TestStand Text-based Sequence File Format (TSText)

[Al.B]

Introduction

The .TSText file format is a simplified text format for TestStand sequence files based on the JSON format. This format is designed to be as simple and concise as possible in order to enable editing of sequence files in a text editor or with simple programs, and to simplify textual diffing of file changes.

Full documentation is in the TSTextDocumentation.txt file included in the attached archive.

The TSText application is shown below with a sample sequence file in the text format:

What is Included

1. The TSText sequence file translator for TestStand
   • enables TestStand applications to read and write files in the TSText format.
2. TSTextEditor.exe application
   • Installs or Uninstalls the file format translator for the TSText format. You can also perform this install manually by copying:
     • <Win32 or x64>\Release\TSTextDLL.dll to <TestStandPublic>\Components\Translators\
     • <Win32 or x64>\Release\TSTextTranslator.dll to <TestStandPublic>\Components\Translators\
   • Loads TestStand sequence files in any format and enables editing in the TSText format.
   • Saves files in the TSText format or in the normal sequence file format.
   • Configures options for the format of TSText files.
3. APIs for converting sequences files to and from the TSText format
   • TSTextDLL.dll (C++ DLL). Exports TSTextDLL class. Header file is TSTextDLL.h
   • TSTestDotNet.dll (.net assembly that wraps TSTextDLL.dll)
4. APIs For displaying an options dialog that controls the TSText format
   • TSTextOptions (.net assembly)
5. Source code and projects for all the above. Projects and solution version is Visual Studio 2010 SP1.

Required TestStand Version

The TestStand text format can be used with TestStand 2014 or later.

NI Labs Licensing Notice

Because the software technology available on NI Labs is experimental and has not yet been released for large-scale commercial use or fully tested by NI, the terms of the NI Labs license agreements vary from the standard NI software license terms.  Further, the license terms for specific NI Labs technology may vary.  Please carefully read the terms of the license agreement included with each NI Labs download before accepting those terms. This library uses the NI Sample Code License.

[yangyg]

Hi, Al.B

i had test this tool, and translated the "computer.seq" in tutorial directory of TestStand 2014

to "computer.TSText";  I also can load computer.TSText in TestStand 2014.

But when I execute it, there are one "Run-Time Erroe", and the Error Code is

"-17502, System Level Exception".

Could you please help me, thanks a lot.

YangYG

[yangyg]

Hi, Al.B

If the TestStand 2014  is 64-bit and DLL is also 64bit,  we can load *.tstext file and run correctly without the Error -17502;

but when TestStand 2014 is 32-bit and DLL is also 32bit, if we load the tstext file which includes

the DLL function with pointer parameter, the error -17502 will appears.

Thanks

YangYG

[@rcs]

Hi AI.B,

I was trying to use this tool and once I unzip the file and try to run the TSTextEditor.exe it crashes giving a windows pop up saying the application has stopped responding. Any suggestions?

I've tried this out on 2 different systems, it worked on one of the 3 systems.

I've tried it out on my computer with both TestStand 2014 32 bit and 64 bit but there was no change.

I am not able to figure out the exact problem or dependency I am missing out. Any help will be highly appreciated.

Thanks

[Mathieu_R.]

Hello AI.B,

I have the same kind of issue, with a windows error message:

Tried on two W7 machines, same result. By copying the dll to TestStandPublic, I am able to save and load TSText files from the sequence editor. But I cannot use the TSTestEditor.exe.

Any idea to solve this issue?

[yangyg]

Hello AI.B,

When the string variables in sequence file is Chinese string, this sequence file can not be saved as TsText file correctly.

and this TsText file also can not be loaded by TestStand  

Thanks.

YangYG

[jakidd]

Any examples of using the LabVIEW JSON VI's to parse the TSText file? This would be useful on real-time since the TestStand API isn't supported. I would like to run a TestStand sequence file on real-time OS, and this could be a method to do so.