Instruments (TSM)

Use the Instruments section on the Pin Map tab to specify the type of instruments required to execute the test program and the name and attributes of each instrument. You can right-click any item in the section you want to edit and use the context menu to complete common tasks.

Choose one of the following options to add an instrument to the pin map file:

• Click <Add Instruments Here> to display the Instruments pane, and click the button of the instrument type you want to add.
• Right–click <Add Instruments Here> and select the instrument type you want to add from the context menu.

The Pin Map Editor automatically adds the instrument to the Instruments section. Select an instrument in the Instruments section to display the Instruments pane, where you can edit the attributes of the instrument.

You can also cut, copy, and paste instruments, or add comments in the Instruments pane. Use the Comment button to specify a comment for the selected instrument. Comments display beneath the instrument they modify.

TSM supports the following instrument types and instrument attributes:

• DCPower—Defines an NI-DCPower instrument.
  • Name—Name of the instrument, as defined in Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX).
  • Number of Channels—Number of channels available on the instrument.
  • Channel Group Name/Channels(s) table—Lists the channel groups and the channels assigned to each group. By default, the Pin Map Editor creates one channel group containing all instrument channels. Use the plus (+) or minus (-) buttons to add or remove channel groups.
    Note A channel group is a collection of channels controlled by the same instrument session. NI-DCPower channel groups can contain channels from different physical NI-DCPower instruments.
    • Channel Group Name—Name of the channel group(s). The Channel Group Name is case sensitive and must not duplicate an instrument name or a group name on another instrument type.
      Note NI-DCPower channels cannot be added to groups of other instruments.
    • Channel(s)—Channel(s) assigned to a channel group. When you add a new channel group, the Pin Map Editor prompts you to add channels to the new group. Define the channels as a comma-separated list (e.g., 0,1,3,..,n), a continuous range (e.g., 0:3), or as a combination of the two (e.g., 0:1,3).
      Note All channels for all instruments must be assigned to a channel group and no channel can assigned to more than one group.
• Digital Pattern—Defines an NI-Digital Pattern instrument.
  • Name—Name of the instrument, as defined in MAX.
  • Number of Channels—Number of channels available on the instrument.
  • Group—Name of the group that contains the instrument. By default, the Pin Map Editor sets this attribute to Digital when you add NI–Digital Pattern instruments to the pin map file. By using the same group name for all NI-Digital Pattern instruments, TSM combines all instruments into a single session so you can avoid session loops in code modules. To create multiple NI-Digital Pattern sessions, use a unique name for each set of instruments for which you want to create a session. Refer to the Digital Pattern Help for information about hardware limitations that prevent certain instruments from operating together as a single instrument.
    Note Instrument group names must be unique and must not duplicate instrument names in the pin map file.
• RFSA—Defines an NI-RFSA instrument. NI-RFSA instruments define a channel named In.
  • Name—Name of the instrument, as defined in MAX.
• RFSG—Defines an NI-RFSG instrument. NI-RFSG instruments define a channel named Out.
  • Name—Name of the instrument, as defined in MAX.
• VST—Defines an NI-VST instrument that can hold RFSA, RFSG, and FPGA sessions. NI-VST instruments define a channel named In and another channel named Out.
  • Name—Name of the instrument, as defined in MAX.
  • Custom FPGA File—(Optional) path to the FPGA file relative to the path of the pin map file. You can manually specify an absolute file path.
• RFPM—Defines an RF Port Module instrument that can hold RFPM, RFmx, RFSA, RFSG, and FPGA sessions.
  • Name—Name of the VST instrument, as defined in MAX, that is part of the RF port module subsystem.
  • Custom FPGA File—(Optional) path to the FPGA file relative to the path of the pin map file. You can manually specify an absolute file path.
  • Calibration File—Path, relative to the path of the pin map file, to the TDMS files that contain the calibration data for the RF Port Module instrument. You can manually specify an absolute file path.
  • IVI Switch Resource Name—IVI Switch resource name associated with the port module, as defined in MAX.
  • Ports List—Defines the ports available in the RF Port Module in a comma-separated list of numbers or ranges of numbers separated by a hyphen. Port number ranges are inclusive and must be in ascending order, for example, channelList="2,3,4-8".
