QTP

Actions

Types of Actions

Internal Actions

External Actions

Independent Actions

Nested Actions

Reusable Actions

Non-Reusable Actions

Properties

Copy of Actions

Call to Actions

Split Actions

Action Parameterization

Action Parameters

While recording the script into multiple actions user need to objerve 3 points.

1. Along with a new action QTP adds a new data sheet in Data Table with action name.

2. Object Repository also records into multpile actions.

3. QTP adds a statement in the action which navigates the script run to the new action.

RunAction "ActionName", OneIteration

Note: User can record upto 255 actions

If User changes the Name of the Action it will applies in the Repository and Data Table also.

All recorded actions will treats as Internal Actions and allows modifications from the user.User can change the navigation of Actions.User can split one action into two actions.

Copy Of Action: User can select one action from one test into another test to copy.Only selected action will copied. (Nested action will not copied)User can update the copied action.no relation between source action and copied action.both will treats as internal actions.

Call to Existing Actions: It calls the selected action along with its nested actions.

All these are External actions and not allowed any modifications modifications on source will effects here.

Action Parameterization

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Enter the Test Data into the specific action sheet

2. Open the script in Keyword view

3. Open the Action you need to parameterize and perform it.

4. Open its parent action and select the Action name(RunAction) and right click it

5. Select Action Call Properties and change the data table iterations

Note: Parameterized action should not contain child actions which navigates into different screens

AddDefectToQC

Dim TDConnection

Set TDConnection = CreateObject("TDApiOle.TDConnection")

TDConnection.InitConnection "http://yovav/tdbin" ' URL for the DB

TDConnection.ConnectProject "TD76","bella","pino" ' Valid login information

If TDConnection.Connected Then

MsgBox("Connected to " + chr (13) + "Server " + TDConnection.ServerName _

+ chr (13) +"Project " + TDConnection.ProjectName )

Else

MsgBox("Not Connected")

End If

'Get the IBugFactory

Set BugFactory = TDConnection.BugFactory

'Add a new empty bug

Set Bug = BugFactory.AddItem (Nothing)

'fill the bug with relevant parameters

Bug.Status = "New"

Bug.Summary = "Connecting to TD"

Bug.Priority = "4-Very High" ' depends on the DB

Bug.AssignedTo = "admin" ' user that must exist in the DB's users list

Bug.DetectedBy = "admin" ' user that must exist in the DB's users list

'Post the bug to DB ( commit )

Bug.Post

AdvancedVBScripts

' Read from XML

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dim objXML, Root, node

set objXML = CreateObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM")

objXML.async = "false"

objXML.load("d:\myfile.xml")

Set Root = objXML.documentElement

For Each node In Root.childNodes

if node.nodename="Variable" then

itemname=node.text

MsgBox itemname

End If

set objXML = Nothing

Set Root = Nothing

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Create a Word Document

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dim objWD

Set objWD = CreateObject("Word.Application")

objWD.Documents.Add

objWD.Selection.TypeText "Hello" & Chr(13) & "How are you Doing"

objWD.ActiveDocument.SaveAs "D:\mydoc.doc"

objWD.Quit

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Send a mail to outlook

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Set objLook = CreateObject("OutLook.Application")

Set objMail = ObjLook.CreateItem(0)

objMail.Subject = "Test Result"

objMail.To = "surya.boddu@hitachiconsulting.com"

'objMail.cc = "mail ids"

objMail.Attachments.Add "D:\SuryaQTP\Vbscript.doc"

objMail.HtmlBody = "Test Message"

objMail.send

Set objLook = Nothing

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Create an Excel file

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Set Ex = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Ex.WorkBooks.Add

Ex.ActiveWorkBook.SaveAs "C:\My1.xls"

Set WBK = Ex.WorkBooks.Open("C:\My1.xls")

Set Wst = WBK.Sheets(1)

Wst.Name = "My sheet"

Wst.Rows("1:5").Font.Name = "Comic Sans Ms"

Wst.Cells(1,1) = "Rama"

Wst.Columns("A:D").Font.bold = True

Wst.Columns("A:D").Columnwidth = 40

Wst.Rows("1:5").Font.Size = 10

WBK.Save

'WBK.Copy "target"

Ex.Quit

Set Ex = Nothing

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Create a Dictionary Object (Named Arrays)

