Wats Standard Text Format (WSTF)

To simplify integration to other 3^rd party test systems,  we introduce Wats Standard Text Format.

See Also:  
WSXF

When you install the WATS Client, a folder named “WatsStandardTextFormat” is created at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Virinco\WATS (Win XP) or C:\ProgramData\Virinco\WATS (Win 7, 8, 10).

If a file using the Wats Standard Text Format is saved to the directory, the WATS Client will automatically read and import the file into WATS.

NOTE: The converter support in the WATS Client is available from version 4.2. Use the latest official release

General details

The format of the Wats Standard Text Format is a tab delimited ASCII file (*.txt). Each line in the file represents an entry containing any number of data fields.

The file consists of three main parts; a Header data part, a Step data part and a Footer data part. The Header data part is further split into two sub parts; a list of predefined headers followed by an optional section of miscellaneous UUT data.

The WATS Client can read one UUT report per file or multiple UUT reports in one file. Use the Data Markers to organize the data.

Converter Method

The WATS API supports two methods for importing data: Active and Import. When operating in Active mode, the result of a step, sequence and test is set automatically using the measure, compare operator and the limit(s). In Import mode, the status (pass/fail) must be set manually.

The Wats Standard Text Format converter use a combination of Active and Import. If status is given in the data; it will be used. If not, limits are used. 

Log file

Two folders are set up in the FilePath that is referred to in the Converters.xml file. These are:

• Done
• Error

When a file with the correct file type (.txt in this case) is added to the FilePath, it is picked up by the WATS Standard Text Converter.

• If the PostProcessAction in the Converters.xml file is "Delete" (default):
  • After the system has imported the data in the file, it is deleted if the import succeeded, or moved to the Error folder if it did not.
• If the PostProcessAction in the Converters.xml file is "Move": 
  • After the system has imported the data in the file, it is moved to one of the two folders, Done if the import succeeded, Error if it did not.
• If the PostProcessAction in the Converters.xml file is "Zip":
  • After the system has imported the data in the file, it is moved to a zipped folder inside Done if the import succeeded, or moved normally to Error if it did not.

A file called wats.log has data about the files that is picked up by the Service and imported through the converter.

Description & Example

Please see the attached PDF for detailed description, and TXT file for example.