Differences between Standard Mode and Manual Mode

The default User Files to Include and Upgrades and Patches to Include options on the Mode tab of the TestStand Deployment Utility include built-in safeguards to help you ensure that the test system can execute without errors on the test station computer when you install a patch deployment. NI recommends using the default values for these options in almost all cases to ensure you include all the required files in a patch deployment. The default value for the User Files to Include option is Modified Files. The default value for the Upgrades and Patches to Include option is TestStand Runtime and Drivers.

Select Manual Mode in the User Files to Include option only when you are certain you know which files to include in or exclude from a patch deployment or installer. When you select Manual Mode, you can use the techniques in the following table to complete certain tasks:

Technique Deployment Utility Behavior When to Use Additional Actions to Complete
Create patch deployments without analyzing the files during the build process, which can reduce the amount of time the deployment utility requires to build an installer for a patch deployment. Uses the previous analysis results for the deployment. When you know exactly which files you want to include. Click the Analyze Source Files button on the Distributed Files tab to begin analyzing all files included in the patch deployment.
Use the Add Patch File button on the Distributed Files tab to add arbitrary files to the patch deployment. Adds these files without processing them. When you want to add a file without finding the dependencies. To process the files you add, disable the Include without Processing Item or Dependencies option on the File Properties tab of the Distributed Files tab and click the Analyze Source Files button to analyze the files you add.
Select a file to replace an original file in the deployable image. Does not automatically include dependencies for the replacement file. When you have an updated version of a file located in the non-default location that you want to include in the patch deployment. —

When you use Manual Mode to create a patch deployment, the deployment utility generates additional data for files you add to and replace in the deployment. The deployment utility discards the additional data for the files you add after you create a full deployment or a patch deployment using Standard Mode. The deployment utility maintains the additional data for replacement files until you delete it.

Example

Complete the following steps to use the deployment utility to include a single modified file in a patch deployment.

  1. Load the TestStand deployment specification file (.tsd) you used to create the full deployment.
  2. Select Create new patch deployment on the Mode tab.
  3. Select Manual Mode in the User Files to Include option.
  4. Click the Distributed Files tab, select View Build Preview, and select the modified file you want to add to the patch deployment.
  5. Click Build to create the patch deployment that includes only the modified file you selected.
Note This topic applies to patches you create for MSI-based installer distributions.