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What’s New in NI TestStand
Updates in 2012 and 2013
Johan Hillergren
Marketing Engineer, National Instruments
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Agenda
Increased test throughput
• Simplified and more flexible process models
• Simplified deployment management
• Improved integration with LabVIEW, .NET,
LabWindows/CVI and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Enhanced sequence editor to speed up
development
• Increased available system memory and overall
stability
• Sneak peak at future versions
•
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Agenda
Increased test throughput
• Simplified and more flexible process models
• Simplified deployment management
• Improved integration with LabVIEW, .NET,
LabWindows/CVI and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Enhanced sequence editor to speed up
development
• Increased available system memory and overall
stability
• Sneak peak at future versions
•
ni.com
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Increased Test Throughput
Asynchronous result processing:
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Increase test throughput by logging data or generating reports
asynchronously to test execution
Leverages multi-core processor architectures
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Increased Test Throughput
Optimized and configurable result processing
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Generate multiple reports
Log to multiple databases
Configure independently
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Create efficient and compact binary “raw results” file for offline processing
o
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For example: One report synchronously and another asynchronously
Uses same results processors as inline results processing
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Increased Test Throughput
Benchmarks show improved test throughput over 2010:
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Asynchronous result processing
Drastically improved performance for built-in reporting and data
logging result processors
Test Machine:
Xeon Quadcore
E5630 @ 2.53 GHz
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Agenda
Increased test throughput
• Simplified and more flexible process models
• Simplified deployment management
• Improved integration with LabVIEW, .NET,
LabWindows/CVI and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Enhanced sequence editor to speed up
development
• Increased available system memory and overall
stability
• Sneak peak at future versions
•
ni.com
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Simplified and More Flexible Process Model
vs.
TestStand 2012
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TestStand 2010
Legacy Models (TestStand 2010 and previous)
Process Model
Report Generator (HTML)
Database Logger (Access)
ReportGen_HTML.seq
Database.seq
Components that must be modified to customize results processing
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New Models (TestStand 2012)
Process Model
ModelSupport.seq
Plug-in Instance
Plug-in Instance
Plug-in Instance
Report Generator
(HTML)
Report Generator
(ATML)
Database Logger
(SQL Server)
Results Processing Code
Results Processing Code
Results Processing Code
ReportGen_HTML.seq
ReportGen_ATML.seq
Database.seq
…
…
Plug-in Instance
Custom Plug-in
Results Processing Code
MyResultsProc.seq
Components that must be modified to customize results processing
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Simplified and More Flexible Process Model
Provided example custom plug-ins
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Simple Text Report
Basic Step Time Report
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Agenda
Increased test throughput
• Simplified and more flexible process models
• Simplified deployment management
• Improved integration with LabVIEW, .NET,
LabWindows/CVI and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Enhanced sequence editor to speed up
development
• Increased available system memory and overall
stability
• Sneak peak at future versions
•
ni.com
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Managing Deployed Test System Software
User Code
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User built VIs,
EXEs, DLLs,
assemblies, etc
Application Software
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LabVIEW,
TestStand, CVI,
etc
Associated Runtime engines for
above SW
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Drivers
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NI-DAQmx, NISCOPE, NIVISA, etc
Associated Runtime engines for
above drivers
The Problem
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Eventually, deployed systems will need an upgrade
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New product models
Optimized test code
New test hardware
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TestStand Deployment Utility
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Builds a single installer with:
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Sequence files
Configuration files
Source code/DLLs/EXEs
NI HW drivers and NI SW RTEs
Automatically includes static
dependencies
Can run 3rd party installers using
custom commands
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New in TestStand 2013: Patchable Deployments
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Automatically includes only
new or changed files
Only 6 MB of patch overhead
Provides patching for both
user applications and NI
software
Allows for multiple cumulative
patches on a single
deployment
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Agenda
Increased test throughput
• Simplified and more flexible process models
• Simplified deployment management
• Improved integration with LabVIEW, .NET,
LabWindows/CVI and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Enhanced sequence editor to speed up
development
• Increased available system memory and overall
stability
• Sneak peak at future versions
•
ni.com
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Improved Integration With LabVIEW
Dynamic-dispatch support for LabVIEW classes enables
Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) test architecture
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Improved Integration with LabVIEW
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LabVIEW Adapter Property
Node support
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Single TestStand step can
directly get or set multiple
properties
Operate on all I/O references,
Classes, and DVRs with
Classes
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Improved Integration With LabWindows/CVI
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Support for CVI 2012 and later DLLs bound to specific
CVI Run-Time Engine version
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Critical applications that require revalidation
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Improved Integration With .NET
.NET Invocation control simultaneously displays
parameters for all calls in a .NET call chain
TestStand 2010
2012
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Improved Integration with .NET and Visual Studio
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New Visual Studio 2012 and .NET
Framework 4.5 support for .NET and
C/C++ adapters
.NET Framework 4.5 New Features
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Portable class libraries
Parallel computing improvements
Reduce system restarts during
deployment
Visual Studio 2012 New Features
