TestStand User Interface Controls

Object and Description
ApplicationMgr
The Application Manager control performs the following basic operations, which facilitate using the TestStand Engine in an application:
  • Processes command-line arguments.
  • Maintains an application configuration file.
  • Initializes and shuts down the TestStand Engine.
  • Logs users in and out.
  • Loads and unloads files.
  • Launches executions.
  • Tracks existing sequence files and executions.
  • Manages licensing.
An application that uses the TestStand User Interface Controls must have a single Application Manager control that exists for the duration of the application.
Borders
A Borders object specifies the frame and draggable borders that surround a control. A frame is a thin rectangle that surrounds a control on all sides. A draggable border is a rectangular strip of configurable thickness you can place on any combination of the edges of a control. When the application handles the BorderDragged event for the control, users can drag the borders to resize or move the control. When a control fills a rectangular view area of an application window, you can enable the draggable borders to implement splitter bars that resize the view. Although you can implement splitter bars in some environments without using draggable borders, some environments do not provide any other way to create a splitter bar. For other environments, creating a resizable view using draggable borders is sometimes simpler than using a separate splitter bar. You can also disable the BorderDragged event for a control to use borders for their cosmetic effect only.
Button
Connect a manager control to a Button control to specify that the button performs a common user interface command, such as Open Sequence File . The Button control uses a localized caption and automatically enables or disables depending on the application state.
CheckBox
Connect a manager control to a CheckBox control so users can toggle the state of a common user interface command, such as Break on Step Failure . When you connect to a command, the CheckBox control automatically updates the caption text, visibility, and enabled state. When you enable the checkbox, the checkbox executes the command, which toggles the state of the command. The CheckBox control supports the following commands:
  • CommandKind_BreakonFirstStep
  • CommandKind_BreakonSequenceFailure
  • CommandKind_BreakonStepFailure
  • CommandKind_ToggleBreakPoint
  • CommandKind_TracingEnabled
ComboBox
Connect a SequenceFileView Manager or ExecutionView Manager control to a ComboBox control so users can view or select from a list of sequence files, sequences, step groups, steps, executions, threads, or stack frames. Connect an Application Manager control to a ComboBox control so users can view or select the default adapter of the TestStand Engine. Use the ComboBox control to connect to and display the ExecutionViewMgrConnections.ExecutionList , ExecutionViewMgrConnections.CallStack , and ExecutionViewMgrConnections.ThreadList properties in the ExecutionView Manager control and the SequenceFileViewMgrConnections.SequenceList , SequenceFileViewMgrConnections.SequenceFileList , and SequenceFileViewMgrConnections.StepGroupList properties in the SequenceFileView Manager control. Selecting an item in the ComboBox control updates the application based on the type of data the connection specifies.
Note The ComboBox control does not allow you to populate the items in the drop-down list without connecting to a list connection. The items in the drop-down list are obtained from the connection to a manager control.
Command
Use Command objects in applications to implement a user interface element that performs a standard action, such as opening a sequence file or executing a set of selected steps in a sequence. A Command object determines the dimming, visibility, shortcut key, and caption for the menu item, button, or checkbox that invokes the command. The Command object also provides the implementation of the action, which it performs when you call the Command.Execute method. In many cases you can use a TestStand Utility Library function, such as InsertCommandsInMenu , instead of Command objects to create menu items that invoke the commands you specify. You can also call the ConnectCommand method on a TestStand manager control to connect a command to a TestStand button or checkbox control. To create Command objects, call the ApplicationMgr.NewCommands method to create a Commands collection. You specify the commands to create with the CommandKinds enumeration constants. When you call the Commands.InsertKind method, you can also specify a TestStand manager control. A command you create uses the specified manager control to determine the currently selected sequence file, execution, sequence, or steps. According to the selection and the type of command, the command determines the state of its properties, such as enabled and visible, and determines which items the command operates on when it executes. Some commands do not require a manager control, while others require a specific manager control. Refer to the CommandKinds enumeration for more information about which manager controls work with specific commands. You can also create commands using the following methods:
Commands
Contains a set of Command objects. To create new commands within the collection, call the Commands.InsertKind method.
EntryPoint
An EntryPoint object represents an Execution or Configuration entry point. You can execute the entry point sequence using the EntryPoint.LoopOnSelectedSteps , EntryPoint.Run , or EntryPoint.RunSelectedSteps methods. Use the ExecutionViewMgr.ConfigurationEntryPoints , ExecutionViewMgr.ExecutionEntryPoints , SequenceFileViewMgr.ConfigurationEntryPoints , and SequenceFileViewMgr.ExecutionEntryPoints properties to retrieve an EntryPoints object that is a collection of entry points.