• HSDIO—Defines an NI-HSDIO instrument.
  • Name—Name of the instrument, as defined in MAX.
  • Number of Channels—Number of channels available on the instrument.
  • PFI Lines—(Optional) Defines the PFI lines available in the NI-HSDIO instrument in a comma-separated list of numbers or ranges of numbers separated by a hyphen. PFI number ranges are inclusive and must be in ascending order, for example, PFILines="2,3,4-8".
• DMM—Defines an NI-DMM instrument. NI-DMM instruments define a single channel, displayed within TSM as channel 0.
  • Name—Name of the instrument, as defined in MAX.
• SCOPE—Defines an NI-SCOPE instrument.
  • Name—Name of the instrument, as defined in MAX.
  • Number of Channels—Number of channels available on the instrument.
  • Group—Name of the group that contains the instrument. By default, the Pin Map Editor sets this attribute to Scope when you add NI–SCOPE instruments to the pin map file. By using the same group name for all NI-SCOPE instruments, TSM combines all instruments into a single session so you can avoid session loops in code modules. To create multiple NI-SCOPE sessions, use a unique name for each set of instruments for which you want to create a session. Refer to the NI-SCOPE Help for information about hardware limitations that prevent certain instruments from operating together as a single instrument.
    Note Instrument group names must be unique and must not duplicate instrument names in the pin map file.
• FGEN—Defines an NI-FGEN instrument.
  • Name—Name of the instrument, as defined in MAX.
  • Number of Channels—Number of channels available on the instrument.
• DAQmx—Defines an NI-DAQmx task, not an instrument.
  • Name—Name of the task, as defined in test program code modules.
  • Task Type—Category of the task. Pin queries that return tasks of more than one task type return an error.
  • Channel List—List of physical channels associated with the task.
  • Use as Relay Driver—Specifies whether to use this task as a relay driver.
• Relay Driver—Defines a PXI-2567 relay driver module.
  • Name—Name of the relay driver module, as defined in MAX.
  • Number of Control Lines—Number of control lines available on the relay driver module.
• Multiplexer—Defines a switching instrument to use as a multiplexer across multiple test sites. You can use one instrument multiplexed across multiple test sites or multiple instruments multiplexed across multiple test sites.
  • Name—Name of the Switch Executive virtual device, as defined in MAX.
  • Multiplexer Type—(Optional) String that identifies the switch type, family, class, or product group. You cannot specify a value that begins with ni. This value is a string that you define in the pin map and is not a predefined value from some other source, such as a name in MAX, that you select. Use this value to identify all instances of a particular switch type. Switches of the same type typically have the same session data type and same driver API.
• Custom Instrument—Defines an instrument that TSM does not natively support. Use the TSM Code Module API to set any type of session data on a channel, group of channels, or instrument. Refer to the <TestStand Public>\Examples\NI_SemiconductorModule\Custom Instruments directory for examples of using TSM pin map files and VIs to perform tests using instruments that TSM does not natively support.
  • Name—Identifies the instrument. For instruments that NI provides but that TSM does not natively support, specify the name of the instrument, as defined in MAX.
    Note Names for custom instruments in the pin map file are case sensitive.
  • Instrument Type Id—String that identifies the instrument type, family, class, or product group. You cannot specify a value that begins with ni. This value is a string that you define in the pin map and is not a predefined value from some other source, such as a name in MAX, that you select. Use this value to identify all instances of a particular instrument type. Instruments of the same type typically have the same session data type and same driver API.
• Model-Based Instrument—Defines a Model-Based Instrument.
  • Name—Unique string that identifies the instance of the Model-Based Instrument in the pin map.
  • Instrument Model—List of installed model description files in the Instrument Model Library.
  • Category—Category of the ModelBasedInstrument. The category is set in the instrument model and cannot be changed.
  • Subcategory—Subcategory of the ModelBasedInstrument. The subcategory is set in the instrument model and cannot be changed.
  • Property/Value Tables—Editable tables of instrument and resource properties as defined in the model description file. The first table contains properties for the entire instrument. Subsequent tables contain properties for specific resources of the instrument.