Step and Post-Step Substeps (continued)

This figure above shows each operation that takes place as a step executes and how Pre-Step and
Post-Step substeps fit into the order of execution.
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Custom Step Types – Edit Substeps
• Called by the user to set properties of the step
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– Adds an item to the shortcut menu
– Adds a button to the Step Properties pane
• Displays a dialog box
– Configure step limits
– Set the value of other configuration properties
• A step type can have multiple Edit substeps
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Custom Step Types – Edit Substeps

Edit substeps add an item to the context (right-click) menu for the step type and a button to the
Step Properties pane. When the user clicks the button or selects the menu item, TestStand
executes the code module you configure. Edit substeps call code modules that display a dialog
box to configure custom properties of the step. A single custom step type can have multiple Edit
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substeps to change different categories of settings or perform other operations. Each Edit substep
creates a button and a context menu item.
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Custom Step Types – Custom Substeps
• Typically not called by TestStand
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– Can be triggered by calling the TestStand API from
custom user interfaces
• OnNewStep
– Custom substep that triggers a special behavior
– Executes when a new step of the step type is created
– Can use to
• Check for necessary variables or options
• Add a matching step to create a block
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Custom Step Types – Custom Substeps

Custom step types are generally not called directly by TestStand. Use a custom step type to
specify a code module that can be called by executing the Step.ExecuteSubstep method of the
TestStand API. Use custom substeps to update a step based on changes in a user interface. For
example, use a custom substep to tie controls on the user interface to configuration properties in
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the custom step type. Custom substeps can also be called by other entities such as the process
model or another code module.
The OnNewStep substep is a special type of custom substep called directly by TestStand. If you
create a custom substep named OnNewStep, TestStand calls the code module associated with the
step each time you create a new instance of the step type. Use an OnNewStep substep to check
for and/or create any variables or other components expected by the custom step type. You can
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also use OnNewStep substeps to automatically create matching sets of steps, similar to the the
Flow Control step types, which have a configured step and an End step to indicate the end of a
block of steps.