EntryPoints
A Collection of EntryPoint objects. Use the ConfigurationEntryPoints and ExecutionEntryPoints methods of the SequenceFileView Manager and ExecutionView Manager controls to retrieve an EntryPoints object.
Executions
A collection of Execution objects. The ApplicationMgr.Executions property returns an Executions object, which contains all the executions the application created.
ExecutionViewMgr
An ExecutionView Manager control performs the following tasks to manage how other visible TestStand User Interface (UI) Controls view and interact with a selected TestStand execution:
  • Designates an execution as the selected execution.
  • Tracks which thread, stack frame, sequence, step group, and steps are selected in the selected execution.
  • Displays aspects of the selected execution in the visible TestStand UI Controls to which the control connects.
  • Enables visible TestStand UI Controls to which the control connects to change the selected thread, stack frame, sequence, step group, and steps.
  • Generates events to notify the application of the progress and state of the selected execution.
  • Provides debugging commands.
  • Updates the ReportView control to show the current report for the selected execution.
An application must have one ExecutionView Manager control for each location, such as a window, form, or panel, in which you display an execution or let the user select a current execution.
ExpressionEdit
Use an ExpressionEdit control so users can edit a TestStand expression with syntax coloring, popup help, and statement completion. Although you typically do not need to edit expressions in a user interface application, you can connect a manager control to a read-only ExpressionEdit control to display text information about the application state, such as the pathname of the sequence file selection or the name of the current user. You can also use ExpressionEdit controls in dialog boxes for step types and in tools in which you prompt users to enter a TestStand expression.
ExpressionEditButton
An ExpressionEditButton can be a non-custom button, such as an Expression Browser button, which the ExpressionEdit control manages automatically. An ExpressionEditButton can also be a custom button. You can manage the custom button using the properties of an ExpressionEditButton.
ExpressionEditButtons
A collection of ExpressionEditButton objects. Use the ExpressionEdit.Buttons property to retrieve the ExpressionEditButtons object for an ExpressionEdit control.
ExpressionEditComboBoxItem
An ExpressionEditComboBoxItem is an item that appears in the drop-down list when the ExpressionEdit control is a combo box.
ExpressionEditComboBoxItems
A collection of ExpressionEditComboBoxItem objects. Use the ExpressionEdit.ComboBoxItems property to retrieve the ExpressionEditComboBoxItems for an ExpressionEdit control.
InsertionPalette
Connect a SequenceFileView Manager control to an InsertionPalette control so users can insert steps and template items into a sequence file by dragging or double-clicking. Select Customize from the context menu of the Step Types list to launch the Step Type Menu Editor dialog box, in which you can customize the structure of the menu. You can add sequences, steps, or variables to the Templates list by dragging sequences, steps, or variables to the InsertionPalette control from a ListBox , ListBar , SequenceView , or VariablesView control. You can rename, copy, paste, delete, import, and export the items in the Templates list using the context menu, and you can rearrange the items using drag and drop. You can use one of the following operations to insert a step from the Step Types list or a sequence, step, or variable from the Templates list to a user interface control that displays a list of the corresponding object type:
  • Double-click an item in the InsertionPalette control. TestStand inserts the item below the current step, sequence, or variable depending on the type of the item.
  • Select an item in the InsertionPalette control and press <Enter>. TestStand inserts the item below the current step, sequence, or variable depending on the type of the item.
  • Right-click an item in the InsertionPalette control and select Insert from the context menu. TestStand inserts the item below the current step, sequence, or variable depending on the type of the item.
  • Drag an item from the InsertionPalette control and drop the item in the corresponding user interface control that contains a list of the type of items.
InsertionPalettePage
Use an InsertionPalettePage object to control whether a page is expanded or visible on an InsertionPalette control.
InsertionPalettePages
A collection of InsertionPalettePage objects. Use the InsertionPalette.Pages property to retrieve the InsertionPalettePages object for an InsertionPalette . Use the InsertionPalettePage.Visible property to control whether the page is visible.
Label
Connect a manager control to a Label control to display text information about the application state in the label, such as the name of the current user or the status of the current unit under test.
ListBar
Use a ListBar control to display multiple pages, where each page contains a list of items users can view or select. Connect a SequenceFileView Manager or ExecutionView Manager control to a ListBar page so users can view and select from a list, such as the active sequence file or execution. Connect an Application Manager control to a ListBar page so users can view or select the default adapter of the TestStand Engine. You can view the contents of a page by clicking on the page node, and you can also select a single item with the current page. Use the ListBar.CurrentPage property to determine the selected page, and use Pages.Item(CurrentPage).Cursor to determine the selected item on the current page.
