TestStand Wireless Test Module and Wireless Test System 1.2 Known Issues

Overview

This document contains the TestStand Wireless Test Module (WTM) 1.2 and/or Wireless Test System Instrument Software (WTS Software) known issues that were discovered before and since the release of WTM 1.2. Not every issue known to NI appears on this list; it is intended to show the most severe and common issues that can be encountered.

Each issue appears as a row in the table and includes the following fields:

  • Issue ID - The number in at the top of each of the cells in the first column. When you report an issue to NI, you may be given this ID, you can also find IDs posted by NI on the discussion forums or in Knowledge Base articles.  "N/A" indicates that there is no ID assigned to the issue.
  • Issue Title (in italics) - Describes the issue in one sentence or less.
  • Problem Description - A few sentences which describe the problem in further detail. The brief description given does not necessarily describe the problem in full detail, and it is expected that you may want more information on an issue. If you would like more information on an issue, contact NI and reference the ID number given in the document.
  • Workaround - Possible ways to work around the problem. The workarounds that appear in the document are not always tested by NI and are not guaranteed to resolve the issue. If a workaround refers you to the NI KnowledgeBase, visit www.ni.com/kb/ and enter the KnowledgeBase number in the search field to locate the specific document.
  • Reported Version - The earliest version of WTM or WTS Software in which the issue was reported. If you discover the issue appears in an earlier version of WTM  or WTS Software than is reported in this field, report the discrepancy to NI to have the field updated.
  • Resolved Version - Version in which the issue was resolved or was no longer applicable. "N/A" indicates that the issue has not been resolved.
  • Date Added - The date the issue was added to the document (not the reported date).


Known Issues

The following items are known issues in WTM 1.2 and/or the WTS Software.

610580In WTM, the WLAN step chain property is not aligned with the enabled or disabled antenna in the System Configuration Manifest.
613666In TestStand, the WTM steps may compute incorrect parameter values in some scenarios.
613641In WTM, the WTM Plugin Manager might halt indefinitely.
617415The WTM Manifest Editor cannot open the Plugin Package Manifests of the type DUT created by the WTM Plugin Manager.
613591In WTM, the WTM Plugin Manager installs multiple plugins to TestStand if multiple manifests are found.
581719In WTM, administrator privileges are needed for palette generation.
583132WTM may not install correctly on some laptop computers.
582487The WTM Loopback DUT Manifest needs to be recreated after upgrading to a new version of WTM.
527869WTM only allows installation in the default installation path.
610154In WTS Software, WLAN 80+80 SEM combined mask construction jumps within the linear sum region.
614461In WTS Software, the state of the signal generator displayed on the scheduling chart may be incorrect.
617000In the WTS Instrument Software GUI, some parameter values do not update correctly after calling the *RST command.
612548 In WTS Software, setting a non-existent port for WLAN SG results in a non-intuitive error.
614764In WTS Software, the total memory consumption grows over time.
617402The connection session updates are not visible on the WTS Instrument Software GUI.
616906In WTS Software, the instrument becomes unstable if the VISA Timeout is configured to be less than the Trigger Timeout.
611452In WTS Software, the Trigger Line Manager does not work correctly for WLAN MIMO measurements with logical port names on non-WTS hardware systems.
581014In WTS Software, the LTE origin offset results may be higher than expected.
560856In WTS Software, the personality does not load if it is not fully activated.
560501In WTS Software, the instrument driver returns an incorrect instrument state.
583918In WTS Software, the WTS scheduling chart displays the signal analyzer as active when it waits for a trigger.
623403In WTS Software, the ZigBee waveforms have the wrong scaling.


IDKnown Issue
610580In WTM, the WLAN step chain property is not aligned with the enabled or disabled antenna in the System Configuration Manifest.

It is possible that not all DUT antennas are actually connected to the WTS if these antennas are indicated as disabled in the System Configuration Manifest. The WLAN step chain property is not aware of the disabled antenna in the System Configuration Manifest. For example, if DUT antennas 0 and 2 are enabled, DUT antennas 1 and 3 are disabled, and the Chains test step parameter is set True, False, True, False, then antennas 0 and 2 are hooked up to the WTS and enabled in this step. Instead, WTM recognizes only the first enabled antenna.

Workaround: Manually update the WLAN step chain property if you disable any antennas in the System Configuration Manifest.

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.4  Added: 11/29/2016
613666In TestStand, the WTM steps may compute incorrect parameter values in some scenarios.