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Workflow improvements
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Asynchronous solution loading
Improved window and
tab management
IDE-wide search
Major UI Update
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Agenda
Increased test throughput
• Simplified and more flexible process models
• Simplified deployment management
• Improved integration with LabVIEW, .NET,
LabWindows/CVI and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Enhanced sequence editor to speed up
development
• Increased available system memory and overall
stability
• Sneak peak at future versions
•
ni.com
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Enhanced Sequence Editor
Drag and drop code module files to create steps
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Enhanced Sequence Editor
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Visually re-arrange array elements
9 new array and string manipulation functions
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Max, Min, Sort, Contains, FindIndex, SetElements, FindOffset,
IndexToOffset, and OffsetToIndex
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Enhanced Sequence Editor
Password protect custom types to control type changes
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Enhanced Sequence Editor
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Preload progress dialog box
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Counts total number of sequences, steps, and code modules
Displays progress bar
Customizable dialog launch delay
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NEED IMAGE
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Enhanced Sequence Editor
ATML, XML and HTML reports now support hyperlinks
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Enhanced Sequence Editor
TestStand 2012 Migration Utility
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Migrate from 2010 or 2010 SP1
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Enhanced Sequence Editor
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Usability features requested on
TestStand Idea Exchange
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Multiple arguments in a single
Case statement
Add flow control steps around
selected steps
Sequence Editor tab closing
shortcuts
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Agenda
Increased test throughput
• Simplified and more flexible process models
• Simplified deployment management
• Improved integration with LabVIEW, .NET,
LabWindows/CVI and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Enhanced sequence editor to speed up
development
• Increased available system memory and overall
stability
• Sneak peak at future versions
•
ni.com
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Increased Available System Memory
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Large Address Aware support
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EXE flag that gives TestStand access to
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3 GB RAM on a 32-bit OS
4 GB RAM on a 64-bit OS
Increased stability for memory
intensive applications
Load more sequences, test
code, arrays, reports, etc.
without running out of memory
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Enabled by default in TestStand
2013 UIs and Sequence Editor
TestStand 2010 and later user
interfaces also support this flag
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Continued Focus on System Stability
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Reduce number of minor defects/deficiencies
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Focused effort to significantly reduce minor usability issues
Expanded test cases and benchmarks
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Real-world user applications
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New dynamic UUT Subproperty
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The UUT container now contains
the AdditionalData unstructured
container
Add custom properties without
modifying the underlying data type
Easily include custom properties in
reports and databases
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Agenda
Increased test throughput
• Simplified and more flexible process models
• Simplified deployment management
• Improved integration with LabVIEW, .NET,
LabWindows/CVI and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Enhanced sequence editor to speed up
development
• Increased available system memory and overall
stability
• Sneak peak at future versions
•
ni.com
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Sneak Peek! NI TestStand 2014
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NI TestStand 2014
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Release target: NI Week 2014
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Full 64-bit Native Support
Take advantage of more than 4GB of system memory
o Separate installers for 32- or 64-bit
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Completely Redesigned Database Viewer and Database
Options Dialog
Share .NET Objects Between TestStand and LabVIEW
Improved Logs for Debugging Deployment Builds
Better LabVIEW Integration with New Cluster Mapping Tool
Continued Commitment to Performance and Stability
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64-Bit TestStand
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Benefits
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Use more than 4GB RAM on 64-bit OS
Applications with most potential for improved performance
Big data (image processing, large waveforms)
o Projects with extensive numbers of sequences/code modules
o Large reports
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64-bit TestStand functionally independent from 32-bit
TestStand
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Install to different directories and do not share most components
Future features will be added to both 64-bit and 32-bit
Continued commitment to 32-bit TestStand
Both will ship on one DVD
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Redesigned Database Viewer
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Dockable tabs, hierarchical Explorer pane, and data grid allow concurrent
viewing of more information
New Execute SQL pane
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Auto-execute queries at an interval to see OTF results as they are added
Sort, filter, customize, export, and print data in results view
Generate SQL Queries from various editing dialog boxes
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Improved Database Options
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Five tabs unified to two
Apply button to save changes without closing
Schemas tree view
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2015 and Beyond…
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Moving to 2 year release cycle - No TestStand 2015
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Recent feedback from customers indicates yearly feature releases
are too frequent
Allows R&D to deliver larger, more impactful features
Longer Beta cycle should improve quality and allow for more
meaningful customer feedback
TestStand 2014 SP1 scheduled to release at NI Week 2015
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Will install on top of 2014 to simplify upgrades
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Evaluate NI TestStand for Free Today
• ni.com/ideas
• ni.com/teststand/whatsnew
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visit ni.com/teststand
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