MTS TestSuite™

TW Elite User Guide

100-234-121 K
©2015 MTS Systems Corporation. All rights reserved.

MTS Trademarks
MTS, be certain., Bionix, Echo, ElastomerExpress, FlatTrac, FlexTest, Just In Case, Landmark, Level
Plus, MTS Acumen, MTS Criterion, MTS Echo, MTS EM Extend, MTS Exceed, MTS Insight, MTS
Landmark, MTS TestSuite, RPC, SWIFT, Temposonics, TestWare, TestWorks are registered
trademarks of MTS Systems Corporation within the United States. Acumen, AdapTrac, Advantage,
Aero ST, Aero-90, AeroPro, Criterion, cRPC, Exceed, First Road, Landmark, MAST, MicroProfiler,
MPT, MTS Exceed, MTS Fundamentals, MTS TestSuite, ReNew, SilentFlo, TempoGuard, TestLine,
Tytron, Virtual Test Lab, and VTL are trademarks of MTS Systems Corporation within the United
States. These trademarks may be registered in other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Proprietary Software
Software use and license is governed by MTS’ End User License Agreement which defines all rights
retained by MTS and granted to the End User. All Software is proprietary, confidential, and owned by
MTS Systems Corporation and cannot be copied, reproduced, disassembled, decompiled, reverse
engineered, or distributed without express written consent of MTS.

Software Verification and Validation

MTS software is developed using established quality practices in accordance with the requirements
detailed in the ISO 9001 standards. Because MTS-authored software is delivered in binary format, it is
not user accessible. This software will not change over time. Many releases are written to be backwards
compatible, creating another form of verification. The status and validity of MTS’ operating software is
also checked during system verification and routine calibration of MTS hardware. These controlled
calibration processes compare the final test results after statistical analysis against the predicted
response of the calibration standards. With these established methods, MTS assures its customers that
MTS products meet MTS’ exacting quality standards when initially installed and will continue to perform
as intended over time.

Manual Part Number Publication Date Release

100-234-121 K August 2015 TestSuite TW 4.1 or later
100-234-121 J October 2014 TestSuite TW 3.0
100-234-121 H February 2014 TestSuite TW 2.3.4
100-234-121 F August 2013 TestSuite TW 2.3
100-234-121 E January 2013 TestSuite TW 2.2
Contents
Technical Support 17
How to Get Technical Support 17
Start with your manuals 17
Technical support methods 17
Outside the U.S. 17
Before You Contact MTS 17
Know your site number and system number 17
Know information from prior technical assistance 18
Identify the problem 18
Know relevant computer information 18
Know relevant software information 18
If You Contact MTS by Phone 19
Identify system type 19
Be prepared to troubleshoot 19
Write down relevant information 19
After you call 20
Problem Submittal Form 20

Preface 21
Before You Begin 21
Safety first! 21
Other MTS manuals 21
Documentation Conventions 21
Hazard conventions 21
Other special text conventions 22
Special terms 22
Illustrations 22
Electronic manual conventions 22
Hypertext links 22

Introduction 23
Overview of MTS TestSuite File Structure 24
Project 24
Test 25
Test Definition 26
Test Run 27
TW Elite Application Main Window 29
About the Multi-Head Run Section 32
Multi-Head Run Section Properties 34
Test Sections 35

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Setup 36
Run 36
Finish 36
General Conventions 36
Entry-Type Toggle Button 36
Copy and Paste 36
Naming Conventions 37
Tables 39
Choose Columns to Display 39
Sort Columns 39
Filter Data 39
Docking and Undocking Panels 40
Undocking and Docking Panels Overview 40
Undocking a Panel 40
Docking a Panel 41
Manage MTS TestSuite Files 41
MTS TestSuite Folders and Files Management Overview 41
Move Test Files to a New Directory 44
Diagnostics 44
Diagnostic Files Overview 44
Create a Diagnostic File 45
Application Log, Test Log and Error List 45
Application Log Overview 45
Test Log Overview 47
Error List Overview 48
Error Identification 49
Meters 49
Meters Overview 49
Adding a Meter 49
Resetting a Meter 50
Removing a Meter 50
Configuring Meters 50
Meter Types 51
Signal Compensation for Servohydraulic Systems 52
Compensator Overview 52
Compensator Types 52
Compensator Availability 53
Set Up and Use a Compensator 53
General Settings Tab 53
General Settings Overview 53

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General Settings Properties 54
Edit General Settings 55
User-Supplied Help Overview 55
Runtime help 55
Procedure messages 56
Licenses 56
License Utility Overview 56
Activate a License with an Internet Connection 57
Request and Activate a License without an Internet Connection 58
Remove a License 59
End-User License Agreement (EULA) 59
Access 59
To Accept or Reject the EULA 60
Version Information Overview 60
Version Information Overview 61

User and Role Management 63

Managing Users 64
User Management Overview 64
Manage User Accounts Window 64
Add a Local User and Assign a Role 66
Add a Windows User and Assign Roles 67
Change a Role Assigned to a User 68
Remove a User 68
Managing Roles 68
Manage Roles Window 68
Create a Custom User Role 69
Default Roles 70
Edit a Custom User Role 73
View Users Assigned to a Role 73
Remove a Custom User Role 74
Privileges 74

Preferences and Default Settings 77

Configuration Window 78
Access 78
Project Management 79
Working with Projects 79
Project Tab 80
Audit Trail 82

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Access 82
Set the Log Type to Audit Trail for a Test 82
Set the Default Log Type to Audit Trail 82
Check the Test Audit Trail 82
Define a Keyboard Shortcut to Start the Test 82
E-Mail Overview 83
Access 83
Configuring SMTP Server for E-Mail Activity 84
E-Mail Settings 84
Control Panel Settings 86
Access 86
Units Management 86
Unit Set Overview 86
Predefined Unit Sets 87
Unit Set Manager Overview 88
Unit Set Manager Properties 88
Add a Custom Unit Set 89
Add a Custom Dimension 90
Add a Custom Unit 90
Remote Server Settings 91
Access 91

Resources 93
Working with Resources 94
Resources Overview 94
Resource Details 95
Resource Buttons 98
Access System Resources 98
Import Test Resources 99
About Disabled Resources 100
NI M Series Multifunction DAQ 100
TEDS Devices 101
For more information 101
TEDS Devices Window 101
Display and Edit the Virtual TEDS Information for a Signal 102
Create a Virtual TEDS File 102
Assign a Virtual TEDS File to a Signal 103
Add TEDS Information to the Test Run Log 103
TEDS Device Verification Checks 104
Perform a Device Verification Check 104
View the Device Verification History 104

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Device Verification Settings 104
About the Devices Window 105
Assign Sensor Calibration Files for New Hardware 105
External Devices 105
Access 105
Set Up an External Device 106
Select an External Device Type 106
Create a Controller Resource for an External Device 107
External Device Configuration Settings 108
Add a Command to an External Device 111
Regular Expression Tool 111
Device Address Considerations 113
Add an External Device Resource to a Test 113
Map External Device Commands to Controller Resources 115
Device Verification for External Devices 116
Export and Import External Device Files 116
Remove an External Device Resource 117
ASCII Control Codes for External Devices 117
Analog Outputs 118
Using calculations to derive an analog signal 118
Importing analog output resources to a test 118
Configuring Analog Outputs 119

Managing Tests 121

Tests 122
Tests Overview 122
Test Procedure Overview 124
Creating a Test 127
Saving Test Changes 127
Saving a Test 128
Deleting a Test 128
Test Runs 128
Test Runs Overview 128
Test Run State Colors on the Review Tab 130
Test Run from an XML File 130
Create a Test Run from an XML File 130
Pre-Allocating Multiple Test Runs 131
Templates 132
Templates Overview 132
Create a Template 133
Delete a Template 133

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Project 134
Projects Overview 134
Assign Project Names 134
File Locations 134
Import Projects 135
Export and Import 135
Test Information Export Overview 135
Test Information Import Overview 135
Export a Test 136
Import a Test 136
Exporting a Test Run 136
Import a Test Run 137
Import Test Resources 137

Data Acquisition (DAQ) 139

Data Acquisition Overview 140
Data Acquisition Setup 140
Configuring Data Acquisition (DAQ) Activities 145
Select Signals 145
Select Data Acquisition Trigger Types 145
Configure Data Acquisition (DAQ) Buffers 150
Select a Data Processing Option 153
Save Data to Variables (Optional) 157
Map Variables Window 160
Save Data to File (Optional) 163
793 Controller Signals Overview 163
Time and Rollover Time signals 165

Working with Variables 167

Variable Basics 168
Variables Overview 168
Typical Uses for Variables 168
Variable Types Overview 170
Variables Editor 177
Variable Categories 185
Viewing Variable Properties 187
Variable Properties Reference 187
Creating Variables Overview 194
Choice Lists Overview 197
Advanced Variable Information 200
Data Acquisition Variable Mapping 200

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Map Signals to a Variable 205
Variables Calculations 206
Functions in Variable Calculations 209
Calculated Variable Functions 213
Calculation Editor 213
Calculation Functions Overview 219
Function Categories Overview 221
Array Functions 221
Controller Functions 223
Cyclic Functions 225
Date and Time Functions 225
Directory Functions 229
Fatigue and Fracture Functions 231
Index Functions 233
Math Functions 250
Operator Functions 263
Peel-Tear Functions 265
Sensor Functions 273
String Functions 274
Functions Tab 279
Access 279
Edit Function Window Overview 280
Edit Function Window Properties 280
Function Usage and Syntax Guidelines 282
Edit Python Functions 283
Create Variables Used in Python Function Example 283
Python Overview 284
Python Syntax Highlighting Legend 284
Import IronPython Libraries 284
Import .NET Libraries 285
Using MTS TestSuite Variables in the Editor 285
MTS TestSuite Variable API 285
Debugging Custom Functions Within MTS TestSuite 286
MTS TestSuite Custom Function Debugging Template 287
Python Scripting Examples 288
Store Ending Path Value Variables 290
Store Ending Path Value Variables Overview 290
Create and Use Store Ending Path Value Variables 290
Compare Tool 290
TestSuite Compare Tool Overview 290
Compare a Variable or Function 291
Change or Add a Variable or Function During a Comparison 291

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Test Activities 293
Command Activities 294
Allow Handset Control 294
Custom Waveform 297
Custom Waveform + DAQ 302
Cycle 307
Cycle + DAQ 314
Dwell 317
Dwell + DAQ + Detection 319
Go To 321
Go To + DAQ + Detection 323
Return to Zero 326
Data Acquisition (DAQ) Activities 328
DAQ 328
Max/Min DAQ 332
Record Video 336
Event Detection Activities 338
Break Detection 338
Digital Input 342
Extensometer Removal 344
Limit Detection 346
State Change Detection 347
Wait for Event 349
Control Settings Activities 351
Automatic Offset 351
Reset Cycle Count 353
Set Calculation Parameter 354
Set Control Event 355
Set Digital Output 358
Temperature Control 359
Tuning Parameters 360
Write Variables to Handset 361
Test Flow Control Activities 363
End Test 363
If-Else Condition 364
Parallel Paths 365
Periodic Time Event 366
Repeat Loop 369
While Loop 373
Operator Entry Activities 374
Custom Message Window 374

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Select File Activity 379
Input Variables 381
Wait for Operator Action 383
Program Actions Activities 385
Assign Variables 385
Calculate Variables 386
Export Data 387
External Device Activity Overview 391
Setting Up an External Device Activity 391
External Device Activity Properties 392
Log Message 393
Read Data Activity 394
Run External Application 399
Run Report 401
Send E-Mail 406
Wait 409
Write Data 410

Test Run Displays 415

Test-Run Display Tab 416
Cycle data variables 418
Non-cycle data variables 418
Cycles Category 418
Cycle Counter 418
Cycle Statistics Table 419
Cycle Time Chart 422
History Chart 429
Hysteresis Chart 436
Variables Category 443
Additional requirement for runtime charts 443
Adjust Variable 443
Array Variable Chart 450
Horizontal limit type 454
Vertical limit type 455
General XY (Single Value or Array) 455
Indexed Values limit type 456
Horizontal at Index limit type 456
Vertical at Index limit type 457
Y Variable 457

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X Variable 457
Variable Data Table 462
Variable Meter 463
Variable Value Scope 469
Horizontal limit type 472
Vertical limit type 473
General XY (Single Value or Array) 473
Indexed Values limit type 474
Horizontal at Index limit type 474
Vertical at Index limit type 475
Signal Category 478
Signal Gage 478
Signal Meter 483
Signal Scope 487
Horizontal limit type 491
Vertical limit type 492
General XY (Single Value or Array) 492
Indexed Values limit type 493
Horizontal at Index limit type 493
Vertical at Index limit type 494
Interactive Category 497
Digital IO 497
Input Variables 500
Set Variable Button 502
General Category 503
Help Button 504
Label 506
Image 507
Test Procedure 509
Test Progress Table 509
Test Summary Table 511
Layout Category 512
About Panels 512
About Tabs 513
Scopes 515

Working with Test Controls 519

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Contents
Control Panels for Servohydraulic Test Systems 520
Station Controls 520
Power Controls 521
Actuator Controls 521
Test Controls 522
Test Run Status Panel 523
Servohydraulic Control Panel Settings 524
Set Ramp Rate for Actuator Return Position 525
Hydraulic Controls 525
Run Tests on Servohydraulic Systems 528
Perform Pretest Tasks 528
Configure a Test Station 528
Considerations for Automatic Background Saves 529
Stop a Test Run 529
Cancel a Test Run 529
Crosshead Controls Panel for Electromechanical and Static Hydraulic Test Systems 529
Crosshead Controls Panel 529
Status Panel 533

Reviewing and Analyzing Test Results 535

Review Tab Features 536
Views and layout features 536
Data analysis and report features 536
Review Tab Layout 536
Views 538
Table Views 547
Chart Views 552
Analyze Test Results 554
Results Table 554
Change Test Variable Values for Post-Test Analysis 555
Tag Test Runs 556
Markers 562
Extract Test Results 567
Create Test Reports 567
Extract Data and Images 568
Export Raw Data 569
Displays 570

Appendix: Converting and Importing from TestWorks 4 573

Converting TestWorks 4 Methods and Sample Files 574
Converting a TestWorks 4 Method or Sample File 574

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Importing TestWorks 4 Text Files 575
Importing a TestWorks 4 Text File 576

Appendix: Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature Controller 577

Overview 578
Connecting to the Computer 579
Configuring the External Device File for EI-Bisynch Single Zone 583
Configuring the External Device File for EI-Bisynch Multi-Zone 587
Importing Controller Resources 592
Adding Meters 594
Adding Temperature Control Activity to Procedure 595

Appendix: MTS Tuning Template Example 601

Tuning Template Example Overview 602
Tuning Template Example Key Features 603
How to Use the Tuning Template Example 604
Modify a Template to Read Tuning Parameters from an XML File 606
Using the Modified Template 612

Appendix: Video Recording 615

Overview 616
Add a Record Video Activity to the Test 616
Create and Configure a Video Set 618
Add Video to the Test-Run Display 619
Add a Video Chart to the Review Tab 621
Reviewing the Post Test Video Capture 622
Comparing Recorded Video to Chart Data 623
Correcting Synchronization Issues Between the Video and Data 623
Copying a Static Video Image 623
One Camera Scenario 623
Overview 623
Modifying the Procedure 624
Adding Video to the Test-Run Display 630
Adding Variables 632
Modifying the Report Template 634

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Contents
Adding a Video Chart to the Review Page 640
Two Cameras Scenario 641
Overview 641
Modifying the Procedure 642
Adding Video to the Test-Run Display 652
Adding Variables 654
Modifying the Report Template 656
Adding a Video Chart to the Review Page 662

Index 665

MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide 15

 Technical Support

Technical Support
How to Get Technical Support
Start with your manuals
The manuals supplied by MTS provide most of the information you need to use and maintain your
equipment. If your equipment includes software, look for online help and README files that contain
additional product information.

Technical support methods

MTS provides a full range of support services after your system is installed. If you have any questions
about a system or product, contact Technical Support in one of the following ways.

Type of
Details
Support
Web site www.mts.com > Contact Us > In the Subject field, choose To escalate a problem;
Problem Submittal Form
E-mail Worldwide: [email protected]
Europe: [email protected]
Telephone Worldwide: 1 800 328 2255 - toll free in U.S.; +1 952 937 4000 - outside U.S.
Europe: +800 81002 222, International toll free in Europe

Outside the U.S.

For technical support outside the United States, contact your local sales and service office. For a list of
worldwide sales and service locations and contact information, use the Global MTS link at the MTS
web site:
www.mts.com > About MTS Systems > Global Presence > Choose a Region

Before You Contact MTS

MTS can help you more efficiently if you have the following information available when you contact us
for support.

Know your site number and system number

The site number contains your company number and identifies your equipment type (such as material
testing or simulation). The number is typically written on a label on your equipment before the system
leaves MTS. If you do not know your MTS site number, contact your sales engineer.
Example site number: 571167

MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide 17

Technical Support

When you have more than one MTS system, the system job number identifies your system. You can
find your job number in your order paperwork.
Example system number: US1.42460

Know information from prior technical assistance

If you have contacted MTS about this problem before, we can recall your file based on the:
l MTS case number
l Name of the person who helped you

Identify the problem

Describe the problem and know the answers to the following questions:
l How long and how often has the problem occurred?
l Can you reproduce the problem?
l Were any hardware or software changes made to the system before the problem started?
l What are the equipment model numbers?
l What is the controller model (if applicable)?
l What is the system configuration?

Know relevant computer information

For a computer problem, have the following information available:
l Manufacturer’s name and model number
l Operating software type and service patch information
l Amount of system memory
l Amount of free space on the hard drive where the application resides
l Current status of hard-drive fragmentation
l Connection status to a corporate network

Know relevant software information

For software application problems, have the following information available:
l The software application’s name, version number, build number, and (if available) software
patch number. This information can typically be found in the About selection in the Help menu.
l The names of other applications on your computer, such as:
l Anti-virus software
l Screen savers
l Keyboard enhancers
l Print spoolers
l Messaging applications

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 Technical Support

If You Contact MTS by Phone

A Call Center agent registers your call before connecting you with a technical support specialist. The
agent asks you for your:
l Site number
l Email address
l Name
l Company name
l Company address
l Phone number where you can be reached
If your issue has a case number, please provide that number. A new issue will be assigned a unique
case number.

Identify system type

To enable the Call Center agent to connect you with the most qualified technical support specialist
available, identify your system as one of the following types:
l Electrodynamic material test system
l Electromechanical material test system
l Hydromechanical material test system
l Vehicle test system
l Vehicle component test system
l Aero test system

Be prepared to troubleshoot
Prepare to perform troubleshooting while on the phone:
l Call from a telephone close to the system so that you can implement suggestions made over
the phone.
l Have the original operating and application software media available.
l If you are not familiar with all aspects of the equipment operation, have an experienced user
nearby to assist you.

Write down relevant information

In case Technical Support must call you:
l Verify the case number.
l Record the name of the person who helped you.
l Write down any specific instructions.

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Technical Support

After you call

MTS logs and tracks all calls to ensure that you receive assistance for your problem or request. If you
have questions about the status of your problem or have additional information to report, please
contact Technical Support again and provide your original case number.

Problem Submittal Form

Use the Problem Submittal Form to communicate problems with your software, hardware, manuals, or
service that are not resolved to your satisfaction through the technical support process. The form
includes check boxes that allow you to indicate the urgency of your problem and your expectation of an
acceptable response time. We guarantee a timely response—your feedback is important to us.
You can access the Problem Submittal Form at www.mts.com > Contact Us (upper-right corner) > In
the Subject field, choose To escalate a problem; Problem Submittal Form

20 MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide

 Preface

Preface
Before You Begin
Safety first!
Before you use your MTS product or system, read and understand the safety information provided with
your system. Improper installation, operation, or maintenance can result in hazardous conditions that
can cause severe personal injury or death, or damage to your equipment and specimen. Again, read
and understand the safety information provided with your system before you continue. It is very
important that you remain aware of hazards that apply to your system.

Other MTS manuals

In addition to this manual, you may receive additional manuals in paper or electronic form.
You may also receive an MTS System Documentation CD. It contains an electronic copy of the
manuals that pertain to your test system.
Controller and application software manuals are typically included on the software CD distribution disc
(s).

Documentation Conventions
The following paragraphs describe some of the conventions that are used in your MTS manuals.

Hazard conventions
Hazard notices may be embedded in this manual. These notices contain safety information that is
specific to the activity to be performed. Hazard notices immediately precede the step or procedure that
may lead to an associated hazard. Read all hazard notices carefully and follow all directions and
recommendations. Three different levels of hazard notices may appear in your manuals. Following are
examples of all three levels. (for general safety information, see the safety information provided with
your system.)

Danger: Danger notices indicate the presence of a hazard with a high level of risk which, if
ignored, will result in death, severe personal injury, or substantial property damage.

Warning: Warning notices indicate the presence of a hazard with a medium level of risk
which, if ignored, can result in death, severe personal injury, or substantial property damage.

Caution: Caution notices indicate the presence of a hazard with a low level of risk which, if
ignored, could cause moderate or minor personal injury or equipment damage, or could
endanger test integrity.

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Preface

Other special text conventions

Important:
Important notices provide information about your system that is essential to its proper function.
While not safety-related, if the important information is ignored, test results may not be reliable,
or your system may not operate properly.
Note:
Notes provide additional information about operating your system or highlight easily
overlooked information.
Recommended:
Recommended notes provide a suggested way to accomplish a task based on what MTS has
found to be most effective.
Tip:
Tips provide helpful information or a hint about how to most efficiently accomplish a task.
Access:
Access provides the route you should follow to a referenced item in the software.

Example: Examples show specific scenarios relating to your product and appear with a shaded
background.

Special terms
The first occurrence of special terms is shown in italics.

Illustrations
Illustrations appear in this manual to clarify text. They are examples only and do not necessarily
represent your actual system configuration, test application, or software.

Electronic manual conventions

This manual is available as an electronic document in the Portable Document File (PDF) format. It can
be viewed on any computer that has Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.

Hypertext links
The electronic document has many hypertext links displayed in a blue font. All blue words in the body
text, along with all contents entries and index page numbers, are hypertext links. When you click a
hypertext link, the application jumps to the corresponding topic.

22 MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide

 Introduction

Introduction
Overview of MTS TestSuite File Structure 24
TW Elite Application Main Window 29
Test Sections 35
General Conventions 36
Tables 39
Docking and Undocking Panels 40
Manage MTS TestSuite Files 41
Diagnostics 44
Application Log, Test Log and Error List 45
Meters 49
Signal Compensation for Servohydraulic Systems 52
General Settings Tab 53
User-Supplied Help Overview 55
Licenses 56
End-User License Agreement (EULA) 59
Version Information Overview 60

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Introduction

Overview of MTS TestSuite File Structure

The MTS TestSuite file hierarchy comprises several individual components. Each component stores a
specific set of information. For example, a test contains a set of activities (known as the procedure),
and the test run contains the data acquisition information and variable values that were obtained when
the test was run. Furthermore, each component has a relationship with at least one other component.
For example, the analysis definition uses the information in the test run to create an analysis run in
either the Fatigue Analyzer or Fracture Analyzer applications.
In the following table, each of the main components of the MTS TestSuite structure are described. In
the following sections of this document, the data stored in these components and the relationships
between these components is described in detail.

Components of the MTS TestSuite Architecture

Name Icon Description

Project A project is a collection of tests and test templates. By creating separate projects,
you can organize similar tests and test templates and various project-level
settings, such as the language or unit types used.
Test A test is the core component of MTS TestSuite software. The test contains the
test definition along with any test runs, analysis definitions, or analysis runs that
have been created.
Test Test templates eliminate the need to re-create existing information and provide
Template an easy way to run standard tests.
Test run A test run contains all data that was gathered during a single run of the test.

Analysis The analysis definition is available in either the Fatigue Analyzer or Fracture
Definition Analyzer application as an overlay to the information that was gathered during a
test run. You can customize the views and displays associated with an analysis
definition to manipulate how the test run data is presented on the screen.
Additionally, you can customize the variable values, DAQ mappings, and
functions in order to create analysis runs and analyze various "what if" scenarios.
Analysis The analysis run uses the analysis definition and the data in a test run to produce
Run a set of analysis results.

Project
A project is the highest level component in the MTS TestSuite file heirarchy. A project contains the
following:
l A collection of tests
l A collection of test templates

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 Introduction

l Project settings, such as the name and location of directories in which the tests, test
templates, report templates, external files, and data exports are stored
To view or edit your available projects and their associated settings, click Preferences, select
Configuration, and then select the Project tab. The other tabs on the Configuration window contains
settings that are application-wide and persist regardless of which project you have selected.

A Project Contains Project Settings, Tests, and Test Templates

Test
A Test is stored within a project folder, and contains the following components:
l Test Definition—Contains the main components of the test, such as the procedure,
variables, test-run display, resources, functions, and report templates.
l Test Run(s)—Contains information that was gathered during the test run, such as variable
values.
l Analysis Definition(s)—Contains variable definitions, functions, DAQ-to-variable
mappings, and the views and displays that organize and present the data within either the
Fatigue Analyzer or Fracture Analyzer applications.
l Analysis Runs—Uses the data gathered from test runs to show data according to the
analysis definition.

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Introduction

A Test Contains the Test Definition, Test Run(s), Analysis Definition(s), and Analysis Run
(s)

Test Definition
The test definition is stored within the test. The test definition contains the following main components
that define the test:
l Procedure—A collection of test activities that are performed step-by-step when the test is
run.
l Resources—A collection of test resources mapped to the controller resources that will be
used during the test.
l Variables—Containers that can hold values that may change during the test run, such as time
or axial displacement. Variables facilitate data manipulation and communication between
different components of the test.

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 Introduction

l Test-Run Display—A customizable user interface that shows data when the test is run.
l Report templates—A collection of Microsoft Excel Template files that define the layout of
generated reports.
l Functions—A sequence of instructions that receives arguments and produces a result.

Test Run
A test run is the record of a test performed on a single, selected specimen. Test runs are stored in the
test and include:
l A copy of the test definition, including the procedure, at the time the test run is created.
l A copy of the name of the selected specimen and its values at the time the test run is created.
l Variable values during the test run.
l The state of the test run.
l Results data, such as data acquisitions and calculations.

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Introduction

Components of a Test Run

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 Introduction

TW Elite Application Main Window

The main window of the TW Elite application can be divided into the following sections:
l The top section contains menus, toolbar, a system control panel, and test status information.
l The middle section contains panels for project editing.
l The bottom section contains the Error List, Application Log, and Test Log panels.
The controls panels vary depending on whether TW is connected to an MTS Insight controller or an
MTS FlexTest controller and the type of frame you are using. The hydraulic control panel is described
in “Hydraulic Controls Control Panel Overview” on page 525. The electromechanical crosshead
controls panel is described in “Crosshead Controls Panel for Electromechanical and Static Hydraulic
Test Systems” on page 529.
When you open a test, such as the Example EM Tension (Simplified) Test, the application shows the
workflow in the Define tab, as shown below.

 TW Elite Main Window

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Introduction

Main Window Options

Item Name Description

1 Menu bar Provides menus and quick-access icons that allow you to perform tasks such as
and Quick opening tests, opening tests from templates, and saving test as templates.
Access
panel
2 Controller Allows you to reset or override interlocks.display fault status, view the direction in
panel which the crosshead or actuator is moving, position the crosshead or actuator,
and start, stop, and hold the test. If your system has a clutch, the clutch indicator
is also displayed (not shown). If you are using a FlexTest controller, the
Controller panel will also contain hydraulic controls, which allow you to turn on
power to the Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) and the Hydraulic Service Manifold
(HSM).

Note: When control is provided by a handset, the crosshead controls will

be locked and overlaid by the handset exclusive control icon:

3 Actuator Allows you to manually position the actuator. You can configure the Jog and
Controls Return buttons at Preferences menu > Configuration > Control Panel tab.
panel For more information, see “Actuator Controls” on page 521.
4 Test The Test Controls buttons allow you to start, pause, and stop the test. For more
Controls information, see “Test Controls” on page 522.
panel
5 Test Run Shows test run information, including name, status, and running time. This panel
Status includes a control that allows you to terminate the current test run. For more
panel information, see “Test Run Status Panel” on page 523.
6 Tabs The various tabs and subtabs across the display are used to monitor and
configure the test and test-run displays.
7 Toolbox The contents of the Toolbox Panel change depending on the subtab selected on
panel the Define tab.
l When you select the Procedure subtab, the Toolbox panel contains
components that pertain to test activities such as commands, data
acquisition, test flow control, and program actions.
l When you select the Test-Run Display tab, the Toolbox panel contains
components that pertain to the display of test data, such as cycle,
variable, and signal views.
8 Work area This is the work area in which to create tests. You can view the workflow in a

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Item Name Description

Flowchart View or an Outline View by selecting the appropriate toggle button
next to the search box. To quickly locate an activity in a large procedure, you can
use the search box.
To create a test, drag test activities from the Toolbox panel to the work area.
The workflow contains three sections: Set Up, Run, and Finish.
l The Set Up section is for activities that you want to perform before you
start test runs, such as configuring the load train (setting up fixtures, and
so on.) and entering a test name. The Set Up section runs only once
when you start a test, that is, before the first test run in the test.
l The Run section is for applying forces to the specimen while performing
test runs. The activities in the Run section are repeated for all test runs
in the test, and by default, the Review tab is shown after every test run.
If you are using a multi-head frame and template, your work area will
show a Multi-Head Run section instead of a Run section. For more
information about the Multi-Head Run section, see “About the Multi-
Head Run Section” on page 32.
l The Finish section is for operations such as printing reports, exporting
files, saving test data, and archiving. The Finish section runs when the
number of test runs configured for the test is complete or when the
operator presses the Run Finish Section button on the Review tab.

Note:
The flowchart view includes Pan, Zoom, and Print Preview
buttons in the lower right corner of the work area window to help
you view complex test procedures.
9 Properties Allows you to define or change the information, characteristics, and appearance
panel of the selected procedure activities and runtime display components. For
example, you can use the Properties panel to change the amplitude of a Cycle
command test activity in a procedure or the Y-axis signal selection on a signal
scope in a monitor display.
10 Error List The Error List shows error and warning messages that describe both critical
(not and non-critical conditions in the test definition. The Error List is dynamic and
shown) changes according to the part of the application you are using.
and
Meters The Meters show the current numeric value of the selected signal. The two
default meters show load and crosshead extension. Right-click on the meter to
add or remove a meter, reset, change units or decimal places, and to configure
the properties.
11 Application The Application Log shows status information about application events in
Log (not recent history, such as logging into the application, exiting the application, and

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Item Name Description

interlock conditions present prior to opening tests. The application stamps each
Test Log message with the type of message, generation date, and time. You can type
notes into the Message Log, clear the log, and export the contents to a Microsoft
Excel file. Messages persist from one session to another.
The Test Log shows status information about test events for the current test,
such as changes in program states. The application stamps each message with
the type of message, generation date, and time. You can type notes into the
Message Log, clear the log, and export the contents to a Microsoft Excel file.
Messages persist from one session to another.

About the Multi-Head Run Section

Note:
The Multi-Head option is a separately licensed feature.

Note:
Prerequisite: Only analog data is collected from the multiple active load cells in a multi-head
frame. You must have National Instruments Data Acquisition (NI-DAQ) hardware and software
or an extensometer installed which will convert the analog data to digital signals.
Multi-head frames can contain up to five active load cells which allow the simultaneous collection of
test-runs for multiple specimens. By default, the test run collects the results for all specimens within
one file. You can create a separate test-run file for each of the specimens by using the appropriate
multi-head template which contains the Multi-Head Run section in the test procedure work area. This

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section is similar to the Run section found in templates for single head frames which contains activities
for applying forces to the specimen while performing test runs. Unlike the Run section, the Multi-Head
Run section contains a Properties Panel where you can input configuration data. The Multi-Head
Run is only run once. Data is collected simultaneously from the Ni-DAQ analog signals. After the test is
completed, the data is split into multiple tests runs. At the end of the test, a number of test runs will be
created and populated with the collected data. The new test runs appear post-test as if they were
individually collected.
At the end of the multi-head test, the array data is split into multiple test-run files by moving the
collected data into the normal force, extension, and optional strain variables.
To create a new multi-head template, you must start with an existing test or template that contains the
Multi-Head Run section. To save a test as a template, you must be assigned the Administrator or
Engineer privilege.

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Multi-Head Run Section Properties

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Multi-Head Run Section Properties

Item Description
Number Specify how many test-runs should be created. For example, if you are testing four
of Active specimens, enter 4. When the test run has ended, four test run files will be created.
Load Default: 5
Cells
Click the Automatically Map Variables checkbox to have the system map variables,
or click the Configure button to open the Map Variables window and manually map
variables.

Note:
If you select the Automatically Map option and then change the Number of
Active Load Cells value, some variables will be created or removed.
If you map variables manually, and then select Auto Map Variables, your
manually created variables will be overwritten by the automatically-generated
variables.
Test Run Specify variables that are not in the Common category. For example, if Number of
Variables Active Load Cells is 5 and the Width variable is added to this list, the other five
variables should be mapped to the Width variable (such as Width1, Width2… Width5).
At the end of the test, the variable values from Width1, Width2, and so on, must be
moved to the Width variable in the appropriate test runs. Click the plus sign to add a
variable. To delete a variable, select a variable in the list and click the red minus sign.
Click the Configure button to open the Map Variables window.
Load Specify the name of the array variable that is used to gather data from the Force (Load)
Array channel. Map it to the other array variables as described above in the Test Run
Variable Variables description. At the end of the test, the variable values from mapped arrays
must be moved to the selected Load Array variable in the appropriate test runs. Click
the Configure button to open the Map Variables window.
Enable Select to map additional array variables to the other array variables. You can also move
Extension data from mapped variables to the selected array variable at the end of the test. Click
Channels the Configure button to open the Map Variables window.
Trim Data Select to have the trimming process performed after the data has been split into test-
run files. The trimming process will keep the point identified by the variable. In other
words, the data will be trimmed at the variable index plus one. If the variable is invalid,
no truncation will take place and a message will be logged. Default for Truncate after
data point: Break

Test Sections
The test in the workflow is divided into the Setup, Run and Finish sections, described in this section.

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Setup
The Setup section includes operations that you perform before beginning test runs that apply to all the
test runs in the sample, such as:
l Naming the results file
l Entering values for common test variables
l Configuring the load train (setting up fixtures, and so forth)

Run
The Run section performs test runs. In addition to starting each test run with the Start button, you may
perform activities such as entering specimen dimensions and variables. When the test run is complete,
the Review page is displayed, which includes an option to jump to post sample activities. A typical task
after each test run is to describe how a specimen fails (comment).

Finish
The Finish section includes operations such as printing reports, exporting files, saving sample data,
and archiving.

General Conventions
Entry-Type Toggle Button
The entry-type toggle button appears throughout the application. The following table indicates the icon
and its meaning. Click the button to toggle between two entry options.

Variable Toggle Buttons

Icon Description
Variable selection; click to select or enter a variable.

Item selection; click to select an item from the drop-down menu.

Direct numeric entry; click to enter a numeric value.

Copy and Paste

You can copy tabular data, charts, chart data, functions, and variables to the clipboard.

Charts
To copy a chart or test control, right-click the item and click Copy or Copy Image to the Clipboard.

Chart data
To copy data values from a chart instead of the chart image, right-click the chart and click Copy
Values to the Clipboard.

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Tabular data
To copy an entire log or table, right-click the item, click Select All, and press Ctrl+c to copy or Ctrl+x
to cut, or right-click again and click Copy.
To copy a single row of a log or table, double-click the row to select it, right-click at the same location,
and select Copy.
You can select a block of rows two ways:
l Click in the column at the first row of the block, hold the mouse button down, roll over the block
of rows, and release the mouse button. Right-click and select Copy.
l Select the first row of the block, press and hold the Shift key, and select the last row of the
block. Right-click and select Copy.
To select multiple rows that are not in a block, hold the Ctrl key and click in the column at each row you
want to select. Right-click and select Copy.

Functions and variables

To copy a function or variable, click it and drag the cursor over the variable or function to select it.
Right-click and select Copy. You can copy functions and variables in the Calculation Editor.

Naming Conventions
Unique names
In general, the components you create and name in the application, such as report templates and
tests, must have unique names within the test. Components that are stored within the test, such as
variables, and procedure activities must also have unique names.
Some items that do not require unique names include:
l Specimens
l Specimen geometries
l Monitor display names
l Analysis views
For items that require unique names, the naming restrictions and the scope of the uniqueness vary by
type of item.

Variable identifier name

The following guidelines apply for naming a variable identifier:
l It must be unique within the test.
l It is not case-sensitive.
l It can contain both alphabetical and numeric characters.
l It can contain a hyphen (-) or underscore (_).
l It cannot contain spaces, apostrophes, quotes, or other special characters.
l It cannot start with a number.

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Variable display name

The following guidelines apply for naming a variable display name:
l It must be unique within the test but can match its variable identifier.
l It is case-sensitive.
l It can contain both alphabetical and numeric characters.
l It can contain special characters, including spaces, apostrophes, quotes, or other special
characters.
l It can start with a number or special character.

Project name
The following guidelines apply for naming a project:
l The name must be unique among existing projects.
l It is case-sensitive.
l It must follow Microsoft file naming conventions and restrictions.
l It can contain both alphabetical and numeric characters.
l It can contain spaces, commas, ‘-’, ‘_’, ‘.’, ‘!’, ‘@’, ‘#’, ‘$’, ‘%’, ‘^’, ‘(’, ‘)’, ‘=’, ‘+’, ‘;’, ‘~’, ‘{’, and ‘}’.
l It cannot contain apostrophes, quotes, ‘&’, ‘*’, ‘[’, ‘]’, ‘:’, ‘|’, ‘<’, ‘>’, ‘\’, ‘/’, and ‘?’.
l It can start with a number or special character.

Test name
The following guidelines apply for naming a test:
l It is case-sensitive.
l It can contain both alphabetical and numeric characters.
l It can contain spaces, ‘-’, ‘_’, ‘.’, ‘!’, ‘@’, ‘#’, ‘%’, ‘^’, ‘(’, ‘)’, ‘=’, ‘+’, and ‘;’.
l It cannot contain apostrophes, quotes, ‘$’, ‘*’, ‘[’, ‘]’, ‘:’, ‘|’, ‘<’, ‘>’, ‘\’, ‘/’, and ‘?’.
l It can start with a number or special character.

Procedure activity name

The following guidelines apply for naming a procedure activity:
l It must be unique within a given path, such as a parallel path, conditional (If-Then) path, or
main procedure path.
l It is case-sensitive.
l It can contain both alphabetical and numeric characters.
l It can contain special characters, including spaces, apostrophes, quotes, or other special
characters.
l It can start with a number or special character.

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Runtime display activity name

The following guidelines apply for naming a runtime display activity:
l It is case-sensitive.
l It can contain both alphabetical and numeric characters.
l It can contain spaces, apostrophes, quotes, or other special characters.
l It can start with a number or special character.

Report template name

The following guidelines apply for naming a report template:
l It is case-sensitive.
l It must follow Microsoft file naming conventions and restrictions.
l It can contain both alphabetical and numeric characters.
l It can contain spaces, apostrophes, ‘-’, ‘_’, ‘.’, ‘!’, ‘@’, ‘#’, ‘$’, ‘%’, ‘^’, ‘&’, ‘*’, ‘(’, ‘)’, ‘{’, ‘}’, ‘=’, ‘+’, ‘;’,
and ‘~’.
l It cannot contain quotes, ‘[’, ‘]’, ‘:’, ‘|’, ‘<’, ‘>’, ‘\’, ‘/’, and ‘?’.
l It can start with a number or special character.

Tables
Choose Columns to Display
To choose columns to display:
1. Click Column Chooser in the upper, left-most cell.
2. In the window that opens, select the check boxes for the columns you want displayed.

Sort Columns
To sort table columns:
1. To sort the table by the order of information in a column, click the column header cell.
A down-arrow indicates descending order. An up-arrow indicates ascending order.
2. To reverse the sort order for information in a column, click the column header cell again.

Filter Data
Use the column filter to select the data you want to see and hide the rest. A filter changes only the
display. The data does not change.
1. To apply a filter, click the filter icon in the column header to open the Filter menu.
The filter menu lists all of the unique values in that column. The menu also provides options for
showing values that are blanks or not blanks.

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The menu also provides a Custom filter. You can specify logical operators such as “All”,
“Custom”, and “Read-Only” in the Operator column. “Matches Regular Expression” uses the
.NET standard expression syntax.
2. Select a specific value to show all table entries that have the value or that meet the criteria.
For example, if the table has a Units column and you want to filter the current view of the table
to only show those rows that have Units of mm, select mm in the Filter menu for the Units
column.
If you select a custom filter operator, select an operator and an operand. For example, you
select the Value column and Custom filter. Select the operator Does not equal and operand
0.000. The result is that the table shows the rows that have non-zero values. You can increase
the criteria by clicking Add a condition and selecting another operator and operand. You can
increase the filter further by applying filters to additional columns.
3. To display all table values, select the All command on the Filter menu.

Docking and Undocking Panels

Undocking and Docking Panels Overview
You can open and arrange multiple panels at the same time in your workspace. Moving panels around
the screen is referred to as undocking or floating. Undocked panels are active, and you can perform
actions in them. For example, you can undock a view and then modify the display properties.

Docking Symbols

Symbol Description
Up Arrow Highlights the top of the work area and docks the panel as a separate work area in the
highlighted area.
Right Highlights the right side of the work area and docks the panel as a separate work area in
Arrow the highlighted area.
Left Highlights the left side of the work area and docks the panel as a separate work area in
Arrow the highlighted area.
Down Highlights the bottom of the work area and docks the panel as a separate work area in
Arrow the highlighted area.
Work Highlights the work area and docks the panel as a separate tab in the highlighted work
Area area.

If you have multiple monitors, the panel docks on the device to which the mouse is pointing.

Undocking a Panel
To undock a panel:

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1. Click on the tab or title bar of the panel you want to undock.
2. Drag the view to where you want it.
Arrows appear on the screen that indicate that you have undocked a panel. You do not have
to use the arrow buttons to undock a panel.

Undocking a Panel

3. Resize the panel as necessary.

4. Repeat the previous steps to undock other panels as necessary.

Docking a Panel
To dock a panel:
1. Drag any side or corner of the panel.
Docking symbols appear in the middle and on each side of the work area that indicate that you
have undocked a panel.

Docking Symbols

2. When your mouse pointer reaches a docking symbol, a region of the work area becomes
highlighted. To dock the panel in that region, release your mouse.

Note: There can be multiple work areas, each with its own set of docking symbols.
If you have multiple monitors, the panel docks on the device to which the mouse is pointing.
3. Repeat the previous steps to dock other panels as necessary.

Manage MTS TestSuite Files

MTS TestSuite Folders and Files Management Overview
Access
Preferences menu > Configuration > Project tab (default location)

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In most cases, the management of TestSuite files is done using the MTS TestSuite application. Some
files, such as templates and reports, can be managed using the Windows operating system.

Caution: Using the Windows OS to manipulate the files in a test folder can corrupt the test
and its associated files.

Corrupting the test can make the test unusable and/or result in the loss of test-run data.

Do not manipulate any of the files in the test folder. Any changes to the test should be performed
using the TestSuite application.

MTS TestSuite folders

MTS TestSuite Folder Management

From
Folder From TestSuite
File type Windows
Extension Application
Explorer
Legacy Templates .Test* New test from No file
(v2.0 or template, save as manipulation
Note: Once a legacy template is earlier) allowed except
converted, it has a .TSTemplate delete
extension and can be managed like .Project
other templates. (v1.6 or
earlier)
Project Directory Files .Project Import legacy No file
projects (v1.6 or manipulation
earlier), new, open, allowed except
delete delete
Test .Test New, open, save as, No file
delete manipulation
allowed except
delete

*
When using Windows XP to view TestSuite folders, the folder names are determined by the TestSuite
application’s naming convention and are appended with the folder extension. When using Windows 7
or Windows Vista to view TestSuite folders, the folder names are the user-defined display names and
the file extensions do not appear.

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MTS TestSuite files

MTS TestSuite File Management

From
File From TestSuite
File type Windows
Extension Application
Explorer
User Templates .TSTemplate Create new test Copy, move,
from, save as paste, delete,
Note: Template files are not fully self- rename
contained; they contain references to
other files (such as, Report Templates).
MTS Templates .TSTemplate Create new test Contact MTS
from, save as
Note: Template files are not fully self-
contained; they contain references to
other files (such as, Report Templates).
Exported Tests .tsproj Import/export Copy, move,
paste, delete,
rename
Exported Test Runs .tsproj Import/export Copy, move,
paste, delete,
rename
Exported Unit Sets .tsunitset Import/export Copy, move,
paste, delete,
rename
Report Templates .xltx Add, edit, remove Copy, move,
from test paste, delete,
rename
Reports .xlsx Generate reports, Copy, move,
open, print, paste, delete,
delete, rename rename
External Files (create test from) .xml Create test from Copy, move,
the .xml file paste, delete,
rename
Data Export (exported raw data) .txt .csv Export Copy, move,
paste, delete,
rename

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Move Test Files to a New Directory

Use the following procedure to move a large number of tests from one location to another. The
following procedure is not recommended for day-to-day testing but may be used to move a large
number of test to a new (empty) location (such as a network drive).

Important: You can use the Windows OS to move test files only if the destination directory is
empty. To move a test into a directory that already contains tests, use the Save As feature in the
TestSuite application.
1. Use the Windows OS to create a new, empty directory where you want to store the test files.
2. If this new location is where you want to store and run all tests, set the default Test Directory
setting to this new location.
A. On the Preferences menu, click Configuration, and click the Project tab.
B. Set the default Test Directory setting to the new directory that you just created.
3. Use Windows OS to move the tests to the new directory.
A. Make sure that the new directory is empty.
B. Move the tests to the new directory.

Note: When using the Windows XP OS, each test appears as a Test folder,
such as TST1.Test, that is numbered in the order that it was created. The user-
defined test names are only visible when the test directory is viewed through
the TestSuite application. When using Windows 7 or Windows Vista, the user-
defined test names appear in the OS.
4. To move additional tests into the directory, you must use the Save As function in the
TestSuite application.

Important: Each Test folder contains a number of files required to run the test. Do not
manipulate any of the files in the test folder.

Diagnostics
Diagnostic Files Overview
The MTS TestSuite applications include a feature to create a diagnostics file that you can send to MTS
Technical Support for analysis. The diagnostic file is useful for troubleshooting and correcting
problems. You can include the following in a diagnostic file:
l Diagnostic logs
l Station configuration
l Report templates
l Specimens (not applicable to the TWE or TWX applications)
l Test runs
If required, you can configure the content of the diagnostics file in collaboration with MTS Technical
Support.

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Note:
Contact MTS Technical Support to assist you with transmitting the diagnostics file.

Create a Diagnostic File

A test must be open to create a diagnostic file. You cannot create one while a test is loaded.
1. In the Tools menu, click Create Diagnostic File.
2. Click Browse in the Create Diagnostic Package window.
3. Click File > Save As, select an existing diagnostic (.tsdiag) file to overwrite or enter a new
diagnostic file name, and click Save.
4. Expand the test hierarchy in the Create Diagnostic Package window and select the check
boxes for the information you want to include in the file.
If necessary, contact MTS for assistance with selecting information.
5. Click Save.
A message notifies you of successful file creation and its location, or if errors are detected.
6. Click OK.

Application Log, Test Log and Error List

Application Log Overview
Access
C:\MTS TestSuite\GlobalLog\App.log
The information in the Application Log is automatically stored in a log (.log) file. Each new entry in the
log is automatically written to the file when the entry occurs. The default file location is C:\MTS
TestSuite\GlobalLog. The default file name is App.log.
When you start a session, the application looks in the default location for the default log file. If the file is
there, the application opens the file and loads the contents into the Application Log. If the default file is
not there (it is renamed or moved or cleared), the application creates and opens a new (empty) default
log file.
The default log file is perpetual. As long as it is not renamed, moved, or cleared, it continues to
accumulate the Application Log information.

Logging Levels
The Application Log warnings and errors pertain to loading or running the test. The following
information can be displayed:
l Errors—These messages show information about critical conditions that prevent a test run or
stop a test in progress.
l Warnings—These messages show information about conditions that may require attention,
but do not prevent a test run or stop a test in progress.

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l Information—These messages typically verify the start, result, or completion of a user-

initiated action, or inform the user of the start, result, or completion of a system-initiated action.
They can also be notes added by users.
The application records each message with a date and time stamp. Messages are also persisted from
one session to another.

Application Log information

The Application Log provides the following information for each message:
l Severity—Shows a corresponding icon for the message type.
l Time—Includes the date and time the message was logged.
l Category—Shows the source of the message: AppLog indicates that the message was
generated by an event related to the application. TestRunLog indicates that the message
was generated by an event related to the test run.
l Message—Shows a description of the logged event.

Log menu options

The Application Log includes the following right-click menu options:
l Select All Rows—Selects all rows in the log. You can copy or export the selected rows.
l Copy—Copies the selected rows. Paste in the desired application.
l Clear View—Hides the contents of the log (automatically selects the New Messages log
source) during your current session. Only new messages are subsequently displayed. All
messages are restored when you select Current Log as the log source.
l Export Log—Exports your log file in Microsoft Excel format.
l Add Note—Adds a user-entered message to the log. A separate window is used to type your
note. The note is added to the AppLog category.
l Open Existing Log File—Navigate to the log location, such as MTS TestSuite > GlobalLog,
to open a log in a new window.

Log sources
The Application Log shows information from the following sources that appear on the Log Source list:
l Current Log—Shows the messages for all test runs for the current session.
l New Messages—Hides the existing messages and shows newly generated messages.
l From Existing File—Opens a Windows Explorer window so that you can show a log (.log)
file from a previous test session.

Sorting log information

To sort the contents of the log based on a particular column, click the column header. To reverse the
sort order, click the column header again. To return the log to the standard sort order, click the Time
column header.

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Filtering log information

To filter the contents of the log, click the filter icon in the column heading. A menu of available filter
options is shown. After you filter a column, the filter icon turns blue.
When you click a filter option, the Application Log filters out all the messages (rows) except those for
the selected option.

Test Log Overview

Access
C:\MTS TestSuite\GlobalLog\FaultError.log
The information in the Test Log is automatically stored in a log (.log) file. Each new entry in the log is
automatically written to the file when the entry occurs. The default file location is C:\MTS
TestSuite\GlobalLog. The default file name is FaultError.log.
When you start a session, the application looks in the default location for the default log file. If the file is
there, the application opens the file and loads the contents into the Test Log. If the default file is not
there (it is renamed or moved or cleared), the application creates and opens a new (empty) default log
file.
The default log file is perpetual. As long as it is not renamed, moved, or cleared, it continues to
accumulate the Test Log information.

Logging Levels
The Test Log warnings and errors pertain to loading or running the test. The following information can
be displayed:
l Errors—These messages show information about critical conditions that prevent a test run or
stop a test in progress.
l Warnings—These messages show information about conditions that may require attention,
but do not prevent a test run or stop a test in progress.
l Information—These messages typically verify the start, result, or completion of a user-
initiated action, or inform the user of the start, result, or completion of a system-initiated action.
They can also be notes added by users.
The application records each message with a date and time stamp. Messages are also persisted from
one session to another.

Test Log information

The Test Log provides the following information for each message:
l Severity—Shows a corresponding icon for the message type.
l Time—Includes the date and time the message was logged.
l Category—Shows the source of the message. TestRunLog indicates that the message was
generated by an event related to the test run.
l Message—Shows a description of the logged event.

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Log menu options

The Test Log includes the following right-click menu options:
l Select All Rows—Selects all rows in the log. You can copy or export the selected rows.
l Copy—Copies the selected rows. Paste in the desired application.
l Clear View—Hides the contents of the log (automatically selects the New Messages log
source) during your current session. Only new messages are subsequently displayed. All
messages are restored when you select Current Log as the log source.
l Export Log—Exports your log file in Microsoft Excel format.
l Add Note—Adds a user-entered message to the log. A separate window is used to type your
note. The note is added to the TestRunLog category.
l Open Existing Log File—Navigate to the log location, such as MTS TestSuite >
GlobalLog, to open a log in a new window.

Log sources
The Test Log shows information from the following sources that appear on the Log Source list:
l Current Log—Shows the messages for all test runs for the current session.
l New Messages—Hides the existing messages and shows newly generated messages.
l From Existing File—Opens a Windows Explorer window so that you can show a log (.log)
file from a previous test session.

Sorting log information

To sort the contents of the log based on a particular column, click the column header. To reverse the
sort order, click the column header again. To return the log to the standard sort order, click the Time
column header.

Filtering log information

To filter the contents of the log, click the filter icon in the column heading. A menu of available filter
options is shown. After you filter a column, the filter icon turns blue.
When you click a filter option, the Test Log filters out all the messages (rows) except those for the
selected option.

Error List Overview

The Error List tab lists warnings and errors pertain to defining and configuring the test.
l Errors—Shows information about critical conditions that do not allow you to load or run a test.
l Warnings—Shows information about conditions that may require attention, but do not
prevent you from loading or running a test.
The contents of the Error list are dynamic and change according to the part of the application you are
using.
The application does not store the contents of the Error list in a file. Each message is removed when
the corresponding condition is corrected.

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Error List information

The Error List tab provides the following information for each error:
l Message type icon—Shows the corresponding icon for the message type.
l Sequence number—Shows the numbered order in which the application detects the error or
warning.
l Description—Contains the text that describes the error or warning.

Error Location
In addition to the Error list, the application also marks the problem conditions with error and warning
icons on or near the offending selection or setting in the user interface. If you double-click an item in the
list, the program control point moves to (or near to) the location of the error.

Error Identification
The Error list identifies error conditions for the current context or object selected. For example, you
can use the Error list and the Test Definition object to view a summary of the errors in a test.
If you double-click an item in the Error list, the view changes to show the location of the error. Error
and warning icons are placed on or near the property, selection, or setting where the error exists so
that you can quickly locate the source of the error.

Meters
Meters Overview
The Meters tab contains meters that show various data retrieved from signals on your system. On
most systems, the Crosshead/Axial Force and Load/Axial Displacement meters are available when
you first open the Meters tab. However, you can add other meters that show a variety of information
such as interlock status, power status, or even the current time and date. After you add a meter, you
can configure the meter type, unit type shown, number of decimal places shown, sensitivity (of
Peak/Valley meters only), and font settings.

Adding a Meter
1. Click the Meters tab.
2. Right-click any existing meter.
3. Hover over Add Meter.
4. Select the meter you want to add.

Note: This list contains the most commonly-used meters. To add other meters, click
More to open the Meter Configuration window. Then, move each desired meter over
to the list of Selected meters on the right side on the window. When you are finished,
click OK.

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Resetting a Meter
You can reset the values recorded in Peak, Valley, Peak/Valley, Running Maximum/Minimum, and
Mean/Amplitude meters. Keep in mind that if the crosshead or actuator is not at the zero position,
resetting certain meters may not always return the displayed value to zero. For example, if the axial
displacement of the crosshead or actuator is resting at 10 mm and you reset a maximum axial
displacement meter, the meter will continue to show 10 mm. This occurs because immediately after
you reset the meter, the axial displacement signal remains at 10 mm, which is considered the
maximum. In this scenario, if you returned the axial displacement to 0 before you reset the meter, the
maximum axial displacement meter would return to 0 after you reset the meter.
1. Click the Meters tab.
2. Right-click the Peak, Valley, Peak/Valley, Running Maximum/Minimum, or Mean/Amplitude
meter that you want to reset.
3. Select Reset to reset the meter you selected or select Reset All to reset all meters that can
be reset on the Meters tab.

Removing a Meter
1. Click the Meters tab.
2. Right-click the meter you want to remove.
3. Select Remove.

Configuring Meters
After you add a meter to the Meters tab, you can configure the meter type, units shown, number of
decimal places shown, sensitivity, and font used in the meter.

Changing the Meter Type

1. Click the Meters tab.
2. Right-click an existing meter.
3. Hover over Meter Type.
4. Select the desired meter type. For more information about the available meter types, see
“Meter Types” on page 51.

Changing the Units Displayed on a Meter

1. Click the Meters tab.
2. Right-click an existing meter.
3. Hover over Unit.
4. Select the unit type you want the meter to use.

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Changing the Decimal Places Displayed on a Meter

1. Click the Meters tab.
2. Right-click an existing meter.
3. Hover over Decimal Places.
4. Select the number of decimal places you want displayed on the meter.

Changing the Color and Font of Meters

1. Click the Meters tab.
2. Right-click an existing meter.
3. Select Properties. The Meter Configuration window appears.
4. Adjust the Label Font Size, Value Font Size, Foreground Color, and Background Color
as desired. When you modify these settings, they are applied to all meters available on the
Meters tab.

Changing the Sensitivity of a Meter

The sensitivity setting defines how much the signal must change before a level is considered a peak or
valley. The sensitivity setting can be used to keep the activity from seeing signal noise as a new peak or
valley. When adjusting the sensitivity, keep in mind that setting the sensitivity too low may cause signal
noise to be recognized as peaks and valleys, and setting the sensitivity too high may cause low
amplitude signals to be missed.
1. Click the Meters tab.
2. Right-click the Peak, Valley, or Peak/Valley meter you want to adjust.
3. Hover over Sensitivity.
4. Select the desired sensitivity.

Meter Types
The meter type determines what type of information is shown on the meter. When you first launch the
application, the Crosshead/Axial Force and Load/Axial Displacement meters appear on the Meters
tab. By default, the meter type of those meters is set to Timed. This meter type shows the real-time
axial displacement of the system’s crosshead or actuator. However, if you change the meter type to
Running Maximum/Minimum, the meter shows the minimum and maximum axial displacement
experienced by the crosshead or actuator.

Available Meter Types

Item Description
Timed Displays signal values at timed intervals.
Minimum Displays the running minimum value that was observed since the meter was
added or reset.
Maximum Displays the running maximum value that was observed since the meter was

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Item Description
added or reset.
Peak Displays the peak value for the most recent cycle monitored.
Valley Displays the valley value for the most recent cycle monitored.
Peak/Valley Displays both the peak and valley values for the most recent cycle monitored.
Running Displays both the running minimum and maximum values that were observed
Maximum/Minimum since the meter was added or reset.
Mean/Amplitude Displays the midpoint value and the difference between the peak and valley
values for the most recent cycle monitored.

Signal Compensation for Servohydraulic Systems

Compensator Overview
Compensators compare the command with the corresponding sensor feedback to ensure that the
command is fully applied to the specimen. If the sensor feedback indicates that the specimen is not
reaching the commanded levels, the compensator alters the command until the desired result is
achieved.
You must use the MTS Series 793 control software to configure compensators. You use the MTS
TestSuite application software to apply the compensation.
For example, suppose you use the Cycle activity included with MTS TestSuite software to play out a
sine wave at ±10 cm displacement but find that the LVDT feedback achieves only ±9 cm.
In this case, you would configure the Peak-Valley Amplitude Control (PVC) compensator included with
the Series 793 software to boost the command. Once configured, the compensator monitors the
feedback and automatically boosts subsequent commands to ensure that the LVDT feedback
achieves the desired command. You can view the compensated command with the scope and meters.

Compensator Types
MTS offers a variety of compensators to optimize command levels. Certain compensators work more
effectively than others for specific applications. The following compensators are available for command
activities:
l Static and Dynamic Null Pacing
l Peak-Valley Amplitude Control (PVC)
l Amplitude Phase Control (APC) Compensator (option)
l Adaptive Inverse Control (AIC) Compensator (option)
l Arbitrary End Level Control (ALC) Compensator (option)
l Peak-Valley-Phase Control (PVP) Compensator (option)
l Adaptive Harmonic Cancellation (AHC) (option)

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Compensator Availability
Not all compensators are available to every command activity for one or more of the following reasons:
l Some compensators apply only to specific types of command activities. For instance, Peak
Valley Compensation (PVC) pertains only to cyclic command.
l Some compensators, such as Adaptive Inverse Control (AIC), are licensed and will be
available only if they were purchased.
l Some compensators, such as Null Pacing, will be available only if they are enabled in the
underlying station configuration.

Selecting compensators when not connected to a station

It is good practice to wait until you connect to a station before selecting compensators for command
activities. When not connected to a station, the compensator list for a given command-type activity
displays all of the types of compensators that are possible to use with the activity. When you connect to
a station, the list of compensators displays only the compensators that are actually available to the
activity.

Set Up and Use a Compensator

For information about compensators, see the “Channel Compensators” section in MTS Series 793
Control Software (PN 100-147-130).
For systems equipped with MTS TestSuite and Series 793 software, this document is located at Start
> Programs > MTS 793 Software > Electronic Documentation > 793 Control Software.

General Settings Tab

Fastpath:
Explorer panel > Test Name > Test Definition > General Settings tab

General Settings Overview

Access
Define tab > Test Definition tab > General Settings tab

General Settings Tab

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Use the General Settings tab to view and edit the current properties of a test. You can perform the
following tasks from the General Settings tab:
l Changing the test name
l Selecting the logging type for the test (you must have Administrator rights to change this
selection)
l Enabling remote test start with digital input (you must have Administrator rights to change this
selection)
l Switching to the review page after running the test (you must have Administrator rights to
change this selection)
l Add a description

General Settings Properties

Access
Define tab > Test Definition tab > General Settings tab

General Settings

Item Description
Name Displays the name of the test.
Creator (View-only) The user who created the test.
Created (View-only) The date the test was created.
Last Modified (View-only) The date the test was created.
Formula Displays the Formula Assistant File for the selected template. Changing the
Assistant File selected Formula Assistant File requires the password for an MTS Field
Service Engineer (FSE).
Log Type The logging type selected for the test. Available options are:
l Basic (default)—The Basic log type does not have the audit trail
feature.
l Audit Trail—The Audit Trail selection allows you to check the audit trail
for a test. The Check Test Audit Trail option becomes available in the
File menu.

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Item Description
Enable Remote Enables remotely starting the test with a digital input.
Start using
Digital Input Default: Enabled.

Switch to Review Opens the Review page immediately after running the test. If you do not select
Page after Test the check box, the test remains on the Monitor panel.
Default: Enabled.
Description (Optional) Displays a description about the test.

Edit General Settings

Access
Define tab > Test Definition tab > General Settings tab > Edit button

Note:
If you cannot see the Edit button, check your screen resolution. The Edit control may not be
visible if your screen resolution is less than 1280 x 1024. (Start > Settings > Control Panel >
Display > Settings).

Select the Log Type for the Current Test

Note:
You must have administrator rights to change this selection.
Select the log type for the test.You can also configure the Default Log Type in Preferences so that
each test you create defaults to the selected logging type.
If you select Basic, the application cannot check the audit trail for the test.
If you select Audit Trail, you can validate test data by selecting File > Check Test Audit Trail. The
application returns a message stating whether the test data is valid (no changes detected) or Invalid (a
change in one of the raw data files was detected). If the application detects any change, the files that
do not match are listed in a message window.

User-Supplied Help Overview

Runtime help
To assist the operator with tests you design, you can add a Help button to any part of the test-run
display to provide access to help information for the test. When the operator clicks the Help button
during a test run, the information from the specified source is shown in a separate window. You can
provide a link to an Internet, intranet, or disk location that opens a file of any type supported on an
operator workstation.

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Note:
The custom help button for test-run display is not to be confused with the MTS TestSuite Help
menu options.

Procedure messages
To provide the operator with information during the execution of a test and to prompt the operator for
input, you can add custom message activities to the procedure you define for a test.

Licenses
License Utility Overview
Access
Programs > MTS TestSuite > License Administrator
During installation, the Activation Wizard prompts you to activate the license for your MTS TestSuite
software. The process for obtaining the license file depends on whether the PC was connected to the
Internet. After installation, you can add and manage licenses at any time with the MTS TestSuite
License Administrator utility.
With the MTS TestSuite License Administrator utility, you can activate and manage your licenses and
obtain information about currently installed licenses. You can view the Applications, Templates,
Privileges, Activities, and other special features for which you are licensed.

Tip:
Always save your TestSuite license(s) into a plain text file using Windows Notepad. If you save a
license using other text editors (such as WordPad, Notepad++, or Microsoft Word), characters
in the license may be altered slightly or additional characters may even be appended to the end
of the license. If this occurs, the license may not be recognized when you paste it into the
License Administrator utility.

Open License Administrator Utility

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Activate a License with an Internet Connection

If you have an activation key and the PC on which you are installing a license has an Internet
connection, perform the following steps to obtain, install, and activate a license.
1. Click Programs > MTS TestSuite > License Administrator.
2. Click Activate. The TestSuite Activation wizard is launched.

TestSuite Activation Wizard

3. Click I want to activate the software over the Internet panel and click Next. The window
to enter your activation key is displayed.
4. Enter the activation key and click Next.

Activation Wizard Activation Key

A message indicates the license is being obtained from the server, and a progress bar is
displayed. The Activation Wizard installs and activates the license.

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5. When activation is complete, click Finish to exit the Activation Wizard.

6. Click Close to exit the MTS TestSuite License Administrator.

Request and Activate a License without an Internet Connection

If the PC on which you are activating a license does not have an Internet connection, follow these steps
to request and activate a license file.
1. Click Programs > MTS TestSuite > License Administrator.
2. Click Activate.
3. Click I want to request a license file and click Next.
4. Enter the activation key and click Next.

Complete License Activation Window

5. To copy the License Request Contents, which is a PC-identifying string, click Copy to.
6. Paste the copied License Request into a text editor such as Notepad, and save the Request
File to a USB drive.
7. Click Finish to exit the Activation Wizard.
8. Plug the USB drive into a PC that has Internet access. Go to the MTS Licensing Web site:
www.mts.com/testsuite/licensing/
9. Open the Request File on the USB drive. Select and copy the contents.
10. Paste the content into the text box in the Web page and click Download License File. Save
the license file to the USB drive.
11. Bring the USB drive back to the PC without an Internet connection onto which you are
installing software.

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12. Open the Activation wizard again. Select the I have a license file I want to install option
and click Next.
13. Browse to the location of the license file. Select the license bin file and click Open.
14. Click Next. The Activation Wizard installs and activates the license.
15. Click Finish to exit the Activation Wizard.
16. Click Close to exit the MTS TestSuite License Administrator.

Remove a License
To remove a license, use the MTS TestSuite License Administrator utility.
1. Click Programs > MTS TestSuite > License Administrator.
2. In the upper part of the window, select the license you want to remove and click Remove. To
remove all licenses, click Remove All.
3. You are prompted to confirm removing the license. Click OK.
4. Click Close.

End-User License Agreement (EULA)

Access
Help > End-User License Agreement
When you first install and launch an MTS TestSuite application, the EULA window is shown. You can
scroll to view the terms of the agreement, or print the license agreement.

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End-User License Agreement Window

To Accept or Reject the EULA

l To accept the terms of the agreement, click Accept. The EULA window closes and the
application is available for use.
l To reject the EULA, click Reject. The EULA window and MTS TestSuite application close.
You cannot access the application until you accept the EULA.
l If you do not want to view the EULA each time the MTS application is launched, click the Do
not show this again check box. You can access the EULA at any time from the Help menu.

Version Information Overview

The MTS TestSuite window provides the following information about the installed application:
l Name of the installed application
l Release date
l Application version number
l Platform version number
l Current user and role
l Copyright information

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 Version Information Window

Version Information Overview

The MTS TestSuite window provides the following information about the installed application:
l Name of the installed application
l Release date
l Application version number
l Platform version number
l Current user and role
l Copyright information

 Version Information Window

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User and Role Management

Managing Users 64
Managing Roles 68

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Managing Users
User Management Overview
If your organization needs to manage multiple users of the MTS TestSuite application, you can
manage users with or without their Windows user accounts. The default User Management option is
none (the No User Management option), and users are not required to log in to the MTS TestSuite
applications. Windows User Management automatically logs in users based on their Windows log in.
By default, the user who installs the MTS TestSuite application is automatically added as an MTS
TestSuite Administrator. Adding the default Administrator user provides the ability to switch to User
Management if desired. Only a user with Administrator role or User Management privileges can add
users and assign roles.

Note:
If your organization does not set up Local or Windows User Management, all users who launch
an MTS TestSuite application have Administrator privileges.
An Administrator grants users privileges through the assignment of a specific role. Each privilege
controls access to performing certain tasks within the application. A user may be assigned one or more
roles; however, a user must select one of the roles when the application starts if Local User
Management is the selected User Management option.

Manage User Accounts Window

Access
Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts
Use the Manage User Account window to add users and manage roles.

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 Manage User Accounts Window

The Primary MTS TestSuite Administrator is displayed in blue.

Manage User Accounts Window Description

Section Description
User l No User Management—(Default) All users can access the application
Management without having to log in if during installation, the Anyone who uses this
options computer (all users) option was selected. All users are automatically
assigned an Administrator role. If the Only for me option was selected
during installation, only the user who installed the application can launch it.
l Local User Management—Users are managed by the MTS TestSuite
application independently of Microsoft Windows user accounts. You must
add MTS TestSuite users.
l Windows User Management—Users are managed by their Windows
User accounts. There is a one-to-one mapping between Windows and MTS
TestSuite users. You must add MTS TestSuite users.
User Displays all of the currently defined MTS TestSuite users.
accounts list
Add User Opens the Create new MTS TestSuite user window so you can add a new user and

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Section Description
button assign the user a Role.
Remove Removes the user selected in the Manage User Accounts window.
User button
Properties Opens the Change User Properties window. You can change the name, password,
button and assigned roles.
Manage Opens the Manage Roles window. You can view the privileges associated with the
Roles button default roles, work with custom roles, and view all users currently assigned to a role.

Add a Local User and Assign a Role

Note: To perform these steps, you must be assigned the Administrator role or be assigned a
custom role with User Management privileges.
To add a local user and assign a role:
1. Click Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts. The Manage User
Accounts window appears.
2. Click the Local User Management option.
3. Click Add User. The Create new MTS TestSuite user window appears.

 Create New MTS TestSuite User Window

4. Enter the User Name for the user.

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5. Enter a Password for the user and enter the password again in the Confirm Password box.
6. (Optional) Enter a Complete Name and Description of the user.
7. Select one or more Roles for the user.
8. Click OK. Repeat this procedure for each user you need to add.

Add a Windows User and Assign Roles

Note: To perform this task, you must be assigned the Administrator role or be assigned a
custom role with User Management privileges.
To add a Windows user and assign roles:
1. Click Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts. The Manage User
Accounts window appears.
2. Click the Windows User Management option.
3. Click Add User. The Add MTS TestSuite Users window appears.

 Add MTS TestSuite Users Window

4. Select the role you want to assign to the new users.

5. To add a user:
l To find Windows users you want to add, enter the network Domain name, and then
in the Find Windows Users panel, click Find. When the search results return, select
the user or users you want to add. Click the arrows to move the selected users from
the Windows Users panel to the New MTS TestSuite Users panel.
l If you know the user name, enter the User Name and network Domain Name, and
then click Add in the Add User Manually panel. Repeat for additional users.

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6. Click OK.

Change a Role Assigned to a User

To change a role assigned to a user:
1. Click Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts. The Manage User
Accounts window appears.
2. Select the user in the Manage User Accounts window and click Properties. The Change
User Properties window appears.
3. Select the roles by selecting and clearing the corresponding check boxes.
4. Click OK.

Remove a User
To remove a user:
1. Click Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts. The Manage User
Accounts window appears.
2. Select the user in the Manage User Accounts window.
3. Click Remove User. You are prompted to confirm removing the user.
4. Click OK.

Managing Roles
Note: To perform this task, you must be assigned the Administrator role or be assigned a
custom role with User Management privileges.
The MTS TestSuite application provides several default (predefined) roles. You cannot edit or delete
default roles; however, you can create custom roles that you can edit or delete.

Manage Roles Window

Use the Manage Roles window to manage custom roles and view users assigned to roles.

Access
1. Click Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts.
2. Either the Local or Windows User Management option must be selected.
3. Click Manage Roles.

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Manage Roles Window

Create a Custom User Role

To create a custom user role:
1. Click Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts. The Manage User
Accounts window appears.
2. Click Manage Roles. The Manage Roles window appears.

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3. Click Create Role. The Add Role window appears.

 Add Role Window

4. Enter a Name and Description for the new role.

5. Select the Privileges to assign to the role.
6. Click OK.

Default Roles
Use default roles to assign standardized user privileges. Default roles are predefined categories of
user privileges. You cannot edit or delete default roles; however, you can create custom roles that you
can edit or delete.

Note: The privileges that appear vary depending on the selected role. Only privileges for which
you are licensed are shown.

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Default User Roles

Default Role
Privileges
Name
Administrator At least one Windows user account must be assigned to the Administrator role.
Only the Administrator can add users and assign them roles. The Administrator can
also change their own role or assign the Administrator role to another user. The
user who installs the application is automatically added as a user and an
Administrator.
The Administrator role has all privileges, including:
l Edit Calibration Values (MTS Insight/Criterion only)
l Change Laboratory Preferences
l Change Polarity
l Create Diagnostic File
l Delete Project
l Delete Test
l Delete Test Run
l Edit Procedure
l Express Editor
l Launch Fatigue Analyzer
l Launch Fracture Analyzer
l Launch Reporter Add-In
l Launch TW Elite 
l Launch TW Essential
l Launch TW Express
l Launch Multipurpose Elite
l Launch Multipurpose Express
l Tuning (MTS Acumen only)
l Save Test as Template
l User Management
l View Reports
Engineer Includes most privileges, except for laboratory preferences, calibration, and user
management.
The Engineer role has the following privileges:
l Change Polarity

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Default Role
Privileges
Name
l Create Diagnostic File
l Delete Project
l Delete Test
l Delete Test Run
l Edit Procedure
l Express Editor
l Launch Fatigue Analyzer
l Launch Fracture Analyzer
l Launch Reporter Add-In
l Launch TW Elite
l Launch TW Essential
l Launch TW Express
l Launch Multipurpose Elite
l Launch Multipurpose Express
l Tuning (MTS Acumen only)
l Save Test as Template
l View Reports
Operator Creates new projects or tests from templates and run those tests.
The Operator role has the following privileges:
l Create Diagnostic File
l Launch TW Elite
Launch TW Essential
l Launch TW Express
l Launch Multipurpose Elite
l Launch Multipurpose Express
l Tuning (MTS Acumen only)
l View Reports

Note: Operators may start the system application but have limited
capabilities using it. Operator privileges are the same throughout the MTS
TestSuite software applications.

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Edit a Custom User Role

To edit a custom user role:
1. Click Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts. The Manage User
Accounts window appears.
2. Click Manage Roles. The Manage Roles window appears.
3. To edit a user-defined role, select the role and click Edit Role. In the Edit Role window:
A. If necessary, change the Name or Description for the role.
B. Select the privileges to assign to the role.
C. Click OK.

View Users Assigned to a Role

To view users assigned to a role:
1. Click Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts. The Manage User
Accounts window opens.
2. Click Manage Roles. The Manage Roles window opens.
3. Select a role in the Roles list and click Users in Role. The Users in Role window shows a list
of users assigned to that role.

 User In Role Window

4. Click Close.

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Remove a Custom User Role

Note: You cannot remove a role if a user is assigned to the role. Assign the user to another role
and then remove the custom role.
1. Click Preferences > User Management > Manage User Accounts. The Manage User
Accounts window appears.
2. Click Manage Roles. The Manage Roles window appears.
3. To remove a user-defined role, select the role and click Remove Role.
4. Click Close.

Privileges
Note: The privileges that appear vary depending on the selected role. Only privileges for which
you are licensed are shown.

Privileges

Privilege
Description
Name
Edit (Applicable on MTS Insight/Criterion only.) Allows an MTS Field Service Engineer
Calibration to work with TEDS Device files.
Values
Change Allows you to configure default units and names within projects and tests. It enables:
Laboratory
Preferences l Preferences > Configuration > Default Names
l Preferences > Configuration > Unit Set Manager
Change Allows you to change the signal sense of signals in the connected station.
Polarity
Create Allows you to create a diagnostic file, which is used by MTS Technical Support for
Diagnostic diagnostic purposes. It enables Tools > Create Diagnostic File.
File
Delete Allows you to delete a project. It enables the ability to delete a test using
Project Configuration > Project.
Delete Test Allows you to delete a test. It enables the ability to delete a test using File > Delete
Test.
Delete Test Allows you to delete a test run.
Run
Edit Allows you to edit select report templates and a limited set of variable properties
Procedure (Display Name, Default Value, Default Option, Unit, Pretest, Result, Editable Post-
Test, Range, Formatting). The Formula Assistant feature (applicable on MTS
Insight/Criterion only) is also available to apply calculation options to a variable.

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Privilege
Description
Name
Express Allows you to edit select report templates and a limited set of variable properties
Editor (Display Name, Express Editor Default Value, Default Option, Unit, Pretest, Result,
Editable Post-Test, Range, Formatting). The Formula Assistant feature (applicable
on MTS Insight/Criterion only) is also available to apply calculation options to a
variable.
Launch Launches the Fatigue Analyzer application.
Fatigue
Analyzer
Launch Launches the Fracture Analyzer application.
Fracture
Analyzer
Launch Allows you to start the Multipurpose Elite application.
Multipurpose
Elite
Launch Allows you to start the Multipurpose Express application.
Multipurpose
Express
Launch Allows you to start the Reporter Add-in to the Microsoft Excel application.
Reporter
Add-In
Launch TW Allows you to start the TW Elite application.
Elite
Launch Allows you to start the TW Essential application.
TW Essential
Launch TW Allows you to start the TW Express application.
Express
Save Test as Allows you to save a test as a template.
Template
Tuning (MTS (Applicable to MTS Acumen systems only) Allows you to tune control modes.
Acumen
Only)
User Allows you to view information related to users, roles, and privileges. It enables
Management Preferences > User Accounts.
View Allows you to view reports generated by an activity in a test procedure. It enables
Reports the View Report option from the context menu.

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Preferences and Default

Settings
Configuration Window 78
Project Management 79
Audit Trail 82
E-Mail Overview 83
Control Panel Settings 86
Units Management 86
Remote Server Settings 91

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Configuration Window
Access
Preferences > Configuration > Project tab
Use the tabs in the Configuration window to select preferences and default settings. The window
opens to the Project tab by default.

Configuration Window

Configuration Window Tabs

Tab Description
Project Modifies the settings file of the selected project. Project settings determine the
organization and flow of data within a project. Project settings map data paths for
the sub folders within projects.
Test/Template Defines alternative ways to start the test (other than pressing the start button)
using keyboard commands and digital inputs.
Opens the current test when the application starts. Allows you to define the Default
Log Type (Basic or Audit Trail).
Language Selects a language for the MTS TestSuite application.
Email Sets up e-mail for the Run Report and Send E-mail activities.

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Tab Description
The From e-mail property sets the default for the From e-mail address property in
the Run Report and Send E-Mail activities. The other settings are for specifying
the e-mail server. Check with your e-mail administrator for the correct settings. You
can send a test e-mail to verify the SMTP server settings are working properly.
Default Selects default base names for new projects, tests, and test runs.
Names
Control Panel Configures the Ramp Rate for the Jog Buttons and the Ramp Rate for the Return
Crosshead to Zero activity.

Note: Adjusting the Return Ramp Rate applies to the FlexTest

servohydraulic controller only. Only an MTS Field Service Engineer can
adjust the ramp rate for the Crosshead Return to Zero with the MTS
Insight/Criterion (electromechanical) controller.
Unit Set Manages unit sets.
Manager

Project Management
Working with Projects
Access
Preferences > Configuration > Project tab

System Default Project

When you install MTS TestSuite software, the MTS installer creates the system default project and is
labeled Project 1. This project is the location where the installer places or updates example tests. The
system default project cannot be deleted. However, you can change the properties of the system
default project.

Add a project
To add a project, click the + button in the upper right side of the Projects list. The project is
automatically created using the default naming convention specified on the Default Names tab.

Delete a project
To delete a project, select the project you want to delete and click the – icon in the upper right corner of
the Projects list.
Alternately, you can right-click the project you want to delete and select Remove.

Important: When you delete a project, all the folders within that project’s folder are deleted. If
the Test Directory for the project is configured to store tests within the project’s directory
(default), those tests will also be deleted. For more information about the Test Directory, see
“Test Directory” on page 81

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Note: You cannot delete a project if a test within the project is open.

Note: You cannot delete the system default project (that is, Project 1).

Open a project
To open a project, double-click the project name, or right-click the project you want to open and select
the Open Project menu option.

Note: If a test is open, you cannot open another project.

Edit a project
To edit a project, select the project in the Projects list and change the associated project settings as
desired. Your changes are saved when you click the Apply or OK buttons in the Configuration
window.

Set a project as the default project

You can change the default project, which is the project that automatically opens when the MTS
TestSuite software starts. This selection is stored specific to your user credentials. If you do not have a
default project set, the application uses the system default project as your initial default.
To set a project as the default project, right-click the project name you want to set as the default, and
select Set Default Project.

Project Tab
Access
Preferences > Configuration > Projects tab
Use the Project tab to manage projects. With this tab, you can see all the projects, add and remove
them, and see individual project settings.
As you select projects in the Projects list, the settings for the selected project are shown to the right.
By default, the directory settings are global locations shared between all projects but you can change
this setting for a particular project.

Note:
If you change any of the default directories for a project, an asterisk (*) appears next to the
project.

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Project Settings

Setting Description
Name Specifies the name of the project. This name is shown in the Projects list, as well as
in the title bar of the MTS TestSuite application.
Creator Displays the name of the person who created the project. This may be empty if user
management s disabled. This field is read-only.
Created Displays the date and time that the project was created. This field is read-only.
Last Displays the date and time that the project was last modified. This field is read-only.
Modified
Test Specifies the directory in which the project looks for and stores tests. By default, this
Directory directory exists under the project’s directory, but can be set to any valid directory,
including a network location.