The following list includes the incorrect generated parameter values:
  • For 802.11n HT step, and MCS index >7, the upper limit values of (Stream/Channel) ModAcc.EVM:OFDM EVM Average.Packet are incorrectly assigned to -5, while the values for MCS index 0 to 7 steadily decrease from -10 to -27.
  • For 802.11ac VHT/80+80, the payload size for 80 MHz, N spatial stream = 3, and MCS index = 6 is zero.
  • For 802.11ac VHT, the payload sizes for 160 MHz are not properly implemented and show unexpected values.
Workaround: Insert the desired parameter values:
  • For 802.11n HT:
    MCS IndexModAcc.EVM:OFDM EVM Average.Packet
    0,8-5
    1,9-10
    2,10-13
    3,11-16
    4,12-19
    5,13-22
    6,14-25
    7,15-28
  • For 802.11ac VHT/80+80, the payload size for 80 MHz, N spatial stream = 3 and MCS index = 6 should be 6542 bytes.
  • For 802.11ac VHT, the payload size for 160 MHz, MCS index = 7 should be 4384 bytes. Double the payload from 80 MHz.
Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 11/29/2016
613641In WTM, the WTM Plugin Manager might halt indefinitely.

The LabVIEW adapter opened by TestStand does not close, which may cause the WTM Plugin Manager to halt.

Workaround: Close TestStand, the TestStand Sequence Editor, the WTM Plugin Manager, and any other references to LabVIEW. Reopen the WTM Plugin Manager.

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 11/29/2016
617415The WTM Manifest Editor cannot open the Plugin Package Manifests of the type DUT created by the WTM Plugin Manager.

The Plugin Package Manifest of the type DUT created by the WTM Plugin Manager cannot be read by the WTM Manifest Editor due to a change in the representation of the DUT manifest information.

Workaround: Use the WTM Plugin Manager to modify the type DUT manifest information within the Plugin Package Manifest. NI recommends using the WTM Plugin Manager for any further modifications to manifest information.

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 11/29/2016
613591In WTM, the WTM Plugin Manager installs multiple plugins to TestStand if multiple manifests are found.

The WTM Plugin Manager installs all the manifests found on the installed plugin. This behavior is intended. You can also create a new plugin and use the WTM Plugin Manager to create a manifest.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.4  Added: 11/29/2016
581719In WTM, administrator privileges are needed for palette generation.

Depending on the computer settings, the WTM Palette Generation Tool may require you have administrator privileges.

Workaround: Open TestStand as an administrator. Right-click on seqedit.exe, and select Run as administrator.

Reported Version: 1.1  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 05/04/2016
583132WTM may not install correctly on some laptop computers.

Sometimes the WTM installer does not run as expected on laptop computers when the laptop is running on battery power.

Workaround: Plug in the laptop to a power outlet. The installer will continue successfully.

Reported Version: 1.1  Resolved Version: 1.4  Added: 05/04/2016
582487The WTM Loopback DUT Manifest needs to be recreated after upgrading to a new version of WTM.

The WTM Loopback DUT Manifest changes over each version of the software to account for new capabilities and new technologies that are added. Therefore, the WTM Loopback DUT Manifest needs to be recreated if you upgrade to a new version of WTM.

When using an old WTM Loopback DUT Manifest, the returned error may be confusing since the number of elements might be different between the two loopback DUT versions.

Workaround: Recreate the System Configuration Manifest.

Reported Version: 1.1  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 05/04/2016
527869WTM only allows installation in the default installation path.

The WTM installer provides the option to change the installation path from the suggested location. However, if you select a non-default location, WTM no longer works as expected.

Workaround: Do not change the default WTM installation path.

Reported Version: 1.0.1  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 11/05/2015
610154In WTS Software, the construction of WLAN 80+80 SEM combined mask jumps within the linear sum region.

The combined mask may appear to jump between two carriers. This does not affect the WLAN 80+80 validation results.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 11/29/2016
614461In WTS Software, the state of the signal generator displayed on the scheduling chart may be incorrect.

If you start the WTS Instrument Software GUI after the signal generator is powered on, the scheduling chart displays the incorrect state of the signal generator. If you manually turn on the signal generator and leave it on for 10 to 20 seconds, then turn the signal generator off, the scheduling chart might not reflect this change.

Workaround: Start the WTS Instrument Software GUI before powering on the signal generator, or reset the signal generator by sending the *RST command. You can also reset the instrument through the WTS Instrument Software GUI in the mandatory personality. Use the scheduling chart during automated control rather than manual control.

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 11/29/2016
617000In the WTS Instrument Software GUI, some parameter values do not update correctly after calling the *RST command.

Some parameter values in the RF General Settings instrument personality do not always update correctly when the you call the *RST command. The following subsystems may not return to their default state when the instrument is reset.
  • Definition of logical port names (user ports)
  • External Reference Clock
Workaround: Query the value by right-clicking on the parameter.

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 11/29/2016
612548In WTS Software, setting a non-existent port for WLAN SG results in a non-intuitive error.

The following non-intuitive error results if a non-existent port is set for WLAN SG:

-300,"SCPI Cmd (Def):SOURCE:RFSG:WLAN:STATE, Personality Index:1; DeviceErrorCode: 5000 DeviceErrorMessage: niRFInstr SG.lvlib:niRFInstr SG Create and Download.vi:760002 Internal Error: The hardware has a thread lock. This lock timeout after 60 seconds. This means someone keep this lock and didn't return."

Workaround: Ensure all the ports are configured correctly.

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 11/29/2016
614764In WTS Software, the total memory consumption grows over time.

