By default, TestStand installs source files in the protected and non-writeable <TestStand>\CodeTemplates, <TestStand>\Components, and <TestStand>\UserInterfaces directories.

To modify the installed code templates or components or to create new code templates or components, copy the files from the <TestStand> directories to the <TestStand Public> directories and make changes to the copies of the files.

To modify the installed user interfaces or to create new user interfaces, modify the files TestStand installs in the <TestStand Public>\UserInterfaces directory.

Guidelines for Modifying Copied Files

Use the following guidelines when you copy installed files to modify:

  • You must rename the files after you modify them if you want to create a separate custom component. You must register any new or renamed ActiveX components.
  • You do not have to rename the files after you modify them if you only want to modify the behavior of an existing component.
  • If you do not rename the files and you use the files in a future version of TestStand, changes NI makes to the component might not be compatible with the modified version of the component.
  • Storing new and customized files in the <TestStand Public> directory ensures that new installations of the same version of TestStand do not overwrite the customizations and ensures that uninstalling TestStand does not remove the files you customize.
Note If you modify any process model or process model plug-in types, open and save all the process models and process model plug-ins that use the modified types to ensure you avoid a type conflict. To modify or save the process models, you must first copy all the files from the <TestStand>\Components\Models\TestStandModels directory to the <TestStand Public>\Components\Models\TestStandModels directory and modify or save the files in the <TestStand Public>\Components\Models\TestStandModels directory. The files in the <TestStand Public>\Components\Models\TestStandModels directory override the files in the <TestStand>\Components\Models\TestStandModels directory. Similarly, you must copy any process model plug-in files from the <TestStand>\Components\Models\ModelPlugins directory to the <TestStand Public>\Components\Models\ModelPlugins directory before modifying the files.