Note: If tests are stored in a project directory (default), they are deleted if the
project is deleted.

Note: This field is read-only if there is a test open when the project settings
view is shown.
Custom Specifies the directory in which the MTS TestSuite application looks for existing
Template custom templates and stores new custom templates.
Directory
Note: MTS supplied templates are available from the MTS Templates list on
the start page or from MTS Templates list on the Select tab.
Report Specifies the directory in which the MTS TestSuite application looks for and stores
Template report templates.
Directory
Report Specifies the directory in which the MTS TestSuite application stores generated
Directory reports. By default, this field is blank and reports are stored in a test runs subdirectory
of the project.
External Specifies the directory in which the MTS TestSuite application looks for external files
Files (such as XML files used to create tests).
Directory
Data Specifies the directory in which the MTS TestSuite application saves data export files
Export created by the Export Data activity.
Directory
Description (Optional) Displays a description entered about the project.

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Audit Trail
Access
Test Definition tab > General Settings tab > Log Type
When activated, the Audit Trail feature allows you to check the integrity of your data files from a
selection in the File menu. If the application detects any change, the files that do not match are listed in
a message window. It also writes information about the controller’s TEDS devices to the test log every
time the test is run, including model and serial number, version and manufacturer number, and
calibration date.

Set the Log Type to Audit Trail for a Test

Note: This setting only applies to the current test.
1. Click the Define tab > Test Definition tab > General Settings tab.
2. Click the General Settings tab.
3. Click Edit.
4. In the Log Type list, click Audit Trail. The Check Test Audit Trail option becomes available in
the File menu.

Set the Default Log Type to Audit Trail

When the Default Log Type is set to Audit Trail, each new test that is created has its log type set to
Audit Trail rather than Basic.

Note: This setting does not affect the current test.

1. On the Preferences menu, click Configuration.
2. Click the Test tab.
3. In the Default Log Type list, click Audit Trail.

Check the Test Audit Trail

1. Make sure that the Log Type for the test is set to Audit Trail.
2. Click File > Check Test Audit Trail. Files that do not match the audit trail are listed in a
window. If verification is successful, a message states all files associated with the test have
been verified.
3. Click OK.

Define a Keyboard Shortcut to Start the Test

You can define a keyboard shortcut to start tests from your keyboard. To do this:
1. On the Preferences menu, click Configuration.
2. Click the Test tab.

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3. Select the Function Key Shortcut check box.

4. Click inside the field next to the Function Key Shortcut checkbox and define the shortcut by
typing one of the following key combinations.

Note:
You cannot use a keyboard shortcut to resume a test.

Function keys
F1 - F10

Shift key combinations

l Shift Ins
l Shift Del
l Shift F1 - Shift F12

Control key combinations

l Ctrl Ins
l Ctrl Del
l Ctrl 1 - Ctrl 9
l Ctrl A - Ctrl Z
l Ctrl F1 - Ctrl F12
l Ctrl Shift 0 - Ctrl Shift 9
l Ctrl Shift A - Ctrl Shift Z
l Ctrl Shift F1 - Ctrl Shift F12

Alt key combinations

l Alt Backspace
l Alt Left Arrow
l Alt Up Arrow
l Alt Right Arrow
l Alt Down Arrow
l Alt 0 - Alt 9
l Alt F1 - Alt F12

E-Mail Overview
Access
Preferences > Configuration > E-Mail tab

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You can set up e-mail activities to automatically notify interested parties of test progress. You can
insert variables into the e-mail message and attach the message log. You can also send a report
attached to an e-mail. The Send E-Mail and the Run Report activities require you to configure your
SMTP server settings if you want to use the e-mail activities in your test workflow. The e-mail
configuration uses the SMTP to relay e-mail messages for delivery.

Configuring SMTP Server for E-Mail Activity

Request the relevant SMTP server settings from your system administrator. To configure e-mail
notification:
1. Click Preferences menu > Configuration option > E-Mail tab.
2. Enter the default e-mail address in the From address box.
3. Enter the name of your server in the Server name field.
4. Enter the TCP Port in the SMTP port number field. If your server supports secure
connections, make sure the Enable SSL check box is selected.
5. Adjust the default value in the Timeout field if necessary.
6. If your server requires authentication to relay mail to non-local (external) users, select the My
server requires authentication check box. The Account Name and Password fields are
displayed.
A. Enter your Account Name.
B. Enter your Password.
7. Enter an e-mail address in the Send test e-mail to address field and click Send.
l If successful, an e-mail sends the SMTP settings to the specified test e-mail address.
A message window instructs you to check your Inbox. Click OK.
l If the test e-mail is not successful, a message window instructs you to check the
Application Log for details on the error message. Click OK. Correct the error and
resend the test e-mail.

E-Mail Settings
Access
Preferences menu > Configuration > E-Mail tab
Use the E-Mail tab of the Configuration window to enter e-mail server settings.

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E-Mail Tab—Configuration Window

The following table describes the fields for configuring E-Mail for test activities.

E-Mail Settings

Setting Description
From address The default address from which e-mail is sent. The From address entered in the
E-Mail Configuration window automatically populates the From address in the
Properties panels of the Send E-Mail and Send Report to E-Mail of the Run
Report activities.
Server name The name of the SMTP server for your organization.
SMTP port The SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) port number is typically TCP Port 25. If
number the server is set up for SMTP, the port number is typically 465.
Enable SSL If you server does not support SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), clear the Enable SSL
check box.
If your e-mail server supports secure connections, leave the Enable SSL check
box selected.
Default: Enabled
Timeout Adjust the default timeout value at the recommendation of your e-mail system

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Setting Description
(seconds) administrator.
Default: 120 seconds
My server Select the check box if your server requires authentication to relay mail to e-mail
requires addresses that are external to your organization. Enter your Account Name and
authentication Password.
Clear the check box if your server does not require authentication; that is, you are
sending e-mail only internally.
Default: Enabled
Send test e- Enter the e-mail address to which you want to send a test e-mail. This is highly
mail to recommended to ensure you have correctly configured this option prior to using
address the Send E-Mail activity in a test.
The body of the test message contains your SMTP server settings.
The test e-mail address is cleared when you exit the Configuration window.

Control Panel Settings

Access
Preferences menu > Configuration > Control Panel tab
Use the Control Panel tab to configure the operation of the Jog and Return buttons on the Application
control panel.

Note: When connected to an MTS FlexTest controller, the Return panel allows specifying the
Ramp Rate for the Return to zero position. When connected to an MTS Insight controller, the
Ramp Rate for the Return must be specified by an MTS Field Service Engineer.

Units Management
Unit Set Overview
Access
Preferences menu > Configuration > Unit Set Manager tab

Standard unit set

Use the Unit Set Manager tab to assign a unit set at the system level and at the project level. Unit
sets are a collection of dimensions and associated units. For example, the unit set Si (mm-N) has a
length dimension of millimeters (mm).

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MTS TestSuite applications contain several built-in unit sets.These sets are read-only and cannot be
modified.
l If a unit set is not defined as the system default, the application uses the MTS TestSuite
Default unit set.
l Variables and charts can point to specific units or use the default unit set for the project.

Custom unit set

You can add custom unit sets that can be exported to or imported from other projects. You can select
various units for the dimensions in your custom set. For more information about adding a custom unit
set, see “Add a Custom Unit Set” on page 89.

Predefined Unit Sets

MTS TestSuite includes the following predefined unit sets:

Predefined Unit Sets

Unit Set Description

cgs Centimeters-Grams-Seconds. Defines a set of units that is based upon centimeters,
grams, and seconds. Force is expressed as “dyn.”
mks Meters-Kilograms-Seconds. Defines a set of units that is based upon meters,
kilograms, and seconds. Force is expressed as “N.”
MTS 793 Millimeters-Kilograms-Seconds. Defines a set of units that is based upon millimeters,
kilograms, and seconds. Force is expressed as “kN.”
MTS Millimeters-Kilograms-Seconds. Defines a set of units that is based upon millimeters,
TestWorks kilograms, and seconds. Force is expressed as “kgf.”
4
SI (mm- Systeme International d’Unites. Defines a set of units that contains customary
kN) international (metric) units. It provides force-related units in “kN” and length-related
units in “mm.”
SI (mm-N) Systeme International d’Unites. Defines a set of units that contains customary
international (metric) units. It provides force-related units in “N” and length-related
units in “mm.”
US (in-kip) Defines a set of units that contains customary U.S. engineering units. It provides force-
related units in “kip” and length-related units in “in.”
US (in-lbf) Defines a set of units that contains customary U.S. engineering units. It provides force-
related units in “lbf” and length-related units in “in.”
MTS Meters-Kilograms-Seconds. Defines a set of units that is based upon meters,
TestSuite kilograms, and seconds. Force is expressed as “N.”

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Unit Set Manager Overview

Access
Preferences menu > Configuration > Unit Set Manager tab
The Units Manager window enables you to assign unit sets, such as International System of Units (SI),
United States Customary System of Units (US), or custom unit sets as your MTS TestSuite or project
default. You can copy a predefined unit set and manage your custom unit sets using the following
buttons:
l Add
l Delete
l Edit
l Copy
l Export
l Import

Default Unit Set Selections

To assign a unit set as the default for MTS TestSuite, in the MTS TestSuite Default box, click the list
arrow and select a unit set from the dropdown list. Perform the same action to assign a unit set as the
default for Project Default for "Project 1".

Manage Unit Sets

To view the specific units of measurement defined for a unit set, click the name of a unit set in the Unit
Sets panel; the units are then displayed in the Units column.
A project with an assigned unit set uses the unit set for all dimensions in the project procedures. A
project without an assigned unit set uses the set defined as the system default.
To sort a list, click the column title.

Unit Set Manager Properties

Unit Set Manager

Item Description
MTS TestSuite Shows the current default unit set for the applications. Click the list arrow to
Default assign another predefined or custom unit set.
Project Default Shows the current assigned unit set for the project. Click the list arrow to assign
for another predefined or custom unit set.
<ProjectName>
Name Shows the predefined unit sets and the custom unit sets.
Type Shows the type of unit set: predefined or custom.

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Item Description
Dimension Shows the type of dimension.
Unit Shows the unit selections for that type of dimension. If the unit set is a custom unit
set, click the list arrow to display selections for that type of dimension.
Add Open the Add Custom Unit Set window where you can add a custom unit set.
Enter a display name and description, and select between an International
System of Units (SI) or a United States Customary System of Units (US).
Delete Delete a custom unit set. You cannot delete a predefined system unit set.
Edit Open the Edit Custom Unit Set window where you can change the display name
or description. You cannot change the type of unit system or the individual unit
settings.
Copy Open the Copy Unit Set window to make a copy of the highlighted unit set. If you
copy a predefined unit set, the copy becomes a custom unit set in which you can
change the unit settings.
Export Export a custom unit set to another project or analysis. Click the required custom
unit set (.tsunitset) to export.

Note: If your project uses a custom unit set, it also exports with the project.
Import Import a custom unit set from another project or analysis. Click the required
custom unit set to import (.tsunitset).
Apply Save any changes and keep the Unit Set Manager window open. This button is
useful if you are making multiple custom changes.

Add a Custom Unit Set

To add a custom unit set:
1. Click Preferences > Configuration > Unit Set Manager to open the Unit Set Manager.
2. Click Add to open the Add Custom Unit Set window.
3. Enter a name for your unit set in the Display Name box.
4. Enter a description in the Description box.
5. (Optional) Click the drop-down button to select US Customary Units in the Unit System
box as the predefined settings for your custom unit set. This optional step can minimize the
number of individual changes required to customize your unit set. You are not required to
select a unit system type.
6. Click OK.

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Add a Custom Dimension

In the Unit Set Manager window, you can create a custom dimension. After creating a custom
dimension, you must add at least one custom unit to the dimension. All custom dimensions that you
create are visible in all unit sets.
You may want to create a custom dimension if your testing requires a dimension that does not already
exist in one of the default unit sets. For example, you could create an Inverse Energy per Volume
dimension and then add a default custom unit of 1/lbf*in².
To add a custom dimension:
1. Click Preferences > Configuration > Unit Set Manager to open the Unit Set Manager.
2. In the Dimensions section of the Unit Set Manager, click the Add a new item icon (+). The
Add Custom Dimension window appears.
3. Right-click the dimension and select Edit. The Edit Dimension window appears.
4. Enter an Internal Name and Display Name for the new custom dimension.
5. Click the Add a new item icon (+) and enter an Internal Name and Display Name to
create the a unit for the dimension. By default, this unit will be the default unit, but you can click
the green check mark icon to set a different unit you add as the default unit. For detailed
information about creating and editing custom units, see “Add a Custom Unit” on page 90.

Add a Custom Unit

In the Unit Set Manager window, you can create a custom unit for a dimension. When you add a new
unit to a dimension, the unit can be used in various places throughout the application the same way
other units are used. For example, you could configure a meter to display real-time data using the
custom unit on the Meters tab. Additionally, you could configure a variable used in your test procedure
to store data using the custom unit on the Variables tab.
It may be necessary to create a custom unit if your testing requires a unit that does not already exist in
the available unit sets. For example, if you are measuring stress, there are several commonly-used
units available (such as lbf/ft²). However, other units of stress (such as N/100cm²) are not available in
any of the default unit sets. Therefore, you may want to add a N/100cm² unit to the stress dimension if it
is required for your testing.
To add a custom unit:
1. Click Preferences > Configuration > Unit Set Manager to open the Unit Set Manager.
2. In the Dimensions section of the Unit Set Manager, select the dimension to which you want
to add a custom unit.
3. Right-click the dimension and select Edit. The Edit Dimension window appears.
4. Click the Add a new item icon (+). The Add New Unit window appears.
5. Enter an Internal Name and Display Name for the new custom unit.
6. Click OK to close the Add New Unit window.

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7. (Optional) Click the editable fields under the Scale and Offset columns to specify a scale and
offset for the unit.
l The scale determines how the unit scales with respect to other units in the dimension.
To understand how scale works, consider time measurements. Seconds are treated
as the base unit, so they have a scale of 1. Minutes and hours are scaled depending
on how many seconds they contain, so their scales are 60 and 3,600 respectively.
l The offset is a positive or negative value that is always applied to the unit. To
understand how offset works, consider temperature measurements. K (Kelvin) is
treated as the base unit, so it has a scale of 1 and an offset of 0. °C also has a scale of
1 because it scales linearly with K (that is, a 1 K change is the same as a 1°C degree
change). However, because converting from K to °C requires subtracting 273.15,°C
has an offset of -273.15.
8. Click OK to close the Edit Dimension window. The new unit is added to the dimension.

Remote Server Settings

Access
Preferences menu > Configuration > Remote tab
Use the Remote tab to enable and use remote extensions, if available. This tab is used to set up MTS
TestSuite to communicate with MTS Echo.

Remote Panel Settings

Item Description
Enable Remote Enables the use of remotes services with MTS TestSuite.
Services
Server URL If desired, enter the URL of a custom remote server. By default, the built-in
remote server will be used.
Hide Server Select this option to hide the remote server console window.
Console

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Resources
Working with Resources 94
TEDS Devices 101
TEDS Device Verification Checks 104
External Devices 105
Analog Outputs 118

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Working with Resources

Resources Overview
Fastpath:
Define tab > Resources tab
The Resources tab serves as a map between controller configuration resources and the test
definition. The Resources tab allows you to define a test independently, away from the controller, and
then map the resources to the controller before the test is loaded. The application stores the resources
with the test definition. You can re-map the resources to accommodate particular controller
configurations.
Test resources can include:
l Actions
l Analog Outputs
l Channels
l Digital Inputs
l Digital Outputs
l Float Signals
l Integer Signals

Controller resources
You must map the test resources to controller resources before you can load and run the test
procedure on that controller. Resources are stored with the test definition and validated against the
available controller resources the next time the application connects to a controller.

Template resources
You can map controller resources and then create a test template that includes the controller
resources at the time the template is created. You can then remap any resources as necessary to the
controller the next time the application connects to the controller.

Imported resources
When resources are correctly mapped in a test, you can create other tests offline, and import the
resources between tests. You can also manually add and map individual resources.

Simulated resources
If you are not able to connect to the physical controller, you can use the controller software in
simulation mode and use a pre-configured controller configuration file. In this case, the simulation uses
the controller configuration file as its source for controller resources.

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Internal Name and Display Name

Internal Name
Generally, this is a name that is used internally to the application or by a calculation. These names do
not usually contain spaces and have character restrictions. In some cases, internal names are
assigned by the application and cannot change, and in other cases they are defined by the user and
can change. Because other parts of the system use the internal name, some additional restrictions are
in place to make sure that changing the internal name does not cause the program to fail. In some
cases (such as with variables), the name is adjusted where it can be, but in others (like test resources)
it will not allow the change to take place. These strings do not change when the language is changed.

Display Name
This is a display version of a string. It has some restrictions on allowed characters, but is much more
open than the Internal Names. These strings can be changed by the user without changing any other
part of the application. Some character restrictions apply, and some validation is done so two items at
the same level do not have the same name. These strings are translated and will change based on
language if it was saved in multiple languages (such as with templates).

Resource Details
Fastpath:
Explorer panel > Test name > Test Definition > Resources

Resources Tab

Item Description
Name Shows the names of the resources that are used in the test procedure activities.
The Show Internal Names check box toggles internal or display names in the Name
column. Typically, display names are used instead of internal names.
The Name column shows resources in a hierarchical view organization, allowing the
expand-collapse of the individual resource entries. A context right-click menu is also
available on the entries in the Name column that allows a variety of operations (add,
delete, and rename) that are specific to each entry.
Internal names are not typically edited and cannot be edited if the resource is in use
somewhere in the test procedure. Display names can be edited whenever the test
definition is editable. Test resources cannot be deleted if they are in use somewhere.
Test resources can be created whenever the test definition is editable.
Dimension The dimension of a test resource is only editable if no other test definition modules use
the resource (such as activities and runtime components). If you are connected to a
controller, do not change the dimension because that may invalidate the controller
resource assignment and show an error symbol.
Polarity Use this setting to change the polarity of a float signal. Changing the setting affects the
Effect of Increasing Extension setting. Available settings are:
l Normal

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Item Description
l Inverted

Note: The Polarity setting is always available with MTS TestSuite TW or TWS
software running on an MTS Insight Controller. With a FlexTest controller, the
setting appears only when a validation error occurs. After the error is resolved,
the Polarity setting is not displayed for FlexTest (applicable to servohydraulic
only) the next time the Resources panel is accessed.
Use Count Track the use of the test resource by other parts of the test definition. If a test resource
is in use, you cannot delete it.
Controller Assign names to the resources that are expected in the configuration when Test
Resource Manager is connected to the controller.
The resource table maps the Controller Name to the test Name. The two names can
be different. Only the Controller Name must match what is used in the configuration
file. The Name column shows the names of the resources that are used in the test
procedure activities.
The Show internal names check box toggles internal or display names in the Name
column. Typically, display names are used instead of internal names.
The use of this column is different between online and offline modes.
Controller Where a cell is editable in the column, a drop-down list shows the controller resources
Resource that are compatible with a given test resource. Resources are shown in the drop-down
(when list that match the dimension. The edit line contains the current assignment, which may
connected be in the list. If a displayed resource is not in the list of compatible resources, an error
to a symbol is shown. You can select a resource from the list, or type the name into the edit
controller) box.
The Controller Resource name contains a red error symbol if a conflict occurs between
the resource in Test Manager and the resource in the controller configuration.
Controller configuration resources can be uniquely identified by either their internal
names or display names without knowing which is being specified. Therefore, you can
type either the display name or internal name into the Controller Resource column.
The box is updated to reflect the appropriate name, based on the Show Internal
Names check box.

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Item Description
Controller The list is empty because no controller is connected from which to query the valid
Resource resource names. The edit box shows the internal name. If you type a different name, it
(when not is stored as the internal and display name. There is no validation error since there are
connected no controller resources to validate against.
to a
controller)
Capacity Click Check to define Max/Min resource capacity for the signal and initiate a check
against these settings when you attempt to run the test.
For example, the Load Cell Capacity configuration item is used to define an optional
minimum and optional maximum capacity for a load cell that is used with a specific
template. A check is performed between the defined minimum/maximum capacity with
the capacity of the load cell being used. If the load cell is inadequate, the test cannot
start.
Effect of Note: This setting is only available with MTS TestSuite TW or TWS software
Increasing running on an MTS Insight Controller.
Extension
This setting defines the relationship between the crosshead/displacement channel and
each float signal.
l Select Increases Value when an increase in the crosshead or actuator
extension will increase the value of the signal.
l Select Decreases Value when an increase in the crosshead or actuator
extension will decrease the value of the signal.
l Select Indefinite for signals (such as time) where there is no direct
relationship to the crosshead or actuator extension.

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Resource Buttons
Resources Tab Buttons

Item Description
Add Add a resource to the table. Right-click the entries in the Name column for a menu that
Resource contains a variety of operations (add, delete, and rename) that are specific to each
hierarchy entry. These operations are necessary if no controller or test resource
information is available to import.
Import This function only works when connected to a controller. Test resources are created
Resources that correspond to all controller resources on the controller that is currently connected.
> Import If the table is empty, this function imports all the resources. If some resources are
all unused mapped already, these are not imported. If conflicts occur between existing and new
controller test resources, the names are modified to be unique.
resources
Import This function only works when connected to a controller. A window opens where you
Resources select which resources to import. This function is useful if you have an existing test and
> Import must add a reference to a few resources that were not used previously.
selected
controller
resources
Import Choose another test to import the test resources from.
Resources
> Import
resources
from
another
test
Delete Delete controller resources that are listed in the resources table but are not used
Unused anywhere in the test definition. Typically, a user can add all possible controller
resources, define the test, and delete the unused resources when the test definition is
complete. This approach keeps the resource list to a minimum with only the required
resources listed for the test, which makes the list easier to maintain if controller
resources change in the future.
Use Resources currently shown in the Controller Resource column are copied to the test
Controller resource Name column. The resources in the test procedure are changed to reflect the
Names items in the Name column. Use this feature if you want all resource names to match
(between the test procedure and the controller configuration).

Access System Resources

Note: This procedure only applies to the MTS FlexTest controller.

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To access system resources:

1. Start the Series 793 Station Manager application.
2. Select a project.
3. Open a station.
4. Start the MTS TestSuite application.
5. Open or create a test.
6. Expand the Resources menu to access the resources.

Import Test Resources

Note: This procedure applies only to the Import Resources button on the Resources tab.
You can only import test resources from the connected controller or another test in the same
project.
When you import an entire project, the test resources can be included for each test in the project.
Depending on the origin of the information, the imported resources may not map to the controller
resources of the control system networked with your session or workstation.
To import test resources:
1. Open the desired test.
2. If you want to import resources from the test controller, select Controller > Connect.
3. Click the Resources tab.
4. Click the Import Resources button on the work space to show the options menu.
5. To import resources from a connected controller, select one of the following options:
l Click Import the selected controller resources to select which unused resources
you want to add to the test and continue with step 6 below.
l Click Import All Unused Controller Resources to import all the controller
resources that are not currently in use by the test and continue with step 7 below.
6. If you selected Import selected controller resources:
A. Expand the unused resources hierarchy and select the check boxes for the resources
to import, or click Select All to select all unused resources.
B. Select the Show Internal Names check box to show the internal names for the
resources in the work area instead of their display names.
C. Click OK.
D. The table of test resources updates and a message window indicates that the import
was successful. Click OK.
E. If all the controller resources are already in use by the test, a corresponding message
is shown. Click OK.

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7. To import resources from another test:

A. Click Import resources from another test to overwrite the test resources with the
imported resources.
B. In the Select Test for Resource Import window, select the required test, and then click
OK.
C. The table of test resources in the work area is updated and a message indicates that
the import was successful. Click OK.

About Disabled Resources

To add versatility to templates, you can include variables, activities, and resources that you can disable
or enable depending on the specific type of test you wish to perform. This allows one test procedure to
contain resources for the various functions, while allowing the operator to “turn off” portions of the test
procedure as needed. Typically, a combination of variables, activities, and resources might all need to
be disabled in order to effectively turn off a portion of a template.
If a disabled resource is referenced by an enabled resource, variable, or activity, a validation error
occurs for that reference, and the test will not run.
Disabled resources appear grayed out on the Resources tab and in resource lists in other areas of the
application.

Note: Disabled calculations may be referenced in the Additional Calculations list of a data
acquisition activity without causing a validation error. In these cases, the disabled references are
ignored during a test run.

Disable Resources
1. On the Resources tab, locate the resources that you want to disable. If a validation error
occurs, use the associated error icons to help locate resources that should be disabled.
2. Right-click the resource and select Disable (resource).

NI M Series Multifunction DAQ

Note:
This feature only applies to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.

Warning:
The information contained in this document should only be used by qualified personnel
Misunderstood, misread, or misapplied information used to set up and operate an MTS test
system can expose personnel and equipment to severe hazards. This can result in damage to
equipment (including test articles) and injury or death to personnel.
Before you use the information in this document, verify your qualifications with your system
administrator or MTS.

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MTS TestSuite supports the National Instruments (NI) M Series Multifunction Data Acquisition (DAQ)
driver. It supports Analog Input (AI), Digital Input (DI), and Digital Output (DO) signals.
Analog Input (AI) signals can be configured to single-ended non-referenced, single-ended referenced,
or differential if it is set up as a Voltage or Bridge device (Measurement Type). If it is setup as a
Thermocouple, it has a number of thermocouple types instead. You cannot mix differential and single-
ended signals on a test system. The virtual Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS) defines the
scaling, dimension, and units of the AI signal. For more information about TEDS, see “TEDS Devices”
on page 101.
The DI and DO signals are grouped into ports of 8 digital signals which are either all inputs or all
outputs. DO signals support Toggle, Pulse, Set, and Clear.
AI and DI signals can be used in limit detectors.
For more information about National Instruments Data Acquisition products, see their website at
National Instruments Data Acquisition (DAQ).

Note: Before purchasing NI M series hardware, contact MTS Technical Support to confirm your
requirements.

Configuration
To configure the NI M Series Multifunction DAQ for your test, you must modify the TW Diag
configuration file. Contact MTS technical support for this procedure.
Once configured, the devices will appear in your test and can be modified from the TW application
Resources tab. For more information about the Resources tab, see “Resource Details” on page 95.

TEDS Devices
When the TW application is used with an MTS Criterion system, the application requires the storage of
calibration information in a TEDS (Transducer Electronics Data Sheet) device or a virtual TEDS file.
The TEDS assignments and other settings made in the TEDS Devices window are saved as controller
resources and appear in each test that is run on that controller.

Note: The following TEDS procedures only apply to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.

For more information

For information on using TEDS devices with an MTS Landmark® and other servohydraulic systems,
see 793 Control Software at Start > MTS 793 Software > Electronic Documentation > 793
Control Software.

TEDS Devices Window

Note: This feature only applies to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.

Access
Controller menu > TEDS Devices window

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The TEDS Devices window shows the calibration source (virtual TEDS file or TEDS device) and
provides access to the calibration settings for the signals that use a virtual TEDS file.

Overview
The TEDS Devices window shows all the signal resources and TEDS assignments associated with
the controller and allows you to:
l Create a virtual TEDS file for a controller resource.*
l Update a virtual TEDS file.*
l Assign a virtual TEDS file to a controller resource.
l Configure a device verification for the selected device.
l Perform a device verification for the selected device.
l View the Device Verification History for the selected device.
* Requires the Edit Calibration Values privilege.

Note: Editing the information for a device that has a TEDS chip can only be performed by an
MTS Field Service Engineer.

Display and Edit the Virtual TEDS Information for a Signal

Note: Editing the information for a device that has a TEDS chip is typically only performed by an
MTS Field Service Engineer.

Note: This feature only applies to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.
1. On the Controller menu, click TEDS Devices.
2. Select a signal (with a TEDS file assigned as a source) from the signal list.
3. Click Details. The TEDS Details window appears.
4. Edit the TEDS settings as required.

Note: To create a backup copy of the TEDS file that you can revert to if needed, click
Save As before making any changes.
5. Click OK to save your changes.
Any changes will overwrite the settings in the TEDS file that is assigned to the signal.

Create a Virtual TEDS File

This feature only applies to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.

Note: This feature only applies to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.
1. On the Controller menu, click TEDS Devices.
2. Select a signal.
3. Click New.

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4. If the selected signal is an encoder, continue to the next step. If the selected signal is _Load, _
Strain1, or _Strain2, select the type of device in the TEDS Selector window:
l Analog Input Device: Bridge-type sensor such as a load cell or strain gage.
l High-Level Voltage-Output Sensor: Non-bridge sensor (such as a string pot) that
provides a high-level voltage output.
5. The TEDS Details window appears with default settings.
6. If necessary, edit the settings and click OK.
7. In the Save As TEDS window, type a name for the TEDS file and click Save.
8. The new TEDS file is now listed as the source for the signal.
9. Click OK.
10. Click Yes to save the settings as a new file.

Assign a Virtual TEDS File to a Signal

Note: This feature only applies to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.
1. On the Controller menu, click TEDS Devices.
2. Select a device.
l If a device already has a file assigned to it, click Remove to remove the source
assignment.
l If a device does not have a file assigned to it, click New.
3. Click Open.
4. In the Open TEDS window, select a compatible TEDS file.
The default directory for virtual TEDS files is: MTS TestSuite\Devices.
5. Click Open.
6. Perform a device verification. For more information about performing device verification, see
“TEDS Device Verification Checks” on page 104.

Add TEDS Information to the Test Run Log

When the Log Type for the test is set to Audit Trail, each time a test is run, the application writes the
TEDS model and serial number to the test run log.

Note: This feature only applies to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.

Default Log Type Setting

On the Preferences menu, click Configuration and then click the Test tab. This setting applies to all
tests.

Test Log Type Setting

Open a test, click the Define tab, click the Settings subtab, and set the Log Type to Audit Trail. This
setting only applies to the current test.

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TEDS Device Verification Checks

TEDS Device Verification Check procedures only apply to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.

Perform a Device Verification Check

A device verification check compares device readings recorded during actual calibration to the
readings recorded during the check to help identify problems associated with a device.
1. On the Controller menu, click TEDS Devices.
2. Select a signal from the signal list.
3. Click Verify.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to verify the device.

View the Device Verification History

The Device Verification Check History window shows the history of all the device verification checks
run against the selected signal (device).
1. On the Controller menu, click TEDS Devices.
2. Select a signal.
3. Click History.

Device Verification Settings

Device verification prompt
The device verification prompt is used to remind an operator to run a device verification before being
running a test. To configure a device verification prompt:
1. On the Controller menu, click TEDS Devices.
2. Select a signal from the signal list.
3. In the TEDS Details panel, select the Device Verification Prompt for the device. For example,
if set to Daily, each day, the operator will be prompted to run a device verification before being
allowed to run tests.

Warning/Lock-Out Ranges
During a device verification, the application compares the new signal value obtained during the check
to the value obtained when the device was calibrated. To configure a warning/lock-out range for a
device:
1. On the Controller menu, click TEDS Devices.
2. Select a signal from the signal list.
3. Set the Warning and Lock-Out ranges.
l If the difference between the new value(s) and the original value(s) is beyond the
Warning Range, a warning message appears. The user must determine whether to
proceed with testing or to resolve the problem with the device.

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l If the difference between the new signal value and the original signal value is beyond
the Lock-Out Range, an error message appears. The application will not allow you to
run a test until the problem has been resolved.

About the Devices Window

Access
The Controller menu > Devices
The Devices window is available in MTS TestSuite applications connected to a FlexTest controller.
The Devices window allows an operator to review current sensor assignments and change them to
compatible options as necessary.

Note: For systems running MP version 2.6 and earlier, and Series 793 version 5.7 and earlier,
this functionality is available in the Station Manager application > Station Setup window >
Sensor tab.
Clicking the Details button will show information about the selected device.
You can assign sensors resources:
l While the MTS TestSuite application is connected to the controller, and
l When changing between previously set-up devices.

Assign Sensor Calibration Files for New Hardware

To assign sensor resources:
1. Click the Controller menu > Devices.
2. Select the device that you want to change, and click Assign.
3. Select the new .scf file from the drop-down menu and click Assign.
4. Click OK to dismiss the Devices window after all changes are made.

External Devices
Access
Controller menu > External Devices
The External Devices window allows you to add and configure external devices as controller
resources. After the resources are configured, they can be used in tests.

Important: Many of the configuration settings are device-dependent. For more information, see
the documentation provided with the device.

Note: The External Devices procedures only apply to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.

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For information on using External Devices with an MTS Landmark system and other servohydraulic
systems, see the 793 Control Software at Start > MTS 793 Software > Electronic Documentation
> 793 Control Software.

Set Up an External Device

Follow this checklist to configure an external device for use in the TWE, TWX, and TWS applications.
1. Select the Device Type you need to configure.
2. Complete the configuration settings for the device.
3. Add the External Device as a Resource in a test.
4. Map External Device commands to Controller Resources.
5. Add an External Device activity to the Test Procedure.
Refer to the topics in this section for detailed reference information and step-by-step
procedures.

Select an External Device Type

The Select Device Type window allows you to select the type of device that is connected to your COM
channel or an Ethernet connection. The TW application automatically configures many of the
configuration settings with default values; however, you may need to configure additional settings to
install your external device.
The TW application provides default configurations for several external devices. If your device is not
listed, you can use either the General Purpose Ethernet Device or the General Purpose Serial Device
option as a starting point.

Access
Controller menu > External Devices

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1. In the Device title bar, click the plus (+) button.

Select Device Type Window

Select from the following device types:

l Advantage Video Extensometer (AVX)—Communicates with an MTS AVX extensometer.
l Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature Controller (EI-Bisynch or Modbus RTU
protocols)—Communicates with a 2000 series thermal controller made by Eurotherm. The
device can read data or set the temperature setpoint.
l FVX Video Extensometer
l General Purpose Ethernet Device—Use to configure an external device that
communicates over an Ethernet connection.
l General Purpose Serial Device—Use to construct a serial device configuration to
communicate with any serial device. Select this option if you need to set up a device that is not
shown in the list.
l LX Series Laser Extensometer—Communicates with an MTS LX Series laser
extensometer. This device is designed to send commands such as turn the laser on or off to
the laser extensometer.
l MFL AutoExtensometer
l Mitutoyo
l Sylvac

Create a Controller Resource for an External Device

Note: The following procedure applies to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems only.

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1. Create the controller resource for the external device.

A. From the Controller menu, click External Devices. The External Device window is
displayed.
B. In the External Devices window, click the plus (+) button. The Select Device Type
window is displayed.
C. In the Select Device Type window, click a device type from the list.

Note: If the device you want to add is not listed, click the General Purpose
Ethernet Device Type or General Purpose Serial Device Type as
appropriate.
Once added, the new external device appears in the Device list of the External
Devices window.
2. From the Devices list, select the device that you want to configure.
3. Use the tabs in the External Devices window to configure all the settings required for
communications with the external device.

Note: After you create the External Device resource, you must use the Resources tab
to add the device to your test and define the device commands.

External Device Configuration Settings

Many of these settings are device-specific. Refer to the device manual for information on device
settings.

External Device Configuration Settings

Tab Settings
Device Device Name—The Controller Name that appears in the Resources list.
Configuration
(Serial Serial Port - Select the COM channel for the serial port.
Devices)
Device Device Name—The Controller Name that appears in the Resources list.
Configuration
(Ethernet IP Address—Enter the unique IP address set up on the device.
Devices) Port—Enter a port number to identify the device. If multiple Ethernet devices are
used, each device must have a unique port number assignment.
Device Read Termination String (ASCII only)—Enter the string that appears at the end
Configuration of each message from the external device. For more information, see “ASCII
(Serial and Control Codes for External Devices” on page 117.
Ethernet
Devices) Write Termination String (ASCII only)—Enter the string that will appear at the
end of each message sent to the external device. For more information, see “ASCII
Control Codes for External Devices” on page 117.
Read Timeout—Enter the time the TW application waits for a response after

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Tab Settings
sending a read command to the external device before a timeout occurs.
Write Timeout—Enter the time the TW application waits for a response after
writing a command to the external device before a timeout occurs.
Error String—Enter the error string returned by the device.
Protocol—Select the protocol used to communicate with the device.

Note: The ASCII protocol does not support device addresses.

l ASCII
l Eurotherm EI-Bisynch - For use with Eurotherm 2000 Series
Controllers that use the EI-Bisynch protocol.
l Modbus RTU (remote terminal unit) - For use with devices that support
this protocol.
Device Address - Enter the device address. This setting is used by the TW
application to identify the device. If multiple devices share the same COM port, set
the Device Address to None and manually enter the device address in device-
specific commands that you create in the Command Settings tab.
Port Settings If necessary, adjust the default serial port settings for the external device:
(Serial Device
l Bits Per Second
only)
l Data Bits

l Parity
l Stop Bits
l Flow Control
l Restore Defaults - Click to restore default settings.
Command Use the Command Settings tab to add the commands that the TW application
Settings uses to communicate with the external device.
Command Name—Enter the name of the command. For example, the LX Series
Laser Extensometer uses the Target Distance command name for the Tn
command.
Command—Enter the command required by the device. For example, the LX
Series Laser Extensometer uses a L0 command for “Laser ON” and R for “Read
Data.”

Note: Enter %s (lower case) in the Command box if the output command
will be determined by a variable defined in an External Device test activity.
Send Byte Data— Select if the command is sent to the device as a byte.

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Tab Settings
Wait for Acknowledgement—Select to have the TW application wait for a
response after it sends information to the external device.
Supports Return Value—Select if the external device returns an input value.

Important: This check box must be selected if the input value will be written
to a variable.
Value Type—Select a value type, such as Floating Point.
Offset—Select to enable an offset on the return value. In the field, enter the offset
to be applied.
Regular Expression—Enter the string that defines how to filter the string (return
value) returned by the external device.

Note: Click the ? button to display the Regular Expression Tool that allows
you to check the expression’s effect on various strings.
For more information on how to use this utility, see “Regular Expression Tool” on
page 111.
Multiplier—Use the multiplier value to scale the return value sent by the external
device into system units.
Signal Can Be Streamed check box—Select the check box if the device provides a signal
Settings stream that may be used in a test. Deselect the check box for devices that do not
provide a signal stream.
Internal Name—Enter the internal name of the controller resource.
Display Name—Enter the display name (the controller name displayed in the
Resources list).
Dimension—Select the dimension for the external device signal.
Unit—Select the unit for the dimension.
Query Command—Select the command (defined in the Command Settings
tab) that the TW application sends to the external device to start streaming data.
Time Interval—Defines how often the TW applications sends the Query
Command to the device to request information.
Device Command—Select the command (defined in the Command Settings tab) to
Verification send for verifying the device is communicating with your PC.
Send Command—Click the Send Command button to verify the device is
responsive.
Response—Displays the response received from sending the command.

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Add a Command to an External Device

To add a command to an external device:
1. From the Controller menu, click External Devices. The External Device window is
displayed.
2. In the Device list, select the device for which you want to add a command.
3. Click the Command Settings tab.
4. Click the plus (+) button.
5. In the Command Details panel, enter the Command Name and Command.
6. Make other selections as appropriate for the command and device. For more information, see
“External Devices” on page 105.

Regular Expression Tool

To use the regular expression tool:
1. In the External Devices window, click the Command Settings tab.
2. Select a command that you want to edit. If necessary, click Add to add a new Read Data
command.
3. In the Command Details panel, select the Supports Return Value check box. The Regular
Expression Pattern field becomes available.

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Command Details Window

4. Use the Regular Expression Tool to verify the expression.

A. Click the Question Mark (?) button next to the Regular Expression text box to
display a pop-up window.

Regular Expression Tool

B. In the Regular Expression text box, enter the expression.

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C. In the Test String text box, enter an example of the string returned by the external
device.
D. Click Match and evaluate the filtered result that appears.
E. Change the expression as required until you achieve the desired result.

Device Address Considerations

The configuration for various devices affects the address and the command settings for these devices.

Multiple devices connected to a single COM port

Some device configurations, such as the MTS Model 409.83 Temperature Controller, include multiple
devices that connect to a single COM port. The collection of devices is given a device name and the
addition of device addresses to the commands allows the application to communicate with a specific
device.
1. On the Device Configuration tab, set the Device Address setting to None.
2. On the Command Settings tab, type the device address in front of each command setting.
For example, if the read-temperature command for a particular controller is PV and there are
three temperature controllers whose device addresses are 1, 2, and 3, you could add three
commands (1PV, 2PV, 3PV) and give the commands descriptive names such as Read
Temperature Device 1, Read Temperature Device 2, and Read Temperature Device 3.
3. When the device is used in an External Device activity, you can select the command for a
specific device.

Single devices connected to a COM port

For devices that are connected to a dedicated COM port:
1. On the Device Configuration tab, set the Device Address setting to the device’s address
number.
2. On the Command Settings tab, enter the desired commands.
When the device is used in an External Device activity, you can select the command and the
application automatically adds the device address to the command.

Add an External Device Resource to a Test

Use this procedure to create a test resource from an external device controller resource.

Method 1
1. Click the Test Definition tab and then the Resourcessubtab.
2. Click Import Resources to add the external device to the resource list.
All the commands associated with the device appear in the properties table.

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Method 2
1. Add the external device to the Resources list for the test.
A. Click the Test Definition tab and then the Resources subtab.
B. Click Add Resource and choose External Device.

Choose External Device

2. In the Add External Device Resource window, define the test resource:

Add External Device Resource Window

3. Select the external device from the Controller Resource list.

4. Configure the controller Resource:
l Display Name - Enter the display name for the controller resource.
l Internal Name - Enter the internal name for the controller resource.
l Dimension - Shows the dimension set in the External Devices window.

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l Show Controller Internal Names - Select this check box if you want the internal
name (defined above) displayed in the Resources list.
5. Click OK. The device now appears in the Resources list for the test.
6. To map the test resource commands to controller-resource commands associated with this
device, you must add each external-device command by clicking the + button in the device
properties table.

Map External Device Commands to Controller Resources

You can use the external device properties in the Resources tab to map test resource commands to
controller resource commands. This is helpful if you create a test offline and your test resource naming
does not match the controller resource naming.
1. Click the Test Definition tab and then click the Resources subtab.
2. In the Resources list, select the external device that contains the command settings that you
want to map.
The properties table for the device has two columns:
l The Name column lists all of the test resource commands.
l The Controller Resource column shows the command settings for the selected
device. Each controller resource includes a drop-down list that allow you to map it to a
test resource.

Properties Window

Note: If you clicked Import Resources to add the external device to the
resource list, all the commands associated with the device appear in the
properties table.

Note: If you clicked Add Resource to add the external device to the resource
list, you must add each command by clicking the + button in the device
properties table.

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3. Use the controller resource lists to map test resources to controller resources.
A. In the Properties table, select a test resource.
B. Select a controller resource from the drop-down list.
4. Optional - to create a new test-resource command:
A. On the properties table for the external device, click the plus (+) button.
B. Select the new test resource (added to the bottom of the list).
C. Select a controller resource from the drop-down list.

Device Verification for External Devices

The Device Verification tab allows you to send a command to an external device and observe the
response. Use this feature to verify the operation of an external device or to send commands as part of
a calibration procedure.
1. On the Controller menu, click External Devices.
2. On the Devices list, click the device that you want to verify.
3. In the External Devices window, click the Device Verification tab.

Device Verification Tab

4. From the Command list, select the command that you want to send to the device. The
Command list contains all the commands defined in the Command Settings tab.
5. Click Send Command. The response returned from the external device is displayed in the
Response field.

Export and Import External Device Files

You can export the configurations of your external devices for import into another TW workstation. The
exported device file has the .tsExternalDevice file extension. Device files are exported to the MTS
TestSuite > External Files directory.

Export an External Device File

1. Click Controller > External Devices. The External Devices window is displayed.
2. In the Device list, select the device you want to export.
3. Click Export. The Export the External Device File window is displayed.

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4. Enter a File name and click Save.

5. Click OK.

Import an External Device File

1. Click Controller > External Devices. The External Devices window is displayed.
2. Click Import. The Select External Device File to Import window is displayed.
3. Select the file to import and click Open.
4. Click OK.

Remove an External Device Resource

Note: If the external device is in use as a controller resource within a test, removing the
resource results in a test resource validation error.
1. Click Controller > External Devices. The External Devices window is displayed.
2. In the Devices list, select the device you want to remove and click the minus (-) icon. The
device is removed from the list.

ASCII Control Codes for External Devices

The following are the control characters used by serial devices. The most commonly used are the ^M
(carriage return – CR) and ^J (line feed – LF).

Control Characters Used By

Serial Devices

Code Meaning
^@ NULL
^A SOH
^B STX
^C ETX
^D EOI
^E ENQ
^F ACK
^G BEL
^H BS (Backspace)
^I HI
^J LF (Linefeed)
^K VI

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Code Meaning
^L FF
^M CR (Carriage Return)
^N SO
^Q CS1
^R DC2
^S DC3
^T DC4
^U NAK
^Y EM
^Z STB
^[ ESC (Escape)
^\ FS
^] GS
^^ RS
^_ US

Analog Outputs
You can use analog outputs to control various analog devices including data recorders, external data
subsystems, oscilloscopes, fans, or other devices. When you connect an analog device to the MTS
Insight controller, the controller will send a specified voltage (between 0 and 10 V) to the device based
upon signals from resources in your test, such as force, stress, or strain.

Using calculations to derive an analog signal

You can use calculations to derive the analog output voltage based on one or more resources in your
test. For example, consider a scenario in which you are using two extensometers to test dog bone
specimens. In this case, you might want the analog output to take the measurements of both
extensometers into account when deriving the analog output signal. To do this, you would create a
calculation that adds the extensometer signals together and then divides the result by two. This
calculation causes the controller to produce an analog output signal based upon the average of the two
extensometer signals.

Importing analog output resources to a test

MTS Insight controllers allow for up to two analog outputs. Before you can enable an analog output,
you must import the analog output as a resource in your test. After you import the analog outputs, they
appear on the Resources subtab of the Test Definition tab:

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Analog Outputs on the Resources Subtab

Configuring Analog Outputs

After you add an analog output, you must select a Dimension, Controller Resource, and calculation
for the analog output. Additionally, you will need to configure a TEDS file, which is used to translate
signals from resources into voltages sent to the analog device.
1. On the Resources subtab of the Test Definition tab, select a Dimension (such as Force,
Stress, or Strain). This dimension qualifies the values of the analog output when used by the
analog calculation and the TEDS file.
2. If you modified the name of the controller resource, select the modified controller resource
name in Controller Resource. By default, the controller resources used by the two analog
outputs are set to Analog Out 1 and Analog Out 2.
3. Create a calculation that will be used to derive the analog output signal:
A. Select Analog Output 1 and click the … button next to the Calculation field in the
Properties panel. The Calculation Editor window appears.
B. Enter a calculation for Analog Output 1. For example, if you want the analog output
signal to rely on the stress signal, you would simply add the Stress signal. However,
you could create a more complex calculation, if necessary. For example, if you create
a calculation that adds the signals from two attached extensometers together and
divides them by two, the calculation will produce the average of the two extensometer
signals.
4. Click Controller > TEDS Devices. The TEDS Devices window appears.
5. Select the Analog Out 1 device.
6. If the Analog Out 1 device already has a TEDS Source listed, click Details to edit the
existing TEDS file. Otherwise, click New to create a new TEDS file.
7. The TEDS Detail (Analog Output 1) window appears. For detailed information about
configuring TEDS devices, see “TEDS Devices” on page 101.

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When configuring the TEDS file for an analog output, the Physical Measurand must match the
Dimension that you selected for Analog Output 1 on the Resources subtab. When configuring the
minimum and maximum measurand values on the TEDS Details (Analog Output 1) window, keep in
mind that these values correspond to the Minimum Electrical Value and Maximum Electrical
Value.
For example, consider a scenario in which the minimum force that will be applied during your test is 0
N, and the maximum force will be 100 N. In this case, you would configure the TEDS file as follows:

Configuring a TEDS File for an

Analog Output

TEDS File Property Value/Unit

Minimum Force/Weight 0N
Maximum Force/Weight 100 N
Minimum Electrical Value 0V
Maximum Electrical Value 10 V

As a result, the controller will produce 0 V when 0 N of force is applied. When the full 100 N of force is
applied, the controller will produce a full 10 V. When only 50 N of force is applied, the controller will
produce 5V. If the analog device connected to the controller is an oscilloscope, for example, the
oscilloscope will show readings based upon these voltages.

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Managing Tests
Tests 122
Test Runs 128
Templates 132
Project 134
Export and Import 135

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Tests
Tests Overview
Note: You must have the Administrator or Engineer privilege on a TWE system to create or
modify a test procedure.
A test is a file that contains test run data (if test runs were performed), and includes a copy of the
template. You can design your own test or create one from a template. Each test includes:
l A test definition
l Test runs
A test run is a single instance of running the test procedure. The data is stored in a test file with a copy
of the test procedure or template.

Test definition
The following tabbed pages are available for creating or modifying tests.

l Select—Open new, existing, or recently run tests.

l Monitor—Configure charts, tables, meters, and scopes to monitor specimen and test
information during a test run.
l Define > Variables—View the properties of existing variables and to create new variables.
l Define > Procedure —Construct the sequence of activities (command, test control, and
DAQ) that make up a test.

Note: Variables are an important part of a test, because they represent test values or
other information generated or accumulated during a test run. Variables are defined for
and used with a particular test. Each new test run stores a copy of the variables as
defined when the test run is created.
l Define > Report Templates—Create templates that are used to generate test reports. You
can also import report templates previously exported from another test. Report templates are
created in Microsoft Excel.
l Define > Functions—Create, modify, and manage functions.
l Define > Resources—Configure, and manage the hardware and virtual resources that are
available from the assigned test station. You can import resources previously exported from
another test.

Test Editor
The center panel of the main window is the primary work area for the test definition. You can view the
test definition in the Flowchart View by clicking the Flowchart view button (as shown in “Flowchart
View of Workflow” on page 123) or the Outline View by clicking the Outline view button (as shown in
“Outline View of Workflow” on page 124) interface. The search box helps you quickly locate an activity.

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Flowchart View of Workflow

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Outline View of Workflow

The test procedure interface has drag-and-drop and graphic features to facilitate design productivity.
For example, a test procedure consists of a sequence of activities. The Procedure tab for the test
shows the activities that are available. Test procedures are shown in the work area graphically for ease
of design and editing. To construct a test procedure, drag activities from the Procedure tab to the work
area.

Error list window

The Error List window shows messages about possible problems with the configuration or procedure
that is being constructed.

Test run reports

The application can create reports for each test run. The report content and appearance are specified
by the templates you create with the MTS TestSuite Reporter Add-in for Microsoft Excel.

Test Procedure Overview

A test procedure includes the system actions you want the application to perform during a test. The test
procedure is located on the Test Definition tab.
The procedure is made up of activities arranged in a graphical flowchart. The test procedure appears
in the test-run display when the test run starts. You can only drop activities into the flow-chart view, not
the test-run display.

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Each test has a single procedure that is stored with the test definition. The procedure is included when
you create test templates. You can define the procedure while connected to hardware resources or
while working offline with the resources stored with the test from an earlier connection.

Procedure design
Whether you work with the Procedure workspace that shows the current test procedure as a flowchart
or the Outline view that shows the procedure as a hierarchy in a tree view, the graphical display
simplifies creating tests.
The Toolbox panel contains activity icons that you drag into the Test Editor and name to build a
procedure. The Properties panel shows the properties that you set for the selected activity. You can
hide or resize the panels to increase the amount of visible workspace.

Navigation
The flowchart view includes Pan and Zoom controls to help you move around complex text
procedures. The Outline view provides the Find option for locating activities by name.

Test Procedure Pan and Zoom Controls

Procedure run
When the test is loaded, you use the control panel to perform primary hardware and test control
operations. When you click Run, the test procedure begins. If the procedure is stopped before
completion, you can resume the test from where it stopped.

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To troubleshoot procedures, you can include the Test Procedure in the test-run display to monitor test
progress.
An operator can follow the progress of a test as the test-run display indicates the current test activity. A
green triangle indicates the current activities. A blue check mark indicates completed activities.

Test-Run Progress

Procedure activities
Activities are the building blocks for test procedures. To add an activity to a procedure, click the activity
in the toolbox and drag it to a location in the procedure marked with a plus sign. If it is the first activity
being added, drag the icon to the Drop Activities Here area.
The types of procedure activities include:
l Operator messages
l Operator input
l Conditional if/else processing
l Parallel processing
l Parameter input
l Variable handling
l Command generation
l Data acquisition
l Auto offset
l External device control
l Program control and error handling
l Interacting with the monitor display
l Generating reports

Activity properties
Most activities require you to specify properties to fully define how the activity should perform. When
you add an activity that has parameters you are required to specify, the activity in the procedure
includes an error icon. The Properties tab identifies the parameters, and the Error list describes the
problem. You must correct all errors in the test before you can initialize and run the test.

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All activities have a Display Name that defaults to the activity name. You can enter a name to display
for an activity. All activities provide an optional Description field to document the procedure design.
You can also set the visibility of the activity in the Progress Table.
All activities have the Enabled check box selected by default. You can clear the Enabled check box to
disable an activity.

Creating a Test
From the File menu, you can create a new test as follows:
l New Test From Current Test: Creates a new test from the test that is currently open. Any
test runs from the test that is currently open will not be transferred to the new test.
l New Test From Template: Creates a container file called a test that is used to collect data
and contains a copy of the template. Each time you run the template on a physical specimen,
the application creates a test run. The test run is a data set that populates the test.

Note: Only templates for which you are licensed appear in the New Test From
Template list.
l New Test From Existing Test: Creates a new test that includes a copy of the test without
test run data.
l New Test From File: Creates a new test from an XML file; typically used in automation.
l New Test from TestWorks 4 Import File: Creates a test from a legacy TestWorks 4 import
file.

Saving Test Changes

The application saves test changes in two ways:
l User-prompted saves
l Automatic saves (background saves)

User-prompted saves
When you create a test, that is, while you are configuring a test on the Test Definition tab, only user
prompted saves are performed. This allows you to make changes to your test design and then back out
of those changes as long as you do not run the test. To save changes to a test before you run it, you
must select Save from the File menu or choose to save changes when prompted upon closing the test
or exiting the application.

Note: You cannot save parts of a test. When you click Yes, the entire test is saved.

Automatic saves
When you run a test, the application automatically saves the test without a user prompt as follows:
l At the beginning of the test run
l Periodically during the test run
l When the test run completes

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l When the test run is interrupted (e.g., power loss to the test frame)
l When the test run is stopped (pressing the Stop button on the Test Controls panel)
l When the test is unloaded (pressing the arrow button to the right of the Test Controls panel)

Considerations for automatic saves

When you start a test run, the application automatically saves the current state of the test. If you want
to modify a test without saving your changes, that is, experiment with the test, you should perform a
File > Save As of your test, modify as desired, and then run the new test.
If you inadvertently run a modified test and want to back out of the changes you made to the test before
you ran it (and the application automatically saved it), you must do so manually.

Saving a Test
To save a test:
1. To save a test without closing it, select File > Save, or click the Save icon.
2. To close the test, select File > Close Test.
3. You are prompted to save the test if you have made changes to the test.

Deleting a Test
Important: When you delete a test, all test definitions, test runs, test data, and reports are also
deleted.

Using MTS TestSuite software

From the File menu, select Delete Test.

Using Windows Explorer

If you want to delete many tests at once, or if you need to remove tests that are corrupt and cannot be
opened, use Microsoft Windows Explorer.
Test files have a .test extension, and reside in Project files, which have .project extension.
By default, Project files are located at: C:\MTS TestSuite\Projects.

Test Runs
Test Runs Overview
A test run is the record of a test performed on a single, selected specimen. Test run analysis data is
automatically displayed on the Review tab when a test run is finished.
Test runs are stored in the test and include:
l A copy of the test definition, including the procedure, at the time the test run is created
l A copy of the name of the selected specimen and its values at the time the test run is created
l A copy of the variable definitions at the time the test run is created

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l Variable values during the test run

l Runtime progress (state) information
l Results data

Note: Information that is not saved with the test run includes runtime display monitor
information and the test resource mapping. The test run does not reflect changes made
after the run concludes.

Test run definition

To create a test run, you must have a valid test definition that includes:
l One or more specimen definitions
l A test procedure
l Properly-mapped test station resources
l Any required variables
l Optional - Use the Test-Run Display tab to define monitor displays to monitor test progress.
l Optional - Add functionality to generate reports for individual test runs or for all test runs.
Before you can create a test run, you must resolve any validation errors in the test definition. Click the
test name in the test hierarchy to show a table with a summary of the validation errors for the test
definition.

Test results
When a test run completes, the Review tab shows a number of standard tables and displays with test
results data.

Reports
To generate a report with a test run, you must include the Run Report activity in the test procedure.
To generate reports for existing test run results, you must have the MTS TestSuite Reporter Add-In
license.
The Review tab also includes the following buttons that can be used to generate reports for one
existing test run or for all test runs. Use the dropdown arrow to select the report template.

Generate Test Run Report Buttons

Test results analysis

You can perform advanced test results analysis with data in the analysis application. You can analyze
individual test runs or multiple test runs as an analysis set. The analysis is stored with the associated
test run in the test.
You can import and export test runs between tests and import test data from MTS legacy applications.

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Multiple instances of test runs

To avoid possible resource conflicts, do not open multiple instances of the same test run.

Test Run State Colors on the Review Tab

The color of a test run entry on the Review tab indicates its run state.

Test Run State Colors

Color Description
Black The test run completed successfully.
Dark Blue The test run initialized successfully but has not run.
Red The test run stopped.
Orange The run is running, on hold, or an error occurred.

If a test run name is orange, data may not be available. If an error occurs while the test runs, no data is
viewable. If an interruption occurs, some data may be available.

Test Run from an XML File

MTS TestSuite applications can read a user-supplied XML file that defines a number of test runs that
can be run with minimal operator involvement.
The XML file will:

l Create a new test from the template defined in the XML file.
The name of the test is defined in the XML file. Typically, each XML file includes a unique test
name.
l Create a test run for each specimen defined in the XML file.
l Assign values to variables in the test run.
l Assign a name and geometry type to the specimen. The specimen name will also be used for
the test-run name.

Note: A sample XML file that can be used as a test-from-file template is located in the
C:\MTS TestSuite\External Files directory.

Create a Test Run from an XML File

Note: Test runs imported from an XML file are always performed in the order defined by the
XML file.
1. Start the MTS TestSuite application.
2. Optional - Use the Configuration settings to select a project to store the test.

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3. On the File menu, click New > Test from File, or on the Select page, click New Test and
then double-click the New Test from File icon.
4. In the file open window, select the XML file that defines the test runs that you want to run and
click Open.
The MTS TestSuite application reads the XML file and creates a list of test runs that appear in
the Review tab. The test runs appear in the order defined in the XML file.
5. Click the Review tab to track the test run progress.
In the Review tab, the text for each test run that has not been run appears in blue italic.
6. Click the Run button.
The test run is executed and the test run results appear in the Review tab. As each test run is
performed, the text changes from blue italic to regular (non-italic) black text to indicate that the
test run is complete.
7. Click the Run button to run the next test run. Repeat until all the test runs are complete.

Pre-Allocating Multiple Test Runs

If you are testing multiple specimens, you can improve the speed and reliability of your testing by pre-
allocating test runs for each specimen. When you pre-allocate test runs, you can specify unique
variable values for each specimen prior to running tests.
Both test designers and test operators can pre-allocate specimens. The strategy you use to implement
pre-allocation depends upon your lab’s workflow. The following two examples illustrate scenarios in
which either the test designer or operator would use the pre-allocate feature:
l When designing a test, the test designer knows that 10 specimens will be tested. The test
designer also knows the properties of each specimen. So, the test designer pre-allocates 10
test runs and enters the variable values for each specimen. The test designer then changes
the names of the test runs to Specimen 1, Specimen 2, Specimen 3, and so on for each
specimen. Finally, the test designer marks each specimen with the corresponding number.
When the operator receives the test and batch of specimens marked 1-10, he or she selects
the appropriate specimen for each pre-allocated test run.
l The operator often receives batches of specimens that have varying properties. Because of
this, the lab has decided that it is not efficient for the test designer to spend time designing a
new test for each batch of specimens. So, when the operator receives a new batch of
specimens, her or she pre-allocates test runs for each specimen based on the specimen
properties that were recorded on a data sheet or USB flash drive that was sent with the batch
of specimens. Additionally, because it is possible to open the Review tab while a test is in
progress, the operator runs the first pre-allocated test run and then works on configuring the
remaining test runs while the first test run is in progress. To pre-allocate multiple test runs,
perform the following:
1. On the Review tab, click the Actions button.
2. Select Preallocate.
3. In the window that appears, enter the number of test runs you want to pre-allocate.

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4. Click OK. The top-most table on the Review tab is populated with the pre-allocated test runs.

Note: When you pre-allocate test runs, each test run uses the test's default variable
values. When you select a test run, you can edit the variable values for each test run in
the lower table of the Review tab.

Note: Only variables with the Preallocate option selected (in the variable properties)
are shown in the list of preallocated variables.
When you click the green Run button, the top-most test run in the list begins. When it completes, you
can click the green Run button again to begin the second test run in the list, and so on until you reach
the last test run at the bottom of the list. The names of test runs that have not yet been run are italicized.
To run a specific test run as opposed to running tests in the list from top-to-bottom, right-click a test run
and select Run Test.

Note: If the test definition is changed during test design (for example, variables, resources, and
workflows are edited), any changes made will not be applied to existing pre-allocated test runs.
In this case, the test designer must delete the existing pre-allocated test runs and pre-allocate
new test runs.

Templates
Templates Overview
Access
C:\MTS TestSuite\Templates
Templates eliminate the requirement to re-create existing information and provide an easy way to run
standard tests. Test templates can come from one of several sources:
l An existing test—You open a copy of an existing test and assign it a default name (the original
test is not changed). The new test does not contain test runs or analysis runs from the source
test.
l A test that is saved as a template—You can save a test as a test template (File > Save As >
Template). With the exception of test and analysis runs, specimen definitions, and completed
reports, the template contains all other test information.
l A template supplied by MTS—MTS offers a variety of templates designed to comply with test
method standards (such as ASTM). MTS templates provide all the components you need to
run a test, analyze the test data, and create reports of the results.

Test template content

A template can include all or part of the basic test definition information for one test:
l Procedure
l Test run charts or displays
l Variables
l Analysis definitions

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l Resources

Note: Although a template can include test resources, if the template is designed for a
particular controller configuration, the resources may not map to (match) the test station
resources in your system.

Test definitions
You can add a test definition to a test from a template. The source of the template can be any existing
test or template that has tests. With the exception of test and analysis runs, specimen definitions, and
completed reports, the new test contains all other test information.

Template locations
Tests and templates exist on disk as folders with the .Test folder name extension. They are typically
located at a subdirectory of C:\MTSTestSuite\Projects and C:\MTSTestSuite\Templates, respectively.
Report templates are located in the C:\MTSTestSuite\Report Templates folder.

Note: Do not rename, move, or change the contents of the Projects or Templates folders
outside of the MTS TestSuite applications. To rename an open test, use the Test Information
window in any application.

About saving templates

When you save a template, MTS TestSuite compresses the template and assigns an extension of
.MPTemplate for MP templates and .TWTemplate for TW templates.
Templates can be managed with the operating system.

Note: Template files are not fully self-contained; they contain references to other files (such as
Report Templates).

Create a Template
To create a template:
1. Open the test that you want to save as a template.
2. Click File > Save As > Template.
3. In the Save As Template window, type a name for the new template.
4. Click Save.
The current test is saved as a template. All variables and their default values are saved with
the template. The template does not include the test runs, analysis runs, or specimens from
the source project.

Delete a Template
Access
C:\MTS TestSuite\Templates

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You must use Microsoft Windows Explorer to delete templates. Delete it as you would any other file.
Template files have either a .MPTemplate or a TWTemplate extension depending on which application
the template is designed for.

Project
Projects Overview
A project is a collection of settings related to tests. When you open a test, it opens in the context of its
parent project. Files associated with tests, such as external files and reports, are linked to tests with
project settings.
You can use project settings to create logical groupings of tests that contain references to the same set
of external files. You can also open an individual test in a different project, which allows you change the
files referenced by the test without modifying the test itself (files are specified relative to the directories
in the project settings).

Assign Project Names

Access
Preferences menu > Configuration > Default Names tab
Use the Default Names tab to specify default names for newly created:
l Projects
l Tests
l Test Runs
The names you specify are assigned to the items when you first create them. You can change the
name at any time.

File Locations
Note: Do not rename, move, or change the contents of the Projects, Tests, Templates, or
Report Templates folders.

Projects
Projects exist on disk as special file folders with a .Project file extension. Projects are typically located
in the installation directory: C:\MTS TestSuite\Projects.

Tests
Tests exist on disk as special file folders with a .Test file extension. They are typically located in a
directory under a project.

Templates
Test Templates exist on disk as special file folders with either a .MPTemplate or TWTemplate file
extension. They are typically located in the installation directory: C:\MTS TestSuite\Templates.

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Report Templates
Report Templates exist on disk as Microsoft Excel Templates (.xltx) files. They are typically located in
the installation directory: C:\MTS TestSuite\Report Templates.

Import Projects
You can import projects stored in a file. The projects have a .tsproj file name extension. When you
select a project to import, the entire project is imported. If the project you have selected is from an
earlier version, the Conversion Wizard launches to convert it automatically to the version on disk.

Export and Import

Test Information Export Overview
When you export a test, MTS TestSuite combines the current test and its associated files into one
compressed (and self-contained) file and assigns an extension of “tsproj”.
Exported tests can be managed with the operating system. Unexported tests must be managed within
the MTS TestSuite application.
You can selectively export test and test run information. When you initiate an export, you can choose
the item or items from the test hierarchy to export. With tests, for example, you can selectively export
only the information that you want to import into new or existing tests.

Export options
You can use options from the File menu or right-click entries in the test hierarchy to export:
l A test
l One or more test runs
l Raw data from a test run

Raw test data export

You can export the raw data for a test run so that you can analyze it with external software
applications. By default, raw data is exported to one or more tab-delimited text files that can be opened
with most external analytical or statistical applications. Each Data Acquisition activity in the source
test procedure produces a separate data export file.

Test Information Import Overview

You can import test and test run information from previously exported test and test run files. Export files
have a .tsproj file name extension. When you import an entire test, any test that is currently open closes
and a new test is created from the imported test file. When you import test runs, you can select the test
runs you want to import into the open test.

Import options
You can import:
l A test
l Test runs

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l Test resources

Test resources import

Click the Import Resources button in the Resources tab to import selected resources or all unused
resources from the test station.
You can also import resources from another test. Depending on the origin of the information, the
imported resources may not map to the station resources of the control system networked with your
station. The application lists errors on the Error list and marks them in the work area when you select
resources. You must correct all errors before you can load and run a test. When you use the Import
Resources button, you can only import resources from the connected test station or another test.
Three options become available:
l Import all Unused Controller Resources
l Import the selected controller resources
l Import resources from another test

Export a Test
To export a test:
1. Open the test that you want to export.
2. Select File > Export > Test.
3. In the Export Test window, click Browse.
4. In the Save As window:
A. Locate the directory to which you wish to export the file.
B. Enter a name.
C. Click Save.
5. In the Export Test window:
A. Select the desired specimen and test run content you wish to export with the test.
B. Click Save.

Import a Test
To import a test:
1. Select File > Import > Test. The application automatically closes any open test and prompts
you to save any changes.
2. In the Import Test window, click Browse.
3. In the browser window, locate and click the required test import (.tsproj) file, and then click
Open.
4. Click OK to close the message window that indicates the test import was successful.

Exporting a Test Run

To export a test run:

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1. Open the test with the test runs that you want to export.
2. Select File > Export > Test Run.
3. In the Export Test Run window, expand the export items hierarchy and select the check boxes
for the test runs that you want to export.
4. Click Browse to open a browser window.
5. If you want to overwrite an existing test run export (.tsproj) file:
A. Locate and click on the file name in the browser window.
B. Click Save.
C. Click Yes in the Save As window.
6. If you want to create a new test run export file, enter the new file name in the File Name box of
the browser window, and then click Save.
7. Click Save in the Export Test Run window. The selected test runs from the source test are
written to the test run export file.
8. Click OK in the confirmation window when the export is complete.

Import a Test Run

To import a test run:
1. Open the test.
2. Select File > Import > Test Run or right-click Test Runs for the required test, and then click
Import Test Run. The test must be saved before you can import test runs. Click Yes to save
the test.
3. In the Import Test Run window, click the Browse button.
4. In the browser window, locate and click on the required test run import (.tsproj) file, and then
click Open.
If the selected import file does not contain test runs, the Import Test Run window presents a
message. If necessary, click the Browse button again and select a different import file.
5. In the Import Test Run window, select the target test from the Test list.
6. Expand the import items hierarchy and select the check boxes for the test runs you want to
import and click OK. The selected test runs are added to the target test. They are marked as
“Imported” in the Test Runs list.

Import Test Resources

The procedure applies only to the Import Resources button on the Define tab > Resources tab in
the work area.
You can only import test resources from the connected test station or another test in the same project.
When you import an entire project, the test resources can be included for each test in the project.
Depending on the origin of the information, the imported resources may not map to the station
resources of the control system networked with your session or workstation.

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1. Open the required test.

2. If you want to import resources from the test station, click Controller > Connect.
3. Click the Define tab, and then click the Resources tab.
4. Click the Import Resources button on the work area to show the Options menu.
5. To import resources from a connected station, select one of the following options: Click
Import all unused station resources to import all the station resources that are not
currently in use by the test. Click Import selected station resources to select which unused
resources you want to add to the test.
6. If you clicked Import selected station resources:
A. Expand the unused resources hierarchy and select the check boxes for the resources
to import, or click Select All to select all unused resources.
B. Select the Display internal names check box to show the internal names for the
resources in the work area instead of their display names.
C. Click OK.
D. The table of test resources updates and a message window indicates that the import
was successful. Click OK.
E. If all the station resources are already in use by the test, a corresponding message is
shown. Click OK.
7. To import resources from another test in the current project:
A. Click Import resources from another test to overwrite the test resources with the
imported resources.
B. In the Import resources from another test window, select or browse to the source test,
and then click OK.
C. The table of test resources in the work area is updated and a message indicates that
the import was successful. Click OK.

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Data Acquisition (DAQ)

Data Acquisition Overview 140
Data Acquisition Setup 140
Configuring Data Acquisition (DAQ) Activities 145
793 Controller Signals Overview 163

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Data Acquisition Overview

Data Acquisition (DAQ) activities accumulate user-defined data during portions of the test. The
acquired data can be:
l Saved to variables that can be used in calculations and test-run displays.
l Saved to the test file for post-test analysis, reports, or exported for use in other applications.

 Data Acquisition Process

Data Acquisition activities appear in a test as:

l A standalone activity such as the DAQ activity. Standalone DAQ activities appear in the test
procedure as a path in parallel with a Command activity.
OR
l Part of a composite activity such as the Cycle + DAQ activity that combines a Command
activity with Data Acquisition.

Data Acquisition Setup

The following diagram and table provides an outline of the setup tasks and options associated with
DAQ activities.
DAQ activities accumulate data for selected signals [1]. A DAQ activity requires at least one trigger [2]
and one signal. The trigger defines when data points are stored in the buffer [3]. The buffer stores data
from the controller and then passes that data to the test application, which processes the data and
saves it to a variable [5] or saves it in the test-run file [6].

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Data Acquisition Activity Process

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Comparison of DAQ Activity Settings

DAQ
Dwell +
DAQ + Cycle + DAQ High-
Detection Speed
Custom Max/Min
Properties (TWE) DAQ
Waveform + DAQ
(MPE
GoTo + DAQ only)
DAQ +
Detection
(TWE)
1) Select Signals Available Available Available Available
What signals do I want to acquire? Time and
segment count
signals are
automatically
acquired.
2) Select Triggers Available Available Hardcoded Hardcoded
to max/min. to Timed
What criteria determines which sample Triggers
points are collected? cannot specify Continues
how much data until it is
to collect. explicitly
interrupted.
Collects data
while the
command is
active.
3) Configure DAQ Buffering Available Hardcoded to N/A Available
Linear
How and when is data transferred from Data is not
the controller to the application? buffered.
Buffer type: Available Hardcoded to N/A Available
Linear
l Linear
l Circular
Buffer size Available Available N/A Available
4) Organize data into blocks? Available Always block Available Available
mode
How do I want to organize the acquired
data? Blocking the data affects how the
data is subsequently processed. If it is

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DAQ
Dwell +
DAQ + Cycle + DAQ High-
Detection Speed
Custom Max/Min
Properties (TWE) DAQ
Waveform + DAQ
(MPE
GoTo + DAQ only)
DAQ +
Detection
(TWE)
not blocked, it is processed point-by-
point.
Identifier & Display Name Available Hardcoded to Available Available
Cycle block
Names associated with the data blocks name.
when it is put into the file (cycles, steps,
etc.)
Counter Available Hardcoded to Available Available
CycleCount
The variable that indicates what the block system
number is during calculations. variable.
Block boundary criteria Hardcoded Hardcoded to Hardcoded Available
to use the use the to use the
What is the criteria to divide the data into specified Segment specified
blocks? Counter Count signal. Counter
variable variable
5) Save data to variables? Available Available Available Variables
not
Stores data in variables for immediate supported.
analysis and display. How this feature
behaves depends on whether block
mode is enabled or not.

Note:
In the TWE application, the Save
data to variables option
automatically defaults to Yes
(automatically map variables).
5a) Block mode variable support: Available Available Available N/A
Signal-to-Variable Mapping Max, Min, Max, Min, Max, Min
Mean, Mean, Array functions
Saves data to variables. This is Array functions
accomplished in the Map Variables

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DAQ
Dwell +
DAQ + Cycle + DAQ High-
Detection Speed
Custom Max/Min
Properties (TWE) DAQ
Waveform + DAQ
(MPE
GoTo + DAQ only)
DAQ +
Detection
(TWE)
window. functions
Additional Variables to Calculate Available Available Available N/A
The additional variables are recalculated
whenever a new block data is put into the
mapped variables.
Save Variables Available Available Available N/A
Additional variables to store with each
block.
5b) Point-by-point mode variable Available - N/A Available - N/A
support: Array Max, Min
functions functions
Signal-to-Variable Mapping
Saves data to variables.
Additional Variables to Calculate Available N/A Available N/A
The variables are recalculated whenever
a new data point is put into the mapped
variables.
Save Variables Available Available Available N/A
6) Save data to the file? Available N/A; Available Available
hardcoded to
Stores data to the file for post-test save data
analysis and display.
Select Blocks (Block mode only) Available Available Available Available
Selects the blocks to be stored.

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Configuring Data Acquisition (DAQ) Activities

Select Signals
Access
Test Definition > Resources

Signal list
Each DAQ activity includes Float Signals and Integer Signals lists where you can select the signals
that you want to acquire. When any of the triggers defined in the Trigger list occurs, the signal value
for each of the signals is acquired and processed by the DAQ activity.

Note:
Some Data Acquisition activities, such as Cycle + DAQ and Custom Waveform + DAQ,
automatically collect segment count and running time signals.
Test results from the Cycle + DAQ and Custom Waveform + DAQ activities are the values
gathered for each cycle for each signal in the Signal list. The values for the running time and the axial
integer count of each channel are also included.

Signal availability
The signals you select are test resources that are defined in the Resources tab. Only the signals that
are listed in the test Resources appear in the Data Acquisition signal list.
If the desired signal does not appear in the Signal list, go to the Resources tab and click Add
Resource.

Select Data Acquisition Trigger Types

Data Acquisition (DAQ) Triggers Overview
DAQ triggers determine when the specified signals are sampled and placed in the buffer. Each trigger
has its own algorithm to determine when data values should be captured.
Depending on the activity, multiple triggers can be defined for the same DAQ activity. The data from all
the triggers is merged into one data stream that the DAQ activity processes.

Available triggers
The types of DAQ triggering that are available depend on the type of DAQ activity that you select.

Triggers and Activities

Activity Available Triggers

DAQ Activity Timed, Delta Level, Peak-Valley
Cycle + DAQ Timed, Delta Level, Peak-Valley
Custom Waveform + DAQ Timed, Delta Level, Peak-Valley

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Activity Available Triggers

Dwell + DAQ + Detection Timed, Delta Level, Peak-Valley
GoTo + DAQ + Detection Timed, Delta Level, Peak-Valley

Timed DAQ Triggering Overview

Timed data acquisition records the values of selected signals at a user-defined frequency (sample
rate) for a specified duration.

Timed DAQ Triggering

Timed DAQ Trigger Properties

DAQ Timed Trigger Properties Window

Sample Selection
Select the method used to determine when data is acquired.
l Time Between Points - Provides a convenient list of time units (ms, sec, minute, hour, day)
that allow you to define when data is acquired.
The time between points setting must be a multiple of the system period:
l If you are connected to a controller, the time that you enter is automatically adjusted to
be the closest multiple of the system period.
l If you are not connected to a controller, you can enter any value; however, when you
do connect to a controller, the application checks the system rate and automatically
adjusts the time to the closest multiple of the system period.
l Sample Rate - Specify the frequency at which data is acquired. For example, with a sample

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rate of 1 Hz, the buffer acquires data points once each second.
The sample rate must be a sub-multiple of the system rate:
l If you are connected to a controller, the sample rate that you enter is automatically
adjusted to be the closest multiple of the system rate.
l If you are not connected to a controller, you can enter any value; however, when you
do connect to a controller, the application checks the system rate and automatically
adjusts the sample rate to the closest multiple of the system rate.

Sample Duration
Specify how much data is acquired:
Timed Samples - Specify the duration of time that the signals are sampled. This setting in conjunction
with the sample rate determines how many samples are acquired. For example, a timed sample
duration of 10 minutes with a sample rate of 1 Hz would result in 600 samples.
Continuous Sampling - (Default) the activity acquires samples continuously until it is interrupted.
Sample Count - Specify the total samples acquired. For example, specifying a sample count of 600 at
a sample rate of 1 Hz, the DAQ activity would run for 10 minutes.

Delta Level Triggering Overview

Delta Level triggering places the selected signal values in the buffer when the reference signal
changes by the user-defined delta value.

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 Delta Level Triggering Example

When a value outside of the delta value is detected, the trigger establishes a new reference level and
monitors the reference signal for another delta value change from that reference level.
This type of trigger is useful when the reference signal sometimes changes quickly, and at other times
changes very little. It stores more data when the signal is changing and less when it is not changing.

Delta Level DAQ Trigger Properties

DAQ Delta Level Trigger Properties Window

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Reference Signal - (Required) Select the signal to monitor for delta level triggering.
Delta Value - Specify the amount of change that must occur in the Reference Signalto trigger the
collection of data values for the selected signals.

Peak-Valley DAQ Triggering Overview

Peak-Valley triggering places the selected signal values in the buffer when the application detects a
peak or valley in the user-selected reference signal. Peaks and valleys are determined by the
reference signal reversing direction by more than the specified sensitivity.

 Peak-Valley Triggering Example

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Peak Valley DAQ Trigger Properties

DAQ Peak-Valley Trigger Properties Window

Settings
Reference Signal - Select the signal to monitor for triggering.
Sensitivity - Defines how much the signal must change before the application detects a peak or valley
data point. Signal changes that are less than the sensitivity do not acquire signals.

Configure Data Acquisition (DAQ) Buffers

Data Acquisition (DAQ) Buffers Overview
Each DAQ activity has its own buffer that is used to move the user-defined data samples from the
controller to the application. The application then processes the data based on the Data Acquisition
activity settings.
The choice of buffer type (linear or circular) depends on the type of test and the type of data that you
want to acquire.
l Linear buffers are typically used to acquire all the data over a period of time.
l Circular buffers are typically used to capture data associated with an event that occurs in a
test.

Linear Buffers
A linear buffer is continually pulling data from the controller and transferring it to the application for
processing. Linear buffers are typically used when you want to capture all the data over a period of
time.
The size of the buffer determines how much data is acquired before it is processed. When the DAQ
activity ends or the test stops, any data in the buffer is processed.

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 Linear Buffers Diagram

Linear buffer size

The buffer size specifies the maximum number of samples the buffer stores before data is processed.
Smaller buffer sizes provide quicker processing but may cause processor performance problems
(especially with high DAQ rates and/or high signal counts).
For most tests, keep the buffer size small to minimize the delay between acquiring data and displaying
it on a monitor display and performing calculations that use acquired data (such as a stress
calculation). Typically, set the buffer size so that there are one to five buffers per second. You can set
the buffer size between 1 and 16,000 data samples.

Note:
When combining Peak-Valley triggering with a Timed trigger type, the buffer size must be large
enough to accommodate the reordering of the peak data relative to the timed data when peaks
and valleys are identified.

DAQ rates and system performance

Acquiring and saving data at fast rates can cause the computer to become slow. If the acquisition rates
are too fast, data over-run can occur. If this happens, the test stops and a message is logged.

Circular Buffers
A circular buffer stores data continuously without processing the data. When the buffer is full, new data
overwrites the oldest data. The circular buffer is useful for acquiring data that captures some crucial
event (such as specimen failure), where data is not required for the whole test. The data in the buffer is
passed to the application for processing when any of the following events occur:

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l The test is stopped.

l The activity reaches its preset count.
l The activity ends.

 Circular Buffers Diagram

Circular buffer size

The buffer size specifies the maximum number of samples the buffer stores. You can set the buffer
size between 1 and 16,000 data samples (default is 1024).

Note:
Make the buffer size large enough to store the data for the event that you want to capture.