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dim myDictObj

Set myDictObj=CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")

myDi.Add "CustId","1001" 'Add some keys and items

myDi.Add "CustName", "Pradeep"

myDi.Add "CustCity","Hyd"

Msgbox myDictObj.Item("CustName")

Msgbox myDictObj.Count

myKeys = myDi.Keys

For each Item in myKeys

Msgbox Item 'Returns the array to see individual key values

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' To restart/shutdown/Logoff a System

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dim wsh

Set wsh = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

wsh.Run "Sutdown.exe -l" ' for Logoff

wsh.Run "shutdown.exe -r" ' for restart

wsh.Run "shutdown.exe -s" - for shutdown

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' To display a popup with time limit

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dim wsh

Set wsh = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

'wsh.Popup "Your message", timeout, "Title"

wsh.Popup "How do you do?", 5, "Hello"

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Automated Testing Life-cycle Methodology (ATLM)[i]

Elfriede Dustin

Software project managers and software developers building today's applications face the challenge of doing so within an ever-shrinking schedule and with minimal resources. As part of their attempt to do more with less, organizations want to test software adequately, but as quickly and thoroughly as possible. To accomplish this goal, organizations are turning to automated testing.

Faced with this reality and realizing that many tests cannot be executed manually, such as simulating 1,000 virtual users for volume testing, software professionals are introducing automated testing to their projects. While needing to introduce automated testing, software professionals may not know what's involved in introducing an automated test tool to a software project, and they may be unfamiliar with the breadth of application that automated test tools have today. The Automated Testing Life-cycle Methodology (ATLM), depicted in Figure 1, provides guidance in these areas.

Figure 1 - Automated Test Lifecycle Methodology (ATLM)

By using the systematic approach outlined within the ATLM, organizations are able to organize and execute test activities in such a way as to maximize test coverage within the limits of testing resources. This structured test methodology involves a multi-stage process, supporting the detailed, and inter-related activities that are required to introduce and utilize an automated test tool; develop test design; develop and execute test cases; develop and manage test data and the test environment; as well as document, track and obtain closure on issue/trouble reports.

Clearly, the emphasis on automated testing represents a paradigm change for the software industry. This change does not simply involve the application of tools and the performance of test automation. Rather, it is pervasive across the entire test life cycle and the system development life cycle. The ATLM implementation takes place in parallel with the system development lifecycle. For software professionals to successfully make the leap to automated testing, structured approaches to testing must be embraced. The ATLM is revolutionary in the fact that it promulgates a new structured, building-block approach to the entire test life cycle, which enables software test professionals to approach software testing in a methodical and repeatable fashion.

The growth of automated test capability has stemmed in large part from the growing popularity of the iterative and incremental development life cycle, a software development methodology that focuses on minimizing the development schedule while providing frequent, incremental software builds. The objective of this incremental and iterative development is to engage the user and the test team early throughout design and development of each build so as to refine the software, thereby ensuring that it more closely reflects the needs and preferences of the user and thus addressing the riskiest aspects of development in early builds

In this environment of continual changes and additions to the software through each software build, software testing takes on an iterative nature itself. Each new build is accompanied by a considerable number of new tests as well as rework to existing test scripts, just as there is rework on previously released software modules. Given the continual changes and additions to software applications, especially web applications, automated software testing becomes an important control mechanism to ensure accuracy and stability of the software through each build.

The ATLM, invoked to support test efforts involving automated test tools, incorporates a multi-stage process. The methodology supports the detailed and inter-related activities that are required to decide whether to acquire an automated testing tool. The methodology includes the process of how to introduce and utilize an automated test tool, covers test development and test design, and addresses test execution and management. The methodology also supports the development and management of test data and the test environment, and addresses test documentation to include problem reports.

The ATLM methodology represents a structured approach, which depicts a process with which to approach and execute test. This structured approach is necessary to help steer the test team away from the common test program mistakes below.

Implementing the use of an automated test tool without a testing process in place resulting in an ad-hoc, non-repeatable, non-measurable test program.
Implementing a test design without following any design standards, resulting in the creation of test scripts that are not repeatable and therefore not reusable for incremental software builds.
Efforts attempting to automate 100% of test requirements, when tools or in-house developed automated test harnesses being applied do not support automation of all tests required.
Using the wrong tool or developing a too elaborate in house test harness.
Test tool implementation initiated too late in the application development life cycle, not allowing sufficient time for tool setup and test tool introduction process (i.e. learning curve).
Test engineer involvement initiated too late in the application development life cycle resulting in poor understanding of the application and system design, which results in incomplete testing.