Exercise 3-1: Creating a Custom Step Type
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Create a custom step type to perform error handling.
GOAL
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NI TestStand II: Customization Exercises
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Course Software Version 4.0
July 2007 Edition
Part Number 324607A-01
NI TestStand II Exercises
Copyright
© 2007 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.
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Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storing in an information
retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation.
National Instruments respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where
NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with
the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.
Trademarks
National Instruments, NI, ni.com, NI TestStand, and LabVIEW are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation. Refer to the Terms of Use section on ni.com/legal for more
information about National Instruments trademarks.
Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
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Patents
For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your CD, or ni.com/legal/patents.
Contents
Lesson 1
Test Frameworks
Exercise 1-1 Reviewing a Framework Requirements Document ...........................................................................1-1
Lesson 2
TestStand API
Exercise 2-1 Calling the TestStand API .................................................................................................................2-1
Exercise 2-2 Dynamically Constructing a Sequence ..............................................................................................2-12
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Exercise 2-3 A Creating a User Manager Tool with LabVIEW (Optional) ...............................................................2-29
Exercise 2-3 B Creating a User Manager Tool with LabWindows/CVI (Optional) ..................................................2-45
Lesson 3
Custom Steps
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Exercise 3-1 Creating a Custom Step Type ............................................................................................................3-1
Exercise 3-2 Merging and Using Custom Step Types ............................................................................................3-18
Lesson 4
Process Models
Exercise 4-1 Adding Entry Points...........................................................................................................................4-1
Exercise 4-2 Customizing Process Model Prompts ................................................................................................4-9
Exercise 4-3 Customizing Data Collection and Report Generation .......................................................................4-24
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Lesson 5
User Interfaces
Exercise 5-1 A Create a LabVIEW User Interface.....................................................................................................5-1
Exercise 5-1 B Create a LabWindows/CVI User Interface ........................................................................................5-11
Exercise 5-2 A Using UI Messages In LabVIEW ......................................................................................................5-22
Exercise 5-2 B Using UI Messages in LabWindows/CVI .........................................................................................5-32
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© National Instruments Corporation iii NI TestStand II Exercises
Contents
Lesson 6
Customizing Database Logging
Exercise 6-1 Logging Additional Results ...............................................................................................................6-1
Exercise 6-2 Querying the Database.......................................................................................................................6-17
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NI TestStand II Exercises iv ni.com
Custom Steps
3
Exercise 3-1 Creating a Custom Step Type
Goal
Create a custom step type to perform error handling.
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Scenario
When a code module returns an error, you do not always need to shut down the test routine. You can ignore
or correct many errors without restarting the test. Develop a custom step type that you can configure to
handle specific errors. If a module called by the step returns an error, the step should compare the error to a
configured list of errors and, if the error is in the list, handle it in one of two ways:
•
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Ignore the error, which clears the error and continues the sequence. The custom step should record the
code of the error that was ignored.
• Retry the error, which executes the code module again. When retrying, the custom step should also be
capable of displaying a dialog box to prompt the user to change aspects of the test environment to
remedy the error. The step should also have a configurable maximum number of times to retry the error
to avoid getting stuck in an infinite loop.
Design
A custom step is a good choice for this type of error handler because it allows you to use substeps to
configure the errors to handle and to process the error output from a code module and determine the correct
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actions to take. Although you could write specific code to handle errors in your sequences, creating a custom
step type gives you a reusable, self-contained component that you can use in multiple projects.
Available Components
Configure the errors to handle, the action to take, and options for each error though a dialog box. The
provided Error Prompt VI displays a dialog box where the user configures the error information. The dialog
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© National Instruments Corporation 3-1 NI TestStand II Exercises
box returns an array of containers. Each item in the array represents one error and the options for handling
the error. Call the Error Prompt VI using an Edit substep.
The provided Error Processor VI compares an error to the error handling array configured by the Error
Prompt VI. The Error Processor VI clears errors, displays dialog boxes when necessary, returns information
about any errors cleared, and indicates whether the step should loop and execute the code module again. Call
the Error Processor VI using a Post-step substep.
Step Data
You must store multiple pieces of data in order to correctly handle errors. Your custom step should include
the following properties in addition to the default step properties.
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• ErrorsToHandle—An array of containers, with each item in the array representing one error and
the options for handling it. The container type is defined by the <Exercises>\TestStand II\
Error Handler Step Type\Substeps\Error Options.ctl control.
• ErrorToCheck—A storage location to pass the error from the code module to the Post-step substep for
processing. Do not directly assign the error from the code module to Step.Result.Error because it will
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prematurely trigger the TestStand error handling mechanisms. Use the Error container for the data type
of this property.
• Loop—A Boolean property indicating whether the step should loop and retry the code module. This
value is set by the Post-step substep and used by the step looping options. The default value, True,
indicates that the code module should execute in the first iteration of the step.
• CurrentIteration—An iteration counter to track the number of loops processed. The Post-step substep
uses this value to determine whether looping should continue.
• ErrorCleared—If the Post-step substep ignores an error, this variable stores the code of the ignored
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error. Because this value might not always appear in the report or database, do not store it in the results
container.
Implementation
1. Copy substep modules into the user components directory.
❑ Open a Windows Explorer window and browse to the <TestStand>\Components\User\

StepTypes directory.
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NI TestStand II Exercises 3-2 ni.com
❑ Create a new folder called ErrorHandler.

❑ Open another Windows Explorer window and browse to the <Exercises>\TestStand II\
Error Handler Step Type\Substeps folder.
❑ Copy the contents of the <Exercises>\TestStand II\Error Handler Step Type\

Substeps folder and paste them in the <TestStand>\Components\User\StepTypes\
ErrorHandler directory.
2. Create the step type.
❑ Close any open sequence files.

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❑ Click the Types button.
❑ Select MyTypes.ini.
❑ Right-click in the Step Types container and select Insert Step Type.
M ❑ Name the new step ErrorHandler.
3. Create an edit substep to allow the step user to specify the errors to handle.
❑ Right-click the ErrorHandler step and select Properties.

❑ Click the Substeps tab.
❑ Select LabVIEW from the Adapter pull-down menu.
❑ Click Add and select Edit from the pull-down menu.
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❑ Select the Edit substep.
❑ Enter "Edit Errors to Handle" in the Menu Item Name Expression textbox.
❑ Click Specify Module.
❑ Select <TestStand>\Components\User\StepTypes\ErrorHandler\Error Prompt.vi
as the VI to call.
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❑ Click OK.
❑ Click the Create Custom Data Type From Cluster button next to the Error Handling Info In
parameter.
❑ Leave the default values in the Create Custom Data Type From Cluster dialog box and click Create.
❑ Click OK to exit the Edit LabVIEW VI Call dialog box.
❑ Click OK to exit the ErrorHandler Properties dialog box.
❑ Click Ignore Error to close the Warning dialog box.
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Note TestStand warns that you have not specified values for the module parameters. You must create the properties to pass to the
parameters before you can use them. You will return to specify the parameters later.
4. Define a step property to store an array of information about how to handle each error.
M ❑ Expand the ErrorHandler step under the Step Types container.
❑ Right click on the <Right-click to insert Field> item and select Insert Field»Array of»Type»
Error_Options.
❑ Enable the Empty checkbox in the Array Bounds dialog box.

