NI VMS for NI TestStand Adjustment Loop Controller Utility
- Updated2023-08-17
- 6 minute(s) read
NI VMS for NI TestStand Adjustment Loop Controller Utility
Introduction
This document describes how to use the NI TestStand Post Scale Corrections custom step type.
This custom step type is used to perform a calibration of individual NI VMS measurement parameters based on readings from a known signal source.
The calibration is performed by applying an external video signal generator with known video parameters. A calibration is first performed against this known signal source and scaling information is stored in an external text file. After this, NI VMS readings are scaled using these calibration coefficients.
Additionally an editor is included to make or modify the calibration coefficients file.
Related and required software
NI VMS for NI TestStand
How to use the NI TestStand Adjustment Loop Controller Step Type
The NI TestStand Sequence Control Step Type components have to be used correctly in order to get the right functionality. The NI TestStand sequence is jumping to the step name stored in a runtime created local variable called Locals.Destination. This variable contains at start the first enabled NI VMS step but is being changed if either Continue or Abort on the Adjustment Loop Controller panel is pressed. When a button is pressed Locals.Destination is either set to the step after the Adjustment Loop Controller step or the first step in the CleanUp Step Group hence breaking the Adjustment Loop.
Therefore it is important that the wanted NI VMS steps are included in the NI TestStand sequence prior to adding and configuring the Adjustment Loop Controller. So first you will create a sequence file with the necessary NI VMS steps with configured pass fail limits for parameters and after this add the Adjustment Loop Controller step after the last NI VMS step that must be included in the Adjustment Loop, (see Figure 1).
Important usage information
Due to the way the Adjustment Loop Controller panel works it is important NOT to break execution when the Adjustment Loop Controller panel is popped up. This LabVIEW is a modal LabVIEW dialog with respect to NI TestStand; therefore the user has lost NI TestStand user interface control while the Adjustment Loop Controller panel is open.
User Interface
There are two setup panels included with this step type. Each of these is discussed in detail in the following chapters:
Adjustment Loop Controller Panel
The Adjustment Loop Controller panel (see Figure 2) will pop up during NI TestStand execution when reaching the Adjustment Loop controller step and stay up until either Continue or Abort is pressed.
The number of visible parameters is limited to 7, but if more than 7 are included a scrollbar will appear and enable the user to scroll through the enabled parameters during sequence execution.
Figure 2: Adjustment Loop Controller panel
Adjustment Loop Controller Panel controls
Control name | Default | Range | Function |
---|---|---|---|
Measurement Parameter | "" (Not controllable) | String | Display the NI VMS Parameter performed |
Horizontal bar | 0 (Not controllable) | -inf to inf | Display LowLimit, Parameter value and HighLimit. |
Measurement | 0 (Not controllable) | -inf to inf | Display the Parameter value |
Unit | "" (Not controllable) | String | Unit of the Parameter value |
ScrollBar | 0 | 0..number of parameters | Scroll through the Parameters |
Continue | False | True/False | Exit the adjustment loop and continue with the step after the Adjustment Loop Controller step. |
Abort | False | True/False | Exit the adjustment loop and continue with first step in the Cleanup step group. |
ScrollBar | 0 | 0..number of parameters | Scroll through the parameters |
Table 1: Horizontal Bars Display Setup controls
User interface control
Relations of values between dependant controls on the user interface:
Control | Dependency |
---|---|
ScrollBar | Visible if more than 7 parameters |
Table 2: User interface control
Configure Adjustment Loop Controller
Setup panel is used to configure the Adjustment Loop Controller. All the prior NI VMS steps in the given step group relative to the Adjustment Loop Controller step is listed in the left tree control. Each of the parameters can be either included or excluded from the runtime Adjustment Loop Controller panel by double clicking on it (see Figure 3).
Figure 3: Configure Adjustment Loop Controller Panel
Selecting a parameter in the left tree control allows the user to see the Measurement, Parameter, Low Limit, last measured Parameter Value, High Limit and Unit. The low and high scale values can be configured by hand or automatically calculated as +/- 10% of the limit span. Default when inserting a new NI VMS step the scale values are calculated as +/- 10% of the limit span.