Configuring the Buffer Type

To configure the buffer type:
1. Open the Properties panel for the DAQ activity.
2. Click the Advanced button. The Advanced Data Acquisition window appears.
3. For the Buffer Type property, select either Linear Buffer or Circular Buffer.
4. Indicate the Buffer Size if you do not want to accept the default values.
5. Click OK.

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Select a Data Processing Option

Data Processing Options Overview
The data received from the controller can be processed as one potentially large data set (point-by-
point processing), or it can be divided into logical blocks (block processing).
l The Cycle + DAQ and Custom Waveform + DAQ activities are hardcoded for block
processing.
l The DAQ and the Max/Min DAQ activities allow you to enter the block information to process
data as blocks. If the block information is left blank, data is processed point-by-point.

Point-By-Point Data Processing

When blocking is not defined for a Data Acquisition activity, the data is processed one point at a time
(point-by-point). Point-by-point data processing saves the signal value(s) associated with each data
sample as part of the test run.

 Point-by-Point Data Processing Diagram

When the data is put into variables, it is appended one data point at a time, and any Additional Variable
Calculations specified in the Map Variables window are recalculated after each new piece of data.
l You specify a variable for point-by-point data acquisition using the Save Variables panel of the
Map Variables window.
l Point-by-point values are available in the Array-Variable Chart and Variable Value Scope
test-run displays.

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Block Data Processing

The Block Information settings allow you to process data in user-defined blocks. The blocks are
defined by selecting a Count variable (dimension=count) from the Counter List property of the DAQ
activity.

Note:
The Cycle + DAQ and the Custom Waveform + DAQ activities are hardcoded to process
block data using the Segment Count variable.
Acquired data is processed as a new block whenever the specified Counter variable changes value.
Processing options include saving the data organized by blocks for post-test analysis, saving the
blocked data into variables, or both. Calculations are performed on a block-by-block basis.

 Block Data Processing Diagram

Block or Cycle Decimation Filter Settings

Important:
These settings do not affect data saved to variables.
To configure a block or cycle decimation filter:

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1. In the Properties panel for the DAQ activity, click the Advanced button. The Advanced Data
Acquisition window opens.
2. Click the Select Blocks button (or Select Cycles) to display the Block (or Cycle) Decimation
Filter Selection window. This window allows you to define which blocks/cycles are saved to
disk.
3. Complete the properties as appropriate.

 Block Decimation Filter Selection Window

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Block/Cycle Decimation Filter Settings

Setting Description
Blocks/Cycles Specify the increments at which cycles are stored per decade.
per Decade
(Logarithmic) Cycle counts are divided into logarithmic decades, which are in factors of 10 (for
example 10, 100, 1000, and so on). The application divides the number of cycles in
the decade by the number of Cycles per Decade to determine the increments at
which it can reference the cycles in the decade.
For example, if 10 is specified and the test is 105 cycles long, the total number of
cycles would span into the third decade. In the first decade, the cycle increments
are 1 (10/10 =1), which equates to cycles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. In the second
decade, the cycle increments are 10 (100/10=10), which equates to cycles 10, 20,
30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100. In the third decade, the cycle increments are 100
(1000/10=100), which equates to cycle 100. The test is over before the next
increment.
Every nth Specify the increments at which cycles are stored over the entire activity.
Block/Cycle
(Linear) For example, if 10 is specified and the test is 105 cycles long, cycles 10, 20, 30, 40,
50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 could be shown or acquired.
Designate Specify a series of cycle numbers to store. Each cycle number must be separated
Specific by a space.
Blocks/Cycles
Block/Cycle Select a variable that the activity will monitor to initiate a data block save. The data
Change block is saved when the Change Criteria Threshold is reached.
Criteria
Variable Monitor a change in a selected variable, and then save block data when the
variable deviates by more than the specified Change Criteria Threshold amount.
You can select any numeric variable that is defined in the test or enter a numeric
value.
After the variable is selected, its dimension appears and allows you to specify the
Change Criteria Threshold.
Change The threshold value for the Block Change Criteria variable. The amount of change
Criteria can be specified with a numeric value for the shown dimension or with a variable.
Threshold
Update Note:
Interval Applicable to cycle decimation for test-run displays only.
The speed at which data can be shown. This is useful for high-speed tests that
would otherwise require too much CPU capacity to show all data points with high-
frequency cycles. The default is 1.0 second.

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Save Data to Variables (Optional)

Save Data to Variables Overview
The Save data to variables? data acquisition setting allows you to save (map) acquired signal data to
variables.

Cycle Data Acquisition Variables

Variables can store calculated results for signal cycle data. You must map variables to the data for the
signals that are selected for data acquisition. You must map variables to signal data if you want to use
that data in test-run displays or in the data analyzer application.
The application only calculates signal data that is mapped to a variable. The mapped data is only saved
for post-test analysis for the cycles that are defined in the data-acquisition cycle decimation filter.
Variables are mapped to signal data calculations through the Data Acquisition activity properties
panel.
l Certain types of variables may represent many values in a given test. For example, a test can
have a variable in a Data Acquisition activity that is used to store the peak force value for
those cycles that are selected for data acquisition.
l Certain types of variables may represent many values in a given cycle. For example, a test can
have an array variable in a Data Acquisition activity that is used to store the force values for
the frequency-timed trigger points in a cycle.

Save data to variables requirements

With the exception of signal scopes, many aspects of a test require saving data to variables. These test
requirements include:
l Displaying signal data and calculated data on test-run displays.
l Performing calculations on signal data.
l Displaying data in reports.
l Using variables to define activity properties.

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 Save Data to Variables Diagram

Save Data to Variables Properties

The Save Data to variables? property setting in the Data Acquisition window determines whether
the acquired data is saved and mapped to variables.

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 Data Acquisition Window

Signal-to-Variable Mapping Options

Setting Description
No The signal data is not saved to variables.
Yes, The acquired signals are automatically mapped to variables of the same name with
automatically the word “Array” appended and illegal characters removed.
map
variables For example, the signal with an internal name of “Axial Force” is mapped to the
variable “AxialForceArray”.
Note: l Only signals whose mapping type is an Array are automatically mapped.
This is
the l If a variable that meets the mapping criteria does not exist in the test, the
default application automatically creates the variable.
setting l Signals whose values are calculated by the DAQ activity (such as axial
for the force mean) are not automatically mapped. You must manually map these
DAQ signals using the Use Default Variables button.
activity.
In addition, any calculations that are dependent on these mapped variables are
automatically added to the Additional Variable Calculations list.

Note:
To view the automatic variable selections, click the Configure button to
display a read-only version of the Map Variables window.
Yes, This selection allows you to manually map the signals and additional calculations by
manually clicking the Configure button and using the Map Variables window. Use the Use
map Default Variable button to perform automatic mapping for the selected signals or
variables use the drop-down list for each signal to assign variables.

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Map Variables Window

Use the Map Variables window to map a variable to signal data. The data is calculated during the test
run for those cycles that are selected or defined in the properties for the Data Acquisition activity. The
data values for each acquired cycle are available for use in the run-time display and are saved for post-
test analysis.
You can also add or edit a variable while in this window. In the Additional Variables to Calculate panel,
to open the Add Variable window, click the New Variable icon (+) or right-click and select New
Variable. To open the Edit Variable window, click the Edit Variable icon (...) or right-click on a variable
name and select Edit Variable.
To open the Map Variables window:
1. Open the Properties panel of an DAQ activity.
2. Add signals to the Signal list.
3. In the Save data to variables? panel, select the Yes, automatically map variables or Yes,
manually map variables option and click Configure.

Note:
If you select Yes, automatically map variables, the Map Variables window opens in
read-only mode.

 Map Variables Window

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Map Variables Window Properties

No. Property Description

1 Before If you selected the Yes, manually map variables option for the Save Data to
starting variables? property in the DAQ activity properties panel, a Before starting
property appears in the Map Variables window. Available options are:
l Discard Array Data—(Default) Clears the array when the activity
starts.
l Retain Array Data—Existing data remains and new points are
appended to the array.
This setting is useful when multiple DAQ activities write data to the same array
at different points in the test.

Important:
If there are multiple DAQ activities in a test workflow, the Before
starting setting for the first DAQ activity should be set to Discard Array
Data, and for subsequent DAQ activities, set to Retain Array Data.
Otherwise, block or cycle variables contain data acquired in preceding
blocks.

Note:
The Before starting settings are not available for the Cycle + DAQ and
the Custom Waveform + DAQ activities.
2 Signal-to- This table allows you to save (map) acquired signal data to variables.
Variable
Mapping
3 Use Default To automatically map the selected signal to a default variable (creating the
Variables variable if necessary), select the desired signals and click the Use Default
Variables button.
The name of each new variable that is created is the combination of the signal
name and calculation name. Any new variables that are created appear on the
Variables tab.
4 Filter This check box is typically selected to only display variables that are appropriate
variables for mapping.
by l If the check box is selected, the variable list includes only the variables
dimensions with the same dimension and calculation type as the signal.
and
l If the check box is cleared, all variables appear in the list. This list
calculation
type displays all variables, including variables that are not appropriate for
mapping.
5 Additional Use this panel to select calculated variables (whose calculations include signal
Variables data mapped to an array variable) that are recalculated when the mapped array

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No. Property Description

to variables are populated with signal data. The data from each calculation in the
Calculate Additional Variable Calculations table is available for test-run displays and for
post-test analysis.
When automatic variable mapping is selected, any calculations that are
dependent on mapped array variables are automatically added to the
Additional Variable Calculations list.
l If the data is being processed in a point-by-point manner, only
dependent array calculations are included.
l If the data is being processed block-by-block, all dependent
calculations are added.
To edit one of the Additional Variable Calculations, right-click on the variable
and select Edit Variable. To add a variable, right-click and select Add
Variable.
6 Additional Filters the list of variables that contain calculations:
variables to l Signal-Dependant Variables—Shows the variables that have a
calculate calculation that is based on a variable that is mapped to signal data. In
settings most instances, this option lists the appropriate variables.
l Calculated Variables—Shows all the variables that have a
calculation.
l All Variables—Shows all variables, including variables that do not
have a calculation.
7 Save When click the Add a new item icon (+) and add a variable to this list, the Data
Variables Acquisition activity stores the variable value, along with the acquired data, for
(block each data block. This is necessary if you have additional variable calculations
processing that include independent variables (that are not part of acquired data) whose
only) values may change during the test. Saving these variable values along with the
other block data makes them available for reports and post-test analysis.
For example, a Data Acquisition activity saves acquired data to variables V1
and V2 and performs the following additional variable calculation:
C1 = V1 + V2 + V3
where V3 is a variable that changes during the test and is not acquired data. In
this example, you should add V3 to the Save Variables list so that its value is
saved with each data block making it available for post-test analysis.
To remove an item from this list, select the item and click the Remove icon (red
minus sign).

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Save Data to File (Optional)

Note:
The Data Storage property is not applicable to the Cycle + DAQ or the Custom Waveform +
DAQ activities.

 Advanced Data Acquisition Window

The Data Storage property setting in the Advanced Data Acquisition window determines whether data
is saved with the test run:
1. Select Discard Data to not save data. Discarded data is not available for post-test analysis.
2. Select Save Data to save the data from the test run. When saving block data, you can use the
decimation filter settings to reduce the amount of data that is saved to disk.

793 Controller Signals Overview

The following signals are available to the acquisition processes for systems that run on the 793
platform.

Note:
All time related signals (Time, Rollover Time, Running Time, and Rollover Running Time) start
from zero when the procedure is started. They can be reset during the test using the Auto
Offset activity.

Station Signals

Signal Description
Time Records the time reference signal derived from the controller’s internal clock
which increments continually.

Note:
It is not practical to monitor the Time signal for some types of data
acquisition processes (for example, Peak-Valley).
Rollover Time Records the time reference signal derived from the controller’s internal clock
which resets every hour. Like the Time signal, this signal is not practical to monitor
for some types of data acquisition processes.
Running Time Records the accumulated time of the test program, which begins when you click
Run, and ends when the program stops automatically, or when you click Hold or
Stop. Clicking Run after clicking Stop or Hold causes this value to resume
incrementing.

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Signal Description
Rollover Similar to Rollover Time except it increments only while the station test state is not
Running Time in the stopped state.
Date Date is an integer number of days since Jan 0, 1900. Time of Day is a fraction of a
day since midnight. Both signals are float values that can be imported into
Time of Day Microsoft Excel, formatted as separate date and time columns, and added
together to form one date/time column. Both signal values correspond to time
stamps in the station log.
(Controller) Records the accumulated number of system ticks (updates) generated by the
System Tick controller (or multiple controllers in a multi-controller configuration) from the time
Count the Sysload application is started in the current session.
System Tick Count is typically a large unitless integer. It can be used as a
reference if you acquire signals from other controllers. It can also be useful for
synchronizing acquired data for off-line plotting when using spreadsheet
applications, such as Microsoft Excel.
Interlock, Records the binary state of the control, in which 1 = on, and 0 = off (in the case of
Run/Stop, Run/Stop, 1 = Run and 0 = Stop).
Hold, Program
Interlock, The value reveals the state of the associated control when data is acquired. In the
HSM On, HSM case of Run/Stop and Hold signals, the values may not change state since
High acquisition occurs only while the program is being run. These signals may be
useful in calculated signals.
(channel) Records the number of segments executed in the selected channel.
Integer Count
Note:
This signal measures the same value as (channel) Count, however, it has
greater resolution at higher segment counts (for instance, counts greater
than 16 million segments).

Note:
The count for a time history output increments once for each point in the
associated time history file.
(channel) Records the signal that goes to the valve driver.
Output
(channel) Records various types of sensor feedback signals in engineering units. Force and
Sensor signals Displacement are typically sensor signals.

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Signal Description
(channel) Records the number of segments executed in the selected channel.
Count
Note:
This signal is a floating point number. Its resolution decreases significantly
at higher segment counts (for instance, counts greater than 16 million
segments).
(channel) Records the control mode error signal in engineering units. This signal shows the
Error difference between the Channel Name Command and the Channel Name
Control Mode Name signals.
(channel) Abs. Records the absolute value of the Error signal in engineering units. Absolute
Error means negative becomes positive and positive remains positive. This signal is
always positive.

Time and Rollover Time signals

Time and Running Time signals are useful for recording the duration of tests. They may also be useful
for providing a time reference for data acquisition for tests of short duration. However, as the length of
a test increases, their suitability as a time reference for data acquisition decreases. This is because
Time and Running Time are floating point numbers, and their resolution decreases as they increase in
value.
For instance, when the Time signal runs continuously for approximately six months, or about 16 million
seconds, its resolution drops to one second - which is far too coarse to be used as a time reference at
typical data acquisition rates.
To obtain a time reference with suitable resolution for longer tests, use Rollover Time or Running
Rollover Time. These signals are also floating point numbers, but they rollover (reset to zero) every
hour (3600 seconds). This maintains a high resolution with respect to typical data acquisition rates.
However, because Rollover Time and Running Rollover Time reset to zero every hour, they lose
reference to where they occur within the test.
It is possible to obtain a composite time reference that has the desirable characteristics of both Time
and RolloverTime. To do this, select both types of signals for the data acquisition process (Time and
RolloverTime), map the signals to variables, and create a calculated variable derived from the Time
and RolloverTime variables, as follows:
CompositeTime = floor(Time/3600) x 3600 + RolloverTime
Where “CompositeTime” is a calculated variable and the “floor” function is the largest integer less than
or equal to the specified number.

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Working with Variables

Variable Basics 168
Advanced Variable Information 200
Calculated Variable Functions 213
Functions Tab 279
Python Overview 284
Store Ending Path Value Variables 290
Compare Tool 290

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Variable Basics
Variables Overview
A variable is a container that is used to store data values. A variable provides the ability to store and
manipulate data in applications. Variables can represent numeric values or text strings. They can also
represent the location of data in memory or on disk and provide test designers with the ability to write
flexible test procedures. The MTS TestSuite applications use variables in test activities, data
acquisition activities, analyzer applications, and reports.
A simple variable can store a single text string, Boolean, or numeric value. An array variable stores a
series of text, numeric, or Boolean values. Various activities such as calculations, operator inputs, and
data acquisition can be used to set the value stored by the variable. System and specimen variables
are predefined, read-only variables that are supplied by the application.
You can create variables from within the Variables editor, or at the point of use within the MTS
TestSuite application. Creating a variable at the point of use is done within the Properties panel of a
test activity. You can add or edit a variable from any window used to manipulate variables, such as the
Variables Selection window, the Select a Variable window, the Calculation Editor, and the DAQ Map
Variables form. Right-click in the window and click New Variable to open the New Variable window,
or click Edit Variable to open the Edit Variable window.
Variables defined in the test are stored with the test. The definition of a given variable, including its
name and type, remains constant throughout the test run, even though its value may change. Each test
run saves a “snapshot” of the test procedure and variable definitions at the time the test run is created.

Typical Uses for Variables

After you create a variable, you can use the variable in activities in the test procedure, in test-run
displays, test reports, analysis applications, and calculations.

Note: MTS supplied templates include pre-configured data acquisition activities and variables
that save data for use in various charts and tables that appear in the test, report templates, and
post-test analysis.

Typical Uses for Variables

Item Description
Test Several test activity property settings can be entered as a static value or a variable.
Activities You can configure variables for an operator to enter. Other settings are defined by
variables so that they can be changed during the test and in post-test analysis
scenarios. Some variables only represent one value in a given test.
Data Data acquisition activities can be configured to store signal data in variables. This
Acquisition process, called variable mapping, makes this data available for calculations, test-run
Activities displays, post-test analysis, and reports.
Calculations You can create data acquisition activities that store signal data in array variables, and
then create an array variable that performs calculations on the signal data and stores
the result. For example, a stress array variable could include a stress calculation that

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Item Description
uses data from a load-array variable.
Test-Run The Variable and Cycle views that you can add to a test-run display require data
Display acquisition activities that are set up to map test signals to variables. Once mapped,
these variables can be used in charts and tables that appear in the test-run display.
Test Most information that you want to include in a report must be saved in a variable:
Reports
l If you are creating your own tests and want to include test data in reports,
you must create data acquisition (DAQ) activities to collect the data and
create variables where the DAQ activity can save the data.
l Reports can also include other single-variable values that are not associated
with data acquisition.
Data When the Availability property of variables used in calculations are configured as
Analysis Editable Post-Test, you can change these values in post-test analysis to correct
mistakes in operator setup or to create what-if scenarios.
Data acquisition activities can map signals to variables to store the test data that is
displayed in various post-test charts and tables.

Setting Variable Values

The following table lists the various ways of settings variable values.

Typical Activities for Setting Variable Values

Item Description
Pretest Inputs When the Availability property of variables are configured as Pretest, they can
be displayed and changed by an operator at the beginning of a test run.
Input Variables Your test can use the Input Variables activity to assign values to one or more
test activity variables. When the activity runs, a list of selected variables and their current
values is shown. The operator can edit the variable values as required.

Note:
Variables used with this activity must have the During Test availability
property check box selected.
Assign The Assign Variables test activity can calculate and assign values to one or
Variables test more variables in the test. The calculation can be a simple value or a calculated
activity value that references other variables.
Data The Save data to variables? data acquisition (DAQ) setting allows you to save
Acquisition test acquired signal data to variables. This data is typically saved in an array variable,
activities although some DAQ activities, such as Max/Min, save single values.
Selecting the variable that the signal is saved in is referred to as “signal-to-
variable mapping”. Mapping variables is accomplished by clicking the Configure

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Item Description
button in the DAQ properties.
Calculations In the variable properties, you can select the Is Calculated checkbox and use
the Calculation Editor to create a calculation that defines the value of the
variable. These calculations must be forced to calculate values using one of the
following activities:
l Add a Calculate Variables activity to your test.
l Use the Map Variables window in a data acquisition (DAQ) activity to
build a list of “Additional Variables to Calculate.” These variable values
are recalculated each time the DAQ activity collects data.
Default Values The variable editor properties allow you to enter a static default value for a
or Previous variable or select Use Previous Test Run Value to set the value.
Test Run Value
Settings
Read Variables This activity reads an XML file that contains variable values for a test run.
From File Test
Activities

Variable Types Overview

The MTS TestSuite applications provide the ability to create the following types of variables:
l Numeric
l Text
l Boolean
l Arrays (Numeric, Boolean, and Text)
l Calculated
The desired use of the variable dictates the variable type (or combination of types) defined in the
property settings for a variable. Other property settings define variable naming, default values, and so
on.
Some variables are fairly straightforward in their use, such as a numeric variable for an End Point level
defined by an operator at the beginning of a test run. Other variables are more complex and use a
combination of variable types; for example, numeric variable values that are the result of a calculation.

Numeric Variables Overview

Numeric variables contain a single numeric value. You can assign either integer or floating-point
values to a numeric variable.

Note: To specify that a numeric variable hold a multiple-value array, select the Array of
Numbers option.

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Numeric Variable Properties

Text Variables Overview

Text variables are used to hold text, such as a test run name, operator name, or Test ID. A text variable
can contain alphanumeric and space characters.

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To specify that a variable hold a string, select Text or Array of Text as the Type. In addition to using
text variables to store text values, you can also include text variables in calculations that use text
functions to parse and manipulate the text values. Text variables are also used in choice lists.

Text Variable Properties

Note:
To specify that a text variable hold a multiple-value array, select Array of Text as the Type.

Array Variables Overview

An array variable is a variable that holds a list. An array is a collection of data values, and each data
value in an array has an associated index. Array indexes begin with zero. For example, an array with
an identifier of “a” and a size of ten integers contains the following elements:
a[0], a[1], a[2], a[3], a[4], a[5], a[6], a[7], a[8], a[9]

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In the preceding example, a[4] refers to the fifth element of the array a.
An array variable in MTS TestSuite holds multiple values of the same data type. The available types of
array variables include:
l Array of Boolean
l Array of Numbers
l Array of Text
The elements of an array can be individually referenced or assigned; that is, each element of an array
is a variable of its own, and can be modified independently of other elements in the array.

Array Variable Uses

Array variables are useful for the following activities and applications:
l Cycle + DAQ activity
l Custom Waveform + DAQ activity
l DAQ activity
l Fatigue data analysis
l Fracture data analysis
l Point-by-Point calculations
l Variables that store changing uncalculated values that are not part of a data acquisition activity
l Variables that store recurring calculations

Example: Arrays for DAQ

For example, array variables are used for cyclic data acquisition (Cycle + DAQ and Custom Waveform
+ DAQ). Every time a data acquisition activity is triggered, array variables assigned to the activity are
repopulated with data. Data from the previous data acquisition is replaced.
You can also use arrays to perform calculations on a series of values. For example, you can use array
data to calculate the minimum, maximum, and mean of cycle data.

System performance for DAQ and arrays

Populating an array with a large amount of data may result in decreased system performance. For
example, populating an array with acquired data may slow your system. The amount of data required
to decrease system performance varies from system to system. In general, it is a best practice to avoid
populating arrays with long-running data acquisitions, especially when data is acquired at high
frequency.

How to Extract Data from Array Variables

A regular variable (such as Boolean, Number, or Text )stores a single piece of data. Array variables,
however, can store multiple pieces of data. Additionally, each piece of data in an array variable is given
a numeric index that is used to identify it.

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An index variable typically defines an Index (data point) value in an array variable – not an actual signal
value (that is, load value). On the left side of the following figure, the Array Index is listed alongside
each corresponding load value that was captured during data acquisition:

Corresponding Array Index and Load Values

Typical post-test analysis involves extracting or calculating values at a specified point in the test. If you
know the array index number, you can extract any signal value from any array associated with the
same data acquisition activity. Furthermore, If you have a signal value that you are interested in, you
can extract the index value and use it to extract a signal value from another array. You can also use the
index value for the [, startIndex, endIndex]) arguments that appear in many functions.
For example, if you extract the index value for a particular load, you can use that index value to extract
the strain value at that load. If you were to create a calculation to perform this operation, it would look
like the following:
ArrayIndex(searchChannel, searchValue[, startIndex, endIndex])
ArrayValueAtIndex(Array, Index)
In this calculation, the ArrayIndex function finds the index in the channel array that has a specified
array value, and the ArrayValueAtIndex function returns the value at that index.

How to Save a Signal Value to a Variable

You can use the Signal("SignalName") function in an Assign Variables activity to capture a signal
value at a specific point in the test and store the value in a variable. After you have captured the signal
value at certain time during the test run, you can use it in future calculations during the test run or
during your post-test analysis.
In the example below, consider a scenario in which you need to save the value of the load signal after a
Ramp (MPE) or Go To (TWE) activity completes. To accomplish this, create a new variable that holds
the signal value and then use the Assign Variables test activity to store the load signal into that variable.

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1. On the Variables tab, click the + sign to create a new variable.

2. In the New Variable window, enter a name for the variable, such as "LoadValueAfterGOTO."
3. In the Properties panel for the new variable, under Availability, select During-Test.
4. Add an Assign Variables activity into the test procedure at the point where you want to
capture the signal value. In this example, the Assign Variables activity will be placed after a
Go To activity.
5. In the Properties panel for the Assign Variables activity, click the green + sign to add the
variable to the activity.
6. Select the variable on the Variable List and click the yellow … button to define a calculation. In
this example, add the Signal("_Load") function. This function will capture and save the load
signal value when the Assign Variables activity is executed.

Signal Function Using the _Load Argument

When you are finished, the Assign Variables activity will look like the following:

Assign Variables Properties

Boolean Variables Overview

A boolean value represents whether or not a condition is true. A boolean variable holds only one of two
values: True or False. Boolean values are the result of comparisons made in a program. For example,
the following code tests whether the value of variable a is equal to the number 5. If so, the result of the
comparison is the boolean value true. If a is not equal to 5, the result of the comparison is false.
a == 5
Boolean values are typically used in Test Flow Control test activities, such as the If-Else Condition
activity. The If-Else condition performs one action if a boolean value is true and another action of the
value is false. Typically, a comparison is combined with the statement that uses the comparison. For
example, the following code checks whether a equals 5. If so, it adds 1 to b; otherwise, it adds 1 to a.
if (a == 5)
b=b+1
else
a=a+1

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Boolean Variable Properties

Note:
To specify that a Boolean variable hold a multiple-value array, select Array of Boolean as the
Type.
Boolean variables are especially useful for showing or hiding interactive test-run displays. For an
example, see “Example: Check Box-Enabled Input Variable Test-Run Display” on page 502.

Calculated Variables Overview

Most variable types allow you to define calculations that determine the value of the variable. The
calculation can include operations, functions, and references to other variables. The result of the
calculation must generate the same type of data that is stored in the variable.

Important: When using calculated variables in a non-data acquisition test activity, you must add
a Calculate Variables activity to the test procedure to force the application to perform the
calculation.

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Calculate Variable Properties

Note: If a calculation has been defined for the variable and you clear the Is Calculated check
box, the panel clears and the equation is lost. If you later decide that you want to use the original
equation, you must create the equation again.

Example
For example, you want to create several calculations that include velocity, which itself is a calculation.
You can create a calculation that is used to populate the value of a variable, label it “velocity”, define its
equation, and use it wherever an equation requires a value for velocity.

Variables Editor
Open the Variables Editor by clicking the Variables Editor button in the toolbar.
Use the Variables Editor to view and edit the available variables within a test. You can create your own
variables and variable categories using the Variables editor. By default, disabled and read-only
variables are hidden from view. You can use the Variables Actions or context menus to show or hide
variables.
Any changes you make to the display of the Variables Editor are saved when you close the application.
That is, if you filter or sort variables, set the variable order, hide or display certain columns, or set the
column order, your changes to the display will be retained the next time you open the application.

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Variables Editor Window

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Parts of the Variables Editor Window

Number Item Description

1 Search, Provides menus and quick-access toolbar icons that allow you to perform
Toolbar, tasks such as searching for the Display Name of a variable, adding or
and Menu deleting variables, and access to the Variable Actions menu. You can show
Access all variables, and show or hide read-only or disabled variables in the variables
table. You can also right-click in the variables table to quickly access a
context menu for variable actions.

Variable Actions Menu

2 Column Selects which columns you want to show in the variables table.
Chooser
 Column Chooser

3 Filter and Filters by your selected filter criteria and sorts in ascending or descending
Sort Icons order. If a filter for a column is currently active, the filter icon appears blue.
for
Columns

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Number Item Description

 Filter

4 Selected Shows the properties for the variable currently selected in the variables table.
variable
5 Properties Shows the properties for the currently selected variable.

Selecting Columns Shown in the Variables Table

Access
Define tab > Variables tab > Column Chooser button
You can select which columns you want to show or hide in the Variables table. By default, only the
Display Name, Default Value, Unit, and Calculation columns are shown.

Column Chooser

1. Navigate to the Variables tab.

2. Select the Column Chooser icon in the upper leftmost column.
3. Select the check boxes for the columns you want shown in the Variable editor table.

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Select Columns

4. Click the close icon (x) in the column chooser window.

Showing and Hiding Disabled Variables

By default, disabled variables are not shown in the Variables Editor.

Note: MTS-supplied templates include pre-configured data acquisition activities and variables
that save data for use in various charts and tables that appear in the test, report templates, and
post-test analysis. Templates purchased from MTS may include optional variables (typically
calculations) that appear in tests. These variables are usually disabled (Enabled check box not
selected) and appear grayed out in the variables list.
1. Navigate to the Test Defininition > Variables.
2. From the Variable Actions menu or right-click context menu, choose Show Disabled
Variables.
The disabled variables are shown and appear in lighter gray text. The Show Disabled
Variables menu option toggles to Hide Disabled Variables. Click the Hide Disabled
Variables option when you are done viewing disabled variables.

Showing and Hiding Read-Only Variables

By default, system variables and other read-only variables are not shown in the Variables Editor.
1. Navigate to the Test Definition tab > Variables tab.
2. From the Variable Actions menu or right-click context menu, choose Show Read-Only
Variables.
The disabled variables are shown and appear in lighter gray text. The Show Read-Only
Variables menu option toggles to Hide Read-Only Variables. Click the Hide Read-Only
Variables option when you are done viewing read-only variables.

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Viewing Variable Usage

Access
Test Definition > Variables
The Used By column in the Variables table indicates if and where a variable is used in the application.
This column also shows any views in the application that use the variable. The table does not
automatically show the Used By column. You must either right-click and select Update Used By or
click the Variable Actions icon (next to the red minus sign) and select Update Used By. You can also
add the column using Column Chooser, but all entries are set to “Unknown.” Click Update Used By to
update where variables are used.
The Used By information is useful if you need to:
l Edit a variable used by more than one process. If a variable is used by multiple processes, you
may want to create a new variable rather than edit a variable and impact all its uses.
l Troubleshoot a complex test definition.
l Delete or replace a variable definition. If you delete a variable that is in use, validation errors
occur in the project where the deleted variable is referenced.

Variable Usage

After you update the Used By information, click the arrow in the Used By column for the variable you
want to investigate. The window lists the locations where the variable is in use. To view the context in
which a variable is used, click on the entry:
l For a calculation, the entry for the calculated variable becomes selected.
l For an activity, the Procedure appears in the work area with the activity selected.
l For a test-run display, the Test-Run Display tab appears when you select the view.
l For a data acquisition, the Data Acquisition window appears with the corresponding entry
selected.
If the variable is defined but unused, the Used By column shows “Not Used.”

Setting Variable Order Overview

You can set the order of Pretest and Result variables.

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Pretest variables
Select the Pretest variables from the list of available variables and define the order that they appear in
the Setup Variables data entry window that is displayed at the beginning of a test run on the Monitor
tab.

Pretest Variables Panel (TWE)

Note: When you select a pretest variable, the Pretest check box in the Availability properties for
that variable is automatically selected.

Result variables
Select the Result variables from the list of available variables and define the order that they appear in
the Specimen Results table in the Review tab.

Note: When you select a result variable, the Result check box in the Availability properties for
that variable is automatically selected.

Set Variable Order Window

Access
Define tab > Variables tab > right-click and select Set Variable Order
or
Define tab > Variables tab > Variable Actions dropdown menu > Set Variable Order
Use the Set Variable Order window to select pretest and result variables and the order that they
appear in the pretest Setup Variables window and the Specimen Results table.
You can also add or edit a variable while in this window. In the Additional Variables to Calculate panel,
to open the Add Variable window, click the New Variable icon (plus sign) or right-click and select New
Variable. To open the Edit Variable window, click the Edit Variable icon (...) or right-click on a variable
name and select Edit Variable.

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Set Variable Order Window

Setting Variable Order

Note: The order defined here sets the order in which the variables appear in the Setup
Variables window (Pretest) or the Results table in the Review tab (Result).
To set variable order:
1. Navigate to the Test Definition tab > Variables tab.
2. From the right-click menu, choose Set Variable Order.
3. Set the Pretest and Results variables.
A. In the Variable Type list, click the variable type that you want to reorder (Pretest or
Result).
B. Use the arrow controls to add or remove variables from the Selected Variables list.
4. Click a variable and use the Up and Down arrows to change the order of the Selected
Variables list.
5. Click OK.

Delete a Variable
Note: Before you delete a variable, note the Used By information. When you delete a variable,
you also delete the Used By information, which can be useful when resolving validation errors.

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You can delete any custom variables that you created. You cannot delete read-only variables, which
include variables in the System and Specimen categories. Deleted variables are not fully deleted
from the project until you save the project.
1. Click the Variables tab.
2. Click Update Used By to update the column in the table that shows whether the variable is in
use in the project.
If you delete a variable that is in use, validation errors occur in the project where the deleted
variable is referenced. You must resolve validation errors before you can create a new test
run.
3. Select the variable in the table and press the Delete key.
4. If you delete a variable that is in use, you are prompted to confirm deleting the variable. Click
Yes.

Variable Categories
Default variable categories include System variables, Specimen variables, and Variables (the default
category for user-defined variables). You can also create custom variable categories to organize
variables based on functionality.

System Variables Category

The System variable category consists of predefined, read-only variables that are supplied by the
MTS TestSuite application. You cannot edit the definition of these variables; however, you can use
these variables in the test.
Note: The Test Name and Test Run Name variables are not read-only. You can use these variables
with the Assign Variables and Input Variables activities to customize test run names and the test
name on reports and test result displays.
System variables are typically used in test-run displays and reports. For example, the CycleCount
system variable can be used to specify cycle parameters in certain test activities. System variables are
also placed in the message body of an E-Mail activity.

Important: The default setting in the Variable Editor is to hide the Specimen and System
variables. To view Specimen and System variables, click the Variable Actions menu icon and
choose the Show Read-Only Variables option.
Values for all system variables are read-only. The application reads the value of the variable when the
activity that contains the variable is run, or when the test-run display that contains the variable is
updated during a test run.
System variables include the following variables, listed by Display Name and the corresponding
Identifier:
l Current Cycle Index (CycleCount)
l MTS Customer Name (CustomerName)
l MTS Site Number (SiteNumber)

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l MTS System Number (SystemNumber)

l Project Name (ProjectName)
l Test Name (TestName)
l Test Run Name (TestRunName)
l Test Run Date (TestRunDate)
l User Name (UserID)

Specimen Variables Category

Important: To view Specimen variables, click the Variable Actions icon and choose the Show
Read-Only Variables option.
The variables that appear in the Specimen category correspond to the specimen parameters defined
in the Specimen Editor (applicable to MPE only). You can specify the value of a specimen variable in
the Specimen Editor or when the test is run.

Note: You cannot edit the definition of specimen variables.

l You can use specimen variables in test-run displays.
l You can also use some specimen variables to specify parameters in data detection activities in
the test procedure.

Default Variables Category Overview

By default, any variables you create in the Variables tab are placed in the Variables category. You
can create categories to manage your custom variables.
You can create categories in the Variables window only when you either create a or edit a variable.
Before you create a variable at the point of use, you can create the category so that it is available from
the drop lists. Otherwise, you can create a category after creating a variable at the point of use, edit the
variable in the Variable editor and assign the variable to another category at a later time with no impact
on variable usage.

Create a Variable Category for a New Variable

To create a variable category for a new variable:
1. Click the Variables tab.
2. Click the Add New Variable icon (+) and enter a new variable identifier.
3. In the Properties panel, click <New Category> in the Category list.
4. Enter the variable category name. The new category is added to the Category list.

Create a Variable Category for Selected Variables

To create a variable category for selected variables:
1. Click the Variables tab.
2. Select the variables for which you want to create a new category.

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3. In the Properties panel, click <New Category> in the Category list.

4. Enter the variable category name. The new category is reflected in the Category column for
the selected variables.

Rename a Variable Category

To rename a custom variable category:
1. Click the Variables tab.
2. Select the variable whose category you want to edit.
3. Right-click and choose Rename Category from the context menu.
4. Enter the new category name and click OK.

Viewing Variable Properties

To view the properties of a variable:
1. Click the Variables tab.
2. Select a variable in the list. The properties for the selected variable appear in the Properties
panel.

Editing Properties for Multiple Variables

You can select multiple variables in the Variables tab and change a parameter for the selected
variables. Only the changed parameter is applied to the selected variables. You cannot edit
Calculations for multiple selected variables.
To select multiple variable rows, use the far-left blank column. You can drag the mouse down the cells,
or click with Ctrl or Shift keys.

Note: You cannot edit read-only variables, which include the System and Specimen groups.

Variable Properties Reference

This section contains reference information for variable properties panels.

General Variable Properties

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General Variable Properties

Item Description
Category Select the category of the variable. By default, any variables you create in the
Variables tab are entered into a category called Variables.
Optionally, you can create a new category using the <New Category> option from
the drop-down list. Categories can only be created from the Variables tab. If you are
creating a new variable from a drop-down list at the point of use, make sure that the
proper category is already created in the Variables tab.
Identifier Uniquely identify the variable among all variables in the project.
Naming convention—Variable identifiers can contain only alphanumeric, hyphen (-)
and underscore (_) characters. The name cannot begin with a number and must
begin with an alphabetical character. They cannot contain spaces, periods, or other
special characters.
Display Provide a more operator-friendly way of identifying the same variable for use in
Name displays and reports. The default display name is the same as the identifier.
Naming convention—The display name must be a unique name; however, it can
match its variable identifier. The display name can contain alphanumeric characters,
spaces, and other special characters. The name cannot contain periods and must not
begin with a number.
Enabled Select the Enabled check box if the variable is enabled for use in the test.
Clear the Enabled checkbox if the variable is not used in the test. Variables that are
not enabled:
l Appear grayed out in the variables list.
l Cannot be used in calculations of enabled variables.

Note: You can add the state of the Enabled check box as a column in
the variable list. This allows you to filter the variables list to hide the
variables that are not used (not enabled) in the test.
Description Describe the intended use for the variable. To eliminate confusion, the description
should provide clear information about the variable. A description can help prevent
creating multiple variables that serve the same purpose.
Type Specifies the type of variable. The following types of variables are available:
l Array of Boolean—The variable holds multiple values of the Boolean data
type.
l Array of Numbers—The variable holds multiple values of the numeric data
type.
l Array of Text—The variable holds multiple values of the text data type.

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Item Description
l Boolean—The variable type holds a Boolean value of either True or False.
l Number—(Default) The variable type holds numeric values.
l Text—Specify that the variable holds alphanumeric text rather than numeric
data.
Dimension Selects the unit dimension. Dimension is used by the application to determine under
which circumstances a variable can be used. The dimension is used to filter out
incompatible variables from being incorrectly used within the MTS TestSuite
application. Only those variables that have a dimension that matches the dimension of
the signal can be used in an activity. For dimensionless values such as gain or other
multipliers, Dimension and Unit are not required.

Note: The Dimension and Unit properties are not applicable to Text or
Boolean variable types, including arrays.
Unit Select a unit. The list only shows the set of units that are compatible with the
Dimension of the variable. This is the unit of measure that you want to assign to the
variable value.
Default Specify a default value for the variable to use until another value is provided for the
Value variable, either through user input or a calculation. Specify a value that is consistent
with the variable type, such as a numeric or text value.

Note: If you enter a string for a numeric variable, the default value is forced to a
numeric value of 0.000. If you enter a numeric value for a string variable, the
number is treated as a string, and not as a numeric value.

Note: You can initialize array variables array variables by entering a space-
delimited ordered list of numbers.
If a numeric default value is entered outside the variable Range, an error message is
generated.
Default Specifies the default value. Available options are:
Option
l Use Default Value from the Default Value field
l Use Previous Test Run Value

Calculation Properties (Formula Assistant Feature)

The Calculation panel in the variables Properties panel shows the defined calculation for a variable.
The Option box is available if a variable can be modified with the Formula Assistant feature.

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Calculation Window

Variable Calculation Properties

Item Description
Is If a calculation has been defined for the variable and you clear the Is Calculated
Calculated check box, the calculation equation is cleared (erased).
To create a calculation, click Is Calculated and click the ellipsis ....
If a calculation is used in a variable, the result must generate the same type of data that
is stored in the variable.
The application validates variable equations as they are entered by the user and
notifies the user if the equation is valid.
... To edit a calculation, click the ellipsis ... button. The Calculation Editor window is
(ellipsis) displayed.
Evaluate Select this check box to limit evaluation of the calculation to only during the test, not
Only post-test.
During
Test When this check box is selected, the calculation is not performed in the Fatigue or
Fracture Analysis applications.
This check box must be selected if the calculation contains references to functions that
access the controller, such as Signal(), SignalFullscale(), and SystemRate(). If the
check box is not selected, a validation error occurs that you must clear before you can
start a new test run.
Option Applies the selected option to the calculation of the variable.

Variable Availability Properties

Use the Availability panel on the Properties panel to define if and when a variable value can be edited.

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Availability Window

Variable Availability Properties

Item Description
Pretest Specify variable values from the Setup Variables window prior to test initialization.
The Setup Variables window appears after the test run is created but before the test is
initialized.
During Specify variable values when prompted to do so by the procedure during a test run.
Test
The Input Variables activity shows a window during the test run so that the operator can
specify the value of one or more variables.
This check box is selected by default.
Result Specify variables that can be used for filtering in test reports and data analysis.
Editable This setting determines post-test availability:
Post-
l When selected, you can edit the variable in post-test analysis.
Test
l When cleared, the variable is read-only for post-test analysis. During post-test

analysis, you cannot change the variable value in tables or, in TW applications,
change the value by moving chart markers.
This check box is selected by default.

Format Properties

Format Panel

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Use the Format panel on the Properties panel to format the display of a numeric variable value.

Variable Information

Item Description
Format Fixed: The number appears in standard notation. For example, twenty million appears as
Type 20000000.000 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
Scientific: The number appears in E scientific notation. For example, twenty million
appears as 2.000E+007 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3. You can typically
use this notation for number values too large or small to be shown in standard decimal
notation. With Decimal, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits to the right of
the decimal symbol. For example, zero appears as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
Digit Decimal: The number of digits to the right of the decimal symbol. For example, zero would
Type be displayed as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
Significant: The number of digits that are significant. For example, zero would be displayed
as 0.00 with Digits set to 3.
Digits Specifies how many digits to use for the Digit Type.

Range Properties for Numeric Variables

Use the Range panel on the Properties panel to force the value of a numeric variable to be equal to or
between the minimum and maximum limits. The Default Value must be inside the Range, or the
Range must accommodate the Default Value.

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Range Panel

Variable Range Properties

Item Description
Use Range When this option is selected, the application checks the value of the variable during the
test to determine if the value is within the specified range.
If the value of the variable is not within the range, the application adjusts the value to be
within the range. If the value of the variable does fall inside the specified range, the
value remains unchanged.
Minimum Specifies the minimum value for the variable.
If Inclusive is used and the value of the variable is less than the Minimum value, the
application sets the variable value equal to the Minimum value.
If Exclusive is used and the value of the variable is less than the Minimum value, the
application sets the variable value so that it equals the Minimum value plus the
Resolution value.
Maximum Specifies the largest number the variable value can be.
If Inclusive is used, and the value of the variable is greater than the Maximum value,
the application sets the variable value equal to the Maximum value.
If Exclusive is used, and the value of the variable is greater than the Maximum value,
the application sets the variable value so that it equals the Maximum value minus the
Resolution value.
Resolution Sets the value of the variable, relative to the edge of the range.
If the value of the variable falls outside the specified (minimum and maximum) range,
the value will be adjusted to fall within the range. The adjustment is relative to the
closest edge of the range plus or minus the Resolution value.
For example, if a value of -5 is entered and the range is Minimum 0 Exclusive,
Maximum 10 Exclusive, and the Resolution is 1, the value will be set to 1. However, if a
value of 1.75 is entered, the value will not be changed because it falls within the
specified range. If .75 is entered, the value will be set to 1 because .75 is outside of the
Minimum 0 Exclusive limit.

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Choice List Panel Properties

The Choice List panel on the Properties panel is available only for text (string) or array of text variables.

Choice List Panel

Choice List Properties

Item Description
Use Choice Select an existing choice list or create a new one. This field is required, as indicated
List by the error icon.
When you create a variable with a choice list, you must assign a default value from
your list of values.
Click the open menu icon to see the available choice lists or to create a new one in
the Global Choice Editor.
Click <modify choice lists> to open the Global Choice Editor.
Add Adds a selection to the local choice list.
Edit Edits the identifier name or the display name of a local choice list selection.
Remove Removes a local choice list selection.

Creating Variables Overview

You can create and define variables in the Test Definition tab > Variables tab. The MTS TestSuite
applications also provide shortcuts in various places (such as in a drop-down list) to allow you to
conveniently create a new variable at the point of use. In the MPE application, you can create variables
related to specimen geometries through the Specimen Geometry Editor window.
In addition to providing information about creating variables at the point of use within a test activity, this
section provides the basic steps for creating the variables from the Variable editor.

Variable Toggle Button

The Numeric-Variable or Item-Variable toggle button appears throughout the application. Click the
button to toggle between two entry options.The following table indicates the icon and its meaning.

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Icon File Type

Variable selection; click to select or enter a variable
Item selection; click to select an item from the drop-down menu.
Direct numeric entry; click to enter a numeric value.

Create a Variable at the Point of Use

To create or select a variable at the point of use within a test activity:
1. Add a test activity to the test workflow.
2. In the properties panel for the test activity, click the toggle button for the property value you
want to configure as a variable.
3. Open the list and click <new variable>. You can also select an existing variable for the
property value.

New Variable

Creating a Numeric Variable

To create a numeric variable:
1. Navigate to the Test Definition tab > Variables tab.
2. Click the Add New Variable (+) icon.
3. Enter a Variable Identifier and click OK.
4. Indicate the desired general properties for the variable:
A. If you do not want to accept the default, edit the Display Name.
B. If you do not want to accept the default, select a Category for the new variable.
C. By default, a variables is enabled when first created. To disable the variable, clear the
Enabled check box.
D. Enter a Description.
E. Leave the variable Type at the default value of Number.
F. Select values for the Dimension and Unit properties as appropriate.
G. Enter a Default Value and select a Default Option.
5. To define the variable as a calculated value, click Is Calculated. Click the ellipsis to open the
Calculation Editor.

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6. In the Availability panel, select the check boxes that indicate when a variable is available for
editing.
7. Specify the Format parameters if you do not want to accept the defaults.
8. If desired, specify the Range parameters to restrict possible values to within a specified range.

Creating a Text Variable

To create a text variable:
1. Navigate to the Test Definition tab > Variables tab.
2. Click the Add New Variable (+) icon.
3. Enter a Variable Identifier and click OK.
4. Indicate the desired general properties for the variable:
A. If you do not want to accept the default, edit the Display Name.
B. If you do not want to accept the default, select a Category for the new variable.
C. By default, a variables is enabled when first created. To disable the variable, clear the
Enabled check box.
D. Enter a Description.
E. From the Type list, select Text.
5. If appropriate for the variable, define a global or local choice list and select a default value.
6. Adjust the Availability of the variable as desired.

Creating a Boolean Variable

To create a boolean variable:
1. Navigate to the Test Definition> Variables.
2. Click the Add New Variable (+) icon.
3. Enter a Variable Identifier and click OK.
4. Indicate the desired general properties for the variable:
A. If you do not want to accept the default, edit the Display Name.
B. If you do not want to accept the default, select a Category for the new variable.
C. By default, a variables is enabled when first created. To disable the variable, clear the
Enabled check box.
D. Enter a Description.
E. From the Type list, select Boolean.
5. The Default Value is False. Select True if you want the variable to evaluate to True.
6. Adjust the Availability of the variable as desired.

Creating Array Variables

You can create array variables from the following locations:

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l Click the add new variable (+) icon in the Test Definition tab > Variables tab. Select the
desired type of array from the Type list.
l Click Calculations in the properties panel of a Data Acquisition activity to open the Map
Variables window. Click the drop-down button in the Variables field.
l Click the Counter field drop-down list in the Data Acquisition activity properties window, and
click <new variable> to create a block variable array.
l Click the add icon in the properties panel of a Cycle + DAQ or Custom Waveform + DAQ
activity to open the Data Acquisition window. Click <new variable> from the Index Variable
field drop-down menu.

Initializing Array Variables

You can initialize an array variable by entering a space delimited ordered list of numbers in the Default
value field. Alternatively, you can use a python function to initialize array variables during test runtime
as part of the test workflow. For more information, see “Applied Python Example: Writing an Array to a
File” on page 288.

Calculations for Array Variables

The Calculation Editor (Properties panel > Calculation panel > ...) provides a variety of array functions
for use with array variables. Some result in an array; some result in a single value, depending on the
operation contained in the function.
You can perform arithmetic operations on array variables. You can also create custom functions to
perform specialized processing on data arrays and other array variables.

Choice Lists Overview

Access
Properties panel > Choice List panel
You can set multiple values for a variable or text input in a choice list and use them in many activities.
When you create a variable or text input with a choice list, you must assign a default value from your list
of values. Choice list values are alphanumeric character strings.

Example 1
Use choice lists in If-Else conditions and While loops. For example, in an If-Else activity, the condition
checks for the value of the variable to be equal to one of the choice list values. If that value matches, the
test procedure follows the “if” path.

Example 2
You can create a wave shape variable with values of triangle, sine, and square as its values as another
example.

Global choice lists

Use a global choice list if you want to assign the same choice list to multiple variables throughout a test.
This keeps consistency and predictability in your test. A global choice list is defined from the Tools
menu.

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Local choice lists

Use a local choice list if you are using one instance of the variable that only contains those values. A
local choice list has no name and is assigned only to one variable. A local choice list is defined directly
in the properties panel of a text variable.

Considerations when deleting choice lists

If you delete a variable that uses a global choice list, only the variable is deleted. The global choice list
remains and is available for use with other variables. If you delete a variable or text input that uses a
local choice list, you also delete the choice list.

Defining a Global Choice List

Prerequisite: Before you can access the Define Global Choice List option, you must open or create a
New Test.
After you create a global choice list, it is available in the Use Choice List property of any text variable.
1. From the Tools menu, choose the Define Global Choice List option. The Define Global
Choice List window opens.
2. Click Add in the top row of buttons to define a new choice list. A new choice list shows under
Display Name with a default name of “Choice List n”.
3. Enter a name for the choice list. You can use spaces in the name for readability.
4. Click Add in the Choice List Items panel. The New Choice List Entry window opens.
A. Enter a name for the choice list entry in the Identifier field. Do not enter spaces or
periods in the name, or start with a number.
B. Enter a display name in the Display Name field.
C. Click OK. To add more values to your variable choice list, repeat these steps.
5. When you are done adding choice list items, click OK.

Editing a Global Choice List

You can edit the name of a global choice list, or edit the items within a global choice list.
1. From the Tools menu, choose the Define Global Choice List option. The Define Global
Choice List window opens.
2. Click a display name or a choice list item to select it.
3. Click Edit. If you are editing a choice list item, the Edit Choice List Entry window opens. In this
window you can edit the identifier and display name.
4. Click OK.

Removing a Global Choice List

To remove a global choice list:
1. From the Tools menu, choose the Define Global Choice List option. The Define Global
Choice List window opens.

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2. Select the choice list to remove and click Remove.

3. Click OK.

Define Global Choice List Window

Access
Tools menu > Define Global Choice List

Define Global Choice List Window

Define Global Choice List Window

Item Description
Display Displays the Name of the global choice list. You can select the name and click Edit or
Name Remove. Click the up or down arrow in the Display Name heading row to sort the
available lists alphabetically.
Add Adds a global choice list.
Edit Edits the selected global choice list.
Remove Removes the selected global choice list.
Choice List Items
Add Adds a choice list entry to the selected global list.
Edit Opens the Edit Choice List Entry window to change the identifier or display name for the
list entry.
Remove Removes the selected list entry from the selected global list.

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Adding a Local Choice List

Follow these steps to add a local choice list to a text variable. Unlike a global choice list, a local choice
list is not available to other text variables in a test.
1. Navigate to the Test Definition tab > Variables tab.
2. Click the text variable to which you want to define a local choice list.
3. In the Choice List panel, select the Use Choice List checkbox.
A. Click Add. The New Choice List Entry window opens.
B. Enter a name for the choice list entry in the Identifier field. Do not enter spaces or
periods in the name, or start with a number.
C. Enter a display name in the Display Name field.
D. Click OK. To add more values to your variable choice list, repeat these steps.
4. (Required) In the Default Value list, select the default value from your list.

Advanced Variable Information

Data Acquisition Variable Mapping
Automatically Mapping Variables
Important: To simplify the mapping of variables, you can initially select Yes, automatically
map variables to map the majority of the signals and populate the Additional Variables to
Calculate list. You can then switch the setting to Yes, manually map variables. This retains
the automatic settings and allows you to finish any mapping that the automatic setting did not
map.
1. On the Data Acquisition Properties Save Data to Variables list, click Yes, automatically
map variables.
When you select the automatic mapping setting, the application performs the following
actions:
A. The acquired signals are automatically mapped to variables of the same name with
the word “Array” appended and illegal characters removed.

Important: If a variable that meets this criteria does not exist in the test, the
application automatically creates the variable.
B. All calculations that are dependent on these mapped variables are automatically
added to the Additional Variable Calculations list.
If the DAQ activity is set up for point-by-point processing, only dependent array
calculations are added.
If the DAQ activity is set up for block-by-block processing, all dependent calculations
are added.

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Manually Mapping Variables

Prerequisite: You can pre-populate mapping selections by first setting the automatic mapping option.
1. On the Data Acquisition Properties Save Data to Variables list, click Yes, manually map
variables.
2. On the Data Acquisition Properties panel, click Configure.
The Map Variables window appears with the automatic mapping selections that were
performed in the Automatically Mapping Variables task.
3. If necessary, use one of these methods to edit or perform additional signal-to-variable
mapping:
l Variable list—Click the drop-down button in the Variables column and select a
variable where the signal value(s) will be stored. The drop-down list shows all the
variables that are appropriate to map to the signal/calculation.
l Create a new variable—Click the drop-down button in the Variables column and click
<new variable>. The New Numeric Variable window appears with default settings
that are compatible with variable mapping. Click OK to accept the settings and create
a new variable.
l Use Default Variable button—In the Signal to Variable Mapping table, select a
signal and click the Use Default Variable button to automatically map the selected
signal(s) to a variable.
4. If necessary, edit the Additional Variables to Calculate list.
5. (Applicable to block processing only) If necessary, add any additional variables to the Save
Variables list. The values for these variables are saved with the test run but do not show up in
the raw data.

Map Variables Window

Use the Map Variables window to map a variable to signal data. The data is calculated during the test
run for those cycles that are selected or defined in the properties for the Data Acquisition activity. The
data values for each acquired cycle are available for use in the run-time display and are saved for post-
test analysis.
You can also add or edit a variable while in this window. In the Additional Variables to Calculate panel,
to open the Add Variable window, click the New Variable icon (+) or right-click and select New
Variable. To open the Edit Variable window, click the Edit Variable icon (...) or right-click on a variable
name and select Edit Variable.
To open the Map Variables window:
1. Open the Properties panel of an DAQ activity.
2. Add signals to the Signal list.
3. In the Save data to variables? panel, select the Yes, automatically map variables or Yes,
manually map variables option and click Configure.

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Note:
If you select Yes, automatically map variables, the Map Variables window opens in
read-only mode.

 Map Variables Window

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Map Variables Window Properties

No. Property Description

1 Before If you selected the Yes, manually map variables option for the Save Data to
starting variables? property in the DAQ activity properties panel, a Before starting
property appears in the Map Variables window. Available options are:
l Discard Array Data—(Default) Clears the array when the activity
starts.
l Retain Array Data—Existing data remains and new points are
appended to the array.
This setting is useful when multiple DAQ activities write data to the same array
at different points in the test.

Important:
If there are multiple DAQ activities in a test workflow, the Before
starting setting for the first DAQ activity should be set to Discard Array
Data, and for subsequent DAQ activities, set to Retain Array Data.
Otherwise, block or cycle variables contain data acquired in preceding
blocks.

Note:
The Before starting settings are not available for the Cycle + DAQ and
the Custom Waveform + DAQ activities.
2 Signal-to- This table allows you to save (map) acquired signal data to variables.
Variable
Mapping
3 Use Default To automatically map the selected signal to a default variable (creating the
Variables variable if necessary), select the desired signals and click the Use Default
Variables button.
The name of each new variable that is created is the combination of the signal
name and calculation name. Any new variables that are created appear on the
Variables tab.
4 Filter This check box is typically selected to only display variables that are appropriate
variables for mapping.
by l If the check box is selected, the variable list includes only the variables
dimensions with the same dimension and calculation type as the signal.
and
l If the check box is cleared, all variables appear in the list. This list
calculation
type displays all variables, including variables that are not appropriate for
mapping.
5 Additional Use this panel to select calculated variables (whose calculations include signal
Variables data mapped to an array variable) that are recalculated when the mapped array

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No. Property Description

to variables are populated with signal data. The data from each calculation in the
Calculate Additional Variable Calculations table is available for test-run displays and for
post-test analysis.
When automatic variable mapping is selected, any calculations that are
dependent on mapped array variables are automatically added to the
Additional Variable Calculations list.
l If the data is being processed in a point-by-point manner, only
dependent array calculations are included.
l If the data is being processed block-by-block, all dependent
calculations are added.
To edit one of the Additional Variable Calculations, right-click on the variable
and select Edit Variable. To add a variable, right-click and select Add
Variable.
6 Additional Filters the list of variables that contain calculations:
variables to l Signal-Dependant Variables—Shows the variables that have a
calculate calculation that is based on a variable that is mapped to signal data. In
settings most instances, this option lists the appropriate variables.
l Calculated Variables—Shows all the variables that have a
calculation.
l All Variables—Shows all variables, including variables that do not
have a calculation.
7 Save When click the Add a new item icon (+) and add a variable to this list, the Data
Variables Acquisition activity stores the variable value, along with the acquired data, for
(block each data block. This is necessary if you have additional variable calculations
processing that include independent variables (that are not part of acquired data) whose
only) values may change during the test. Saving these variable values along with the
other block data makes them available for reports and post-test analysis.
For example, a Data Acquisition activity saves acquired data to variables V1
and V2 and performs the following additional variable calculation:
C1 = V1 + V2 + V3
where V3 is a variable that changes during the test and is not acquired data. In
this example, you should add V3 to the Save Variables list so that its value is
saved with each data block making it available for post-test analysis.
To remove an item from this list, select the item and click the Remove icon (red
minus sign).

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Map Signals to a Variable

Variable Mapping Overview
Cycle, point-by-point, and group data acquisition activities require you to map variables to the signals
you want to acquire. Perform this mapping in the Map Variables window (for more information about
the Map Variables window, see “Map Variables Window” on page 201).
If a variable is mapped to signal data, the data is calculated during the test run for those cycles that are
selected or defined in the properties for the data acquisition activity. The data values for each acquired
cycle are available for use in the runtime display and are saved for post-test analysis.

Signal to Variable Mapping

The following four types of data values are available for each signal that is selected for data acquisition:
l Mean
l Minimum
l Maximum
l Array

Important:
The application only calculates data for a signal if it is mapped to a variable.
The Signal to Variable Mapping panel allows you to map signals to variables.
To see the variables that are available to map, click the drop-down button.
If the Filter variables by dimension and calculation type check box is selected, the variable list
includes only the variables with the same dimension and calculation type as the signal. If the check box
is clear, all variables appear in the list.
If a variable is mapped to signal data, the data is calculated during the test run for those cycles that are
selected or defined in the properties for the Data Acquisition activity. The data values for each acquired
cycle are available for use in the runtime display and are saved for post-test analysis.

Default mapping
To automatically create new variables (if the defaults do not already exist) for selected signals and map
them to the correct signal data calculations, click the Use Default Variables button.
The name of each variable is the combination of the signal name and calculation name. The application
also copies the new variable definitions to the Variables tab.

User variable mapping

Alternatively, you can map a user-defined variable to any signal data calculation. The variable you map
must have a dimension that matches the signal data.
You cannot map a variable to a signal data calculation if the variable already contains a calculation.
However, variables that contain a calculation may optionally be used in the Additional Variables to
Calculate panel.

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Add Calculations to the Signal (Optional)

Additional variables to calculate

The Available Calculations panel lists variables that have a calculation. The calculations in the
Selected Calculated Variables panel are performed on those variables when the Data Acquisition
activity is performed in the test procedure. The data from the calculation is available for runtime display
and for post-test analysis.
Data for a calculated variable must exist when the calculation occurs. If a calculation is based on one or
more other variables, data must exist for those variables. If the data does not exist, the calculation
cannot be performed.
A calculation can be based on a variable that is mapped to signal data. As a result, you can perform an
additional calculation on the data at the time the data is acquired for the cycle.
To view the list of variables that contain calculations, select:
l Signal Dependant Variables—Shows the variables that have a calculation if part of the
calculation is based on a variable that is mapped to a signal data calculation. If another
variable is referenced in the calculation, the data for that variable must exist for the calculation
to succeed.
l Calculated Variables—Shows the variables that have a calculation. This option enlarges the
variable selection scope. As a result, you must be careful to make sure that all calculation
references are resolved.
l All Variables—Shows all variables, including variables that do not have a calculation. You
can change the variable to include a calculation or change an existing calculation by selecting
the variable and clicking the Create or Edit Calculation button. Make sure that all calculation
references are resolved.

Save Variables
Select one or more variables to store the value in the raw data file for each group.
To specify a variable, click Edit List and select one or more variables.
l Cyclic data is stored at the end of each cycle.
l Group data is stored at each boundary, such as a step or segment.
l Non-cyclic data is stored at the end of the data acquisition. The stored data lets you reset the
value at each capture point of the acquisition.

Variables Calculations
Calculation Editor Overview

Access
To open the Calculation Editor, click the Variables tab. Click the name of a variable that contains a
calculation. In the Calculation panel of the Properties panel, click the ellipsis (...) to open the
Calculation Editor.

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You can add or edit a variable while in this window. To open the Add Variable window, right-click and
select New Variable. To open the Edit Variable window, right-click on a variable name and select Edit
Variable.
Four panels comprise this screen: Calculation, Errors, Variables, and Functions.

Calculation panel
Use the Calculation panel of the Calculation Editor to build a variable calculation. You can edit text
directly in the panel, or you can use the Variables and Functions panels to insert defined variable and
functions. Note the following on the Calculation panel:
l Variables can use reference signals, other variables, and calculation parameters.
l Names are not case-sensitive.
l Variables and signal labels have identifiers and display names. Use the identifier name when
creating a calculation that uses the signal.
When you are satisfied with the calculation, click OK to add the calculation to the variable selected in
the Variables Editor window.

Note: If adjacent variable names are not separated by a space or function in the Calculation
panel, they are interpreted as a single variable name. This is likely to result in a “...variable...,
was not found” error message.

Errors panel
The Errors panel of the Calculation Editor continually evaluates the calculation as you build it.

Note: Calculations are validated only on syntax and references to variables and functions, not
expected results.

Variables panel
The Variables panel of the Calculation Editor lists all variables defined for the project. Double-click a
variable to add the variable to the calculation. To sort the variables, click a column heading.

Signals/Channels panel
The Signals/Channels panel of the Calculation Editor lists all the signals and channels defined in the
project. Double-click a signal or channel to add the signal or channel to the calculation. The signal or
channel that you added appears at the location of your cursor in the Calculation panel .
To sort the signals or channels, click a column heading.

Functions panel
The Functions panel of the Calculation Editor contains a list of defined program functions and
operators. Double-click a function to add the function to the calculation.
Click the modify choice lists icon to select specific categories of functions. To sort the functions, click a
column heading.
Square brackets [  ] indicate you can add an optional parameter. Remove the square brackets
regardless if you add an optional parameter. A calculation error occurs if they are not removed.

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Parentheses (  ) in the syntax means that you must add a parameter.
For example, the function below requires two variable parameters that contain the stress and strain
data. The start and end indexes for loading and unloading modulus calculations are optional because
they are in square brackets.
CycleModulus(Stress,Strain[, startIndexLoading,endIndexLoading, startIndexUnloading,
endIndexUnloading])

Note: The variable parameters between the parentheses are not the identities of the variables.
They indicate the type of variable that must be placed in the syntax.

Operators and Precedence

The following table shows all the recognized operators organized by group and listed in order of
precedence. Within a group, all operators have the same precedence.

Note: Some programming languages use a semicolon as a list separator instead of a comma. If
you are using one of those languages, the last operator of the table would be replaced with a
semicolon.

Operator Precedence

Precedence Operator Function Direction

1 [ ] Array Index Left-to-Right
( ) Function Call
. Variable-Specific Information
2 ! Logical NOT Right-to-Left
+ Unary Plus Left-to-Right
- Unary Minus
~ Ones Complement
3 * Multiply Left-to-Right
/ Divide
% Modulus
4 + Addition Left-to-Right
– Subtraction
5 << Bitwise Shift Left Left-to-Right
>> Bitwise Shift Right
6 < Less Than Left-to-Right
> Greater Than

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Precedence Operator Function Direction

<= Less than or Equal
>= Greater Than or Equal
7 == Equal to Left-to-Right
!= Logical Not
8 & Bitwise AND Left-to-Right
9 ^ Bitwise XOR Left-to-Right
10 | Bitwise OR Left-to-Right
11 && Logical AND Left-to-Right
12 || Logical OR Left-to-Right
13 = Assignment Right-to-Left
14 , Comma - List Separator Left-to-Right

Variable-Specific Information
You can reference variables with delimited notation. A dot separates the variable name from the
specifier: <variable_name>.<specifier>
For example, the display name of a variable named PeakLoad is <PeakLoad>.<display name>

Specifier Properties

Item Description
Display Name Shows the display name of the variable.
Identifier Shows the internal name of the variable.
Units Shows the units of the variable.
Size Shows the array size of the variable. If the variable is not an array, the value is 1.

Functions in Variable Calculations

Functions and Arguments in a Calculation
The Calculation Editor contains functions that can be inserted into the Calculation panel from the
Functions panel. When an insertion occurs, the function is represented by an identifier followed
immediately by a parenthetical representation of the expected argument or arguments. If multiple
arguments are required, their representatives are separated within the parenthesis using delimiters,
such as commas or semicolons, depending on the local language. The representative arguments are
placeholders for an expected type of data.

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Argument types
The types of arguments that can be passed to a function are:
l Number
l String
l Array
l Signal or test input
In all cases, the argument type that is shown in the Calculation window must be replaced by a
meaningful value. The meaningful value can be an actual value, a variable that contains a value that is
of the correct type for the argument, or another function that produces a result that is of the correct type
for the argument.
For example, if the function cos(number) is added to the Calculation panel, the message, “The
variable, number, was not found” is shown in the Error panel. The argument “number” must be
replaced with a value, a variable of the correct type, or a function that evaluates to the correct type. In
this case the number 30, the variable CycleCount, or the function cos(sin(30)) validates the calculation.
The Error panel message reads, “Equation is OK” when one of these replacements is used.

Argument syntax
When replacing a representative number or string argument type with an actual number value or a
string value, you must use the correct syntax for the value.
l A string value must be enclosed between double-quotation marks. For example: the function
ToLower(string), can be replaced by ToLower(“This is a short sentence.”), but not by
ToLower(This is a short sentence.).
l A numeric value is typed without quotation marks. For example: the function cos(number) can
be replaced by cos(30), but not by cos(“30”).
Arguments can also be replaced with variables of the correct type.

Unique functions
There are unique functions available in the Calculation Editor that do not accept arguments.
l The function e() represents the natural logarithmic base, e.
l The function Pi() represents the mathematical constant, pi.
l The function SystemRate() represents the system data rate.

Understanding Functions Used in Calculations

Each argument shown in the Calculation window must be replaced by a meaningful value. The
meaningful value can be an actual value, a variable that contains a value that is of the correct type for
the argument, or another function that produces a result that is of the correct type for the argument.
To help understand the arguments in a pre-existing variable whose function is already configured with
variables, put the cursor at the end of the expression and press Return. Then, use the Functions tab to
reinsert the function. When you do this, the same function will be added to the calculation window.
However, instead of displaying the actual values or the variable values the calculation is using, you can

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see the base arguments that the function expects to receive. By doing this, you can better understand
which values are being fed into any specific function that is used in a calculation.
In the example below, the Channel Value function was reinserted at the bottom to provide descriptions
of the arguments. This makes it apparent that the function searches the StrainArray (searchChannel)
for the value of StrainPoint01 (search value) and returns the stress value (resultChannel) at a strain
value = StrainPoint01.

Expanded ArrayValue Function

Modulus Calculation Functions

Modulus is calculated from the slope of the Least Squares Fit calculation of the Stress and Strain
arrays between the starting and ending indexes.

LeastSquaresFit
LeastSquaresFit(StressArray, StrainArray, Slope1, Slope2
The slope of the least squares fit of the array that contains Y-axis data and X-axis data between the
start and end indexes. This is typically used when calculating modulus in TestSuite TW applications.

Loading Modulus
LoadingModulus(Stress, Strain[, startIndex, endIndex])
The loading modulus is the modulus of the portion of the curve where the load on the specimen
increases. This function calculates the loading modulus using the Stress and Strain arrays between
the startIndex and endIndex.
If the startIndex is set to -1, the optimum start index is the valley offset by 5 points. If variables represent
this field in the function and the original value is -1, the variable contains the calculated index at the
completion of the function.
If the endIndex is set to -1, you can calculate the optimum endpoint:
1. Locate a nominal end index at 25% of the stress range and within the linear modulus range.
2. Calculate a nominal modulus at the nominal end index.
3. Expand the nominal end index away from the start index until the new modulus value differs
from the nominal modulus by more than 2%.
4. The endIndex is set before the newly calculated modulus exceeds the nominal modulus.
If variables represent this field in the function and the original value is -1, the variable contains the
calculated index at the completion of the function.

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UnLoading Modulus
UnLoadingModulus(Stress, Strain[, startIndex, endIndex])
The unloading modulus is the modulus of the portion of the curve where the load on the specimen
decreases. This function calculates the unloading modulus using the Stress and Strain arrays between
the startIndex and endIndex.
If the startIndex is set to -1, the optimum starting index is the peak offset by 5 points. If variables
represent this field in the function and the original value is -1, the variable contains the calculated index
at completion of the function.
If the endIndex is set to -1, you can calculate the optimum endpoint:
1. Locate a nominal end index at 25% of the stress range and within the linear modulus range.
2. Calculate a nominal modulus at the nominal end index.
3. Expand the nominal end index away from the start index until the new modulus value differs
from the nominal modulus by more than 2%.
4. The endIndex is set before the newly calculated modulus exceeds the nominal modulus.
If variables represent this field in the function and the original value is -1, the variable contains the
calculated index at the completion of the function.

Cycle Modulus
CycleModulus(Stress, Strain[, startIndexLoading, endIndexLoading, startIndexUnloading,
endIndexUnloading])
CycleModulus returns the average of LoadingModulus and UnloadingModulus.

First Cycle Modulus

FirstCycleModulus(Stress, Strain[, startIndex, endIndex])
The FirstCycleModulus function returns the modulus of the data in the region prior to the first peak or
valley because the first cycle is typically a partial cycle. The modulus is either a loading or unloading
modulus, based on an increase or decrease in the specimen load during the first cycle.

Fatigue Life Calculation Function

Fatigue Life
FatigueLife(YAxis, XAxis, startIndex, endIndex, percentageDrop)
The FatigueLife function returns the index of the point where the material under test fails. The failure
point is after endIndex where the Y-Axis value falls below (percentageDrop) the Least Squares Fit line
of X-Axis and Y-Axis data between startIndex and endIndex. This function provides the drop line for
the Failure Cycle Chart.

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Calculated Variable Functions

Calculation Editor
Access
1. Click the Variables tab.
2. Double-click the calculated variable you want to edit. Or, if you are creating a new variable,
select the Is Calculated check box in the Calculation panel.

Calculation Editor Window

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Parts of the Calculation Editor Window

Number Item Description

1 Calculation Use the Calculation panel to build a variable calculation. You can edit
panel text directly in the panel, or you can use the Variables and Functions
panels to insert defined variable and functions. Note the following on
the Calculation panel:
l Variables can use reference signals, other variables, and
calculation parameters.
l Names are not case-sensitive.
l Variables and signal labels have identifiers and display
names. Use the identifier name when creating a calculation
that uses a signal.

Note:
If adjacent variable names are not separated by a space
or function in the Calculation panel, they are interpreted
as a single variable name. This is likely to result in a
“...variable..., was not found” error message.
2 Errors panel The Errors panel continually evaluates the calculation as you build it.

Note:
Calculations are validated only on syntax and references to
variables and functions, not expected results.
3 Variables tab The Variables panel lists all variables defined for the project. Double-
click a variable or click a variable and click Insert to add the variable to
the calculation. The cursor location in the Calculation panel shows the
added variable.
To sort the displayed variables, click a column heading to sort the
variables by the values in that column. Click the same column heading
again to reverse the sort order.

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Number Item Description

4 Signal/Channels Opens the Signals/Channels tab.
tab
5 Function tab Opens the Functions panel.
6 Functions panel The Functions panel contains a list of defined program functions and
operators. Double-click a function or click a function and then click
Insert to add the function to the calculation.
Click the Functions list to select specific categories of functions.
To sort the displayed functions, click a column heading to sort the
functions by the values in that column. Click the same column heading
again to reverse the sort order.
Square brackets [  ] indicate you can add an optional parameter.
Remove the square brackets regardless if you add an optional
parameter. A calculation error occurs if they are not removed.
Parentheses (  ) in the syntax means that you must add a parameter.
For example, the following function requires two variable parameters
that contain the stress and strain data. The start and end indexes for
loading and unloading modulus calculations are optional because they
are in square brackets:
CycleModulus(Stress,Strain[,
startIndexLoading,endIndexLoading, startIndexUnloading,
endIndexUnloading])

Note:
The variable parameters between the parentheses are not the
identities of the variables. They indicate the type of variable that
must be placed in the syntax.

Calculation Unit Conversion Issues

Important: To avoid unit-conversion issues, create a variable to hold any constant value (that
has a dimension and units associated with it) used in a calculation. You can assign any units that
you want to the variable and the application converts them to the base units when the calculation
is performed.

Base units
Although MTS TestSuite applications allow the user to specify variable units, all calculations convert
variable values and constants to a constant set of base units. This can be problematic if you add a
constant to an equation and assume that it will use the same user-assigned units as the other variables
in the calculation.

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Note: When using the Calculation Editor, you can move the mouse over any variable in the
calculation to display a tool tip that specifies the base units used when that calculation is
performed.

Example
For example, the following calculation would yield incorrect results because the test designer has
entered a constant that they assumed would match the user-assigned units.
y = x +(1)
where: the variable (x) has user-assigned units of feet and the constant (1) is assumed to also have the
same units of feet.
If the value of x=3 feet the assumption is that:
y = 3 ft. + 1 ft. = 4 ft. where: y is a variable with a dimension = “length” and units = feet
But, because the constant (1) is converted to the application’s base units for length (meters in this
example), the equation returns the following:
y = 0.9144 + 1 = 1.9144 so that: the displayed value of y = 6.281 ft. (not 4 ft.)

Notation for Referencing Variables

You can reference variables with delimited notation. A dot separates the variable name from the
specifier:
<variable_name>.<specifier>
For example, the display name of a variable named PeakLoad is:
<PeakLoad>.<display name>

Specifier Properties

Item Description
Display Name Shows the display name of the variable.
Identifier Shows the internal name of the variable.
Units Shows the units of the variable.
Size Shows the array size of the variable. If the variable is not an array, the value is 1.

Adding Pre-Test Calculations

Access
Define tab > Test flow > Pre-test > Calculations
Pre-test calculations are calculations that pertain to Common (global) variables. Common variables
are variables associated with the entire test, not individual test runs.

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A common use for pre-test calculations is concatenating strings to name the file, the test, and the test
run.

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Example: Suppose you want the Test Name variable, which is used as the file name and shown in
test reports, to be a concatenation of the lot number and the test date. To do this:
1. Create a new test.
Click the New Test from Template button. Select the Simplified Tension test.
2. Add two variables to accept lot number and test date data.
A. In the Explorer window, select Variables.
B. On the Variables tab, click the + sign to add a variable.
C. In the New Variable window, enter LotNumber. Click OK.
D. In the Properties window:
a. Change Display Name to Enter lot number.
b. Change Type to Text.
E. In the Variables tab, click the + sign to add a variable.
F. In the New Variable window, enter TestDate. Click OK.
G. In the Properties window:
a. Change Display Name to Enter test date.
b. Change Type to Text.
3. Make the Name of the Test variable calculated.
A. In the Explorer window, click Variables.
B. On the Variables tab, click Name of the Test.
C. In the Properties window, click to select Is Calculated.
D. Click the ellipsis (...) in the Calculation tab.
E. In the Calculation Editor, select Enter lot number from the list, enter +"_"+, and
then select Enter date from the list. The resulting calculation is LotNumber+"_
"+TestDate. Click OK.
F. In the Properties window Availability tab, click to select During-Test and Result.
4. Enable the Input Variables and Calculate Variables activities in the Procedure Flow and
add the appropriate variables to them.
A. Navigate to the Procedure Table by selecting the Define and Procedure tabs.
B. Click the Input Variables icon in the Set Up group of the Procedure Flow.
C. In the Properties window, click Enable.
D. On the Variable List tab, click + to add a variable.
E. In the Variables Selection window, move Enter lot number and Enter test date
from Available to Selected. Click OK.
F. Click the Calculate Variables activity in the Set Up group of the Procedure Flow.

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G. In the Properties window, click Enable.

H. On the Variable List tab, click + to add a variable.
I. In the Variables Selection window, move Name of the Test from Available to
Selected. Click OK.
5. Run the test. Notice that the file name changes and that the concatenated Test Name
shows up in the Review tab.

Important: The calculation for this example will occur only the first time you run the
program. This is because the Input Variables and Calculation Variables activities
are in the Set Up Group. To perform calculations for each test run, use the Run
group for the activities instead.

Tip: The input variables used to make up the test name could be selected from choice lists.

Calculation Functions Overview

The functions available in the Calculation Editor are tools for calculating the value of a variable. The
functions support computations using arithmetic, logic, and project variables.
If a function has mandatory parameters, a corresponding value for the parameters must be supplied.
The value of a parameter is referred to as an argument. The number of parameters of a function, along
with the parameter names form the signature of a function. The function signature describes the
parameters and parameter types with which to make a legal call (that is, properly use) to the function.
The signature contains the name of the function, its parameters and their type, and the return value.
Functions can operate directly on an operand are referred to as operators. Functions may require one
or more arguments be passed to them, or may not accept arguments.

Operators
When an operator is added to a calculation, it acts directly on the operands to its left and right by
assigning a value, performing a comparison, or performing a mathematical calculation.
However, some operators like the Not (!), Ones Complement (~), and Subtraction when used as a
Negate (-), operate on only one argument to the right.

Functions requiring arguments

In general syntax, functions that require arguments are written as a function name followed
immediately by the required arguments enclosed in parenthesis. For example:
cos(number)
where “cos” is the function identifier and “(number)” is the required argument.

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Functions with no arguments

There are unique functions available in the Calculation Editor that do not accept arguments:
l Function e() represents the natural logarithmic base, e.
l Function Pi() represents the mathematical constant, pi.
l Function SystemRate() represents the system data rate.

Inserting Functions with the Calculation Editor

The Calculation Editor contains functions that you can insert into the Calculation panel from the
Functions panel. When you insert a function, the function is represented by an identifier followed
immediately by a parenthetical representation of the expected argument or arguments. If multiple
arguments are required, their representatives are separated within the parenthesis using delimiters,
such as commas or semicolons, depending on the local language. The representative arguments are
placeholders for an expected type of data.

Argument types
The types of arguments that can be passed to a function are:
l Number
l String
l Array
l Signal or test input
In all cases, the argument type that is shown in the Calculation window must be replaced by a
meaningful value. The meaningful value can be an actual value, a variable that contains a value that is
of the correct type for the argument, or another function that produces a result that is of the correct type
for the argument.
For example, if the function cos(number) is added to the Calculation panel, the message, “The
variable, number, was not found” is shown in the Error panel. The argument “number” must be
replaced with a value, a variable of the correct type, or a function that evaluates to the correct type. In
this case, the number 30, the variable CycleCount, or the function cos(sin(30)) validates the
calculation. The Error panel message reads, “Equation is OK” when one of these replacements is
used.

Argument syntax
When replacing a representative number or string argument type with an actual number value or a
string value, you must use the correct syntax for the value.
l A string value must be enclosed between double-quotes. For example: the function ToLower
(string), can be replaced by ToLower(“This is a short sentence.”), but not by ToLower(This is a
short sentence.).
l A numeric value is typed without quotes. For example: the function cos(number) can be
replaced by cos(30), but not by cos(“30”).
Arguments can also be replaced with variables of the correct type.

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Function Categories Overview

MTS TestSuite functions available in the Calculation Editor are organized into the following categories:
l Array
l Controller
l Cyclic
l Date and Time
l Directory
l Fatigue and Fracture
l Geometry
l Index
l Math
l Operators
l Peel-Tear
l Sensor (applicable to TEDS Devices in TWE only)
l String
l Test Definition (custom user-defined functions)
The most commonly used functions are described in this reference.