❑ Click OK to exit the Array Bounds dialog box.
❑ Name the new field ErrorsToHandle.
5. Define a step property to store the error that should be checked against the errors to handle.
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❑ Right-click the <Right click to insert Field> item and select Insert Field»Type»Error.
❑ Name the new field ErrorToCheck.
6. Define a step property to store whether to retry the step by looping.
❑ Right-click the <Right click to insert Field> item and select Insert Field»Boolean.
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❑ Name the new field Loop.

❑ Set the value of Loop to True.
7. Define a step property to store the current loop iteration.
❑ Right-click the <Right-click to insert Field> item and select Insert Field»Number.
❑ Name the new field CurrentIteration.
8. Define a step property to store the value of any error cleared by the function.
❑ Right-click the <Right click to insert Field> item and select Insert Field»Number.
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❑ Name the new field ErrorCleared.
❑ Verify your ErrorHandler step type properties match Figure 3-1.
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Figure 3-1. ErrorHandler Step Type Properties
9. Use the new properties in the Edit substep.
❑ Right-click the ErrorHandler step type and select Properties.

❑ Click the Substeps tab.
❑ Select the Edit substep.
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❑ Disable the Default checkbox for the Error Handling Info In parameter and enter
Step.ErrorsToHandle for the value.
❑ Enter Step.ErrorsToHandle for the value of the Error Handling Info Out parameter.
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Figure 3-2. Edit Substep Module Settings
❑ Click OK to exit the Edit LabVIEW VI call dialog box.

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10. Create a post substep to check an error against the errors to handle.
❑ On the Substeps tab of the ErrorHandler properties dialog box, select LabVIEW from the Adapter
pull-down menu.
❑ Click Add and choose Post-Step from the pull-down menu.

❑ Select <TestStand>\Components\User\StepTypes\ErrorHandler\
Error Processor.vi as the VI to call.
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❑ Specify the parameter values as shown in Figure 3-3.
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Figure 3-3. Post-Step Substep Module Settings
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❑ Click OK to exit the Edit LabVIEW VI Call dialog box.

Your Substeps tab should resemble Figure 3-4.
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Figure 3-4. Substeps Tab
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11. Configure loop settings to retry errors.
❑ Select the Default Loop Options tab.

Configure the loop options as shown in Figure 3-5.
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Figure 3-5. Loop Options Tab
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12. Configure the step settings.
❑ Select the Menu tab.

❑ Enter "Basic Error Handler" in the Item Name Expression textbox.
❑ Enter Error Handling Steps in the Group textbox.
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❑ Select the Disable Properties tab.

Enable the Loop Type, Loop Initialization Expression, Loop Increment Expression, and
Loop While Expression checkboxes, as shown in Figure 3-6.
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Figure 3-6. Disable Properties Tab
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❑ Click OK.
❑ Select File»Save to save MyTypes.ini.
❑ Select Do Not Increment Type Versions in the Warning dialog box that appears.
❑ Enable the Remove Modified Mark From Types checkbox.
❑ Click OK to exit the Warning dialog box.
Testing
1. Create a sequence.
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❑ Select File»New Sequence File.
❑ Save the sequence file as <Exercises>\TestStand II\Error Handler Step Type\
Test Sequence.seq.
M ❑ Expand the Error Handling Steps folder in the Insertion Palette.
❑ Select the LabVIEW Adapter from the Selected Adapter pull-down menu.
❑ Add a Basic Error Handler step to the Main step group of the MainSequence.
❑ Name the step Simulate Error.
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❑ Configure the Module for the step as shown in Figure 3-7.
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Figure 3-7. Simulate Error Module
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2. Test the Edit substep.
❑ Select the Basic Error Handler tab in the Step Settings pane.
❑ Click Edit Errors to Handle. The button calls the edit substep you defined for the custom step type.
❑ When the Error Prompt.vi dialog box appears, enter 5000 in the Error Code textbox.
❑ Select Ignore as the Error Action. This instructs the error handler step to clear this error.
❑ Right-click 5000 in the Error List and select Insert Code.
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❑ Enter 5001 in the Error Code textbox.
❑ Select Retry as the Error Action.
❑ Enter 4 for the Number of Retries.
This instructs the error handler step to attempt to execute the code module and check the error.
If this error occurs, the error handler retries the module until the module does not return an error,
a different error occurs, or the module has executed four times.
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❑ Right-click the Error List step and select Insert Code.

