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Edit Sequence Call Dialog Box

NI TestStand™ 4.1 Help
May 2008

NI Part Number:
370052G-01

»View NI TestStand Product Info

Insert a step configured to use the Sequence Adapter and select Specify Module from the context menu to launch the Edit Sequence Call dialog box from a TestStand User Interface. You can also select Properties from the context menu. If you select Properties, you must click the Specify Module button in the Step Properties dialog box.

The Edit Sequence Call dialog box contains the following options:

  • Specify Expressions for Pathname and Sequence—Specifies whether you provide the sequence name and sequence file pathname using literal strings or expressions TestStand evaluates at run time. When you use literal strings, you enter the actual pathname of the sequence file in the File Pathname control. When you enable this option, you cannot use the Use Prototype of Selected Sequence option. When you use expressions, you specify an expression in the Sequence control.
  • Use Current File—Specifies to call a sequence in the sequence file you are currently editing. The File Pathname or File Path or Reference Expression control dims when you enable this option.
  • File Pathname/File Path or Reference Expression—Specifies the pathname of the sequence file or a reference to a SequenceFile object. When you use expressions, the File Path or Reference Expression control appears in place of the File Pathname control. Use this control to specify the expression for the sequence file pathname.
  • Client Pathname/Path or References—Specifies the pathname or reference of the client sequence file name when the step runs the sequence in a new execution and the Execution Settings dialog box specifies to use a process model. When you use expressions, use this option to specify an expression for the client sequence file.
  • Model Pathname/Path or Reference—Specifies the pathname or reference of the model sequence file when the step runs the sequence in a new execution and the Execution Settings dialog box specifies to use a process model. When you use expressions, use this option to specify an expression for the client sequence file.
  • Sequence—Specifies the name of the sequence in the sequence file you specify. When you use expressions, use this option to specify an expression for the sequence name.
  • Entry Point—Specifies the name of the entry point when the step runs the sequence in a new execution and the Execution Settings dialog box specifies to use a process model. When you use expressions, use this option to specify an expression for the entry point name.
  • Multithreading and Remote Execution—Specifies whether the sequence you call runs in a separate thread, in a separate execution, or on a remote computer. The following options are available in the ring control:
    • None—Specifies if the sequence you call runs in the current thread.
    • Run Sequence in a New Thread—Specifies if the sequence you call runs in a new a thread within the current execution. Threads in the same execution share the same report and the same result tree. In addition, all threads in an execution suspend or terminate when the execution suspends or terminates.
    • Run Sequence in a New Execution—Specifies if the sequence you call runs in a new execution. Separate executions have separate reports and result trees. Suspending or terminating an execution does not affect other executions. Separate executions can also run under different process models.
    • Run Sequence on Remote Computer—Specifies if the sequence you call runs on the remote computer you specify. To execute the sequence remotely, the Sequence Adapter connects to an instance of the TestStand Engine on the remote computer.
    Note  When you specify that a sequence runs in a new thread or execution, the status of the sequence call is Done or Error. This status is independent of the status of the sequence you call. To determine the status of an asynchronous subsequence from a step in the calling sequence, use a Wait step to wait for the asynchronous sequence to complete. The status of the Wait step is the status of the asynchronous sequence.
  • Settings—Launches a dialog box in which you can configure multithreading and remote execution settings. The dialog box varies according to the selection you make in the Multithreading and Remote Execution ring control. The following options are available in the ring control:
  • Parameters—The Parameters section contains the following items:
    • Use Prototype of Selected Sequence—When enabled, this option updates the contents of the Parameters Table control whenever you select a different sequence from the Sequence ring control. This option is not available when you enable the Specify Expressions for Pathname and Sequence option.
    • Load Prototype—Loads a prototype from a sequence that has the same parameter list definition as the sequences the step might call. This button is available when you enable the Specify Expressions for Pathname and Sequence option.
    • Parameters Table—Displays the parameters the step passes to the sequence. For each parameter, the Parameters Table control displays the name of the parameter; its TestStand data type, if a parameter uses its default value; the value the step passes to the sequence; and whether the step passes the argument by value or by reference.

      The contents of the Parameters Table control must be consistent with the parameter definitions in the sequence the step calls. You must extract the parameter definitions from the sequence or from another sequence that has the same parameter list.

      • Use Default—When enabled, the step passes the default value the sequence defines for the parameter.
      • Value—Specifies the value the step passes for a parameter. You can specify an expression TestStand evaluates at run time. The parameter definition in the sequence determines whether the step passes the argument by value or by reference.
        Note Note  When you pass an array to a sequence, the Sequence Adapter does not alter the array bounds. For example, if a sequence defines a parameter with bounds [0..2] and a Sequence Call step passes an array with bounds [3..5], the called sequence must access the array with bound [3..5], not [0..2].

Although the parameter list the step uses must be consistent with the parameter list the sequence defines, the step can specify fewer parameters than the sequence specifies. The data types for the parameters in the step must be compatible with the corresponding parameters in the sequence. The Sequence Adapter uses the default values for the parameters the step does not pass explicitly.

Note  When you call a sequence on a remote host, you can pass single-valued properties or arrays of number, Boolean, and string properties by value or by reference. You can also pass container properties or object reference properties to a remote sequence if the receiving parameter type is an object reference property.

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