For applications with specific result processing requirements, you can implement a customized result processing model plug-in. Because the TestStand 2010 or earlier process models did not support process model plug-ins, creating a custom result processor was a difficult process. Using TestStand 2010 or earlier to accomplish this task required you to implement the result processing code and correctly integrate it into the built-in process models. The TestStand 2012 or later process model plug-in architecture decouples custom result processing code from the process model so you can focus on the result processing code itself rather than integration with the process model. The process model plug-in architecture includes the following benefits:

  • Process model plug-in sequences automatically populate with process model data, which avoids the need for you to create parameters in each calling sequence to pass data
  • With process model plug-ins, you can implement functionality at any point in an execution without modifying the process model files
  • You can migrate process model plug-ins to future versions of TestStand with little to no modification

To migrate custom result processing changes to TestStand 2012 or later, create a new result processing model plug-in that contains the same functionality. To ease development, you can use the Result Processing dialog box to create a template process model plug-in that contains all the necessary entry points and data types.

After you create the process model plug-in, use the following table as a guide to migrate functionality into the correct process model plug-in sequences.

Type of Functionality Likely Location in TestStand 2010 or Earlier Process Model Files Corresponding Process Model Plug-in Sequence
Configuration dialog box for custom options Configuration entry point in model sequence Model Plugin — Configure Standard Options
Initialization (one time)
  • ProcessSetup Callback
  • PreUUTLoop Callback
 Model Plugin — Begin
Initialization (per UUT) PreUUT Callback Model Plugin — UUT Start
Initialization (per batch) PreBatch Callback Model Plugin — Batch Start
Processing results (per UUT)
  • TestReport Callback
  • LogToDatabase Callback
 Model Plugin — UUT Done
Processing results (per batch) BatchReport Callback Model Plugin — Batch Done
Processing results (On-the-Fly)
  • ProcessModelPostResultList
  • Entry Engine Callback
 Model Plugin — OnTheFly Step Results
Clean-up (one time)
  • ProcessCleanup Callback
  • PostUUTLoop Callback
 Model Plugin — End
Clean-up (per UUT) PostUUT Callback Model Plugin — UUT Done
Clean-up (per batch) PostBatch Callback Model Plugin — Batch Done

In addition to the process model plug-in sequences, the model plug-in template contains data types you can use to store configuration or other data relevant to the process model plug-in. Add any properties specific to your custom result processing functionality to the plug-in Options data type to store configuration options. An instance of this type exists in each process model plug-in entry point within the PlugInSpecific container. Use a code module in the Model Plugin — Configure Standard Options sequence to provide an interface for end users to set values for the properties you added.

TestStand stores this model plug-in specific data in a configuration file and automatically passes the data into the process model plug-in sequences when the process model calls the model plug-in sequence file.