TestStand code/sequence sharing best practice?

[SeanDonner]

I am the architect for a project that uses TestStand, Switch Executive and LabVIEW code modules to do automated testing on a number of UUT's that we make.  

This is my first time using TestStand and I want to adopt software best practices by enabling code sharing between my other software engineers who will each be responsible to create TestStand scripts for one of the many unique UUTs.  I've identified certain "functions" that will be common across all the UUTs such as connecting two points on our switch matrix and then taking a voltage measurement with our SMU to check if it's within limits.  

The gist of my question is what is TestStand's version of a LabVIEW library for sequence calls?  

Right now what I've done is create these common/generic sequences using parameters and placed them in their own sequence file called 'Common Functions.seq' as a pseduo library.   This 'Common Functions.seq' file is never meant to be run as a script itself, rather the sequences inside are called into by another top-level sequence that is unique to one of our UUTs.

Is this a best practice or is there a better way to compartmentalize common sequence calls?

[~jiggawax~ · Accepted solution]

It sounds like you are doing it correctly.  I always remove MainSequence out of there as well so it will throw an error if they try to run it with a model.  You can also go to the sequence file properties and disassociate it from any model.

I always equate a sequence to a vi and a sequence file to a lvlib.  In this case a step is a node on the block diagram and Local variables are wires.

They just need to include that sequence file library in their build (and all of its dependencies).

Hope this helps,

[pulidotech]

I agree with jigg.  Sometimes, I have included a common use sequence within the model file if I know that every user will use that model, but that's always been where there's just 1 or 2 common sequences.

Pulido Technologies LLC

[SeanDonner]

Thank you all, glad to see I had the right mindset going in. I took your advice and removed the MainSequence out of there and set the Process Model to 'No Model'.

Thanks again

[CC57]

Hi

I'm doing the same thing using a common sequence.  I would like to know how to remove the MainSequence from my common file.

[~jiggawax~]

Highlight it and push the delete key on your keyboard.  Or right click on it and select Delete.

[CC57]

I tried that but then all my sequence steps are deleted too.  I am passing parameters from my test sequence to the common sequence in MainSequence.  Is there a better way to do this?

[~jiggawax~]

Just rename it then.