The Automated Test Life-cycle Methodology (ATLM) is comprised of six primary processes or components. Each primary process is further composed of subordinate processes as described below.

1 Decision to Automate Test

The Decision to Automate Test represents the first phase of the ATLM. This phase covers the entire process that goes into the automated testing decision. During this phase it is important for the test team to manage automated testing expectations and to outline the potential benefits of automated testing when implemented correctly. A test tool proposal needs to be outlined, which will be helpful in acquiring management support.

1.1 Overcoming False Expectations for Automated Testing

While it has been proven successfully that automated testing is valuable and can produce a return on investment, there isn’t always an immediate payback on investment. It is important that some of the misconceptions that persist in the software industry are addressed and that the automated testing utopia is managed. What follows is a list of just a few of the misconceptions that need to be addressed. It is important to note that people often see test automation as a silver bullet and, when they find that test automation requires a significant short-term investment of time and energy to achieve a long-term return on investment (ROI) of faster and cheaper regression testing (for example), the testing tool often becomes “shelf-ware” the tool. This is why it is important that in order to introduce automated testing correctly into a project, expectations are managed.

Automatic Test Plan Generation

Currently, there is no commercially available tool that can automatically create a comprehensive test plan, while also supporting test design and execution.

Throughout a software test career, the test engineer can expect to witness test tool demonstrations and review an abundant amount of test tool literature. Often the test engineer will be asked to stand before a senior manager or a small number of managers to give a test tool functionality overview. As always the presenter must bear in mind the audience. In this case, the audience may represent individuals with just enough technical knowledge to make them enthusiastic about automated testing, while not aware of the complexity involved with an automated test effort. Specifically, the managers may have obtained information about automated test tools third hand, and may have reached the wrong interpretation of the actual capability of automated test tools.

What the audience at the management presentation may be waiting to hear, is that the tool that you are proposing automatically develops the test plan, designs and creates the test procedures, executes all the test procedures and analyzes the results automatically. You meanwhile start out the presentation by informing the group that automated test tools should be viewed as enhancements to manual testing, and that automated test tools will not automatically develop the test plan, design and create the test procedures and execute the test procedures.

Soon into the presentation and after several management questions, it becomes very apparent just how much of a divide exists between the reality of the test tool capabilities and the perceptions of the individuals in the audience. The term automated test tool seems to bring with it a great deal of wishful thinking that is not closely aligned with reality. An automated test tool will not replace the human factor necessary for testing a product. The proficiencies of test engineers and other quality assurance experts will still be needed to keep the testing machinery running. A test tool can be viewed as an additional part of the machinery that supports the release of a good product.

Test Tool Fits All

Currently not one single test tool exists that can be used to support all operating system environments.

Generally, a single test tool will not fulfill all the testing requirements for an organization. Consider the experience of one test engineer encountering such a situation. The test engineer, Dave, was asked by a manager to find a test tool that could be used to automate the testing of all of the department’s applications. The department was using various technologies to include mainframe computers and Sun workstations; operating systems such as Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT, Windows 2000, programming languages such as VC++, and Visual Basic, other client server technologies and web technologies, such as DHTML, XML, ASP, etc.

After conducting a tool evaluation, the test engineer determined that the tool of choice was not compatible with the VC++ third party add-ons (in this case, Stingray grids). Another tool had to be brought in, that was compatible with this specific application.

It is important to note that expectations have to be managed and it has to be made clear that currently there does not exist one single tool on the market that is compatible with all of the operating systems and programming languages simultaneously. More than one tool is required to test the various technologies.

Immediate Reduction in Schedule – An automated test tool will not immediately minimize the testing schedule.

Another automated test misconception is the expectation that the use of an automated testing tool on a new project will immediately minimize the test schedule. Since the testing effort actually increases, as previously described, the testing schedule will not experience the anticipated decrease at first, and an allowance for schedule increase is required, when initially introducing an automated test tool. This is due to the fact that when rolling out an automated test tool, the current testing process has to be augmented or an entirely new testing process has to be developed and implemented. The entire test team and possibly the development team needs to become familiar with this new automated testing process (i.e. ATLM) and needs to follow it. Once an automatic testing process has been established and effectively implemented, the project can expect to experience gains in productivity and turn around time that have a positive effect on schedule and cost.

