Leaderboard

https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/wat

Text programming is stoopid.

This is true but one work around is to set the buffer size of the channel before writing the first time. This will allow you to use the write function several times without it needing to actually write to disk, which means it will not need to write the XML header. The down side is the data is not actually written to disk, and if power is removed from the PC then your buffer is lost. For this reason I try to make my buffer size appropriate, so I'm not writing XML header data all the time, but I also don't have a buffer so large that I don't write all the data at once (unless that is desired). http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361H-01/lvhowto/setting_tdms_buffersize/

64-bit will be faster ONLY IF you can take advantage of the 64-bit instructions, or optimizations in the processor. Otherwise the only advantage 64-bit operating system offers you is more memory (32-bit caps out at 4 GB). Most ATE does not require massive memory, so you'll have to evaluate based on your specific application. Depends on what you're trying to do and what hardware it requires. I've got some systems in the field that still require ISA slots for that one legacy board that no one wants to pay to replace; ISA has been "dead" for a couple decades. Lots of slots is good; I've yet to fill a 14-slot chassis, but come very close a couple of times.