When developing large testplans, a need often arises to use a numeric constant in many places throughout the testplan. A useful feature of the RI System Software is that it allows you to define "symbolic" constants which are set early in the tesplan and can be referenced throughout the testplan -- with no loss of efficiency or extra overhead.
To create a symbolic constant, you first must create the special button used to hold it. First create an "empty" button:
Next, redefine it to be the type of button you want:
Now select the right mouse button menu again and choose "Symbol Name" to set the name of the new symbol button. Click on the button with the left mouse button to set its value:
After setting the new Symbol Button's name and filling in a value, you should see the final symbol like this:
You may use this symbol in any button that takes a numeric value. It should work within "pre-measure" and "post-measure" groups as well. Just point to the button you wish to set symbolically and use the menu to set its value:
NOTE: When you compile the testplan, you will be asked to provide a file for the symbol table. This is unnecessary when the symbols are defined within the testplan, as in this case. Just select "cancel" and the compilation will proceed normally:
You may also notice a new warning message in your Message Window. This message can be ignored when you have the symbols defined in the testplan as we have done in this example.