1.2 Benefits of Automated Testing

The previous discussion points out and clarifies some of the false automated testing expectations that exist. The test engineer will also need to be able to elaborate on the benefits of automated testing, when automated testing is implemented correctly and a process is followed. The test engineer must evaluate whether potential benefits fit required improvement criteria and whether the pursuit of automated testing on the project is still a logical fit, given the organizational needs. There are three significant automated test benefits (in combination with manual test) which include a) producing a reliable system, b) improving the quality of the test effort, and c) reducing test effort and minimizing schedule.

Many return on investment case studies have been done with regard to the implementation of automated testing. One example is a research effort conducted by imbus GmbH (see www.imbus.de). They conducted a test automation value study in order to collect test automation measurements with the purpose of studying the benefits of test automation versus the implementation of manual test methods. Their research determined that the break-even point of automated testing is on average at 2.03 test runs (see www.imbus.de for more detail)[ii].

1.3 Acquiring management support

Whenever an organization tries to adopt a new technology, they encounter a significant effort when determining how to apply it to their needs. Even with completed training, organizations wrestle with time-consuming false starts before they become capable with the new technology. For the test team interested in implementing automated test tools, the challenge is how to best present the case for a new test automation technology and its implementation to the management team.

Test engineers need to influence management’s expectations for the use of automated testing on projects. Test engineers can help to manage expectations of others in the organization by forwarding helpful information to the management staff. Bringing up test tool issues during strategy and planning meetings can also help develop better understanding of test tool capabilities of everyone involved on a project or within the organization. A test engineer can develop training material on the subject of automated testing and can advocate to management that a seminar be scheduled to conduct the training.

The first step in moving toward a decision to automate testing on a project requires that the test team adjust management understanding of the appropriate application of automated testing for the specific need at hand. The test team, for example, needs to check early on whether management is cost adverse and would be unwilling to accept the estimated cost of automated test tools for a particular effort. If so, test personnel need to convince management about the potential return on investment by conducting cost benefit analysis.

If management is willing to invest in an automated test tool, but is not able or willing to staff a test team with individuals having the proper software skill level or provide for adequate test tool training, the test team will need to point out the risks involved and/or may need to reconsider a recommendation to automate test.

Management also needs to be made aware of the additional cost involved when introducing a new tool, not only for the tool purchase, but for initial schedule/cost increase, additional training costs and for enhancing an existing testing process or implementing a new testing process.

Test automation represents highly flexible technology, which provides several ways to accomplish an objective. Use of this technology requires new ways of thinking, which only amplifies the problem of test tool implementation. Many organizations can readily come up with examples of their own experience of technology that failed to deliver on its potential because of the difficulty of overcoming the "Now what?" syndrome. The issues that organizations face when adopting automated test systems include those outlined below.

· Finding/hiring test tool experts

· Using the correct tool for the task at hand

· Developing and implementing an automated testing process, which includes developing automated test design and development standards

· Analyzing various applications to determine those which are best suited for automation

· Analyzing the test requirements to determine the ones suitable for automation

· Training the test team on the automated testing process, automated test design, development and execution.

· Initial increase in schedule and cost

2 Test Tool Acquisition

Test Tool Acquisition represents the 2^nd phase of the ATLM. This phase guides the test engineer through the entire test tool evaluation and selection process, starting with confirmation of management support. Since a tool should support most of the organizations’ testing requirements, whenever feasible, the test engineer will need to review the systems engineering environment and other organizational needs and come up with a list of tool evaluation criteria. A review of the different types of tools available to support aspects of the entire testing life-cycle is provided in the book Automated Software Testing (as part of the ATLM), enabling the reader to make an informed decision with regard to the types of tests to be performed on a particular project. The test engineer then needs to define an evaluation domain to pilot the test tool. Finally, after all those steps have been completed, the test engineer can make vendor contact to bring in the selected tool(s). Test personnel then evaluate the tool, based on sample criteria provided.

3 Automated Testing Introduction Phase

The Process of Introducing Automated Testing to a new project team represents the 3^rd phase of the ATLM. This phase outlines the steps necessary to successfully introduce automated testing to a new project, which are summarized below.

Test Process Analysis

Test Process Analysis ensures that an overall test process and strategy are in place and are modified, if necessary, to allow automated test to be introduced in a successful fashion. The test engineers define and collect test process metrics in order to allow for process improvement. Here test goals, objectives and strategies need to be defined and test process needs to be documented and communicated to the test team. In this phase, the kinds of testing applicable for the technical environment will be defined and tests are defined that can be supported by automated tools.

