TestStand Expression Macros

[Sam_Sharp]

Let's say I'm building a fairly long compound expression that has some repeated parameters - I would like a way to specify (without creating additional locals) a variable/macro for use just within that expression.

For example, instead of:

Locals.CommandLine = "cmd /c C:\some path\that\is\reused"
Locals.CommandLine += " /path C:\some path\that\is\reused"

I could specify:

#pathmacro "C:\some path\that\is\reused"
Locals.CommandLine = "cmd /c " + pathmacro
Locals.CommandLine += " /path " + pathmacro

The idea being that with this I only need to update the macros in one place in a long expression.

This is a simple example, but hopefully you can see why this would be useful and why I wouldn't want to create lots of locals when the values are required only within the expression.

[paulmw]

Duplicate/similar

http://forums.ni.com/t5/NI-TestStand-Idea-Exchange/Expression-Variables/idi-p/2678825

[RustyStrings]

I believe that I suggested that TestStand use macros many years ago.

Or it may have been to define constants that could be used for things like hardware addresses

I think a define statement would be great.

instead of:

Locals.UUT = RunState.TestSockets.MyIndex+1

have something like this in a special macro sequence (or anywhere for that matter)

#DEFINE UUT = RunState.TestSockets.MyIndex+1

Even if you need to prefix with a special character like ~

~UUT = RunState.TestSockets.MyIndex+1

then you could just use ~UUT for RunState.TestSockets.MyIndex+1

I dislike having to use variables for data that doesn't change

Perhaps it is just beyond the capabilities of TestStand

[WireWeaver]

I'm closing this and adding a link to this description in the other post.

https://forums.ni.com/t5/NI-TestStand-Idea-Exchange/Expression-Variables/idi-p/2678825