Ability to convert between Test Step Types. Ex: convert String Value Test step type to Pass/Fail Test step type.

[Raydur]

I had an entire test created in TestStand that used the String Value Test step type extensively. A labVIEW VI was called and the test step looked at a String output to determine whether the step should pass or fail. This worked well, however...

After the test creation was complete, the VI that was being called was modified to include an additional boolean output parameter that indicated a special situation where the test should fail. So, all of the test steps had to be converted from a String Value test type to a Pass/Fail test type (which evaluated an expression comparing the original strings and also whether the additional boolean output was true or false.

Since there wasn't really much difference between the two types, I expected this to be rather trivial. Instead, I had to re-create every step in the entire test (that this affected, of which there were hundreds) because there doesn't appear to be a way to change a String Value test to a Pass/Fail test.

If there was a way to simply switch to a different type of validation (such as from a String Value test to a Numeric or Pass/Fail test), then you wouldn't have to re-create the step name, VI selection (and variable setup), pre-conditions, post-conditions, post actions, additional results, comments, step settings, etc. This was quite a lot of work for what seemed to be such a simple thing!

I've been frustrated by this before as this situation occurs on regular basis (although usually only a step or two at a time), but this latest episode required almost a complete test rewrite.

[AllenP]

There is a way to change step type from the Step Properties Tab. You can select multiple steps and change the type from Numeric to Pass/Fail.  Then you can change the data source to whatever you want.

[Raydur]

Why couldn't you have told me this last week!

Just kidding, thanks for showing me this. It will make things a lot easier in the future.

So, since this already exists, my suggestion would be to make it a whole lot more apparent. Even when going to the properties tab the step type actually looks like it's grayed out, giving the impression it's not something you can change. Maybe when you right-click on a step it could be one of the menu options, such as "change step type", or maybe make it a drop down menu instead of a grayed out item with an unlabeled button next to it?

Thanks again for the info, AllenP