❑ Enter -10 in the Error Code textbox.
❑ Select Retry as the Error Action.
❑ Enable the Infinite checkbox.
❑ Enable the Display Prompt? checkbox.
❑ Enter This will continue until stopped in the Prompt Message textbox.
This instructs the error handler step to attempt to execute the code module and check the error.
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If this error occurs, the error handler displays a message and retries the module. Retries continue
until the module does not return an error, a different error occurs, or the operator clicks Stop on the
dialog box.
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Figure 3-8. Error Prompt Dialog Box
❑ Click OK to exit the Error Prompt.vi dialog box.

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3. Test the ignore error action.
❑ Return to the Module tab and enter 5000 for the error code parameter.
❑ Save the sequence file.
❑ Select Execute»Single Pass.
❑ Verify that the test report shows that the test passed, and that the Simulate Error step executed
one loop and returned a status of Done.
Tip If your sequence does not work and you need to make changes to your custom step type, enable the Apply Changes in this
Dialog to all Loaded Steps of this Type option in the ErrorHandler Properties dialog box so that you do not have to recreate and
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reconfigure the test step.
4. Test a limited number of retries.
❑ Return to the Module tab of the Simulate Error step and enter 5001 for the error code parameter.
M ❑ Save the sequence file.
❑ Verify that the test report shows that the test had an error status, and that the Simulate Error step
executed five loops and returned an error status.
The loop must execute again to check the loop condition, so there are five loops even though the
code module only executed four times.
5. Test the prompt dialog box.

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❑ Return to the Module tab of the Simulate Error step and enter -10 for the error code parameter.
❑ When a dialog box appears, verify that the prompt message you entered for error -10 displays.
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❑ Click Continue in the dialog box.

❑ Click Continue a few more times. Count the number of times the dialog box displays.
❑ Click Stop from the dialog box.
❑ Verify that the test report shows the test had an error status, the Simulate Error step executed
one more loop than the number of dialog boxes that displayed, and that it returned a status of Error.
6. Test a no error situation.
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❑ Verify that the test report shows that the test passed, and that the Simulate Error step executed
one loop.
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7. Test an error not handled by the step.
❑ Verify that the test report shows that the test had an error status, and that the Simulate Error step
executed one loop and returned a status of Error.
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8. Save and close the sequence file when you finish.
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© National Instruments Corporation iii NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

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Lesson 3: Custom Steps

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A. Custom Step Types

• Use custom step types to

A. Custom Step Types

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Custom Step Types – Creation

Create custom step types from the Types pane

Custom Step Types – Creation

© National Instruments Corporation 3-3 NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

Custom Step Types – Locations

Custom Step Types – Locations

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Custom Step Types – Type Conflicts

Custom Step Types – Type Conflicts

© National Instruments Corporation 3-5 NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

Custom Step Types – Versioning

Custom Step Types – Versioning

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Custom Step Types – Type Warning Dialog Box

• The type Warning dialog box

Custom Step Types – Type Warning Dialog Box

© National Instruments Corporation 3-7 NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

Custom Step Types – Type Conflict In File

Custom Step Types – Type Conflict In File Dialog Box

currently loaded type. The newly loaded file is marked as modified.

NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual 3-8 ni.com

Custom Step Types – Adding Properties

Custom Step Types – Adding Properties

© National Instruments Corporation 3-9 NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

Custom Step Types – Step Type Settings

Custom Step Types – Step Type Settings

NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual 3-10 ni.com

Custom Step Types – Using Substeps

Custom Step Types – Using Substeps

directory. The <TestStand>\Components\User\StepTypes directory is automatically

© National Instruments Corporation 3-11 NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

Custom Step Types – Pre-Step and Post-Step

Custom Step Types – Pre-Step and Post-Step Substeps

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Custom Step Types – Pre-Step and Post-Step

Custom Step Types – Pre-Step and Post-Step Substeps (continued)

© National Instruments Corporation 3-13 NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

Custom Step Types – Edit Substeps

• Called by the user to set properties of the step

Custom Step Types – Edit Substeps

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Custom Step Types – Custom Substeps

• Typically not called by TestStand

Custom Step Types – Custom Substeps

© National Instruments Corporation 3-15 NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual

Exercise 3-1: Creating a Custom Step Type

NI TestStand II: Customization Course Manual 3-16 ni.com

❑ Open a Windows Explorer window and browse to the <TestStand>\Components\User\

❑ Create a new folder called ErrorHandler.

❑ Copy the contents of the <Exercises>\TestStand II\Error Handler Step Type\

2. Create the step type.

❑ Close any open sequence files.

❑ Right-click the ErrorHandler step and select Properties.