Logging TestStand Values to Binary and String Database Column Types

Database logging supports writing intrinsic values and arrays to binary and string columns. Use the following table to determine how TestStand writes values to binary and string columns.

Use the Format control on the Column/Parameter section of the Database Options dialog box to customize how TestStand writes values to binary columns. The supported formats include 8-byte real (R8), 8-byte integer (I8), 8-byte unsigned integer (UI8), 4-byte real (R4), 4-byte integer (I4), 2-byte integer (I2), and 1-byte integer (I1).

TestStand Value Database Column Type
Binary varchar BSTR
Number/Enumeration Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is R8. Formatted value contains a period decimal point character. Formatted value contains a period decimal point character.
Number/Enumeration {Signed 64-bit Integer} Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is I8. Formatted value contains a signed decimal integer. Formatted value contains a signed decimal integer.
Number/Enumeration {Unsigned 64-bit Integer} Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is UI8. Formatted value contains an unsigned decimal integer. Formatted value contains an unsigned decimal integer.
Array of Number TestStand concatenates the binary representation of each value. Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is R8. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where the value contains a period decimal point character and \r\n delimits each element. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where the value contains a period decimal point character and \r\n delimits each element.
Array of Number {Signed 64-bit Integer} TestStand concatenates the binary representation of each value. Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is I8. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where each value contains a signed decimal integer and \r\n delimits each element. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where each value contains a signed decimal integer and \r\n delimits each element.
Array of Number {Unsigned 64-bit Integer} TestStand concatenates the binary representation of each value. Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is UI8. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where each value contains an unsigned decimal integer and \r\n delimits each element. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where each value contains an unsigned decimal integer and \r\n delimits each element.
Array Enumeration (All Representations) TestStand concatenates the binary representation of each numeric value. Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is R8. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where the value contains a period decimal point character and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of [Index]= , where Index is the element index. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where the value contains a period decimal point character and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of [Index]= , where Index is the element index.
Boolean Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is I1. String contains either a 0 or 1 character. String contains either a 0 or 1 character.
Array of Boolean TestStand concatenates the binary representation of each value. Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is I1. TestStand concatenates either a 0 or 1 character, and \r\n delimits each element. TestStand concatenates either a 0 or 1 character, and \r\n delimits each element.
String TestStand logs the value as a Unicode string. See the Note below this table for more details. TestStand logs the value as a multi-byte string. See the Note below this table for more details. TestStand logs the value as a Unicode string. See the Note below this table for more details.
Array of String TestStand concatenates each value as a Unicode string, where the NUL character delimits each element and two NUL characters terminate the value. TestStand concatenates each value as a multi-byte string, and \r\n escapes and delimits each string element. TestStand concatenates each value as a Unicode string, and \r\n escapes and delimits each string element.
Reference Not supported. Not supported. Not supported.
Array of Reference Not supported. Not supported. Not supported.
Container Not supported. Not supported. Not supported.
Array of Container (String elements only) TestStand concatenates each value as a Unicode string, where the NUL character delimits each element and two NUL characters terminate the value. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name. TestStand concatenates each value as a multi-byte string, and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name. TestStand concatenates each value as a Unicode string, and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name.
Array of Container (Number elements with same type only) TestStand concatenates the binary representation of each numeric value. Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is R8. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where the value contains a period decimal point character and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where the value contains a period decimal point character and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name.
Array of Container (Boolean elements only) TestStand concatenates the binary representation of each value. Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is I1. TestStand concatenates either a 0 or 1 character, and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name. TestStand concatenates either a 0 or 1 character, and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name.
Array of Container (Array of Number elements with same type only) TestStand concatenates the binary representation of each numeric value. Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is R8. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where the value contains a period decimal point character and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name. TestStand concatenates each formatted value, where the value contains a period decimal point character and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name.
Array of Container (Array of Boolean elements only) TestStand concatenates the binary representation of each value. Use the Format column to specify format. The default format is I1. TestStand concatenates either a 0 or 1 character, and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name. TestStand concatenates either a 0 or 1 character, and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name.
Array of Container (Array of String elements only) TestStand concatenates each value as a Unicode string, where the NUL character delimits each element and two NUL characters terminate the value. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of ""[Name]=", where Name is the property name. TestStand concatenates each value as a multi-byte string, and \r\n escapes and delimits each string element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name. TestStand concatenates each value as a Unicode string, and \r\n escapes and delimits each string element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name.
Array of Container (Heterogeneous with Number, Boolean, and String elements, Array of Number elements, Array of Boolean elements, and Array of String elements only) Not supported. String contains multi-byte string, formatted numeric value, or 0 or 1 character, respectively, and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name. String contains multi-byte string, formatted numeric value, or 0 or 1 character, respectively, and \r\n delimits each element. For each element value, TestStand adds a prefix of "[Name]=", where Name is the property name.
Array of Container (Container) Not supported. Not supported. Not supported.
Array of Container (Reference) Not supported. Not supported. Not supported.
Array of Container (Array of any type other than Number, Boolean, and String elements) Not supported. Not supported. Not supported.
Note Typically, you cannot store binary data in a string since strings cannot contain zero bytes, and strings must not contain invalid multibyte character set (MBCS) sequences. However, the TestStand LabVIEW Adapter and the TestStand API function SetValBinary support assigning binary values to string variables or properties. TestStand stores binary string values as compressed and encoded binary data using only printable non-MBCS-lead-byte characters. The default TestStand database logging process model plug-in logs binary string values in the compressed encoded format. See the Retrieving Binary String Values from Reports and Databases topic for more information about retrieving binary data from string values.

See Also

Database Options dialog box