NI TestStand Exporter Plugin

Overview

The NI TestStand ATML Toolkit is an add-on component of National Instruments (NI) TestStand. It allows TestStand to translate ATML Test Description documents into TestStand sequences and code modules written in LabVIEW or LabWindows™/CVI.

The NI TestStand ATML Toolkit is integrated with ATML Pad through a plug-in, using the standard ATML Test Description format. ATML Pad invokes the translator on the model that is currently loaded. The translator generates the test program and opens the generated sequence file in TestStand.

Exporter Plugin

The following example shows an ATML Test Description project in ATML Pad, followed by the NI TestStand Sequence and a LabWindows™/CVI code module produced by running the plugin.

Out-of-the-box Code Generation

The default conversion process supported by the Test Description Translator is as follows:

• The translator performs the automatic conversion of ATML Test Description document to a partial test program, which consists of:
  • A TestStand sequence file
  • “Shell” code modules (LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI)
    • The default translator produces interface implementations only (VIs in LabVIEW; C function definitions in LabWindows/CVI)
    • Test behavior description is imported as code comments
• Test engineers complete the test program through manual coding. This includes:
  • Implementation of test behavior in code modules, such as:
    • Instrument control
    • UUT commands
    • Calculations
    • Operator I/O, etc.
  • Possibly, additions to the sequence file

Custom Code Generators

The translation process can be enhanced by developing custom code generators.

• A generator consists of callback functions written in LabVIEW. These functions are invoked automatically by the translator when specific elements are being translated.
• Custom code generators can be used, for example, to produce code that implements test behavior, thus eliminating the need for manual coding.

The custom code generator translates test behavior information (usually Operations, but can be a custom format) into source code implementing that behavior.

Depending on the target ATS platform, the auto-generated code will contain:

• Calls to a signal-oriented API
• Calls to an instrument-oriented Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)
• Calls to instrument drivers
• IEEE 1641 Test Procedure Language (TPL), which can be:
  • Converted to IEEE 1641 API calls and executed on 1641 run time
  • Translated to a programing language in a later step

The following figure illustrated two possible solutions for automatic code generation.

OSA-RTS Integration

A solution based on IEEE 1641 TPL inserts is implemented in the OSA-RTS:

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