Adding Configuration Entry Points to TestStand Process Models

Configuration Entry Points are sequences in the process model sequence file used to configure a feature of the process model. By default, configuration entry points appear in the Configure menu and usually save the configuration information to a .ini file in the <TestStand>\Cfg directory. You can add any number of Configuration Entry Points to any process model file, but this tutorial will use the default TestStand Sequential Model as an example. The Sequential Model is located in <TestStand>\Components\NI\Models\TestStandModels\SequentialModel.seq. National Instruments recommends that you make any modifications to copies of the default TestStand files to avoid your edits being overwritten when you install subsequent TestStand releases. To do this, copy the <TestStand>Components\NI\Models\TestStandModels\SequentialModel.seq file to the <TestStand>Components\User\Models\TestStandModels folder.

Below is the All Sequences view of the default SequentialModel.seq.




Add another Configuration Entry Point sequence, by right-clicking any sequence and selecting Insert Sequence as shown below:




Rename the new sequence to "New Configuration Entry Point". Right-Click the New Configuration Entry Point sequence and select Properties. Select the Model tab. On the Type control, select Configuration Entry Point. Once you make this selection, the dialog will be populated with several other controls, such as Entry Point Name Expression (shown below). For a detailed description of each of these controls, please refer to the Process Model section of the TestStand User Manual.



Click OK to close the New Configuration Entry Point Sequence Properties dialog. Notice that the icon for the New Configuration Entry Point sequence is now purple in color as shown below. This color denotes that the sequence is a Configuration Entry Point sequence.



Right-click the New Configuration Entry Point sequence and select View Contents. You can now add steps to this sequence to implement your custom Configuration Entry Point.

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Good High level
Good high level summary. Would be helpful to see an example configuration entrypoint.
- Brian Esque, Nexjen Systems. besque@nexjen.com - Apr 2, 2007