CTA CTA Configuration & Station Settings 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Where are TestStand station-level configurations such as adapter settings and report paths persistently stored?
- In the sequence file (.seq)
- In the Station Options file (StationOptions.ini or .cfg) (Correct answer)
- In the Windows Registry only
- In a LabVIEW project file
Correct answer: In the Station Options file (StationOptions.ini or .cfg)
Station Options are saved to a station-specific configuration file (StationOptions.ini/.cfg) that persists settings across sessions.
Question 2: A CTA architect wants to enforce identical Station Options across 50 test stations. What is the most scalable approach?
- Manually configure each station
- Export and distribute a common StationOptions.cfg via deployment package (Correct answer)
- Use a network share for the sequence file only
- Script the Windows Registry on each PC
Correct answer: Export and distribute a common StationOptions.cfg via deployment package
Exporting the StationOptions.cfg and deploying it as part of a deployment package ensures all 50 stations share identical configurations.
Question 3: Which TestStand adapter setting determines whether adapter modules are loaded once at engine startup or reloaded before every sequence run?
- Module Reload Policy
- Adapter Caching Mode
- Load Mode in adapter settings (Correct answer)
- Execution Start Mode
Correct answer: Load Mode in adapter settings
The Load Mode adapter setting controls whether TestStand reloads the test module (VI, DLL, etc.) fresh for each run or caches it after first load.
Question 4: What is the purpose of the TestStand 'Search Directories' configuration?
- It sets paths where TestStand searches for sequence files, modules, and type palette files (Correct answer)
- It defines VISA resource search paths
- It configures NI Package Manager install paths
- It specifies backup locations for result files
Correct answer: It sets paths where TestStand searches for sequence files, modules, and type palette files
Search Directories tell TestStand where to look for sequence files, code modules, and type palette files when they are not found in the default location.
Question 5: A CTA architect must prevent operators from changing adapter settings at a deployed station. Which setting achieves this?
- Password-protect the station PC with Windows ACL
- Set Operator Privileges to deny access to Station Options (Correct answer)
- Remove adapter DLLs from the deployment
- Encrypt the StationOptions.cfg
Correct answer: Set Operator Privileges to deny access to Station Options
Configuring Operator Privileges to deny access to Station Options dialogs prevents operators from altering adapter or engine settings.
Question 6: In TestStand, what does the 'Engine' object expose that is critical for architects writing station management code?
- Only the license count
- Global access to engine-level properties, executions, and station options programmatically (Correct answer)
- Hardware inventory of the station
- The Windows event log
Correct answer: Global access to engine-level properties, executions, and station options programmatically
The TestStand Engine object provides programmatic access to all running executions, station options, type definitions, and engine-level events.
CTA CTA Configuration & Station Settings 1
Where are TestStand station-level configurations such as adapter settings and report paths persistently stored?