1. Select a test station in the Test Bench Settings or Test Bench Selection program.
  2. Launch PAcontroller.
  3. Load a test and familiarize yourself with the user interface.
  4. Customize the user interface for your specific test needs.

Accessing PAcontroller

You have the following options to start PAcontroller:

  • Launch PAcontroller from the Start menu.
  • Launch PAtools Application Center, right-click a specific test station or component, and select PAcontroller.

You can also launch PAcontroller from other programs with the following command line parameters:

Table 34. Command Line Parameters
Argument Value Description
/tbname <name> Name of the test station from Test Bench Settings
/slot <name> Name of the component slots
/exttitle Flag: Starts PAuserBox.exe with option Show extended titles, if the flag is present
/un <name> Name of the user
/u <number> ID of the user (in the PAtools database). This ID is displayed in the same window that you have to open when determining the object ID.
/up <pwd> Encrypted password with additional PAconfigurator login dialog (not plain text).
/nag <number> ID of the alias user group (in the PAtools database). This ID is displayed in the same window that you have to open when determining the object ID.
/o <number> ID of the workspace being loaded (in the PAtools database) for offline mode.

The arguments in the table must be separated from the following value by a colon. Switches have no value. Switches must not be followed by a colon. Successive arguments are separated from each other by a space.

In the following example, PAcontroller is opened in online mode for test station PST1 for test component Component_A. The userboxes open with the option Show extended titles.

Example: PAcontroller.exe /tbname:PST1 /slot:Component_A /exttitle

In the following example, PAcontroller is opened in offline mode for test station PST2 for user Meier with user ID 123 and group ID 0. The workspace is loaded with ID 12345.

Example: PAcontroller.exe /tbname:PST2 /un:meier /u:123 /nag:0 /o:12345

Authorization Concept

You have the authorization to install PAcontroller on any number of computers in your system. If you set up the real-time system correctly in Test Bench Settings, you can control the test station without visual contact from any computer.

Since this behavior is usually not desired, there is the possibility that the active control is only allowed to one (or more) specific computers. These computers are called privileged clients. Refer to the hardware manual to find out which configurations are required to make a computer a privileged client.

You can launch PAcontroller on all other computers, but all buttons and input fields are blocked. The test run can be displayed graphically on these computers but cannot be changed. Non-privileged computers can adapt the interface on these computers. You cannot change the properties that influence the test run.