WATS Software Distribution allows you to manage test software (or any other software) running on your test machines. Using the WATS Web Application you can create, manage and release software packages from your WATS cloud. The software can then be downloaded and installed on your clients, based on attributes and tags specified.
The client-end logic can be handled by using the WATS Client Package Manager, the Add-Ons for TestStand and LabView, or the WATS Client .NET API.
1. Creating software packages
Software packages are created in the Production Manager (Control Panel > Process & Production > Production Manager. The Production Manager offers a fail-safe revision system with multiple release-stages enforcing unique packages. If a package is created with a existing package name, this package will automatically get an incremented revision number based on the existing revisions.
Tags
Once a package is created, you can assign any number of predefined and custom tags to identify it. You can specify what part number / station / factory or line the software applies to, and create your own custom tags as well. On the client side you can use these tags to identify software and decide if or when this software should be downloaded/installed/executed.
Files and attributes
You can add any number of files of any type, as well folders to your software package. for each file you can assign attributes specifying what action to perform on installation.
Please read the article Create a Software Distribution Package for details regarding creating and editing packages.
2. Using WATS Client Package Manager
The WATS Client Package Manager is installed with the WATS Client. It can be found in the System Tray, by right-clicking the WATS-icon and selecting Package Manager. This will open a dialog showing you a list of available software, as well as a separate tab for the installed packages. Simply select one or more packages and click Install to install.
Package Manager Configuration
Using the File-menu > Configure, you can edit the clients configuration. By default, all software packages tagged with "Station:Any" or "Station:ThisStationsName" will be available. You can assign additional filter settings, and change the check interval, and the package status.
Please refer to the section WATS Client for more information on the WATS Client
3. Using the NI TestStand Add-on
If you are using TestStand, the WATS TestStand Add-On supports functionality for accessing and downloading software packages. In fact this is actually included as a plug and play feature. By default, when running WATS MES - Test UUT's, the TestStand Add-On is configured to look for software with name matching the format PARTNUMBER_REVISION_TESTOPERATION.
For the screenshot above, the Add-On will search for a released software package with the name 202_1_Burn In test. If the package is found, the add-on will download, install and run the new package.
Please refer to the section Using NI TestStand for more articles on the TestStand Add-On.
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