ListBarPage
Connect a SequenceFileView Manager or ExecutionView Manager control to a ListBarPage object so users can iterate through the items in the page and set the cursor, caption, and name of the page. Use the ListBarPages.Insert method to create a new ListBarPage object. Use the ListBarPage.Cursor property to determine the selected item in the page. Use the ListBarPage control to connect to and display the ExecutionViewMgrConnections.ExecutionList , ExecutionViewMgrConnections.CallStack , and ExecutionViewMgrConnections.ThreadList properties in the ExecutionView Manager control and the SequenceFileViewMgrConnections.SequenceList , SequenceFileViewMgrConnections.SequenceFileList , and SequenceFileViewMgrConnections.StepGroupList properties in the SequenceFileView Manager control.
ListBarPageItem
Represents an item in the ListBarPage .
ListBarPageItems
A collection of ListBarPageItem objects. Use the ListBarPage.Items property to retrieve a ListBarPageItems object. Use the ListBarPage.Cursor property to determine the selected item in the page.
ListBarPages
A collection of ListBarPage objects. Use the ListBar.Pages property to retrieve the ListBarPages object for a ListBar. Use the ListBar.CurrentPage property as an index to this collection to access the currently selected page.
ListBox
Connect a SequenceFileView Manager or ExecutionView Manager control to a ListBox control so users can view or select from a list of sequence files, sequences, step groups, steps, executions, threads, or stack frames. Connect an Application Manager control to a ListBox control so users can view or select the default adapter of the TestStand Engine. Use a ListBox control to display multiple pages, where each page contains a list of items that users can view or select. Use the ListBox control to connect to and display the ExecutionViewMgrConnections.ExecutionList , ExecutionViewMgrConnections.CallStack , and ExecutionViewMgrConnections.ThreadList properties in the ExecutionView Manager control and the SequenceFileViewMgrConnections.SequenceList , SequenceFileViewMgrConnections.SequenceFileList , and SequenceFileViewMgrConnections.StepGroupList properties in the SequenceFileView Manager control. Selecting an item in the ListBox control updates the application according to the type of connection.
ListBoxColumn
The ListBoxColumn object represents a visible column in the ListBox control. Use the ListBox.ColumnSet property to obtain a list of columns for the control. When using a SequenceListConnection , use the SequenceListConnection.GetColumnIndex and SequenceListConnection.SetColumnVisible methods to determine the columns the ListBox control displays and the index for each column in ListBoxColumns .
ListBoxColumns
A collection of ListBoxColumn objects. Use the ListBox.ColumnSet property to obtain a collection of columns for a ListBox control.
ReportView
Connect an ExecutionView Manager control to a ReportView control to display the report for the selected execution.
SequenceFiles
Read-only collection of sequence files. Use the ApplicationMgr.SequenceFiles property to obtain the collection of SequenceFile objects the Application Manager control opens.
SequenceFileViewMgr
A SequenceFileView Manager control performs the following tasks to manage how other visible TestStand User Interface (UI) Controls view and interact with a selected sequence file:
  • Designates a sequence file as the selected sequence file.
  • Tracks which sequence, step groups, and steps are selected in the selected file and tracks the expansion of the step groups.
  • Displays aspects of the selected file in the visible TestStand UI Controls to which it connects.
  • Enables visible TestStand UI Controls to which it connects to change the selected file, sequence, step group, and steps.
  • Provides methods for executing the selected sequence file.
An application must have one SequenceFileView Manager control for each location, such as a window, form, or panel, in which you display a sequence file or let the user select a current sequence file.
SequenceView
Connect a SequenceFileView Manager control or an ExecutionView Manager control to a SequenceView control to display the steps of a sequence from a selected file or execution. The SequenceView control displays the steps in a list with columns you specify when you configure the control. The SequenceView control maintains a cursor that indicates the last active item you clicked using the mouse or highlighted using the arrow keys. The control denotes the cursor using a dotted box that outlines the step. Use the SequenceView control to select one or more steps at a time. Use the SequenceFileView Manager control connected to the SequenceView control to control which sequence, step groups, and steps are selected in the file and to track the expansion of the step groups.
SeqViewColumn
The SeqViewColumn object represents a column in the SequenceView control. Use the SequenceView.Columns property to obtain a list of columns for the control.
SeqViewColumns
A collection of SeqViewColumn objects.
StatusBar
Connect a manager control to panes of a StatusBar control to display text, image, or progress information about the application state. You can programmatically control individual StatusBar panes to display custom information. You can connect the panes to CaptionSources , NumericSources , and ImageSources on the Application Manager , ExecutionView Manager , and SequenceFileView Manager controls.
StatusBarPane
Represents a status bar pane.
StatusBarPanes
A collection of StatusBarPane objects.
VariablesView
Connect a SequenceFileView Manager or an ExecutionView Manager control to a VariablesView control to display the variables and properties in the selected file or execution. You can modify values of existing properties and variables, and you can insert and delete variables when editing a sequence file.