Array Functions
This section provides reference information for functions used on arrays.

Compliance
The Compliance function is used to minimize the effects of frame deflections under high force.

Returns
The amount of the extension that needs to be compensated.

Syntax
Compliance(ForceArray, ComplianceCoefficients)

Parameters
ForceArray - The force array data.
ComplianceCoefficients - The coefficient array generated during the compliance Test Run.

Unit Class
Extension

Example
ExtensionArray - Compliance(ForceArray, ComplianceCoefficients)

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CurveFitValue

Returns
The requested coefficient.

Syntax
CurveFitValue(Order, Coefficient, yArray, aArray, StartIndex, EndIndex)

Parameters
Order—The order of the polynomial fit to calculate using the yArray and xArray data.
Coefficient—The coefficient to return.
yArray—The Y array data.
xArray—The X array data.
StartIndex—The optional start index of the arrays.
EndIndex—The optional end index of the arrays.

Unit Class
Dependent upon equation order, coefficient number, and channels specified.

Example
CurveFitValue(2, 0, yArray, aArray, StartIndex, EndIndex)
This example returns the zero coefficient from the second order polynomial fit on the X and Y arrays
between the indexes specified by StartIndex and EndIndex.

Polynomial
The Polynomial function returns the Y value based on an X value and the coefficients generated with
the PolynomialFit function.

Returns
The Y value associated with the X value.

Syntax
Polynomial(X,Coefficients)

Unit Class
The units associated with the Y data used to calculated the coefficients.

Example
Polynomial(X, coefficients)
This example returns the Y value calculated at the value X.

PolynomialFit
The PolynomialFit function fits a polynomial curve of the specified order to the data arrays.

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Returns
The coefficients as an array. The number of array values returned is one plus the order specified.

Syntax
PolynomialFit(yArray, xArray, Order[, StartIndex, EndIndex, rSquared])

Parameters
yArray—The Y array data being analyzed.
xArray—The X array data being analyzed.
Order—The order of the polynomial fit.
StartIndex—The optional start index of the region to be analyzed.
EndIndex—The optional end index of the region to be analyzed.
rSquared—An optional variable that is used to pass the coefficient of determination (R2)

Unit Class
Dependent on the coefficient.

Example
PolynomialFit(Force, Extension, 1, Slope1, Slope2)
This example returns the coefficients for a straight line through the regions specified by Slope1 and
Slope2.

Controller Functions
This section provides reference information for controller functions.

Note:
The TimePattern depends upon your Windows settings in the Format tab for regional areas.

GetTransitionTime

Returns
Returns the time from the specified channel and transition time type.

Syntax
GetTransitionTime([ timePattern])

Parameters
timePattern

SetTransitionTime

Returns
Sets the time from the specified channel and transition time type.

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Syntax
SetTransitionTime([ timePattern])

Parameters
timePattern

Signal

Returns
Current value from a signal.

Syntax
Signal(SignalName)

Parameters
SignalName

SignalFullScale

Returns
Full scale value from a signal.

Syntax
SignalFullScale(SignalName[, MinimumOrMaximumOption)

Parameters
SignalName
MinimumOrMaximumOption—One of the optional arguments: Minimum; minimum; Maximum;
maximum; Upper; upper; Lower; or lower

SystemRate

Returns
The maximum data rate for the controller.

Syntax
SystemRate()

Trace

Returns
Gets the percentage complete of the current segment for a channel.

Syntax
Trace(ChannelName)

Parameters
ChannelName

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Cyclic Functions
This section provides reference information for cyclic functions.

AnalysisRun

Returns
Accesses the variable across analysis runs.

Syntax
AnalysisRun[Index].variable

Block

Returns
Accesses data across blocks.

Syntax
Block[blockName, Index].variable

Parameters
blockName

Cycle

Returns
Accesses the variable in cycles.

Syntax
Cycle[Index].variable

TestRun

Returns
Accesses the variable across test runs.

Syntax
TestRun[Index].variable

Date and Time Functions

This section provides reference information for date and time functions.
The DatePattern and TimePattern depend upon your Windows settings in the Format tab for your
region.

TestCreationDate

Returns
Returns the creation date of the test.

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Syntax
TestCreationDate([ datePattern])

Parameters
datePattern—Formats the date according to the specified pattern. For example, “d” is a short date
pattern (MM/dd/yyyy); “D” is a long date pattern (dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy).
Detailed date and time pattern format specifier information is available from the MSDN resources Web
site.

Examples
TestCreationDate([ “d”])
Returns a test creation date in a short date format, assuming a United States English culture:
4/15/2012
TestCreationDate([ “D”])
Returns a test creation date in a long date format, assuming a United States English culture:
Saturday, March 31, 2012

TestCreationTime

Returns
Returns the creation time of the test.

Syntax
TestCreationTime([ timePattern])

Parameters
timePattern—Formats the time according to the specified pattern. Set the time pattern to the exact
format desired. For example, to obtain the pattern h-mm-ss for hours-minutes-seconds, the function
should specify "hh-mm-ss".
Detailed date and time pattern format specifier information is available from the MSDN resources Web
site.

Example
TestCreationTime([ “hh:mm:ss tt”])
Displays the time as 10:04:01 PM.

Unit Class
String

TestModificationDate
Note:
This function replaces the SampleModificationDate function from the TW4 application.

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Returns
Returns the last modification date of the test run.

Syntax
TestModificationDate([ datePattern])

Parameters
datePattern—Formats the date according to the specified pattern. For example, “d” is a short date
pattern (MM/dd/yyyy); “D” is a long date pattern (dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy).
Detailed date and time pattern format specifier information is available from the MSDN resources Web
site.

Examples
TestModificationDate([ “d”])
Returns a test modification date in a short date format, assuming a United States English culture (us
en):
4/15/2012
TestModificationDate([ “D”])
Returns a test creation date in a long date format, assuming a United States English culture:
Saturday, March 31, 2012

Unit Class
Integer

TestModificationTime
Note:
This function replaces the SampleModificationTime function from the TW4 application.

Returns
Returns the last modification time of the test run.

Syntax
TestModificationTime([ timePattern])

Parameters
timePattern—Formats the time according to the specified pattern. Set the time pattern to the exact
format desired. For example, to obtain the pattern h-mm-ss for hours-minutes-seconds, the function
should specify "hh-mm-ss".
Detailed date and time pattern format specifier information is available from the MSDN resources Web
site.

Example
TestModificationTime([ “hh:mm:ss tt”])

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Displays the time as 10:04:01 PM.

Unit Class
String

TestRunCreationDate
Note:
This function replaces the SampleCreationDate function from the TW4 application.

Returns
Returns the creation date of the test run.

Syntax
TestRunCreationDate([ datePattern])

Parameters
datePattern—Formats the date according to the specified pattern. For example, “d” is a short date
pattern (MM/dd/yyyy); “D” is a long date pattern (dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy).
Detailed date and time pattern format specifier information is available from the MSDN resources Web
site.

Examples
TestRunCreationDate([ “d”])
Returns a test run creation date in a short date format, assuming a United States English culture (us
en):
4/15/2012
TestRunCreationDate([ “D”])
Returns a test run creation date in a long date format, assuming a United States English culture:
Saturday, March 31, 2012

Unit Class
String

TestRunCreationTime
Note:
This function replaces the SampleCreationTime function from the TW4 application.

Returns
Returns the creation time of the test run.

Syntax
TestRunCreationTime([ timePattern])

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Parameters
timePattern—Formats the time according to the specified pattern. Set the time pattern to the exact
format desired. For example, to obtain the pattern h-mm-ss for hours-minutes-seconds, the function
should specify "hh-mm-ss".
Detailed date and time pattern format specifier information is available from the MSDN resources Web
site.

Example
TestRunCreationTime([ “hh:mm:ss tt”])
Displays the time as 10:04:01 PM.

Unit Class
String

Directory Functions
This section provides reference information for directory functions that return information about the
default project, test, test run, external files, and data export directories that are configured in
Preferences > Configuration > Project.

CurrentProjectDirectory

Returns
Returns the current project directory.

Syntax
CurrentProjectDirectory()

Unit Class
String

CurrentTestDirectory

Returns
Returns the current test directory.

Syntax
CurrentTestDirectory()

Unit Class
String

CurrentTestRunDirectory

Returns
Returns the current test run directory. The directory is set in Preferences > Configuration > Project.

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Syntax
CurrentTestRunDirectory()

Unit Class
String

DataExportDirectory

Returns
Returns the directory for exported data. The directory is set in Preferences > Configuration > Project.

Syntax
DataExportDirectory()

Unit Class
String

DefaultReportDirectory

Returns
Returns the default reports directory. The directory is set in Preferences > Configuration > Project.

Syntax
DefaultReportDirectory()

Unit Class
String

ExternalFilesDirectory

Returns
Returns the directory for external files. The directory is set in Preferences > Configuration > Project.

Syntax
ExternalFilesDirectory()

Unit Class
String

TestDirectory

Returns
Returns the directory for the test. The directory is set in Preferences > Configuration > Project.

Syntax
TestDirectory()

Unit Class
String

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Fatigue and Fracture Functions

This section provides reference information about the functions used for Fatigue and Fracture
applications.

CalcInelStrain
Calculated Inelastic Strain.

Returns
The CalcInelStrain function returns the value:
Strain - Stress/Modulus
The calculation provides the value of the Strain minus the Stress divided by the modulus. If Strain and
Stress are arrays, the result is an array. If Strain and Stress are single numbers, the result is a single
number.

Syntax
CalcInelStrain(Stress, Strain, Modulus)

Parameters
Stress
Strain
Modulus

HysteresisArea

Returns
The HysteresisArea function returns the area under the curve defined by the Stress and Strain array
data.

Syntax
HysteresisArea(StressArray, StrainArray)

Parameters
StressArray
StrainArray

MeasInelasticStrainMax
Measured Inelastic Strain Maximum. The measured inelastic strain range is specific to materials
fatigue testing, especially Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF). The application calculates the mean stress from
the stress and strain data that represents one cycle. The two points where the mean intersects the
curve determines the strain values. The MeasInelStrainMax function returns the maximum of these
two strain values. The MeasInelStrainMin function returns the minimum of these two strain values.

Returns
Returns the maximum of the two strain values as described above.

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Syntax
MeasInelStrainMax(stressVar, strainVar)

Parameters
stressVar
strainVar

MeasInelasticStrainMin
Measured Inelastic Strain Minimum. The measured inelastic strain range is specific to materials fatigue
testing, especially Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF). The application calculates the mean stress from the
stress and strain data that represents one cycle. The two points where the mean intersects the curve
determines the strain values. The MeasInelStrainMax function returns the maximum of these two
strain values. The MeasInelStrainMin function returns the minimum of these two strain values.

Syntax
MeasInelStrainMin(stressVar, strainVar)

Returns
The MeasInelStrainMin function returns the minimum of the two strain values.

Parameters
stressVar
strainVar

StrainA
StrainA(StrainMax, StrainMin)
The StrainA function returns the value:
((StrainMax - StrainMin)/(StrainMax + StrainMin))

StrainR
StrainR(StrainMax, StrainMin)
The StrainR function returns the value:
StrainMin/StrainMax

StressA
StressA(StressMax, StressMin)

StressR
StressR(StressMax, StressMin)
The StressR function returns the value:
StressMin/StressMax

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Index Functions
This section contains reference information about index functions.

Understanding Index Functions

Index functions are used to find array index values. All array variables collected by a data acquisition
activity share the same index values. Once you create a variable that stores an index value, you can
use that variable in an Array Value function to return a value at that index. For example, to find the
strain value at peak load, you would use the following variable calculations:

PeakLoadStrainValue and Peak Calculations

Note:
The “Peak” variable stores the index value for peak load. The “PeakLoadStrainValue” variable
uses the ArrayValueAtIndex function to calculate and store the strain value at the peak-load
index.

Determining Analysis Region

The “min load”, “max load”, and “% strain point arguments” are used to determine the bounding
analysis region for the algorithm.  On a successful completion of this function, the index point will be
contained within the bounds of the analysis region.  The analysis region is used to focus on important
regions of data and skip anomalous regions.  If neither the starting or ending regions are located, all of
the data in the channels will be analyzed.

Starting Point of Region

To determine the starting point of the analysis region, the algorithm will select the first point where the
“min load” value is located in the y-channel.  If the “min load” is not found, the algorithm will attempt to
locate the point where “% strain point” is located in the x-channel.  If this point cannot be determined,
the first data point in the channel is used.

Ending Point of Region

To determine the ending point of the analysis region, the algorithm will select the first point where the
“max load” value is located in the y-channel data.  The search will either begin at the first data point or
the point where the “% strain point” was located in the x-channel.  If the “max load” is not located, the
end point of the region is assigned to the point associated with the peak value on the y-channel.  If all
else fails to locate the end point, the index of the last point of data in the channel is selected.

BreakIndexByDropFromPeak
The BreakIndexByDropFromPeak function is used to calculate the break point using a specified drop
from the peak in the array data.

Returns
This function returns the index point in the array where the break point was detected.

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Syntax
BreakIndexByDropFromPeak(channel, dropValue, [startIndex], [endIndex])

Parameters

BreakIndexByDropFromPeak Parameters

Parameter Description
Channel The array data being analyzed for the break point.
DropValue The percentage drop from the peak that signifies a break occurred.
StartIndex The optional starting point in the array. The starting point in the array is used if this
parameter is not provided.
EndIndex The optional ending point in the array. The last point in the array is used if this
parameter is not provided.

Unit Class
Integer

Example
A test contains the input BreakDrop that is equal to 80%.
BreakIndexByDropFromPeak(_Load, BreakDrop)
This formula:
1. Searches the _Load channel.
2. Looks for the _Load channel to drop 80% from its peak value. 80% is the value of the input
BreakDrop.
If PeakLoad = 100lbs, then the calculation returns the number of the data point when the load has
dropped to 20lbs.
If PeakLoad = 80lbs, then the calculation returns the number of the data point when the load has
dropped to 16lbs.

BreakIndexByDropPerExt
The BreakIndexByDropPerExt function is used to calculate the break point using a specified drop from
the peak in the array data that occurs over a predefined change in the extension data.

Returns
This function returns the index point in the array where the break point was detected.

Syntax
BreakIndexByDropPerExt(dropChannel, dropValue, extensionChannel, extensionValue,
[startIndex], [endIndex])

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Parameters

Chart Descriptions

Parameter Description
DropChannel The array data being analyzed for the break point.
DropValue The percentage drop from the peak that signifies a break occurred.
ExtensionChannel The extension data being analyzed for the change in extension.
ExtensionValue The change in extension value required for the break to be determined.
StartIndex The optional starting point in the array. The starting point in the array is used if
this parameter is not provided.
EndIndex The optional ending point in the array. The last point in the array is used if this
parameter is not provided.

Unit Class
Integer

Example
A test contains the input BreakDrop that is equal to 80% and the input. It also contains the input
BreakElongation that is equal to 0.1in.
BreakIndexByDropPerExt (_Load, BreakDrop, PrimaryExt,BreakElongation)
This formula:
1. Searches the _Load channel and the PrimaryExtension channel.
2. Looks for the _Load channel to drop 80% from its peak value, and for the PrimaryExt channel
to change by 0.1 in.
If PeakLoad = 100lbs, then the calculation returns the number of the data point when the load has
dropped to 20lbs and the PrimaryExt channel has changed by 0.1 in.
If PeakLoad = 80lbs, then the calculation returns the number of the data point when the load has
dropped to 16lbs and the PrimaryExt channel has changed by 0.1 in.

ArrayIndex
The ArrayIndex function is used to locate the index of the data in the array that is closest in value to the
value being searched.

Returns
This function returns the index point in the array of the closest value.

Syntax
ArrayIndex (searchArray, searchValue,[startIndex], [endIndex])

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Parameters
SearchArray—The array data being analyzed.
SearchValue—The value being search for in the array.
StartIndex—The optional starting point in the array. The starting point in the array is used if this
parameter is not provided.
EndIndex—The optional ending point in the array. The last point in the array is used if this parameter is
not provided.

Unit Class
Integer

Example
A test contains the input StrainPoint1 that is equal to 10%.
ArrayIndex (Strain, StrainPoint1)
This formula:
1. Searches the Strain channel.
2. Locates the data point whose value is closest to 10% strain.
If data point #100 has a strain value of 9.8% and data point #101 has a strain value of 10.1%, the
calculation returns the value #101 because this data point is closest to the desired value.

FractureIndex
The FractureIndex function finds the fracture index. A line is drawn at a percentage (the fracture
percent) of the slope of the X-Y curve.

Returns
The fracture index is where this line intersects the curve (Type I) or where it intersects a peak if it
comes before this point (Type II or Type III).

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Fracture Index Examples

Syntax
FractureIndex(fracture percent, slack value, Load Channel, Primary Extension channel,
slope 1 index, slope 2 index)

Parameters
Fracture percent—Determines the slope at which the fracture line is drawn. This slope is a percentage
of the slope of the X-Y curve.
Slack value—The offset used for calculating slack extension. If slack compensation is not used then
this argument should be zero (0).
Load channel—The channel used for the Y-axis of the curve. This should almost always be the Load
channel.
Primary Extension channel—(PrimaryExtension) The channel used for the X-axis of the curve. This
should almost always be the PrimaryExtension channel.

Unit Class
Integer

Example
The following formula will calculate the fracture index using a 95% fracture percent and assumes that
slack compensation is turned off.
FractureIndex(0.95, 0, _Load, PrimaryExt, Slope1, Slope2

LowerYieldIndex
This LowerYieldIndex function is used to calculate the first occurrence of a zero slope after the upper
yield point.

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1. The search for the Lower Yield Point begins after the upper yield index point.
2. The force must drop from the upper yield point by the listed tolerance before the lower yield
index can be identified.
3. From this point, the algorithm keeps track of the minimum load point, and stops searching
when the load value increases by the same amount as the drop from the upper yield index.
4. The Lower Yield index is reported as the minimum load point found during the search.

Returns
This function returns the index point in the array of the lower yield point.

Syntax
LowerYieldIndex(y-axis, tolerance, upperYieldIndex)

Parameters
y-axis—The force array data being analyzed for the zero slope.
Tolerance—The percentage drop in force from the upper yield index that must occur before a lower
yield index can be identified.
UpperYieldIndex—The index representing the location of the upper yield index.

Unit Class
Integer

MaxSlopeStartIndex
The MaxSlopeStartIndex and MaxSlopeEndIndex functions are used to determine a region of data
where the slope of the line is minimized based on the function arguments.  The slope of the line is
determined using a Least Squares Fit on the Y and X channel data.

Returns
The MaxSlopeStartIndex function returns the last point of the region.  If a valid region cannot be
located given the function arguments, a –1 will be returned as the index.

Syntax
MaxSlopeStartIndex (y-channel, x-channel, % segment length, % tolerance, min load, max
load, %strain point)

Parameters
y-channel—This argument is the channel that represents the Y-axis for the Least Squares fit.  The
units for this channel are normally in Force units but it is not a requirement.  The unit class of the min
load and max load arguments must be the same as the unit class for this argument.
x-channel—This argument is the channel that represents the X-axis for the Least Squares fit.  The
units for this channel are normally in Strain units but it is not a requirement.  The unit class of the %
strain point argument must be the same as the unit class for this argument.

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% segment length—This argument, which is a percentage, is multiplied by the value determined as the
endpoint index of the analysis region.  This number is not necessarily the total number of points in the
range or in the specimen.
% tolerance—This argument is a comparison factor used to expand the region initially selected by the
algorithm.  The initial region identified as having the maximum slope is first determined.  The region of
data considered is expanded in small increments while the slope of the new line stays within the
tolerance based on the initial region.  A value of 100% will not allow the region to expand.  A value of
90% will allow expansion while the slope of the data region is within 90% of the initially determined
region.
min load—The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of this
argument must be the same one used with the y-channel.
max load—The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of this
argument must be the same one used with the y-channel.
% strain point—The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of
this argument must be the same one used with the x-channel.

Note: For more information about how the analysis region is determined, see “Determining
Analysis Region” on page 233.

Unit Class
Integer

MaxSlopeEndIndex
The MaxSlopeStartIndex and MaxSlopeEndIndex functions are used to determine a region of data
where the slope of the line is minimized based on the function arguments.  The slope of the line is
determined using a Least Squares Fit on the Y and X channel data.

Returns
The MaxSlopeEndIndex function returns the last point of the region.  If a valid region cannot be located
given the function arguments, a –1 will be returned as the index.

Syntax
MaxSlopeEndIndex (y-channel, x-channel, % segment length, % tolerance, min load, max
load, %strain point)

Parameters
y-channel—This argument is the channel that represents the Y-axis for the Least Squares fit. The units
for this channel are normally in Force units but it is not a requirement.  The unit class of the min load
and max load arguments must be the same as the unit class for this argument.
x-channel—This argument is the channel that represents the X-axis for the Least Squares fit. The units
for this channel are normally in Strain units but it is not a requirement.  The unit class of the % strain
point argument must be the same as the unit class for this argument.

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% segment length—This argument, which is a percentage, is multiplied by the value determined as the
endpoint index of the analysis region.  This number is not necessarily the total number of points in the
range or in the specimen.
% tolerance—This argument is a comparison factor used to expand the region initially selected by the
algorithm.  The initial region identified as having the maximum slope is first determined.  The region of
data considered is expanded in small increments while the slope of the new line stays within the
tolerance based on the initial region.  A value of 100% will not allow the region to expand.  A value of
90% will allow expansion while the slope of the data region is within 90% of the initially determined
region.
min load—The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region. The unit class of this
argument must be the same one used with the y-channel.
max load—The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region. The unit class of this
argument must be the same one used with the y-channel.
% strain point—The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of
this argument must be the same one used with the x-channel.

Note: For more information about how the analysis region is determined, see “Determining
Analysis Region” on page 233.

Unit Class
Integer

MinSlopeStartIndex
The MinSlopeStartIndex and MinSlopeEndIndex functions are used to determine a region of data
where the slope of the line is minimized based on the function arguments.  The slope of the line is
determined using a Least Squares Fit on the Y and X channel data.

Returns
The MinSlopeStartIndex function returns the first point of the region.  If a valid region cannot be located
given the function arguments, a –1 will be returned as the index.

Syntax
MinSlopeStartIndex (y-channel, x-channel, % segment length, % tolerance, min load, max
load, %strain point)

Parameters
y-channel—This argument is the channel that represents the Y-axis for the Least Squares fit.  The
units for this channel are normally in Force units but it is not a requirement.  The unit class of the min
load and max load arguments must be the same as the unit class for this argument.
x-channel—This argument is the channel that represents the X-axis for the Least Squares fit.  The
units for this channel are normally in Strain units but it is not a requirement.  The unit class of the %
strain point argument must be the same as the unit class for this argument.

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% segment length—This argument, which is a percentage, is multiplied by the value determined as the
endpoint index of the analysis region.  This number is not necessarily the total number of points in the
range or in the specimen.
% tolerance—This argument is a comparison factor used to expand the region initially selected by the
algorithm.  The initial region identified as having the minimum slope is first determined.  The region of
data considered is expanded in small increments while the slope of the new line stays within the
tolerance based on the initial region.  A value of 100% will not allow the region to expand.  A value of
90% will allow expansion while the slope of the data region is within 90% of the initially determined
region.
min load—The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of this
argument must be the same one used with the y-channel.
max load—The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of this
argument must be the same one used with the y-channel.
% strain point—The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of
this argument must be the same one used with the x-channel.

Note: For more information about how the analysis region is determined, see “Determining
Analysis Region” on page 233.

Unit Class
Integer

MinSlopeEndIndex
The MinSlopeStartIndex and MinSlopeEndIndex functions are used to determine a region of data
where the slope of the line is minimized based on the function arguments.  The slope of the line is
determined using a Least Squares Fit on the Y and X channel data.

Returns
The MinSlopeEndIndex function returns the last point of the region.  If a valid region cannot be located
given the function arguments, a –1 will be returned as the index.

Syntax
MinSlopeEndIndex (y-channel, x-channel, % segment length, % tolerance, min load, max
load, %strain point)

Parameters
y-channel - This argument is the channel that represents the Y-axis for the Least Squares fit.  The units
for this channel are normally in Force units but it is not a requirement.  The unit class of the min load
and max load arguments must be the same as the unit class for this argument.
x-channel – This argument is the channel that represents the X-axis for the Least Squares fit.  The
units for this channel are normally in Strain units but it is not a requirement.  The unit class of the %
strain point argument must be the same as the unit class for this argument.

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% segment length – This argument, which is a percentage, is multiplied by the value determined as the
endpoint index of the analysis region.  This number is not necessarily the total number of points in the
range or in the specimen.
% tolerance – This argument is a comparison factor used to expand the region initially selected by the
algorithm.  The initial region identified as having the minimum slope is first determined.  The region of
data considered is expanded in small increments while the slope of the new line stays within the
tolerance based on the initial region.  A value of 100% will not allow the region to expand.  A value of
90% will allow expansion while the slope of the data region is within 90% of the initially determined
region.
min load – The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of this
argument must be the same one used with the y-channel.
max load – The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of this
argument must be the same one used with the y-channel.
% strain point – The argument is used to determine the start of the analysis region.  The unit class of
this argument must be the same one used with the x-channel.

Note:
For more information about how the analysis region is determined, see “Determining Analysis
Region” on page 233.

Unit Class
Integer

OffsetYieldIndex
The OffsetYieldIndex function is used to calculate the index of the data where the X-Y curve intersects
with a line offset from the modulus line by a defined X-Axis offset.

Returns
The index of the first point past where the line would intersect with the X-Y curve.

Syntax
OffsetYieldIndex(y-axis, x-axis, slope1Index, slope2Index, offset[, endIndex])

Parameters
y-axis - The Y-Axis data.
x-axis - The X-Axis data.
Slope1Index - The start of the region of peak slope (modulus line).
Slope2Index - The end of the region of peak slope (modulus line).
Offset - The offset from the modulus line to use in the calculation.
EndIndex - An optional end index that is used to limit the search region. If this parameter is missing, the
last data point in the array is used as the end.

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Unit Class
Integer

PeakIndex
The PeakIndex function locates the index of the maximum value in the array.

Returns
The index of the array associated with the maximum value of the array.

Syntax
PeakIndex(channel[, startIndex, endIndex])

Parameters
Channel - The array data used in the function.
StartIndex - The optional starting index of the region to evaluate.
EndIndex - The optional ending index of the region to evaluate.

Unit Class
Integer

PeakSlopeIndex
The PeakSlopeIndex function locates the region of peak slope of the X-Y curve.

Returns
This function returns the start or end index of the region of the peak slope of the X-Y curve.

Syntax
PeakSlopeIndex(markerNumber, y-axis, x-axis, segmentLength[, startIndex, endIndex,
tolerance])

Parameters
MarkerNumber - 1 returns the start index; 2 returns the end index.
y-axis - The Y-Axis array data.
x-axis - The X-Axis array data.
SegmentLength - The percentage of the peak Y-Axis used to determine the regions used in the slope
calculations.
StartIndex - The optional start index of the region. If this parameter is missing, the start is associated
with the first data point in the array.
EndIndex - The optional end index of the region. If this parameter is missing, the end is associated with
the end of the array data.

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Tolerance - The percentage of the slope used to optimize the maximum slope region. The region can
be optimized by reducing the region and rechecking the slope. The optimization step will be terminated
if the new slope is outside of the tolerance band of the original peak slope. If this parameter is missing,
no additional optimization is used beyond locating the maximum region.

Unit Class
Integer

RuntimeOffsetYieldIndex
The RuntimeOffsetYieldIndex function determines when an Offset Yield is reached in a test.

Example: You can use this function to switch test speeds after the offset yield points have been
reached. Basically, you start by using one GoTo activity with a slower speed until the offset yield has
been reached. After the offset yield has been reached, you can use a second GoTo activity running
at a faster speed.
Using the RuntimeOffsetYieldIndex function, you can calculate the offset yield during a test and
determine when it has been reached. To do this, add a variable using this calculation to the first
GoTo activity. Then, configure the limit detection for the first GoTo activity to monitor this variable
and cause the first GoTo activity to move to the second GoTo activity when the offset yield point is
reached.

Returns
The index of the data where the x-y curve intersects with a line offset from the modulus line by a
defined x-axis offset when the yield point is reached. The function returns an invalid number before it
locates the yield point.

Syntax
RuntimeOffsetYieldIndex(y-axis, x-axis, offset, numberOfPoints, threshold, slope, intercept
[, startIndex, endIndex])

Parameters
y-axis - The y-axis array variable.
x-axis - The x-axis array variable.
offset - The variable that contains the offset yield goal in x-axis units. It should be set to a slightly higher
value than the actual yield point. For example, if you want a 2% yield, set it to 3% to guarantee that you
actually reached the desired yield point before moving on.
numberOfPoints - This variable holds the number of points used in the yield point calculations in
counts.
threshold - This variable is used to set a minimum y-axis value that must be exceeded before looking
for the yield point in y-axis units.
slope - This variable holds the slope of the modulus line.
intercept - This variable holds the intercept of the modulus line.

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startIndex - The optional start index of the region. If this parameter is missing, the start is associated
with the first data point in the array.
endIndex - The optional end index of the region. If this parameter is missing, the end is associated with
the end of the array data.

Unit Class
Integer

TestRunNumber

Description
The TestRunNumber function returns the current test run number.

Returns
Returns a 1-based number representing the placement of the Test Run in the list of Test Runs.

Syntax
TestRunNumber()

Unit Class
Integer

ValleyIndex
The ValleyIndex function locates the index of the minimum value in the array.

Returns
The index of the array associated with the minimum value of the array.

Syntax
ValleyIndex(channel[, startIndex, endIndex])

Parameters
Channel - The array data used in the function.
StartIndex - The optional starting index of the region to evaluate.
EndIndex - The optional ending index of the region to evaluate.

Unit Class
Integer

Example
Given a force array whose minimum value is located at index 100 in the array, this function returns 100.

YieldIndexByZeroSlope
The YieldIndexByZeroSlope function determines the yield index by searching the curve in segments
until the angle of the curve decreases to the specified angle.

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Returns
The function returns the index associated with the Yield point.

Syntax
YieldIndexByZeroSlope(y-axis, x-axis, angle, segmentLength[, threshold, startIndex,
endIndex)

Parameters
y-axis - The Y axis data array used in the calculation of the yield index.
x-axis - The X axis data array used in the calculation of the yield index.
Angle - The angle of the slope used to determine the location of the yield point.
SegmentLength - The number of points to use in each slope calculation.
Threshold - An optional percentage of the peak value of the y-axis data that must be exceeded before
starting the search for the Yield Index. If this field is missing, 2% is used.
StartIndex - An optional starting index for the yield index search region. If this field is missing, the
search starts at the beginning of the data.
EndIndex - An optional ending index for the yield index search region. If this field is missing, the search
ends at the last point of the data.

Unit Class
Integer

Example
Y-Axis = Force array
X-Axis = Extension array
Angle = 0 rad
Segment Length = 10
Threshold = 2 N
Given these values, the algorithm starts looking for the first point in the Force array that exceeds 2 N.
The first Force point that exceeds 2 N becomes the start of the search region.
The slope of the Force and Extension data is calculated using 10 point segments.
The algorithm increments through the data until there is no more data to check or the slope decreases
to an angle of 0 radians.

YpeEndIndexByIncreasingLoad
The YpeEndIndexByIncreasingLoad function determines the end of the Yield Point Elongation.

Returns
The function returns the index associated with the end of the Yield Point Elongation region.

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Syntax
YpeEndIndexByIncreasingLoad(ForceArray, YPEStartIndex, Tolerance)

Parameters
ForceArray - The force array used to determine end of the Yield Point Elongation region.
YPEStartIndex - The index associated with the start of the Yield Point Elongation region.
Tolerance - The percentage difference in force at the YPE start index used to detect the YPE end
index.

Unit Class
Integer

Example
YPEStartIndex = 100
Tolerance = 1 %
Force at YPE Start = 1000 N
Force Tolerance = 1000 N * 1% = 10 N
Assuming the peak was located at index 200, the algorithm starts at index 200 and go towards index
100. At each point, the force is compared to the force at YPE Start. When the Force of the currently
compared points is within 10 N of the YPE Start value, the YPE end index is located.

Algorithm
This function uses the following algorithm:
1. Find the peak load index after the YPE Start index.
2. Starting at this point search backwards down the curve until the load value is within the
specified tolerance of the load at the YPE Start index.
3. Report the index where this criterion is met as the YPE End index.

YpeEndIndexByTwoSlopes
The YpeEndIndexByTwoSlopes function located the end of the Yield Point Elongation region by
finding the point of intersection of the maximum slope line and the zero slope line (both after the YPE
Start index).

Returns
The function returns the index associated with the end of the Yield Point Elongation region.

Syntax
YpeEndIndexByTwoSlopes(ForceArray, DisplacementArray, YPEStartIndex,
PeakTolerance, ZeroSlopeSegmentLength, MaxSlopeSegmentLength)

Parameters
ForceArray - The force array used to determine end of the Yield Point Elongation region.

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DisplacementArray - The displacement array used to determine end of the Yield Point Elongation
region.
YPEStartIndex - The index associated with the start of the Yield Point Elongation region.
PeakTolerance - The percentage drop from the of the peak force that must occur before starting the
search for the zero slope region of the curve.
ZeroSlopeSegmentLength - The percentage of the total points used to determine the zero slope
region.
MaxSlopeSegmentLength - The percentage of the total points used to determine the maximum slope
region.

Unit Class
Integer

Algorithm
This function uses the following algorithm:
1. Starting at the peak load index, search the curve backwards until the load drops by the
tolerance amount (tolerance is a percentage of peak load).
2. Using the zero slope segment length argument, search the curve backwards until the slope of
the segment becomes less than zero.
3. Find the minimum load point of this segment, referred to as the zero slope index.
4. Starting at the zero slope index, use the maxSlopeSegLen argument to search up the curve
for the segment with the highest slope value.
5. Draw a line for this segment and draw a horizontal line through the zero slope index.
6. Where these two lines intersect, calculate the value of the extension channel.
7. The YPE End index is the data point whose extension value is closest to this value.

Note:
This value can never be lower than the zero slope index.

Zero Slope Index

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YPE End Index

YpeStartIndex
The YpeStartIndex function finds the start of the Yield Point Elongation region by locating the point
after Yield where the slope of the curve exceeds the specified angle.

Returns
The function returns the index associated with the start of the Yield Point Elongation region.

Syntax
YpeStartIndex(ForceArray, DisplacementArray, Angle, SegmentLength, YieldIndex)

Parameters
ForceArray - The force array being analyzed for the Yield Point Elongation region.
DisplacementArray - The displacement array being analyzed for the Yield Point Elongation region.
Angle - The angle which must be exceeded.
SegmentLength - Percentage of points to use in the slope calculations.
YieldIndex - The index point into the array where the Yield Index was determined.

Unit Class
Integer

Example
Angle = 0
SegmentLength = 2%
YieldIndex = 85
Total points on the curve = 200
Number of points in segment = 0.02 * 200 = 4 points
1. Start with the segment from point 85 to point 89.
2. Increment points until slope is less than zero. For this example, assume that this occurs at
points 100 to 104.
3. Increment points starting at 100 to 104 until the slope value is greater than zero. For our

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example, assume this occurs at points 105 to 109.

4. Report the YPE Start Index as the minimum load point between the Yield index and the last
point of the search (point 109).

Math Functions
This section provides reference information about the math functions.

abs (Absolute Value)

This function is used to calculate the absolute value of the number specified.

Important:
This function is only used for integer numbers.

Syntax
abs(number)

acos (Arc Cosine)

Syntax
acos(number)
This function is used to calculate the arc cosine of the number specified.

Returns
Angle with a cosine equal to the specified number.

asin (Arc Sine)

Syntax
asin(number)
This function is used to calculate the arc sine of the number specified.

Returns
Angle with a sine equal to the specified number.

atan (Arc Tangent)

Syntax
atan(number)
This function is used to calculate the arc tangent of the number specified.

Returns
Angle with a tangent equal to the specified number.

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Atan2

Syntax:
atan2(y,x)
The angle with a tangent that is the quotient of the two specified numbers.

avg

Syntax:
avg(number1, number2,[numberN])
Returns the average of a series of numbers.

Ceiling
This function is used to round the specified number up to the nearest whole number.

Syntax
Ceiling(number)
The smallest integer greater than or equal to the specified number.

Examples
The following formula returns the value 6: ceiling(5.4)
The following formula returns the value 7: ceiling(6.9)

ArrayValue
The ArrayValue function returns the value of one array that corresponds with the location of a value
found in another array.

Returns
The value from the array at the specified index or NaN (Not a Number) if not found.

Syntax
ArrayValue(resultArray, searchArray, searchValue[, startIndex, endIndex])

Parameters
ResultArray - The array where the result is extracted.
SearchArray - The array used in the search.
SearchValue - The value to search for in the search array.
StartIndex - The optional starting index for the search. If this parameter is not present, the search starts
at the beginning of the array.
EndIndex - The optional ending index for the search. If this parameter is not present, the search ends
at the last point in the array.

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Unit Class
Same as result channel.

Example
ArrayValue(Extension, Load, PeakLoad)
This example returns the Extension value associated with the PeakLoad value located in the Load
array.

cos (Cosine)

Syntax
cos(number)
This function is used to calculate the cosine of the number specified.
Cosine of the specified angle

cosh (Hyperbolic cosine)

Syntax
cosh(number)
Hyperbolic cosine of the specified angle.

e (Natural logarithmic base, e)

Syntax
e()

CurveArea
The CurveArea function calculates the area under the curve defined by the Y and X axis data.

Syntax
CurveArea(xArray, yArray, startIndex, endIndex)

Returns
The area under the curve.

Parameters
y-axis – The array holding the Y-Axis data.
x-axis – The array holding the X-Axis data.
StartIndex - The start index of the region to analyze.
EndIndex - The end index of the region to analyze.

Unit Class
X-Axis unit / Y-Axis unit

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Example 1
CurveArea (_Load, SlackExt, 0 , SizeOfArray(_Load)-1)
This formula calculates the area under the entire Load versus Extension curve.

Example 2
CurveArea (_Load, SlackExt, 0, Peak)
This formula calculates the area under the Load versus Extension curve up to the peak load.

ElasticStrainValue
The ElasticStrainValue function is used to calculate the portion of strain in a specimen that is
recoverable, or elastic. The point where this is determined is based on some percentage of the peak
load.

Returns
The portion of the strain that is recoverable.

Syntax
ElasticStrainValue(ForceArray, StrainArray, StartIndex, EndIndex, Tolerance)

Parameter
ForceArray – The array containing force data.
StrainArray – The array containing strain data.
StartIndex – The start index of the modulus region.
EndIndex - The end index of the modulus region.
Tolerance – The percentage drop from peak force used to determine the transition point.

Unit Class
Strain

Example
Tolerance = 98% (shown at blue oval)
The point is found where the load value is 98% of the peak load. Then a line parallel to the modulus line
is drawn from this point back to the x-axis. The Elastic strain is the difference in strain values as shown
on the graph.

Note:
Unlike plastic strain, there is no flag to set whether the specified load point should be found after
the peak or before. This is because the Elastic Strain value would be the same in either case.

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Elastic Strain Value

EnergyValue
The EnergyValue function calculates the area under the curve defined by the Y and X axis data. If
using the Force and Extension data, this function returns the amount of energy absorbed by the
specimen during the test.

Returns
The area under the curve.

Syntax
EnergyValue(y-axis, x-axis, startIndex, endIndex)

Unit Class
X-Axis unit / Y-Axis unit

Example 1
EnergyValue (_Load, SlackExt, 0 , SizeOfArray(_Load)-1)
This formula calculates the area under the entire Load versus Extension curve (energy).

Example 2
EnergyValue (_Load, SlackExt, 0, Peak)
This formula calculates the area under the Load versus Extension curve (energy) up to the peak load.

Exp
This function is used to calculate the value of e (2.71828...) raised to the power specified by the
exponent.

Syntax
exp(number)

Returns
A value “e” raised to the specified power.

FindNearestValue
Locate the closest value in an array to the search value.

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Syntax
FindNearestValue(array, searchValue[, startIndex, endIndex])

FindNearestValueIndex
Locate the index of the closest value in an array to the search value.

Syntax
FindNearestValueIndex(array, searchValue[, startIndex, endIndex])

Floor

Syntax
floor(number)

Returns
The largest integer less than or equal to the specified number.
This function is used to round the specified number down to the nearest whole number.

Example 1
Floor(5.4)
This formula returns the value 5.

Example 2
Floor(6.9)
This formula returns the value 6.

IsInvalidNumber

Syntax
IsInvalidNumber(number)
Checks the validity of the supplied value.

Returns
This function returns 1 if the value being tested is invalid; otherwise, 0 (zero) is returned.

Example
IsInvalidNumber(PeakLoad)
Where PeakLoad is a non-array variable.

IsValidNumber
Returns “1” if the number is valid. Otherwise, it returns “0”.

Syntax
IsValidNumber(number)

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Example
IsValidNumber(PeakLoad)
Where PeakLoad is a non-array variable.

LeastSquaresFit
The slope of the least squares fit of the array that contains Y-axis data and X-axis data between the
start and end indexes.

Returns
The slope of the least squares fit line calculated over the specified region.

Syntax
LeastSquaresFit(yVariable, xVariable, startIndex, endIndex)

Parameters
yVariable – The Y-Axis data.
xVariable – The X-Axis data.
StartIndex – The starting index of the region.
EndIndex – The ending index of the region.

Units
Y-Axis unit / X-Axis Unit

Example
LeastSquaresFit(Force, Extension, Slope1, Slope2)
This formula returns the slope of the line between the two indexes of Slope1 and Slope2.

log(number)

Syntax
log(number)
The natural log of a specified number.

log10(number)
The base-10 logarithm of a specified number.

max

Syntax
max(number1, number2[, numberN])

Returns
The maximum of a series of numbers.

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MaxDouble()

Syntax
MaxDouble()

Returns
Returns the maximum value for the type of number.

MaxLong()

Syntax
MaxLong()

Returns
Returns the maximum value for the type of number.

min
The minimum of a series of numbers.

Syntax
min(number1, number2[, numberN])

MinDouble()
Returns the minimum value for the type of number.

Syntax
MinDouble()

MinLong()
Returns the minimum value for the type of number.

Syntax
MinLong()

NaN()
Returns an invalid value for the type of number, which is Not a Number.

Syntax
NaN()

PI()
Value of Pi.

Syntax
PI()

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PlasticStrainValue
The PlasticStrainValue is used to calculate the portion of strain in a specimen that is non-recoverable,
or plastic. The point where this is determined is based on some percentage of the peak load.

Returns
The portion of the strain that is non-recoverable.

Syntax
PlasticStrainValue(ForceArray, StrainArray, StartIndex, EndIndex, Tolerance[,
AfterPeakFlag])

Parameters
ForceArray – The array containing force data.
StrainArray – The array containing Strain data.
StartIndex – The start index of the modulus region.
EndIndex – The end index of the modulus region
Tolerance – The percentage of the peak force used to locate the transition point.
AfterPeakFlag – An optional flag to specify looking for transition point after the peak load.

Unit Class
Strain

Example
Tolerance = 98% (shown at blue oval)
The point is found where the load value is 98% of the peak load. Then a line parallel to the modulus line
is drawn from this point back to the x-axis. The Plastic strain is the difference in strain values as shown
on the graph.

Plastic Strain Value

pow(base, exponent)
A number (base) is raised to an exponential power (exponent).

Returns
Returns the value of the base raised to the power specified by the exponent.

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Syntax
pow(base, exponent)

Example 1
Pow(2, 3)
This formula returns the value 8 (2^3, or 2*2*2)

Example 2
Pow(5, 2)
This formula returns the value 25 (5^2, or 5*5)

rem(dividend, divisor)
This function returns the remainder from the division of two numbers. When using this function, the
result is calculated differently than the modulus operator. This function uses the following ANSI/IEEE-
compliant formula:
Remainder = divided - (divisor * round(divided / divisor))

Syntax
rem(dividend, divisor)

round(number)
Rounds a value to the nearest integer.

Syntax
round(number)

sign(number)
Value that indicates the sign of a number.

Returns
This function returns –1 is the number is negative, or +1 is the number is positive. If the number is
exactly 0, the function returns 0.

Syntax
sign(number)

Example 1
sign(-500)
This formula returns the value -1.

Example 2
sign (20)
This formula returns the value +1

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sin(number)

Returns
Sine of the specified angle.

Syntax
sin(number)

sinh(number)
Hyperbolic sine of the specified number.

Syntax
sinh(number)

sqrt(number)
The square root of a number.

Syntax
sqrt(number)

tan(number)
Tangent of the angle.

Syntax
tan(number)

tanh(number)
Hyperbolic tangent of the angle.

Syntax
tanh(number)

truncate
Rounds a value to the nearest integer towards zero.

Returns
The X-Intercept from the least squares fit line.

Syntax
truncate(number)

Parameter
number – The number to be truncated.

Unit Class
Same the number.

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Example
truncate(4.5) = 4

XInterceptValue
The XInterceptValue function returns X-Intercept of the least squares fit line calculated over the
specified region.

Returns
The X-Intercept from the least squares fit line.

Syntax
XInterceptValue (y-axis, x-axis, slope1Index, slope2Index)

Parameters
y-axis – Y-Axis data array.
x-axis – X-Axis data array.
Slope1Index – The start index of the region.
Slope2Index – The end index of the region.

Unit Class
Same as X-Axis data.

Example
With the following function, the circled value on the X-Axis is returned.
XInterceptValue (_Load, _Extension, Slope1, Slope2)

XInterceptValue

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YInterceptValue
The YInterceptValue returns the point where the line determined by the index values crosses the Y-
Axis.

Returns
The index in to the arrays where the Y-intercept occurs.

Syntax
YInterceptValue(y-axis, x-axis, slope1Index, slope2Index)

Parameters
y-axis – The Y-Axis data array being analyzed.
x-axis – The X-Axis data array being analyzed.
Slope1Index – The starting index of the region used to calculate the straight line.
Slope2Index - The ending index of the region used to calculate the straight line.

Unit Class
Same as Y-Axis data.

Example
The following function returns the Y-Intercept of the line defined by Slope1 and Slope2.
YInterceptValue(_Load, _Extension, Slope1, Slope2)

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YInterceptValue

Operator Functions
This section describes Operator functions and precedence.

Operators and Precedence

The following table shows all the recognized operators organized by group and listed in order of
precedence. Within a group, all operators have the same precedence.

Note: Some programming languages use a semicolon as a list separator instead of a comma. If
you are using one of those languages, the last operator of the table would be replaced with a
semicolon.

Operator Precedence

Precedence Operator Function Direction

1 [ ] Array Index Left-to-Right
( ) Function Call
. Variable-Specific Information
2 ! Logical NOT Right-to-Left

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Precedence Operator Function Direction

+ Unary Plus Left-to-Right
- Unary Minus
~ Ones Complement
3 * Multiply Left-to-Right
/ Divide
% Modulus
4 + Addition Left-to-Right
– Subtraction
5 << Bitwise Shift Left Left-to-Right
>> Bitwise Shift Right
6 < Less Than Left-to-Right
> Greater Than
<= Less than or Equal
>= Greater Than or Equal
7 == Equal to Left-to-Right
!= Logical Not
8 & Bitwise AND Left-to-Right
9 ^ Bitwise XOR Left-to-Right
10 | Bitwise OR Left-to-Right
11 && Logical AND Left-to-Right
12 || Logical OR Left-to-Right
13 = Assignment Right-to-Left
14 , Comma - List Separator Left-to-Right

Choose

Returns
Returns a value based on the evaluation of the first argument.

Syntax
Choose(Expression, EvaluatedZero,EvaluatedOne[, EvaluatedN])

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Parameters
Expression—The Expression must evaluate to an integer.
EvaluatedZero—If the Expression evaluates to a 0 (zero), the EvaluatedZero value is returned.
EvaluatedOne—If the expression evaluates to a 1 (one), the EvaluatedOne value is returned, and so
on.
EvaluatedN —If the Expression is < 0 or > N, the EvaluatedN value is returned.

Note:
The Evaluated arguments must evaluate to be either all strings or all numbers

Example
Examples of the Choose function:
Choose(chosen, “Red”, “Blue”, “Green”)
Choose(chosen, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0)
Choose(chosen, Choice0, Choice1, Choice2, Choice3)

Peel-Tear Functions
This section describes Peel-Tear functions.

AverageMinPeaks
The AverageMinPeaks function calculates the average of the minimum peaks located in the data using
the specified criterion.

Syntax
AverageMinPeaks(VarArray, peakCriterion, numberOfPeaks[, startIndex, endIndex,
threshold])

Parameters
VarArray - The data array to be analyzed.
PeakCriterion - A percentage of the peak magnitude used to detect when peaks occur.
NumberOfPeaks - The number of minimum peaks to include in the calculations.
StartIndex - The optional index into the array used as the starting location for the calculation.
EndIndex - The optional index into the array used as the ending location for the calculation.
Threshold - The optional minimum value, in array units, which must be exceeded before the data is
used in the calculation.

Unit Class
Same as array data.

Example
AverageMinPeaks(_Load, LoadMinPeakCriteria, 5, 0, SizeOfArray(_Load)-1,MinimumLoad)

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This formula:
1. Searches the _Load channel.
2. Looks for drops in the value of _Load channel that correspond to the input
LoadMinPeakCriteria.
3. Determines the average of the 5 minimum peaks.
4. Searches between the first data point and the last data point.
5. Calculates the result only if the _Load channel becomes greater than the value of the input
MinimumLoad.

AveragePeaks
The AveragePeaks function calculates the average of the maximum peaks located in the data using
the specified criterion.

Returns
The average of the maximum peaks.

Syntax
AveragePeaks(VarArray, peakCriterion[, startIndex, endIndex, numberOfPeaks, threshold])

Parameters
VarArray - The array data being analyzed.
PeakCriterion - The percentage of change from the peak that identifies the valley.
StartIndex - The optional starting index of the region to analyze.
EndIndex - The optional ending index of the region to analyze.
NumberOfValleys - The optional maximum number of valleys to identify.
Threshold - The optional threshold that has to be exceeded to start looking for peaks.

Unit Class
Same as the array data.

Example
AveragePeaks(_Load, LoadPeakCriteria, 0, SizeOfArray(_Load)-1)
This formula:
1. Searches the _Load channel.
2. Looks for drops in the value of _Load channel that correspond to the input LoadPeakCriteria.
3. Searches between the first data point and the last data point.

AverageValleys
The AverageValleys function returns the average of all the valleys determined using the peak criteria.

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Returns
The average valley calculated.

Syntax
AverageValleys(VarArray, valleyCriterion[, startIndex, endIndex, numberOfValleys,
threshold])

Parameters
VarArray - The array data being analyzed.
ValleyCriterion - The percentage of change from the valley that identifies the valley.
StartIndex - The optional starting index of the region to analyze.
EndIndex - The optional ending index of the region to analyze.
NumberOfValleys - The optional maximum number of valleys to identify.
Threshold - The optional threshold that has to be exceeded to start looking for valleys.

Unit Class
Same unit as the array.

Example
AverageValleys(_Load, LoadMinValleyCriteria)
This formula:
1. Searches the _Load channel.
2. Looks for increases in the value of _Load channel that correspond to the input
LoadMinValleyCriteria.

AverageValue
The AverageValue function returns the average array value over a specified region.

Returns
The average array value.

Syntax
AverageValue(VarArray, startIndex, endIndex)

Parameters
VarArray - The variable being analyzed.
StartIndex - The start index of the region being analyzed.
EndIndex - The end index of the region being analyzed.

Unit Class
Same as the array data.

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Example
AverageValue(_Load, Peak, SizeOfArray(_Load)-1)
This formula calculates the average value of the _Load channel between the Peak load point and the
end of the test.

CombinedExtension
The CombinedExtension function returns the value of the extensometer or crosshead/actuator based
on the value of the removal point.

Returns
Extensometer value before removal point, crosshead/actuator after removal point.

Syntax
CombinedExtension(extensometer, crosshead, removalPoint)

Parameters
Extensometer - The extensometer array.
Crosshead - The crosshead/actuator array.
RemovalPoint - The value, in extensometer units, used in the determination of what data to return from
the function.

Unit Class
Length (Same as the extensometer, crosshead, and removal point)

Example
CombinedExtension(Strain, Extension, RemovalPoint)
This formula:
1. Reports the value of the Strain channel
2. Checks to see if the value of the Strain channel has exceeded the value of the RemovalPoint
input.
3. Reports the value of the Extension channel when the Strain channel has exceeded the value
of RemovalPoint.

CombinedStrain
The CombinedStrain function returns the strain value calculated from either the extensometer or the
crosshead/actuator based on the value of the removal point.

Returns
The function returns the extensometer value divided by extGL prior to the removal points or crosshead
divided by gripSeparation.

Syntax
CombinedStrain(extensometer, crosshead, removalPoint, gripSeparation, extGL)

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Unit Class
Strain

Example
CombinedStrain( Strain, Extension, RemovalPoint, GageLength2, GageLength1)
This formula:
1. Reports the value of the Strain1 channel divided by the value of GageLength1.
2. Checks to see if the value of the Strain1 channel has exceeded the value of the RemovalPoint
input.
3. Reports the value of the Extension channel divided by value of GageLength2 when the
Strain1 channel has exceeded the value of RemovalPoint.

MedianPeak
The MedianPeak function determines the median of the peaks located in the specified region that meet
the specified peak criterion.

Returns
The median peak value.

Syntax
MedianPeak(VarArray, peakCriterion[, startIndex, endIndex, threshold])

Parameters
VarArray - The array data being analyzed for peaks.
peakCriterion - The percentage change from the peak that signifies a peak.
startIndex - The optional start index of the region. The search starts at the first data point if this
parameter is missing.
endIndex - The optional end index of the region. The search ends at the last data point if this parameter
is missing.
Threshold - The optional threshold that must be exceeded before searching for peaks.

Unit Class
Same as the array data.

Example
AveragePeaks(_Load, LoadPeakCriteria, 0, SizeOfArray(_Load) - 1, MinimumLoad)
This formula:
1. Searches the _Load channel.
2. Looks for drops in the value of _Load channel that correspond to the input LoadPeakCriteria.
3. Determines the median of all of the peaks.

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4. Calculates the result only if the _Load channel becomes greater than the value of the input
MinimumLoad.

NumberOfPeaks
The NumberOfPeaks function determines the number of peaks in a region that meet the specified
peak criterion.

Returns
The number of peaks found in the region.

Syntax
NumberOfPeaks(VarArray, peakCriterion[, startIndex, endIndex, threshold])

Parameters
VarArray - The array data being analyzed for peaks.
peakCriterion - The percentage change from the peak that signifies a peak.
startIndex - The optional start index of the region. The search starts at the first data point if this
parameter is missing.
endIndex - The optional end index of the region. The search ends at the last data point if this parameter
is missing.
Threshold - The optional threshold that must be exceed before searching for peaks.

Unit Class
Integer

Example
NumberOfPeaks(_Load, LoadPeakCriteria, 0, SizeOfArray(_Load) - 1 , MinimumLoad)
This formula:
1. Searches the _Load channel.
2. Looks for drops in the value of _Load channel that correspond to the input LoadPeakCriteria.
3. Searches between the first data point and the last data point.
4. Determines the total number of peaks found.
5. Calculates the result only if the _Load channel becomes greater than the value of the input
MinimumLoad.

NextPeak
The NextPeak function searches the data array specified in array and returns the next peak’s index, as
defined by the peak criteria, after the data point specified by the start index. The values in square
braces, [ ], are optional.

Syntax
NextPeak(array, peakCriteria, startIndex[, endIndex, threshold]))

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Parameters
array—The array data being analyzed for the next peak.
peakCriteria—A percentage of the peak magnitude used to detect when a peak occurs.
startIndex—The start index of the array used in locating the peak. The first point in the array is used if
this parameter is not provided.
endIndex—The optional end index of the array used in locating the peak. The last point in the array is
used if this parameter is not provided.
threshold—The optional minimum value, in array units, which must be exceeded before the data is
used in the calculation.

Dimension
Count

Example
NextPeak(_LoadArray, LoadPeakCriteria, Peak, SizeOfArray(_LoadArray)-1, MinimumLoad)
This formula:
1. Searches the _LoadArray data.
2. Looks for the next drop in the _LoadArray data's value that corresponds to the input
LoadPeakCriteria.
3. Searches between the peak load's point and the last data point.
4. Finds the next peak and returns its array index.
5. Only calculates the result if the _LoadArray data becomes greater than the value of the input
MinimumLoad.

NextValley
The NextValley function searches the data array specified in array and returns the next valley's index
as defined by the valley criteria, after the data point specified by the start index. The values within
square braces, [], are optional.

Syntax
NextValley(array, valleyCriteria, startIndex[, endIndex, threshold])

Parameters
array—The array data being analyzed for the next valley.
valleyCriteria—A percentage of the peak magnitude used to detect when a valley occurs.
startIndex—The start index of the array used in locating the valley. The first point in the array is used if
this parameter is not provided.
endIndex—The optional end index of the array used in locating the valley. The last point in the array is
used if this parameter is not provided.

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threshold—The optional minimum value, in array units, which must be exceeded before the data is
used in the calculation.

Dimension
Count

Example
NextValley(_LoadArray,LoadValleyCriteria,Peak,SizeOfArray(_LoadArray)-1,MinimumLoad)
This formula:
1. Searches the _LoadArray data.
2. Looks for the next increase in the _LoadArray data's value that corresponds to the input
LoadValleyCriteria.
3. Searches between the peak load's point and the last data point.
4. Finds the next valley and returns its array index.
5. Only calculates the result if the _LoadArray data becomes greater than the value of the input
MinimumLoad.

StDevValue
Calculates the standard deviation of a variable array between two index points.

Syntax
StDevValue(VarArray, startIndex, endIndex)

Parameters
VarArray - The array data being analyzed.
StartIndex - The start index of the region being analyzed.
EndIndex - The end index of the region being analyzed.

Unit Class
Same as array data specified.

Example
StDevValue(_Load, Slope1, Slope2)
This formula calculates the standard deviation between given by the variables Slope1 and Slope2.

TearIndex
Locates the index of the tear value in an array.

Syntax
TearIndex(VarArray, TearCriteria[, startIndex, endIndex, Threshold])

Parameters
VarArray - The array data being analyzed.

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Tear Criteria
StartIndex - The start index of the region being analyzed.
EndIndex - The end index of the region being analyzed.
Threshold

Unit Class
Same as array data specified.

Sensor Functions
This section provides basic reference information about the available sensor functions.

CalibrationDate

Returns
Returns the last calibration date of the sensor attached to a signal.

Syntax
CalibrationDate(SignalName)

Parameter
Signal Name—The “SignalName” in signal functions is the internal name of the signal and must be
quoted or passed in as a string variable. To determine the internal name of a signal, select the Show
Internal Names check box in the Resources tab. The Name column shows the internal names.

Example
CalibrationDate(“_Load”)

Unit Class
String

CalibrationDueDate

Returns
Returns the calibration due date of the sensor attached to a signal.

Syntax
CalibrationDueDate(SignalName)

Parameter
Signal Name—The “SignalName” in signal functions is the internal name of the signal and must be
quoted or passed in as a string variable. To determine the internal name of a signal, select the Show
Internal Names check box in the Resources tab. The Name column shows the internal names.

Example
CalibrationDueDate(“_Load”)

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Unit Class
String

ModelNumber

Returns
Returns the model number of the TEDS device attached to a signal.

Syntax
ModelNumber(SignalName)

Parameter
Signal Name—The “SignalName” in signal functions is the internal name of the signal and must be
quoted or passed in as a string variable. To determine the internal name of a signal, select the Show
Internal Names check box in the Resources tab. The Name column shows the internal names.

Example
ModelNumber(“_Load”)

Unit Class
String

SerialNumber

Returns
Returns the serial number of the TEDS device attached to a signal.

Syntax
SerialNumber(SignalName)

Parameter
Signal Name—The “SignalName” in signal functions is the internal name of the signal and must be
quoted or passed in as a string variable. To determine the internal name of a signal, select the Show
Internal Names check box in the Resources tab. The Name column shows the internal names.

Example
SerialNumber(“_Load”)

Unit Class
String

String Functions
This section provides basic reference information about the available string functions.

CompareStrings
Compares two strings, ignoring case.

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Returns
The result is 0 if the strings are equal; negative if the first string is ordered before the second string, and
positive if the second string is reordered before the first string.

Syntax
CompareStrings(string1, string2)

Parameters
string1-First string
string2-second string compared to string1.

Unit Class
String

FindSubString

Returns
Finds the index of the first occurrence of a substring within a string starting at or after a specified
starting index. Results is the index where the substring begins, or negative if not found.

Syntax
FindSubstring(substring, string, startIndex)

Parameter
substring
string
startIndex

Unit Class
String

left

Returns
Extracts a substring from the left side of a string.

Syntax
left(string, length)

Parameters
string
length

Unit Class
String

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mid

Returns
Extracts a substring from the middle of a string.

Syntax
mid(string, start[, length]

Parameters
string
start
length

Unit Class
String

NumberToString

Returns
Creates a string from the specified number with the optionally specified digits.

Syntax
NumberToString(number[, digits])

Parameters
number
digits

Unit Class
String

right

Returns
Extracts a substring from the right side of a string.

Syntax
Right(string, start)

Parameters
string
start

Unit Class
String

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StringLength

Returns
The length of the specified string.

Syntax
StringLength(string)

Parameters
string

Unit Class
String

StringToInteger

Returns
Converts a string to an integer number.

Syntax
StringToIntger(string)

Parameters
string

Unit Class
String

StringToNumber

Returns
Converts a string to a floating-point number.

Syntax
StringToNumber(string)

Parameters
string

Unit Class
String

tolower

Returns
Converts a string to all lower case.

Syntax
tolower(string)

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Parameters
string

Unit Class
String

toupper

Returns
Converts a string to all uppercase.

Syntax
toupper(string)

Parameters
string

Unit Class
String

TrimStringEnd

Returns
Removes whitespace (spaces, tabs, and new lines) from the end of a string.

Syntax
TrimStringEnd(string)

Parameters
string

Unit Class
String

TrimStringStart

Returns
Removes whitespace (spaces, tabs, and new lines) from the start of a string.

Syntax
TrimStringStart(string)

Parameters
string

Unit Class
String

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varIdentifier.DisplayValue
This construct is implicit in the MTS TestSuite application. Use this syntax in a calculation to return a
string representation of a string variable; including its name, value, and units.

Returns
Returns the string representation of the variable in display units.

Syntax
variableStringName.displayvalue
Replace variableStringName with the actual name of the string variable.

Example
Create a string variable in any of the TWE application EM templates and enter the following
calculation:
StrnAtBreak.display+" "+StrnAtBreak.displayvalue+" "+StrnAtBreak.units
The result is similar to the following:
Strain at Break 0.236 mm/m
“StrainAtBreak” is the string variable, the display value of the variable is 0.236, and the units are
mm/m.

Functions Tab
Use the Functions tab to manage the functions in the Test Definition.

Access
Define tab > Functions tab

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Functions Tab Properties

Item Description
Function Displays the function name. The name cannot contain spaces, begin with a number, or
Name contain special characters.
Arguments Displays the arguments of the function. All user-defined functions must follow Python
naming rules.
Category Show the user-defined type of functions.Functions created in the Function Editor are in
the Test Definition category.
Description (Optional) Displays a description of the function.
Add Adds a function. Opens the Edit Function window.
Delete Deletes the selected function.
Edit Edits the selected function. Opens the Edit Function window.
Copy Copies the selected function.

Edit Function Window Overview

Access
Define tab > Functions tab > Edit icon.
Use the Edit Function window to create user-defined functions using the Python programming
language. The Edit Function window allows you to:
l Create multi-line calculations and use them across test runs and analyses.
l Enter If statements, Loop statements, and other statements as supported in Python for more
complex calculations.
l Assign multiple variables to a function.
l Interact with other external sources.
l Validate statement syntax.
The validation section provides the result of the syntax check. The validation does not check for
variable scope or interaction with other functions and calculations. It is your responsibility to debug your
functions and ensure that they perform the calculations and results that you require.
You can enter the code in other editors and paste the code into the Python Code work area.

Edit Function Window Properties

Access
Define tab > Functions tab > Add or Edit button

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Edit Function Window

Edit Function Window Properties

Item Description
Function Shows the function name. A name that is unique within the test is pre-filled in the
name Function Name field. When you enter a function name in the work area, the new name
shows in this field. The name is case-sensitive, and must not contain spaces.
Category Shows the function category. If you create the function from the Test Definition, the
category is Test Definition.
Usage Shows how to use your function and the arguments required. As you enter the function
name and the variables in the work area, you see the name and variables replace the
generic text in the Usage field.

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Item Description
Python Enter your function in this area. You can add, edit and delete functions and arguments
Code by changing the def line.
Validation Validates your code as you are entering it. A message displays indicating whether your
code is valid.

Function Usage and Syntax Guidelines

SetValue
To set a test variable in a function, you must enter the code as in the following example:
TestVariableX.SetValue(10)

Note:
The example above is not entered as TestVariableX=10. You must enter SetValue in the
Function Editor.

Arrays
To read a test variable array in a function, enter the code as in the following example:
functionVariableX=TestVariableX.Value.ValueArray

The above syntax is the function variable code to get the value of the array variable.

Non-array variables
To read a test variable that is not an array, enter the code as in the following example:
functionVariableX=TestVariableX

Order of subfunctions
If you have more than one function within the main function, the main function should appear first in the
code, for example:
def SquareAndSum(a,b):
return Sum(pow(a,2) + pow(b,2))
def Sum(a,b):
return a+b

Here the main function SquareAndSum uses a helper subfunction Sum. Only the first function shows
in the global function list.

Note:
Limit the use of subfunctions and enter one function so that it appears in the global list correctly.

Parentheses
Parentheses ( ) indicate you must add a parameter to the function.

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To specify a variable, click Edit List and select one or more variables.

Square brackets
Square brackets [ ] indicate you can add an optional parameter to the function. The brackets must be
removed in any case or an error occurs.

Edit Python Functions

To edit a python function:
1. Click Define tab > Functions tab.
2. Select the function you want to edit and click Edit.
The Edit Function window is displayed.
3. Type your changes to the Python code.
The result of the code syntax validation appears in the bottom panel of the window.
4. When you have finished, click OK to return to the Functions window.

Create Variables Used in Python Function Example

To create variables used in the Python function example:
1. Create four test variables.
A. Click New Variable in the Variable Editor and add the following variable:
TestAxialForceMaximum
B. Add a test array variable:
TestAxialForceArray
C. Add a test variable to set from a Python function:
TestHalfForceMax
D. Add a test array variable to set from a Python function:
TestForceArray2
2. Enter a new function in the Function Editor that calls the variables.
The following is an example of the preceding steps:

Note:
The variables shown in bold are test variables.
def MyFunction():
#Read test variables.
#  Read non-array test variable value into a function variable
pythonVarMaxForce = TestAxialForceMaximum
#         Read a test array variable value into a function variable
pythonArrayVarForce = TestAxialForceArray.Value.ValueArray
#Set Test variables
#         Set Test variable

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TestHalfForceMax.SetValue(pythonVarMaxForce / 2)
#        Set Test array variable
TestForceArray2.SetValue(pythonArrayVarForce)
Return

Python Overview
Python is an interpreted, general purpose, high-level programming language with an extensive
resource library. You can use Python to extend the functionality of the MTS TestSuite applications. For
instance, you can use Python for reading and writing to files, dynamic mathematical calculations, and
manipulating MTS TestSuite variables.

Python Syntax Highlighting Legend

Python uses color to make it easier to read code. The following table indicates the colors assigned to
the various elements.

Python Syntax Highlighting Legend

Syntax Element Color

Attribute Red
Braces Bold red
Character Red
Class Name Purple
Comments Green
Constant Bold orange
Control Character Blue
Function Fuchsia
Keywords Blue, teal, dark green, dark green, or dark red
MTS TestSuite Variable Sky blue
Number Orange
Operator Dark goldenrod
Strings Red
Variable Purple

Import IronPython Libraries

To import an IronPython library for use in a custom function, you must explicitly include the path to your
IronPython installation. To do this (assuming your IronPython installation is located at C:\Program
Files (x86)\IronPython 2.7, perform the following:

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#Import the “random” python library

import sys
sys.path.append(r"C:\Program Files (x86)\IronPython 2.7\Lib")
import random

Import .NET Libraries

To import a .NET library for use in your custom function:
#Import only the “Random” .NET Class
import clr
clr.AddReference("System")
from System import Random

#Import the entire “System” .NET library

import clr
clr.AddReference("System")
from System import *

Using MTS TestSuite Variables in the Editor

The best practice for using MTS TestSuite variables within the custom function editor is to pass the
variables themselves to custom functions as parameters. That way, you can interact with the variables
in the same way you would normally use Python variables. This is the least error-prone approach.
However, sometimes MTS TestSuite variables must be modified within a custom function. In this
situation, refer to the API information in the following section. For clarity, all MTS TestSuite variables
will appear as bold light blue text. To avoid confusion, avoid declaring a local variable within your
custom function with the same name as an MTS TestSuite variable.

MTS TestSuite Variable API

The MTS TestSuite Variable API may be subject to change during future releases.

Number Variables

Description of Number Variables

Method Example (using variable num) Description

Value NUM.Value.ValueAsDouble Get the numeric value of NUM
SetValue NUM.SetValue(value) Set the numeric value of NUM
ValueToString NUM.ValueToString Get the value of NUM as text

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Text Variables

Description of Text Variables

Method Example (using variable txt) Description

Value TXT.Value.ValueAsString Get the text value of TXT
SetValue TXT.SetValue(value) Set the text value of TXT

Array of Numbers

Description of Number Arrays

Method Example (using variable numArray) Description

Length NUMArray. Length Get the number of values stored in
NUMArray
Add NUMArray. Add(value) Add a number to NUMArray
ArrayValue NUMArray.ArrayValue Get the number stored at a specific index in
(index).ValueAsDouble NUMArray
ArrayValue NUMArray.ArrayValue(index, value) Set the number stored at a specific index in
NUMArray

Array of Text

Description of Text Arrays

Method Example (using variable txtArray) Description

Length TXTArray. Length Get the number of values stored in TXTArray
Add TXTArray. Add(value) Add a number to TXTArray
ArrayValue TXTArray.ArrayValue Get the number stored at a specific index in
(index).ValueAsString TXTArray
ArrayValue TXTArray.ArrayValue(index, value) Set the number stored at a specific index in
TXTArray

Debugging Custom Functions Within MTS TestSuite

You may find it convenient to debug your custom functions within MTS TestSuite. For this reason, all
“print” statements are output to the Test Log. You may use this feature to keep track of values within
custom functions, which allows you to track errors and calculations throughout tests more easily.

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MTS TestSuite Custom Function Debugging Template

Initialize the custom function test environment
If you are designing a function which requires access to these variables, MTS recommends that you
simulate the variables by initializing them with valid default values.
For example, the following custom function will load a variable array called tsVarArray (analogous to
an MTS TestSuite variable array) with the values of three other MTS TestSuite variables.
To create this custom function, perform the following:
1. Declare the variables in the test environment.
2. Pass the variables to be included in the array as parameters of the custom function.
3. Return the value of the custom function to the variable array.
tsVar1 = 1
tsVar2 = 2
tsVar3 = 3
tsVarArray = list()

Define the custom function

Note:
The MTS TestSuite custom function editor does NOT include Python libraries.
l Import the resources you will be referencing within your custom function using the
sys.path.append(resourcePath) method:
import sys
sys.path.append(r"C:\Program Files (x86)\IronPython 2.7\Lib")
import random
l Define the function:
def customFunction(v1, v2, v3):
return [v1, v2, v3, random.randint(100, 200)]

Execute the custom function test environment

l Perform the function call:
tsVarArray = customFunction(tsVar1, tsVar2, tsVar3)
l Do something with the results:
print "tsVar1: " + str(tsVar1)
print "tsVar1: " + str(tsVar2)
print "tsVar1: " + str(tsVar3)
print "\ntsVarArray: "
i=0
for elem in tsVarArray:
i += 1
print " elem" + str(i) + " = " + str(elem)
raw_input()

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Python Scripting Examples

MTS TestSuite offers the ability to create custom functions in Python as part of your test development.
Scripts have full access to variables defined as part of the test. Along with the .NET framework
libraries, scripts offer inter-operability with databases and other external systems. IronPython is
Microsoft’s implementation of the Python language running on the .NET framework.

Applied Python Example: Writing an Array to a File

The following example uses the TSCustomFunctionTemplate within the Python Debugger. In this
example, two Python functions are created to allow reading and writing an MTS TestSuite number
array variable to or from a file.
# =================================================
# 1) Initialize custom function test environment
# =================================================
# *** NOTE: Access to TestSuite variables is not available
# within this debugger. ***
# If you will be designing a function which requires access to
# these variables, it is recommended that you simulate their
# existence here by initializing them with some valid default
# values.
# =================================================

tsVarArray = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
# ================================
# 2) Define the custom function
# ==========================
++++++++++++++++++++++++
# ** NOTE: TestSuite's custom function editor will NOT
# include the iron python libs **
# Therefore, it is required to import the resources you
# will be referencing within your custom function. This is
# done using the "sys.path.append(resourcePath)" method.
#================================================
import sys
sys.path.append(r"C:\Program Files (x86)\IronPython 2.7\Lib")
import os.path

def readFileAsArray(filePath):
results = []
if os.path.exists(filePath):

# Open the file in read mode

infile = open(filePath, "r")

try:
while True:
# Read a line as text, removing newlines
aLine = infile.readline()
if not aLine:

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break;
else:
# Convert the line to numbers and add to
# results
results.append(int(aLine.rstrip()))
except:
results = []
return results

def writeArrayToFile(array, filePath):

try:
# Open the file in write mode
FILE = open(filePath, "w")

# Write each number as a string to the file

for num in array:

FILE.write(str(num) + "\n")

FILE.close()
return True
except:
return False

# ==============================================
# 3) Execute custom function test environment
# ==============================================
file = r"testFileIO.txt"
if writeArrayToFile(tsVarArray, file):
print "Array successfully written to " + str(file)
else:
print "Failed to write array to " + str(file)

# Clear tsVarArray to demonstrate readFileAsArray

tsVarArray = []
print "\ntsVarArray is now empty: "
print tsVarArray

tsVarArray = readFileAsArray(file)
print "\ntsVarArray after readFileAsAraay: "
print tsVarArray
raw_input()

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Store Ending Path Value Variables

Store Ending Path Value Variables Overview
You can create a Store Ending Path Value variable to store which path in a Parallel Paths or
Composite activity ends the parallel path. Set up the variable with choice list selections that describe
each possible path that could end the parallel activity.
The Store Ending Path Value variable can be viewed in the test results and could also be used in a
custom message window or other test logic.

Create and Use Store Ending Path Value Variables

To create and use store ending path value variables:
1. Create a Store Ending Path Value variable for the Parallel Paths or Composite activity.
A. From the Variable Name list in the Store Ending Path Value panel, click <new
variable>.
B. On the Type list, click Text.
C. Set the Default Value and Default Option settings.
D. In the Availability settings, select the During Test, Result, and Editable Post-
Test check boxes.
E. Add Choice List selections to the variable. Each choice-list selection can identify a
possible ending path value for the parallel path.
2. In the composite activity’s Store Ending Path Value Variable Name property, select the Store
Ending Path Value variable that you created earlier.
3. Click on each path in the composite activity, and select the Ending Path Value (choice-list
selection) that identifies the path. For example, in the Break Detection path, select
BreakDetected.

Compare Tool
TestSuite Compare Tool Overview
Access
Tool menu > Compare > Variable or Function

Compare Variables or Functions

The Compare tool shows differences of variable properties or function properties between the
currently opened test or template and other test definitions, test runs, analysis definitions, and analysis
runs. You can identify design differences and build on test definitions when you compare definitions
and runs.
You can compare:

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l Test definitions
l Test runs with analysis runs (In the TW application, an analysis run includes any changes
made in the Review tab.)
l Default templates with modified templates
l Specimen variables with other specimen variables

Merge or Add Changes

The Compare tool includes an Add Changes and Remove Changes buttons that copies functions or
variable properties (with the same name) from another test definition, analysis definition, or analysis
runs into the open test or analysis. You can also use Add Changes to add functions or variables from
another test or analysis to the open test or analysis.

Compare a Variable or Function

To compare a variable or function:
1. In the Tools menu, click Compare and select Variables or Functions. The Select Groups to
Compare Window opens.
2. Select the check box next to the name of the test, template, analysis definition, or analysis run
you want to compare and click the arrow to move them to the box on the right. You can also
click Select an External Test button (...) to browse for an external test file.

Note: The Count column shows the number of variables or functions in each selected
item.
3. Repeat until you have selected what you want to compare.
4. Click OK. The Comparison window opens to show all the variables or functions in the tests
and indicates mismatches in red.
5. To view only the differences, select the Show Only Differences check box.
6. Click the plus icon to expand the window and view the properties for the variable or function.
Once expanded, the variable property names appear in the first column followed by a column
that shows the variable properties for the currently open test, and then columns for each item
selected in step 3.

Note: If a part of a calculation for a function does not match, you must examine the
whole calculation; the Compare tool does not indicate which part of the calculation does
not match.
7. To add the variable or function to your current test, click the Add Change button below the
appropriate test name and click Apply. After you have added all your selections, click OK to
close the window.

Change or Add a Variable or Function During a Comparison

To change or add a variable or function during a comparison:

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1. In the Tools menu, click Compare and select Variables or Functions.

2. Select the check box next to the name of the test, test definition, analysis definition, or analysis
run you want to compare.
3. Repeat until you have selected what you want to compare.
4. Click OK. The next window shows all the variables or functions in the tests and indicates
mismatches in red.
5. Click the plus icon to expand the window and view the properties for the variable or function
that you want to merge into your current test. Once expanded, the variable property names
appear in the first column followed by a column that shows the variable properties for the
currently open test, and then columns for each item selected in step 2.
6. To change or add variables or functions to the currently open test:
A. Scroll down the list to locate the variable/function that you want to change.
B. Determine the column that contains the variable properties or function that you want
to change or add to the currently open test.
C. Click Add Changes. The properties of the function or variable that you want to
merge or add are copied to the Update Test column and are shown in blue.
7. Click Apply or OK.

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Test Activities
Command Activities 294
Data Acquisition (DAQ) Activities 328
Event Detection Activities 338
Control Settings Activities 351
Test Flow Control Activities 363
Operator Entry Activities 374
Program Actions Activities 385

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Command Activities
Allow Handset Control
Allow Handset Control Activity Overview

Allow Handset Control Activity Icon

The Allow Handset Control Activity displays a user-defined message and allows the operator to
take control of the system with the handset while the test is running. If the handset becomes active
while this activity is running, the test control panel is locked.

Note: This activity is not available on systems equipped with an MTS Series 793 controller
(FlexTest).

Example: The Allow Handset Control Activity might be useful when specimen installation is part
of a test procedure.
You can configure the activity to display a message window that displays instructions for how to
insert the specimen. While this activity is running, the handset is allowed to take control of the
system so the operator can safely position the crosshead or actuator while manipulating a specimen
or fixturing.
To continue the test procedure, the operator must release handset control and dismiss the dialog
displayed by this activity.

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Allow Handset Control Activity Properties

Allow Handset Control Activity Properties

Item Description
Create Click to open the Custom Message Editor window, a basic HTML editor that you use to
Message compose and format the content of the message.
Window Specify the width of the message window in pixels.
Size >
Width
Window Specify the height of the message window in pixels.
Size >
Height
Preview Click to see the message as it appears to the operator during test execution.

Note:
Variables in the message are not resolved until the test is executed, so the
preview shows only the variable reference, not its current value.
Buttons Custom button options include No Buttons, Yes, No, OK, and Cancel in several
combinations. You can also create one or more custom buttons with labels that you
specify.
Click No Buttons to control the Custom Message window with a parallel activity.
When the controlling activity completes, the Custom Message window closes.
Click Customize to add, modify, and delete custom buttons to the custom message
window. When you select Customize, the area expands with more options to create
custom buttons, which are described below.

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Item Description
Button Place the buttons on the lower left, center, or right part of the message window.
Alignment
Results Select a variable from the list to store the text value of the button that you click. Click the
Variable list arrow to see the list of all project variables defined to hold a string value.

Note: If you choose a variable with a choice list, any existing buttons are
replaced with the buttons defined by the choice list.
Add Add a new button to the message window.
Edit Edit the selected button label. The Edit Button window has two boxes. Enter the return
value for the button in the value field. The value can be a text string or the name of a
string variable that you have previously defined. Enter the text for the button label in the
text box.
Remove Remove the selected button.
Remove Remove all custom buttons.
All
Add Add a separator line between groups of buttons. The buttons align vertically with a
Separator separator between each group.
Up Arrow Move the selected entry toward the top of the list. The entry at the top of the list appears
as the left-most button in the message window. Click Preview to see the current button
arrangement.
Down Move the selected entry toward the bottom of the list. The entry at the bottom of the list
Arrow appears as the right-most button in the message window. Click Preview to see the
current button arrangement.

Custom Message Editor Properties

Custom Message Editor

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Note: The editor does not support dynamic content or images stored on a web server. It also
does not support scripting extensions, such as JavaScript. If you import or paste content with
unsupported content, it generates error messages when you try to preview the message.

Custom Message Editor Properties

Item Description
Preview Click to see the message as it appears to the operator during test execution.

Note:
Variables in the message are not resolved until the test is executed, so the preview
shows only the variable reference, not its current value.
Insert Click to open the Variable Selection window. From the window you can select a single-
Variable value variable to add to the message output. When the message is shown during the test,
the current value of the variable is substituted for the variable name in the message.
You can enter the reference directly using the following syntax:
$var_<variable_name>$

Note:
If you change the variable identifier name, you must manually change the name in
the Custom Message Editor; otherwise you receive a warning, and the test cannot
run.

