Managing Projects
- Updated2026-01-30
- 4 minute(s) read
Create a project file (.digiproj) to organize and access digital configuration and pattern files, which you can double-click to open in the corresponding document window. Use the Project Explorer window toolbar buttons and right-click context menu items to manage the files and display options for the project.
Active Files
You can specify an active pin and channel map file, timing file, and levels file by right-clicking the file and selecting Make Active or Make Inactive to activate or deactivate a file. Files listed in bold in the Project Explorer window are the active files of the project. Only one pin and channel map file, one timing file, and one levels file can be active at a time. Changing the state of an inactive file to active automatically changes the state of the previously active file of the same file type to inactive. If you do not manually activate a file, the editor automatically activates the first instance of each file type you add to the project.
When you switch to a different active pin and channel map file, the editor disconnects any current instrument sessions and connects to existing open instrument sessions associated with the new active pin and channel map file.
Typically when you burst a pattern, the editor prompts you to apply the values in the active timing file or levels file when no timing or levels values have previously been applied to the digital pattern instrument or when previously applied timing or levels values change directly in the timing or levels document or indirectly through changes in the specifications document. Click the
Apply Time Sets button
in the active timing document or the
Apply Levels button in the active levels document to manually apply timing and levels values from the active file and overwrite any previously applied values.
File Indicators
An asterisk (*) next to a filename in the Project
Explorer window and in the document tab indicates that the file has been modified but not
saved. The white arrow overlay on the file type icon 
indicates a reference to a file that does not reside in or underneath the project directory.
Use the Exclude and Include context menu items to change which files in the project
directory the project uses. Excluding a file from the project leaves the file on disk.
Deleting a file from the project deletes the file from disk.
File Types
A project can contain the following types of files. Refer to the Related reference section at the end of this topic for a link to more information about each of these components.
- Pin and channel maps (.pinmap)
- Specifications (.specs)
- Digital timing (.digitiming)
- Digital and power levels (.digilevels)
- Digital patterns (.digipat)
- Source waveform configurations (.tdms)
Note Do not include other types of files with the .tdms file extension in the project.
- Capture waveform configurations (.digicapture)
- Shmoo plots (.digishmoo)
You can store digital project files (.digiproj) and the file types in the previous list in a third-party source code control (SCC) system. However, do not include the .digiprojcache file in source code control because it contains per-user settings and customizations that you typically do not share among users.
Because pin and channel maps, specifications, timing, and levels files are XML-based files, you can write custom scripts or use an in-house or third-party tool to convert existing files to the NI file formats.
on the Project Explorer window toolbar for the view to refresh. When you select
or right-click a file and select
Delete from the context menu in the Digital Pattern Editor, the Project Explorer window refreshes automatically.
Related Information
- Pin and Channel Map Editor
Use the pin and the channel map editor to view pin and channel map files. You can also create, modify, and save these files using the editor.
- Specifications
Use the specifications document to view, create, modify, and save specifications files (.specs). An asterisk (*) next to a filename in the Project Explorer window and in the document tab indicates that the file has been modified but not saved.
- Timing
Use the timing document to view, create, modify, save, and apply timing files (.digitiming). Timing files include period, edge multiplier (edge x), drive format, and edge information for pattern execution. Timing files currently can contain only one timing sheet, which is a collection of time sets. An asterisk (*) next to a file name in the Project Explorer window and in the document tab indicates that the file has been modified but not saved.
- Patterns
Use the pattern document to view, create, modify, load, burst, and debug binary pattern files (.digipat). A digital pattern file can contain only one pattern.
- Source Waveform Configurations
Use the source waveform configuration document to view, change, save, and load source waveform files (.tdms). Use the source functionality when the data you need to use is site-specific or only determined at run time, such as when you need to write registers or test converters. You can send multiple source waveforms with the same configuration in a single pattern burst. Use the source_start and source opcodes to send waveform data when you burst the pattern. An asterisk (*) by a file name indicates that you have modified the file but not saved it.
- Capture Waveform Configurations
Use the capture waveform configuration document to view, modify, save, and load capture waveform files (.digicapture). Use the capture functionality when the data you need to acquire is site-specific or only determined at run time, such as when you need to read registers or test converters. You can receive multiple capture waveforms with the same configuration in a single pattern burst. Use the capture_start, capture, and capture_stop opcodes to store values when you burst a pattern. An asterisk (*) next to a filename in the Project Explorer window and in the document tab indicates that the file has been modified but not saved.
- Shmoo Plot
Use the Shmoo plot to view a dynamically updated plot of pass and fail values for a sweep of up to two variables you specify using the specifications, timing, levels, pin and channel map, and pattern files in the project. An asterisk (*) next to a filename in the Project Explorer window and in the document tab indicates that the file has been modified but not saved.
- NI TDMS File Format
- Configuring Levels
Manage levels to your project using the pin levels sheet (.digilevels). The sheet displays voltage and current levels for pins and pin groups connected to digital pattern instruments and NI-DCPower instruments. You must define pins and pin groups in the pin and channel map file.
- Pin Values
Use the following guidelines when setting pin values within a pin levels sheet in your project.
- Levels File XML Structure