Guide to TestStand Documentation
Use the following information to help you find resources as you use TestStand. The manuals, overview card, and reference posters listed in this guide are located in the <TestStand>\Doc\Manuals directory. This help file is located in the <TestStand>\Doc\Help directory. With Adobe Reader 7.0 or later, you can search in multiple PDFs when you use Reader to open the files directly in the <TestStand>\Doc\Manuals directory. You cannot search in multiple PDFs when you launch the files from this help file. Refer to the National Instruments Product Manuals Library for updated documentation resources.
Upgrade UsersNew Users
If you are a new user, National Instruments recommends completing the following tasks to get started with TestStand:
- Review the NI TestStand System and Architecture Overview Card to familiarize yourself with the various system components, as well as the flow and structure of sequences, process models, and executions.
- Read the NI TestStand Release Notes to familiarize yourself with the new features, upgrade information, behavior changes, and documentation resources.
- Read Chapter 1, Introduction to TestStand, in the Using TestStand manual to familiarize yourself with TestStand concepts and features.
- Complete the tutorials in the Using TestStand manual.
- Read Chapter 1, TestStand Architecture, in the NI TestStand Reference Manual, and familiarize yourself with the other chapters in that manual.
- Refer to the Using LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI with TestStand manual to learn how to use TestStand with National Instruments application development environments (ADEs).
Upgrade Users
If you are upgrading from an earlier version of TestStand, refer to the new features and the compatibility and known issues topics in this help file and the NI TestStand Release Notes for compatibility information and major feature changes. Refer to the Readme.html file, located on the TestStand CD and in the <TestStand>\Doc directory, for important last-minute information about TestStand 4.2.
If you are upgrading from LabVIEW Test Executive 5.1.x, refer to Converting from the LabVIEW Test Executive to NI TestStand to learn about compatibility issues when you use the TestStand conversion utility to convert LabVIEW Test Executive 5.1.x sequence files to TestStand sequence files.
If you are upgrading from the LabWindows/CVI Test Executive Toolkit 2.0.x, refer to Converting from the LabWindows/CVI Test Executive Toolkit to NI TestStand to learn about compatibility issues when you use the TestStand conversion utility to convert LabWindows/CVI Test Executive Toolkit 2.0.x sequence files to TestStand sequence files.
TestStand Document Summaries
- NI TestStand Release Notes (May 2009)—Use this document to learn about new features and upgrade information.
- NI TestStand System and Architecture Overview Card (April 2007)—Use this card to learn about the overall architecture of TestStand and as a reference for key TestStand concepts. This card also contains a documentation map for your reference.
- Using TestStand (May 2009)—Use this manual to familiarize yourself with the TestStand environment and the basic features you use to build and run test sequences. Chapter 1, Introduction to TestStand, of this manual includes a Creating a TestStand System section that includes information about creating a TestStand-based test solution, including phases of the development life cycle and the licensing options available for each phase.
- Using LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI with TestStand (May 2009)—Use this manual to learn how to use LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI with TestStand.
- NI TestStand Reference Manual (May 2009)—Use this reference manual to learn about TestStand concepts, architecture, and features. The NI TestStand Reference Manual is available only as a PDF file, located at <TestStand>\Doc\Manuals\TestStandReferenceManual.pdf.
- NI TestStand Help (May 2009)—Use this help file to learn more about the TestStand environment and the TestStand User Interface (UI) Controls and Engine APIs. The NI TestStand Help also includes basic information about using the TestStand ActiveX Automation server.
- NI TestStand User Interface Controls Reference Poster (April 2007)—Use this poster as a reference of the properties, methods, and events found in the TestStand UI Controls API, as well as an illustration of the built-in connections between the TestStand UI Controls.
- NI TestStand API Reference Poster (April 2007)—Use this poster as a reference for a listing of the properties and methods found in the TestStand API, as well as an illustration of API inheritance.
- NI TestStand VIs and Functions Help (May 2009)—Use this help file to learn more about TestStand-specific VIs and functions. This help file is accessible only from LabVIEW.
- Using the NI TestStand User Interfaces (April 2007)—Use this HTML file, located in the <TestStand>\Doc directory, as a starting point for creating a custom manual for user interface applications you customize based on the TestStand full-featured user interface examples.
- Converting from the LabVIEW Test Executive to NI TestStand (April 2007)—Use this help file to learn about compatibility issues when you use the TestStand conversion utility to convert LabVIEW Test Executive 5.1.x sequence files to TestStand sequence files, including issues with test resources, sequence callbacks, system callbacks, and user interfaces.
- Converting from the LabWindows/CVI Test Executive Toolkit to NI TestStand (April 2007)—Use this help file to learn about compatibility issues when you use the TestStand conversion utility to convert LabWindows/CVI Test Executive Toolkit 2.0.x sequence files to TestStand sequence files, including issues with test resources, system callbacks, and user interfaces.
NI Developer Zone
Refer to the NI Developer Zone at ni.com/zone for more advanced concept and architecture information. For example, the NI TestStand Advanced Architecture Series is a suite of documents authored by TestStand architects and developers to provide more detailed information for experienced TestStand users with complex projects.
Searching Multiple PDFs
With Adobe Reader 7.0 or later, you can search in multiple PDFs. For example, you can search all of the PDFs installed with TestStand. Refer to the Adobe Systems Incorporated Web site at www.adobe.com to download Acrobat Reader. To search multiple PDFs, complete the following steps.
- Use Adobe Acrobat to open a PDF located in the <TestStand>\Doc\Manuals directory.
- Click the Search button to launch the Search panel.
- In the Search panel, enter the word or phrase you want to search for.
- In the Where would you like to search? section, enable the All PDF Documents in option and specify the folder you want to search. TestStand PDFs are located in the <TestStand>\Doc\Manuals directory.