Custom Waveform
Custom Waveform Activity Overview

Custom Waveform Activity Icon

The Custom Waveform activity commands a control channel using a series of ramp and hold
segments that create a custom trapezoid waveform. The entire waveform is played out in one control
mode for one channel. You can control multiple control channels, such as an axial channel in force
control and a temperature control channel.
When the durations of multiple signals differ, the signals with the shorter duration hold at the last end
level until all signals on the waveform definition are complete.
The Number of Cycles box determines how many times the entire custom waveform is generated.

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Segment Type
The Ramp Segment Type produces a command similar to the standard Ramp or Go To command,
except that each Ramp can have a different Duration and End Level. The shape of the ramp segment
is linear. Each Hold can have a different Duration (for hold segments, the current end level is used).
You create the segments of a custom waveform in one of two ways:
l Using array variables
l Entering values in the End Levels table

Consideration for using array variables

If you want to dynamically modify the custom waveform during the test, use array variables to create
the custom waveform.

Note: You can dynamically modify arrays by using workflow activities that can access and
modify variables, such as the Assign Variables activity, as well as through custom functions.
For the Ramp segment type, you create Duration and End Level arrays. These arrays contain the list
of segments that define the waveform.
l The Duration array is an array variable that contains duration values for the ramp segments.
The duration values apply to both ramp and hold segment types and are of dimension Time.
For a hold value, you must enter the same value twice in the endlevels. This array must always
contain the same number of elements as the End Level array.
l The End Level array is an array variable containing end level values that specify the target end
level for ramp segments. End level values in this array have the same dimension as the
selected control mode. This array must always contain the same number of elements as the
Duration array.

Note: You can define a hold segment by specifying the same end-level value as
consecutive values in an array.

Considerations for using the End Levels table

If you desire to keep the custom waveform static for the duration of the test, use the End Levels table to
create the custom waveform. To do this, you create segments by manually entering ramp and hold
values in the table rows.

Create a custom waveform using the End Levels table

Define each table row as follows:
1. Click the plus (+) button to add a row to the table.
2. Select the type of segment (Ramp or Hold)

Example: Using Variables to Specify Arrays of End Levels and Durations

This example describes how to set up a test where an Input Variablesactivity allows an operator to
manually enter values for the end level and duration array variables that define the segments (end level
+ duration values) in a Custom Waveform activity.

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Test Sequence

1. Add the Custom Waveform activity to your test.

2. In the Custom Waveform properties, select the Use Variables to Specify Arrays of End
Levels and Durations check box.
3. Create the array variables that define the duration values for the custom waveform.
A. On the Duration Array list, click <new variable>.
l The New Numeric Variable properties window is automatically populated
with the correct settings for the duration array variable.
B. Click OK.
C. Repeat this procedure for the End-level array variable.

Important:
When using array variables to define end levels, you can only define ramp
segments. If you want to define a hold segment, enter the same end-level value
in consecutive ramp segments.
4. Assign Variables activity - add an Assign Variables activity to the test before the Custom
Waveform activity.
5. Set up the Assign Variables activity to use the NewArray(x,y) function to define the number
of elements and the default values for the EndLevelsArray and DurationsArray variables.
A. On the Assign Variables activity's Variable list, click the + icon.
B. Use the Variables Selection window to add the EndLevelsArray and DurationsArray
variables (that you created earlier) to the Selected Variables list and click OK.
C. On the Variable list, double-click the EndLevelsArray variable to display the
Calculation Editor window.
D. Add the NewArray(x,y) function to the calculation.

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l Use this function to define the number of end levels (x) and their default
values (y) that will be added to the array variable.
l For example, NewArray(10,0) would result in 10 end levels, each with a
default value of 0.

Note:
The x argument in the NewArray(x,y) for the DurationsArray and the EndLevelsArray
variables must be set to the same value.
6. Repeat this procedure for the DurationsArray variable.
7. Input Variables activity - add an Input Variables activity after the Assign Variables activity
and before the Custom Waveform activity.
A. On the Input Variables properties Variable list, click the + icon.
B. Use the Variables Selection window to add the EndLevelsArray and DurationsArray
variables to the Selected Variables list and click OK.
l When the test runs, the Input Variables activity displays a window where
the operator must enter the end level and duration values for each segment
(end level + duration) defined by the Assign Variables activity. These
segments are then executed by the Custom Waveform activity.

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Custom Waveform Activity Properties

Custom Waveform + DAQ Properties

Item Description
Number of Specify the number of times to perform the waveform defined. Click the toggle
Cycles button to specify a numeric value and unit of measure or variable.
Compensator Select a compensator to improve the tracking and accuracy of the control loop for
the selected channel. For more information about compensators, see
“Compensator Overview” on page 52.
Advanced Click to open the Advanced Command Properties window.
Select an Interrupt behavior:
l Interrupt Immediately—End the branch or loop immediately at the current
level.

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Item Description
l Interrupt at End of Cycle—Complete the current cycle before ending the
branch or loop.
Relative End Levels—Select to specify that the values of the end levels are
relative to the value of the control mode command signal at the time the activity
begins executing. When not checked, end levels are relative to setpoint.
Suppress Cycle Counter—Select to prevent the channel counter from being
incremented when this activity is executed. When not checked, the channel counter
is incremented.
Channel List Click the plus sign to open the Select Channels window, and select the channel or
multiple channels to use for the activity.
Control Mode Select the type of feedback to use in the control loop for the selected channel.
Specify this for each channel you select.

Note: For MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems, load and strain modes
are available only if you have purchased the Advanced Rate Control license.
If you select Use variables to specify arrays of End Levels and Durations,
select the variable in the drop-down menu for each box.
End Level 1 Specify two end levels that the command signal cycles between for the selected
and 2 control mode. Click the toggle button to specify a numeric value and unit of measure
or a variable. Specify this for each channel you select.
Phase Lag Specify the phase relationship of the wave form generated by this activity from
channel to channel. Click the toggle button to specify a numeric value and unit of
measure or a Phase Lag variable. If you have selected only one channel, Phase
Lag is disabled. Change this for each channel.

Note: Phase Lag is relative to the channel with the smallest degree of phase.
The phase lag of each channel is referenced to the lower phase lag defined
in the channels.

Custom Waveform + DAQ

Custom Waveform + DAQ Activity Overview

Custom Waveform + DAQ Activity Icon

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This composite activity combines the Custom Waveform activity with a Data Acquisition (DAQ)
activity.
The activity is hard-coded to use the SegmentCount signal to process data in block mode with the
“CycleCount” variable used as the counter. For the Custom Waveform + DAQ activities, one pass
through the End Levels table is considered a cycle.

Important:
This composite activity includes hard-coded settings that simplify the setup of data acquisition for
cyclic testing.

Custom Waveform + DAQ Activity Properties

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Custom Waveform + DAQ Properties

Item Description
Number of Specify the number of times to perform the waveform defined. Click the toggle
Cycles button to specify a numeric value and unit of measure or variable.
Compensator Select a compensator to improve the tracking and accuracy of the control loop for
the selected channel. For more information about compensators, see
“Compensator Overview” on page 52.
Advanced Click to open the Advanced Command Properties window.
Select an Interrupt behavior:
l Interrupt Immediately—Complete immediately at the current level.
l Interrupt at End of Cycle—Complete the current cycle before ending the
branch or loop.
Relative End Levels—Select to specify that the values of the end levels are
relative to the value of the control mode command signal at the time the activity
begins executing. When not checked, end levels are relative to setpoint.
Suppress Cycle Counter—Select to prevent the channel counter from being
incremented when this activity is executed. When not checked, the channel counter
is incremented.
Channel List Click the plus sign to open the Select Channels window, and select the channel or
multiple channels to use for the activity.
Control Mode Select the type of feedback to use in the control loop for the selected channel.
Specify this for each channel you select.

Note: For MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems, load and strain modes
are available only if you have purchased the Advanced Rate Control license.
If you select Use variables to specify arrays of End Levels and Durations,
select the variable in the drop-down menu for each box.

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Item Description
Phase Lag Specify the phase relationship of the wave form generated by this activity from
channel to channel. Click the toggle button to specify a numeric value and unit of
measure or a Phase Lag variable. If you have selected only one channel, Phase
Lag is disabled. Change this for each channel.

Note: Phase Lag is relative to the channel with the smallest degree of phase.
The phase lag of each channel is referenced to the lower phase lag defined
in the channels
Signal List Specify the signals for which values are gathered for each cycle. Click the plus sign
to open the Select Signals window.
Data Configure the data acquisition trigger properties and other details in the Data
Acquisition Acquisition window. For details, see the following section on the Data Acquisition
List List.

Data Acquisition List

When you click the plus sign in the Data Acquisition List panel, it opens the Data Acquisition window.

Data Acquisition Window

Note: This activity is hardcoded to always process data in blocks.

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Data Acquisition Window Properties

Item Description
Trigger Select and configure the trigger(s) used for this activity.
List
For more information about triggers, see “Data Acquisition (DAQ) Triggers Overview”
on page 145.
Save data No—The signal data is not put into variables.
to
variables? Yes, automatically map variables—(Default for TWE) The signals being acquired
are automatically mapped to variables of the same name with the word “Array”
appended and illegal characters removed. For example, the signal with an internal
name of “Axial Force” is mapped to the variable “AxialForceArray”.
In addition, calculations dependent on these mapped variables are automatically added
to the Additional Calculations list.
Yes, manually map variables—The test designer must manually map the signals
and additional calculations by clicking the Configure button and using the Map
Variables window.
Configure Open the Map Variables window where you can map signal data into variables that can
button be used to perform calculations on signal data, perform logical condition checks,
acquire signal data for test-run displays.
Starting Specify how many cycles to store when the test starts or restarts.
Cycles
Note: The cycles specified here are in addition to those specified by the “Select
Cycles” filter.
For example, you specify 10 and the test is 50 cycles long. An operator stops and
restarts the test at 30 cycles. The application saves data from cycles 1 to 10 and 31 to
40.

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Item Description
Final Specify the number of cycles to store before the test stops, whether at the end or during
Cycles the test. A stoppage can be initiated by an operator, an event action, or a system
interlock.
For example, you specify 10 and the test is 50 cycles long. If an operator stops and
restarts the test at 30 cycles, the application saves data for cycles 21 to 30 and 41 to 50.
Index Specify an array variable to store all the cycle count numbers of cycles where data is
Variable stored.
You must first create an index variable that is an Array type and with a dimension of
Count. This variable stores the current cycle count number when the application stores
data.
The Select Cycles, Starting Cycles, and Final Cycles properties determine the
cycles when the application stores data.
This array stores cycle numbers, not the data. This array can be used to determine
which data is available to analyze.
Select Opens the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window to further specify which cycles to
Cycles acquire. The raw data is saved for the acquired cycles.

Note: The cycle decimation filter settings do not affect data that is saved to a
variable.

Cycle
Cycle Activity Overview

Cycle Activity Icon

The Cycle activity commands the control signal to cycle between two different end levels at a specified
frequency, using a specified wave shape, for a specified number of cycles. Two end levels form one
cycle. The number of cycles determines the required number of end levels. The frequency determines
the speed required to achieve the end levels.
The method for cycling between the two end levels is controlled by the Control Mode, which can be
specified in terms of force, strain, or displacement. The End Levels specify the amount of force or strain
to apply or the distance to displace, while the Frequency specifies the speed it should take to achieve
the end levels. The Wave Shape specifies the shape of the signal, which also governs the type of
command rate between each end level, which can produce a constant linear rate (as with a ramp

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shape) or a varying rate (as with a sine shape).

Note:
Specify these settings for each channel.
In the following example, the Go To activity commands an actuator force from 0.000 N to 2.000 N, and
then the cyclic activity starts. The cyclic activity varies the force between the end levels of 2.000 N and
4.000 N. The command applies force as a linear ramp shape from each end level. The frequency is
0.8333 Hz, as each cycle is 1.2000 seconds long (1/1.2 or 0.8333 cycles per second). The total
number of cycles is 2.5.
In both of the following graphics, “A” represents Cycle activity. “B”represents Go To activity. “C”
represents the Command Signal.

Go To Activity

The following example shows similar Go To commands as a sine wave.

Go To Activity as a Sine Wave

Signal compensation
You can apply a compensator to enhance performance. Compensators are control techniques that
improve the tracking and accuracy of your controller and optimize system response. Only one
compensator can be applied.
Compensators are set up with the Station Manager application. The settings and properties are found
on the Compensators tab in the Channel Status window. For more information about compensators,
see “Compensator Overview” on page 52.

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Relative end levels

To specify that the end levels you provide are relative to the end level that is current when the activity
starts, select Relative End Levels under the Advanced settings.

Interrupt settings
Interrupt behaviors are defined in the Advanced settings and specify what happens in the event the
Cycle activity is stopped before completion.
l Interrupt Immediately—Complete immediately at the current level.
l Interrupt at End of Cycle—Complete the current cycle before ending the branch or loop.

Phase lag
You can specify the phase relationship of the waveform generated by this activity from channel to
channel. You specify Phase Lag relative to the channel with the smallest degree of phase. The phase
lag of each channel is referenced to the lowest phase lag defined in the channels.

Note:
Specify these settings for each channel.

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Cycle Activity Properties

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Cycle Activity Properties

Item Description
Timing Type Specifies how the timing property is expressed. You can select one of the following:
l Frequency
l Time
l Rate
Frequency, Specifies how fast each segment runs. The following methods are supported:
Time, Rate
l Frequency specifies the time to run a two-segment cycle.
l Time specifies the time to run one segment.
l Rate specifies a constant rate between the starting level and the end
levels.

Note:
You cannot use Rate for a command activity that applies to multiple
channels.
Wave Shape Select the shape of the signal. The shape determines whether the command rate
between each end level is a constant linear rate (as with ramp shape) or a varying
rate (as with sine shape). The choices are:
l Square
l Ramp
l Sine
l True Square
l True Ramp
l True Sine
Click the toggle button to select one of the wave shape choices or a variable.
Frequency Specify the speed to complete each cycle. Click the toggle button to specify a
numeric value and unit of measure or a variable.
The numeric mode selections are:
l cpm—cycles per minute; 60 cpm equals 1 Hz
l rpm—revolutions per minute; 60 rpm equals 1 Hz
l Hz—Hertz; 1 Hz equals 1 cycle per second
l kHz—kiloHertz; 1 kHz equals 1000 Hz
Number of Specify the number of end levels. Click the toggle button to specify a numeric value
Cycles and unit of measure or variable.

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Item Description
When using the numeric mode, the resulting number of end levels can be specified
by the number of Segments or by the number of Cycles. A segment has one end
level and a cycle has two end levels.
Compensator Select a compensator to improve the tracking and accuracy of the control loop for
the selected channel. For more information about compensators, see
“Compensator Overview” on page 52. The following compensators may be
available with the Cycle activity.
l No Compensator
l Static Null Pacing—Static null pacing holds the command at its segment
boundaries to allow the sensor feedback more time to reach its target
peak.
l Dynamic Null Pacing—Dynamic null pacing reduces the command
frequency to allow the sensor feedback more time to track the command.
l Peak-Valley Amplitude Control—Monitors cyclic command feedback for
any amplitude roll-off or mean-level divergence. Peak-Valley Amplitude
Control increases the command amplitude if it detects amplitude roll-off in
the feedback signal. This compensator adjusts the mean command level if
it detects mean-level divergence in the feedback signal.
l Peak-Valley-Phase—Improves the amplitude and phase tracking of the
command and sensor feedback. Peak-Valley-Phase compensates for
phase error, unlike Peak-Valley-Amplitude Control. Peak-Valley-Phase
provides good amplitude tracking on nonlinear specimens. Peak-Valley-
Phase adjusts the mean command level if it detects mean-level divergence
in the feedback.
Advanced Select an Interrupt behavior:
l Interrupt Immediately—Complete immediately at the current level.
l Interrupt at End of Cycle—Complete the current cycle before ending the
branch or loop.
Relative End Levels—Select to specify that the values of the end levels are
relative to the value of the control mode command signal at the time the activity
begins executing. When not checked, end levels are relative to setpoint.
Suppress Cycle Counter—Select to prevent the channel counter from being
incremented when this activity is executed. When not checked, the channel counter
is incremented.
Channel List Click the plus sign to open the Select Channels window, and select the channel or
multiple channels to use for the activity.
Control Mode Select the type of feedback to use in the control loop for the selected channel.
Specify this for each channel you select.

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Item Description

Note:
For MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems, load and strain modes are
available only if you have purchased the Advanced Rate Control license.
End Level 1 Specify two end levels that the command signal cycles between for the selected
and 2 control mode. Click the toggle button to specify a numeric value and unit of measure
or a variable. Specify this for each channel you select.
Phase Lag Specify the phase relationship of the wave form generated by this activity from
channel to channel. Click the toggle button to specify a numeric value and unit of
measure or a variable. If you have selected only one channel, Phase Lag is
disabled. Change this for each channel.

Note:
Phase Lag is relative to the channel with the smallest degree of phase. The
phase lag of each channel is referenced to the lower phase lag defined in the
channels.

Cycle and Custom Waveform Stop

The following table shows how the MTS TestSuite application interacts with interrupt, hold, and stop
commands.

Cycle and Custom Waveform Stop Parameters

Behavior Description
End Stay immediately at the current level.
Interrupt Control the functionality of an activity when the parallel branch it is in is interrupted or
directed to complete early by a separate parallel completion of a branch. You can select
two interrupt functions:
Interrupt Immediately—Complete immediately at current level.
Interrupt at End of Cycle—Complete the current cycle before ending the branch.
For example, when a crack limit is detected, the cycle can be finished rather than
immediately stopped to obtain accurate test results.
Stop Stay immediately at current level. The Stop At button causes a stop at the end of the
current cycle.
Hold Hold at the end of the current cycle.

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Cycle + DAQ
Cycle + DAQ Activity Overview

Cycle + DAQ Activity Icon

The Cycle + DAQ composite activity combines two otherwise standalone activities:
l Cycle activity
l DAQ (Data Acquisition) activity
This composite activity is hardcoded to use the SegmentCount signal to process data in block mode
with the “CycleCount” variable used as the counter. For Cycle + DAQ activities, two segment counts
= a cycle (increments a cycle count).

Important:
These composite activities include hardcoded settings that simplify the setup of data acquisition
for cyclic testing.

Cycle activity
Use the Cycle activity to command the Control signal to cycle between two different end levels at a
specified frequency, using a specified wave shape, for a specified number of cycles. Two end levels
form one cycle. The number of cycles determines the required number of end levels. The frequency
determines the speed required to achieve the end levels.

DAQ activity
Use the DAQ activity to define the data to collect and how to collect it. You must add at least one DAQ
activity, and you can add multiple DAQ activities. Each DAQ activity must have a unique name and
trigger type and a number of cycles to monitor.
For multichannel testing, the most lagging channel is used to count cycles during data acquisition.

Cycle Data Acquisition Properties

The Cycle Data Acquisition properties are applicable to both the Custom Waveform + DAQ activity
and the Cycle + DAQ activity.

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Cycle Data Acquisition Window

Note:
This activity is hard coded to always process data in blocks.

Cycle Data Acquisition Properties

Item Description
Trigger Select and configure the trigger(s) used for this activity.
List
Save data No—The signal data is not put into variables.
to
variables?
Yes, automatically map variables—(Default for TWE) The signals being acquired
are automatically mapped to variables of the same name with the word “Array”
appended and illegal characters removed. For example, the signal with an internal
name of “Axial Force” is mapped to the variable “AxialForceArray”.
In addition, calculations dependent on these mapped variables are automatically added
to the Additional Calculations list.
Yes, manually map variables—The test designer must manually map the signals
and additional calculations by clicking the Configure button and using the Map
Variables window.
Configure Open the Map Variables window where you can map signal data into variables that can
button be used to perform calculations on signal data, perform logical condition checks,
acquire signal data for test-run displays.
Starting Specify how many cycles to store when the test starts or restarts.
Cycles
Note:
The cycles specified here are in addition to those specified by the “Select Cycles”
filter.
For example, you specify 10 and the test is 50 cycles long. An operator stops and

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Item Description
restarts the test at 30 cycles. The application saves data from cycles 1 to 10 and 31 to
40.
Final Specify the number of cycles to store before the test stops, whether at the end or during
Cycles the test. A stoppage can be initiated by an operator, an event action, or a system
interlock.
For example, you specify 10 and the test is 50 cycles long. If an operator stops and
restarts the test at 30 cycles, the application saves data for cycles 21 to 30 and 41 to 50.
Index Specify an array variable to store all the cycle count numbers of cycles where data is
Variable stored.
You must first create an index variable that is an Array type and with a dimension of
Count. This variable stores the current cycle count number when the application stores
data.
The Select Cycles, Starting Cycles, and Final Cycles properties determine the
cycles when the application stores data.
This array stores cycle numbers, not the data. This array can be used to determine
which data to analyze.
Select Opens the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window to further specify which cycles to
Cycles acquire. The raw data is saved for the acquired cycles.

Note:
The cycle decimation filter settings do not affect data that is saved to a variable.

Cycle Values in Test Results

Test results from the Cycle + DAQ and Custom Waveform + DAQ activities are the values
gathered for each cycle for each signal in the Signal list. The values for the running time and the axial
integer count of each channel are also included.
Values are collected for all cycles while the test runs. However, values are saved only for the cycles
selected in the Select Cycles window and the Starting Cycles and Final Cycles settings in the Data
Acquisition properties. The cycle number for each table entry is shown in the Variable Summary
column of the test results table.

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Dwell
Dwell Activity Overview

Dwell Activity Icon

The Dwell activity maintains a command for a specified duration at either the current level or a
specified level in a specified control mode. By default, the activity dwells at the current level (when the
Dwell at Current Value check box is selected in the Properties panel).
When you define a Dwell command activity, you must specify the duration of the command.

Note:
If you are commanding this activity using a load or strain control mode, you may need to tune the
load or strain control mode before using this activity within a test. For more information about
tuning, see “Tuning Parameters Activity Overview” on page 360.

Dwell Activity Properties

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Dwell Activity Properties

Item Description
Display Name that is shown on the Dwell activity icon in the workflow on the Procedure tab.
Name
Enable Select to enable this command; clear selection box to disable this command.
Description Description of this command that is shown when you hover your cursor over the
Dwell activity icon on the Procedure tab.
Progress Visibility: Indicate whether you want to view the progress table during runtime.
Table l Fixed: The table is always available for viewing.
l Transient: The table is available for viewing during the test only.
l Never: The table is not visible during the test.

Note:
You add the Progress table as a Test-Run Display activity.
Termination Indicate the duration of the Dwell command activity in either time or frequency.
l Duration: Enter the time and unit of measurement.
l Signal: Click the ellipsis to open the Select a Signal window where you
select a signal.
l Comparison: Select from the drop-down menu when the Dwell activity will
end.
l Value: Enter the value and unit of measurement or variable used in the
calculation at which the Dwell activity will maintain the command.
Dwell at The Dwell activity maintains at the current value (this is the default).
Current
Value Advanced button: Click to open the Advanced Command Properties window and
suppress the cycle counter for the duration of the Dwell activity.
Channel Specifies the channel. Click the plus sign to open the Select Channel window. You
List can specify multiple channels.
Control Specifies the control mode or control mode variable. Specify a control mode for each
Mode channel you select.
End Level This feature appears when you clear the Dwell at Current Value box. Enter a value
and unit of measurement or variable for when the Dwell activity should end.

Setting Dwell at a Specific Level

If you want the Dwell activity to maintain command at a specified level instead of the current level:

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1. Clear the Dwell at Current Value check box.

2. Enter a value or variable and unit of measurement in the End Level box.
The rate at which the command ramps to the specified value is as follows:
l For electromechanical systems using MTS Insight electronics, the rate is the maximum rate of
the crosshead for the test frame.
l For servohydraulic systems using Series 793 Controller software, the rate is the Setpoint
ramp rate. The Setpoint control is in the Station Manager application (Tools > Channel
Options > Command Options). By default, this rate is set to 2.0 seconds. The execution
time is proportional to full scale. If the value has less distance to travel, the execution time is
correspondingly less than the specified time.

Dwell + DAQ + Detection

Dwell + DAQ + Detection Activity Overview

Dwell + DAQ + Detection Activity Icon (Expanded)

This is a composite activity that combines the following sub-activities in separate branches of a
Parallel Path activity. You can enable one or all of the following activities in the paths.
For more information about the stand-alone activities, click the appropriate reference in the following
list.
l Dwell activity (“Dwell Activity Properties” on page 317)
l DAQ activity (“DAQ Activity Overview” on page 328)
l Limit Detection activity (“Limit Detection Activity Properties” on page 346)
l Break Detection activity (“Break Detection Activity Properties” on page 338)
l Wait for Operator Action activity (“Break Detection Activity Properties” on page 338)

Note:
If you are commanding this activity using a load or strain control mode, you may need to tune the
load or strain control mode before using this activity within a test. For more information about
tuning, see “Tuning Parameters Activity Overview” on page 360.

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Dwell + DAQ + Detection Activity Properties

Item Description
Store Specifies the variable that gets set at the end of the composite activity path. This lets
Ending you identify which path ends the Dwell + DAQ + Detection activity. For example,
Path when running a test, you may either complete the test or hit a preset limit that will stop
Value > the test which is then identified in the Store Ending Path Value variable.
Variable
Name
Dwell “Dwell Activity Properties” on page 317
activity
DAQ “Basic DAQ Activity Properties” on page 329, “Advanced Data Acquisition Properties”
activity on page 330
Limit “Limit Detection Activity Properties” on page 346
Detection
activity
Break “Break Detection Activity Properties” on page 338
Detection
activity
Wait for “Wait for Operator Action Activity Properties” on page 384
Operator
Action
activity

Go To
Go To Activity Overview

Go To Activity Icon

Use the Go To activity to command a control channel to move the crosshead at a specified rate and
direction. The Go To activity is typically part of a parallel path that contains limit/break detection, DAQ
(data acquisition), and other activities.

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Note:
If you are commanding this activity using a load or strain control mode, you may need to tune the
load or strain control mode before using this activity within a test. For more information about
tuning, see “Tuning Parameters Activity Overview” on page 360.

Go To Activity Properties

Go To Activity Properties

Item Description
Channel Select the channel that is controlled by this activity.
Control Select the type of feedback to use in the control loop for the selected channel.
mode
Direction Select the signal direction used in the control loop for the selected channel for this
activity.
Increase—Move the crosshead or actuator in a direction that will increase the
control-mode feedback signal value.
Decrease—Move the crosshead or actuator in a direction that will decrease the
control-mode feedback signal value.
Auto—The application will use the “Effect of Increasing Extension” resource settings

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Item Description
to determine which direction the crosshead or actuator must travel to reach the
specified end condition.

Note: The Auto setting will not work with resources that have the “Effect of
Increasing Extension” setting set to Indefinite.
Rate Enter the rate at which the crosshead or actuator will move. To toggle between
entering an specific value and an input, click or .
Termination Select the Termination Condition check box if you want to define limits that will end
Condition this activity.
Signal—Select the signal to monitor for the ending condition.
Comparison—Select an absolute or relative comparison, between the actual signal
value and the value entered below, that will end the activity.

Note: When the Direction setting is set to Auto, the Crosses comparison
setting becomes available. When Crosses is selected, the activity ends when
the actual signal equals the set value.
Value—Enter the signal value used by the comparison setting. To toggle between
entering an specific value and an input, click or .
Brake Control-mode braking slows the command to help avoid overshoot. The brake
distance distance value is subtracted from the ending condition value to determine where
control-mode braking starts. To toggle between entering an specific value and an
input, click or .
For example, if the ending condition value is 100 N and the brake distance is set to 10
N, at 90 N, the command will slow down to 10% of the rate setting and at 99 N, it will
slow down to 1% of the rate setting.

Note: This option is not available when the control mode is crosshead or
extension.
Use Tuning If the control mode is set to Load or Strain, you must enter the tuning parameters for
Parameters the control mode. The tuning parameters will be different for different type of
specimen materials.

Note: Tuning parameter settings are only available with MTS TestSuite TW
Software running on an MTS Insight Controller.

Go To + DAQ + Detection
Go To + DAQ + Detection Activity
Note:

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This activity is only applicable to the TWE application running in conjunction with an MTS Insight
controller.

Go To + DAQ + Detection Activity Icon (Expanded)

This is a composite activity that combines the following sub-activities in separate branches of a
Parallel Path activity. For more information, refer to the topics for the standalone activities.
l Go To activity (“Go To Activity Properties” on page 322)
l DAQ activity (“DAQ Activity Overview” on page 328)
l Limit Detection activity (“Limit Detection Activity Properties” on page 346)
l Break Detection activity (“Break Detection Activity Properties” on page 338)
l Wait for Operator Action activity (“Wait for Operator Action Activity Properties” on page
384)

Note:
If you are commanding this activity using a load or strain control mode, you may need to tune the
load or strain control mode before using this activity within a test. For more information about
tuning, see “Tuning Parameters Activity Overview” on page 360.

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Go To + DAQ + Detection Activity Properties

Go To + DAQ + Detection Activity Properties

Item Description
Store Specifies the variable that gets set at the end of the composite activity path. This lets you
End Path identify which path ends the Go To + DAQ + Detection activity. For example, when
Value > running a test, you may either complete the test or hit a preset limit that will stop the test
Variable which is then identified in the Store Ending Path Value variable.
Name
Go To “Go To Activity Properties” on page 322
activity
DAQ “Basic DAQ Activity Properties” on page 329, “Advanced Data Acquisition Properties”

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Item Description
activity on page 330
Limit “Limit Detection Activity Properties” on page 346
Detection
activity
Break “Break Detection Activity Properties” on page 338
Detection
activity
Wait for “Wait for Operator Action Activity Properties” on page 384
Operator
Action
activity

Return to Zero
Return to Zero Activity Overview

Return to Zero activity icon

The Return to Zero activity returns the crosshead or actuator (depending on the controller) to the
zero position. The activity performs the same action as manually clicking the Return Crosshead (or
Actuator) Control button.

Return Control button

Note:
The return rate for the Return to Zero activity with an MTS Insight controller is determined by a
hardware setting that only an MTS Field Service representative can access. If the rate requires
adjustment, contact your MTS representative.
The return rate when run with a FlexTest controller uses the rate defined in the Control Panel
configuration. To configure the rate, click Preferences > Configuration > Control Panel.
The Return to Zero activity runs even when the test status is stopped.

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Return to Zero Activity Properties

Return to Zero Activity Properties

Item Description
Display Name The name of the activity shown in the Procedure tab.
Enable check box Enable or disable the command activity.
Description Description shown when cursor is hovered over activity icon in Procedure
tab.
Progress Table Indicate whether the progress table is shown during runtime:
l Fixed—The table is always available for viewing.
l Transient—The table is available for viewing during the test only.
l Never—The table is not visible during the test.
Show Indicate whether or not a confirmation window is shown before returning to
confirmation zero. It may be useful to enable this option if you want to allow the test
dialog before operator to decide whether or not to return to zero.
action check box

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Data Acquisition (DAQ) Activities

DAQ
DAQ Activities Available in TWE
Documentation topics for data acquisition activities are distributed throughout this manual. Use the
links below to get to the activities that interest you.
l “Custom Waveform + DAQ” on page 302
l “Cycle + DAQ” on page 314
l “Dwell + DAQ + Detection” on page 319
l “Go To + DAQ + Detection” on page 323
l “DAQ” on page 328
l “Max/Min DAQ” on page 332

DAQ Activity Overview

DAQ Activity Icon

The DAQ activity is a standalone activity that collects data using a variety of triggers independently of
any Command activity. The DAQ activity is typically placed in a parallel path with a Command
activity. The DAQ activity can write data into a variable or a file using block or point-by-point
processing. It can also perform calculations on the data put into variables.

Note:
If you are running a cyclic test, you may want to use the Cycle + DAQcomposite activity. It
combines cyclic command and a DAQ activity that is hardcoded to support most cyclic testing.

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Basic DAQ Activity Properties

A DAQ activity requires at least one trigger and one signal. You can also specify multiple triggers.

Basic DAQ Properties Description

Item Description
Display Name of the activity shown in Procedure tab.
Name
Enable Enables or disables this command activity.
check box
Description Description shown when cursor is hovered over activity icon in Procedure tab.
Progress Indicates whether this activity will show its progress in the Test Progress Table run-
Table time display tool. For more information about the Test Progress Table, see “Test
Progress Table” on page 509.
l Fixed—The table is always available for viewing in the Test Progress Table.
l Transient—The table is available for viewing in the Test Progress Table
during the test only.
l Never—The table is not visible in the Test Progress Table during the test.

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Item Description
Trigger List Click the plus sign to open the Data Acquisition Trigger Properties window to add one
or more triggers by specifying the Trigger Type, Sample Selection, Sample Rate,
and Sample Duration.
Signal List Select the signals that you want to acquire when any of the triggers occur. Click the
plus sign to open the Select Signals window and move the desired signals from the
Available List to the Selected List. You can also change the order of the signals in the
Selected List.
Save data Indicate whether you want to save (map) acquired signal data to variables.
to
variables?

Advanced Data Acquisition Properties

Some activities have an Advanced button in the Properties panel, which you can click to access the
Advanced Data Acquisition window, and make additional configuration entries.

Advanced Data Acquisition Activity Properties

Item Description
Data Note:
Storage The Data Storage property is not available for the Cycle + DAQ and Custom
Waveform + DAQ activities. Those activities are hardcoded to save data.
The following Data Storage options are available:
l Save Data—(Default) Saves the data from the test run to the data file.
l Discard Data—Does not save data. Discarded data is not available for
further viewing or for analysis.
Buffer Note:
Type This property is not applicable to the Max/Min DAQ activity.
Linear Buffer—Records data until it is full then delivers it to the application for
processing (blocking, save to disk, save to variables). The size of the buffer
determines how much data is acquired before it is written to disk or put into variables.
Data is continuously processed until the activity ends or is interrupted. When the
activity ends, any data in the buffer is processed.
Circular Buffer—Records data continuously. When the buffer is full, new data
overwrites the oldest data. This type of buffering processes data when the test is
stopped, when the activity reaches its preset count, or when the activity ends.
Buffer Size Note:
This property is not applicable to the Max/Min DAQ activity.
The buffer size specifies the maximum number of data points the buffer stores before

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Item Description
processing data.
Acquire Provides the ability to continue or stop acquiring data when a test has been
data while temporarily paused. To acquire data during a hold, select the Acquire data while
holding holding check box. To stop collecting data during a hold, clear the check box.
Default: Disabled.
Collect last Note:
data point This property is not applicable to the Max/Min DAQ activity.
Provides the ability to collect an additional data point. When enabled, data acquisition
collects one more data point when interrupted, such as by a Break Detection
activity. Collecting the last data point ensures critical data is captured.
Default: Disabled.
Block The High-Speed DAQ (MPE only), Dwell + DAQ + Detection (TWE only), Go To
Information + DAQ + Detection (TWE only),Max/Min DAQ, and DAQ activities include the
(Optional) following Block Information settings. Enter the block information if you want to
process data in blocks. If left blank, data is processed point-by-point.
For more information about block data processing, see “Block Data Processing” on
page 154.
Counter Specify the count variable that is going to be the index or boundary identifier that
defines the block.
Identifier Specify the name of the block. The identifier is used by the Block function. For
example, if the identifier is “JICStep”, it could be used as Block(“JICStep”,...)
Display Specify the name of the block that is shown in variable chart views that shows
Name boundaries of data, such as the history view or hysteresis view.
Select Opens the Block Decimation Filter Selection window in which you can specify the
Blocks frequency of downsampling.

Acquiring Data While Holding

Complete the following steps to continue acquiring data while a test has been paused.
1. Click on the DAQ activity to open its Properties panel.
2. Click Advanced. The Advanced Data Acquisition window appears.
3. Select the Acquire Data While Holding check box.
4. Click OK.

Collecting a Last Data Point

Complete the following steps to ensure a last data point is collected when a test has been interrupted.

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1. Click on the DAQ activity to open its Properties panel.

2. Click Advanced. The Advanced Data Acquisition window appears.
3. Select the Collect Last Data Point check box.
4. Click OK.

Max/Min DAQ
Max/Min DAQ Activity Overview

Max/Min Activity Icon

The Max/Min DAQ activity records the maximum and minimum values of selected signals during a
test. The reference signal selection determines the type of data that is acquired. The selections include
a “single reference signal” or “All included signals.”
When the maximum and minimum values are detected, they are compared to the maximum and
minimum values currently stored for the associated signals. If the new values exceed the stored
values, they replace the stored values.

Single reference signal

You can configure this activity to monitor a single reference signal for maximum or minimum values.
When those values are detected, the activity samples the values of the other signals in the Signal list.
When data is written to disk, the reference signal values are absolute maximum and minimum values,
while the other signal values are the values at the time the reference signal’s maximum and minimum
values were detected.

All included signals

When you select All Included Signals (default), the activity monitors all the signals in the Signal list
for their maximum and minimum values. The data that is written to disk are absolute maximum and
minimum values for each of the signals in the Signal list.

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Max/Min DAQ Activity

Data processing
The Max/Min DAQ activity processes data when:
l The activity ends normally
l The activity is stopped
l The activity is interrupted

Important:
At the end of the activity, the activity writes one minimum and maximum value into the
single block number that is in effect when the data is written, not when the max/min
occurred.

Max/Min DAQ Activity Properties

The data recorded by the Max/Min DAQ activity is the maximum and minimum values detected since
the activity was first activated, no matter how many times the test is stopped.

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Max/Min DAQ Activity Properties

Item Description
Signal Selects signals from which this process acquires data. Use the left and right arrows to
List move desired signals from the Available list to the Selected list.
Reference Select the appropriate reference signal option.
Signal
Maximum Monitors the Reference signal for the maximum values when selected.
Values

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Item Description
Minimum Monitors the Reference signal for the minimum values when selected.
Values
Save data No—The signal data is not put into variables.
to
variables? Yes, automatically map variables—The signals being acquired are automatically
mapped to variables using the mapping type of "Minimum" and "Maximum," and
appends "Minimum" and "Maximum" to the signal names to form the variable names.
In addition, calculations dependent on these mapped variables are automatically added
to the Additional Calculations list.
Yes, manually map variables—The test designer must manually map the signals
and additional calculations by clicking the Configure button and using the Map
Variables window.
Configure Opens the Map Variables window where you can map signal data into variables that
button can be used to perform calculations on signal data, perform logical condition checks,
and acquire signal data for test-run displays.

Max/Min DAQ Advanced Data Acquisition Properties

Max/Min DAQ Advanced Properties

Item Description
Data By default, data is saved; however, you can use this option to discard data.
Storage
Click Discard Data to not save data.
Click Save Data to save the data from the test run.

Note:
Discarded data is not available for further viewing or for analysis.
Block Important:
Information At the end of the activity, the activity writes one max and one min value into the
single block number that is in effect when the data is written, not when the
max/min occurred.

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Record Video
Record Video Activity Overview

Record Video Activity Icon

The Record Video Activity records video from a connected USB video device.

Example: Suppose you want to configure a test to capture a video recording of the Go To (TW) or
Ramp (MP) activity. In this case, you would add the Record Video activity as a parallel branch
along with the Go To or Ramp activity. After you configure the properties of the Record Video
activity and run the test, you can review your test data and the synchronized video recording.

Note: For more information about configuring a test to include video recordings, see “Appendix:
Video Recording” on page 615.

Record Video Activity Properties

Record Video Activity Properties

Item Description
Video Set Select an existing video set or select <new video set> to create a new video set. To
edit an existing video set, click the ellipsis (...) or click Tools > Edit Video Sets in the
menu bar at the top of the application.
For more information about editing the properties for a video set, see thefollowing
Video Set Properties table.
Continuous Select to record video continuously throughout the duration of this activity.
One Frame Select to capture a single frame when this activity is encountered.
Duration Select to record video for a specified duration. When the video recording duration has
ended, the test procedure will progress to the next activity in the test.

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Video Set Properties

Item Description
Video Set Enter a name for this video set (optional).
Display Name
Record this Enable this option to record video for the entire test run. Disable this option if
video set you want to record video at specific times during the test run using one or more
continuously for Record Video activities (typically in parallel with program command activities).
the entire test
run.
Time Set the signal that will be synchronized to the video recording.
Synchronization
Signal
Cameras Click the plus sign to add a new camera.

Note: The remaining camera fields are disabled until you add at least
one camera to the video set.
Camera Display Enter a display name for the camera. If you have multiple cameras, it will be
Name easier to manage your cameras during test design and post-test analysis if you
give each camera a unique name.
Source Select the connected USB camera you want to use to capture the video. All
cameras that are connected to a USB port on your PC are listed.
Resolution Select a resolution for the recorded video. Video recorded at a higher
resolution will include more detail, will also create larger video files.

Note: The list of available resolutions depends on the resolutions that

are available for the camera you are configuring.
Continuous Select the frame rate used when recording video using either the Continuous
Frame Rate or Duration option on the Properties panel of the Record Video activity.
Higher frame rates will result in smoother video recordings, but will also create
larger video files.
Preview Use this area to see a preview of the captured video. The previewed video
capture uses the camera’s currently selected Resolution and Continuous
Frame Rate.

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Event Detection Activities

Break Detection
Break Detection Activity Overview

Break Detection Activity Icon

The Break Detection activity monitors signals for occurrence failure events (peak or valley values),
and determines whether the failure events meet the criteria for specimen failure, and if so, completes
the activity.

Break Detection Activity Properties

The Break Detection activity varies slightly between TWE and MPE.
TWE
Break Detection is available through the base activity, the Goto+DAQ+Detection and the
Dwell+DAQ+Detection.
MPE
Break Detection is only available through the base activity. The Goto+DAQ+Detection and the
Dwell+DAQ+Detection are not available in MP.

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Break Detection Activity Properties

Item Description
Enable Enables the process. (Clear this box to disable the process.)
Display Specifies the process name displayed on the Procedure or Group process window. If
Name left blank, the software will automatically generate a name based on the selected
signal(s).
Description Enter an optional description to document the procedure design.
Progress Indicates whether the activity will have a listing in the Progress Table. The Progress
Table Table is a control that can be placed on the Test-Run Display.
Visibility
Options are:
l Fixed—The activity will have a listing in the Progress Table that shows while
the test is executing and persists after the test is complete.

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Item Description
l Transient—The activity will have a listing in the Progress Table only while
the program is executing.
l Never—The activity will not have a listing in the Progress Table.
Completion This control is only pertinent if more than one signal is listed in the Signals list or if the
machine has multiple heads (an available option for some Criterion machines).
Options are:
l All Breaks—The activity completes when all signal breaks have been
detected.
l Any Break—The activity completes when any one signal break is detected.
Signals Click to open the Add Signals window. In this window, select the signal(s) you wish
to monitor for a break.
Reference The Reference determines whether the break is base on the Peak or the Valley.
Options are:
l Peak—After the Peak is located, the signal is monitored for it to reach (1.0 -
PercentChange)*Peak.
l Valley—After the Valley is located, the signal is monitored for it to reach (1.0-
PercentChange)*Valley.

Note:
PercentChange is the value entered for Percent Change. Peak is the
value of the signal at the Peak. Valley is the value of the signal at the
Valley.
Percent Specify the percentage of the monitored signal’s referenced value (Peak or Valley)
Change that represents a specimen failure.

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Item Description
Threshold Select the threshold that the signal must exceed before the activity begins monitoring
for breaks.
Sensitivity Specify how much the monitored signal must change before a level is considered a
maximum event (peak) or a minimum event (valley). This value is typically set to 0.0
so as not to require large reversals, however, doing this requires more overhead.
Overhead is usually not an issue with Insight controllers, but could be for FlexTest
controllers.
Action Specify the action to take when a specimen failure occurs. These actions are
dependent on your controller and test resources configurations. Options are:
793 Controllers
l Disabled—Break detection for that signal is not being monitored.
l Indicate—A break condition is registered in the software causing the break
detection activity to complete. Nothing occurs on the controller.
l Program Stop Interlock—A break condition is registered in the software
causing the break detection activity to complete and the 793 interlock is set.
Insight Controllers
l Disabled—Break detection for that signal is not being monitored.
l No Action—A break condition is registered in the software causing the
break detection activity to complete. Nothing occurs on the controller.

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Example: Suppose you are expecting a peak load of 1000 N in a simplified tension test on a
Criterion 43 load frame and want to detect a break when there is a 90% change in load. You do not
want to begin monitoring until the load has reached 50 N.
1. Click Enable to enable break detection.
2. Do not change Display Name because it will be populated when you select a signal.
3. Enter a Description, if desired, to document the procedure design.
4. Set the Progress Table Visibility to Fixed to make the Progress Table visible any time.
5. Set Completion to Any Break to detect the first break, although for this single signal
example either setting would produce the same results.
6. Click the + to add a signal, and select the Load signal.
7. Set Reference to Peak because the load will be a positive value.
8. Set Percent Change to 90%. This results in the Break Detection activity completing when
the load changes 90% from the peak. For example, if the peak load reaches 1000 N at the
break, the activity will complete when the load drops to 100 N.
9. Set Threshold to 50 N. This results in the Break Detection activity starting its monitoring
when the load reaches 50 N.
10. Set Sensitivity to 0.0 N. This results in Break Detection occurring at every point during the
test.
11. Set Action to No Action. This option allows the activity to complete in the software, but has
no effect on the controller.
12. Run the test.

Digital Input
Digital Input Activity Overview

Digital Input Activity Icon

The Digital Input activity monitors and responds to digital input states, such as when the signal is high
(1) or low (0), or when it transitions from one state to another.
With a single activity, you can monitor one or more inputs and specify whether the activity performs a
specified action when any of the monitored signal states occur or only when all of the monitored states
occur. The actions you can specify are controller- and test resource-dependent.

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If you want an operator to interactively monitor digital output and input during a test run, you can
configure a Digital IO test-run display.

Digital Input Activity Properties

Digital Input Activity Properties

Item Description
Monitor Sets the type of monitoring for the activity:
l One Time—(Default) Performs one check of the inputs. The action is triggered
only if the conditions are detected by the one-time check.
l Continuous—Performs a continuous check of the inputs. The action is
triggered if any of the checks detects that the conditions are met.
Trigger Specifies when to perform the associated action.
When
l Any Digital Event Occurs—(Default) Any one of the monitored events can
trigger the action if the signal conditions are met.
l All Digital Events Occur—All monitored signals must reach their signal
conditions for the activity trigger to occur.
Action Specify the action to take. The available actions are controller- and test resource-
dependent.
Required.
Log Indicates whether or not to log events from the Digital Input activity and the level at
which to log. Available options are:

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Item Description
l None
l Informational
l Warning
l Error
Digital Selects the specific digital inputs for the activity to monitor. To add or delete inputs from
Inputs the list, click the plus or minus signs.
Required.

Adding a Digital Input Activity

To add a Digital Input activity:
1. Add a Digital Input activity to the desired location in the test workflow.
2. From the Monitor list, select either the One Time or Continuous option.
3. Select a Trigger When option.
4. Select any controller action to take from the Action list.
5. Select any logging action to take from the Log list.
6. In the Digital Inputs panel, select the signal or signals you want to monitor and indicate the
Options (such as Low to High) for each digital input.

Extensometer Removal
Extensometer Removal Activity Overview

Extensometer Removal Activity Icon

Note:
If your test will end before your extensometer has completely opened, you should NOT use this
configuration item.
This configuration item sets the point that your extensometer becomes invalid, and is extremely useful
when you are setting up an extensometer displacement test. This test uses an extensometer as its
primary source of extension data for the initial part of the test, and then uses the LVDT for the
remainder of the test. The removal point is usually set as the full travel of the extensometer.
For instance, a 1”-50% extensometer can open 0.5 inches, therefore, the removal point for this
extensometer is set at 0.5 inches.

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Note:
This configuration item only specifies the extensometer removal point. It does NOT change your
extension channel to be a combination of your extensometer and your LVDT.

Extensometer Removal Activity Properties

Extensometer Removal Activity Properties

Extensometer Removal Activity Properties

Item Description
Extensometer Specifies the signal the extensometer is monitoring. Click the ellipsis to open the
Select a Signal window.
Removal Point at which the test will stop and hold, and the extensometer will be removed,
Point usually set as the full travel of the extensometer. Specify value and unit of
measurement or variable.
Hold Test Select if you want the test to stop and hold when extensometer reaches removal
point.

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Limit Detection
Limit Detection Activity Overview

Limit Detection Activity Icon

TheLimit Detection activity monitors signals and variables during a test run and compares their
values against defined upper and lower limits. Configure the Limit Detection activity to respond to a
single limit event or multiple limit events.
You can specify the action that the Limit Detectionactivity takes. For example, you can choose to
indicate that a limit is reached, or you can choose to stop the test and generate an interlock condition.

Limit Detection Activity Properties

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Limit Detection Activity Properties

Item Description
Completion Select Any Limit to cause the Limit Detection to trigger based on any single
monitored item reaching its limit.
Select All Limits to cause the Limit Detection to trigger only if all monitored items
reach their limits.
Log Select whether the limit event is logged as Informational, Warning, or Error. You
can also choose None if you do not want to log the event.
Signal Select which signals to monitor. Click the plus sign to open the Select Signals
Limits window.
Variable Select variables to monitor. Click the plus sign to open the Select Variables window.
Limits
Comparison Select Absolute to set a defined value for a variable limit. If you set an absolute
Mode value at 10 kN, the limit is triggered at 10 kN.
Select Relative to set the limit relative to the value of the variable when the activity
starts. If you set a relative value of 10 kN, the limit is triggered at 10 kN above the
value when the activity starts—if the value is 5 kN when the activity starts, the limit
triggers at 15 kN.
Lower
Limit/Upper
Limit
Action Specify the action to take if the lower limit conditions are met. The available actions
are controller-dependent.
Value Specify the value (or variable) to trigger a limit event. For a lower limit, if the
monitored values fall below this value, a limit event occurs.
For an upper limit, if the monitored values exceeds this value, a limit event occurs.

State Change Detection

State Change Detection Activity Overview

State Change Detection Activity Icon

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The State Change Detection activity checks for a specific program state. The activity typically occurs
in parallel with other activities to limit them or provide a path if an activity fails.
For example, a parallel path contains a State Change Detection activity that monitors for a stop
condition. If the test stops, the UserStop variable is set to True.

State Change Detection Activity Properties

State Change Detection Activity Properties

Item Description
Running The procedure is controlling the machine and playing out a waveform. This state is
sometimes referred to as “Run” in log messages.
Stopped The procedure and controller actuators are fully stopped. This state is sometimes
referred to as “Stop” in log messages.
Hold The state in which the test procedure suspends the activity on the controller. The
actuator is not moving, but the test can be continued by clicking Run.
Starting The transition state between Stopped and Running.
Stopping The transition state between Running or Holding and Stopped.
Holding The transition state between Running and Holding.
Resuming The transition state between Hold and Running.

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Wait for Event

Wait for Event Activity Overview

Wait for Event Activity Icon

Use the Wait for Event activity to indicate when the test flow should wait for a condition to be true.
The Wait for Event is a blocking activity that ends when the condition is met, allowing activities after it
to execute.
The condition you define is an expression that uses the variables, functions, and operators available in
the Calculation Editor window. For example, to wait until the controller is in a run state, the wait
condition could be the following:
Signal(“Run/Stop”)==1
Use the Input Variables activity to prompt a user to provide a simple value.
Use the Calculate Variables selection to evaluate existing calculations.

Wait for Event Activity Properties

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Wait for Event Activity Properties

Item Description
Condition Define a condition that when met indicates that the activity should stop and the
procedure should continue with the next activity. Click the ellipsis to open the
Calculation Editor.

Example: Using Wait for Event to Cancel Out of a Procedure

This example describes how to use a Wait for Event activity and a Set Variable Button control to
stop a procedure when a particular condition occurs.
1. Set up a parallel control activity in your procedure.
A. Add a Parallel Path activity to your test procedure.
B. Enter Cyclic Test as the display name for the parallel path.
C. Add a Cycle activity to the left side of the parallel activity and enter Cycle Part as the
display name.
D. Enter 200 in the Number of Cycles box.
E. On the right branch of the parallel structure, enter Cancel as the display name.
F. Click the name of the parallel path and click Cancel as the controlling path.
2. Enter a variable.
A. Click the Variables tab and click New Variable.
B. For this example, enter the following variable:
ControlParallelPath
3. Set up a Wait for Event activity in the test procedure.
A. Add the Wait for Event activity to the right side of the parallel path.
B. Enter a name for the Wait for Event activity.
C. Click the ellipsis button to open the Calculation Editor.
D. Select the new variable from the Variable list and add it to the Calculation panel.
E. Enter a condition.
In this example, a new variable was added with a condition:
ControlParallelPath>10
This condition indicates that when the value of this variable becomes greater than 10,
activities in the parallel path are stopped and the procedure continues with the next
activity.
F. Click OK.

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4. Add a Parallel activity.

A. Right-click on the Parallel activity and click Add Branch.
B. Add an Input Variables activity to the parallel activity to the right of the Wait for
Event activity.
5. Set up a test-run display button that when clicked, stops the procedure.
A. Click the Test-Run Display tab.
B. Add Set Variable Button from the toolbox panel to the Designer tab.
C. Enter a display name and a name for the button label.
D. By the Enabled Condition box, click the ellipsis button to open the Calculation Editor
and enter a condition. In this example, the following was entered:
Signal(“Run/Stop”)==1
Select Signal from the Functions box. Enter the name of signal and the rest of the
condition. This condition enables the Set Variable Button in the Runtime display
when the controller is able to run (the control panel Run and Stop buttons are
enabled).
E. Click OK.
F. By the Variable box, click the ellipsis button to open the Variable Selection window
and select the Control Parallel Path variable.
G. By the Expression box, click the ellipsis button to open the Calculation Editor and
enter an expression.
In this example, 20 is entered in the Calculation panel.
During the test when you click this button, it sends a value of 20 to the same variable
used in the Wait for Event activity. When that value reaches a number larger than
10, the activity stops the activities in the parallel path. The procedure also stops if you
enter a number greater than 10 during the test in the Variable Input window.

Control Settings Activities

Automatic Offset
Auto Offset Activity Overview

Auto Offset Activity Icon

Use the Auto Offset activity to apply an automatic offset for a group of selected feedback signals.

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Feedback offset
Feedback offset alters the feedback signal used by the controller to zero the conditioner output.
External factors such as specimen size, test component forces, and cable length can affect calibrated
sensor outputs. To compensate for these static external factors, you can add an offset to the feedback
signal. Feedback offset alters the feedback signal used by the controller without shifting the conditioner
zero reference. Feedback offset is included in control loop calculations.

Auto Offset Activity Properties

Auto Offset Activity Properties

Item Description
Display Specifies the name shown in the activity icon in the Procedure tab.
Name
Enable Enables the activity. Clear this box to disable the activity.
Description Specifies what is shown when you hover your cursor over the activity icon in the
Procedure tab.
Progress Specifies whether you can view the progress table during runtime.
Table l Fixed—The table is always available for viewing.
l Transient—The table is available for viewing during the test only.
l Never—The table is not visible during the test.

Note:
Add the Progress table as a Test-Run activity.
Signal List Specifies the signals to which you want to apply the auto offset. Click to open the
Add Signals window. Click to remove the selected signal.

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Item Description

Note: Applying an offset to an active control mode will generate an error.

Depending on the Error Handling method you select, the process can stop or
continue by skipping the control mode.
Error Specifies how the process will respond to an error:
Handling
l Continue test and log error
l Stop test and log error
Mode The options under Do you want to apply a new offset or remove an existing
offset allow you to select one of the following behaviors for the Auto offset activity:
l Apply offset to zero signals—Select this option to automatically adjust the
signal to zero based on the current signal feedback reading. For example, if
you have heavy fixtures installed on your system, the feedback signal will
report a load that is equivalent to the weight of the fixture. If you select this
option, an offset will be automatically applied so that the load feedback
becomes zero with the installed fixtures.
l Remove offset from signals—Instead of applying an auto offset, select
this option to clear any offsets that were previously-applied.

Reset Cycle Count

Reset Cycle Count Activity Overview
Important:
The Reset Cycle Count activity is not associated with the Cycle Counter available in the
Test-Run Display Toolbox panel. The Cycle Counter test-run display uses a predefined cycle
count variable in conjunction with a Cycle + DAQ activity or Custom Waveform + DAQ
activity.

Reset Cycle Count Icon

The Reset Cycle Count activity resets the cycle counter for the selected channel to zero while the test
is in progress. The activity resets the cycle count, also referred to as a segment count, of the controller.
The value of the controller segment counter is available through signal resources such as Axial Count
or Axial Integer Count.

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The Cycle + DAQ and Custom Waveform + DAQ activities use the segment generator's segment
count to divide up the data into cycles. Therefore, resetting this cycle count affects how the acquired
cyclic data is displayed and stored. The data acquisition cycle decimation filters work relative to the
cycle numbers.
For example, a test can do some preliminary warm-up cycles, zero the cycle counter, and then do the
rest of the test (including cycle decimation filters). The acquired data appears to start from cycle zero.

Reset Cycle Count Properties

Other than the properties common to all test activities, the Channel property must be selected.

Reset Cycle Count Activity Properties

Property Description
Channel The selected channel on which to reset the cycle (segment) count.
The channels that appear in the list are test resources that are available in the
Resources tab.
Required.

Set Calculation Parameter

Set Calculation Parameter Activity Overview

Set Calculation Parameter Activity Icon

The Set Calculation Parameter activity changes the value of a controller calculation parameter. This
activity provides support for calculated signal and output processing.
For example, the following calculation computes stress: stress = force / area

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Typically, the controller can measure force but the area must be specified by the user. A calculation
parameter is a mechanism by which that value can be sent to the controller.
A calculated resource acts like a variable, but is set at the controller resource level. You must have one
or more calculated resources in the test to set their value with this activity.

Set Calculation Parameter Activity Properties

Set Calculation Parameter Activity Properties

Item Description
Parameter Specifies the controller calculation parameter to be changed.
List
Set Value Specifies the value or variable to be set for the selected controller calculation
parameter.

Set Control Event

Set Control Event Activity Overview

Set Control Event Activity Icon

Use the Set Control Event activity to trigger an action in the controller and optionally log a message
based on test conditions or on user input. The list of actions is controller-dependent.
This activity is typically used in conjunction with an If-Else Condition activity that evaluates a test
condition or variable that contains user input. For example, the activity shuts down the test, triggers an
action supported by the controller, or writes a message to the log. Use this activity in conjunction with
the State Change Detection activity to determine if the change has occurred before continuing with
subsequent activities. For example, if you use the Set Control Event activity to trigger a Program

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Hold action, you can use the State Change Detection activity to determine if the controller is in a hold
state before continuing.

Set Control Event Activity Properties

Set Control Event Activity Properties

Item Description
Action Specifies the action to occur when a condition is triggered, which is specified by another
activity such as an If-Else Condition.
Log as: Specifies the type of optional message to be generated.
Message Specifies the optional message to be generated.

Controller Actions
You can set the following actions in activities that set controller actions. The actions depend on the
type of controller and the defined test resources. Additionally, any controller actions (such as Interlock,
C-Stop Interlock, or Program Stop Interlock) will appear in the Application Log under the category
ControllerLog.

Controller Action Descriptions

Action Description
Selected
No No controller action is taken. The test continues to run.
Action
Indicate A message is generated and shown to the operator. The test continues to run.
Station Testing stops. Power is removed from the station.
Power
Off

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Interlock An interlock is generated and testing stops. Power is removed from the station.
Program The program (test) stops and an interlock is generated. The station still has power but the
Stop Run button cannot be pressed.
Interlock
Program The program (test) holds and an interlock is generated. The station still has power but the
Hold Run button cannot be pressed. The test can be resumed after the interlock is reset.
Interlock
C-Stop Note:
Interlock The C-Stop Interlock is applicable only to MTS FlexTest controllers.
A C-Stop (Controlled Stop) Interlock results in the following actions:
l A Program Stop Interlock occurs. The test stops but the station still has
power.
l The Station Manager C-Stop indicator is turned on.
l The Station Manager application logs a message.
l The control channel will execute the user-defined C-Stop action, which is
enabled and configured at Station Manager Tools menu > Channel Options
window > C-Stop tab. You must have Configuration access level to configure
the C-Stop Interlock action.

Note:
The actions of the C-Stop interlock present a fundamental difference from the
Ramp To and Hold At Level user-defined actions, which require the Function
Generator to be in the run state to execute. C-Stop does not have this
requirement.
Program The program (test) stops but the station still has power.
Stop
Program The program (test) holds with the current command. The station still has power, and the
Hold test can be resumed.
Custom These are custom program actions you can create, such as “Turn on light.” For more
Actions information on using the Station Builder application to add resources to a station
configuration, see the MTS Series 793 Control Software Manual.

Effects of Controller Actions

The table below describes how each controller action effects the state of the test, the status of power to
the system, and how the command signal and actuator respond when a limit is tripped.

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Effects of Controller Actions

Action Test Power Command Signal Actuator

Selected State
No Action Run Unchanged Unaffected by the tripped Unaffected by the tripped limit
limit
Indicate Run Unchanged Unaffected by the tripped Unaffected by the tripped limit
limit
Station Power Stop Off Holds at the location Holds at the current position of
Off where the limit tripped the Command signal
Interlock Stop Off Holds at the location Holds at the current position of
where the limit tripped the Command signal
Program Stop Stop Unchanged Holds at the location Holds at the current position of
Interlock where the limit tripped the Command signal
Program Hold Hold Unchanged Holds at the location Holds at the current position of
Interlock where the limit tripped the Command signal
C-Stop Stop Unchanged Holds at the location Holds at the current position of
Interlock where the limit tripped the Command signal
Program Stop Stop Unchanged Holds at the location Holds at the current position of
where the limit tripped the Command signal
Program Hold Hold Unchanged Holds at the location Holds at the current position of
where the limit tripped the Command signal

Set Digital Output

Set Digital Output Activity Overview

Set Digital Output Activity Icon

The Set Digital Output activity specifies how the digital output is set. State can be Off or On. Toggle
will set the digital output to the state it is not currently in. Pulse will set the digital output to the state it is
not currently in, wait the amount of time indicated in the Pulse Width column, and then set the output
back to the state it was in when the activity started. The state of the digital output is set when the
procedure moves to that activity. The digital output remains at that state specified unless it is changed
by another instance of a Set Digital Output activity.

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Digital Output

If you want an operator to interactively monitor digital output during a test run, you can configure a
Digital IO test-run display.

Temperature Control
Temperature Control Activity Overview

Temperature Control Activity Icon

The Temperature Control activity provides an interface to set Target setpoint, Hold Time,
Minimum Limit and Maximum Limit, Maximum Fluctuation range, Zone Gradient, and Warning
Action for one or more Temperature Zones. Use the Temperature Control activity in series to
bring the system to the Target temperature before testing. Use the Temperature Control activity in
parallel to monitor temperature through the test. Typically, test designers use the Temperature
Control activity in pairs with one Temperature Control activity in series to bring the system to the
Target temperature and one Temperature Control activity in parallel to monitor temperature during
testing.

Target
Target is the variable used by Setpoint Command.

Hold Time
Hold Time is either a specified amount of time or monitoring until the activity has stopped. The Hold
Time starts when all the Temperature Zones are within the Maximum Fluctuation range and within
the Zone Gradient if there is more than one temperature zone.

Minimum and Maximum Limits

Reaching the Minimum Limit or Maximum Limit prompts a message to the user. The user is
responsible for stopping the test.

Maximum Fluctuation
Maximum Fluctuation is the acceptable range above and below the Target temperature. The
Maximum Fluctuation range must be within the Minimum Limit and Maximum Limit.

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Zone Gradient
Zone Gradient applies when more than one temperature zone is used. The Zone Gradient is the
maximum difference between two adjacent temperature zones.

Warnings
Warnings generate a message in the test log and prompt the designated Warning Action. Warning
conditions are monitored during the Hold Time.

Warning conditions
l Exceeding the Maximum Fluctuation range
l Exceeding the Zone Gradient

Warning Actions
l End Test
l Restart Hold Time
l Do Nothing
For more information about temperature controllers, see “Appendix: Eurotherm 2000 Series
Temperature Controller” on page 577

Tuning Parameters
Tuning Parameters Activity Overview

Tuning Parameters Activity Icon

Note:
This activity is available only for MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems where portions of a test
are run in load or strain control.
The Tuning Parameter activity applies tuning parameter values for a control mode added by the
Advanced Rate Control software option. These tuning parameter values apply to any subsequent
Command activity using that Advanced Rate Control mode. The tuning parameter values persist until
they are overwritten.
To apply previously determined tuning parameter values, use the Tuning Parameter activity in series.
To aid in determining the tuning parameter values, use the Tuning Parameter activity in parallel. The
process of determining the tuning parameter values is usually referred to as PID tuning.

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Tuning Examples

For the Custom Waveform or Cycle Command activity using an Advanced Rate Control mode, the
Tuning Parameter activity is required to apply tuning parameter values. For the Go To or Dwell
Command activity using an Advanced Rate Control mode, the Tuning Parameter activity is optional.
For the Go To and Dwell Command activities, the tuning parameter values can be applied in the
Properties panel of those activities.
Some tests may require multiple pairs of Tuning Parameter/Command activities. For example, a test
may include a set of tuning parameters and command used before a specimen yields and another set
for after the specimen yields.
For more information about the MTS Tuning Template Example, see “Appendix: MTS Tuning
Template Example” on page 601.

Write Variables to Handset

Write Variables to Handset Activity
Note:
The Write Variables to Handset activity is only applicable to the MTS TestSuite TW Elite
application running with an MTS Insight controller. If an operator attempts to run a test
containing this activity on a FlexTest controller, a validation error is displayed.

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Write Variables to Handset Activity Icon

Use the Write Variables to Handset activity to write desired variable information to the operator
handset. The variable display name, variable value, and variable units can be shown to an operator in
the handset display screen. This feature is useful for operators who need to determine whether they
need to run a test again.
Up to four lines of text are visible at a time on the handset display area, 20 characters per line, up to a
maximum of four pages. There are 16 total text lines available; four pages of four lines. If the text on
any line exceeds 20 characters, the text is truncated. Displayed characters are limited to those
supported by the handset display.

Handset Displaying Variable Values

Digital inputs from the F1 and F2 buttons can be configured as responses when operator messages
are pushed to the handset. For example, F1 can indicate Yes or OK; and F2 can indicate No or Cancel.
For more information about interactively monitoring digital input, refer to the Digital IO test-run display.
If there is no handset detected when connected to an MTS Insight controller, a warning is displayed
when designing or running a test.

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Write Variables to Handset Activity Properties

Write Variables to Handset Activity Properties

Item Description
Variable Selects the variables that are displayed in the handset. You can select from zero to eight
List variables. Array variables are also supported for this activity. Only the last array value is
shown.
For this activity, an empty variable list is allowed (that is, no validation error) during test
design time. If there are zero variables, the handset display becomes blank.

Note:
If you select more than eight variables, a validation error is displayed in the Error
List tab.

Adding a Write Variables to Handset Activity

To add a Write Variables to Handset activity:
1. Connect to an MTS Insight controller.
2. Open the test to which you want to add the activity.
3. Navigate to the Procedure > Toolbox panel.
4. In the Control Settings panel, drag the Write Variables to Handset activity to the desired
location in the test workflow.
5. From the Variable List, select up to eight variables to display in the handset.

Test Flow Control Activities

End Test
End Test Activity Overview

End Test Activity Icon

Use the End Test activity to force the test run to end before completing all stages of the test run. When
the test procedure reaches the End Test activity, workflow activities that follow and are parallel to the
End Test activity do not execute, and the procedure immediately proceeds to the end of the test. A
message is written to the test run log indicating that the test run was stopped due to the End Test
activity.

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If-Else Condition
If-Else Condition Activity Overview

If-Else Condition Activity Icon

The If-Else Condition activity creates two possible paths for a test procedure based on a conditional
expression that evaluates to True or False. If the expression evaluates to True, the test procedure
follows the True path. If the expression evaluates to False, the test procedure follows the False path.
The evaluated condition can be the result of a response from the operator, or it can be an evaluation of
a specific test value or condition.

Note: The Condition must evaluate to True or False or else a validation error will appear. Use
logical operators such as “==”, rather than assignment operators such as “=”. The Calculation
Editor provides a list of available variables, operators, and functions.
The two possible paths for the procedure to follow are automatically created when you add the If-Else
Condition activity to the test procedure. Each path can contain zero or more activities, including If-
Then Condition and other activities.

If-Else Condition Activity Properties

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If-Else Condition Activity Properties

Item Description
Condition Specifies the conditional expression that evaluates to True or False. Click the ellipsis
to open the Calculation Editor.
If true, then Specifies which path to follow if the expression is true.
follow

Parallel Paths
Parallel Paths Activity Overview

Parallel Paths Activity Icon

The Parallel Paths activity enables you to use alternate and parallel paths within a test procedure.
Each parallel path can contain a series of activities that run sequentially within that path. The activities
in the path run simultaneously and independently of activities in the other parallel path.

Note:
When designing procedures, do not use activities in parallel paths within the same parallel
activity that operate on the same control channel. Resource conflicts of this sort are not reported
during test design, but do generate an error during test execution.
Two parallel paths (branches) are automatically created when the Parallel Paths activity is added to
the test procedure. Within the activity, you can add activities and other parallel paths. Each path has its
own display name.
When you create a new parallel paths activity, a validation error is present until you select one or more
terminal paths in the Terminal Paths property. The parallel paths activity completes when any of the
selected terminal paths complete. To designate specific activities as terminal activities, click the plus
sign in the Additional Terminal Activities property and add the desired terminal activities from the list of
activities in the parallel path.

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Parallel Paths Activity Properties

Parallel Paths Activity Properties

Item Description
Store Specifies the variable that gets set at the end of the path. This lets you identify which
Ending path ended the Parallel Path activity. For example, when running a test, you may
Path either complete the test or hit a preset limit that will stop the test which is then identified
Value in the Store Ending Path Value variable.
Terminal Specifies the path and activity that will indicate the end of the Parallel Path activity.
Paths When this activity ends, the test workflow moves onto the next activity.
Additional Specifies other activities that will terminate the Parallel Path activity. Click the plus
Terminal sign to open the Activities Selection window and select the activities that will end the
Activities Parallel Path activity.

Periodic Time Event

Periodic Time Event Activity Overview

Periodic Time Event Activity Icon

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Important:
To produce a trigger, the Periodic Time Event activity must be active at the time you want the
trigger event to occur.
The Periodic Time Event activity is used to schedule arbitrary and repetitive times at which the
activity produces a trigger or a series of triggers. You can use these time-based triggers to invoke an
event, such as triggering another activity, actuating an external device, and so forth. These are
activities that you have dragged from the Toolbox panel to the Periodic Time Event icon.
When you define a Periodic Time Event activity, you can specify periodic trigger times and the trigger
mode.

Note:
The activity does not trigger immediately after the test starts, regardless of the settings. The
minimum amount of time required for the activity to trigger after the test starts is approximately
one minute.

Periodic Time Event Properties

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Periodic Time Event Activity Properties

Item Description
Visibility Select to view the progress table during runtime.
l Fixed—The table is always available for viewing.
l Transient—The table is available for viewing during the test only.
l Never—The table is not visible during the test.

Note:
You add the Progress table as a Runtime activity.
Recurrence Select the recurrence pattern for the Periodic Time Event activity. The following
Pattern options are available:
l Interval—Select how frequently the event occurs. Enter an amount of time
and select msec, sec, min, hr, daily.
l At Time—Select minute, hour, day, or month and enter the appropriate
information.
l Days of Week—Select the time and day of the week for the activity to
occur.
End of Select when the event should quit occurring.
Recurrence
l No End Time—Select to have the event ongoing with no elected conclusion
time or day.
l End After N Occurrences—Select to set a certain number of occurrences
before the event quits. You may also select a variable.
l End After Interval—Select to have the event stop after a specific amount
of time. You may also select a variable.
l End by Time—Select to enter the year, month, day, and time the event
should stop.

Periodic Time Event Example

Suppose you need to start warming up a temperature chamber before a technician arrives at your
facility, so that it has achieved and stabilized at the desired temperature by the time the technician
begins testing. Further, suppose the technician is scheduled to perform tests at 8:00 A.M. on Mondays,
Wednesdays, and Thursdays beginning in March and continuing through May. In this case, you could
use a Periodic Time Event process to trigger a Temperature Control process hours before the
technician arrives on the days and in the months testing is scheduled.

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Repeat Loop
Repeat Loop Activity Overview

Repeat Loop Activity Icon

The MTS TestSuite application provides the following loop constructs:

l Repeat Loop
l While Loop
In contrast to the While Loop activity, the Repeat Loop activity uses an explicit loop counter. For
those who are familiar with programming languages, the Repeat Loop is analogous to a For loop in C,
Java, and several other languages; and to a DO loop in legacy languages such as FORTRAN.

Note:
If you need to configure an infinite loop, use the While Loop activity.
Use the Repeat Loop activity to repeat the loop and perform the test activities within the loop by the
number of times necessary to achieve a desired result. You can configure the repeat loop with a Total
Count property. The repeat loop iterates from zero (0) to its total loop count and then exits to the
activity immediately following the loop. For each iteration, the repeat loop executes the activities
contained within the loop. The Total Count property can be set with a positive integer constant at test
design time or with an integer variable with the Count dimension and units.
A Repeat Loop activity must have at least one subordinate test activity contained within it or a
validation error is displayed in the Error list.

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Repeat Loop Activity Properties

Repeat Loop Activity Properties

Property Description
Total Indicates the number of times to repeat the loop. You can enter a constant count value,
Count select an existing count variable, or create a variable at the point of use (the New
Numeric Variables properties are pre-populated; you can adjust as appropriate).
The Repeat loop iterates until the Total Count value is attained, unless an Exit at the
End of activity has been selected to prematurely exit the loop immediately when it
encounters the first selected activity or activities in the workflow.
Default: 1
Zero iterations of the loop are allowed. The loop count can be set to zero (0). With the
loop count set to zero (0), the activities within the loop are skipped and the workflow
continues with the activity at the end of the loop. Using a counter variable for the loop
count, it is possible to decide at runtime to not execute the repeat loop; that is, skip the
repeat loop, by setting the loop counter variable to zero before entering the repeat loop.
Loop Defining this property exposes the internal iteration counter for the loop. Create a Loop
Index Index Variable if you want to be aware of the current index value.
Variable
After each iteration through a loop, the Loop Index Variable is incremented by the step
by value of 1.
The default starting point is zero (zero-based).
Optional.
Exit at The Exit at the End of property allows for early termination of the loop. Click the plus
the End sign to open the Activities Selection window and select the activity or activities within the
of Repeat Loop that prematurely terminates the Repeat Loop activity. This exit property is
similar to the Additional Terminal Activities property of the Parallel Paths activity.
The repeat loop stops all workflow processing after it encounters the first exit activity
referenced and starts the workflow sequence for the activity at the end of the loop.
Optional.

Creating a Simple Repeat Loop

Follow these steps to configure a simple Repeat Loop activity.

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1. Click and drag a Repeat Loop activity to the desired location in the test workflow.
2. In the Total Count box, enter the number of times you want to repeat the loop.
3. Drag the activity or activities you want to repeat into the Repeat Loop container.
4. If desired, select an activity or activities to exit the loop early from the Exit at the End of
property.

Creating a Repeat Loop that uses a Loop Index Variable

Follow these steps to configure a Repeat Loop activity that uses a Loop Index variable.
1. Click and drag a Repeat Loop activity to the desired location in the test workflow.
2. Enter the number of times you want to repeat the loop in the Total Count box. You can enter
a constant value or select a variable.
3. Select an option from the Loop Index Variable list:
l Create a <new variable> at the point of use.
l Select a variable previously created for the Repeat Loop. You can define a variable
with the Type of Number, Dimension is Count, and Unit of (count) for this purpose.
4. Drag the subactivity you want to repeat into the Repeat Loop container. Repeat for each
activity you want repeated.
5. If needed, select an activity or activities to exit the loop early from the Exit at the End of
property.

Example: Simple Repeat Loop

The following test procedure illustrates a simple Repeat Loop mechanism. The Repeat Loop repeats
the Calculate Variables and Wait subactivities five (5) times. The Calculate Variables activity
calculates the count value for the calculated variable LoopCount03, and updates a corresponding
variable meter value in a test-run display. This example test provides a way to check that the loops are
repeating and the variables are updating as expected.

Simple Repeat Loop Icon

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Example: Nested Repeat Loops

The Repeat Loop activity can be nested within a test workflow; however, each Repeat Loop must
have its own unique Loop Index variable defined if that property is being used. The innermost (child)
loops are processed before the outermost (parent) loop. If the following example, the outer loop
repeats three times the inner loop that repeats six times for a grand total of 16 total loop repetitions.

Nested Repeat Loops Icon

The associated test-run display in the Test-Run Display tab has variable meters configured to show
counts tracked by the Loop Index variables, which are LoopIndex01 and LoopIndex02 for the outer
and inner loops (respectively) in the following figure:

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Nested Repeat Loops Meter

While Loop
While Loop Activity Overview

While Loop Activity Icon

The While Loopactivity repeatedly runs the activities defined within it as long as a defined condition
evaluates to True.
If the defined condition is False at the start or at the repeat of the loop, the While Loop activity does
not run. To exit the While Loop activity successfully while it runs, you must alter the value of the
condition so that it evaluates to False.
The tested condition can be the result of a response from the operator or an evaluation of a specific
value or condition.

Note:
The Condition must evaluate to True or False. Use logical operators such as “==”, rather than
assignment operators such as “=”. The Calculation Editor provides a list of available variables,
operators, and functions.

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While Loop Activity Properties

While Loop Activity Properties

Item Description
Progress Specifies whether test activity is visible in the Test Progress Table test-run display tool.
Table > Options are:
Visibility l Never—(Default) Omits the activity from the Test Progress Table
l Fixed —Shows the progress of the activity in the Test Progress Table while
the activity is executing, and for the duration of the test.
l Transient—Shows the progress of the activity in the Test Progress Table only
when the activity is executing. When the activity ends, the activity status
disappears from the table, regardless of whether the test is done.
Condition The While construct consists of a block of code and a condition. If the condition is true,
the code within the block is executed. This repeats until the condition becomes false.
Click the ellipsis to open the Calculation Editor to create the code.

Operator Entry Activities

Custom Message Window
Custom Message Window Activity Overview

Custom Message Window Activity Icon

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The Custom Message Window activity shows messages to an operator and records the response
from an operator. This activity is used to alert the operator to perform certain tasks, such as insert or
remove a specimen or remove an extensometer. It can also be used to notify the user that the test is
about to begin or end.

User input
The Custom Message window captures the name of the button you use to acknowledge the message
window and assigns it to a specified variable. You can later use this variable in subsequent activities,
such as If-Else Condition activity.

Custom buttons
By default, the message window includes the Close button. Custom button options include Yes, No,
OK, and Cancel in several combinations. You can also set up the Custom Message window to have
no buttons with the No Buttons option.
Create one or more custom buttons with values that you specify either manually or in a predefined
choice list.

Message content
To edit a message, click Edit message to show the Custom Message Editor window.
The message window is a basic HTML text editor. You can enter text, images, and hypertext links as
well as specify the text size and color, font family, and background color of the message. Use the
Preview button to preview the message appearance. You can import the entire contents of a valid
HTML file as well as cut, copy, and paste content using the operating system clipboard.

Variables in messages
To show the value of test variables in a message, click Insert Variable located in the Custom
Message Editor. Alternatively, you can reference the variable directly using the following syntax:
For a single-value, enter $var_<variable_name>$

Note: If you change the variable identifier name, you must manually change the name in the
Custom Message Editor; otherwise, you will not be able to run the test due to a validation error.

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Custom Message Window Activity Properties

Custom Message Window Activity Properties

Item Description
Create Click to open the Custom Message Editor window, a basic HTML editor that you use to
Message compose and format the content of the message.
Window Specify the width of the message window in pixels.
Size >
Width
Window Specify the height of the message window in pixels.
Size >
Height
Preview Click to see the message as it appears to the operator during test execution.

Note: Variables in the message are not resolved until the test is executed, so the
preview shows only the variable reference, not its current value.
Buttons Custom button options include No Buttons, Yes, No, OK, and Cancel in several
combinations. You can also create one or more custom buttons with labels that you
specify.
Click No Buttons to control the Custom Message window with a parallel activity.
When the controlling activity completes, the Custom Message window closes.
Click Customize to add, modify, and delete custom buttons to the custom message
window. When you select Customize, the area expands with more options to create
custom buttons, which are described below.
Button Place the buttons on the lower left, center, or right part of the message window.

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Item Description
Alignment
Results Select a variable from the list to store the text value of the button that you click. Click the
Variable list arrow to see the list of all project variables defined to hold a string value.

Note: If you choose a variable with a choice list, any existing buttons are
replaced with the buttons defined by the choice list.
Add Add a new button to the message window.
Edit Edit the selected button label. The Edit Button window has two boxes. Enter the return
value for the button in the value field. The value can be a text string or the name of a
string variable that you have previously defined. Enter the text for the button label in the
text box.
Remove Remove the selected button.
Remove Remove all custom buttons.
All
Add Add a separator line between groups of buttons. The buttons align vertically with a
Separator separator between each group.
Up Arrow Move the selected entry toward the top of the list. The entry at the top of the list appears
as the left-most button in the message window. Click Preview to see the current button
arrangement.
Down Move the selected entry toward the bottom of the list. The entry at the bottom of the list
Arrow appears as the right-most button in the message window. Click Preview to see the
current button arrangement.

