CITS–XML – Using XML files from suitably configured ERP system outputs to set up CITS test programs.
Overview:

CITS customers are increasingly wishing to generate CITS test files direct from their ERP systems. This note for IT and test professionals describes the CITS XML test file format – it generates a sample file for proof of concept to guide you on the way to generating your own outputs from an ERP system – thus avoiding the need for manually setting up the CITS test file for each new job.

Skills required:

You should have a working programming knowledge of XML and your ERP system and access to a test engineer with knowledge of how to set a CITS for impedance test in order to interface with your company's ERP systems.

Applicable to:  CITS880s version 18:05 and upwards

From CITS Version 18:05 provision is provided for it to read a simple XML file that describes the parameters for 1 (or many tests), thereby giving the ability to import tests from another system. When CITS is installed, documentation describing the structure of the XML file is also installed in the CITS installation root directory (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Polar\CITS880s). This includes a PDF called "Notes on use of Polar XML Interface for CITS", a Test.xml file and a TestXML.cif file.

This AP note elaborates on the contents of the PDF file and provides a sample Excel macro driven spreadsheet to compile and save a single Test XML file.
The CITS XML format requires the following basic instructions to create a simple Test in CITS:-

• A standardised XML declaration (<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>)
• A standardised naming tag (<PolarXML>)
• A Header section (<Header>)
• A Setup Section (<Setup>) – this could be repeated to create multiple tests within the one XML file

Each section should be terminated with the appropriate </Tag Name> format.

As the Notes on use of Polar XML Interface for CITS PDF states a simple (but fundamentally useless) XML may look like this :-

				<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
				<PolarXML>                
					   <Header></Header> 
					   <Setup></Setup>  
					   <Setup></Setup> 
					   <Setup></Setup> 
				</PolarXML> 
		

The above XML file would create 3 empty tests and could be imported into CITS using the File | Open XML File menu. Each section can then have multiple options as defined in the Notes on use of Polar XML Interface for CITS PDF. It is not necessary to use all the described options, only those that are required to define a Test. Any options not explicitly defined will take their default values from the Test Setup Editor (press the Insert key) or the Utilities | Config | General | Edit Default Test.

The downloadable CITS-XML spreadsheet displays the allowable options under each section, lists the criteria for each as a comment against the defined option and also as a double-clickable action on each entry cell where the option to the left has a comment. A double click will open a form with the comment for each option - this makes it easier to read when entering data.

Clicking the Create XML Code button will compile the list of options entered into a XML formatted list under a worksheet called XML.
Clicking the Create XML File button will save the XML code into a file and path listed under the Export Path cell.