Type palette files contain step types, standard data types, and custom data types you want available in the TestStand Sequence Editor or in the TestStand User Interfaces at all times. Drag a type to a type palette file in the Types window to ensure that the type is always available, even when the User Manager window, station global variables, or any open sequence files do not use the type.

Type palette files are located in the <TestStand>\Components\TypePalettes directory. Typically, you create new types in the MyTypes.ini type palette file in the <TestStand Public>\Components\TypePalettes directory or in a new type palette file you create.

You can distribute step types and data types you create to other computers by copying a type palette file to the <TestStand Public>\Components\TypePalettes directory. Right-click the View Types For pane in the Types window and select Customize Type Palettes from the context menu to launch the Configure Type Palettes dialog box, in which you can specify which type palette files TestStand uses.

Adding Type Palette Files

Use one of the following methods to add a type palette file to an existing installation.

• Copy the file to the <TestStand Public>\Components\TypePalettes directory. When you launch the sequence editor or a user interface, TestStand searches this directory for new files and adds those files to the type palette list.
  Note TestStand will not add a type palette file that you explicitly excluded from the type palette list, even if you add the file to the <TestStand Public>\Components\TypePalettes directory.
• Copy the file to the <TestStand Public>\Components\TypePalettes directory and add the prefix Install_ to the file name. When you launch the sequence editor or a user interface, TestStand identifies files with the Install_ prefix and takes one of the following actions:
  • If TestStand locates a type palette file in the type palette list with the same name, but without the Install_ prefix, TestStand merges the types in the Install_ prefix version of the file with the types in the existing file and then deletes the Install_ prefix version.
  • If TestStand locates a type palette file with the same name, but without the Install_ prefix, that is not included in the type palette list because a user explicitly excluded it, TestStand does not change the contents of either file.
    Note To ensure that TestStand always installs a type palette file, even when previously excluded from the type palette list, you must first delete the original version of the file—which does not contain the Install_ prefix—before you copy the Install_ prefix version to the <TestStand Public>\Components\TypePalettes directory.
  • If TestStand does not locate a type palette file with the same name, but without the Install_ prefix, TestStand creates a new file with the same name and adds it to the type palettes list. TestStand then adds the types in the Install_ prefix version of the file to the new type palette file and deletes the Install_ prefix version.
• Click Add in the Configure Type Palettes dialog box to manually add the type palette file.