Custom Message Editor Properties

Custom Message Editor

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Note: The editor does not support dynamic content or images stored on a web server. It also
does not support scripting extensions, such as JavaScript. If you import or paste content with
unsupported content, it generates error messages when you try to preview the message.

Custom Message Editor Properties

Item Description
Preview Click to see the message as it appears to the operator during test execution.

Note:
Variables in the message are not resolved until the test is executed, so the preview
shows only the variable reference, not its current value.
Insert Click to open the Variable Selection window. From the window you can select a single-
Variable value variable to add to the message output. When the message is shown during the test,
the current value of the variable is substituted for the variable name in the message.
You can enter the reference directly using the following syntax:
$var_<variable_name>$

Note:
If you change the variable identifier name, you must manually change the name in
the Custom Message Editor; otherwise you receive a warning, and the test cannot
run.

Referencing Variables in Messages

You can include variables in the messages you create with the Custom Message and Log Message
activities. Use the following syntax to reference variables and cycle variables respectively:
$var_<identifier>[options]$
$cvar_<identifier>[options]$
To specify a particular variable, use the variable identifier, not the display name.
The variable reference has the following keyword options. You can use any combination of these
options with multiple options separated by a comma:
l Description—Describes the variable.
l Name—Specifies the display name of the variable.
l Value—Specifies the value of the variable.
l Unit—Specifies the unit of the variable.
l Instance Number—Specifies one of several uses of the same keyword variable. For
example, $cvar_somecycle[value, 1] where 1 is the instance number.

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The result follows the order of the options specified in the variable reference. For example, a variable
has data such as 1.00 mm. If you specify [unit,value] for the keyword options, the result shows the data
as mm 1.00.

Select File Activity

Select File Activity Overview
The Select File activity allows the test to prompt you to select a file while the test is active. The activity
returns the full path of the file you have selected in a text variable. The test can then use that file
reference as you specified in the test design. When you are prompted for a file, you can either open an
existing file to read or update, or save a file to create or overwrite a file.

Note: Most activities that require you to specify a file do not support the information derived from
a variable, such as Profile activity (MPE only), Time History Output and Time History Input
activities (MPE only), and Read Variable From File and Write Variable To File activities.
The Read Variable From File and Write Variable To File activities have an internal
mechanism that prompts the user for the file reference.

Select File Activity Properties

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Select File Activity Properties

Item Description
Display Name This is the name of the Select File activity. The
default name is the type of activity. Click in the box
and type a new name.
Progress Table Select one of the following Visibility options for the
Test Progress Table:
l Never (Default)—Omits the activity from the
Test Progress Table.
l Fixed—Shows the progress of the activity in
the Test Progress Table while the activity is
executing, and for the duration of the test.
l Transient—Shows the progress of the
activity in the Test Progress Table only when
the activity is executing. When the activity
ends, the activity status disappears from the
table, regardless of whether the test is done.
Parameters Select Open File to have the activity prompt the
operator for an existing file to read or update. Select
Save File to have the activity prompt the operator for
a new or existing file to create or overwrite.
Title: The title for the dialog box for the activity.
Initial Folder: The directory that the activity defaults
to when prompting you to select a file.
File Extension: The extension of the file you want to
select. The accepted format is *.<file extension> (for
example,*.xml). The default is *.*. You can also
include multiple extensions separated by the “|”
symbol (for example, *.xlsx|*.xml).
Results Variable: The variable where the activity
writes the file path.
Add Cancel Button: Adds a Cancel button to the
Select File window. Selecting the Add Cancel
Button check box enables the Store To drop-down
menu.
Store To: The variable into which the activity writes
whether or not the cancel occurred.

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Select File Activity Example

Suppose you want to create a test in which the procedure automatically displays data when the test is
complete. Some common uses for this file reference are:
1. Use the file specification variable as the target file for a report.
2. Use the file specification as an argument to some external application that is started using the
Run External Application activity.
3. Pass the file specification to a Python function that opens the existing file and extracts
information from it.
4. Pass the file specification to a Python function that creates the new file and writes information
into it.

Input Variables
Input Variables Activity Overview

Input Variables Icon

Use the Input Variables activity to assign values to one or more variables. When the Input Variables
activity becomes active in the test workflow, a list of selected variables and their current values is
shown to an operator. An operator can edit the variable values as required.

Edit Variable Values Window

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The Input Variables activity accepts simple values only. Calculations or references to other variables
are not evaluated.

Note:
Only variables that have the Editable property of During Test are available for use with the
Input Variables activity.
For example, you can use an Input Variables activity to prompt the operator to provide waveform
definition properties, and then use those variables in subsequent Cycle or Custom Waveform
activities.
If any corresponding Input Variables test-run displays are configured, the variable values are reflected
in the Input Variables test-run display.

Input Variables Properties

Input Variables Properties Window

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Input Variables Activity Properties

property Description
Message Shows instructions or prompts for an operator in the Message box.
Variable Selects one or more variables that an operator can change.
List
Configure at least one variable; otherwise, a validation warning appears in the Error
list. Click the plus sign to open the Variables Selection window.
Rules Define any additional rules for the variable. Click the ellipsis to open the Rules for
Variable window (you must have selected a variable in the Variable List).
Add Adds a Cancel button to the Input Variables window. Selecting the Add Cancel
Cancel Button check box enables the Result Variable list.
Button

Add an Input Variables Activity

To add an Input Variables activity:
1. Add an Input Variables activity to the desired location in the test workflow.
2. Enter a message to display to the operator.
3. Select one or more variables to present to an operator during a test run.
4. Define any additional rules processing for the variables as required.
5. If desired, select the Add Cancel Button check box and select the Result Variable.
6. To monitor input variables in the test-run display, configure the various desired variables with
the Input Variables test-run display.

Wait for Operator Action

Wait for Operator Action Activity Overview

Wait for Operator Action Activity Icon

When used as a separate branch in a parallel path, this activity adds an operator button on the Test-
Run Display tab that when clicked ends the parallel path. This activity is typically used to force the test
to the next test segment.

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For example, a test may include a parallel path with a long ramp that the operator may want to end to
allow the test to continue.

Important:
To use this activity to terminate a Parallel Paths activity, you must select the Parallel Paths
activity and select the Terminal Paths check box for the Wait for Operator Action path.
Placing the Wait for Operator Action activity in the main test flow (outside any parallel path) pauses
the test until the operator button is clicked.

Wait for Operator Action Activity Properties

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Wait for Operator Action Properties

Property Description
Enable The Goto+DAQ+Detection and Dwell+DAQ+Detections are compound activities
Path which means they are really parallel branches. The Wait for Operator activity is on one
branch in the compound activity. The Enable Path check box enables the parallel path
used by the Wait for Operator Action path.
Ending Ending Path Value is a setting that can be used to specify a value when this path ends
Path the test. The drop down box contains the choice list values for the variable found in the
Value Store Ending Path Value tab (which for this example illustration is Test Run End
Reason).
Button Enter the button ID number that defines the horizontal position of the button in the
ID Operator Button portion of the Monitor window.

Important:
Multiple Wait for Operator Action activities that use the same button ID number
cannot run at the same time.
If multiple Wait for Operator Action activities use the same button ID, the operator
button appears in the same location and the display text that appears next to the button
changes to reflect the currently active Wait for Operator Action activity.
Display Enter the text that you want to display next to the button.
Text
Important:
To use this activity to terminate a Parallel Paths activity, you must select the
Parallel Paths activity and select the Terminal Paths check box for the Wait for
Operator Action path.

Program Actions Activities

Assign Variables
Assign Variables Activity Overview

Assign Variables Activity Icon

Use the Assign Variables activity to explicitly calculate and assign values to one or more variables in
the test. You can also add a calculation that uses a variable with a choice list for activities such as If-
Else or While loops.

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For each variable you include in the list, you must provide a calculation to set the value of the variable.
The calculation can be a simple value, a reference to another variable, or a calculated value that can
reference other variables.
To prompt a user to provide a simple value, use the Input Variables activity. To evaluate existing
calculations, use the Calculate Variables activity.

Note:
Only variables that have the Availability property of During Test are available for use with this
activity. To set this property, open the Calculation Editor, right-click on the variable name, and
select Edit Variable. The Edit Variable window opens. In the Availability panel, select the
During-Test checkbox.

Assign Variables Activity Properties

Assign Variables Activity Properties

Item Description
Variable Specifies the variable(s) being used to calculate and assign values to one or more
List variables in the test. Each variable must have a calculation to set the value of the variable.
Click the ellipsis to open the Calculation Editor.

Calculate Variables
Calculate Variables Activity Overview

Calculate Variables Activity Icon

The Calculate Variables activity calculates all variables assigned to the activity.

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Note: Only variables that you enter, or variables that you explicitly calculate using one or more
Calculate Variables activities, are updated during a test run.
You may be required to break a calculation into multiple statements. As a result, a variable may be
calculated to store intermediate results.
Variables can also be used to retain data from one clock tick to the next. As a result, a variable must be
recalculated at each clock tick.

Calculate Variables Activity Properties

Calculate Variables Activity Properties

Item Description
Before Specifies whether to clear the array when the activity starts (default) or keep existing
starting data and append new points to the array.
This setting is useful when multiple DAQ activities write data to the same array at
different points in the test.
Variable Specifies the variable(s) being calculated in the activity.
List

Export Data
Export Data Activity Overview

Export Data Test Activity Icon

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Important:
A Data Acquisition activity must precede the Export Data activity in the test workflow.
Use the Export Dataactivity to programmatically export raw data to a tab-delimited text (.txt) or
comma-separated value (.csv) file for use in Microsoft Excel and other applications. You can specify
how the data is formatted, the unit set, and the directory to which the data is exported. Any Cycle and
Block Decimation Filter settings in data acquisition filter the exported data.

Note:
To manually export raw data for a test, select File > Export > Raw Data or right-click a test
run.

Export Data Activity Properties

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Export Data Activity Properties

Item Description
Folder Defines the path to the directory in which the application writes the data file. The
Path default directory path is: “<Data Files>”. By default, “<Data Files>” points to C:\MTS
TestSuite\Data Files.
You can set the default directory path in the Configuration window (Preferences >
Configuration > Project > Data Export Directory).
Folder Defines whether the application saves the data file in a new folder or overwrites an
Save existing folder.
Format Defines whether the data is formatted as tab-delimited text or comma-separated
values.
Default: Tab-Delimited Text
Unit Set Defines the unit set in which the data is written. You can override the MTS TestSuite
Default selected in Preferences > Configuration > Unit Set Manager.
Allow Defines whether the operator is allowed to stop the export process while in progress.
Cancel When the export process is in progress, a window appears that includes a Cancel
button.
Default: Disabled
Data Defines the Data Acquisition activities for which data is exported. Each Data
Acquisition Acquisition activity selected results in a separate export file. The list is automatically
List populated with the information defined for the Data Acquisition activity in the test
workflow.

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Item Description
Signal List Defines which signal data is included in the data export file. Each Data Acquisition
activity in the test has its own signal list. The list is automatically populated with the
information defined for the Data Acquisition activity in the test workflow.
Combine Writes peak and valley values side-by-side in different columns on the same line to
Peak- facilitate comparison.
Valley on
One Line Important:
Select this check box only if your Data Acquisition activity has a single peak-
valley trigger. If there are any other trigger types defined, clear the check box
for best results.
Default: Disabled
Select Note:
Group Applicable to cyclic tests in MPE/MPX/FAA/FRA only.
Items
Enters cycles separated by space characters and enables grouping by selected items.
Selecting the Select Group Items check box enables the Items list. For example,
the items can be a list of cycles or blocks you want to export, such as 1 4 5 6 7 10.
Default: Disabled

Adding an Export Data Activity

Important:
There must be a Data Acquisition activity that precedes the Export Data activity in the test
workflow.
1. Open the test to which you want to add an Export Data activity.
2. Click the Procedure tab and scroll to the Program Actions category in the Toolbox panel.
3. Click and drag the Export Data activity and place it in the desired workflow location.
4. Override the default property settings as desired:
A. If you want to override the default export data directory set in Preferences >
Configuration > Project, click the Folder Path ellipsis and browse to the folder
location where you want the data exported.
B. For the Folder Save property, select an option to either create a new folder or
overwrite the folder with each export.
C. Select the desired Format.
D. Select the Unit Set if you want to override the default set in Preferences >
Configuration > Unit Set Manager.
5. To allow an operator to cancel the data export during a test run, select the Allow Cancel
check box.

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6. The Data Acquisition List and Signal List properties are pre-populated with the Data
Acquisition activities defined in the test workflow. Edit the lists as appropriate.
7. If the Data Acquisition activity uses a singular peak-valley trigger, and you want to combine
the values on one line for convenient comparison, select the Combine Peak-Valley on One
Line check box.
8. (Applicable to MPE/MPX/FAA/FRA only) If the test is a cyclic test and you want to group
items, select the Select Group Items check box and enter the Items list.

External Device Activity Overview

External Device Activity Icon

The External Device activity is a program action used to execute one of the commands defined for an
external device. These commands can be an output that controls the device or an input that reads data
from a device.
For example:
l An output command can set a furnace to a specific temperature.
l An input command can read data from a laser extensometer.

Note:
The external device controlled by this activity must first be created and configured using
the External Devices window (available from the Controller menu).

Setting Up an External Device Activity

To set up an External Device activity:
1. Prerequisites—before you can configure the External Device activity, you must perform
these steps:
A. Use the External Devices window (available from the Controller menu) to add and
configure external devices and their commands.
B. Add the External Device resource to your test.
On the Resources tab, click Add Resource and click External Device.
C. (Optional) Create the variables to use with this activity.

Note: For more information about setting up and configuring external devices,
see “External Devices” on page 105.

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2. Add the External Device activity to your test.

3. Define the properties for the External Device activity.

External Device Activity Properties

External Device Properties

Item Description
Progress Select if or when you want to display the progress table for this activity.
Table
Device Select the external device that you want this activity to control.
Command Select the external device command that this activity will execute. All commands
defined in the External Device window are listed.

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Item Description
Command Select the variable that defines the command value that is written to the device. The list
Variable below only appears if the Command box for one or more commands in the External
(optional) Devices window contains the following characters: {0}, {1}, and so on.
Result Select the variable where value returned by the device is written. This list only appears
variable if one or more command settings in the External Devices window has the Supports
Return Value check box selected.
(optional)
Error Select an error handling option:
handling
l Continue test and log error
l Stop test and log error

Log Message
Log Message Activity Overview

Log Message Activity Icon

The Log Message activity writes an entry to the message log when a test performs the activity. The
entry can contain text and the value of one or more single-value variables. You cannot use arrays or
choice lists in the message log.
The procedure performs activities in logical order. Your log message is added to the message log
when the activity completes. You can track the progress of the test by watching the log messages.

Referencing variables in log messages

To show the value of test variables in a message, reference the variable names in the message using
Insert Variable or by entering the reference directly using the following syntax:
For a single-value, enter $var_<variable_name>$ 

Note:
If you change the variable identifier name, you must manually change the name in the Custom
Message Editor; otherwise, you receive a warning and the test cannot run.

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Log Message Activity Properties

Log Message Activity Properties

Item Description
Edit Click to open the Log Message window where you can type the message to be logged
Message when the test performs the activity.
Insert Variable button: Click to open the Select a Variable window. The message will
include the value of this variable when the message is written to the log.

Adding a Log Message Activity

To add a Log Message activity:
1. Drag Log Message from the Toolbox panel to where you want to add a message in the test
procedure.
2. Click the Properties tab located on the upper right of the display.
3. Click Edit Message. The application opens the Log Message window.
4. Type your message.
5. (Optional) To include the value of specified variable when the message is written to the log,
click Insert Variable and select a variable. Repeat for all variables that you want to display the
values.
6. Click OK.

Read Data Activity

Read Data Activity Overview

Read Data Activity Icon

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This activity allows the test to read data (such as variable values) from an XML file or database and
apply those values to the current test run. You can configure the activity to prompt the operator for the
file name during test runtime, or allow the activity to automatically select the file while running a test.

Typical uses
This activity can be adapted for a number of applications, including:
l Automated testing applications—A laboratory information management system (LIMS) can
generate XML files that include variable values that define portions of the test. When the LIMS
saves the XML file in the predefined location, the test application can read the file and use the
variable values in the test run.
l Compliance testing values—(Applicable only to the MTS TestSuite TW Software) For testing
where load frame compliance is required, you can run a compliance test and generate an XML
file that stores the compliance coefficients as variables. During actual testing, this activity can
read the file and use them to compensate for compliance.
l Tuning parameter values—(Applicable only to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems) You
can save various sets of outer loop tuning parameters to an XML file and set up your tests to
read these files or allow an operator to select the appropriate tuning file from a list.

About Importing Inputs from a Database

The MTS TWE application can read test input data from a Laboratory Information Management
System (LIMS).
The LIMS stores test procedure and test results data in a central database, accessible from a network
directory shared by both systems.
The primary objective of automatically transferring input data from a LIMS/database is to eliminate
human error and improve efficiency.
You can view and select test procedure files available in the LIMS with MTS TWE. When tests are
complete, you can export the test data back to the LIMS.

Example-Read from XML file

Generate an XML file for the activity to read from either the Write data activity in the MTS TestSuite
application or from an external application. Place it in your designated folder path.

Note: When a Read data activity reads an appended file (a file created by the Write data
activity with the Append to File check box selected), it only reads the last set of values that
were appended to the file.

Example-Read from Database

Configure the ODBC Data source (DSN) that points to the database.

Note: The data source must be a 64-bit DSN.

Configure a LIMS Data Source to connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database using the Windows
ODBC Data Source Administrator.

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Read Data Activity Properties

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Read Data Activity Properties

Property Description
Read Data Select File to read from an XML file, or select Database to read from a
From database.
Prompt for File Prompts an operator during test runtime to select the file from which to read
Name variables.
Selecting this check box disables the Folder Path and File Name properties
and instead allows you to specify a File Extension and Results Variable.
Display the Select this option to display the inputs when the test is running.
Inputs
Use All the Select this option to use all of the inputs from the file. Clear this option to select
Inputs from the certain variables from the Variable List below.
File
Ignore Missing Select to ignore specified variables that are missing from the file so they are not
Variables logged as errors.
Folder Path The Folder Path for the generated XML file. Defaults to the External Files
directory in MTS TestSuite.
Required if not prompting at runtime for a file.
File Name The File Name of the XML file that contains the variables to read. If the file is not
defined as a variable, the Update from File button is available.
Required if not prompting at runtime for a file.
Variable List Lists the selected variables to read from a file.

Pre-selecting a File to Read

To pre-select the file from which to read variables without operator intervention during a test run:
1. Add a Read data activity to the desired location in the test workflow.
2. If you do not want to use the default location, browse to the desired Folder Path where the
XML file to read is stored.
3. Enter the File Name of the XML file for the MTS TestSuite application to read.
4. Add variables to the Variable List:
l To add all the variables specified in the XML file, click Use All the Inputs from the
File.
l To add specific variables, click the plus (+) icon and select specific variables as
desired.

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Prompting at Runtime for a File to Read

Follow these steps to configure the Read data activity to prompt an operator at runtime for the
selected file name. By default, the select window filters by the .xml extension but an operator can select
any file type.
1. Add a Read data activity to the desired location in the test workflow.
2. Select the Prompt for File Name check box. During a test run, the operator is prompted to
select the file name from which to read variables.
l If an operator selects an invalid file, a prompt appears to select another file.
l If the selected file cannot be parsed by the MTS TestSuite application, an error
message is logged and the operator can continue with their workflow.
l If a variable to read does not exist in the selected file, an error message is logged and
the operator can continue with their workflow.

Import Inputs From a LIMS

1. On the Properties panel, select Database in the Read Data From dropdown.
2. Select the Data source to specify the file format:
l dBASE Files (file.dbf)
l Excel Files (file.xls)
l MS Access Database (multiple file extensions)
l Other configured ODBC-compliant datasources (Sql Server, MySql, etc.)
3. Add desired variables to the Variable list using the button.
4. Specify query type to specify query format.
5. Enter query.

Example: Suppose you want to import test input data from an MS Access Database using an SQL
query. To configure MTS TWE to read Pre-Test Inputs from this data source:
1. For data label, select MS Access Database.
2. For query type, select SQL.
3. Enter query: “SELECT * FROM Tests WHERE Id=@varid”, where “SELECT”, “FROM”
and “WHERE” are SQL keywords.

This query selects a record from the “Tests” table that has an “Id“ that matches the value
contained in the TestSuite TWS variable “varid”.
The “@” in front of the variable name means that it takes the variable’s value. The “*” in
“SELECT *” returns all columns for the record.
The variables are populated in the order that they are listed by the columns that are
returned. MTS TWS variables: “Id”, “Name”, and “Description” are the display names of the
variables that will be populated with the columns returned from the query.

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Run External Application

Run External Application Activity Overview

With the Run External Application activity, you can launch another application using arguments you
specify in the activity.

Example
Suppose you want to create a test in which the procedure automatically display data when the test is
complete. With the Run External Application activity, you can start the Microsoft XML Notepad
application to display the specimen data file that contains the data acquired during the test.

Using variables with the Run External Application activity

You can use the Run External Application activity to pass variable values to the target application by
adding the desired variables to the Argument property.

Run External Application Properties

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Item Description
Application Specifies the application that the activity launches.
Name
l To run an application registered by Microsoft or available in the system path,

you do not have to specify a full path. For example, if you want to select
Microsoft Excel, you can simply type “excel”.
l To run other applications, type the full path to the application in this box, or
browse for the application to find its path.
Arguments Specifies an input or parameter to pass to the target application when the activity
starts. The argument may be anything appropriate for the application, such as a file
name, folder name, variable, and so on. If a variable is used, the variable value is
written to the external application in place of the variable name.
When you type arguments directly, observe the following standard command line
syntax:
l Syntax for a variable in an argument is $var_Variable1$.
l You must type a space between multiple arguments.
l If the path placeholder results in a path with spaces, you must add double
quotation marks around the argument.
Default Specifies the default path to the selected argument. Define the default path by typing
Directory the desired path in the entry box or by browsing to the desired location. If the path
includes spaces, enclose the path in double quotation marks.
Wait for When enabled, the activity waits until the external application has completed before
the the activity completes. Selecting this check box makes the Results Variable and
application Resume Option After Restart properties become available.
to
complete When disabled, the activity completes immediately after starting the specified external
application.
Default: Disabled
Results Specifies a variable to hold the return status of the external application. You can use
Variable the results variable as input to subsequent activities, such as If-Else Condition or
While Loop activities.

The Resume Option After Restart option defines how the external application resumes when the
procedure has been stopped and restarted.

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Resume Option After Restart

Item Description
Start the application and wait Causes the activity to restart the external application and
for it to complete complete when the application has completed.
Proceed as if the application Causes the Run External Application activity to complete
has completed immediately. This is the default.

Run Report
Run Report Activity Overview

Run Report Activity Icon

The Run Report activity generates a test report based on the selected report template. The
generated report is a Microsoft Excel file by default. You can also select other report format options,
such as PDF.
You can configure the Run Report activity to send the report to one or more e-mail addresses.
To send the report attached to an e-mail, you must configure the e-mail server settings. Click
Preferences menu > Configuration option > E-Mail tab. If you are unsure of your mail server
settings, contact your network administrator.

Note:
The Send E-mail activity and the E-Mail panel in the Run Report activity share the same
properties. The configuration you complete for the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server
enables e-mail for both activities.

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Run Report Activity Properties

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Report Template Properties

Item Description
Name Selects a report template to use for the report. If desired, you can explicitly override the
default template set in the Report Templates tab. Parentheses indicate the Default
Test Report template or Default Test Run Report Template.

Report Templates

If you do not select a report template, a warning is shown in the Error list.
Open Select to open the report after running the test.
Report
When
Complete
Print Select to print the report after running the test.
Report
When
Complete
Send Allows you to send a copy of the report to one or more e-mail addresses. Separate
report to multiple address with a semi-colon. The e-mail is sent right after the report is generated
e-mail by the activity. The report is sent as an attachment to the e-mail.
The Run Report activity requires valid To e-mail address syntax. The From e-mail
parameter must also have valid e-mail address syntax.
Selecting the Send report to e-mail check box expands the panel and enables the
corresponding E-Mail boxes.
To: (Required) Sends an e-mail message to the specified e-mail address or variable.
CC: Sends a copy of the e-mail to the specified e-mail address or variable.

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Item Description
From: Shows the default address from which the e-mail is sent or a variable. The default From
address is configured in Preferences > Configuration > E-Mail.
Subject: Populates the Subject line of the e-mail. The default is “MTS TestSuite report”.
Message: Shows the message in the body of the e-mail. You can use the default variables, insert
custom or other variables, or enter text directly in the Message text box.
The Insert Variable button opens the Variable Selection window. Selected variables
appear in the Message box.

Setting Run Report Activity Properties

To add a Run Report activity to a test:
1. Open the test to which you want to add a Run Report activity.
2. Click the Procedure tab and scroll to the Program Actions category in the Toolbox panel.
3. Click and drag the Run Report activity and place it in the desired workflow location. For a test
report, typically, the activity is placed as the last activity in your test workflow. In TWE, place
the activity in the Finish section. For a test run report in the TWE application, place the activity
in the Run section.
4. Complete the Properties panel:
A. To explicitly override the default report template, select a report template.
Parentheses indicate the default template for a report, which is set in the Report
Templates tab.
B. To open the report each time a test run is completed, select the Open report when
complete check box.
C. To send the report attached to an e-mail, select the Send report to e-mail check
box. Enter the e-mail addresses in the To, cc, and From boxes.
D. If desired, customize the body of the e-mail message in the Message box. Click
Insert Variable to select additional variables to include in the e-mail message.

Setting the Default Report Template

To set the default report template:
1. Open the test for which you want to set the default report template.
2. Navigate to the Report Templates tab:
l Click Define tab > Report Templates tab. You can set a default report template for
both Test Run and Test.
3. Select the row that contains the report template that you want to make the default.
4. Click the Make Default icon. The Default column shows Yes.

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Make Default Icon

Any Run Report activities within a test that use the default template are automatically
updated to point to the new default template. Any changes to templates made from the
Report Templates tab are also reflected in the generate and print reports templates lists of
the Review tab.
5. Click Save.

Selecting a Report Format

The following report output formats are available:
l Microsoft Excel Workbook (default)
l Comma-Separated Values
l Tab-Delimited Text
l PDF (Portable Document Format)

Note:
If you select the PDF option, test the report template format first to ensure the
information displays properly within the PDF pages. Proper data formatting requires
iterating the template design in Microsoft Excel using the Reporter Add-In, and viewing
the result in PDF format after running the report in the MTS TestSuite application. In
Microsoft Excel, use the Save As PDF feature to quickly review the report format.
To change the output report format:
1. Open the test for which you want to change the report format.
2. Navigate to the Report Templates tab: Click Define tab > Report Templates tab.
3. Click the report template whose report format you want to change.
4. Select the format you want to use for the report.
5. Click Save.

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Send E-Mail
Send E-Mail Activity Overview

Send E-Mail Activity Icon

The Send E-Mail activity is used to send an e-mail message at a designated point during a test run.
The timing of the e-mail depends on the placement of the Send E-Mail activity in the test procedure.
As the test progresses and the Send E-Mail activity becomes the current activity, an e-mail is sent.
To use the Send E-Mail activity, you must configure the e-mail server settings. Click Preferences >
Configuration and click the E-Mail tab. If you are unsure of your mail server settings, contact your e-
mail administrator.

Note:
The Send E-mail activity and the E-Mail panel in the Run Report activity have similar
properties. Configuring the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server enables e-mail for
both activities.
The message of your e-mail is automatically filled in with the following default variables:
l User Name
l Project Name
l Test Name
l Test Run Name
l Specimen Name
l Test Run Date
You can customize the variables included in the e-mail message. For troubleshooting, you can attach
the Message Log to the e-mail either as a text file named “MTS TestSuite.log” or a zipped version
named “MTS TestSuite.log.zip”.

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Send E-Mail Activity Properties

Send E-Mail Activity Properties

Item Description
E-Mail panel
To: (Required) Sends an e-mail message to the specified e-mail address or variable.
cc: Sends a copy of the e-mail to the specified e-mail address or variable.
From: (Required) Showss the default address or variable from which the e-mail is sent. The
default From address is configured in Preferences > Configuration > E-Mail.
Subject Populates the Subject line of the e-mail. The default is “MTS TestSuite report”.
Message: Shows the message in the body of the e-mail. You can use the default variables, insert
custom or other variables, or enter text directly in the Message text box.
The Insert Variable button opens the Variable Selection window. Selected variables
appear in the Message window.
Message Log panel
Attach Attaches the messages to the e-mail message. Selecting the Attach Log check box

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Item Description
Log enables the other log boxes in the panel.
Zip Compresses the attached log file. If the Zip check box is not selected, an unzipped text
attached file is attached to the e-mail.
log
Log Filters the attached log by the selected category:
category
l All Categories—(Default) Includes messages from both the AppLog and the
TestRunLog categories.
l Application—Only includes messages from the AppLog category.
l Test Run—Only includes messages from the TestRunLog category.
Log Filters the log messages by the selected severity:
message
type l All Messages—(Default) Includes Errors, Warnings, and Information
messages.
l Errors—Includes only messages classified as Errors.
l Errors and Warnings—Includes Errors and Warnings but excludes
Information messages.

Setting Send E-Mail Activity Properties

You can add e-mail activities at critical points in a test for which you want e-mail notification. To add a
Send E-Mailactivity to a test:
1. Open the test to which you want to add a Send E-Mail activity.
2. Click Procedure tab and scroll to the Program Actions group in the Toolbox panel.
3. Click and drag the Send E-Mail activity and drop it at the point in the test where you want an
e-mail sent.
4. Complete the Properties panel:
A. Enter the e-mail addresses in the To, cc, and From boxes.
B. Customize the Subject of the e-mail.
C. Customize the body of the e-mail message in the Message box if you do not want to
accept the default information. To insert a variable, ensure your cursor is at the
desired location in the Message text box, click the Insert Variable button and select
the variable you want to add.
D. To attach the message log, select the Attach Log check box. Selecting the Zip
attached log check box is recommended for lengthier test procedures. You can
further filter the message log by selecting options in the Log Category and Log
Message Type lists.
5. Repeat for each location in the test for which you want an e-mail notification.

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Wait
Wait Activity Overview

Wait Activity Icon

Use the Wait activity to pause the test procedure for a specified amount of time. You can use the Wait
activity in the following ways:
l With a variable—Enter a wait time when prompted at the beginning of the test. When the test
procedure reaches the Wait activity, the test uses the variable that was set in the Input activity
and pauses for the specified time.
l With a literal value—Specify a amount of time for the Wait activity so that when the procedure
reaches the activity, the test waits for the amount of time specified in the Wait activity
properties window.
l As a controlling activity—Place the Wait activity in a parallel path as the controlling activity.
Activities after the Wait activity in the path pause, but the activities in the parallel path continue
to run.
If you stop the procedure, the Wait activity also stops. When you restart the procedure, the Wait
activity resumes for the remainder of the time that was specified for the activity.

Wait Activity Properties

Wait Activity Properties

Item Description
Duration Specifies the amount of time to pause the test procedure. Time can be specified as a
value and a unit of measure or a variable.

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Write Data
Write Data Activity Overview

Write Data Activity Icon

This activity directs the MTS TestSuite application to write variable values from a test run, such as
array variable data and other results, to an XML file or database.
You can use the Write data activity to write an XML file to use as a template or XML-formatting
guidelines for other applications that generate XML files.

Typical uses
For automated testing applications, the MTS TestSuite application can write variable values from a test
run to an XML file. A laboratory information management system (LIMS) can then read the XML file
from that test run.

About Exporting Data to a Database

The MTS TWE application can read test procedures from and write test data to a.Laboratory
Information Management System (LIMS).
The LIMS stores test procedure and test results data in a central database, accessible from a network
directory shared by both systems.
The primary objective of automatically transferring test data to a LIMS/database is to eliminate human
error and improve efficiency.
You can view and select test procedure files available in the LIMS with MTS TWE. When tests are
complete, you can export the test data back to the LIMS.

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Windows ODBC Data Source Administrator

Write Data Activity Properties

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Write Data Activity Properties

Property Description
Write Select File to write to an XML file, or select Database to write to a database.
Data To
Folder The folder path for the generated XML file. Defaults to the External Files directory in MTS
Path TestSuite.
File The file name of the generated file. You can also specify a variable.
Name
Append Appends or overwrites variables values depending on its setting:
to File
l When the Append to File check box is cleared, each time a test run is
executed, the activity overwrites the XML file with the values of the variables
selected in the Variable List.
l When the check box selected, each time a test run is executed, the variable
values selected in the Variable List are appended to the end of the XML file.

Note: When a Read data activity reads an appended file, it only reads
the last set of values that were appended to the file.
Unit Set Select a unit set to use when writing the variables to the file.
Variable Lists the variables that will be written to the file.
List

Configuring the Write Data Activity

To configure the Write data activity:
1. Add a Write data activity to the desired location in the test workflow.
2. If you do not want to use the default location, browse to the desired Folder Path to store the
generated XML file.
3. Enter the File Name for the generated XML file.
4. Configure the Append to File check box setting:
l To append variables values with each test run, select the check box.
l To overwrite the variable values with each test run, clear the check box.
5. Add variables to the Variable List. You must configure at least one variable.
A. Click the plus (+) icon. The Variables Selection window appears.
B. Select the variables whose values you want to write to an XML file and click OK.

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Export Inputs to a LIMS

1. On the Properties panel, select Database in the Write Data To dropdown.
2. Select the data source to specify the file format:
l dBASE Files (file.dbf)
l Excel Files (file.xls)
l MS Access Database (multiple file extensions)
l Other configured ODBC-compliant datasources (Sql Server, MySql, etc.)
3.
4. Add desired variables to the Variable list using the button.
5. Specify query type to specify query format.
6. Enter query.

Example: Suppose you want to export test run data to an MS Access Database using an SQL
query. To configure MTS TWS to export Post-Test Run data to this data source:
1. For data source, select MS Access Database.
2. For query type, select SQL.
3. Enter query: “INSERT INTO Results(Id,PeakLoadResult) VALUES(@Id,@PeakLoad)””,
where “INSERT INTO” and “VALUES” are SQL keywords.

In this example, the query inserts a new record into the table named “Results”.
The column names of the table are “Id” and “PeakLoadResult”. These columns in the new
record are filled-in from the data in the variables with the internal names of “Id” and
“PeakLoad”. The “@” in front of the variable name means that it takes the variable’s value.
The typical use of this export activity is to store test results back into the LIMS/database
under the Id read from the LIMS/database.

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Test Run Displays

Test-Run Display Tab 416
Cycles Category 418
Variables Category 443
Horizontal limit type 454
Vertical limit type 455
General XY (Single Value or Array) 455
Indexed Values limit type 456
Horizontal at Index limit type 456
Vertical at Index limit type 457
Y Variable 457
X Variable 457
Horizontal limit type 472
Vertical limit type 473
General XY (Single Value or Array) 473
Indexed Values limit type 474
Horizontal at Index limit type 474
Vertical at Index limit type 475
Signal Category 478
Horizontal limit type 491
Vertical limit type 492
General XY (Single Value or Array) 492
Indexed Values limit type 493
Horizontal at Index limit type 493
Vertical at Index limit type 494
Interactive Category 497
General Category 503
Layout Category 512

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Test-Run Display Tab

Use the Test-Run Display tab to create charts and tables shown during a test-run to communicate
information to an operator or allow operator interaction during a test run (such as responding to a
question). Click and drag the table or chart onto the Designer tab work area. The design can have one
or more tabs with charts, counters, and other status indicators. Then click the Preview tab to see an
example of what your charts or tables will look like during a test-run.

Test-Run Display Tab

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The Designer tab provides a workspace to create Toolbox Panel

test-run displays.
The Preview tab shows an example test-run
display and how it may appear during a test run.
The Test-Run Display Toolbox panel (see figure
on right) contains tools that you drag onto the
Designer tab and position or dock as desired. To
access the properties for a tool, click the tool in the
Designer tab to display the relevant property
information in the Properties panel.
The test-run display properties are stored within
the test definition, not with the individual test runs.
Any changes you make to a test-run display are
applied to all subsequent test runs, as well as to
any stopped or incomplete test runs. Unlike
changes to a test-run display, changes to the test
procedure and variables are not applied to any
stopped or otherwise incomplete test runs.

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Cycle data variables

Cycle data variables are those variables that are correctly mapped to data calculations for signals that
are selected for data acquisition.
Presentation of cycle data variables in a test-run display requires:
l Selecting signals in the DAQ activity.
l Mapping variables to cycle data calculations for those signals in the DAQ activity.
l Selecting the variables for presentation during test runtime.

Non-cycle data variables

Non-cycle data variables are specimen, system, and input variables.
Presentation of non-cycle data variables requires that the variables are used in the test definition and
the variables are selected for presentation in the runtime user interface.

Cycles Category
Cycle Counter
About Cycle Counters
Important:
The Cycle Counter test-run display shows the number of completed command cycles
associated with a data acquisition cycle. The Cycle Counter test-run display is independent of
and not related to the Reset Cycle (Segment) test activity, which counts the cycles (segments)
of the FlexTest controller.
The Cycle Counter shows the number of completed command cycles and displays the value of the
predefined count variable in the System category, referred to as the Current Cycle Index. The
predefined variable is used by the Cycle + DAQ and Custom Waveform + DAQ test activities, which
divide acquired data into cycles.

Cycle Counter Window

A Data Acquisition (DAQ) activity must added to the test procedure, or the cycle count remains at
zero and a warning is logged in the Error list.

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Cycle Count Icon

Cycle Counter Properties

Display Name
This is the name that is shown for the object in the application. It is a required property so the box
cannot be empty. The default is the type of the chart and the number indicating how many are on the
Display tab, such as Cycle Statistics Table 1. You can also click in the box and type a new name.

Note:
The Display Name is only used in the event of validation errors.

Visibility Panel
For Docking, select where on the monitor you want the test-run display to be positioned, Top, Left,
Bottom, Right, or Fill, where the display fills the entire tab or panel.
Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run displays, depending on the condition of the
variable expression. For example, you could set up a condition to check the variable containing the
specimen type for a Set Variable test-run display to make visible the diameter only when the
specimen type is round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen. Likewise, you can use two more Set
Variable test-run displays for width and length to be visible if the specimen type is rectangular but
hidden when the specimen type is round.

Configure a Cycle Counter

1. Add a Custom Waveform + DAQ activity or a Cycle + DAQ activity to the test procedure.
2. Navigate to the Cycle Counter in the Test Run Display tab:
Click Define> Toolbox > Cycles > Cycle Counter.
3. Drag the test-run display object to the Designer tab.
4. (Optional) Change the default Display Name, set a location with the Docking option, or click
the handles to resize the test-run display object.

Cycle Statistics Table

About Cycle Statistics Tables
The Cycle Statistics Table shows values for selected variables on a per cycle basis. The view uses a
table format, and each row contains the variable values for a specific cycle.

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Current Cycle Index Window

Cycle Statistics Table Properties

Cycle Statistics Properties Panel

Display Name
This is the name that is shown for the object in the application. It is a required property so the box
cannot be empty. The default is the type of the chart and the number indicating how many are on the
Display tab, such as Cycle Statistics Table 1. You can also click in the box and type a new name.

Note:
The Display Name is only used in the event of validation errors.

Visibility Panel
For Docking, select where on the monitor you want the test-run display to be positioned, Top, Left,
Bottom, Right, or Fill, where the display fills the entire tab or panel.
Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run displays, depending on the condition of the
variable expression. For example, you could set up a condition to check the variable containing the
specimen type for a Set Variable test-run display to make visible the diameter only when the
specimen type is round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen. Likewise, you can use two more Set
Variable test-run displays for width and length to be visible if the specimen type is rectangular but
hidden when the specimen type is round.

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Monitor for Change

You can monitor a variable for change by selecting an existing variable from the drop-down list or
create a new one by selecting <new variable> to open the New Numeric Variable window (for more
information about new numeric variables, see “Numeric Variables Overview” on page 170). Every time
a change occurs to the variable you choose to monitor (for the Cycle Statistics Table, Cycle Time
Chart, History Chart, Hysteresis Chart), the data in the view is updated. The default value is Current
Cycle Index, which stores the index number of the current cycle count. Other variables listed in this
box are variables specified in the Save Variables box of the Map Variables window.
To plot the updated data, it must also meet the cycle decimation filter selection criteria.
For example, if you select Current Cycle Index (which is used by the Cycle + DAQ and Custom
Waveform + DAQ activities to count cycles), the application shows the results only when all of the
following are true:
l The Current Cycle Index variable changes (when the cycle count changes).
l The cycle meets the selection criteria set in the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window.
l The update interval set in the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window occurs when the
selected cycle is complete but before the next selected cycle.
Monitor for Change is also used to select the Counter variable in the block Information of DAQ.

Cycle Decimation (Select Cycles Button)

Test-Run displays and DAQ activities use cycle selection in different ways:
l For test-run displays, cycle selection selects the cycles to display. Note that the Update
Interval must occur when the selected cycle is complete but before the next cycle is selected.
l For DAQ activities, cycle selection selects the cycles to acquire for analysis.
Click the Select Cycles button to open the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window. You can use
one or more cycle filters at a time for different selection combinations.

Cycle Decimation Filter Selection Window

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Cycles to Display Property

The Cycles to Display property works in conjunction with the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection
property. Cycle Decimation Filter Selection determines when variable data should be displayed for
the test cycles. Cycles to Display specifies how many should be displayed at one time. For example,
if the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection is set to display data for every fifth cycle, and the Cycles to
Display is set to display 3, the display starts out displaying cycle numbers 5, 10, 15 and then 10, 15, 20
and then 15, 20, 25 and so forth.
There are several test-run display tools that share similar chart properties:
l Cycle Time Chart
l History Chart
l Hysteresis Chart
l Array-Variable Chart

Cycle Time Chart

About Cycle Time Charts
The Cycle Time Chart plots cycle data against the relative time. The variables you choose for the
Y axis and the X axis must be array-type variables. Also, the variable you choose for the X axis must
have a time dimension. If a single time-array variable exists when you create the test-run display, the
application selects the time array variable for the X axis.

Cycle Time Chart Properties

Cycle Time Properties Panel

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Monitor for Change

You can monitor a variable for change by selecting an existing variable from the drop-down list or
create a new one by selecting <new variable> to open the New Numeric Variable window (for more
information about new numeric variables, see “Numeric Variables Overview” on page 170). Every time
a change occurs to the variable you choose to monitor (for the Cycle Statistics Table, Cycle Time
Chart, History Chart, Hysteresis Chart), the data in the view is updated. The default value is Current
Cycle Index, which stores the index number of the current cycle count. Other variables listed in this
box are variables specified in the Save Variables box of the Map Variables window.
To plot the updated data, it must also meet the cycle decimation filter selection criteria.
For example, if you select Current Cycle Index (which is used by the Cycle + DAQ and Custom
Waveform + DAQ activities to count cycles), the application shows the results only when all of the
following are true:
l The Current Cycle Index variable changes (when the cycle count changes).
l The cycle meets the selection criteria set in the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window.
l The update interval set in the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window occurs when the
selected cycle is complete but before the next selected cycle.
Monitor for Change is also used to select the Counter variable in the block Information of DAQ.

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Cycle Decimation (Select Cycles Button)

Test-Run displays and DAQ activities use cycle selection in different ways:
l For test-run displays, cycle selection selects the cycles to display. Note that the Update
Interval must occur when the selected cycle is complete but before the next cycle is selected.
l For DAQ activities, cycle selection selects the cycles to acquire for analysis.
Click the Select Cycles button to open the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window. You can use
one or more cycle filters at a time for different selection combinations.

Cycle Decimation Filter Selection Window

Line and Symbol Properties

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Line and Symbol Display Properties

Item Description
Opacity Adjust the opacity to better see through traces when they overlap. If you
set the opacity to a lower value, it makes the trace more transparent.
Draw Line Select this check box to draw lines between data points. Clear the Draw
Line check box and click OK to only show data points if a Symbol Type is
selected; otherwise, the trace is not drawn.
Line Thickness Select the thickness of the lines from 1 to 10 points.
Line Type Select the line style as solid, dotted, or dashed.
Symbol Type Select the type of symbol to mark the location of data points. If you do not
want to mark the data points with symbols, choose the blank selection in
the list.
Symbol Size Select the size of the data point symbols. To automatically size the
symbols, select the multiple size image, which is the first item in the drop-
down list.

Chart Titles and Legend

Click the Titles and Legends button to open the Chart Titles and Legend window where you can
configure the details of your display and legend, such as color, font size, location in the window, and
border details.

Chart Titles and Legend Window

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Y Variable and X Variable

Y Variable

Select a single value variable for which you want data plotted on the Y axis of the chart.

X Variable

Select a single value variable for which you want data plotted on the X axis of the chart.

Cycles to Display Property

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The Cycles to Display property works in conjunction with the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection
property. Cycle Decimation Filter Selection determines when variable data should be displayed for
the test cycles. Cycles to Display specifies how many should be displayed at one time. For example,
if the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection is set to display data for every fifth cycle, and the Cycles to
Display is set to display 3, the display starts out displaying cycle numbers 5, 10, 15 and then 10, 15, 20
and then 15, 20, 25 and so forth.
There are several test-run display tools that share similar chart properties:
l Cycle Time Chart
l History Chart
l Hysteresis Chart
l Array-Variable Chart

X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

Item Description
Display Select a display unit for the selected trace signal. The list only shows the set of units
Unit that are compatible with the dimension of the signal that is assigned to the selected
trace.
Blank is the default value.
Maximum Set the display range of the Y axis to the maximum or minimum values.
or
Minimum Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
To have the software calculate the maximum or minimum value(s) of the Y signal and
then set the maximum or minimum display range to the value(s), click to clear the check
boxes.
To manually set the maximum or minimum display range for the Y axis, select the check
boxes and then specify the maximum or minimum values.
Mean or Set the display range of the Y axis to the amplitude or mean values. Amplitude is a plus
Amplitude or minus display range. Mean is an offset, and the amplitude is relative to the mean.
Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
Click to clear the check box(es) to have the application set the amplitude or mean
display range to the amplitude or mean value(s) of the X signal.
Click the check box(es) and then specify the amplitude or mean values to manually set
the amplitude or mean display range for the X axis.
Expand The Expand Only feature was developed for auto-scaling such that when the range
Only expanded during auto-scaling, this option prevented the range from contracting when
the command stopped.
Click the check box to allow a range to automatically expand if the data exceeds the
maximum and minimum ranges. The chart does not rescale to a smaller range.
Specifying the Maximum and Minimum for an axis avoids auto-scaling, however, also
checking Expand Only implies that you want to auto-scale if the data is outside the
specified range.
Log Scale Toggle between linear scale and log scale for the axis. Select the check box for
logarithmic scale. Leave the box blank for linear scale.

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Advanced Properties

Item Description
Log Set the base for displaying values in a logarithmic format. Click the up-arrow or down-
Base arrow to raise or lower the base.
Label Set the number of significant digits displayed in the labels along the X-axis and Y-axis. Only
Digits non-zero digits are shown after the decimal point to avoid overcrowding in the label area
next to the axis.
Color Set the color of the associated trace or axis. Click the down-arrow and select a color from
the list.
Draw Select the check box to show grid lines on the chart. Deselect the check box to suppress
Grid the grid lines.
Lines

History Chart
About History Charts
The History Chart plots any variable in relation to the cycle number or block number (that is, the
Counter variable in the Block Information of DAQ). The Y-axis presents data values and the X-axis
presents index values.
History charts are typically one of the first views used for checking test data. For example, strain peak
and strain valley may provide the first signal-strength indicator. History peak and valley curves can also
be the starting points for checking stress and load results.
You can include an image of a History Chart in reports.

Runtime
History charts are available as part of the Monitor and Results tabs.
Group variable mapping occurs in the Procedure definition part of the test. If more than one type of
group is available, the Monitor for Change box of the History Chart Properties contains a drop-
down selection button. The default value is Current Cycle Index. Other variables listed in the
Monitor for Change box are variables specified in the Save Variables box of the Map Variables
window.

Analysis
History charts are also available in data analysis.
If more than one type of block is available, select a value from the drop-down list. The default value is
Cycle. Other variables listed in this box are variables specified in the Save Variables box of the Map
Variables window.
If an invalid cycle is selected for the chart, a warning icon is shown with the error message, “Invalid
cycle values are not plotted.”

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History Chart Properties

Monitor for Change

You can monitor a variable for change by selecting an existing variable from the drop-down list or
create a new one by selecting <new variable> to open the New Numeric Variable window (for more
information about new numeric variables, see “Numeric Variables Overview” on page 170). Every time
a change occurs to the variable you choose to monitor (for the Cycle Statistics Table, Cycle Time
Chart, History Chart, Hysteresis Chart), the data in the view is updated. The default value is Current
Cycle Index, which stores the index number of the current cycle count. Other variables listed in this
box are variables specified in the Save Variables box of the Map Variables window.
To plot the updated data, it must also meet the cycle decimation filter selection criteria.

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For example, if you select Current Cycle Index (which is used by the Cycle + DAQ and Custom
Waveform + DAQ activities to count cycles), the application shows the results only when all of the
following are true:
l The Current Cycle Index variable changes (when the cycle count changes).
l The cycle meets the selection criteria set in the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window.
l The update interval set in the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window occurs when the
selected cycle is complete but before the next selected cycle.
Monitor for Change is also used to select the Counter variable in the block Information of DAQ.

Cycle Decimation (Select Cycles Button)

Test-Run displays and DAQ activities use cycle selection in different ways:
l For test-run displays, cycle selection selects the cycles to display. Note that the Update
Interval must occur when the selected cycle is complete but before the next cycle is selected.
l For DAQ activities, cycle selection selects the cycles to acquire for analysis.
Click the Select Cycles button to open the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window. You can use
one or more cycle filters at a time for different selection combinations.

Cycle Decimation Filter Selection Window

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Line and Symbol Properties

Line and Symbol Display Properties

Item Description
Opacity Adjust the opacity to better see through traces when they overlap. If you
set the opacity to a lower value, it makes the trace more transparent.
Draw Line Select this check box to draw lines between data points. Clear the Draw
Line check box and click OK to only show data points if a Symbol Type is
selected; otherwise, the trace is not drawn.
Line Thickness Select the thickness of the lines from 1 to 10 points.
Line Type Select the line style as solid, dotted, or dashed.
Symbol Type Select the type of symbol to mark the location of data points. If you do not
want to mark the data points with symbols, choose the blank selection in
the list.
Symbol Size Select the size of the data point symbols. To automatically size the
symbols, select the multiple size image, which is the first item in the drop-
down list.

Chart Titles and Legend

Click the Titles and Legends button to open the Chart Titles and Legend window where you can
configure the details of your display and legend, such as color, font size, location in the window, and
border details.

Chart Titles and Legend Window

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Y Variable and X Variable

Y Variable

Select a single value variable for which you want data plotted on the Y axis of the chart.

X Variable

Select a single value variable for which you want data plotted on the X axis of the chart.

Cycles to Display Property

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The Cycles to Display property works in conjunction with the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection
property. Cycle Decimation Filter Selection determines when variable data should be displayed for
the test cycles. Cycles to Display specifies how many should be displayed at one time. For example,
if the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection is set to display data for every fifth cycle, and the Cycles to
Display is set to display 3, the display starts out displaying cycle numbers 5, 10, 15 and then 10, 15, 20
and then 15, 20, 25 and so forth.
There are several test-run display tools that share similar chart properties:
l Cycle Time Chart
l History Chart
l Hysteresis Chart
l Array-Variable Chart

X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

Item Description
Display Select a display unit for the selected trace signal. The list only shows the set of units
Unit that are compatible with the dimension of the signal that is assigned to the selected
trace.
Blank is the default value.
Maximum Set the display range of the Y axis to the maximum or minimum values.
or
Minimum Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
To have the software calculate the maximum or minimum value(s) of the Y signal and
then set the maximum or minimum display range to the value(s), click to clear the check
boxes.
To manually set the maximum or minimum display range for the Y axis, select the check
boxes and then specify the maximum or minimum values.
Mean or Set the display range of the Y axis to the amplitude or mean values. Amplitude is a plus
Amplitude or minus display range. Mean is an offset, and the amplitude is relative to the mean.
Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
Click to clear the check box(es) to have the application set the amplitude or mean
display range to the amplitude or mean value(s) of the X signal.
Click the check box(es) and then specify the amplitude or mean values to manually set
the amplitude or mean display range for the X axis.
Expand The Expand Only feature was developed for auto-scaling such that when the range
Only expanded during auto-scaling, this option prevented the range from contracting when
the command stopped.
Click the check box to allow a range to automatically expand if the data exceeds the
maximum and minimum ranges. The chart does not rescale to a smaller range.
Specifying the Maximum and Minimum for an axis avoids auto-scaling, however, also
checking Expand Only implies that you want to auto-scale if the data is outside the
specified range.
Log Scale Toggle between linear scale and log scale for the axis. Select the check box for
logarithmic scale. Leave the box blank for linear scale.

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Advanced Properties

Item Description
Log Set the base for displaying values in a logarithmic format. Click the up-arrow or down-
Base arrow to raise or lower the base.
Label Set the number of significant digits displayed in the labels along the X-axis and Y-axis. Only
Digits non-zero digits are shown after the decimal point to avoid overcrowding in the label area
next to the axis.
Color Set the color of the associated trace or axis. Click the down-arrow and select a color from
the list.
Draw Select the check box to show grid lines on the chart. Deselect the check box to suppress
Grid the grid lines.
Lines

Hysteresis Chart
About Hysteresis Charts
The Hysteresis Chart shows the cyclic or block data produced during a test cycle.

Runtime
Hysteresis charts are available as part of the Monitor and Results tabs. To create a new Hysteresis
Chart in the Test-Run Display tab, double-click or drag the icon to the work area. To see a
Hysteresis Chart in the Results tab, select the Hysteresis tab.
Group variable mapping occurs in the Procedure definition part of the test. If more than one type of
group is available, the Monitor for Change box of the Hysteresis Chart Properties contains a drop-
down selection button. The default value is Cycle. Other variables listed in the Monitor for Change
box are variables specified in the Save Variables box of the Map Variables window.
You can select a cycle by number or by using a variable. On the chart, the zero-value reference lines
are slightly darker than the other grid lines to provide a visual orientation to your data.
You can include an image of a Hysteresis Chart in reports.

Hysteresis Chart Properties

Hysteresis Chart Properties Panel

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Monitor for Change

You can monitor a variable for change by selecting an existing variable from the drop-down list or
create a new one by selecting <new variable> to open the New Numeric Variable window (for more
information about new numeric variables, see “Numeric Variables Overview” on page 170). Every time
a change occurs to the variable you choose to monitor (for the Cycle Statistics Table, Cycle Time
Chart, History Chart, Hysteresis Chart), the data in the view is updated. The default value is Current
Cycle Index, which stores the index number of the current cycle count. Other variables listed in this
box are variables specified in the Save Variables box of the Map Variables window.
To plot the updated data, it must also meet the cycle decimation filter selection criteria.
For example, if you select Current Cycle Index (which is used by the Cycle + DAQ and Custom
Waveform + DAQ activities to count cycles), the application shows the results only when all of the
following are true:
l The Current Cycle Index variable changes (when the cycle count changes).
l The cycle meets the selection criteria set in the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window.
l The update interval set in the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window occurs when the
selected cycle is complete but before the next selected cycle.
Monitor for Change is also used to select the Counter variable in the block Information of DAQ.

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Cycle Decimation (Select Cycles Button)

Test-Run displays and DAQ activities use cycle selection in different ways:
l For test-run displays, cycle selection selects the cycles to display. Note that the Update
Interval must occur when the selected cycle is complete but before the next cycle is selected.
l For DAQ activities, cycle selection selects the cycles to acquire for analysis.
Click the Select Cycles button to open the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection window. You can use
one or more cycle filters at a time for different selection combinations.

Cycle Decimation Filter Selection Window

Line and Symbol Properties

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Line and Symbol Display Properties

Item Description
Opacity Adjust the opacity to better see through traces when they overlap. If you
set the opacity to a lower value, it makes the trace more transparent.
Draw Line Select this check box to draw lines between data points. Clear the Draw
Line check box and click OK to only show data points if a Symbol Type is
selected; otherwise, the trace is not drawn.
Line Thickness Select the thickness of the lines from 1 to 10 points.
Line Type Select the line style as solid, dotted, or dashed.
Symbol Type Select the type of symbol to mark the location of data points. If you do not
want to mark the data points with symbols, choose the blank selection in
the list.
Symbol Size Select the size of the data point symbols. To automatically size the
symbols, select the multiple size image, which is the first item in the drop-
down list.

Chart Titles and Legend

Click the Titles and Legends button to open the Chart Titles and Legend window where you can
configure the details of your display and legend, such as color, font size, location in the window, and
border details.

Chart Titles and Legend Window

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Y Variable and X Variable

Y Variable

Select a single value variable for which you want data plotted on the Y axis of the chart.

X Variable

Select a single value variable for which you want data plotted on the X axis of the chart.

Cycles to Display Property

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The Cycles to Display property works in conjunction with the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection
property. Cycle Decimation Filter Selection determines when variable data should be displayed for
the test cycles. Cycles to Display specifies how many should be displayed at one time. For example,
if the Cycle Decimation Filter Selection is set to display data for every fifth cycle, and the Cycles to
Display is set to display 3, the display starts out displaying cycle numbers 5, 10, 15 and then 10, 15, 20
and then 15, 20, 25 and so forth.
There are several test-run display tools that share similar chart properties:
l Cycle Time Chart
l History Chart
l Hysteresis Chart
l Array-Variable Chart

X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

Item Description
Display Select a display unit for the selected trace signal. The list only shows the set of units
Unit that are compatible with the dimension of the signal that is assigned to the selected
trace.
Blank is the default value.
Maximum Set the display range of the Y axis to the maximum or minimum values.
or
Minimum Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
To have the software calculate the maximum or minimum value(s) of the Y signal and
then set the maximum or minimum display range to the value(s), click to clear the check
boxes.
To manually set the maximum or minimum display range for the Y axis, select the check
boxes and then specify the maximum or minimum values.
Mean or Set the display range of the Y axis to the amplitude or mean values. Amplitude is a plus
Amplitude or minus display range. Mean is an offset, and the amplitude is relative to the mean.
Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
Click to clear the check box(es) to have the application set the amplitude or mean
display range to the amplitude or mean value(s) of the X signal.
Click the check box(es) and then specify the amplitude or mean values to manually set
the amplitude or mean display range for the X axis.
Expand The Expand Only feature was developed for auto-scaling such that when the range
Only expanded during auto-scaling, this option prevented the range from contracting when
the command stopped.
Click the check box to allow a range to automatically expand if the data exceeds the
maximum and minimum ranges. The chart does not rescale to a smaller range.
Specifying the Maximum and Minimum for an axis avoids auto-scaling, however, also
checking Expand Only implies that you want to auto-scale if the data is outside the
specified range.
Log Scale Toggle between linear scale and log scale for the axis. Select the check box for
logarithmic scale. Leave the box blank for linear scale.

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Advanced Properties

Item Description
Log Set the base for displaying values in a logarithmic format. Click the up-arrow or down-
Base arrow to raise or lower the base.
Label Set the number of significant digits displayed in the labels along the X-axis and Y-axis. Only
Digits non-zero digits are shown after the decimal point to avoid overcrowding in the label area
next to the axis.
Color Set the color of the associated trace or axis. Click the down-arrow and select a color from
the list.
Draw Select the check box to show grid lines on the chart. Deselect the check box to suppress
Grid the grid lines.
Lines

Variables Category
This section describes the available test-run displays for variables.

Additional requirement for runtime charts

The cycle decimation filter must be correctly defined in the runtime user-interface to display variable
data in runtime charts.

Adjust Variable
About Adjust Variable Slider
Use this control to change the value of assigned variables at runtime. You can adjust the test variables
you have setup within the range specified while the test is running.

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Adjust Variable Slider Properties

Adjust Variable Slider Window

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Adjust Variable Slider Properties

Item Description
Display Name Required. This is the name of the activity in the test
run display. The default name is the type of variable
and the number indicating how many times the slider
is used in the run time display, for example, Adjust
Variable 1. You can also click in the box and type a
new name.
Visibility Panel For Docking, select where on the monitor you want
the test-run display positioned: Top, Left, Bottom,
Right, or Fill (where the display fills the entire tab or
panel).
Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run
displays, depending on the condition of the variable
expression. For example, you can set up a condition
to check the variable containing the specimen type
for a Set Variable test-run display to make the
diameter visible only when the specimen type is
round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen.
Likewise, you can use two more Set Variable test-
run displays for width and length to be visible if the
specimen type is rectangular, but hidden when the
specimen type is round.
Enabled Condition Required. Defines a condition that determines when
a variable becomes available to an operator during a
test run. Click the ellipsis to open the Calculation
Editor window.

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Item Description
Variable Required. A variable must be selected. A validation
error appears in the Error list until you select a
variable. Click the ellipsis to open the Select a
Variable window.
Show Label When you select this option, the application shows
the label of the variable.
Use Range When you select this option, the application checks
the value of the variable during the test to determine
if the value is within the specified range. If the value
of the variable is not within the range, the application
adjusts the value to be within the range. If the value
of the variable falls inside the specified range, the
value remains unchanged.

Note: If you do not select this option, the

application defaults to the range from the
variable.
Minimum specifies the minimum value for the range
of the variable, and Maximum specifies the largest
number for the range of the variable.
Resolution sets the value of the variable, relative to
the edge of the range. If the value of the variable falls
outside the specified (minimum and maximum)
range, the application adjusts the value to fall within
the range. The adjustment is relative to the closest
edge of the range plus or minus the Resolution
value.

Adjust a Variable with a Slider Example

Suppose you want to create a test in which you can adjust the span and setpoint within the application
at runtime. In this case, you could configure a Parallel Path activity with Cycle and Set Span and
Setpoint activities so you can adjust the values while the test is running.
To create an Adjust Variable test run display:
1. On the toolbar, click the New Test arrow, and select New Test.
2. In the Explorer panel, click Procedure. The Procedure workspace appears.
3. In the Toolbox, scroll to the Parallel Paths activity.
4. Drag and drop the Parallel Paths activity to the workspace, and place it in the area labeled
“Drop Activities Here”.

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5. Scroll to the Cycle control, and drag and drop the Cycle activity to the left side of the Parallel
Path. Use the following parameters for the Cycle activity:
l Frequency: 1 Hz
l Number of Cycles: 100
l Control Mode: Displacement
l Absolute End Level 1: 1 mm
l Absolute End Level 2: -1 mm
6. Scroll to the Set Span and Setpoint control, and drag and drop the Set Span and Setpoint to
the right side of the Parallel Path. Use the following parameters for the Set Span and
Setpoint activity:
l Monitor: Continuous
l Channel: Ch 1
l Control Mode: Displacement
l Span: Toggle to the Variable icon, and select <new variable> from the drop-down
menu. The New Numeric Variable window appears with Span as the identifier. Click
OK.
l Setpoint: Toggle to the Variable icon, and select <new variable> from the drop
down menu. The New Numeric Variable window appears with Setpoint as the
identifier. Click OK.
7. Select the Parallel Paths activity, and select Parallel Path: Cycle: 1 mm to -1 mm at 1 Hz
as the terminal path.

Cycle and Set Span and Setpoint Test

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8. Click Test Run Display. The designer work area appears.

9. In the Toolbox, scroll to the Adjust Variable Slider.
10. Drag and drop an Adjust Variable Slider to the designer area. Use the following parameters
for the Adjust Variable slider:
l Enabled Condition: True
l Variable: Click the ellipsis to open the Select a Variable window. Select Span, and
click OK.
l Show Label: Enabled
l Use Range: Enabled
l Minimum: 0.010%
l Maximum: 500%
11. Drag and drop an additional Adjust Variable Slider to the designer area. Use the following
parameters:
l Enabled Condition: True
l Variable: Click the ellipsis to open the Select a Variable window. Select Setpoint,
and click OK.
l Show Label: Enabled
l Use Range: Enabled
l Minimum: -010.000 mm
l Maximum: 10.000 mm
12. Scroll to the Signal Scope, and drag and drop the activity to the designer area. User the
following parameters:
l Trace Time: 10 sec
l Y Signal: Ch 1 Command
13. Save the test.
When you run the test, it cycles between -1 and 1 with a Setpoint of 0 mm and a Span of 100%.

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You can then use the slider controls to change the values while the test is running to, for example, a
Setpoint of 2 mm and a Span of 50%.

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Array Variable Chart

About Array-Variable Charts
The Array-Variable Chartshows data that is collected and calculated during the test and stored in
arrays. This point-by-point data calculation typically occurs as part of a Parallel Path test flow control.
This chart is used in several ways: as a test-run display; in data analysis; and as an image in reports in
the Reporter Add-In for Excel.
An Array-Variable Chart plots the entire variable array.
The Y axis of the chart must be an array variable. The X axis can be an array variable or the index of
the Y-Axis array.
To include Array-Variable Charts in reports, use the keyword $image_variablearray$.

Array-Variable Chart Properties

Array-Variable Chart Properties Panel

Visibility Panel
For Docking, select where on the monitor you want the test-run display to be positioned, Top, Left,
Bottom, Right, or Fill, where the display fills the entire tab or panel.

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Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run displays, depending on the condition of the
variable expression. For example, you could set up a condition to check the variable containing the
specimen type for a Set Variable test-run display to make visible the diameter only when the
specimen type is round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen. Likewise, you can use two more Set
Variable test-run displays for width and length to be visible if the specimen type is rectangular but
hidden when the specimen type is round.

Traces Properties
A trace is the representation of a series of values plotted against another series of values. Depending
on the type of view, you can plot signal or variable data on either the Y- or X-axis.
If you define more than one trace on an axis, all the traces must have the same dimension. For
example, you cannot add a force signal trace and a displacement signal trace together on the Y-axis.
If you define more than one trace on an axis, a legend is displayed by default. You can use the Hide
Legend option to hide the legend.

Line and Symbol Properties

Line and Symbol Display Properties

Item Description
Opacity Adjust the opacity to better see through traces when they overlap. If you
set the opacity to a lower value, it makes the trace more transparent.
Draw Line Select this check box to draw lines between data points. Clear the Draw
Line check box and click OK to only show data points if a Symbol Type is
selected; otherwise, the trace is not drawn.
Line Thickness Select the thickness of the lines from 1 to 10 points.

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Item Description
Line Type Select the line style as solid, dotted, or dashed.
Symbol Type Select the type of symbol to mark the location of data points. If you do not
want to mark the data points with symbols, choose the blank selection in
the list.
Symbol Size Select the size of the data point symbols. To automatically size the
symbols, select the multiple size image, which is the first item in the drop-
down list.

Plot Previous Test Runs

Plot Previous Test Runs Window

You can plot multiple test runs on one Array-Variable Chart. On the Explorer panel, click Test-Run
Display. After you add an Array-Variable Chart to the Designer tab, the Properties panel displays
the Plot Previous Test Runs panel. You can specify that the results of the first test run (select First
Test Run) and up to 20 previous test runs (select Last Test Runs and select number) display on the
same Array-Variable Chart. Modify the Y-Offset and X-Offset values to displace the multiple traces.
Multiple test runs display only on the Monitor tab; you can still view the single test result under the
Results > Variable Chart tab.

Limit or Curve Fit Lines Properties

To add a Limit or Curve Fit Line, click the Add a Limit or Curve Fit Line icon in the property panel title
bar.

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Limit or Curve Fit Lines Properties

Item Description
Color Click the drop-down menu, and select the color of the associated line.
Limit Select one of the following limit types.
type l Horizontal
l Vertical
l Slope Intercept, m∙x + b
l General XY (Single Value or Array)
l Indexed Values
l Horizontal at Index
l Vertical at Index
For details about each limit type, including the fields you can configure when selecting
each different option, see “Horizontal limit type” on page 491.
Y Select a single value variable or an array variable for which you want data plotted on the Y
Variable axis of the chart.
X Select a single value variable or an array variable for which you want data plotted on the X
Variable axis of the chart.
Legend Select this option to add a custom legend label to the chart. In the text box, enter the name
label of the legend label.

Limit Types

Limit Types are not available for all charts. The charts that do utilize them contain only the limits that
pertain to that particular chart.

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Horizontal limit type

When you select the Horizontal limit type, the Y Variable specifies the value where the limit line
crosses the Y axis, as shown in the following figure.

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Vertical limit type

When you select the Vertical limit type, the X Variable specifies the value where the limit line crosses
the X axis, as shown in the following figure.

General XY (Single Value or Array)

The General XY limit type allows you to select a single value variable or an array variable. You can use
it to plot complex limits that are not linear, such as polynomial. By default, selecting the General XY
creates a chart with a line without symbols. A line with a single value will show up as a point, as in the
following figure. This differs from Traces, where a single value will show nothing.

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Indexed Values limit type

When you select Indexed Values, the values at the selected Index Variables are plotted on the chart.

Click the Edit (ellipsis) button on the Limit or Curve Fit Lines title bar to open the Line Drop
Percentage window. Type the value in the box, and specify the units from the drop-down menu.

Horizontal at Index limit type

When you select the Horizontal at Index limit type, the Index Variable specifies the index in the data
for the value where the limit line crosses the Y axis, as shown in the following figure.

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Vertical at Index limit type

When you select the Vertical at Index limit type, the Index Variable specifies the index in the data for
the value where the limit line crosses the X axis, as shown in the following figure.

Y Variable and X Variable

Y Variable
Select a single value variable for which you want data plotted on the Y axis of the chart.

X Variable
Select a single value variable for which you want data plotted on the X axis of the chart.

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Line and Symbol Properties

Line and Symbol Display Properties

Item Description
Opacity Adjust the opacity to better see through traces when they overlap. If you
set the opacity to a lower value, it makes the trace more transparent.
Draw Line Select this check box to draw lines between data points. Clear the Draw
Line check box and click OK to only show data points if a Symbol Type is
selected; otherwise, the trace is not drawn.
Line Thickness Select the thickness of the lines from 1 to 10 points.
Line Type Select the line style as solid, dotted, or dashed.
Symbol Type Select the type of symbol to mark the location of data points. If you do not
want to mark the data points with symbols, choose the blank selection in
the list.
Symbol Size Select the size of the data point symbols. To automatically size the
symbols, select the multiple size image, which is the first item in the drop-
down list.

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

Item Description
Display Select a display unit for the selected trace signal. The list only shows the set of units
Unit that are compatible with the dimension of the signal that is assigned to the selected
trace.
Blank is the default value.
Maximum Set the display range of the Y axis to the maximum or minimum values.
or
Minimum Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
To have the software calculate the maximum or minimum value(s) of the Y signal and
then set the maximum or minimum display range to the value(s), click to clear the check
boxes.
To manually set the maximum or minimum display range for the Y axis, select the check
boxes and then specify the maximum or minimum values.
Mean or Set the display range of the Y axis to the amplitude or mean values. Amplitude is a plus
Amplitude or minus display range. Mean is an offset, and the amplitude is relative to the mean.
Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
Click to clear the check box(es) to have the application set the amplitude or mean
display range to the amplitude or mean value(s) of the X signal.
Click the check box(es) and then specify the amplitude or mean values to manually set

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Item Description
the amplitude or mean display range for the X axis.
Expand The Expand Only feature was developed for auto-scaling such that when the range
Only expanded during auto-scaling, this option prevented the range from contracting when
the command stopped.
Click the check box to allow a range to automatically expand if the data exceeds the
maximum and minimum ranges. The chart does not rescale to a smaller range.
Specifying the Maximum and Minimum for an axis avoids auto-scaling, however, also
checking Expand Only implies that you want to auto-scale if the data is outside the
specified range.
Log Scale Toggle between linear scale and log scale for the axis. Select the check box for
logarithmic scale. Leave the box blank for linear scale.

X-Axis and Y-Axis Advanced Properties

Item Description
Log Set the base for displaying values in a logarithmic format. Click the up-arrow or down-
Base arrow to raise or lower the base.
Label Set the number of significant digits displayed in the labels along the X-axis and Y-axis. Only
Digits non-zero digits are shown after the decimal point to avoid overcrowding in the label area
next to the axis.
Color Set the color of the associated trace or axis. Click the down-arrow and select a color from
the list.
Draw Select the check box to show grid lines on the chart. Deselect the check box to suppress
Grid the grid lines.
Lines

Point Pick Properties

Point Pick Window

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Point Pick Properties

Item Description
Show Select to show a crosshair, circle, and data point value when selecting a data point
highlight in the chart.
circle
Show delta Select to show the values of two points, the difference between their values, and the
and slope slope of a line drawn through the two points.
Labels
Number of Enter the number of rows used to arrange the labels, delta, and slope. Click the up
rows arrow or down arrow to increase or decrease the number of rows. The value range
is 1 - 6.

Chart Titles and Legend

Click the Titles and Legends button to open the Chart Titles and Legend window where you can
configure the details of your display and legend, such as color, font size, location in the window, and
border details.

Chart Titles and Legend Window

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Variable Data Table

About Variable Data Tables
The Variable Data Table shows the values of selected variable arrays in the test-run display. Click the
plus sign in the Variable List panel to display the Variables Selection window. The variables that you
select in the Variables Selection window (double-click or use arrows to move variables from Available
Variables to Selected Variables) are placed in a horizontal row. The variables form the table
columns. You set the number of rows in the Rows to Display box.
As the test runs, the values of the variables appear in the rows. The values update periodically based
on the time setting of the Update Interval box. For example, you select one variable and use the
default settings of 10 rows to display and an update interval of 1 second. The Variable Data Table
shows you the value of the variable for each of the last 10 seconds with a new updated value every
second for as long as the test runs. The last value added to the table is the last value from the test.
While the test runs, you can copy the contents of the table to a Microsoft Excel worksheet. The table
clears when the test ends.

Variable Data Table Properties

Variable Data Table Properties Panel

Visibility Panel
For Docking, select where on the monitor you want the test-run display to be positioned, Top, Left,
Bottom, Right, or Fill, where the display fills the entire tab or panel.
Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run displays, depending on the condition of the
variable expression. For example, you could set up a condition to check the variable containing the
specimen type for a Set Variable test-run display to make visible the diameter only when the
specimen type is round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen. Likewise, you can use two more Set

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Variable test-run displays for width and length to be visible if the specimen type is rectangular but
hidden when the specimen type is round.

Variable List Properties

Click the plus sign in the Variable List panel to open the Variables Selection window.

The variables that you select in the Variables Selection window (double-click or use arrows to move
variables from the Available Variables column to the Selected Variables column) are placed in a
horizontal row.

Variable Meter
In addition to the Display menu > Meters tab, you can create a test-run display to monitor the value of
a variable. The meter configuration settings are saved with the test.

About Variable Meters

In addition to the Display menu > Meters tab, you can create a test-run display to monitor the value of
a variable. These meter configuration settings are saved with the test.
The Variable Meter shows asterisks in both the Designer and Preview tabs until you begin running
the test. The Variable Meter shows the current value of a single variable during a test run.
Variable meters show variable data in the test-run display only when the test is running. Before a
running a test, variable meters show “***”.
The meter display includes the label, the value, and the unit.

Variable Meter Display

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For a compact presentation, select the Suppress Label Display property.

Suppress Label Display

Tip:
To see a run-time message as each test segment is executed, you can do one of the following:
l Create a Log Message activity for each segment, which will appear in the log during
run time.
l Create a Variable Meter on the Run-Time Display tab that monitors the value of a
string variable. That string variable can be modified at any time during the test using the
Assign Variables activity. The Variable Meter will then update automatically.

Variable Meter Properties

Variable Meters Properties Panel

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Visibility Panel
For Docking, select where on the monitor you want the test-run display to be positioned, Top, Left,
Bottom, Right, or Fill, where the display fills the entire tab or panel.
Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run displays, depending on the condition of the
variable expression. For example, you could set up a condition to check the variable containing the
specimen type for a Set Variable test-run display to make visible the diameter only when the
specimen type is round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen. Likewise, you can use two more Set
Variable test-run displays for width and length to be visible if the specimen type is rectangular but
hidden when the specimen type is round.

Select A Variable Window

To open the Select a Variable window, locate the Variable box under the Visibility panel of the
Properties panel, and click the ellipsis (...). Double-click the name of the desired variable and it will
populate the Variable box.
You can also add or edit a variable while in this window. To open the Add Variable window, click the
New Variable icon (+) or right-click and select New Variable. To open the Edit Variable window, click
the Edit Variable icon (...) or right-click on a variable name and select Edit Variable.

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Select a Variable Window

Value Properties

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When you select a numerical value to be displayed (such as Variable or Signal), the items in the Value
panel become populated with the relevant information for that item. The fields in the Value Properties
panel vary depending on the item to be displayed. Some fields that will be displayed include:

Variable Value Information

Item Description
Meter Select the type of meter to display: Timed, Minimum, Maximum, Peak, Valley,
Type Peak/Valley, Running Maximum/Minimum, or Mean/Amplitude. For more
information about the available meter types, see “Meter Types” on page 51.
Sensitivity Defines how much the signal must change before the application detects a peak or
valley data point. Signal changes that are less than the sensitivity do not acquire
signals.
Unit From the drop-down list, select the units to be displayed.
Format With Fixed, the number is shown in standard notation. For example, twenty million
would be displayed as 20000000.000 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
With Scientific, the number is shown in E scientific notation. For example, twenty
million is displayed as 2.000E+007 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
This notation is typically used for number values too large or small to be shown in
standard decimal notation.
Digit Type With Decimal, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits to the right of the
decimal symbol. For example, zero would be displayed as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
With Significant, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits that are
significant. For example, zero would be displayed as 0.00 with Digits set to 3.
Digits Specifies how many digits to use for the SignificantDigit Type.

Format Properties

Format Panel

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Use the Format panel on the Properties panel to format the display of a numeric variable value.

Variable Information

Item Description
Format Fixed: The number appears in standard notation. For example, twenty million appears as
Type 20000000.000 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
Scientific: The number appears in E scientific notation. For example, twenty million
appears as 2.000E+007 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3. You can typically
use this notation for number values too large or small to be shown in standard decimal
notation. With Decimal, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits to the right of
the decimal symbol. For example, zero appears as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
Digit Decimal: The number of digits to the right of the decimal symbol. For example, zero would
Type be displayed as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
Significant: The number of digits that are significant. For example, zero would be displayed
as 0.00 with Digits set to 3.
Digits Specifies how many digits to use for the Digit Type.

Create a Variable Meter

To create a Variable Meter test-run display:
1. Click Test-Run Display > Toolbox > Variables > Variable Meter. Drag the test-run
display object to the Designer tab.
2. (Optional) Change the default Display Name, or set a location with the Docking option.
3. (Required) Click the ellipsis in the Signal box and select a signal to monitor. The available
signals depend on the defined test resources.
4. Adjust the Value Panel and Format Panel properties as needed.

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Variable Value Scope

About Variable Value Scopes
The Variable Value Scope is a time-based chart that shows you the value of one or more selected
variables during runtime. The Variable Value Scope can be used for a limited time or an automatically
adjusted time period. To set the period of time, select the Trace Time check box. To use the scope for
an automatically adjusted period of time, clear the Trace Time check box. This mode is useful for tests
that run for an extended length of time, such as during a K1C test to display the da/dN curve. During
the time data is displayed, intermediate data points are removed to prevent memory issues. The limit is
2000 data points.

Variable Value Scope Properties

Variable Value Properties Panel

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Visibility Panel
For Docking, select where on the monitor you want the test-run display to be positioned, Top, Left,
Bottom, Right, or Fill, where the display fills the entire tab or panel.
Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run displays, depending on the condition of the
variable expression. For example, you could set up a condition to check the variable containing the
specimen type for a Set Variable test-run display to make visible the diameter only when the
specimen type is round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen. Likewise, you can use two more Set
Variable test-run displays for width and length to be visible if the specimen type is rectangular but
hidden when the specimen type is round.

Traces Properties
A trace is the representation of a series of values plotted against another series of values. Depending
on the type of view, you can plot signal or variable data on either the Y- or X-axis.
If you define more than one trace on an axis, all the traces must have the same dimension. For
example, you cannot add a force signal trace and a displacement signal trace together on the Y-axis.
If you define more than one trace on an axis, a legend is displayed by default. You can use the Hide
Legend option to hide the legend.

Line and Symbol Properties

Line and Symbol Display Properties

Item Description
Opacity Adjust the opacity to better see through traces when they overlap. If you
set the opacity to a lower value, it makes the trace more transparent.
Draw Line Select this check box to draw lines between data points. Clear the Draw
Line check box and click OK to only show data points if a Symbol Type is
selected; otherwise, the trace is not drawn.
Line Thickness Select the thickness of the lines from 1 to 10 points.

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Item Description
Line Type Select the line style as solid, dotted, or dashed.
Symbol Type Select the type of symbol to mark the location of data points. If you do not
want to mark the data points with symbols, choose the blank selection in
the list.
Symbol Size Select the size of the data point symbols. To automatically size the
symbols, select the multiple size image, which is the first item in the drop-
down list.

Limit or Curve Fit Lines Properties

To add a Limit or Curve Fit Line, click the Add a Limit or Curve Fit Line icon in the property panel title
bar.

Limit or Curve Fit Lines Properties

Item Description
Color Click the drop-down menu, and select the color of the associated line.
Limit Select one of the following limit types.
type l Horizontal
l Vertical
l Slope Intercept, m∙x + b
l General XY (Single Value or Array)
l Indexed Values
l Horizontal at Index
l Vertical at Index
For details about each limit type, including the fields you can configure when selecting
each different option, see “Horizontal limit type” on page 491.
Y Select a single value variable or an array variable for which you want data plotted on the Y
Variable axis of the chart.
X Select a single value variable or an array variable for which you want data plotted on the X
Variable axis of the chart.
Legend Select this option to add a custom legend label to the chart. In the text box, enter the name
label of the legend label.