Double-clicking on a parameter in the NI VMS Steps tree control will toggle inclusion as well as selecting the NI VMS step.
This step type is used to configure the runtime sequence control panel. Enabled buttons available, their look, key navigation, the NI VMS step that will be executed and finally the position of the control panel on the screen, are configured through this interface.
Controls available on front panel
The following controls are available on the Configure Adjustment Loop Controller panel
Control name | Default | Range | Function |
---|---|---|---|
NI VMS Steps | Indicator | Tree Control | Organize all prior NI VMS steps in a hierarchical tree control |
Measurement | Indicator | String indicator | Display the Measurement for the currently selected Step |
Parameter | Indicator | String indicator | Display the Parameter for the currently selected Step |
LowLimit | Indicator | Numeric indicator | Display the LowLimit for the currently selected Step |
ParameterValue | Indicator | Numeric indicator | Display the ParameterValue for the currently selected Step |
HighLimit | Indicator | Numeric indicator | Display the HighLimit for the currently selected Step |
Unit | Indicator | String indicator | Display the Unit of the Parameter for the currently selected Step |
LowScaleValue | LowLimit -10% of limit span | None | Specify the Low Scale Value. Check for LowScaleValue < HighScaleValue is performed |
HighScaleValue | HighLimit + 10% of limit span | None | Specify the High Scale Value. Check for LowScaleValue < HighScaleValue is performed |
Recalculate | False | True/False | Low and High ScaleValues is recalculated as +/- 10% of span. |
Include | False | True/False | Include or Exclude parameter from Adjustment Loop Controller panel. |
Included Items | Table | Empty | List of all the included parameters. Double-clicking a listed item will select it in the NI VMS steps tree control |
X-Top | 0 | 0..Inf | Upper left corner horizontal position of User Control Panel |
Y-Top | 0 | 0..Inf | Upper left corner vertical position of User Control Panel |
Panel Free | False | True/False | Lock position of User Control Panel |
OK | False | True/False | Accept the changes and close |
Cancel | False | True/False | Discard the changes and close |
Table 3: Configure Adjustment Loop Controller controls
User interface control
Relations of values between dependant controls on the user interface:
Control | Dependency |
---|---|
Parameter | NI VMS Steps. Only visible if a Parameter is selected. |
LowLimit | NI VMS Steps. Only visible if a Parameter is selected. |
ParameterValue | NI VMS Steps. Only visible if a Parameter is selected. |
HighLimit | NI VMS Steps. Only visible if a Parameter is selected. |
Unit | NI VMS Steps. Only visible if a Parameter is selected. |
LowScaleValue | NI VMS Steps. Only visible if a Parameter is selected. |
Recalculate | NI VMS Steps. Only visible if a Parameter is selected. |
HighScaleValue | NI VMS Steps. Only visible if a Parameter is selected. |
Include | NI VMS Steps. Only visible if a Parameter is selected. |
Included Parameters | List only the prior NI VMS steps parameters that are included |
Table 4: Configure Adjustment Loop Controller user interface control
Returned values to NI TestStand
No results are being passed back to NI TestStand by the Adjustment Loop Controller types except the normal Result container. Refer to the NI VMS for NI TestStand Interface section for the NI VMS results returned.
Error handling
Warnings
Warnings and system errors that occurs during configuration (setup) mode are shown in a pop up message. From this message the user can select to stay in configuration mode or exit. In Run mode the pop-up messages is never shown.
System errors
System errors are always returned in the error container except in setup mode (see previous section).
Examples
Refer to the NI Video Measurement Suite Readme for the location of TestStand sequence example(s) for this utility.
The example sequences perform the following functions:- AdjustmentLoopController Demo1.seq demonstrates a single adjustment loop in one sequence.
- AdjustmentLoopController Demo2.seq demonstrates two cascaded adjustment loops in one sequence. One has the popup panel free, the next popup panel is in a locked screen position.
- Multiple Cascaded Adjustment Loops Demo1.seq calls the two examples as subsequence calls.