During the test process analysis, techniques get defined. Best practices, such as conducting performance testing during the unit-testing phase are laid out.

Plans for user involvement are assessed, and test team personnel skills are analyzed against test requirements and planned test activities. Early test team participation is emphasized, supporting refinement of requirement specifications into terms, which can be adequately tested while also supporting test team understanding of application requirements and design.

Test Tool Consideration

The Test Tool Consideration phase includes steps that investigate whether incorporation of automated test tools that have been brought into the company without a specific project in mind now would be beneficial to a specific project, given the project testing requirements, available test environment and personnel resources, the user environment, platform, and product features of the application under test. Schedule is reviewed to ensure sufficient time for test tool setup and development of requirements hierarchy; potential test tools and utilities are mapped to test requirements; test tool compatibility with the application and environment is verified; workaround solutions are investigated to incompatibility problems surfaced during compatibility tests.

4 Test Planning, Design and Development

Test Planning, Design and Development is the 4th phase of the ATLM. These subjects are summarized below.

Test Planning

The Test Planning phase represents the need to review long lead-time test planning activities. During this phase, the test team identifies test procedure creation standards and guidelines; hardware, software and network required to support test environment; test data requirements; a preliminary test schedule; performance measure requirements; a procedure to control test configuration and environment; defect tracking procedure and associated tracking tool.

The test plan contains the results of each preliminary phase of the structured test methodology (ATLM). The test plan will define roles and responsibilities, project test schedule, test planning and design activities, test environment preparation, test risks and contingencies, and acceptable level of thoroughness (i.e. test acceptance criteria). Test plan appendices may include test procedures, naming convention description, test procedure format standards and a test procedure traceability matrix.

The Test Environment Setup is part of test planning. It represents the need to plan, track and manage test environment set up activities, where material procurements may have long lead-times. The test team needs to schedule and track environment set up activities; install test environment hardware, software and network resources; integrate and install test environment resources; obtain/refine test databases; and develop environment setup scripts and test bed scripts.

Test Design

The Test Design component addresses the need to define the number of tests to be performed, the ways that test will be approached (paths, functions), and the test conditions which need to be exercised. Test design standards need to be defined and followed.

An effective test program, incorporating the automation of software testing, involves a mini-development life cycle of its own, complete with strategy and goal planning, test requirement definition, analysis, design and coding. Similar to software application development, test requirements must be specified before test design is constructed. Test requirements need to be clearly defined and documented, so that all project personnel will understand the basis of the test effort. Test requirements are defined within requirement statements as an outcome of test requirement analysis.

After Test Requirements have been derived using the described techniques, test procedure design can begin. Test procedure definition consists of the definition of logical groups of test procedures and a naming convention for the suite of test procedures. With a test procedure definition in place, each test procedure is then identified as either an automated or a manual test. During the test planning phase the test team gets an understanding of the number of test techniques being employed and an estimate for the number of test procedures that will be required. The test team also will have an estimate of the number of test procedures that will need to be performed manually, as well as with an automated test tool.

Much like a software development effort, the test program must be mapped out and consciously designed to ensure that test activities performed represent the most efficient and effective tests for the system under test. Test program resources are limited, yet ways of testing the system are endless. Test design is developed, which portrays the test effort, in order to give project and test personnel a mental framework on the boundary and scope of the test program.

Following test analysis, the test team develops the test program design models. The first of these design models, the Test Program Model, consists of a graphic illustration that depicts the scope of the test program. This model typically depicts the test techniques required to support the dynamic test effort and also outline static test strategies.

Having defined a test program model, the test team constructs a test architecture, which depicts the structure of the test program, and defines the way that test procedures will be organized in support of the test effort.

