Submodule
Description
Forms
A Form is a window or dialog box comprising part of an application's user interface. A common use of forms is for a virtual instrument's panel and it is used to display status or control its settings. Other uses include a window to provide user interface to control the test application, save test results and other user interaction. A form can contain a menu bar, toolbar, status bar and controls. Forms also contain code used to respond to events caused as result of user action (for example, an OnClick event is called when the user clicks on the control). The ATEasy internal library contains a large number of ActiveX controls used to display and accept data (for example, AChart control). In addition, you may use third-party ActiveX controls.
Commands
Commands are user-defined statements extending the ATEasy programming language. Commands can be associated with procedures. In Drivers, commands can also be associated with an I/O Table used to send or receive data from an instrument.
Procedures
A Procedure contains code that can be called by other procedures or test code to perform an action. Procedures allow the code to be modular and re-useable. Procedures have a name used for calls, parameters to get and set data to or from the procedure, and code. These are programming statements used to perform a certain action at run time.
Events
The Events submodule contains pre-defined procedures you can fill in. ATEasy calls these procedures when an event occurs. Some events are called at initialization and others at the end of a program, system, driver, task or test. Events are typically used to change the flow control of the application and to customize the test results log. Other events are called when an error or abort occurs, thereby allowing the programmer to decide at run-time what to do upon the occurrence of these events.
Variables
Variables are used for storing values. Variables have a name and a type. Types can be one of the ATEasy basic types including Char, Word, Long, Double, String, Object, Variant, and more or any user-defined type such as Structure or Enum. A variable can also be defined as an Array (group of many variables of the same type under one variable), as Public (allowing other modules to use it), or Constant (cannot change by code) and may have an initial value.
Types
The Types submodule holds user-defined types for a module: Structure, Enum, and Typedef. Structure contains fields possessing different types. Structure allows the programmer to group different data types under one variable. Enum contains named integer constants and Typedef is used to alias to a different type.
Libraries
Libraries are in an external submodule containing procedures and classes and other programming elements. ATEasy can use two kinds of libraries: Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs), which is a file typically with .DLL file extensions containing procedures, and Type Libraries, containing classes, procedures and other programming elements and based on Microsoft component technology (COM). Type libraries allow you to make use of classes exposed by external libraries or application. Examples of type libraries are: ActiveX controls or MS-Excel. Unlike DLL where you are required to define the programming elements included in it, a type library contains a complete definition of the programming elements exported by the library.
IO
Tables
An I/O Table is a table of commands to create, send, receive, and decode messages to or from an instrument. I/O Tables can be used to control instruments or processes via message-oriented interfaces such as GPIB, VXI, RS-232, WinSock, and more. Only drivers have this submodule.
Tests
The Tests submodule contains a collection of tests, usually grouped under tasks, used to test the UUT. The Test contains the code and the requirements of the test. The task is a way to group several tests and arrange them in logical order. At run-time when the program runs, each test generates a status: Pass, Fail, None, or Error. Only programs have this submodule.
Drivers
Drivers
is a submodule within a system module containing file shortcuts
to all drivers used by the system. The 
Driver Shortcut contains
the driver filename, its name, and the driver configuration (for
example, interface type and address) as used by the system. The
driver itself, when used by the system or program in the project,
is typically used to control an instrument by sending and receiving
data to/from its interface, such as a GPIB interface.
Misc is a submodule within a project, program, system, and driver module. The Misc subfolder is created by the user and contains sub folders and shortcuts to external files. The Misc folder is used is to store baggage files for your projects or modules such as documentation, dlls, software components and others. You can open /edit/print these files directly from ATEasy which uses the external Windows application that is associated with the file. For example Microsoft Word will be used to open files with .doc file extensions.