Configuring a Custom Public Directory for TestStand

Beginning with TestStand 2016, NI introduced TestStand Environments, a built‑in mechanism that allows users to define custom locations for multiple TestStand system directories — including:

• TestStand Public
• Local Application Data (LocalAppData)
• Common Application Data (CommonAppData)

These Environments allow multiple independent TestStand configurations to coexist on the same machine, each with its own isolated components such as Station Globals, Type Palettes, Process Models, and other customizations.

You can define these custom directories by creating a .tsenv file or by using the Configure >> Environment... dialog inside the TestStand Sequence Editor. The official NI documentation describes how TestStand evaluates and assigns Public, LocalAppData, and CommonAppData for each environment.

Refer to the Related Links section of this article for more details about TestStand Environments.

Legacy Method (TestStand 4.1 – TestStand 2014 SP1)

Before TestStand 2016, the product did not support Environments. To change the TestStand Public directory (and only the Public directory), users were required to manually modify the Windows Registry.

This legacy method still applies to installations from TestStand 4.1 through TestStand 2014 SP1.

WARNING: Inappropriate changes to the Windows Registry can disable your operating system! To safeguard against such an event, you should backup your existing Registry by choosing File >> Export after launching the Registry Editor and before making any changes.

Note: If TestStand is not yet installed, please create the registry path described in Step 2.

1. Open the registry editor by going to the Start menu, selecting Run and typing "regedit". 
2. Navigate to:
   • (32-bit) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\National Instruments\TestStand\<version>\
   • (64-bit) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\National Instruments\TestStand\<version>\
3. Create a new string value by right-clicking the <version> key and selecting New >> String Value.  Name the key CustomPublicLocation.
4. Double click on the key and set the Value Data to the location of your new public directory.  Make sure that the value of the key is a valid directory that already exists.
    
   
5. Copy the contents of the default Public directory into the new location.

Important Notes:

• Having a Custom Public directory is not a fully tested feature. It is possible to run into unexpected behavior if using this method.
• The default Public directory must remain intact because TestStand installers validate its presence and will attempt to reinstall the default directories if they do not find them.