Limit Types

Limit Types are not available for all charts. The charts that do utilize them contain only the limits that
pertain to that particular chart.

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Horizontal limit type

When you select the Horizontal limit type, the Y Variable specifies the value where the limit line
crosses the Y axis, as shown in the following figure.

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Vertical limit type

When you select the Vertical limit type, the X Variable specifies the value where the limit line crosses
the X axis, as shown in the following figure.

General XY (Single Value or Array)

The General XY limit type allows you to select a single value variable or an array variable. You can use
it to plot complex limits that are not linear, such as polynomial. By default, selecting the General XY
creates a chart with a line without symbols. A line with a single value will show up as a point, as in the
following figure. This differs from Traces, where a single value will show nothing.

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Indexed Values limit type

When you select Indexed Values, the values at the selected Index Variables are plotted on the chart.

Click the Edit (ellipsis) button on the Limit or Curve Fit Lines title bar to open the Line Drop
Percentage window. Type the value in the box, and specify the units from the drop-down menu.

Horizontal at Index limit type

When you select the Horizontal at Index limit type, the Index Variable specifies the index in the data
for the value where the limit line crosses the Y axis, as shown in the following figure.

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Vertical at Index limit type

When you select the Vertical at Index limit type, the Index Variable specifies the index in the data for
the value where the limit line crosses the X axis, as shown in the following figure.

X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

Item Description
Display Select a display unit for the selected trace signal. The list only shows the set of units
Unit that are compatible with the dimension of the signal that is assigned to the selected
trace.
Blank is the default value.
Maximum Set the display range of the Y axis to the maximum or minimum values.
or
Minimum Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
To have the software calculate the maximum or minimum value(s) of the Y signal and
then set the maximum or minimum display range to the value(s), click to clear the check
boxes.
To manually set the maximum or minimum display range for the Y axis, select the check
boxes and then specify the maximum or minimum values.
Mean or Set the display range of the Y axis to the amplitude or mean values. Amplitude is a plus
Amplitude or minus display range. Mean is an offset, and the amplitude is relative to the mean.
Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
Click to clear the check box(es) to have the application set the amplitude or mean
display range to the amplitude or mean value(s) of the X signal.
Click the check box(es) and then specify the amplitude or mean values to manually set
the amplitude or mean display range for the X axis.
Expand The Expand Only feature was developed for auto-scaling such that when the range
Only expanded during auto-scaling, this option prevented the range from contracting when
the command stopped.
Click the check box to allow a range to automatically expand if the data exceeds the
maximum and minimum ranges. The chart does not rescale to a smaller range.
Specifying the Maximum and Minimum for an axis avoids auto-scaling, however, also
checking Expand Only implies that you want to auto-scale if the data is outside the
specified range.
Log Scale Toggle between linear scale and log scale for the axis. Select the check box for
logarithmic scale. Leave the box blank for linear scale.

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Advanced Properties

Item Description
Log Set the base for displaying values in a logarithmic format. Click the up-arrow or down-
Base arrow to raise or lower the base.
Label Set the number of significant digits displayed in the labels along the X-axis and Y-axis. Only
Digits non-zero digits are shown after the decimal point to avoid overcrowding in the label area
next to the axis.
Color Set the color of the associated trace or axis. Click the down-arrow and select a color from
the list.
Draw Select the check box to show grid lines on the chart. Deselect the check box to suppress
Grid the grid lines.
Lines

Point Pick Properties

Point Pick Window

Point Pick Properties

Item Description
Show Select to show a crosshair, circle, and data point value when selecting a data point
highlight in the chart.
circle
Show delta Select to show the values of two points, the difference between their values, and the
and slope slope of a line drawn through the two points.
Labels
Number of Enter the number of rows used to arrange the labels, delta, and slope. Click the up
rows arrow or down arrow to increase or decrease the number of rows. The value range
is 1 - 6.

Chart Titles and Legend

Click the Titles and Legends button to open the Chart Titles and Legend window where you can
configure the details of your display and legend, such as color, font size, location in the window, and
border details.

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Chart Titles and Legend Window

Signal Category
This section describes the available test-run displays for signals.

Signal Gage
About Signal Gages
The Signal Gage shows the current level of a signal in a meter and in a linear or radial gage. The
signal shown during runtime is chosen from a list of available signals. The list of available signals is
determined by the test Resources. A signal gage can show one signal. For multiple signals, create an
equal number of signal gages.

Signal Gage Properties

Signal Gage Properties Panel

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Value Properties

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When you select a numerical value to be displayed (such as Variable or Signal), the items in the Value
panel become populated with the relevant information for that item. The fields in the Value Properties
panel vary depending on the item to be displayed. Some fields that will be displayed include:

Variable Value Information

Item Description
Meter Select the type of meter to display: Timed, Minimum, Maximum, Peak, Valley,
Type Peak/Valley, Running Maximum/Minimum, or Mean/Amplitude. For more
information about the available meter types, see “Meter Types” on page 51.
Sensitivity Defines how much the signal must change before the application detects a peak or
valley data point. Signal changes that are less than the sensitivity do not acquire
signals.
Unit From the drop-down list, select the units to be displayed.
Format With Fixed, the number is shown in standard notation. For example, twenty million
would be displayed as 20000000.000 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
With Scientific, the number is shown in E scientific notation. For example, twenty
million is displayed as 2.000E+007 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
This notation is typically used for number values too large or small to be shown in
standard decimal notation.
Digit Type With Decimal, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits to the right of the
decimal symbol. For example, zero would be displayed as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
With Significant, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits that are
significant. For example, zero would be displayed as 0.00 with Digits set to 3.
Digits Specifies how many digits to use for the SignificantDigit Type.

Format Properties

Format Panel

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Use the Format panel on the Properties panel to format the display of a numeric variable value.

Variable Information

Item Description
Format Fixed: The number appears in standard notation. For example, twenty million appears as
Type 20000000.000 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
Scientific: The number appears in E scientific notation. For example, twenty million
appears as 2.000E+007 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3. You can typically
use this notation for number values too large or small to be shown in standard decimal
notation. With Decimal, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits to the right of
the decimal symbol. For example, zero appears as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
Digit Decimal: The number of digits to the right of the decimal symbol. For example, zero would
Type be displayed as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
Significant: The number of digits that are significant. For example, zero would be displayed
as 0.00 with Digits set to 3.
Digits Specifies how many digits to use for the Digit Type.

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Signal Gage Formatting Properties

Use the Signal Gage panel to specify how the signal gage is formatted.

Signal Gage Formatting Properties

Item Description
Minimum Specifies the minimum value or variable and units for the signal.
Maximum Specifies the maximum value or variable and units for the signal.
Tickmark Interval Sets the incremental number of tickmarks that are displayed for the
signal indicator and units for the tickmarks.
Marker Color Specifies color of marker
Scale Color Specifies the color of the scale, or tickmarks.
Labels Color Specifies the color of the value labels for the scale.
Use a needle indicator Check the box to use a needle indicator instead of a bar marker.
instead of a bar marker.
Use a radial scale instead of Check the box to use a radial scale instead of a linear scale.
a linear scale.
Orientation Select Horizontal or Vertical.

Color Ranges
The Color Ranges panel allows test designers to use color to indicate the status of a signal. For
example, green for valid or good performance, yellow for marginal performance, red for invalid or hot,
blue for cold.

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Click the plus sign to add a color range to the Color Ranges panel. Double-click that range, or highlight
the range and click the ellipsis, to open the Color Range window.

Color Range Example Dialog Box

Color Range Dialog Box Description

Item Description
Minimum The Minimum range value can be a numeric value or defined by a variable (see example
figure above), which allows the range to be assigned a minimum value that changes at
run-time.
Maximum
The Maximum range value can be a numeric value or defined by a variable, which
allows the range to be assigned a maximum value that changes at run-time.
Color Select the color for the range.

Signal Meter
About Signal Meters
A Signal Meter displays signal data at all times. Signal meters display calculated signal data only
when the test is running. Calculated signals are displayed as “***” before and after test runs.
The Signal Meter shows the current numeric value of a selected signal in a meter. It can show one
signal. For multiple signals, create an equal number of meters. The meter display includes the label,
the value, and the unit.

Signal Meter Properties

Signal Meter Properties Panel

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Visibility Panel
For Docking, select where on the monitor you want the test-run display to be positioned, Top, Left,
Bottom, Right, or Fill, where the display fills the entire tab or panel.
Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run displays, depending on the condition of the
variable expression. For example, you could set up a condition to check the variable containing the
specimen type for a Set Variable test-run display to make visible the diameter only when the
specimen type is round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen. Likewise, you can use two more Set
Variable test-run displays for width and length to be visible if the specimen type is rectangular but
hidden when the specimen type is round.

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Value Properties

When you select a numerical value to be displayed (such as Variable or Signal), the items in the Value
panel become populated with the relevant information for that item. The fields in the Value Properties
panel vary depending on the item to be displayed. Some fields that will be displayed include:

Variable Value Information

Item Description
Meter Select the type of meter to display: Timed, Minimum, Maximum, Peak, Valley,
Type Peak/Valley, Running Maximum/Minimum, or Mean/Amplitude. For more
information about the available meter types, see “Meter Types” on page 51.
Sensitivity Defines how much the signal must change before the application detects a peak or
valley data point. Signal changes that are less than the sensitivity do not acquire
signals.
Unit From the drop-down list, select the units to be displayed.
Format With Fixed, the number is shown in standard notation. For example, twenty million
would be displayed as 20000000.000 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
With Scientific, the number is shown in E scientific notation. For example, twenty
million is displayed as 2.000E+007 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
This notation is typically used for number values too large or small to be shown in
standard decimal notation.
Digit Type With Decimal, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits to the right of the
decimal symbol. For example, zero would be displayed as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
With Significant, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits that are
significant. For example, zero would be displayed as 0.00 with Digits set to 3.
Digits Specifies how many digits to use for the SignificantDigit Type.

Format Properties

Format Panel

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Use the Format panel on the Properties panel to format the display of a numeric variable value.

Variable Information

Item Description
Format Fixed: The number appears in standard notation. For example, twenty million appears as
Type 20000000.000 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3.
Scientific: The number appears in E scientific notation. For example, twenty million
appears as 2.000E+007 for a Digit Type of Decimal with Digits set to 3. You can typically
use this notation for number values too large or small to be shown in standard decimal
notation. With Decimal, the number of Digits specifies the number of digits to the right of
the decimal symbol. For example, zero appears as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
Digit Decimal: The number of digits to the right of the decimal symbol. For example, zero would
Type be displayed as 0.000 with Digits set to 3.
Significant: The number of digits that are significant. For example, zero would be displayed
as 0.00 with Digits set to 3.
Digits Specifies how many digits to use for the Digit Type.

Create a Signal Meter

To create a Signal Meter test-run display:
1. Click Monitor > Toolbox > Signal > Signal Meter. Drag the test-run display object to the
Designer tab.
2. (Optional) Change the default Display Name, or set a location with the Docking option.
3. (Required) Click the ellipsis in the Signal box and select a signal to monitor. The available
signals depend on the defined test resources.
4. Adjust the Value panel and Format panel properties as desired.

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Create a Signal Meter for Time

This example creates a simple meter that shows total time elapsed during a test run. The meter
continues running even when a test is held.
1. Click Monitor > Toolbox > Signal > Signal Meter. Drag the test-run display object to the
Designer tab.
2. (Required) Click the ellipsis in the Signal box and select the Time signal. In the Value panel,
the Meter Type selection defaults to Timed, and the Unit to (sec).

Signal Scope
About Signal Scopes
The Signal Scope allows you to configure offline the scope properties during test runs. The signals that
are available in the scope properties come from the mapping in the test Resources. You can define
the scope configuration settings offline when the application is disconnected from the station.
However, the application must be connected to the controller when the test is run to show the data for
the signals.
When a scope is used in a test-run display for a test:
l The scope shows signals for the test when the test is run.
l The scope updates only while the test is running and shows the last available signal status
when the test is stopped.
l The scope configuration settings are saved with the test.

Signal Scope Properties

Signal Scope Properties Panel

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Visibility Panel
For Docking, select where on the monitor you want the test-run display to be positioned, Top, Left,
Bottom, Right, or Fill, where the display fills the entire tab or panel.
Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run displays, depending on the condition of the
variable expression. For example, you could set up a condition to check the variable containing the
specimen type for a Set Variable test-run display to make visible the diameter only when the
specimen type is round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen. Likewise, you can use two more Set
Variable test-run displays for width and length to be visible if the specimen type is rectangular but
hidden when the specimen type is round.

Traces Properties
A trace is the representation of a series of values plotted against another series of values. Depending
on the type of view, you can plot signal or variable data on either the Y- or X-axis.
If you define more than one trace on an axis, all the traces must have the same dimension. For
example, you cannot add a force signal trace and a displacement signal trace together on the Y-axis.
If you define more than one trace on an axis, a legend is displayed by default. You can use the Hide
Legend option to hide the legend.

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Line and Symbol Properties

Line and Symbol Display Properties

Item Description
Opacity Adjust the opacity to better see through traces when they overlap. If you
set the opacity to a lower value, it makes the trace more transparent.
Draw Line Select this check box to draw lines between data points. Clear the Draw
Line check box and click OK to only show data points if a Symbol Type is
selected; otherwise, the trace is not drawn.
Line Thickness Select the thickness of the lines from 1 to 10 points.
Line Type Select the line style as solid, dotted, or dashed.
Symbol Type Select the type of symbol to mark the location of data points. If you do not
want to mark the data points with symbols, choose the blank selection in
the list.
Symbol Size Select the size of the data point symbols. To automatically size the
symbols, select the multiple size image, which is the first item in the drop-
down list.

Limit or Curve Fit Lines Properties

To add a Limit or Curve Fit Line, click the Add a Limit or Curve Fit Line icon in the property panel title
bar.

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Limit or Curve Fit Lines Properties

Item Description
Color Click the drop-down menu, and select the color of the associated line.
Limit Select one of the following limit types.
type l Horizontal
l Vertical
l Slope Intercept, m∙x + b
l General XY (Single Value or Array)
l Indexed Values
l Horizontal at Index
l Vertical at Index
For details about each limit type, including the fields you can configure when selecting
each different option, see “Horizontal limit type” on page 491.
Y Select a single value variable or an array variable for which you want data plotted on the Y
Variable axis of the chart.
X Select a single value variable or an array variable for which you want data plotted on the X
Variable axis of the chart.
Legend Select this option to add a custom legend label to the chart. In the text box, enter the name
label of the legend label.

Limit Types

Limit Types are not available for all charts. The charts that do utilize them contain only the limits that
pertain to that particular chart.

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Horizontal limit type

When you select the Horizontal limit type, the Y Variable specifies the value where the limit line
crosses the Y axis, as shown in the following figure.

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Vertical limit type

When you select the Vertical limit type, the X Variable specifies the value where the limit line crosses
the X axis, as shown in the following figure.

General XY (Single Value or Array)

The General XY limit type allows you to select a single value variable or an array variable. You can use
it to plot complex limits that are not linear, such as polynomial. By default, selecting the General XY
creates a chart with a line without symbols. A line with a single value will show up as a point, as in the
following figure. This differs from Traces, where a single value will show nothing.

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Indexed Values limit type

When you select Indexed Values, the values at the selected Index Variables are plotted on the chart.

Click the Edit (ellipsis) button on the Limit or Curve Fit Lines title bar to open the Line Drop
Percentage window. Type the value in the box, and specify the units from the drop-down menu.

Horizontal at Index limit type

When you select the Horizontal at Index limit type, the Index Variable specifies the index in the data
for the value where the limit line crosses the Y axis, as shown in the following figure.

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Vertical at Index limit type

When you select the Vertical at Index limit type, the Index Variable specifies the index in the data for
the value where the limit line crosses the X axis, as shown in the following figure.

X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

Item Description
Display Select a display unit for the selected trace signal. The list only shows the set of units
Unit that are compatible with the dimension of the signal that is assigned to the selected
trace.
Blank is the default value.
Maximum Set the display range of the Y axis to the maximum or minimum values.
or
Minimum Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
To have the software calculate the maximum or minimum value(s) of the Y signal and
then set the maximum or minimum display range to the value(s), click to clear the check
boxes.
To manually set the maximum or minimum display range for the Y axis, select the check
boxes and then specify the maximum or minimum values.
Mean or Set the display range of the Y axis to the amplitude or mean values. Amplitude is a plus
Amplitude or minus display range. Mean is an offset, and the amplitude is relative to the mean.
Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
Click to clear the check box(es) to have the application set the amplitude or mean
display range to the amplitude or mean value(s) of the X signal.
Click the check box(es) and then specify the amplitude or mean values to manually set
the amplitude or mean display range for the X axis.
Expand The Expand Only feature was developed for auto-scaling such that when the range
Only expanded during auto-scaling, this option prevented the range from contracting when
the command stopped.
Click the check box to allow a range to automatically expand if the data exceeds the
maximum and minimum ranges. The chart does not rescale to a smaller range.
Specifying the Maximum and Minimum for an axis avoids auto-scaling, however, also
checking Expand Only implies that you want to auto-scale if the data is outside the
specified range.
Log Scale Toggle between linear scale and log scale for the axis. Select the check box for
logarithmic scale. Leave the box blank for linear scale.

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Advanced Properties

Item Description
Log Set the base for displaying values in a logarithmic format. Click the up-arrow or down-
Base arrow to raise or lower the base.
Label Set the number of significant digits displayed in the labels along the X-axis and Y-axis. Only
Digits non-zero digits are shown after the decimal point to avoid overcrowding in the label area
next to the axis.
Color Set the color of the associated trace or axis. Click the down-arrow and select a color from
the list.
Draw Select the check box to show grid lines on the chart. Deselect the check box to suppress
Grid the grid lines.
Lines

Point Pick Properties

Point Pick Window

Point Pick Properties

Item Description
Show Select to show a crosshair, circle, and data point value when selecting a data point
highlight in the chart.
circle
Show delta Select to show the values of two points, the difference between their values, and the
and slope slope of a line drawn through the two points.
Labels
Number of Enter the number of rows used to arrange the labels, delta, and slope. Click the up
rows arrow or down arrow to increase or decrease the number of rows. The value range
is 1 - 6.

Chart Titles and Legend

Click the Titles and Legends button to open the Chart Titles and Legend window where you can
configure the details of your display and legend, such as color, font size, location in the window, and
border details.

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Chart Titles and Legend Window

Interactive Category
Interactive category tools allow an operator to interact with a test during a test-run via the test-run
display.

Digital IO
About Digital IO Displays
The Digital IO test-run display monitors the current state of one digital input or digital output. If
necessary, you can create multiple instances to monitor multiple digital inputs and outputs. You can
also allow an operator to toggle digital output during a test run.
Prerequisite: The station configuration (.cfg) must have the appropriate resources configured.

Note:
When a test is running on a FlexTest controller, the settings and properties for the digital inputs
and outputs are defined in the Station Manager application and cannot be edited.

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During a test run, the indicator box lights green when the digital input or output is active. The output
toggle for the Digital IO test-run display is predefined and cannot be configured otherwise.

Note:
Calculated digital outputs cannot be changed by the Digital IO test-run display.
To programmatically invoke a digital output, use the Set Digital Output activity.

Digital IO Properties

Digital IO Properties Panel

Digital IO Test-Run Display Properties

Item Description
Signal The signal selected to monitor. Click the ellipsis to open the Select a Signal window.
The Signal list reflects the digital signals included in the test resources. You can only
select a digital input or digital output signal. Selecting a digital output signal enables the
Set Digital Outputs at Runtime check box.
Set Allows an operator to toggle a digital output during a test run.
Digital
Outputs Note:
at To enable this check box, select a digital output signal in the Signal list.
Runtime Default: Disabled
Enabled Optional. Defines a condition that determines when an On/Off button (to change the
Condition signal) becomes available to an operator during a test run. Clicking the ellipsis opens
the Calculation Editor window. This box is active when a digital output signal is specified
in the Signal box and the Set Digital Outputs at Runtime is selected.

Create a Digital IO Test-Run Display

To create a Digital IO test-run display:

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1. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
2. In the Interactive section, click the Digital IO tool and drag it to the desired location in the
Designer tab workspace.
3. In the Properties panel, click the Signal ellipsis button.

Select a Signal Window

4. Select either a Digital Input or Digital Output signal to monitor and click OK.
5. (Optional) Adjust the Font Size as needed.
6. Repeat these steps for each digital IO signal you want to monitor.

Set Digital Output at Runtime

Follow these steps to create a Digital I/O test-run display that allows an operator to toggle a digital
output during a test run.
1. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
2. In the Interactive section, click the Digital IO tool and drag it to the desired location in the
Designer tab workspace.
3. In the Properties panel, click the Signal ellipsis button. The Select a Signal window appears.
4. Select a Digital Output signal and click OK. The Set Digital Outputs at Runtime check
box becomes available.
5. Select the Set Digital Outputs at Runtime check box. The digital outputs buttons appear in
the Digital Output test-run display.

Example Digital IO Workflow

Within the test design, create an operator message window at the desired location within the test
sequence. Instruct the operator to toggle the digital input on or off as appropriate.

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Input Variables
About Input Variables
In addition to presenting input variables to an operator during a test run with the Input Variables
activity, you can present input variables in the test-run display during a test run. An operator must press
Enter to apply any changed variable value in a text box. If a variable value is changed by an Input
Variables activity while a test is running, the corresponding Input Variables test-run display reflects
the changed value. The Input Variables test-run display shows the last valid value at the end of a test
run.

Input Variables Properties

Input Variables Properties Window

Input Variables Properties

Item Description
Enabled Optional. Defines a condition that determines when an input variable box becomes
Condition available to an operator during a test run. Clicking the ellipsis opens the Calculation
Editor window.
By default, an Input Variable test-run display is always enabled if nothing is explicitly
defined for the Enabled Condition.
Variable Required. A variable must be selected. A validation error is logged in the Error list until a
variable is selected. Click the ellipsis to open the Select a Variable window.

Note:
Only variables that have the Editable property of During Test are available for
use with the Input Variables test-run display.

Select A Variable Window

To open the Select a Variable window, locate the Variable box under the Visibility panel of the
Properties panel, and click the ellipsis (...). Double-click the name of the desired variable and it will
populate the Variable box.

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You can also add or edit a variable while in this window. To open the Add Variable window, click the
New Variable icon (+) or right-click and select New Variable. To open the Edit Variable window, click
the Edit Variable icon (...) or right-click on a variable name and select Edit Variable.

Select a Variable Window

Create an Input Variable Test-Run Display

To create an Input Variable test-run display:
1. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
2. In the Interactive section, click the Input Variables tool and drag it to the desired location in
the Designer tab.
3. (Optional) In the Enabled Condition box, enter a calculation that when evaluated determines
when to enable or disable the Input Variable test-run display.
4. In the Variable property, select the variable to input in the test-run display.
5. Repeat these steps for each input variable you want in the test-run display. When clicking and
dragging a display, you can use the blue guidelines to snap to and line up the controls.

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Example: Check Box-Enabled Input Variable Test-Run Display

This example demonstrates creating a check box that an operator can select to allow editing of a
variable value in a test-run display. The example creates a Boolean variable called “OperatorEdit” that
is used as an enabled condition in conjunction with the Thickness variable. By default, the check box is
False and unchecked. An operator can select the check box during a test run and then edit the
associated variable value.
1. Create a variable named OperatorEdit:
A. Click the Variables tab to access the variable editor.
B. Enter the variable identifier as OperatorEdit.
C. From the Type list, select Boolean.
D. Leave the default values for Default Value property as False, and for Default
Option property, the Use Default Value option. Ensure During Test is selected for
Availability.
2. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
3. In the Interactive section, click the Input Variables tool and drag it to the desired location in
the Designer tab.
4. In the Variable property, select the OperatorInput variable.
5. In the Enabled Condition property, enter 1 in the Calculation panel.
6. Drag another Input Variables tool to the desired location in the Designer tab.
7. Select Thickness as the Variable.
8. For the Enabled Condition, select the OperatorEdit variable and insert it in the Calculation
panel.
When the test is run, an operator can select the check box and enter the input variable in the
test-run display.

Note:
An operator must click Enter after entering a value.

Set Variable Button

About Set Variable Buttons
The Set Variable button defines a custom button that sets the value of a variable when the operator
presses the button during a test run. You can use one or more of these buttons to allow an operator to
direct the flow of the test.

Note:
Only variables that have the Editable property of During Test are available for use with this
activity.

Set Variable Button Properties

Set Variable Button Properties Panel

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Set Variable Button Properties

Item Description
Button Required. Shows the label for the Set Variable button. Defaults to “Set Variable”.
Text
Enabled Required. Enabled Condition is an expression that specifies when the button is
Condition active. For example, to wait until the controller is in a run state, Enabled Condition
could be Signal(“Run/Stop”)==1.
Variable Required. The variable that changes when the operator presses the button during a
test run.
Expression Required. Expression that is evaluated when the operator presses the Set Variable
button and a variable to hold the result. You can use Expression to assign a simple
value to the variable, or you can use the variables, functions, and operators available
in the Calculation Editor window to evaluate complex conditions.
Image File Specify the path to the image you want to use for the button.
Name

Configure a Set Variable Button

To configure a Set Variable Button:
1. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
2. In the Interactive section, click the Set Variable Button tool and drag it to the desired
location in the Designer tab workspace.
3. (Optional) Change the default label in the Button Text box.
4. Define the expression that determines when the button is enabled.
5. Select the variable to set during runtime in the test-run display.
6. Define the expression that is evaluated when an operator clicks the Set Variable button.

General Category
The tools in the General category let you visually track progress of a test and add additional labels or
images to other test-run displays.

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Help Button
About Help Buttons
The Help Button is a customized runtime help button that lets you provide your own help file for a test.

Note:
The customized help button for test-run displays is not part of the MTS TestSuite Help menu
options.
The runtime Help Button provides access to information from one of several different content
sources:
l A specific file located on a disk or on a Web server.
l A topic in a locally stored help file (the file must be a compiled HTML help file with a .chm
extension).
l User-entered text displayed as pop-up text.

Help Button Properties

Help Button Properties Panel

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Custom Help Button Properties

Item Description
Button Text Enter label text for the face of the help button. You can resize the button on the
Designer tab to accommodate long labels.
Help File Enter the directory path or the URL for the file that contains the help text. Specify the
Path or URL complete path including either the drive letter or the server name. The following are
examples of complete file paths:
C:\Documents\MyHelp.chm
\\MyServer\Documents\MyHelp.doc
http:\\www.myweb.com\Documents\MyHelp.htm.
Image File Enter the directory path or the URL for the file that contains the image to be used for
Name the help button. Specify the complete path including either the drive letter or the
server name.
Launch Select this option to open the file using the default application associated with the file
Associated type by the operating system.
Application
Launch Select this option to open the file using a designated application. Specify the
Application complete path, including the executable file name.
CHM ID If the help file is a compiled HTML help file (.chm), you can optionally specify a topic
within the help file with a reference to a topic ID (identifier).
To use this option, the help file must implement topic IDs in a topic map. If the help file
does not use a topic map, you can reference a specific topic by name with the CHM
Topic option.
CHM Topic If the help file is a compiled HTML help file (.chm), you can optionally reference a
specific topic within the help file by specifying a named destination.
Each topic (or page) in a .chm file is a separate HTML page. To direct the user to a
specific topic, enter the name of the HTML page here. For example:
MyTopic.html
Pop-up Text Click option to display a text string when the help button is clicked. Enter the pop-up
text in the adjacent box.
When you select a different content source for the help button, you clear the text you
previously entered.

Create a Help Button

To create a Help button:

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1. On the Explorer panel, click Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab.
2. In the Toolbox panel; under General, drag the Help Button to your Designer window. You
can move or resize the button in the Designer window.
3. In the Properties panel, specify the button name, where it should be located on the window
(Docking), the location of the help file, and how it will be displayed.
4. Click the Preview tab to test the functionality you have set up for the Help button.
When you click the Help button during a test run, the information from the selected source is
shown in a separate window.

Label
About Labels
Label contains a single line of text that you can use to:
l Reference elements in a test-run display
l Provide instructional or context statements in a test-run display
Labels contain a simple text string and cannot contain variable values.

Label Properties

Label Properties Panel

Label Properties

Item Description
Text Required. Text of the label. A blank label results in a validation error in the Error list.
Default: Label n
Font Size Size of the text for the label.
Range: 4-100 points
Default: 8 pt

Add a Label to a Test-Run Display

To add a label to a test-run display:

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1. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
2. In the General Views section, click the Label icon and drag it to the desired location in the
Designer tab workspace.
3. In the Properties panel, edit the default label text in the Text box.
4. Adjust the Font Size as needed.
5. Repeat for each label you want to add.

Image
About Images
You can select an image to show in a test-run display. If desired, you can define a condition that
determines whether to show an image.

Note:
Image files for test-run displays are not included when you import or export a test.

Image Properties

Picture Properties Panel

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Picture Properties

Item Description
File Name Shows the path and file name of the selected image.
Supported paths include:
l Absolute paths, such as C:\MyPicture.jpg
l Relative paths (those relative to current project settings) such as <External
Files>\MyPicture.jpg
l UNC paths, such as \\MyNetworkPath\Picture\MyPicture.jpg

Note:
URL addresses are not supported.
Supported image formats include:
l .jpg
l .gif
l .png
If the image file is invalid or does not exist, nothing is shown in the test-run display and a
warning is displayed in the Error list.
Show Defines the condition by which to show an image in the test-run display. The Show
Condition Condition expression must evaluate to True to show the picture in the test-run display.
Clicking the ellipsis opens the Calculation Editor. If the equation defined in the
Calculation Editor to show the condition cannot be validated, and error message is
logged to the Error list.

Add an Image to a Test-Run Display

To add an image to a test-run display:
1. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
2. In the General section, click the Image tool and drag it to the desired location in the Designer
tab.
3. Click the File Name ellipsis to browse for the image location.
4. (Optional) Edit the default Display Name or select a Docking option to position the picture.
5. (Optional) Define a condition to show the image:
A. Select the Use Show Condition check box.
B. Click the Show Condition ellipsis button to open the Calculation Editor window.
C. Ensure that a variable is defined for the condition you want evaluated.
D. Enter the calculation and click OK.

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Example: Use a Condition to Show an Image

To step an operator through a checklist, you could set conditions to display a check mark in each
completed check box for the checklist:
checklistStep==1
checklistStep==2
The following figure shows a test-run display that shows a green arrow when the current step is active:

Peripheral Equipment Tab

Test Procedure
Create a Test Procedure Test-Run Display
To create a test procedure test-run display:
1. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
2. In the General section, click the Test Procedure tool and drag it to the desired location in the
Designer tab.
3. (Optional) Edit the default Display Name or select a Docking option to position the test-run
display. For a maximum view of the test procedure, select the Fill option in the Docking list.

Test Progress Table

The Test Progress Table shows the progress of individual test activities within a table during a test run.
The table includes the Activity name, the Current state, the Target state, and the percentage of
Progress toward the target state.
When you create a test procedure, you can set the Progress Table Visibility property for each test
activity in the procedure. The visibility settings in the Progress Table panel for test activities work in
tandem with the Test Progress Table test-run display. You can add the Test Progress Table to your
test from the Test-Run Display Toolbox panel. When you run a test, the Test Progress Table shows
the progress of those test activities that have visibility.

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Visibility Property for a Test Activity

The Progress Table property for all test activities has a Visibility property. By default, a test activity is
not visible until you set the Visibility property.
The following selections are available:
l Never—(Default) Omits the activity from the Test Progress Table
l Fixed —Shows the progress of the activity in the Test Progress Table while the activity is
executing, and for the duration of the test.
l Transient—Shows the progress of the activity in the Test Progress Table only when the
activity is executing. When the activity ends, the activity status disappears from the table,
regardless of whether the test is done.

Test Progress Table Properties

Test Progress Properties Panel

You can accept the default values for the Update Interval property or create a variable.

Set Up a Test Progress Table

To set up a test progress table:
1. Open the test for which you want to add a Test Progress Table test-run display.
2. For each test activity you want to track in the progress table, set the Visibility property to
either Transient or Fixed.
3. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
4. In the General section, click the Test Progress Table tool and drag it to the desired location
in the Designer tab.
5. (Optional) Edit the default Display Name or select a Docking option to position the table. For
a maximum view of the test procedure, select the Fill option in the Docking list.
6. If necessary, adjust the Update Interval values as appropriate for the length of the test.

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Test Summary Table

About Test Summary Tables
The Test Summary Table displays selected variable values during a test run. The selected variables
are shown in table form.
You select the variables from the types that are currently defined for the test under Variables.
Although you can list any of the available variables, the Test Summary display is typically used to
show general test data rather than collected data.

Static and dynamic values

Most of the Specimen and System variable values shown on the Test Summary Table are static and
reflect fixed values you have entered (for example, Name of the Project).
Other variable values are dynamic and change during the test run. They are typically calculated
variables that include dynamic signals in their expressions (for example, command or feedback). In
general, dynamic values in the Test Summary Table are updated at the same rate as information in
chart, scope, and meter displays.

Test Summary Table Properties

Visibility Panel
For Docking, select where on the monitor you want the test-run display to be positioned, Top, Left,
Bottom, Right, or Fill, where the display fills the entire tab or panel.
Show Condition lets you show or hide the test-run displays, depending on the condition of the
variable expression. For example, you could set up a condition to check the variable containing the
specimen type for a Set Variable test-run display to make visible the diameter only when the
specimen type is round, but hidden for a rectangular specimen. Likewise, you can use two more Set
Variable test-run displays for width and length to be visible if the specimen type is rectangular but
hidden when the specimen type is round.

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Variable List Properties

Click the plus sign in the Variable List panel to open the Variables Selection window.

The variables that you select in the Variables Selection window (double-click or use arrows to move
variables from the Available Variables column to the Selected Variables column) are placed in a
horizontal row.

Set Up a Test Summary Table

To set up a test summary table:
1. Open the test to which you want to add a Test Summary Table test-run display.
2. Click the Test-Run Display tab > Designer tab > Toolbox panel.
3. In the General section, click the Test Summary Table tool and drag it to the desired location
in the Designer tab.
4. Click the add icon for the Variable List and select the variables to include.

Layout Category
Use the tools in the Layout category to organize multiple test-run displays. You can create multiple tabs
with transitions and place panels within the tabs to delineate.

About Panels
Use panels to group and organize your displays. Double-click Panels in the Layout group of the
Toolbox panel to open two panels in the Designer tab. You can then drag and drop displays onto a
panel. Configure panel details in the Properties panel.

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Panels Properties

Panels Properties Panel

Orientation
Choose Vertical or Horizontal from the drop-down menu to indicate how the panels should be
positioned on the monitor.

Panel Resizing

Panel Resizing Descriptions

Item Description
Both Proportionally As you resize a panel, both panels are resized proportionally.
Right or Bottom Panel Select to resize only the right or bottom panel
Left or Top Panel Select to resize only the left or top panel.

About Tabs
Use Tabs to organize monitor displays into multiple views. While running a test, you can view the test-
run displays on that tab by clicking the tab. You can also associate a tab with an activity in the test
procedure so that the tab is automatically displayed when the activity runs.

Tabs Properties
In the Layout group of the Toolbox panel, double-click Tabs to open a resizable, 2-tab window. You
can nest tabbed pages to create multi-level test-run display structures or add Panels to add more
structure to your display organization. During a test run, you can selectively view the information in
predefined tabs. You can automatically show a tab when an associated activity occurs by using
transitions.

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Tabs Properties Panel

The activity consists of two parts: the control window and the individual tabs within the control window.
The tab control window is a container for the individual tabs. The individual tabs are containers for
other monitor display controls—including other tab controls.

Note:
If you want to create a new tab control by copying an existing tab control, make sure to select the
entire tab control (not an individual tab). If you try to paste an individual tab onto the display, an
error occurs.

Tab controls
By default, when a tab control is placed in the test-run display, two tabs are included in the control
window. The number of tabs in the Designer area and the individual tab functionality is defined by the
tab control properties. The individual tabs do not have separate property settings.
You can add and remove tabs, edit the tab name, and sequence the individual tabs. To add a tab, click
the plus sign. To change the name of a tab, click the ellipsis. To delete a tab, highlight it and click the
red minus sign. To change the order of the tabs, highlight a tab and click the up or down arrow to adjust
its position.

Activity transitions
You can find pertinent test information for the current test activity by using tab transitions. Start by
using tabs to organize test-run display controls according to portions of the test procedure. Then
assign a transition to a tab so that it is shown during the appropriate portion of the test. If you organize
the test-run display in this manner, the operator does not have to sort through multiple controls to find
information of immediate interest.

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To assign a tab transition, click the plus sign to open the Tab Transition Selection window. Select a
defined test activity and a defined monitor display tab. The activity and tab are linked when the
transition is added to the current transitions list. During the test run, the tab is shown when the activity
is performed.

Note:
To sort the current transitions, click the Activity or Tab headings. Sorting only affects the
display of the current transitions. The order of activities during a test is defined in the test
procedure layout.
To edit an existing transition, highlight the Activity, and click the ellipsis to open the Tab Transition
Selection window. Make your modifications, and click OK. To delete an Activity Transition, highlight it,
and click the red minus sign.

Scopes
About Scopes
A scope is a time-based chart, similar in principle to an oscilloscope, that you can use to plot data over
a specified period of time. A scope can plot one or more trace signals on the Y axis and either time or
another trace signal on the X axis. Additional trace signals can be added to additional Y axes.
You can set up and use signal scopes in two ways: for general system operation or for within a test. A
difference in these uses of a scope depends on where the scope is opened.

Scope through Display menu

A scope created through the Display menu is used for general system operations. A scope used for
general system operation must be configured using numeric and signal values. Variables are not
available because variables are part of the test definition and the scope runs outside the test
environment.

Scope through monitor display

A scope added to a Monitor Display monitors signals or variable values during a test run.
Runtime signal scopes can be configured using variables because they reside within the test
environment. Signal scopes are cycle based. Other cyclic views are the Cycle Time, History and
Hysteresis charts.
Variable value scopes monitor the current value of a variable during test execution. Other variable-
based views are the Time Array Data Table and the Array-Variable Chart.

Scope for General System Operation

This type of scope can be used any time the application receives signal data from the test station. The
Configure Chart and Run Scope buttons are disabled when the application is disconnected from a
test station.

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When you create a scope from the Display menu:

l The scope shows signals for general system operations. You are not required to create a test
to set up and run the scope.
l The scope updates continually when connected to a test station and shows the actual signal
status, regardless of the state of the test.
l The scope configuration settings are not saved with a test. The configuration settings are only
good for the current application session.

Buttons available on the scope

A tab contains the scope for general system operation. The scope shows live signal data from the test
station.

Scope Buttons

Item Description
Run Shows live data on the scope.
Scope
Stop Stops showing live data on the scope. This button becomes active when the scope
Scope begins to run.
Launch Creates a tab for an additional scope.
Another
Scope
Close Click Launch Another Scope to remove the additional scope you create. This button
Scope does not close the original scope. To close the original scope, click Display > Scope.

Using the scope toolbar

To display the scope toolbar, click the arrow on the lower left side of the scope. You can use this
toolbar to perform many commonly-used scope actions, such as toggle Point Picking, toggle zooming,
or add a trace.

Scope Toolbar Buttons

Button Name Description

Show/Hide Shows or hides the scope toolbar.
Toolbar
Start the Shows live data on the scope.
Scope
Stop the Stops showing live data on the scope. This button becomes active when the
Scope scope begins to run.
Add a Opens the Select Signal window. Select an item from the list to add a new
trace trace to the scope.

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Button Name Description

Toggle When Point Picking is enabled, you can click traces in the scope to mark
Point individual data points. Additionally, you can use the left and right arrows
Picking keys to traverse the scope one data point at a time.
Toggle When Expand Only is enabled, the range will automatically expand or
Expand contract if the data exceeds the maximum and minimum ranges. The chart
Only does not rescale to a smaller range.
Toggle When Panning is enabled, you can click and drag to move the focus of the
Panning scope. You can only pan to the minimum and maximum ranges available for
the scope.
Toggle When Zooming is enabled, you can click and drag to specify an area of the
Zooming scope to zoom in to.
Reset If zooming is enabled, resets the zoom level of the scope to the default full
Zoom scale.
Configure Opens the Configure Chart window to further configure the functionality and
Chart appearance of the scope.

Change Monitor Display Properties During a Test Run

During a test run, you can make the following changes to the current test run when you right-click the
monitor display object:

Runtime Monitor Right-click Menu Options

Item Description
Operator When active, the Wait for Operator Action activity adds an Operator Buttons
buttons window to the top of the Monitor tab as the test runs. When the active button is clicked,
it ends the current parallel path, to force the test to the next test activity.

Note:
The Operator Buttons window does not appear when you preview the Monitor
tab layout.
Copy Copy the image of the display component to the clipboard.
Image to
Clipboard
Copy Copy the chart data to the clipboard.
Values to
the
Clipboard

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Item Description
Properties Open the Properties panel of the chart on which you clicked. If you change the
properties of a display component while the test runs, data may be excluded.
Move to a Temporarily explodes the view of the monitor display component in its own tab.
New Tab
Return to Closes the temporary tab opened from the Move to a New Tab option and returns to
the Monitor the monitor display.

Change a Monitor Display Design

To make changes to a monitor display in design mode when a test is not running, right-click the display
to use the following menu options:

Monitor Display Right-click Menu Options

Item Description
Cut Remove the view from the monitor display. A picture of the view is placed on the Windows
clipboard. The image is made available to paste into any document or location where the
clipboard is available. The image is only a picture and is no longer active.
Copy Place a picture of the view in the Windows clipboard. The image is made available to paste
into any document or location where the clipboard is available. The image becomes a
picture and is no longer active. You can copy from tables during runtime. All boxes transfer
to the clipboard.
Paste Transfer the contents of the clipboard to the Monitor display. If the content is not a view,
nothing new appears. If the content is a view, it appears on the display and is active. Its
properties are contained on the Properties tab. If the name duplicates an existing display
name, a warning appears in the Error list. Type a new name in the Display Name box and
save the test by clicking the Save toolbar icon or by clicking File > Save. When you paste to
a table, you can only paste one value (table cell) at a time. You cannot paste to Name
boxes.
Delete Deletes the monitor display.

Any changes you make during a test run apply only to that test run. Subsequent test runs default to the
properties specified in the Monitor definition.

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Working with Test Controls

Control Panels for Servohydraulic Test Systems 520
Run Tests on Servohydraulic Systems 528
Crosshead Controls Panel for Electromechanical and Static Hydraulic Test Systems 529

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Control Panels for Servohydraulic Test Systems

Station Controls
Servohydraulic Station Controls

Servohydraulic Station Controls Description

Control Description
Station Lights when the interlock (hardware) chain for the test station opens. Hydraulic power
(Interlock) turns off and the test run stops.
Program Lights when a program interlock occurs due to an event (typically a test limit) that is
(Interlock) detected in the test procedure. Although hydraulic power remains on, the test run
stops.
Reset Reset a test station interlock or program shutdown. For a station interlock, you must
click Reset before you can reapply hydraulic power and restart the test run.
If the cause of a test station interlock prohibits a reset, click Override to temporarily
override the interlock so that you can clear the cause.
Override
Warning:
Station limits are disabled during the override time.
Disabling station limits also disables safety limits.
Always clear the actuator area before applying hydraulics.

Temporarily override a test station interlock so that you can clear the cause. Each time
you click the button, ten seconds is added to the length of time the interlock is
overridden, up to a total of 120 seconds. The digital readout to the right of the button
shows the duration and the countdown.

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Power Controls
Power Controls Panel

Power Controls Panel Description

Control Description
Off Places the HSM (hydraulic service manifold) for the test station and the HPU (hydraulic
power unit) in their zero-pressure states (red indicators lit).
Low Places the HPU in the high-pressure state (green indicator lit) and the HSM for the test
station in the low-pressure state (amber indicator lit).
High Places the HSM for the test station in the high-pressure state (green indicator lit). You
must first click Low to enable the High button.

Actuator Controls
The buttons on the Actuator Controls panel allow you to position the actuator. You can configure the
actions for these buttons at Preferences menu > Configuration > Control Panel tab.

Actuator Controls Panel

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Actuator Controls Panel Description

Control Name Description

1 Retract the Click to retract the actuator.
Actuator
2 Extend the Click to extend the actuator.
Actuator
3 Move the Click to move the actuator to the Return position. The Ramp Rate for a
actuator to the FlexTest controller is defined in Preferences > Configuration >
return position Control Panel window.
4 Move the Click to define a position and then move the actuator to that position
actuator to a
specified
position

Note:
The actuator can also be controlled with a handset. For more information on using a handset,
see the Product Manual that came with your system. When control is provided by a handset, the
actuator controls will be locked and overlaid by the handset exclusive control icon:

Test Controls
The Test Controls panel allows you to run, hold, or stop a test.

Test Controls Panel Description

Control Description
Run. Start a test or resume a test that is held.

Hold. Pause the test at the end of the current cycle or at the end of the current non-cycle
command activity. Click Run to resume the test run.

Stop. Stop the test in place. The current cycle or command activity is not completed. Click
Run to resume the test at the point where it was stopped.

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Test Run Status Panel

The Test Run Status panel shows the test run state, test run name, status, control mode and the
current running time of the test.

Test Run Status Panel

Test Run Status Panel Description

Item Description
Cancel the Test Run. When a test run is in the Stopped state, you can click the Cancel
the Test Run button to cancel the test run. If you cancel the test run, you will not be able to
restart it.
After canceling a test run, the Review tab appears and you can load another specimen
and run additional test runs.
Status Control Mode - When connected to a station, the control mode appears, in parentheses
(_Extension, for example), next to the status.
Running - The test run is in-progress. The Running Time field shows the current
elapsed run time.
Hold - The test run is held at the end of the current cycle. The Running Time field does
not change until the test run is restarted. The test resumes at the start of the next
segment.
Stopped - The test run is stopped.
l If the test was in a cycle, the cycle completes before the test stops.
l The test restarts at the beginning of the current cycle.

Note:
The test run can be canceled while in the Stopped state.
Completed - The test run is complete.
Running Displays the amount of time the test run has been running.
Time
Note:
The time that elapses while the test run is held or stopped is not included.

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Servohydraulic Control Panel Settings

Access
Preferences menu > Configuration window > Control Panel tab
Use the Control Panel Settings window to configure the operation of the Move the actuator to its
return position and Extend and Retract buttons on the Actuator Control Panel.

Control Panel (FlexTest Controller View)

Jog button settings

Jog Button Settings

Item Description
Ramp Rate This is the speed that the actuator moves when the jog (up or down arrows) buttons
are clicked.
Commands This table displays the columns of parameters necessary to set up the return functions
for the available channels.
Enabled Enable or disable the jog function for the corresponding channel.
Is Positive Indicates the direction the jog buttons will move the actuator based on the calibration
Direction of the station and the physical orientation of the actuator (base-mounted or
Up? crosshead-mounted). For example, typical servo hydraulic load frames where the
actuator is mounted in the base are calibrated so that tension is positive. Thus,
retracting the actuator (moving down) is positive. Therefore, Is positive direction
up? should be set to No. Typical servo-hydraulic load frames with the actuator
mounted in the crosshead are calibrated so that tension is positive. Thus, retracting
the actuator (moving up) is positive. Therefore, Is positive direction up? should be
set to Yes. This action is independent of any signal polarity inversion indicated in the

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Item Description
test procedure.

Actuator return position

Define Actuator Return Position

Item Description
Ramp Ramp Time and Commands set the length of time an Enabled channel takes to
Rate achieve its programmed End Level when you click Move the actuator to the return
position button.
When you click the Move the actuator to the actuator return position button, the
application determines the difference between the current signal value and the target end
level for each channel. It then commands the channel to ramp to the target end level at a
rate based on the ramp time you enter.
Enabled Enable or disable the function for the corresponding channel.

Set Ramp Rate for Actuator Return Position

Note:
This procedure applies when connected to an MTS FlexTest controller.
When connected to an MTS Insight controller, the Ramp Rate for the Return must be set by an
MTS Field Service Engineer.
The actuator return position is the position to which the crosshead moves when you click the Move the
actuator to the actuator return position button. This position is typically set to a position that allows you
to attach a specimen.
1. On the Preferences menu, click Configuration.
2. On the Configuration window, click the Control Panel tab.
3. In the Ramp Rate box, enter the rate at which the actuator moves to the Return to zero
position.

Hydraulic Controls
Hydraulic Controls Control Panel Overview
The hydraulic power unit (HPU) provides hydraulic pressure while the hydraulic service manifold
(HSM) hydraulic service manifold of HPU pressure to the test station.

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Station controls
Typically, the Control Panel has both HPU and HSM controls.
l On test systems that use house hydraulic power, the Control Panel may have only HSM
controls.
l On some small test systems without an HSM, the Control Panel may have only HPU controls.

Interlocks
A station interlock prevents an HSM start but permits an HPU start. The HSM is a station resource and
cannot start when a station interlock is active. An HPU is considered an external device and can be
started with an active station interlock (even if the hydraulic power unit has caused the interlock)

Power Panel
The Power panel provides individual controls for the HPU (hydraulic power unit) and HSM (hydraulic
service manifold). The HPU can be set to low or high separate from the power supplied to the HSM.
The HSM can be set to low with the HPU set to low or high.

Note:
The HSM cannot be set to a higher setting than the HPU. If the HPU power is set to a power
level that is less than the HSM setting, the HSM setting shifts down to match the HPU.

Power window
The Power window is an alternative to the Control Panel for setting power levels. Some system
configurations may require you to use the Power window to start the HPU before you are allowed to
start the HSMs.
To access the Power window, click the Control icon on the Power panel.

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Power Window

Turn On Hydraulic Power

Hydraulic power is turned on by clicking controls on the Power panel.

Note:
Some system configurations may require you to click the control icon on the Power panel to
display the Power window, and use the Power window controls to start the HPU before you are
allowed to start the HSMs.
1. If the Interlock indicator is on, click Reset to release system interlocks.
If the interlock remains on, use the Message Logs to identify and correct the cause of the
interlock.

Warning:
Applying hydraulic power can result in sudden actuator motion.
A moving actuator can injure anyone in its path.
Always clear the actuator area before applying hydraulic power.

2. Click Low Power.

This action sets the hydraulic power unit to high pressure and the hydraulic service manifold to
low pressure.

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3. Click High Power.

This action sets the hydraulic service manifold to high pressure.

Turn Off Hydraulic Power

To turn off hydraulic power:
1. Click Power Low.
2. Click Power Off.

Run Tests on Servohydraulic Systems

Perform Pretest Tasks

Note:
You do not use the TestSuite application for the pretest tasks.
1. Determine the name and location of the project.
A project that contains the required test must already exist. Verify the name of the project and
determine its media file location in relation to the workstation you intend to use.
2. Determine the name of the test.
Verify the name of the test and make sure it exists in the parent project you identified earlier.
Make sure that the test and specimen you intend to use are compatible.
3. Determine which test station to use.
A test station typically includes a load unit, a hydraulic service manifold (HSM), a hydraulic
power unit (HPU), and some part of an electronic test controller. Because most test
controllers can support the operation of multiple test stations simultaneously, you must verify
the name of the controller test station that is designated for your test.
4. Identify any test parameters that you must enter before or during the test run.
The test designer can include steps in the test procedure that require you to enter values or
make selections before the test run starts or during the test run. Verify this condition with the
test designer and agree on the parameter values or selections you must make.

Configure a Test Station

Before you can configure a test station, you must complete the following pretest tasks.
1. Use the File menu of the Station Manager application to open the Open Station window and
select the (controller) test station for your test.
A test station typically includes a load unit, HSM (hydraulic service manifold), HPU (hydraulic
power unit), and some part of an electronic test controller. Because most test controllers can
support the operation of multiple test stations simultaneously, you must select the controller
test station for your test. The test designer typically selects the type of controller for the test.

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2. Use the Controller menu of the MTS TestSuite application to connect your session to the test
station.

Considerations for Automatic Background Saves

When you start a test run, the application automatically saves the current state of the test. If you want
to modify a test without saving your changes, that is, experiment with the test, save your test under
another name (perform a Save As of your test), modify as desired, and then run the new test.
If you inadvertently run a modified test and want to back out the changes you made to the test before
you ran it (and the application automatically saved it), you must do so manually.

Stop a Test Run

While a test is running, click the Stop button. After the procedure is stopped, the test run is aborted
and the Review tab appears.

Cancel a Test Run

Canceled test runs cannot be restarted.
1. While a test is running, click the Stop button.
2. Click the Cancel the Test Run button.
After canceling a test run, the Review tab appears. You can load another specimen and run
additional test runs.

Crosshead Controls Panel for Electromechanical and

Static Hydraulic Test Systems
The controls described in this section are only available with MTS Criterion and MTS Insight systems.

Crosshead Controls Panel

The Crosshead Controls provide buttons that allow you to move and position the crosshead: up and
down (Jog) buttons, a Return button that moves the crosshead to the Crosshead Return position, and
a Go To button that allows you to specify a position and then move the crosshead to that position.

Crosshead Controls Panel

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Crosshead Controls

Number Control Description

1 Direction Indicates the direction of crosshead movement.
2 Clutch This only applies to electromechanical systems that have a clutch;
indicator servohydraulic and static hydraulic systems do not have a clutch. This
(not indicator shows the clutch that your frame/machine is currently using. If the
shown) indicator points up, the machine is in high clutch. If the indicator points down,
the machine is in low clutch. If your system has a clutch and the indicator is
not visible, open MTS TestSuite Insight Diagnostics, and in the Select
Controller pane, select an MTS Insight Renew frame, and select the
checkbox to indicate a clutch is being used.
3 Down Jog Click to move the crosshead downward. To configure the Jog Mode and
button Ramp Rate, click the down arrow in the lower right corner of the Crosshead
Controls area.
4 Up Jog Click to move the crosshead upward. To configure the Jog Mode and Ramp
button Rate, click the down arrow in the lower right corner of the Crosshead
Controls area.
5 Move the Click to move the crosshead to the Return to Zero position.
crosshead
to the
return
position
6 Move the Click to specify a position and then move the crosshead to that position
crosshead
to a
specified
position

Note: The crosshead can also be controlled with a handset. For more information on using a
handset, see the product manual that came with your system. When control is provided by a
handset, the crosshead controls will be locked and overlaid by the handset exclusive control
icon:

Mechanical Crosshead Limits

There are mechanical crosshead limit switches located above and below the crosshead of your
machine. The crosshead stops moving when it encounters a mechanical limit. Adjust these limit
switches so that they will stop the crosshead before it damages the grips and other fixtures.

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For more information

For detailed instructions on how to set the mechanical crosshead limit switches, see the Product
Manual provided with your system.

Caution:
Unintended force can be applied to a mounted specimen, grips and fixtures, or other objects in
the crosshead path.
Unintended force can injure anyone in its path and damage a mounted specimen, grips and
fixtures, or other objects in the crosshead path.
Before you move the crosshead, make sure that the mechanical crosshead limits are set to help
prevent the crosshead from damaging grips and fixturing and make sure to clear the crosshead
area to help prevent personal injury.

Set the Zero Crosshead Position

To display and configure the Crosshead meter:
1. Display the Crosshead meter if it is not already visible. To display the Crosshead meter, click
the Meter tab on the bottom of the window. Right-click on a meter, select Add Meter, and
click Crosshead.
2. Click the Jog buttons to move the crosshead to the position that you want to establish as zero.
3. Right-click on the Crosshead meter and on the pop-up window, click Zero signal. To remove
this offset, click Clear zero.

Crosshead Meter Zero Signal

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Move the Crosshead Up and Down

Caution:
Unintended force can be applied to a mounted specimen, grips and fixtures, or other objects in
the crosshead path.
Unintended force can injure anyone in its path and damage a mounted specimen, grips and
fixtures, or other objects in the crosshead path.
Before you move the crosshead, make sure that the mechanical crosshead limits are set to help
prevent the crosshead from damaging grips and fixturing and make sure to clear the crosshead
area to help prevent personal injury.

1. Display the Extension meter to provide a real-time indication of the crosshead position.
2. Use the mouse to click and hold the Up or Down button to move the crosshead up or down.
Keep the mouse button depressed for as long as you want the crosshead to move.
3. When the crosshead reaches the desired position, release the mouse button to stop the
crosshead.

Move the Crosshead to the Return Position

The crosshead return position is the position the crosshead moves to when you click the Move
Crosshead to Return Position button. This position is typically set to a position that allows you to attach
a specimen.

Note: Only an MTS FSE can adjust the ramp rate for the Crosshead Return to Zero with the
MTS Insight/Criterion (electromechanical) controller. Contact your MTS service representative
for assistance.

Caution:
Unintended force can be applied to a mounted specimen, grips and fixtures, or other objects in
the crosshead path.
Unintended force can injure anyone in its path and damage a mounted specimen, grips and
fixtures, or other objects in the crosshead path.
Before you move the crosshead, make sure that the mechanical crosshead limits are set to help
prevent the crosshead from damaging grips and fixturing and make sure to clear the crosshead
area to help prevent personal injury.

1. Set the mechanical crosshead limit switches to help prevent the crosshead from damaging the
grips and fixtures.
2. Click the Move Crosshead to Return Position button to move the crosshead to the Return
position.

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Move the Crosshead to a Specified Position

Follow these steps to move the crosshead to a specific position. For example, if the crosshead meter
reads 6 inches, and you specify 3 inches as the Go To position, the crosshead moves down until the
meter reads 3 inches.

Caution:
Unintended force can be applied to a mounted specimen, grips and fixtures, or other objects in
the crosshead path.
Unintended force can injure anyone in its path and damage a mounted specimen, grips and
fixtures, or other objects in the crosshead path.
Before you move the crosshead, make sure that the mechanical crosshead limits are set to help
prevent the crosshead from damaging grips and fixturing and make sure to clear the crosshead
area to help prevent personal injury.

1. Set the mechanical crosshead limit switches to help prevent the crosshead from damaging the
grips and fixtures.
2. Click the Move crosshead to the specified position button to display the Go To window.

Move Crosshead Go To Window

3. In the Go To window, select the appropriate units and type the desired crosshead position.
Click OK to move the crosshead to the specified position.
The Crosshead meter updates as the Crosshead moves to the specified position. The
Direction arrow flashes and indicates the current direction the crosshead is moving, and the
Move crosshead button flashes until the crosshead reaches its specified target.
4. When the crosshead reaches its destination, a message indicates the specified target has
been reached. Click OK.

Status Panel
Note: The following information only pertains to MTS Criterion and MTS Insight.

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The Status portion of the control panel indicates the status of various fault indicators, such as Upper
and Lower limits and the Enclosure Open switch. A red light indicates a fault indicator has been tripped
and must be reset. Hover your cursor over the red light in the Status panel and a message will appear
that states which fault indicator has been tripped. To open the Status window and see a list of all fault
indicators, click the Open Window icon on the Status panel.

Fault Status Indicator Window

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Results
Review Tab Features 536
Review Tab Layout 536
Analyze Test Results 554
Extract Test Results 567

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Review Tab Features

The Review tab shows the results of test runs and provides features that allow you to display and
analyze data. The amount of data collected for each test run is determined by the DAQ (data
acquisition) activities included in your test.

Views and layout features

The Review tab has a number of features that define how data appears in the Review tab:
l Set the number of display panels that appear in the Review tab.
l Add views (charts and tables) to display panels.
l Customize the appearance of charts and tables.
l Select the test run data that appears in charts and tables.
l Create and save displays (settings of the panels and associated views) that you can select.

Data analysis and report features

The review tab includes features that allow you to change variable values used to run tests and
recalculate the results. These features can be used to correct incorrect operator entries (for example,
specimen dimensions) or to create what-if scenarios in R&D applications.
l Select the statistics calculations that are applied to the test.
l Change variable values to recalculate statistics.
l Change chart markers to recalculate statistics.
l Tag test runs (manually or by using the Autotag feature) to remove specific test runs from the
test statistics calculations.
l Manually generate test run and test reports.
l Copy data or chart images to the clipboard for use in other applications.
l Enter post-test variables to complete test analysis.

Review Tab Layout

The Review tab displays after a test run ends showing test run statistics, charts, and so on.

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Review Tab Layout

Review Tab Description

Number Item Description

1 Toolbar Provides icons that allow you skip to the activities in the Finish section of the
test, revert and recalculate variables, generate and print reports, and
configure and save the layout of the Review tab.
2 Test run Shows test results from individual test runs, allows you to compare one test
results run to another, and allows you to exclude (referred to as tagging) individual
table test runs from statistical computations.
Each test run row in the Results table includes a Compare check box that
controls which test run data appears in the charts and tables.
3 Test run Shows information about each test run, such as what test run information is
information available in the charts and tables on the Review tab, what test run data is
table included in calculations, and additional comments for each test run (if
available).

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Number Item Description

4 Test The statistics table shows statistical data compiled from all of the test runs
statistics that are not tagged (excluded). The statistics calculations are user-defined
table by right-clicking the statistics area and clicking Configure Statistics.
5 Graph The graph shows a graphical representation of test run or test results. You
can add, remove, and edit markers on the graph.

Views
A view is chart or table that you can place in a panel on the Review tab. A panel can contain multiple
views but only one view can be active (visible) at a time. The following views are available (the cycle-
based views are not shown in the drop-down list if the test does not contain cycle data):

Description of Views

Variable Table Table that shows non-array-variables (in a single active test-run) and their
properties. For more information, see “Variable Table” on page 548.
Variable Table for Table that shows data from two or more analysis runs selected as an analysis
Multiple Runs set. This table is activated, along with the Variable-Column Table for
Multiple Runs, when an analysis set is created.
Array-Variable Table that shows array-variables (in a single active test-run) and their
Table properties. For more information, see “Array-Variable Table” on page 550.
Fixed-Column Table that shows the value and other properties for each cycle (or boundary)
Boundary Table of each non-array-variable in a single active test-run.
Data Acquisition Table that shows values for each cycle (or boundary) and each array index of
Variable Table each non-array-variable in a single active test-run.
Variable-Column Table that shows values for each cycle (or boundary) of each variable in the
Boundary Table multiple selected test runs. This table is activated, along with the Variable
for Multiple Runs Table for Multiple Runs, when an analysis set is created.
Array-Variable Chart that shows array-variable values versus the array index or another
Marker Chart for array-variable with optional markers.
Multiple Runs

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History Marker Chart that shows values of variables versus the cycles (or boundaries) with
Chart for Multiple optional markers.
Runs
Cycle Marker Chart that shows array-variable values versus the array index or another
Chart for Multiple array-variable at specific cycles (or boundaries) with optional markers.
Runs
Cycle Time Chart that shows array-variable values versus a time array-variable (where
Marker Chart for the time values are shifted so the first index is at zero to allow overlaying data)
Multiple Runs at specific cycles (or boundaries) with optional markers.

Add a View to a Panel

To add a view to a panel:
1. Right-click on a panel.
2. On the Views menu, click Add View.
3. Select a view type from the pop-up menu.

Switch Views Within a Panel

To switch views within a panel:
1. Right-click on a panel.
2. On the Views menu, click Switch to View.
3. Select the view that you want to display.

Select Test Runs to Appear in Charts and Tables

Active test run

The active test run in the results table will appear in each chart and table. The active test run is
indicated by a black triangle in the left column of the results table.

Compare check boxes

The results table includes a Compare check box for each test run. These check boxes determine if the
data for a test run appears in a chart or table view. If multiple Compare check boxes are selected, a
Test Run drop-down list appears at the top of each table.

Right-click options
You can right-click on the results table for other test run selection options.

Delete View
To use the Display Manager window to delete a view:

Important: You cannot delete active (visible) displays. Any view that you delete will not appear
in any display that included that view.

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1. Make sure that the view that you want to delete is not visible.
2. On the Actions drop-down list, click Display and then click Open Display Manager.
3. In the View list, select the view you want to delete and click Delete.

View Test-Run Data in Chart and Table Views

As each test run is completed, it becomes the active test run in the Results table and its data is shown
in the various charts and tables.
To make additional test run data available to view, use the Compare check boxes that appear next to
each test run in the Results table.
l If none of the Compare check boxes are selected, the active test run determines the test run
for which data is shown in each table and chart.
l If more than one Compare check box is selected, the data for each test run is displayed in all
charts.
l If the Compare check box for more than one test run is selected, a test-run list (containing all
test runs) appears at the top of each table. Use this list to select the test-run data that you want
to display in the table.

Note: If the view supports multiple test runs, the data for each test run is displayed in
the table or chart.

Copy and Paste Views from One Test to Another

If you create a custom view for a test (for example, a table that only includes certain columns presented
in a particular order), you can use the Display Manager window to copy that view from the test and
paste it into another test.
1. Use the Display Manager window to copy the view.
A. Open the test that contains the view that you want to copy.
B. Click the Review tab.
C. Click the Actions drop-down arrow, hover over Display, and select Open Display
Manager.
D. In the Views column, select a view, right click and click Copy.
E. Close the Display Manager window and close the test.
2. Open another test and paste the view into the Display Manager window’s View column.
A. Open the test to which you want to add the copied view.
B. Click the Review tab.
C. Click the Actions drop-down arrow, hover over Display, and select Open Display
Manager.
D. Right-click in the View column and click Paste.

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Configure Chart Window

The Configure Chart window is used to configure many of the tables and charts and contains the
following information.

Traces
A trace is the representation of a series of values plotted against another series of values. Depending
on the type of view, you can plot signal or variable data on either the Y- or X-axis.
If you define more than one trace on an axis, all the traces must have the same dimension. For
example, you cannot add a force signal trace and a displacement signal trace together on the Y-axis.
If you define more than one trace on an axis, a legend is displayed by default. You can use the Hide
Legend option to hide the legend.

Line and Symbol

Line and Symbol Display Properties

Item Description
Opacity Adjust the opacity to better see through traces when they overlap. If you set the opacity
to a lower value, it makes the trace more transparent.
Draw Click this check box to draw lines between data points. Clear the Draw Line check box
Line and click OK to only show data points if a Symbol Type is selected, otherwise, the trace
is not drawn.
Line Select the thickness of the lines from 1 to 10 points.
Thickness
Line Type Select the line style as solid, dotted, or dashed.
Symbol Select the type of symbol to mark the location of data points. If you do not want to mark
Type the data points with symbols, choose the blank selection in the list.
Symbol Select the size of the data point symbols. To automatically size the symbols, select the
Size multiple size image, which is the first item in the drop-down list.

Limit or Curve Fit Lines

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Limit or Curve Fit Lines

Item Description
Add a Limit or Click to add a limit or curve fit line.
Curve Fit Line
Remove a Click to remove a limit or curve fit line.
Limit or Curve
Fit Line
Limit or Curve Lists the names of the limit or curve fit lines that are defined for the scope or chart. If
Fit Lines more than one line is defined, use the up-arrow and down-arrow buttons to scroll
the list.
Click the Add icon to add a limit or curve fit line. Click the Minus icon to remove a
limit or curve fit line.
When the Horizontal, Vertical, or Slope Intercept radio button is selected and no
variable is defined, this box shows Undefined Limit.
Color Use the color that is shown, or click the down-arrow and select an alternate color
for the selected trace.
Limit Type The types include:
l Horizontal—Shows a single value parallel to the X axis
l Vertical—Shows a single value parallel to the Y axis
l Slope Intercept, M*x+b—Shows a curve aligned with the slope of the trace
l General Array—Shows an array for the X and Y variables as complex
limits that are not linear, such a logarithmic or polynomial
Y Variable Click the down arrow and select a variable, or create a new variable.
X Variable Click the down arrow and select a variable, or create a new variable.
Legend Label Enter text for the trace legend.

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X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

X-Axis and Y-Axis Properties

Item Description
Display Select a display unit for the selected trace signal. The list only shows the set of units
Unit that are compatible with the dimension of the signal that is assigned to the selected
trace.
Blank is the default value.
Maximum Set the display range of the Y axis to the maximum or minimum values.
or
Minimum Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
To have the software calculate the maximum or minimum value(s) of the Y signal and
then set the maximum or minimum display range to the value(s), click to clear the check
boxes.
To manually set the maximum or minimum display range for the Y axis, select the check
boxes and then specify the maximum or minimum values.
Mean or Set the display range of the Y axis to the amplitude or mean values. Amplitude is a plus
Amplitude or minus display range. Mean is an offset, and the amplitude is relative to the mean.
Click the corresponding button to use this feature.
Click to clear the check box(es) to have the application set the amplitude or mean
display range to the amplitude or mean value(s) of the X signal.
Click the check box(es) and then specify the amplitude or mean values to manually set

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Item Description
the amplitude or mean display range for the X axis.
Expand Click the check box to allow a range to automatically expand if the data exceeds the
Only maximum and minimum ranges. The chart does not rescale to a smaller range.
Log Scale Toggle between linear scale and log scale for the axis. Select the check box for
logarithmic scale. Leave the box blank for linear scale.

X-Axis and Y-Axis Advanced Properties

Item Description
Log Set the base for displaying values in a logarithmic format. Click the up-arrow or down-
Base arrow to raise or lower the base.
Label Set the number of significant digits displayed in the labels along the X-axis and Y-axis. Only
Digits non-zero digits are shown after the decimal point to avoid overcrowding in the label area
next to the axis.
Color Set the color of the associated trace or axis. Click the down-arrow and select a color from
the list.
Draw Select the check box to show grid lines on the chart. Deselect the check box to suppress
Grid the grid lines.
Lines

Point Pick

Point Pick Window

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Point Pick Properties

Item Description
Show Click the check box to show a circle around an individual data point and the value of
Highlight the point when selected by the mouse cursor. Deselect the check box to suppress
Circle the data display.

Tip: After you select a location on the graph, use the left and right arrow keys
to traverse the graph one data point at a time.
Show Delta Show the values of two points, the difference between their values, and the slope of
and Slope a line drawn through the two points.
Labels
Number of Specify the number of rows used to arrange the labels, delta, and slope. Click the
Rows up-arrow or down-arrow to increase or decrease the number of rows. The value
range is 1 - 6.

Titles and Legends Button

Titles and Legends Button

Click the Titles and Legends button to open the Chart Titles and Legend window where you can
configure the details of your display and legend, such as color, font size, location in the window, and
border details.

Chart Titles and Legend Window

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Zoom to Region
You can zoom in on a point on a line, which may be a marker or a variable, using Zoom to Regions on
the Configure Chart window. The zoom to option then appears when you right-click on the graph.
Click the plus sign to open the Zoom to Region window.

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Zoom to Region Window

Table Views
Add and Configure Table Views
To add and configure table views:
1. Add a table to the current display.
A. Right-click in the chart/table area and click Views and then Add View.
B. Select the type of table that you want to add.
2. Customize the columns that appear in the table.
A. Click the Column Chooser icon.
B. In the Column Chooser window, select the check box for each column that you want
to appear in the table.
3. Optional - Rearrange the column order by clicking on a column heading and dragging it to the
desired location.

Note: Rearranging columns in the Statistics table is temporary. The next time you run
the test, the order will revert to the order that the test designer set in the application Set
Variables Order window.

Add Variables to Statistics and Results Table

Variables whose properties have the Results check box selected will appear as columns in the
Statistics table and as rows in the Results table.

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1. Click the Test Definition tab.

2. Click the Variables tab.
3. Select the variable that you want to include in Statistics and Results tables.
4. In the Properties panel for the selected variable, select the Results check box.

Variable Table
The Variable Table shows the current value of the selected analysis run variables. The table supports
direct value overrides that can be used for error correction or “what if” speculation.
You can override values for data not measured from a signal directly in the Value column. However,
you cannot override and recalculate calculations, unless you type a number in the Value column. In
that case, the calculation is handled as an assigned constant value.
Changes made in the Variable Table are processed only in the current analysis run.

Variable Table

By default, the One Panel View is shown. If you click the Two Panel View button, the second panel for
the Variable Table is pre-configured to show the columns selected in the following figure, by default.

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Default Columns for Variable Table

In these tables, You can filter the results that appear in any column. The funnel turns blue when filtering
is on; click the funnel to see a drop-down list of filtering options.

Column Filtering

You can configure the columns to be shown for the variables and variable array values in the table by
clicking the Column Chooser icon, as shown in the following figure.

Column Chooser Button

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You can override values for data not measured from a signal directly in the Value column. However,
you cannot override and recalculate calculations, unless you type a number in the Value column. In
that case, the calculation is handled as an assigned constant value.

Array-Variable Table
The Array-Variable table shows you the element values in one or more selected array variables. Click
the Array Variables button to open the Variables Selection window. Use the arrows to move
Available Variables to the Selected Variables box and click OK.

Variables Selection Window

l Right Arrow button—Click this button to add a variable that you have selected on the Available
Variables panel to the Selected Variables panel.
l Double Right Arrow button—Click this button to add all variables to the Selected Variables
panel.
l Left Arrow button—Click this button to delete a single variable from the Selected Variables
panel.
l Double Left Arrow button—Click this button to delete all the variables from the Selected
Variables panel.
The default left-hand column of the table is the Array Index. Subsequent columns contain the values of
the array variables.

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You can see the units for each selected array variable using the Column Chooser button.

Variable-Column Boundary Table

The Variable-Column Boundary table shows the current values of the selected variables. The number
of possible table columns depends on the number of data-collection variables and types of indexes.
Each row contains data from one cycle or data group.

Variable Table for Multiple Runs

The Variable Table for Multiple Runs shows data from two or more analysis runs.
Values and calculations cannot be changed or recalculated in the table. Values that have been
previously changed in an analysis run are indicated by a check mark in the Modified column of the table
row.
The table columns available for the table are determined by the analysis definition. For display,
columns are removed or added using the Column Chooser.
The number of rows for each analysis run is determined by the number of identifiers in the analysis run.
Rows can be grouped, sorted, and filtered for ease of comparison.
The Variable Table for Multiple Runs cannot be saved for future use.

Variable-Column Table for Multiple Runs

The New Variable-Column Table for Multiple Runs shows data from two or more analysis runs
selected as a multi-run analysis. The table is typically used for comparing the data of the analysis runs.
This table is activated with the Variable Table for Multiple Runs when a multi-run analysis is created.
The table has one row for each analysis run. The table columns are determined by the analysis
definition. For display, table columns are added or removed using the Column Chooser button.
The New Variable-Column Table for Multiple Runs cannot be saved for future use. However, data can
be printed and exported.

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Chart Views
Active Test Run
Charts can display data for multiple test runs but activities such as adding and removing markers,
moving markers, and adding text annotations are only applied to the active test run in the results table.
The active test run is indicated by a black triangle in the left column of the results table.

Add Text to a Chart

To add text to a chart, move text, or attach text to a different data point:

Add text
1. In the Results Table at the top of the Review window, select the test run that you want to
annotate with a text callout.
The black triangle on the left of the Results table indicates the active test-run selection.
2. Right click on the chart near the point of the curve where you want to attach a text box and
arrow and click Add Text.
3. Use the Edit window to define the text and line attributes.
The default text is the name of the test run that you selected (the active test run) in the Results
table.

Move text
Click and drag the text to reposition it on the chart.

Attach text to a different data point

1. Right-click on the text and click Attach to different data point.
2. Move the cross hairs to a point on the curve where you want to attach the text and click.
When the cross hair is positioned on the test-run curve associated with the text, the color of
the cross hair circle will match the color of the box.
3. After the text is attached to the desired data point, right-click on the text box and deselect
(uncheck) the Attach to different data point option to hide the cross hair.

Add and Configure a Chart

To add and configure a chart:
1. Add a chart to the current display.
A. Right-click in the chart/table area and click Add View.
B. Select the type of chart that you want to add.
2. Right-click and click Configure Chart.

Array-Variable Marker Chart for Multiple Runs

The Array-Variable Marker Chart for Multiple Runs shows array-variable values versus the array index
of another array-variable. You can also add optional markers.

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Array-Variable Marker Chart for Multiple Runs

To configure the chart, right-click on the chart and select Configure Chart.

History Marker Chart for Multiple Runs

The History Marker Chart for Multiple Runs allows you to add markers and lines to history charts.

Example History Marker Chart for Multiple Runs

Right-click on the chart and select Configure Chart.

Markers
Right-click on a marker to open Add or Remove Markers, Edit Marker, Edit Variable, and Move
Selected Marker.

Marker Properties

Item Description
Add or Opens the Variables Selection window where you can use the arrows to add or remove
Remove variables. When you add a variable to the Selected Variables box, it appears on the
Markers graph.
To remove a marker, right-click on the marker to be removed and select Add or Remove
Markers. In the Variables Selection window, move the variable to be removed from the
Selected Variables box to the Available Variables box. The marker is removed from
the chart.
Edit Select to change the Display Name and Symbol Color of the marker.
Marker
Edit Select to open the Edit Variable window where you can modify various aspects of the
Variable selected variable.

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Item Description
Move To reposition the marker, right-click on the marker to reposition and select the Move
Selected Selected Marker. Move your cursor along the curve. When the cursor touches a data
Marker point, an orange circle surrounds the point and shows the X and Y values. To set the
marker, click the curve at the data point. The orange circle changes to an orange diamond
shape. Right-click and select Move Selected Marker to clear the move action. The
marker changes to a purple diamond shape.
To move the marker to the original location, right-click on the moved marker and select
Reset Marker.

Cycle Marker Chart for Multiple Runs

The Cycle Marker Chart for Multiple Runs on the Review tab panel, shows array-variable values
versus the array index or another array-variable at specific cycles (or boundaries). You can also add
optional markers.
To add the chart, right-click on the panel and select Views > Add View. To configure the chart, right-
click on the chart and select Configure Chart.

Cycle Time Marker Chart for Multiple Runs

The Cycle Time Marker Chart for Multiple Runs on the Review tab panel shows array-variable values
versus a time array-variable, where the time values are shifted so the first index is at zero to allow
overlaying date, at specific cycles (or boundaries). You can also add optional markers.
To add the chart, right-click on the panel and select Views > Add View. To configure the chart, right-
click on the chart and select Configure Chart. The Configure Chart window opens.

Analyze Test Results

Results Table
The Results table shows the results of each test run and user-selected statistical calculations that
include all non-tagged test runs.

Test runs
Each test run appears as a row in the Results table.

Statistics
At the bottom of the results table are calculated statistical values (such as Mean and Standard
Deviation) for the test. The types of statistics displayed and their order is user defined. Statistics
calculations include data from all the test runs that are not tagged (excluded) from the test.

Note: The list of available statistics calculations is hard coded and cannot be edited.

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Results columns
Each variable whose Results properties check box is selected will appear as a column in the results
table. Once a column is added, the value calculated from the test runs appears and is included in any
statistical calculations.

Add and Configure Statistics Calculations in Results Table

1. Right-click the statistics portion of the results table and click Configure Statistics.
2. Use the Configure Statistics window to add or remove statistics calculations and change the
order in which they appear.

Add Columns to Results Table

To add columns to the results table:
1. Click the Test Definition tab.
2. Click the Variables tab.
3. In the variables list, click the variable that you want to appear as a column in the results table.
4. In the variable’s Availability properties, select the Result check box.

Change Test Variable Values for Post-Test Analysis

The procedures in the following section assume that you have added the Variable Table view to the
panels section on the Review tab. This table allows you to create what-if analysis scenarios by
changing test variable values and observing the test results.

Change Test Variable Values

Important: Only variables whose properties have the Editable Post-Test check box selected
can be changed in the Review tab.
1. Click the Review tab.
2. On the Results table, select a test run.
A black arrow appears to the left of the selected test run.
3. In the Variables table, click in the Value cell of the variable that you want to change and type
the new value.
If necessary, right-click and add a Variable Table view to the display.
4. Click outside the cell to replace the current variable value with the new value.
l In the Results table, any statistical calculation that includes the modified variable
changes to reflect the new value. Any charts that are affected by the new value will
also reflect the changes.
l In the Variable Table, a Reset button appears next to the changed variable in the
Reset Value column. Click this button to undo any changes made to the variable.
l In the Variable Table for Multiple Runs, the Modified column check box for the
variable that you just changed is selected.

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5. Optional - Generate a report that shows the changes or use the Export Raw Data function to
analyze the data in another application.

Revert Changes to Test-Run Variable Values

The Review tab provides a number of ways to revert changes that you make to test run variable
values.

Reset Value column

When a variable value is changed in a variable table, a Reset button for that variable appears in the
Reset Value Column.
Click the Reset button to revert any changes to the variable.

Revert and Recalculate the Test Variables button

Click the Revert and Recalculate the Test Variables button to revert all variable changes (in all test
runs) and recalculate the statistics in the Results table.

Note: This button can also be used to apply changes made to the Auto Tag rules.

Revert and Recalculate the Test-Run Variables button

1. Click on a test run to select it.

Note: In the Results table, the selected test run is indicated by a black arrow to the left
of the test run.
2. Click the Revert and Recalculate the Test Run Variables button to revert all variable
changes in the selected test run and recalculate the statistics in the Results table.

Tag Test Runs

At the end of each test run, the Review tab displays to allow you to evaluate the data to ensure that the
test run is valid.
l Tagging a test run removes the test run results from the statistics calculations.
l The Autotag feature allows you to create rules that determine when a test run is automatically
tagged. The Autotag rules are applied as each test run is executed or can be defined and
applied post-test.

Exclude Test Run from Statistical Calculations

To exclude the data of a test run from statistics calculations:
1. Select the test run.
2. Select the Tagged check box for the selected test run. When tagged, the test run results are
removed from statistics calculations.

Configure Autotag Rules

To configure an autotag rule:

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1. Right-click the Results table and click Configure Autotag Rules.

2. Use the Configure Autotag Rules window to define rules that will result in a test run being
automatically tagged.
A. In the Rule list, click + to add an autotag rule.
B. In the Calculation list, use the Calculation Editor to define rules that will result in a
test run being automatically tagged.
When the calculation is true for a particular test run, the test run is
automatically tagged.
C. In the Error Message box, enter the message that will appear on the Review tab
when you move the mouse over an autotagged test run.
D. When done, click Close to apply the autotag rule. (You do not need to manually
recalculate.)