The WTS Software memory grows over time. For the first few hours of use, the memory rate is large but decreases over time. The memory consumption is large due to the following reasons:

  • When the operating system does not have contiguous amount of memory, it reserves a new block of memory resulting in high memory rate during the first hours of use.
  • After several hours of use, the high memory rate is due to any leaks on the software. There is a small (~1 kB) known handle leak when the*RST and few other commands are called.
Workaround: To reduce the handle leak, contact NI to turn off the publisher (UI). Send the INSTrument:RESTart command to restart the instrument with more memory from the operating system.

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 11/29/2016
617402The connection session updates are not visible on the WTS Instrument Software GUI.

If a connection session is added through the command SYSTem:INSTrument:COUNt, by default that connection session is not updated on the WTS Instrument Software GUI.

Workaround: To enable the WTS Instrument Software GUI updates, you must change a parameter in the connection session file. Complete the following steps to enable the WTS Instrument Software GUI updates:
  1. Navigate to \Users\Public Documents\National Instruments\RFmx SCPI\ and open the C-WTS-ConnectionSessions.csdxml file.
  2. Locate the <EnablePublisher>false</EnablePublisher> tag and change it to true.
Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 11/29/2016
616906In WTS Software, the instrument becomes unstable if the VISA Timeout is configured to be less than the Trigger Timeout..

In some cases, the unit under test (UUT) might not transmit and the instrument reports a trigger timeout. If the VISA command does not wait long enough (because the VISA Timeout is configured to be less than Trigger Timeout), the instrument waits for a trigger and any reconfiguration of the signal analyzer while the signal analyzer is waiting on a trigger can bring the instrument to an undesirable state.

Workaround: If you see a query interrupted on IO Trace, the VISA Timeout is not large enough. Ensure the VISA Timeout is always larger than any Trigger Timeout of the instrument.

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 11/29/2016
611452In WTS Software, the Trigger Line Manager does not work correctly for WLAN MIMO measurements with logical port names on non-WTS hardware systems.

On a non-WTS hardware system, specifically those with an 18-slot chassis, the trigger requires connections that are not done automatically for non-physical ports. For this reason, MIMO measurements do not work when using non-physical ports (virtual ports).

Workaround: Use the physical port names but do not use logical ports names.

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 11/29/2016
581014In WTS Software, the LTE origin offset results may be higher than expected.

The instrument may have better origin offset than expected because the instrument has its own LO signal located at the center frequency.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 1.1  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 05/04/2016
560856In WTS Software, the personality does not load if it is not fully activated.

Within NI License Manager, a fully activated license is identified by a dark green mark next to the personality name. If the license is not fully activated, the instrument will not load the personalty.

An activation of a personality indicated by a light green mark does not mean it is fully activated and therefore it will not load. A light green mark means that the personality will activate on the next use of the product, but the product requires the license to be fully activated before using it.

Workaround: Fully activate the license of the personality where a dark green mark is displayed next to the personality name in NI License Manager.

Reported Version: 1.0  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 05/04/2016
560501In WTS Software, the instrument driver returns an incorrect instrument state.

The instrument driver used by the WTM test steps caches the values that are sent to the instrument. For the correct state, it is important to always send an *OFF command before sending an *ON command. This is because the signal generator may have done finite generation, which does not update the cache of the instrument driver.

Workaround: Send the *OFF state command before sending the *ON state command.

Reported Version: 1.0.1  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 05/04/2016
583918In WTS Software, the WTS scheduling chart displays the signal analyzer as active when it waits for a trigger.

The signal analyzer is active when waiting for a trigger, and you cannot use it for anything else during that time.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 1.1  Resolved Version: N/A  Added: 05/04/2016
623403In WTS Software, the ZigBee waveforms have the wrong scaling.

The ZigBee waveforms in WTS Software contain the wrong headroom parameter, which causes the wrong scaling and the output power to be higher than expected.

Workaround: N/A

Reported Version: 1.2  Resolved Version: 1.3  Added: 01/10/2017

Contacting NI

Contact NI regarding this document or issues in the document. If you contact NI in regards to a specific issue, reference the ID number given in the document. The ID number contains the current issue ID number as well as the legacy ID number (use the current ID number when contacting NI). You can contact us through any of the normal support channels including phone, email, or the discussion forums. Visit the NI Website to contact us. Also contact us if you find a workaround for an issue that is not listed in the document.

Glossary of Terms

 

  • Bug ID - When an issue is reported to NI, you may be given this ID or find it on ni.com.  You may also find IDs posted by NI on the discussion forums or in KnowledgeBase articles.
  • Legacy ID – An older issue ID that refers to the same issue.  You may instead find this issue ID in older known issues documents.
  • Description - A few sentences which describe the problem. The brief description given does not necessarily describe the problem in full detail.
  • Workaround - Possible ways to work around the problem.
  • Reported Version - The earliest version in which the issue was reported.
  • Resolved Version - Version in which the issue was resolved or was no longer applicable. "N/A" indicates that the issue has not been resolved.
  • Date Added - The date the issue was added to the document (not the reported date).