TS Deployment Utility

[dphan128]

I'm new to Test Stand and recently finished my first TS program in
sequence editor mode. So I'm not sure if I need to have Deployment
Utility (p/n#900851-01) or Base Deployment Engine(#900850-01) to
deliver my program to the user. What is the proper sequence of
development here ?

[tbob]

Use the deployment utility to create an installer (an exe file). Run
the installer on the user machine to install your application there.
You must have a TS runtime license to run the newly installed program
on the user machine. All dependent files will be properly placed by
the installer. Without the deployment utility, you would have to
place all files used on the user machine in the correct directory
format as it was developed. You still the runtime license and runtime
engine. Start with a small project and go from there. It can get
quite tricky when dealing with external DLLs and such.

[dphan128]

Thank you. So the Debug Deployment Environment will provide the user
interface for my test sequences and help me build the installer. But
if I install the program on the same PC(machine) then I don't need the
Base Deployment Engine License, do I ? Only if I install on a diffrent
PC (machine), correct ?

[SarahM]

Hey Dphan,

I think there is some confusion about the Deployment Utility. Part
number 900851-01 is an old part number for the TESTSTAND DEBUG
DEPLOYMENT ENVIRONMENT LICENSE. This is different form the TestStand
deployment Utility which comes with the development environment. If
you have the TestStand development environment intalled on a computer
then you do not need either the debug or the deployment license.
However if you are deploying a system to a computer that does not have
TestStand installed you will need either the TestStand Debug
Deployment Environment License OR the TestStand Base Deployment Engine
License. This difference is that the Debug Deployment environment
gives you more options for debugging. Please see the TestStand pages
linked below for more information.

<a href =
"http://sine.ni.com/apps/we/nioc.vp?cid=1460&lang=US">TestStand Base
Deployment Engine</a>

<a href =
"http://sine.ni.com/apps/we/nioc.vp?cid=2841&lang=US">TestStand Debug
Deployment Environment</a>

In summary you will create an installer using the deployment utility
on your development computer (which has the development license). You
will then install this on a target computer which will need either the
debug or the deployment license.

I hope this helps!! Please let me know if you have any other
questions.

Regards,

Sarah Miracle
National Instruments

[dphan128]

Hi Sarah,
Thank you for clarifying the part numbers. Anyway I can't find Deploy
TestStand System under Tools menu within sequence editor as instructed
in the manual book. Have I not installed Test Stand 3.1 correctly or
have I installed it without Deployment Utility ? How did it happen ?
Regards,
Dan

[dphan128]

Hi Sarah,
The Deployment Utility does locate in the path that you have
specified. I just had to add it in the Tools Menu. Should the
Deployment Utility be there in the Tools menu as a default
installation so it won't cause confusion to new user like myself. If I
don't talk to you then I probably don't know it exits. I think NI
should make sure that the install CD does this default set up.

Regards,
Dan

[SarahM]

Hey Dan,

This is the first time I've seen the deployment utility not show up in
the Tools menu. It should be there be default when TestStand is
installed. Are you the only one that uses the computer? It may be
that the entry was deleted by accident.

Regards,

Sarah Miracle
National Instruments

[dphan128]

Hi Sarah,
One more question. I'm not sure which scenario I should follow in the
manual book chap 14 under Common Deployment Scenarios.

Regards,

Dan

[SarahM]

Hey Dan,

Which scenario you should follow depends on your situation and what
you want to deploy. Most likely you'll want to follow "Distributing
Tests From a Workspace" however, this is only an example and the
settings you choose will depend on your situation. I would suggest
looking at the help for each tab to determine what each of the options
mean so you can then decide what to select. In most cases the default
will work just fine.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Regards,
Sarah Miracle
National Instruments

[dphan128]

How do I customize the user interface. Or should I customize it before
deployment.
Plus I recently oredered the TS Base Deployment Engine License and TS
Debug Deployment Environment License. And to my surprise, I only
received the certificates but not the softwares.
This is really confusing!

[SarahM]

Hey Dan,

You will want to customize your operator interface before deployment.
Please refer to Chapter 9 Creating Custom Operator Interfaces of the
TestStand reference manual.

You didn't receive the software because you already have the software.
If you are creating a TestStand deployment package you can choose to
include the engine. When you run this installer on your target
computer it will automatically install the engine. All you need to do
is activate it using the serial number on the certificate that was
shipped to you.

You already have all the TestStand software you just can't legally use
it on more than one machine without another license.

Please refer to the following link for more information:
<a href =
http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/B4B7C4ADB9B21B3F86256D360061891F?OpenDocument>When
Should I Purchase a License for my TestStand System?</a>

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further
questions.

Regards,

Sarah Miracle
National Instruments

[dphan128]

Hi Sarah,
I read chapter 9 in TS reference manual, but it doesn't give detail
info on how to edit the operator interface. My question is where is
the default Operator Interface that my sequence file uses when it is
executed. Since I use LabView modules in my TS sequence file I tried
to look under TestStand
3.1/OperatorInterfaces/NI/Full-Featured/LabView folder to see if the
default TS UI Controls (or operator interface) came from there. Using
LabView, I did open TestExec.1b/Full OI-Top-level VI.vi but then
realized that it is not the default interface that TS uses. So where
is the default interface and how do I access it ?

Regards,

Dan

[SarahM]

Hey Dan,

TestStand ships with several example operator interfaces. There is a
simple operator interface and a full-featured operator interface for
several languages. You are correct the LabVIEW full-featured operator
interface is in the directory TestStand
3.1/OperatorInterfaces/NI/Full-Featured/LabView. This is the same
operator interface you use when you select Start >> All Programs >>
National Instruments >> TestStand 3.1 >> Operator Interfaces >>
LabVIEW. By default TestStand doesn't use any interface - it uses the
interface you choose to open. You may be refering to the sequence
editor. This is accessed by going to Start >> All Programs >>
National Instruments >> TestStand 3.1 >> Sequence Editor. This is not
an operator interface and is provided for development. You can use it
as an operator interface if you choose but we do not provide the
source code so you will be unable to modify it.

If you're using LabVIEW then you can access the UI controls by going
to the TestStand palette from the front panel of your VI. Go to the
control palette and then All Controls >> TestStand. These are active
X controls and can be used in any environment that supports activeX
controls. I would suggest starting with one of the shipping operator
interfaces.

In the future it's probably better to post separate questions to a new
discussion forum thread.

I also noticed that many of the questions you've asked could have been
answered by taking the week long TestStand course. It may be worth
you while to spend a week and take the course.

<a href =
http://sine.ni.com/apps/we/nioc.vp?cid=10464&lang=US>TestStand
Training Courses</a>

I hope this helps!!

Regards,

Sarah Miracle
National Instruments