Important: If you get unexpected results, it may be because the autotag rule uses system
variable units as opposed to project variable units. Make sure that your rule uses system units.
You can find the system units by looking on the Variables tab provided at the bottom of the
Configure Autotag Rules window as shown in the following illustration.

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Example
Suppose you want to automatically exclude test runs with grip slippage. For this example, assume that
peak loads less than 1.8 kN indicate grip slippage. Setting up an autotag rule will automatically tag
those test runs so that they do not affect your statistical results and reports. The following procedure
shows how to set up an autotag rule.
1. Open the autotag window by right-clicking anywhere in the leftmost panel and selecting
Configure Autotag Rules.

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2. Set up a rule.

A. Add a rule.
Click the green + sign in the upper right corner of the Configure Autotag Rules
window.
B. Enter a variable.
Click the Variables tab, and then select PeakLoad from the list. PeakLoad appears
in the Calculation panel.
C. Enter a function and a value.
In the Calculation panel, enter <1800 immediately following PeakLoad.
D. Enter an error message.
Enter PeakLoad is less than 1.8kN in the Error Message text box.

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E. Click Close.

Notice that Test Run 3 is autotagged. While autotagging can conveniently tag test
runs with numerical data, it will not tag test runs without numerical data. Always
review autotagging results to ensure the results are as expected.

Apply Autotag Rules

Autotag rules can be changed and applied before or after test runs.
1. Change or add autotag rules.
2. Click the Revert and Recalculate the Test Variables button to apply the modified auto-tag
rules to all test runs.

User-defined Variables in Auto-Tag Calculations Overview

If your Auto Tag rules contain calculations that contain constant(s) that could change for different
specimen or material types, you can create a variable to represent the constant.
For example, if you want to autotag modulus calculations that fall outside of an acceptable range, you
could create two variables, one for the lower limit and one for the upper limit and create two auto-tag
rules.
Rule Number One: Calculation: Modulus<(Lower Limit Variable) Error Message: “Modulus is below
the lower limit.”
Rule Number Two: Calculation: Modulus>(Upper Limit Variable) Error Message: “Modulus is above
the upper limit.”
Optional - If you set each variable availability property to Pretest, the operator can enter the value for
each variable in the Setup Variables window that appears for each test run.

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Important: To avoid unit-conversion issues with calculations, it is good practice to create a

variable to hold any constant value (that has a dimension and units associated with it) used in a
calculation. You can assign any units that you want to the variable and the application converts
them to the base units when the calculation is performed.

Use User-Defined Variables in Auto-Tag Calculations

1. Create variables to represent the constants that you want to use in the auto-tag calculation.
If you want the operator to enter a value for the auto-tag variable in a Setup Variables window
at the beginning of a test: In the variable properties, select the Pretest check box.
2. Configure the Auto Tag Rules for the test.
In the Configure Auto Tag Rules window, the auto-tag variable that you just created appears
in the Variables list. This variable can be inserted into any calculation that you create.

Markers
A marker is a variable that defines a data point in a test run. Selected markers appear in charts as a
symbol placed on a data point.
A marker variable can be defined by a calculation or when a run-time event occurs. In either case, the
marker variable saves an index into a data array. When the marker is added to a chart, its position
represents the x and y axis values associated with the index.
l Calculated - Marker values are typically derived from a calculation and are often used in a
calculation. For example, the least squares calculation for the modulus line uses two
calculated marker variables (Slope1 and Slope2) that appear on a chart.
l Run-time events- Markers may also be assigned during a test by an operator through a digital
input to provide a visual cue that an event has occurred. For example, an operator may create
markers by pressing a key on the handset during a pull test to mark an event. A digital input
triggered during a test run can also mark an event.

Marker Variables

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How are markers used?

Markers are primarily used in post-test analysis, reports, and calculations.
l Run-time markers provide a visual cue that an event has occurred during a test run.
l Yield, break, and peak load are examples of calculated markers that mark events and whose
values are used in other calculations.

Can markers be moved?

Marker variables that are configured as Editable Post-Test can be moved to a different location on the
curve.
For example, if there is an anomaly in test-run data at a marker data point, you can move the marker to
a different location.
Because the marker represents an index value, moving the marker changes its index value and will
automatically change the value of any calculation that includes the marker.

Note:
To revert any changes caused by moving markers, click the Revert and Recalculate the Test
Variables icon in the Review tab toolbar.

How do you create markers?

Many markers are predefined as part of an MTS template. For example, tensile templates include
predefined yield, break, peak-load markers. In addition to predefined template markers, there are
other ways to create markers:
l Create a new variable and configure it as a marker.
l Add run-time marker capability to your test so that an operator or digital input can add markers
to a test run.

Note:
You can create markers after a test run to annotate a chart.

How do you display markers?

Each chart in the Review tab has a right-click option to Add or Remove Markers.

Rules for marker calculations

Calculation results for marker variables must return an index value.
For example the break Index Marker expression BreakIndexByDropPerExt( _Load, BreakDrop,
PrimaryExt, BreakElongation) returns the peak index of the specified channel (in this instance, the _
Load channel).
In the following example, the break index marker (F) returned an index value of 74. When the break
index marker is added to the Load versus Extension chart, the value for index 74 from the load and
extension arrays are used to plot the marker.

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Marker Calculations

Marker examples
Peel tests - Move the start and end markers (usually a calculation that calculates the average value
between these two markers). You can move the markers to compensate for anomalies that occurred
during the test run.
Modulus calculations - Place B and M markers in the chart, the slope of the modulus line is calculated
using a least squares algorithm.

Create a Marker Variable

To create a marker variable:
1. Click the Define tab and then click the Variables tab.
2. On the Variables tab, click +.
3. In the New Variable window, enter the variable identifier.
4. On the variable Properties panel, make the following settings:
A. On the Type list, click Number.
B. On the Dimension list, click Count.
C. Optional - If the marker will be defined by a calculation, select the Is Calculated
check box.
l Click [...] to enter a calculation for the marker.
D. Configure the Availability settings:
l If you want to move the markers in post-test analysis, select the Editable
Post-Test check box and clear the Evaluate Only During Test? check
box.

Note: Calculations assigned to marker variables must result in an index value.

Run-Time Markers Overview

Run-time markers are user-initiated markers used to mark an event that occurs while a test segment is
performed. For instance, if a specimen begins to tear before it fails, you may want to use a run-time
marker to mark the point when the tear began. To use run-time markers, you must modify your test.

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Run-time markers are typically set by a digital input triggered by one of the F keys (F1 or F2) on the
handset. You can also use hardwired digital inputs to trigger a marker.

Add Run-Time Marker Capability to Your Test

To add run-time marker capability to a test:
1. Use the Variables Editor (Test Definition tab > Variables tab) to create the following
variables:
l LoopCount (set the dimension to count)
l MarkerArray (set the dimension to count)
2. Add a While Loop activity in parallel with the test’s Data Acquisition and Command paths.
3. Add the following activities to the While Loop (in the order listed):
Digital Input Activity- This is typically an F1 or F2 digital input from a handset. Digital inputs
are listed on the Resources tab.
A. Click the Digital Input activity to display the properties.
B. On the Progress Table list, create the following settings:
Monitor: Continuous
Trigger When: Any Digital Event Occurs
Action: Leave blank
Log: None
C. On the Digital Inputs List, click + and use the Signals Selection window to add the
digital input (typically Handset F1 Key or Handset F2 Key) that you will use to
generate run-time markers.
D. On the Digital Inputs List, select the digital input and on the Options list, click High to
Low.
Assign Variable Activity 1 - This activity adds a marker to the MarkerArray variable
that you created earlier.
E. Click the Assign Variables activity to display the properties.
F. On the Variables List, click + and use the Variable Selection window to add the
MarkerArray variable that you created earlier, and click OK.
G. On the Variables List, double-click the MarkerArray variable and use the Calculation
Editor window to add the following expression: SizeOfArray(AxialForceDataArray-1).
This expression sets the newly added marker to the index of the most recent data
point. To open the Calculation Editor, select a calculation variable and in the
Calculation panel of the Properties panel, click the ... button.

Note:
The AxialForceDataArray is used in the above expression example. You can
specify any array available in your test’s activity.

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H. Right-click the MarkerArray variable, click Set Index, and use the Set Array Index
window to select LoopCount as the index.
Assign Variable Activity 2 - This activity increments the LoopCount variable that you
created earlier.
I. Click the Assign Variables activity to display the properties.
J. On the Variable List, click + and use the Variable Selection window to add the
LoopCount variable that you created earlier, and click OK.
K. On the Variable List, double-click the LoopCount variable and use the Calculation
Editor window to add the following expression: LoopCount+1.

Important:
To view run-time markers in a Review tab chart, right-click on the chart, click
Add or Remove Markers and add the MarkerArray variable to the Selected
Variables list.

Add or Remove Markers from a Chart

To add or remove a marker from a chart:
1. Right-click on a chart and select Add or Remove Markers.
2. Use the Variable Selection window to add or remove markers.
3. Click OK.
The changes you made to the markers do not affect the markers in the other charts.

Move Markers in a Chart

You can move chart markers to recalculate statistics and results.
1. Right-click on a marker and select Move Selected Marker.
2. Move the cross hairs to the point on the curve where you want to move the marker to and click.
The circle and the coordinates indicate the position.
3. After the marker is moved to the desired position, right-click the marker and deselect the Move
Selected Marker selection to turn off the cross hair feature.

Note: To revert any changes caused by moving markers, click the Revert and
Recalculate the Test Variables icon in the Review tab toolbar.

Edit Chart Markers

To edit a chart marker:
1. Right-click a marker and select Edit Marker.
2. Use the Marker window to change the display name or the marker color.
3. Click OK.

Invalid Markers Overview

An invalid (or missing) marker has a value that causes the marker to not appear on a chart.

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Moving Invalid Markers

To move an invalid marker:
1. Right-click on the chart that has an invalid marker and click Move Invalid Markers and select
the marker that you want to move.
2. Move the cross hairs to the point on the curve where you want the marker to and click.
3. After the marker is moved to the desired position, right-click the marker and deselect the Move
Selected Marker selection to turn off the cross hair feature.

Extract Test Results

Create Test Reports
Reports Overview
The Review tab toolbar can be used to manually generate a report for a single test run or for a test (all
test runs).
To generate a report, you must select a report template file that defines what information is shown in a
test report and how that information is formatted. The report template and the resulting report are
Microsoft Excel files.
The MTS TestSuite application creates a test report by opening the report template, populating it with
the data from the test run, formatting the data, and saving the report as a separate report file.

Note: A report can be generated without Excel installed. The Reporter Add-In option is required
to create report templates.

Report Templates Overview

A report template is an Excel template file that defines what information is shown in a test report and
how that information appears. Report templates are created and modified using the MTS TestSuite
Report tab that appears in the Microsoft Excel application when the Reporter Add-In option is
installed.You can design report templates to generate reports for a single test run or for a test (all test
runs).
Because the report template defines the information that appears in the report, different test types
(with unique sets of variables and other information) may require their own custom report templates.
Another use of report templates is to customize the type of information shown for a specific audience.

For more information

For more information on how to create report templates, see the Reporter Add-In User Guide.

Select Default Report Template and Report Directories

To select default report template and report directories:
1. From the Preferences menu, click Configuration.
2. Click the Project tab and select the Project that you want to configure.

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3. Select the default directories for storing report templates and generated reports.

Important: If you leave the Report Directory setting blank, test run reports are saved
with the test run.

Open, Print, Rename, or Delete Report

To open, print, rename, or delete a report:
1. On the Actions drop-down list, click View Reports.
2. The Reports window lists all of the reports generated for the current test.
3. Right-click any of the listed reports and select the appropriate action to open, print, rename, or
delete the report.

Generate a Report for a Test Run

To generate a report for a test run:
1. Select the test-run template that you want to use to create the report.
A. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Generate a report for the selected test run(s)
icon.
B. Click the report template that you want to use.
2. Click the Test Run Report icon.
The Excel application automatically starts and the test data for the test run is read into the
template.

Important: If you select (highlight) multiple test runs and click the report icon, you will
generate a separate report for each selected test run.

Generate a Single Report for the Test (all test runs)

1. Select the test-run template that you want to use to create the report.
A. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Generate a report that includes all test runs
icon.
B. Click the report template that you wish to use.
2. Click the Test Report icon.
The Excel application automatically starts and the test data for the test run is read into the
template.

Extract Data and Images

Copy and Paste Rows
To copy and paste rows from the Results table to another application:

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1. Click the Review tab.

2. In the Results table at the top of the Review tab, highlight the rows that you want to copy.
If you want to copy all the test runs, right-click on the Results table and click Select all Rows.
3. Right-click on the Results table and click Copy.
4. Paste the copied cells into another application, such as Microsoft Excel.

Copy Chart Data to Clipboard

To copy chart data to the clipboard:
1. Click the Review tab.
2. Right-click on a chart and click Copy Values.
3. Paste the copied cells into another application, such as Microsoft Excel.

Copy Chart Image

To copy a chart image:
1. Click the Review tab.
2. Right-click on a chart and click Copy Image.
3. Paste the copied image into another application.

Save Chart Image

To save a chart image:
1. Click the Review tab.
2. Right-click on a chart and click Save as Image.

Export Raw Data

You can export raw test-run data as tab- or comma-delimited text (.txt) files that can be used by other
applications.

Export Raw Data for a Test Run

To export raw data for a test run:
1. Click the Review tab.
2. In the Test Run table, right-click a test run and select Export Raw Data.
3. In the Export Raw Data Window, define the Export Raw Data Properties. For property
definitions, see “Export Raw Data Properties” on page 569.
4. Click OK.

Export Raw Data Properties

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Export Raw Data Properties

Item Description
Folder Defines the path to the directory in which the application writes the data file. The
Path default directory path is: “<Data Files>”. By default, “<Data Files>” points to C:\MTS
TestSuite\Data Files.
You can set the default directory path in the Configuration window (Preferences >
Configuration > Project > Data Export Directory).
Folder Defines whether the application saves the data file in a new folder or overwrites an
Save existing folder.
Format Defines whether the data is written as tab delimited text or comma separated values.
Unit Set Defines the unit set in which the data is written.
Data Defines the DAQ (data acquisition) activities whose data will be included in the data
Acquisition export. Each data export activity selected will result in a separate export file.
List
Signal List Defines which signal data will be included in the data export file.
Combine Writes peak and valley values side-by-side in different columns on the same line to
Peak- facilitate comparison.
Valley on
One Line
Filter Writes a single minimum and a single maximum value to the data file. This feature is
Minimum- useful if you want only the single-most minimum and the single-most maximum values
Maximum in instances where the application produces multiple values for each (due to looping
Data or restarting the test).
If this feature is not enabled, the data file will contain a minimum and a maximum value
for each time activity run during the test

Displays
A Display is a convenient way to save the layout of the Review tab including the number of panels,
panel sizing, and the views associated with each panel. Once saved, use the Display Manager window
to select and manage displays.

Save a Display
To save a display:
1. Arrange the layout and appearance of the charts and tables in the Review tab.
2. Click the Actions drop-down list and click Display and then Save Display As.

Switch to Previously Saved Display

To switch to a previously saved display:

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1. Click the Actions drop-down list and click Display and then Switch to Display.
2. On the Display menu, click a previously saved display.

Delete a Display
To delete a display:
1. Click the Actions drop-down list and click Display and then Open Display Manager.
2. Use the Display Manager window to delete a previously saved display.

Note: You cannot delete the active display.

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Appendix: Converting and

Importing from TestWorks 4
Converting TestWorks 4 Methods and Sample Files 574
Importing TestWorks 4 Text Files 575

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Converting TestWorks 4 Methods and Sample Files

Fastpath:
Start menu > All Programs > MTS TestSuite > TestWorks 4 Converter
The TestWorks 4 Converter allows you to convert TestWorks 4 methods and sample files, or entire
folders, so they can be used with the MTS TestSuite TW application.
There are differences in file formats and pre-set parameters (such as safety parameters) between the
two programs, therefore, you must review each converted template or test to confirm the accuracy of
the conversion. Although the intent of the converter is to provide a completely converted file, MTS does
not guarantee that it can or will permit complete conversion of your TestWorks 4 method or sample file
into an MTS TestSuite TW template or test.

Converting a TestWorks 4 Method or Sample File

TestWorks 4 Method and Sample File Converter

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1. Open the TestWorks 4 converter from Start menu > All Programs > MTS TestSuite >
TestWorks 4 Converter.
2. Click the radio button for Test or Template conversion.
3. If applicable select any of the following options:
A. Convert for TW Essential—Creates a template that is editable in the
MTS TestSuite TWE application.
B. Omit disabled segments—Any disabled test segments in the TW4 method will not
be converted into the resulting template.
C. Omit disabled inputs and formulas—Any disabled input or formula int he TW4
method will not be converted into the resulting template
4. Save to the default file location, or click Change and browse for a different folder.
5. Drag your method or sample file or folder onto the converter window.
6. After the conversion process is complete, you will see a message indicating success or failure.
Once converted, the test or template is stored in a sub-folder with the same name in the
default file location.
7. Open the converted test or create the test from the converted template and verify the
conversion results.

Importing TestWorks 4 Text Files

Fastpath:
Start menu > All Programs > MTS TestSuite > TestWorks 4 Converter
The MTS TestSuite applications allow you to import information from a TestWorks 4 text file, such as a
LIMS file, into a TW test template to create a TW test file. You can use the TestWorks 4 conversion
utility to first convert your TestWorks 4 method to a TW template.
After importing the text file, the TW test template will be populated with the imported information for the
correct number of test runs, global variable values, test run variable values, and the correct number of
points in array variables in the test runs. As with all import and conversion procedures, you should
review and/or run the test after the import process to verify that all information was imported properly.

Note: When you import the file, the imported resources may not map to the controller resources
of the control system networked with your session or workstation. You will have to correct these
resource validation errors before using the test. For more information about resources, see
“Working with Resources” on page 94.
Before you import the file, verify the following:
l The MTS TestSuite template must have the same name as the TestWorks 4 method and be
placed in the templates folder (by default, it is C:\MTS TestSuite\Templates).
l TestWorks 4 Global variables must be found in the Common variables section in the loaded
template or an error will be generated and the import process will stop.

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Importing a TestWorks 4 Text File

1. On the TW application, select File menu > New > Test from TestWorks 4 text file. The TW
File Open window opens.
2. Select a TestWorks 4 text file. Click Open. A progress window appears as the new test is
created. Some errors or warnings may be generated during the import process, which will be
logged at the end of the process. If one or more errors is found in the Global Variables section
of the text file, the test will not be created. If one or more errors is found in the Specimen (Test
Run) section of the text file, the corresponding Test Run will not be added to the test.
3. After the new MTS TestSuite test has been created, it opens in the TW application workspace
where you can test its validity.

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Appendix: Eurotherm 2000

Series Temperature Controller
Overview 578
Connecting to the Computer 579
Configuring the External Device File for EI-Bisynch Single Zone 583
Configuring the External Device File for EI-Bisynch Multi-Zone 587
Importing Controller Resources 592
Adding Meters 594
Adding Temperature Control Activity to Procedure 595

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Overview
Configuring MTS TestSuite TW to communicate with a Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature
Controller consists of five steps.
1. Connecting to the computer
2. Configuring the external device file
3. Importing controller resources
4. Adding meters
5. Adding temperature control to the procedure

Note: To communicate with a single Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature Controller, use
Configuring the External Device File for EI-Bisynch Single Zone. To communicate with
more than one Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature Controllers, use Configuring the
External Device File for EI-Bisynch Multi-Zone. Configured external device files can be
exported and imported onto a different system.

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Connecting to the Computer

Connect the serial cable from the Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature Controller to a serial port on
your computer. If you are connecting to your computer through a B&B USB-to-Serial Converter such
as MTS Part Number 100-306-657, see the following instructions.
To connect to your computer using a B&B USB-to-Serial Converter:
1. Before connecting the B&B USB-to-Serial Converter (B&B) to the computer, insert the USB
Serial Driver CD.
2. Install the serial driver
3. Remove the USB Serial Driver CD
4. Open Device Manager in Windows.
5. Plug in the B&B.
6. Right-click the port with the B&B connection to configure the Properties.

7. Verify that the B&B is working properly.

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8. Change the Data bits to 7, the Parity to Even, and click Advanced.

9. Verify that the advanced settings match the following image.

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10. Verify that the Driver tab is similar to the following image.

11. Verify that the Details tab is similar to the following image.

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Configuring the External Device File for EI-Bisynch

Single Zone
To configure an external device file to communicate with a single Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature
Controller using the EI-Bisynch serial communication protocol:
1. On the Controller menu, click External Devices.

2. In the External Devices window, click the plus sign to add an external device file.

3. In the Select Device Type window, select Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature
Controller EI-Bisynch.

4. On the Device Configuration tab, use the drop-down menu to select the appropriate serial

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port. Verify the Device Address. Typically, for a single zone system the Device Address is
1.

5. On the Port Settings tab, use the default values.

6. On the Command Settings tab, use the default commands.

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7. On the Signal Settings tab, verify that the Unit selection is the same as the Eurotherm units.

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8. On the Device Verification tab, select the Read Temperature command and click Send
Command to verify communication.

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Configuring the External Device File for EI-Bisynch

Multi-Zone
To configure an external device file to communicate with multiple Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature
Controllers using the EI-Bisynch serial communication protocol:

Note: Each Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature Controller controls one temperature zone.
1. On the Controller menu, click External Devices.

2. In the External Devices window, click the plus sign to add an external device file.

3. In the Select Device Type window, select Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature
Controller EI-Bisynch.

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4. On the Device Configuration tab, use the drop-down menus to select the appropriate serial
port and set the Device Address to <none>.

5. On the Port Settings tab, use the default values.

6. On the Command Settings tab, add commands to read temperature and set setpoint using
variable for each temperature zone. The command to read temperature is PV. The command
to set setpoint using variable is SL{0}. The address of the device for each temperature zone
precedes the command: 1PV, 1SL{0}, 2PV, 2SL{0}...
For the read temperature commands, add a descriptive Command Name, add the
Command, check Supports Return Value, and add the Regular Expression Pattern: ^
[-]?\d+[.]?\d*$

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For the set setpoint using variable commands, add a descriptive Command Name, add the
Command, and select the Wait for Acknowledgment check box.

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7. On the Signal Settings tab, add a signal for each read temperature command added on the
Command Settings tab.
Add a descriptive Internal Name and Display Names. Use the drop-down menus to set the
Dimension to Temperature, to set Unit to match the units used by the Eurotherm, and to
select the appropriate Read Temperature command for Query Command.

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8. On the Device Verification tab, use the drop-down menu to select each Read Temperature
command and click Send Command to verify communication.

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Importing Controller Resources

To import Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature Controller controller resources into an MTS TestSuite
TWE or TWX test or template:
1. In the test or template on the Define page on the Resources tab, click Import Resources >
Import the selected controller resources.

2. In the Import Controller Resources window, expand External Devices and check
Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature Controller, and expand Float Signals and check
the read temperature signals configured on the Signal Settings tab of the external device file.

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Note: Ensure that you select the read temperature signals and not the read
temperature Command signals.

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Adding Meters
To add meters for temperature float signals from a Eurotherm 2000 Series Temperature Controller:
1. Right-click a meter and select Add Meter > More.

2. In the Meter Configuration window, click Source to show the signals first. Scroll down to the
temperature signals. Click the arrow to add the temperature signals to the list of meters. Click
Apply to add the meters. Click OK to close the Meter Configuration window.

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Adding Temperature Control Activity to Procedure

The following are instructions for adding two Temperature Control activities to the MTS TestSuite
TWE Procedure: one Temperature Control activity in series to bring the system to the target
temperature and hold for an acclimation duration, and one Temperature Control activity in parallel to
monitor the temperature through testing.
1. In the test or template on the Define page on the Procedure tab, drag and drop a Parallel
Paths activity above the Parallel Paths activity containing the Command activities in the
Run section of the Procedure.

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2. Drag and drop a Temperature Control activity to the left path of the Parallel Paths activity.
Drag and drop a DAQ activity to the right path.

3. Configure the Temperature Control activity Properties.

A. Configure the Temperature Definition by setting a Target temperature and Hold
Time duration (soak time).

B. Configure the Temperature Zones by using the drop-down menus to select an

External Device, Setpoint Command, and Temperature Signal. Add additional
temperature zones if necessary.

C. Configure the Temperature Warning Limits. Only the Maximum Fluctuation and
Warning Action are required. The Zone Gradient becomes active when a second

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temperature zone is added.

4. Configure the DAQ activity Properties by setting the Trigger List and Signal List.

5. Set the Temperature Control activity as the Terminal Paths for the Parallel Paths activity.

6. To monitor temperature during the test, add a Temperature Control activity to the Parallel
Paths activity containing the Command activities.

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7. Configure the Temperature Control activity Properties.

A. Configure the Temperature Definition by setting a Target temperature and clicking
Hold Time Monitor until activity has stopped.

B. Configure the Temperature Zones by using the drop-down menus to select an

External Device, Setpoint Command,and Temperature Signal. Add additional
temperature zones if necessary.

C. Configure the Temperature Warning Limits. Only the Maximum Fluctuation is

required. The Zone Gradient becomes active when a second temperature zone is
added.

8. Add temperature signals to the DAQ activity that is in parallel with the Command activity.

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 Appendix: MTS Tuning Template Example

Appendix: MTS Tuning

Template Example
Tuning Template Example Overview 602
Tuning Template Example Key Features 603
How to Use the Tuning Template Example 604
Modify a Template to Read Tuning Parameters from an XML File 606
Using the Modified Template 612

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Tuning Template Example Overview

The Load and Strain control modes added by the Advanced Rate Control software option require
correct PID and tuning parameter values. Determining the correct PID and tuning parameter values
for a test setup is an iterative process.
This MTS EM Tuning Template Example can aid in determining the correct PID and tuning parameter
values for the Load control mode. A test created from this template repeatedly runs Command
activities while you adjust PID and tuning parameter values.
The Test-Run Display shows two scopes and the Command activity variables. The top scope shows
the Load signal and Load Command. The bottom scope shows the Load Error, that is, the difference
between the Load signal and Load Command. The Command activity variables are the Go To rates,
Go To end levels, and Dwell duration.
The test Procedure Run section contains two While Loops in parallel. The first While Loop contains
the Command activities. The Command activities are a Go To, a Dwell, and another Go To. The
second While Loop contains an Input Variables Operator Entry and a Tuning Parameters Control
Setting. While the Command activities run repeatedly, the Input Variables window shows. You adjust
the PID and tuning parameter variables in the Input Variables window and apply then when you click
OK. The Input Variables window shows repeatedly so you can further adjust the PID tuning parameter
variables. The scopes show how the system responds to the new PID and tuning parameter values.
Once the correct PID and tuning parameter values are determined, use the Exit Variable in the Input
Variables window to exit the While Loops. After the test exits the While Loops, the PID and tuning
parameter variables are written to an XML file in the Data Export Directory of TestSuite. You can read
this XML file into a different test requiring the same PID and tuning parameter values.
This MTS EM Tuning Template Example can be used in MTS TestSuite TWE, TWS, and TWX.
However, MTS TestSuite TWE is required to make modifications to the MTS Procedure/Test Flow.

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Tuning Template Example Key Features

The MTS EM Tuning Template Example:
• Can be used in MTS TestSuite TWE, TWS, and TWX. However, MTS TestSuite TWE is required to
make modifications to the MTS Procedure/Test Flow.
• Can be used on either an MTS Insight or MTS InsightPlus based system.
• Provides an interface to determine the PID and tuning parameter values for a test setup running in
the Load control mode added by the Advanced Rate Control software option.
• Can be used for load rate or constant load.
• Can be changed from tension to compression by inverting the polarity on the Load and Crosshead
Float Signals.
• Writes PID and tuning parameter values to an XML file in the Data Export Directory. The resulting
XML file can be read into a different test requiring the same PID and tuning parameter values.
• Provides an interface to adjust PID and tuning parameter values while the test is running.
• Shows scopes while the test is running, so the effects of the PID and tuning parameter value
adjustments can be observed.
• Shows the command and feedback signals from the test run in the review chart.

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How to Use the Tuning Template Example

The MTS EM Tuning Template Example is configured for a tension test using the Load Control Mode.
To run a compression test, invert the polarity on the Load and Crosshead Float Signals.
1. Verify that the Advanced Rate Control software option is installed:
A. Go to Start > All Programs > MTS TestSuite > License Administrator.
B. Under Other Features, ensure that Custom.AdvancedRateControl appears.
2. Open the MTS TestSuite application.
3. Go to MTS Templates > TW-EM > Tuning > MTS EM Tuning Template Example.
4. Double-click the MTS EM Tuning Template Example to create a new test.
5. Install the specimen.
6. Clear the interlocks.
7. Click the run button.
8. Enter values for the Material Name, specimen dimensions, and Command activity variables.
The Material Name is used to name the XML file containing the PID and tuning parameter
values. Subsequent test runs will overwrite this file if the Material Name is not changed. To
run a constant load test, set End Level 1 and End Level 2 to the same value and increase
the Dwell Duration.

9. Observe that initially the Load (blue line) does not respond to the Load Command (red line)
until the kP_Load variable is increased.

Note: The maximum speed for metals is about 1 mm/min. The maximum speed for
rubber is about 10 to 100 mm/min.
10. Increase the value of kP_Load by a factor of 10 and click OK until a response is seen. Then
increase the value more gradually.

For example: 0.0010 OK; 0.010 OK; 0.1 OK, 0.2 OK...

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11. Increase kI_Load.

12. Increase kD_Load if necessary.
13. When tuning is complete, change the Exit Variable to “Done” and click OK to exit. The values
and chart are results on the Review page. The PID and tuning parameter values are saved to
an XML file in the Data Export Directory.

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Modify a Template to Read Tuning Parameters from an

XML File
Note: These instructions explain just one way to modify a template to read tuning parameters
from an XML file.
1. Open the template to be modified.
2. If necessary, import the Control Mode.
3. Create a variable with a Yes/No choice list with a Default Value of No.

4. Add the Yes/No variable to the Input Variables activity in the Run section fo the Procedure.

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5. Drag and drop an If-Else Condition activity below the Input Variables activity.

6. Set the If-Else Condition to true when the Yes/No variable is Yes.

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7. Drag and drop a Read Data activity to the True path of the If-Else Condition.

8. Configure the Read Data activity Properties as follows:

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9. Select the Command activity that is using the Advanced Rate Control or HD Control mode.
10. In the Command activity Properties, select the control mode and check Use Tuning
Parameters.

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11. Click the Tuning Parameters button.

12. In the PID Parameters window, change the tuning parameters to variable selection.

13. To create variables for each tuning parameter, use the drop-down menu and select <new
variable>.
14. Change the Identifier, Display Name, and set the Default Option to Use Previous Test

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Run Value. Ensure that the Identifier matches exactly the Identifer of the corresponding
variable in the XML file.

15. Repeat Step 14 for the rest of the tuning parameters.

16. Go to File > Save As > Template....

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Using the Modified Template

If the Yes/No variable is left as the default value No, the test continues without reading in tuning
parameter from an XML file.
1. Change the Yes/No variable to Yes, navigate to the XML file containing the applicable tuning
parameters.

The imported values will display:

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2. Click the Close button and the test continues as normal.

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 Appendix: Video Recording

Appendix: Video Recording

Overview 616
Add a Record Video Activity to the Test 616
Create and Configure a Video Set 618
Add Video to the Test-Run Display 619
Add a Video Chart to the Review Tab 621
Reviewing the Post Test Video Capture 622
One Camera Scenario 623
Two Cameras Scenario 641

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Overview
This appendix describes how to use the video capture features available in MTS TestSuite applications
to add and configure a basic video recording to the MTS EM Tension (Simplified) template when
using MTS TestSuite TW. The customized test procedure will record video of the test’s Go To + DAQ
+ Detection activity (including when the break index is reached).

Note: To use the video recording features in MTS TestSuite applications, the
Custom.VideoCapture license must be activated. If you do not have this license activated, the
Record Video activity will not be available in the test procedure toolbox. For more information
about purchasing this license, contact your local MTS sales and service office.
You can record video of test runs using the video recording features available in MTS TestSuite
software along with one or more USB video devices.
After you plug the USB video device into the PC running MTS TestSuite software, the software will
recognize the video device. Then, you can customize several options for the video recording, such as
frame rate and resolution. When you are finished configuring the camera options, you can add one or
more Record Video activities and select to record:
l Continuously throughout the entire test.
l In parallel with other test activities, such as the Go To activity.
l One or more video frames.
l For a specified duration of time.
After you have gathered the data from the test run, you can display the data in a chart alongside the
video recording. You can synchronize the recorded video to acquired test data (displayed in charts),
which allows you to observe what happened to your specimens at any point during the test run.
Video recording features are also available in MTS TestSuite MP. The procedure for adding video
recording is similar to the procedure for adding video recording to MTS TestSuite TW. However,
instead of adding the video recording activity as a branch in a parallel activity alongside a Go To
activity, you would add it alongside the Cycle, Dwell, Ramp, or other activities available in MTS
TestSuite MP that you want to record. However, if you are recording a full video of a very long cyclic
test, keep in mind that the recorded file may be extremely large. So, you may want to design your test
to only record during certain points of interest.

Add a Record Video Activity to the Test

To add video recording of the Go To + DAQ + Detection activity to your test, you must first add the
Record Video activity to the test. This appendix describes how to add a Record Video activity to the
MTS EM Tension (Simplified) template.
1. Launch the MTS Test Suite TWE application.
2. Open the MTS EM Tension (Simplified) template.
3. Select the Define tab.
4. Select the Procedure tab.

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5. In the test procedure, expand the Parallel Paths activity by clicking the + in the top left corner
of the activity.

MTS EM Tension (Simplified) Parallel Path Activity

6. Right-click inside the expanded Parallel Path activity and select Add Branch.

Add a Branch to the Parallel Paths Activity

7. Click and drag the Record Video activity from the Toolbox into the new empty branch.

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Add a Record Video Activity to the Branch

Create and Configure a Video Set

A video set is an organization of one or more video cameras that record simultaneously. Before
recording video, you must create a new video set and add the connected camera to the video set.
When the Record Video activity is encountered during the test procedure, the video set that is
selected on the Properties panel of the Record Video activity is used to record video.
This appendix describes how to add a video set containing one camera to a Record Video activity.
However, if you want to record two or more cameras at the same time, then you could add additional
cameras to the same video set. Alternatively, if you want to start and stop recording two or more
cameras separately, you could create a unique video set for each camera.
To add a video set to the Record Video activity:
1. Select the new Record Video activity.
2. In the Video Set list in the activity's Properties window, select <new video set>.
3. In the Video Sets window that appears, configure the options as follows:
l In Time Synchronization Signal, select Time.
l In the gray Cameras box, click +.
l In Source, select the camera. If the camera is not listed, verify that the camera is a
USB video device and is plugged into the PC.

Note: If you want to record video of the entire test procedure (instead of only the Go To
+ DAQ + Detection activity), enable Record this video set continuously for the
entire test run. In this case, you do not need to add a Record Video activity to the test
procedure.

Note: You can also edit video sets by clicking the ellipsis (...) next to the Video Set
drop-down menu or by clicking Tools > Edit Video Sets in the menu bar at the top of
the application.
4. Click OK to save your settings and close the Video Sets window.

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Note: For more information about the Record Video activity and the Video Sets
window settings, see “Record Video Activity Properties” on page 336.

Add Video to the Test-Run Display

Before you can view the video in the Monitor tab when a test is run, you must add a Video to the Test-
Run Display.
1. Click Test Definition > Test-Run Display to open the Test-Run Display editor.
2. Double-click the Video icon ( ) from the Toolbox to add it to the Test-Run Display.
3. Drag the Video object to the desired location on the Test-Run Display.
4. If desired, resize the Video object. In the following example, Video is placed under the Load
versus Extension Array-Variable Chart. This organization makes the best use of the video
capture aspect ratio (width of the video compared to the height of the video).

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Test-Run Display Containing Chart and Video

Tip: If you are using multiple cameras, you could add a Video for each camera and
organize them on the Test-Run Display as follows:

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Test-Run Display Containing Chart and Three Videos

5. Select the new Video you added. On the Properties panel on the right side of the screen,
select a Video set and Camera to use when capturing data. If you want to edit the video set,
click the ellipses (…) next to the Video set field on the Properties panel. For more
information about editing video sets, see “Create and Configure a Video Set” on page 618.

Add a Video Chart to the Review Tab

To create a simple Load versus Extension chart that includes video:
1. Click the Review tab.
2. Right-click anywhere in the bottom half of the Review tab and select Views > Add Chart >
Video Chart.

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3. In the Display Window Name window, enter a name for the new video chart (optional) and
click OK.
4. Right-click the new video chart and select Configure Chart.
5. In the Configure Chart window that appears, select a video set.
6. Enable X-axis data and select Extension from the list.
7. In Y-axis data, select Load.
8. In Time data, select Time.
9. Click OK. The Load versus Extension chart containing video now appears on the Review tab.

Video Chart

Reviewing the Post Test Video Capture

After you have added and configured a Video Chart on the Review tab, you can compare the video
recording to chart data, correct any synchronization issues, and copy frames of video to the clipboard.

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Comparing Recorded Video to Chart Data

Because the captured video is synchronized to the Time signal (which is stored as an array of data
after the test run is completed), you can move your cursor across the video chart and view the
corresponding image that was captured at certain points in time.

Correcting Synchronization Issues Between the Video and Data

If you see that the video is out of sync with the data recorded on the video chart, you can right-click the
video and select Set Latency to apply an offset to the video recording. You can apply either positive or
negative latency to offset the video forwards or backwards.
To determine whether or not the video is out of sync with the data displayed on the chart, hover your
mouse over a point in which a notable event occurs and observe the corresponding video capture at
that time. If the video recording is not synchronized with that event, you could correct this by adjusting
the latency.

Copying a Static Video Image

To copy a video frame to the clipboard, right-click the video in the video chart and select Copy. You
can also right-click the chart and select Copy Image or Copy Values to save an image of the chart or
the data values collected during the test run.

One Camera Scenario

Overview
This One Camera Scenario will:
l Capture video from 1 second before testing begins to 1 second after break.
l Capture a video image for each data point.
l Show video in the Test-Run Display during testing.
l Show the video chart on the Review page.
l Generate a test-run report showing video images for peak, break, and 1 second after break.

Note: The MTS TestSuite Reporter Add-In software option is required to make changes to the
Test-Run Report template.
There are 5 steps to create the Example Scenario: One Camera template:
1. Modify the Procedure.
2. Add video to the Test-Run Display.
3. Add variables.
4. Modify the report template.
5. Add a video chart to the Review page.

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Modifying the Procedure

To modify the test procedure to include a Record Video activity that records a video image for every
data point:
1. Launch the MTS Test Suite TWE application.
2. Open the MTS EM Tension (Simplified) template.
3. Select the Define page.
4. Select the Procedure tab.
5. In the test procedure Run section, expand the Parallel Paths activity.

6. In the Parallel Paths activity Properties, remove the Break Detection: Load from
Additional Terminal Activities.

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7. Right-click inside the Parallel Path activity and select Add Branch.

8. Drag and drop a DAQ activity to the new branch.

9. Repeat Step 7.
10. Drag and drop a Record video activity to the new branch.

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11. Configure the DAQ activity by setting the Sample Rate to 10 Hz and adding signals to the
Signal List.

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12. Connect the USB video device and wait until the operating system recognizes the USB video
device.
13. Configure the Record video activity by selecting <new video set>.

14. Configure the video set by setting Time Synchronization Signal to Time, select the
Source, and set the Continuous Frame Rate to 10 Hz.

15. Expand the Parallel Paths activity containing the Command activity.

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16. Select the DAQ activity.

17. Disable the DAQ activity by clicking to clear the Enable Path check box.

18. Drag and drop a Dwell activity before the Parallel Paths activity containing the Command
activity.

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19. Configure the Dwell activity to a Duration of 1 second.

20. Drag and drop a Dwell activity after the Parallel Paths activity containing the Command
activity.

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21. Configure the Dwell activity to a Duration of 1 second.

Adding Video to the Test-Run Display

To add video to the Test-Run Display:
1. Select the Define page.
2. Select the Test-Run Display tab.
3. Select the chart in the Test-Run Display editor.
4. In the chart Properties, ensure that Docking is not Fill.

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5. Resize the canvas under the chart to make space for the video.
6. Double-click the Video icon ( ) from the Toolbox to add it to the Test-Run Display.
7. Drag the video object to the desired location on the Test-Run Display.
8. If desired, resize the video object.

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9. In the Video Properties, select the Video set and Camera.

Adding Variables
To add variables:
1. Select the Define page.
2. Select the Variables tab.

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3. Click the plus sign to add a new variable.

4. In the New Variable window, enter the variable identifier and click OK.

5. In the new variable’s Properties, set Dimension to Count and Unit to (count). Under
Calculation, select the Is Calculated check box.

6. Edit the calculation.

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7. In the Calculation Editor window, add the calculation SizeOfArray(_LoadArray)-1 and click
OK.

Note: The calculation SizeOfArray(_LoadArray)-1 will return the array index of the
last entry to the array _LoadArray. MTS TestSuite array indexes start at 0.

Modifying the Report Template

To modify a report template to show video images of Peak, Break, and 1 second after break:

Note: The MTS TestSuite Reporter Add-In software option is required to make changes to the
Report Template.
1. Select the Define page.
2. Select the Report Templates tab.
3. Under Test Run, select the Default Test Run Report and click the edit icon.

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4. In Excel, click the MTS TestSuite Report tab.

5. Ensure that the template is linked to the test.

6. Select the location for the peak video image.

7. Double-click Video Image.

8. In the peak video image Properties, select the Video Set and Camera. Select the Select
image by marker button. Set the Time array to Time and Marker to Peak Index.

9. Click Single Variable Value.

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10. In the list of variables, expand Peak and drag and drop Peak Load to the location for the peak
video image label.

11. In the Peak Load Properties, set Display to Display name, value with unit in adjacent
cells.

12. Select the location for the break video image.

13. Double-click Video Image.

14. In the break video image Properties, select the Video Set and Camera. Select the Select
image by marker button. Set the Time array to Time and Marker to Break Index.

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15. Click Single Variable Value.

16. In the list of variables, expand Break and drag and drop Break Load to the location for the
break video image label.

Note: Ensure that the variable Break Load is enabled in MTS TestSuite software.

17. In the Break Load Properties, set Display to Display name, value with unit in adjacent
cells.

18. Select the location for the after break video image.
19. Double-click Video Image.

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20. In the after break video image Properties, select the Video Set and Camera. Select the
Select image by marker button. Set the Time array to Time and Marker to After Break.

21. Click Single Variable Value.

22. In the list of variables, expand Variables and drag and drop After Break to the location for
the after break video image label.

23. In the After Break Properties, set Display to Display name.

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24. Save as a template.

25. In MTS TestSuite software, select the Report Templates tab.

26. Under Test Run, click the plus sign to add the report template.

27. Navigate to the new report template and click Open.

28. Select the new report template and select the check mark to set as the Default.

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Adding a Video Chart to the Review Page

To add a video chart to the Review tab:
1. Select the Review page.
2. Right-click the chart and select Views > Add Chart > Video Chart.
3. In the Display Window Name window, enter a name for the new video chart (optional) and
click OK.
4. Right-click the new video chart and select Configure Chart.
5. In the Configure Chart window, select a video set, set Y-axis data to Load, enable X-axis
data and set to Extension, set Time data to Time, and click OK.

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Two Cameras Scenario

Overview
This Two Cameras Scenario will:

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l Capture video from one camera from 1 second before testing until a specified load.
l Capture video from two cameras from a specified load to 1 second after break.
l Show video from both cameras in the Test-Run Display during testing.
l Show the video charts on the Review page.
l Generate a test-run report showing video images for peak, break, and 1 second after break.

Note: The MTS TestSuite Reporter Add-In software option is required to make changes to the
Test-Run Report template.
There are 5 steps to create the Example Scenario: Two Cameras template:
1. Modify the Procedure.
2. Add video to the Test-Run Display.
3. Add variables.
4. Modify the report template.
5. Add a video chart to the Review page.

Modifying the Procedure

To modify the test procedure to include a Record Video activity that records a video image for every
data point:
1. Launch the MTS Test Suite TWE application.
2. Open the MTS EM Tension (Simplified) template.
3. Select the Define page.
4. Select the Procedure tab.
5. In the test procedure Run section, expand the Parallel Paths activity.

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6. In the Parallel Paths activity Properties, remove the Break Detection: Load from
Additional Terminal Activities.

7. Right-click inside the Parallel Path activity and select Add Branch.

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8. Drag and drop a DAQ activity to the new branch.

9. Configure the DAQ activity by setting the Sample Rate and adding signals to the Signal List.

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10. Right-click inside the Parallel Path activity and select Add Branch.

11. Drag and drop a While Loop activity to the new branch.
12. Drag and drop a Parallel Paths activity below the While Loop activity.
13. Drag and drop a Record video activity into the While Loop activity and to each path in the
Parallel Paths activity.

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14. Configure the Condition for the While Loop activity Properties.
15. In the Calculation Editor window on the Variables tab, click the plus sign to add a new
variable for the specified load.

16. In the New Variable window, enter a descriptive Identifier and Display Name, set the
Dimensions to Force, and set a Default Value.

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17. In the Calculation Editor window, add the calculation Signal("_Load")<SpecifiedLoad and
click OK.

18. Connect the USB video device and wait until the operating system recognizes the USB video
device.
19. Configure the Record video activity in the While Loop activity by selecting <new video
set>.

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20. Configure the video set by setting Time Synchronization Signal to Time, select the
Source, and set the Continuous Frame Rate.

21. In the Parallel Paths activity, select the Record video activity on the left path.

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22. Configure the Record video activity by selecting the video set configured in Step 20.
23. Select the Record video activity on the right path.

24. Configure the Record video activity by selecting <new video set>.
25. Configure the video set by setting Time Synchronization Signal to Time, select the
Source, and set the Continuous Frame Rate.

26. Expand the Parallel Paths activity containing the Command activity.

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27. Select the DAQ activity.

28. Disable the DAQ activity by clicking to clear the Enable Path check box.

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29. Drag and drop a Dwell activity before the Parallel Paths activity containing the Command
activity.

30. Configure the Dwell activity to a Duration of 1 second.

31. Drag and drop a Dwell activity after the Parallel Paths activity containing the Command
activity.

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Appendix: Video Recording

32. Configure the Dwell activity to a Duration of 1 second.

Adding Video to the Test-Run Display

To add video to the Test-Run Display:
1. Select the Define page.
2. Select the Test-Run Display tab.
3. Select the chart in the Test-Run Display editor.
4. In the chart Properties, ensure that Docking is not Fill.

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5. Resize the canvas under the chart to make space for the video.
6. Double-click the Video icon ( ) from the Toolbox to add it to the Test-Run Display.
7. Drag the video object to the desired location on the Test-Run Display.
8. Repeat Steps 6 and 7.
9. If desired, resize the video object.

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10. In the Video Properties, select the Video set and Camera.

Adding Variables
To add variables:

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1. Select the Define page.

2. Select the Variables tab.
3. Click the plus sign to add a new variable.

4. In the New Variable window, enter the variable identifier and click OK.

5. In the new variable’s Properties, set Dimension to Count and Unit to (count). Under
Calculation, select the Is Calculated check box.

6. Edit the calculation.

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7. In the Calculation Editor window, add the calculation SizeOfArray(_LoadArray)-1 and click
OK.

Note: The calculation SizeOfArray(_LoadArray)-1 will return the array index of the
last entry to the array _LoadArray. MTS TestSuite array indexes start at 0.

Modifying the Report Template

To modify a report template to show video images of Peak, Break, and 1 second after break:

Note: The MTS TestSuite Reporter Add-In software option is required to make changes to the
Report Template.
1. Select the Define page.
2. Select the Report Templates tab.
3. Under Test Run, select the Default Test Run Report and click the edit icon.

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4. In Excel, click the MTS TestSuite Report tab.

5. Ensure that the template is linked to the test.

6. Select the location for the peak video image.

7. Double-click Video Image.

8. In the peak video image Properties, select the Video Set and Camera. Select the Select
image by marker button. Set the Time array to Time and Marker to Peak Index.

9. Click Single Variable Value.

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10. In the list of variables, expand Peak and drag and drop Peak Load to the location for the peak
video image label.

11. In the Peak Load Properties, set Display to Display name, value with unit in adjacent
cells.

12. Select the location for the break video image.

13. Double-click Video Image.

14. In the break video image Properties, select the Video Set and Camera. Select the Select
image by marker button. Set the Time array to Time and Marker to Break Index.

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15. Click Single Variable Value.

16. In the list of variables, expand Break and drag and drop Break Load to the location for the
break video image label.

Note: Ensure that the variable Break Load is enabled in MTS TestSuite software.

17. In the Break Load Properties, set Display to Display name, value with unit in adjacent
cells.

18. Select the location for the after break video image.
19. Double-click Video Image.

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20. In the after break video image Properties, select the Video Set and Camera. Select the
Select image by marker button. Set the Time array to Time and Marker to After Break.

21. Click Single Variable Value.

22. In the list of variables, expand Variables and drag and drop After Break to the location for
the after break video image label.

23. In the After Break Properties, set Display to Display name.

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24. Save as a template.

25. In MTS TestSuite software, select the Report Templates tab.

26. Under Test Run, click the plus sign to add the report template.

27. Navigate to the new report template and click Open.

28. Select the new report template and select the check mark to set as the Default.

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Adding a Video Chart to the Review Page

To add a video chart to the Review tab:
1. Select the Review page.
2. Right-click the chart and select Views > Add Chart > Video Chart.
3. In the Display Window Name window, enter a name for the new video chart (optional) and
click OK.
4. Right-click the new video chart and select Configure Chart.
5. In the Configure Chart window, select a video set, set Y-axis data to Load, enable X-axis
data and set to Extension, set Time data to Time, and click OK.

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MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide 663

 Read Variables from File 395
Index Repeat Loop 370
Reset Cycle Count 353
Return to Zero 326
Run Report 401
. Send E-Mail 406-407
.NET Libraries 285 Set Calculation Parameter 354
Set Control Event 355
A Set Digital Output 358
State Change Detection 348
Absolute Error signal in DAQ processes 165 Tuning Parameters 360
Acquire data while holding property Wait 409
DAQ activity 331 Wait for Event 349
acquiring data during a hold 331 Wait for Operator Action 383
Action property While Loop 373
Break Detection activity 341 Write Variables to File 410
Digital Input activity 343 activity settings comparison
Limit Detection activity 347 data acquisition 142
activities actuator
Assign Variables 385, 464 return setting 525
Auto Offset 351 Actuator Controls panel 30, 521
Break Detection 338 Adaptive Harmonic Cancellation (AHC) 52
Calculate Variables 386 Adaptive Inverse Control (AIC)
Custom Waveform 297, 399 Compensator 52
Custom Waveform + DAQ 303 add custom dimension 90
Cycle 314 add custom unit 90
Cycle + DAQ 314 Add property
DAQ 314, 328 Custom Message Window activity 296, 377
Digital Input 342 Add Separator property
Dwell 317 Custom Message Window activity 296, 377
Dwell + DAQ + Detection 319 Additional Variables to Calculate 144
End Test 363 Additional Variables to Calculate
Export Data 388 data acquisition 161, 203
Extensometer Removal 344 Advanced property
External Device 391 Cycle activity 312
Go To 321 AHC 52
Goto + DAQ + Detection 324 AIC 52
Hold at Level 357 ALC 52
If-Else Condition 364 Amplitude Phase Control (APC)
Input Variables 381 Compensator 52
Limit Detection 346 analog outputs
Log Message 393 calculated analog output 118
Max/Min DAQ 332 configuring calculations 119
Message Log 394 configuring resources 119
Parallel Paths 365 configuring TEDS file 120
Periodic Time Event 367 importing to a test 118
Ram To 357

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Index

overview 118 block

analysis run information settings 331
compare data 551 block data processing
AnalysisRun function 225 data acquisition 154
analyzing test results Block boundary criteria 143
change test variable values 555 block filter settings
change variable values 555 data acquisition 154
changing test variables 555 Block function 225
revert changes to test-run variable Block Information property
values 556 DAQ activity 331
APC 52 Max/Min DAQ activity 335
App.log 45 Block mode variable support 143
Application Log 31 Block/Cycle Change Criteria Variable
Arbitrary End Level Control (ALC) Com- data acquisition 156
pensator 52 blocks
argument data acquisition 142
syntax 210, 220 Blocks/Cycles per Decade
Array-Variable Table 550 data acquisition 156
array functions 221 Boolean variables 175
array variables 172-173 Brake distance property
ArrayValue function 251 Go To activity 323
ASCII control codes Break Detection activity 338
external devices 117 example 342
Assign Variables activity 385 Break Detection activity properties 338
to create run-time message 464 Buffer size 142
audit trail 82 Buffer Size property
Audit Trail 82 DAQ activity 330
Auto Offset activity 351 Buffer type 142
auto tag Buffer Type property
about 556 DAQ activity 330
how to apply rules 561 buffers 140
how to configure 557 data acquisition 142
use variables in auto-tag calculations 561 buffers overview
automated testing applications 395 data acquisition 150
automatic background saves 128 Button Alignment property
automatically mapping variables Custom Message Window activity 296, 376
data acquisition 200 Button ID property
autotag Wait for Operator Action activity 385
rules 560 Buttons property
average function 251 Custom Message Window activity 295, 376
AverageMinPeaks function 265
AverageValleys function 266 C

B C-Stop interlock 357

Calculate Variables activity 386
Before starting calculated variable 176
data acquisition 161, 203

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calculation collecting a last data point

editor 206 data acquisistion 331
FatigueLife function 212 Column Chooser
function arguments 209 variables 180
modulus functions 211 column filter 39
operators 208, 263 Combine Peak-Valley on One Line 390
Calculation Editor window 213 CombinedExtension function 268
calculations command
pre-test 217 adding to external device 111
CalibrationDate function 273 command settings 53
CalibrationDueDate function 273 commands
cancel end
test runs 529 custom waveform stop 313
category cycle waveform stop 313
rename custom variable 187 hold 313
Change Criteria Threshold custom waveform stop 313
data acquisition 156 cycle waveform stop 313
Channel List property interrupt 313
Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 304 custom waveform stop 313
Cycle activity 312 cycle waveform stop 313
Dwell activity 318 stop 313
Channel property custom waveform 313
Go To activity 322 cycle waveform stop 313
chart compare check box 539
array-variable 450 compare tool 291
failure cycle chart 212 about 290
history 429 change or add variables during
chart views comparison 291
active test run 552 CompareStrings function 275
add or remove markers 566 compensator
adding text 552 availability 53
edit marker 566 types 52
moving markers 566 Compensator property
Check Test Audit Trail 82 Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 304
choice list Cycle activity 312
add local 200 compensators
define global 198 about 52
edit global 198 Completion property
editor 199 Break Detection activity 340
panel properties 194 Limit Detection activity 347
remove global 198 Compliance function 221
Choose function 264 compliance testing values 395
circular buffers concatenating string 217
data acquisition 151 Configure button property
Collect last data point property data acquisition 306, 315
DAQ activity 331 Max/Min DAQ activity 335

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Index

Configure DAQ Buffering 142 Create Message Window property

configure statistics 555 Custom Message Window activity 295, 376
Continuous Sampling crosshead
data acquisition 147 controls 529
Control mode property mechanical limits 530
Go To activity 322 zeroing the crosshead position 531
Control Mode property Crosshead Go To window 533
Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 304 CurrentProjectDirectory function 229
Cycle activity 312 CurrentTestDirectory function 229
Dwell activity 318 CurrentTestRunDirectory function 229
control panel curve fit line 541
actuator controls 521 CurveFitValue function 222
settings 86, 91 Custom Function Editor 285
test controls 522, 529 Custom Message Window activity 295, 376
controlled stop interlock 357 custom variable
controller action delete 185
C-Stop Interlock 357 Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 303, 314
Custom Actions 357 Custom Waveform activity 297, 399
Indicate 356 creating 298
Interlock 357 using array variables 298
No Action 356 cycle
Program Hold 357 count 314
Program Hold Interlock 357 Cycle Counter 418
Program Stop 357 stop behavior 313
Program Stop Interlock 357 variable table 551
Station Power Off 356 variable table for multiple runs 551
controller calculation parameter 354 cycle values in test results
Controller functions 223 data acquisition 316
GetTransitionTime 223 Cycle + DAQ activity 314, 328
SetTransitionTime 223 Cycle activity 314
Signal 224 about 307
SignalFullScale 224 interrupt behavior 309
SystemRate 224 stop behavior 309
Trace 224 Cycle Counter 418
Controller panel 30 Cycle Data Acquisition properties 314
conventions 21 cycle data acquisition variables 157
converting cycle decimation filter settings 154
TestWorks 4 method to TS template 574- Cycle function 225
575 Cycle Marker Chart for Multiple Runs 554
copy Cycle Modulus function 212
to clipboard 37 Cycle Time Marker Chart for Multiple
Count signal in DAQ processes 165 Runs 554
Counter 143 CycleCount variable 314
Counter property cycles to display 422, 427, 434, 441
DAQ activity 331 Cyclic functions
create diagnostic file 44 AnalysisRun 225

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Block 225 data point

Cycle 225 collecting last post-break detection 331
TestRun 225 data processing
cyclic functions 225 block 154
point-by-point 153
D Data Storage property
DAQ activity 330
DAQ See data acquisition
Max/Min DAQ activity 335
collect last data point 331
DataExportDirectory function 230
DAQ activity 314, 328, 330
Date and Time functions 225
data
TestCreationDate 225
acquiring during hold 331
TestCreationTime 226
copy 37
TestModificationDate 227
export raw 388, 569
TestRunCreationDate 227-228
filter 39
TestRunCreationTime 228
data processing
default
data acquisition 153
report template 404
data acquisition
default roles 70
activities
DefaultReportDirectory function 230
available in TWE 328
Define Global Choice List Window 199
Custom Waveform + DAQ 303
delete variable 185
Cycle + DAQ 314
Delta Value
DAQ 328
data acquisition 149
Dwell + DAQ + Detection 319
delta level triggering
Goto + DAQ + Detection 324
data acquisition 147
Limit Detection 346
Designate Specific Blocks/Cycles
Max/Min DAQ 332
data acquisition 156
activity process 141
determining analysis region 233
activity settings comparison 142
device verification 104
automatically mapping variables 200
history 104
block/cycle decimation filter settings 156
settings 104
buffers overview 150
Device Verification Check History window 104
data processing options 153
devices window 105
delta level triggering 147
Digital Input activity 342-343
mapping variables 161, 203
adding 344
overview 140
Digital Input List property
peak-valley triggering 150
Digital Input activity 344
rates 151
Digital IO test-run display 497
save data to variables overview 157
Direction arrow
saving data to file 163
crosshead movement 530
setup 140
Direction property
system performance 151
Go To activity 322
timed triggering overview 146
Directory functions 229
triggers overview 145
CurrentProjectDirectory 229
Data Acquisition List property
CurrentTestDirectory 229
Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 305
CurrentTestRunDirectory 229
data export 569

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Index

DataExportDirectory 230 End of Recurrence property

DefaultReportDirectory 230 Periodic Time Event activity 368
ExternalFilesDirectory 230 End Test activity 363
TestDirectory 230 Ending Path Value property
disabled variables 181 Wait for Operator Action activity 385
Display Name 95 EnergyValue function 254
Display Name property Error List 31
DAQ activity 331 Error signal in DAQ processes 165
Display Text property EULA 59
Wait for Operator Action activity 385 events
displays Break Detection activity 338
deleting 571 failure criteria 338
saving 570 failures 338
docking 40 periodic time 367
docking panels 40 Every nth Block/Cycle (Linear)
docking symbols 41 data acquisition 156
Dwell + DAQ + Detection activity 319 export
Dwell activity 317 test information 135
Dwell at Current Value property Export Data activity 388
Dwell activity 318 export raw data 569
Dwell behavior properties 569
electromechanical systems 317 exporting
servohydraulic systems 317 external device configuration file 116
Dynamic Null Pacing 52 external device file 116
expressions in calculations 206
E Extensometer property
Extensometer Removal activity 345
E-mail
Extensometer Removal activity 344
Send E-mail activity 406
external device
E-Mail
activity 391
configuring SMTP 84
adding command 111
e-mail server settings 406
calibration 116
edit function window 280
create 108
Edit property
exporting 116
Custom Message Window activity 296, 377
mapping 115
ElasticStrainValue function 253
regular expression tool 111
Enable Path property
removing configured resource 117
Wait for Operator Action activity 385
verification 116
Enable SSL property
window 105
Send Email activity 85
External Device activity 391
end command
external device file
custom waveform stop 313
exporting 116
cycle waveform stop 313
importing 117
End Level 1 and 2 property
external devices
Cycle activity 313
ASCII Control Codes 117
End Level property
ExternalFilesDirectory function 230
Dwell activity 318

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 Index

F atan (Arc Tangent) 250

average 251
failure cycle AverageMinPeaks 265
chart 212 AveragePeaks 266
chart markers and marker lines 553 AverageValleys 266
Fatigue and Fracture functions 231 AverageValue 267
fault indicators 534 Block 225
FaultError.log 47 BreakIndexByDropFromPeak 233
file BreakIndexByDropPerExt 234
management 42 CalcInelStrain 231
moving test files 44 CalibrationDate 273
files 574-575 CalibrationDueDate 273
Filter variables by dimensions and calculation Ceiling 251
type Choose 264
data acquisition 161, 203 CombinedExtension 268
Final Cycles property CombinedStrain 268
data acquisition 307, 316 compare 291
FindSubString function 275 CompareStrings 275
Finish section 31 Compliance 221
First Cycle Modulus function 212 controller category 223
FlexTest controller actions 356 cos (Cosine) 252
Flowchart View 122 cosh (Hyperbolic cosine) 252
For Loop CurrentProjectDirectory 229
see Repeat Loop 369 CurrentTestDirectory 229
form CurrentTestRunDirectory 229
problem submittal 20 CurveArea (Identical to the EnergyValue
format function) 252
report output 405 CurveFitValue 222
formula assistant feature 189 Cycle 225
Frequency property Cycle Modulus 212
Cycle activity 311 cyclic category 225
Frequency, Time, Rate property DataExportDirectory 230
Cycle activity 311 Date and Time category 225
From address property DefaultReportDirectory 230
Send Email activity 85, 404, 407 determining analysis region 233
function Directory category 229
edit function properties 280 e (Natural logarithmic base, e) 252
FatigueLife 212 e() 210
functions ElasticStrainValue 253
abs (Absolute Value) 250 EnergyValue 254
acos (Arc Cosine) 250 Exp 254
AnalysisRun 225 ExternalFilesDirectory 230
array category 221 Fatigue and Fracture category 231
ArrayIndex 235 FindNearestValue 255
ArrayValue 251 FindNearestValueIndex 255
asin (Arc Sine) 250 FindSubString 275

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Index

First Cycle Modulus 212 right 276

Floor 255 round(number) 259
FractureIndex 236 Sensor category 273
GetTransitionTime 223 SerialNumber 274
HysteresisArea 231 SetTransitionTime 223
Index category 233 sign(number) 259
IsInvalidNumber 255 Signal 224
IsValidNumber 255 SignalFullScale 224
LeastSquaresFit 256 sin(number) 260
left (extract SubString) 275 sinh(number) 260
Loading Modulus 211 sqrt(number) 260
log(number) 256 StDevValue 272
log10(number) 256 StrainA 232
LowerYieldIndex 237 StrainR 232
math category 250 StressA 232
max(number1, number2) 256 StressR 232
MaxDouble() 257 String category 274
MaxLong() 257 StringLength 277
MaxSlopeEndIndex 239 StringToInteger 277
MaxSlopeStartIndex 238 StringToNumber 277
MeasInelasticStrainMax 231 syntax 282
MeasInelasticStrainMin 232 SystemRate 224
MedianPeak 269 SystemRate() 210
mid 276 tan(number) 260
min(number1, number2) 257 tanh(number) 260
MinDouble() 257 TearIndex 272
MinLong() 257 TestCreationDate 225
MinSlopeEndIndex 241 TestCreationTime 226
MinSlopeStartIndex 240 TestDirectory 230
ModelNumber 274 TestModificationDate 227
NaN() 257 TestRun 225
NumberOfPeaks 270 TestRunCreationDate 227-228
NumberToString 276 TestRunCreationTime 228
OffsetYieldIndex 242 TestRunNumber 245
operator category 263 tolower 277
Operators and Precedence 208, 263 toupper 278
PeakIndex 243 Trace 224
PeakSlopeIndex 243 TrimStringEnd 278
Peel-Tear 265 TrimStringStart 278
Pi() 210 truncate 260
PI() 257 UnLoading Modulus 212
PlasticStrainValue 258 usage 282
Polynomial 222 ValleyIndex 245
PolynomialFit 222 varIdentifier.DisplayValue 279
pow(base, exponent) 259 XInterceptValue 261
rem(dividend, divisor) 259 YieldIndexByZeroSlope 245

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YInterceptValue 262 hysteresis

YpeEndIndexByIncreasingLoad 246 single-cycle chart 436
YpeEndIndexByTwoSlopes 247 HysteresisArea function 231
YpeStartIndex 249
I
G
Identifier & Display Name 143
generating reports 567 Identifier property
GetTransitionTime function 223 DAQ activity 331
Go To activity 321 If-Else Condition activity 364
Goto + DAQ + Detection activity 324 image
monitor display 507
H test-run display 507
import
handset exclusive control 30, 522, 530
test 136
help
test resources 99
runtime 55
Import
history
test information 135
device verification checks 104
importing
History Chart 429
external device file 117
History Marker Chart for Multiple Runs 553
TestWorks 4 text files 575
hold
Index function 233
acquiring data during 331
Index functions
Hold At Level activity 357
BreakIndexByDropFromPeak 233
hold command
BreakIndexByDropPerExt 234
custom waveform top 313
ChannelIndex 235
cycle waveform stop 313
determining analysis region 233
Hold property
FractureIndex 236
State Change Detection activity 348
LowerYieldIndex 237
Hold signal in DAQ processes 164
MaxSlopeEndIndex 239
Hold Test property
MaxSlopeStartIndex 238
Extensometer Removal activity 345
MinSlopeEndIndex 241
Holding property
MinSlopeStartIndex 240
State Change Detection activity 348
OffsetYieldIndex 242
HPU (hydraulic power unit)
PeakIndex function 243
controls 525
PeakSlopeIndex 243
HSM (hydraulic service manifold)
TestRunNumber function 245
controls 525
ValleyIndex 245
power panel 526
YieldIndexByZeroSlope 245
HSM High signal in DAQ processes 164
YpeEndIndexByIncreasingLoad 246
HSM On signal in DAQ processes 164
YpeEndIndexByTwoSlopes 247
hydraulic power unit (HPU)
YpeStartIndex 249
power panel 526
Index Variable property
hydraulics
data acquisition 307, 316
control panel settings 524
Input Variables activity 298, 381
power off 528
Integer Count signal in DAQ processes 164
station control 520
Interlock signal in DAQ processes 164

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Index

Internal Name 95 M
International System of Units (SI) 89
interrupt main window 29
cycle and custom waveform stop 313 Manage User Accounts window 64
interrupt command manually mapping variables
custom waveform stop 313 data acquisition 201
cycle waveform stop 313 manuals 17
map variables 205
J automatically map variables 158
save data to variables settings 158
Jog button 86 mapping variables
K data acquisition 160, 200-201
markers
keyboard shortcut 82 add and remove 566
keyword edit 566
variable 378 handset 565
invalid 566
L moving 566
moving invalid markers 567
left (extract SubString) function 275
run-time 564
license
variable 564
removing 59
markers and marker lines 553
License Administrator 59
Math functions
Licensing Utility 56
average 251
Limit Detection activity 346
Max/Min DAQ activity 332
limit line 541
Maximum Values property
Limit Types
Max/Min DAQ activity 334
General XY 455, 473, 492
MeasInelasticStrainMax function 231
Horizontal 454, 472, 491
MeasInelasticStrainMin function 232
Horizontal at Index 456, 474, 493
Menu bar and Quick Access panel 30
Vertical 455, 473, 492
message
Vertical at Index 457, 475, 494
procedure 56
line and symbol
message log
properties 425, 432, 439, 451, 458, 470,
description 45, 47
489, 541
meter
linear buffers
signal 486
data acquisition 150
variable 468-469
load control 360, 602
meters
Loading Modulus function 211
add meter 49
log message
change color 51
how to use 394
change decimal places 51
Log Message activity 393-394
change font 51
Log property
change sensitivity 51
Limit Detection activity 347
change type 50
change unit type 50
configure 50

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 Index

overview 49 Operators and Precedence function 208, 263

remove meter 50 Organize data into blocks 142
reset meter 50 Outline View 122
types 51 Output signal in DAQ processes 164
Meters 31
Microsoft Excel P
report templates 122
panels
mid function 276
docking and undocking 40
Minimum Values property
Parallel Paths activity 365, 384
Max/Min DAQ 335
Peak-Valley-Phase Control (PVP) Com-
ModelNumber function 274
pensator 52
modify a test without saving changes
Peak-Valley Amplitude Control (PVC) 52
automatic saves
peak-valley triggering
backgound saves 128
data acquisition 150
background saves
Percent Change property
automatic saves 128
Break Detection activity 340
monitor display
Periodic Time Event activity
image 507
about 367
Monitor property
example 367
Digital Input activity 343
properties 367
MTS TestSuite
recurrence 367
version information 60-61
Phase Lag property
Multi-Head Run section 31
Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 305
My Server requires authentication property
PID tuning 360, 602
Send E-mail activity 86
Plot Previous Test Runs panel 452
N point-by-point data processing
data acquisition 153
NET Libraries 285 Point-by-point mode variable support 144
New Test From Existing Test 127 point pick 460, 477, 496, 544
New Test From File 127 Polynomial function 222
New Test From Template 127 PolynomialFit function 222
next segment 383 pre-allocaate test runs 131
Null Pacing 52 pre-test calculations 217
Number of Cycles property pretest variable 183
Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 304 Preview property
Cycle activity 311 Custom Message Window activity 295, 376
Number Variables 285 procedure message 56
NumberToString function 276 program actions
numeric variables 170 Message Log activity 394
Program Interlock signal in DAQ
O processes 164
Progress Table property
operator buttons 517
DAQ activity 329
add 383
Dwell activity 318
Operator functions
Progress Table Visibility property
Choose 264
Break Detection activity 339

MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide 675

Index

properties my server requires authentication

add Send E-mail activity 86
Custom Message Window activity 296, number of cycles
377 Cycle activity 311
add separator Phase Lag
Custom Message Window activity 296, cycle activity 313
377 point pick 460, 477, 496, 544
advanced preview
Cycle activity 312 custom message edit 297, 378
button alignment Custom Message Window activity 295,
Custom Message Window activity 296, 376
376 recurrence pattern
buttons Periodic Time Event activity 368
Custom Message Window activity 295, remove
376 Custom Message Window activity 296,
channel list 377
Cycle activity 312 remove all
compensator Custom Message Window activity 296,
Cycle activity 312 377
control mode results variable
Cycle activity 312 Custom Message Window activity 296,
create message window 377
Custom Message Window activity 295, resuming
376 State Change Detection activity 348
cycles to display 422, 427, 434, 441 running
edit State Change Detection activity 348
Custom Message Window activity 296, runtime help button 504
377 send report to e-mail address
enable SSL Run Report activity 403
Send Email activity 85 send test e-mail
end level 1 and 2 Send E-mail activity 86
Cycle activity 313 server name
end of recurrence Send E-mail activity 85
Periodic Time Event activity 368 SMTP port number
frequency Send Email activity 85
Cycle activity 311 starting
frequency, timing, rate State Change Detection activity 348
Cycle activity 311 stopped
from address State Change Detection activity 348
Send Email activity 85, 404, 407 stopping
hold State Change Detection activity 348
State Change Detection activity 348 timeout (seconds)
holding Send E-mail activity 85
State Change Detection activity 348 timing type
insert variable Cycle activity 311
custom message edit 297, 378

676 MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide

 Index

visibility Repeat Loop activity 369-370

Periodic Time Event activity 368 report template
wave shape setting default 404
Cycle activity 311 reports
window size default directories 567
Custom Message Window activity 295, format 405
376 generate 567
window size > height templates 567
Custom Message Window activity 295, view reports window 568
376 Reset Cycle Count activity 353
Properties panel 31 resource
Properties Panel removing external device 117
Variable toggle button 36 resources
PVC 52 about 94
PVP 52 access 99
Python code Project Explorer 122
example 283 test 94
resources tab
R item descriptions 95
settings 95
Ramp To activity 357
Resources tab 94
Rate property
result variable 183
Go To activity 323
results table 554
rates
about 554
data acquisition 151
add column to 555
raw
configure statistics 555
export data 388
Results Variable property
read-only variables
Custom Message Window activity 296, 377
show or hide 181
Resuming property
Read Variables from File activity 395
State Change Detection activity 348
Recurrence Pattern property
Return button 86
Periodic Time Event activity 368
Return to zero activity 326
Reference property
review tab
Break Detection activity 340
statistics 554-555
Reference Signal property
Review tab
Max/Min DAQ activity 334
Cycle Marker Chart for Multiple Runs 554
regular expression tool 111
Cycle Time Marker Chart for Multiple
Relative End Levels property
Runs 554
Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 304
History Marker Chart for Multiple Runs 553
Removal Point property
right function 276
Extensometer Removal activity 345
role
Remove All property
administrator 71
Custom Message Window activity 296, 377
engineer 71
Remove property
operator 72
Custom Message Window activity 296, 377
rollover Running Time 164
removing
Rollover Time 163
external device resource 117

MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide 677

Index

round(number) function 259 Send E-Mail Activity

run-time markers configuring 408
about 564 Send report to e-mail address property
run-time message 464 Run Report activity 403
Run Report activity 401 Send test e-mail property
Run section 31 Send E-mail activity 86
Run/Stop signal in DAQ processes 164 sensitivity
Running property peak-valley triggering 150
State Change Detection activity 348 Sensitivity property
Running Time 163 Break Detection activity 341
runtime display sensor
help button 504 calibration files 105
label 506 Sensor functions 273
runtime help button 504 CalibrationDate 273
CalibrationDueDate 273
S ModelNumber 274
Serial Number 274
Sample Count
sensor signals 164
data acquisition 147
SerialNumber function 274
Sample Rate
Server name property
data acquisition 146
Send E-mail activity 85
Save Data to Variables
Set Calculation Parameter activity 354
data acquisition 157
Set Control Event activity 355
Save data to the file 144
Set Digital Output activity 358
Save data to variables 143
Set Up section 31
Save data to variables property
Set Variable Order window 183
DAQ activity 330
SetTransitionTime function 223
data acquisition 306, 315
signal
Max/Min DAQ activity 335
meter 486
Save Variables 144
Signal-to-Variable Mapping 143
data acquisition 162, 204
data acquisition 161, 203
saving data to file
Signal function 224
data acquisition 163
Signal Limits property
scientific notation 467, 480, 485
Limit Detection activity 347
scope
signal list
general system operation 515
data acquisition 145
types and uses 515
Signal List property
SegmentCount signal 314
Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 305
Select Blocks 144
DAQ activity 330
Select Blocks property
Max/Min DAQ activity 334
DAQ activity 331
Signal property
Select Cycles property
Break Detection activity 340
data acquisition 307, 316
SignalFullScale function 224
Select Device Type window 106
signals
Select Triggers 142
data acquisition 142
Select Signals 142
slope intercept 542
Send E-Mail activity 406-407

678 MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide

 Index

SMTP port number property StringToNumber function 277

Send Email activity 85 support
SMTP server 406 phone 19
Specimen variables 186 technical 17
start test Suppress Cycle Counter property
keyboard shortcut 82 Custom Waveform + DAQ activity 304
Starting Cycles property system performance
data acquisition 306, 315 data acquisition 151
Starting property System Tick Count 164
State Change Detection activity 348 SystemRate function 224
State Change Detection activity 348
Static Null Pacing 52 T
Station signals 163
tabs
statistics 555
view results 129
add and configure 555
tagging
defining 554
auto tag rules 557
status panel 534
manual tagging 556
stop command
TearIndex function 272
custom waveform 313
technical support 17
cycle waveform 313
TEDS
Stopped property
virtual TEDS file 101
State Change Detection activity 348
TEDs device function 274
Stopping property
TEDS device function 274
State Change Detection activity 348
template
Store End Path Value Variable Name property
about 132
Go To + DAQ + Detection activity 325
create template 133
Store Ending Path Value variable 290
setting default report 404
Store Ending Path Value Variable Name prop-
Termination Condition
erty
Go To activity 323
Dwell + DAQ + Detection activity 321
Termination property
strain control 360, 602
Dwell activity 318
StrainA function 232
test
StrainR function 232
about 24, 134
StressA function 232
run state colors 130
StressR function 232
test-run display
String functions 274
Cycle Counter 418
CompareStrings 275
Digital IO 497
FindSubString 275
signal meter 486
left (extracts SubString) 275
variable meter 468-469
string variable
Test-Run Display tab
returning string representation of 279
next segment 383
to create run-time message 464
Test Controls panel 30
StringLength function 277
test definition 122
strings
from a template 133
concatenating 217
test editor 122
StringToInteger function 277

MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide 679

Index

test execution trace properties 451, 470, 488, 541

pretest run task 528 Transducer Electronics Data Sheet (TEDS)
test station setup task 528 101
Test Log 32, 47 trigger 367
test progress table Trigger List property
update interval 510 DAQ activity 330
test run data acquisition 306, 315
cancel 529 Trigger When property
definition 129 Digital Input activity 343
export 136 triggers 140
terminate 30 data acquisition 142, 145
Test Run Status panel 30 TrimStringEnd function 278
test runs TrimStringStart function 278
auto tagging 557 tuning parameter values 395
configure autotag rules 557 Tuning Parameters activity 360
manual tagging 556
TestCreationDate function 225 U
TestCreationTime function 226
undocking panels 40
TestDirectory function 230
unit set
TestModificationDate function 227
about 86
TestRun function 225
cgs 87
TestRunCreationDate function 227-228
in Preferences 88
TestRunCreationTime function 228
manager 88
TestWorks 4
mks 87
converting method to TS template 574-575
MTS 793 87
importing text files 575
MTS TestSuite 87
text variables 171
MTS TestWorks 4 87
Threshold property
SI (mm-kN) 87
Break Detection activity 341
SI (mm-N) 87
Time 163
US (in-kip) 87
Time Between Points
US (in-lbf) 87
data acquisition 146
unit sets
Timed Samples
manager properties 88
data acquisition 147
United States Customary System of Units
timed triggering overview
(US) 89
data acquisition 146
UnLoading Modulus function 212
Timeout (seconds) property
update interval
Send E-mail activity 85
test progress table 510
Timing Type property
Update Interval
Cycle activity 311
data acquisition 156
tolower function 277
update interval box 462
toolbar
Upper/Lower limit property
markers 553
Limit Detection activity 347
Toolbox panel 30
Use Default Variables
toupper function 278
data acquisition 161, 203
Trace function 224

680 MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide

 Index

Use Tuning Parameters property show or hide disabled 181

Go To activity 323 specimen 186
user Specimen category 186
access privileges 64 strings 171
add, edit, remove roles 68 system 185
administrator 64 table for multiple runs 551
assigning roles 66-67 toggle button 36
create role, privilege descriptions 74 types 170
default roles 70 typical uses 168
removing 68 usage 182
specifying 66-67 Variables category 186
variables table 180
V variable categories 185
variable category
Value property
create 186
Limit Detection activity 347
Variable Limits > Comparison Mode property
variable
Limit Detection activity 347
about numeric 170
Variable Limits property
array 172-173
Limit Detection activity 347
Boolean 175
Variable Meter
calculated 176
to create run-time message 464
calculated properties 189
variable order 184
categories 185
variable selection 36, 194
compare 291
variable toggle 194
create category 186
variables
cycle table 551
change test variable values 555
cycle table for multiple runs 551
Column Chooser 180
delete 185
data acquisition 144, 157
delimited notation 209
global choice list 199
editable properties 191
mapping 200-201
editor 177
Store Ending Path Value 290
enable/disable 188
Variables category 186
format panel 192, 468, 481, 486
Variables Editor 177
how to create 195
showing or hiding variables 181
keyword 378
Variables tab 186
main properties 187
variables table 180
map 205
varIdentifier.DisplayValue function 279
meter 468-469
version information
new variable 186
MTS TestSuite 60-61
overview 168
view
pretest 182
dock a panel 41
read-only 181
undock 41
rename custom category 187
view reports 568
result 182
views
Set Variable Order window 183
add 539
setting order 184
delete 539
setting values 169

MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide 681

Index

switching 539
Visibility property
Periodic Time Event activity 368

W
Wait activity 409
Wait for Event activity 349
Wait for Operator Action activity 383
Wave Shape property
Cycle activity 311
waveform
stop behavior 313
While Loop activity 373
window
add custom unit set 89
copy unit set 89
edit custom unit set 89
edit function 280
TW Elite Application 29
Window Size > Height property
Custom Message Window activity 295, 376
Window Size > Width property
Custom Message Window activity 295, 376
workarea 30
workflow 122
Write Variables to File activity 395, 410

X
XML
Read Variables from File activity 395
write variable values to file 410
XML format 410

Y
Y-axis properties 428, 435, 442, 459, 476,
495, 543
Yes, automatically map variables property
data acquisition 306, 315
Yes, manually map variables property
data acquisition 306, 315

682 MTS TestSuite™ TW Elite User Guide

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