In TestStand, only the Label Step Type can be exported/imported as a comment. The Comment property of a variable is not accessible from the Import/Export Properties tool, and therefore, cannot be exported. However, a string from a file can be imported and assigned to the Comment property of a variable. An example of this is outlined below.
Exporting Comments
1. In TestStand, add a
Label Step to the
Sequence.
- Drag and drop the Step from the Insertion Palette onto the Sequence, as shown.
2. In the
Label Description of the
Step Settings, add a comment.
- This is what will be exported to the .CSV file.
3. Navigate to
Tools >> Import/Export Properties... 4. In the pop up window, select the
Export section.
5. In the
Export Options tab, choose the required file type in the
Destination Type (a .CSV file is selected for this example).
6. Define the location to save the file in the
Destination Location option.
7. Navigate to the
Property Selector tab.
8. Expand the
[0] MainSequence >> Main >> [0] Label branch and enable the
Description property, as highlighted below.
9. Click
Export.
Importing Comments
There are multiple ways to import comments into TestStand. This article will demonstrate the following two:
- Using the Import/Export Properties tool.
- Using a Property Loader step.
- Note that this method can be used to dynamically load comments into the Comment property of a TestStand variable.
Using the Import/Export Properties Tool
1 . Navigate to
Tools >> Import/Export Properties... 2. In the
Import section, select the type of file to be imported in the
Source Type option.
- In this example, a .CSV file will be imported.
3. Select the location of the file using the
Source Location option, as shown below.
4. Click
Import.
- Alternatively, click Preview to view a comparison list of the properties that will change if the file is imported.
Using a Property Loader Step
1. Place a
Property Loader step from the
Insertion Palette into the Sequence.
- This can be done by dragging and dropping it, as shown.
2. In the
Step Settings of the
Property Loader, browse for the file to import.
- By default, the Property Loader will import all properties from the file. This can be changed by disabling the Import All Properties From Source checkbox.
3. The properties will be imported when the Sequence is executed.
Optional Steps to Set the Comment Property of a Variable:Note that doing this will only overwrite the
Comment property for the duration of the sequence execution.
4. In the
Properties tab of the
Step Settings, select the
Expressions menu item.
5. Define a
Post-Expression that will assign the imported value to the
Comment property of a variable.
- In this example, we assign the Description of the Label step to the Comment property using the below expression:
- Locals.NumberVar.Comment = RunState.Sequence.Main["Label"].Description
6. The
Comment property will update after the
Property Loader step has executed.