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Custom NI TestStand Reports

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Common tactics you can use:

From ‘off-the-shelf easy’…

to 99% tailored solutions.

Introduction

• In business since 1991: Turnkey Test Systems,

• Select Alliance Partners

with National Instruments in

the New England area

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• In business since 1991: Turnkey Test Systems,

Energy Storage Test Systems, Training, Consulting

•Your Speaker: Elaine Ramundo (CLA, CTA, CCVID, Senior Project Engineer, Principle

Trainer – TestStand startup & customization specialist)

TestStand & Reports

• Four ‘flavors’ of reporting built in!

• ‘Ready to Run’ reports are a little… generic.

How can Beginners ensure that they get the most

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How can Beginners ensure that they get the most

custom report possible, without the stress?

How can advanced users leverage their knowledge

of TestStand to create totally custom solutions?

Review of TS Modularity – Result List

Main Sequence

Step 0 Results:

Name

Status

Error

…

Locals. ResultList[0,1,…]

Report Generator

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…

Step 1 Results:

Name

Status

Error

…

…

…

Report Generator

…

Review of TS Modularity – Data Scope

• Step Results have a

natural flow through

the system.

Process Model

With Variables

& Step Results

Your Test Code

With Variables

and Step Results

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the system.

• Your custom data,

can flow through

too!

i.e. SequentialModel.seq

Your Database

Your Report

Report Generation Specifics

• Don’t forget the ‘easy settings available within the

environment.

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environment.

• Even building complex or custom report paths are

possible, so long as the data is known to TS during

report name creation timeframe

Report Generation Process

• DLLs vs. Sequences

Most common modifications are

sequence-based to provide

maximum control.

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maximum control.

Even if speed is essential, do ‘dry-

runs’ with sequences in order to

quickly debug and finalize

expected output.

Ways of Packaging A Report

• Built-in Styles

� TXT

� XML

• Custom Styles

� TXT (custom data/format)

� XML (custom data/format)

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� XML

� HTML

� ATML

� XML (custom data/format)

� PDF

� XLS

� DOC

� Folders & Zips

Demo: Get your ‘Extra’ data in there!

• Leverage “Additional Reports” property

whenever possible to leverage TS’s ability to

auto format even your complex data

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TestStand API & Custom Reports

• Avoid/Limit editing the process model where

possible by leveraging the API’s ability to tweak

things on the fly.

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things on the fly.

• You don’t have to be a TS guru to master a few

simple tricks

� PropertyObject.SetValString() with CreateIfMissing

flag

� Execution.AddExtraResult()

Demo: TestStand API

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TestStand Callbacks & Custom

Reports

• Modify Report Footer

• Modify Report Entry

• Modify Report Header

Change just pieces of

your report on the fly…

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• Modify Report Header

• TestReportOr dig in, and change

the whole report!

DEMO: TestStand Callbacks

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Custom Report Templates in TestStand

Dig in for a full scale

customization when:

•You need report structure

that doesn’t match any

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that doesn’t match any

existing template

•You need report

content/syntax that doesn’t

match any template

DEMO: Custom Report Template

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Deploying your Custom Report

• Keep it modular!

Keep it documented!

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• Protect your

customization from

future changes

Summary

In TestStand you generally have the luxury of

starting a simple fix before implementing a

formalized solution…

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formalized solution…

Save on stress and let the product do the work

when possible via ‘Additional Results’, ‘Callbacks’

and quick API calls!

Questions?

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Come by our booth on the convention floor

and see our battery test system!

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