The next step in the test procedure design process as depicted in Table 1, is to identify those test procedures which stand out as being more sophisticated, and as a result, are required to be defined further as part of detailed test design. These test procedures are flagged and a detailed design document is prepared in support of the more sophisticated test procedures. Following detailed test design, test data requirements are mapped against the defined test procedures. In order to create a repeatable, reusable process for producing test procedures, the test team needs to create a document that outlines test procedure design standards. Only when these standards are followed can the automated test program achieve real efficiency and success, by being repeatable and maintainable.

step	description
1	Test Architecture Review. The test team reviews the test architecture in order to identify the test techniques which apply.
2	Test Procedure Definition (Development Level). A Test Procedure Definition is constructed at the development test level, that identifies the test procedure series that applies for the different design components and test techniques.
3	Test Procedure Definition (System Level). A Test Procedure Definition is constructed at the system test level, that identifies the test procedure series that applies for the different test techniques.
4	Test Procedure Design Standards. Design standards are adopted and a naming convention is adopted that uniquely identifies the test procedures on the project from test procedures developed in the past or on other projects.
5	Manual Versus Automated Tests. Test procedures will be depicted as being either performed manually or as part of an automated test.
6	Test Procedures Flagged for Detailed Design. Test procedures that stand out as more sophisticated are flagged. These test procedures are further defined as part of detailed test design.
7	Detailed Design. Those test procedures flagged as part of step above, are designed in further detail within a Detailed Test Design file or document. Test procedure detailed design may consist of pseudocode of algorithms, preliminary test step definition, or pseudocode of test automation programs.
8	Test Data Mapping. Test Procedure Matrix is modified to reflect test data requirements for each test procedure.

Table 1 - Test Procedure Design Process

The exercise of developing the test procedure definition not only aids in test development, but this definition also helps to quantify or bound the test effort. The development of the test procedure definition involves the identification of the suite of test procedures that will need to be developed and executed in support of the test effort. The design exercise involves the organization of test procedures into logical groups and the definition of a naming convention for the suite of test procedures.

At the system level, it may be worthwhile to develop a detailed test design for sophisticated tests. These tests might involve test procedures that perform complex algorithms, consist of both manual and automated steps, and test programming scripts that are modified for use in multiple test procedures. The first step in the detailed design process is to review the test procedure definition at the system test level. This review is conducted for the purpose of identifying those test procedures that stand out as being more sophisticated, which as a result, are required to be defined further as part of detailed test design.

Detailed test design may take the form of test program pseudocode, when test programming is required. The detailed design may be represented simply as a sequence of steps that need to be performed in support of a test. When programming variables and multiple data values are involved, the detailed design may reflect the programming construct of a loop supporting an iterative series of tests involving different values together with a list or table identifying the kinds of data or ranges of data required for the test.

Following the performance of detailed test design, test data requirements need to be mapped against the defined test procedures. Once test data requirements are outlined, the test team needs to plan the means for obtaining, generating or developing the test data.

The structure of the test program (test architecture) is commonly portrayed in two different ways. One test procedure organization method involves the logical grouping of test procedures with the system application design components, and is referred to as a design-based test architecture. Another method represents a test technique perspective and associates test procedures with the various kinds of test techniques represented within the test program model, and is referred to as a technique-based test architecture.

An understanding of test techniques is necessary when developing test design and the test program design models. Personnel performing test need to be familiar with the test techniques associated with the white box and black box test approach methods. White box test techniques are aimed at exercising software program internals, while black box techniques generally compare the application under test behavior against requirements that address testing via established, public interfaces such as the user interface or the published application programming interface (API).

Test Development

In order for automated tests to be reusable, repeatable and maintainable, test development standards need to be defined and followed.

After performing test analysis and design the test team is now ready to perform test development.

Keep in mind that the test design and development activities follow an iterative and incremental approach, in order to address the highest risk functionality up front. Table 2 correlates the development process phases to the test process phases. The testing processes and steps outlined in the table are strategically aligned with the development process and the execution of these steps results in the refinement of test procedures at the same time as developers are creating the software modules. Automated and/or manual test procedures are developed during the integration test phase with the intention of reusing them during the system test phase.

Many preparation activities need to take place, before test development can begin. A test development architecture is developed (Figure 2), which provides the test team with a clear picture of the test development preparation activities or building blocks necessary for the efficient creation of test procedures. The test team will need to modify and tailor the sample test development architecture in order to reflect the priorities of their particular project. Part of these setup and preparation activities include the need to track and manage test environment set up activities, where material procurements may have long lead-times. Prior to the commencement of test development, the test team also needs to perform analysis to identify the potential for reuse of already existing test procedures and scripts within the Automation Infrastructure (reuse library).

The test team needs to develop test procedures according to a test procedure development/execution schedule. This schedule needs to allocate personnel resources and reflect development due dates, among other factors. The test team needs to monitor development progress and produce progress status reports. Prior to the creation of a complete suite of test procedures, the test team performs a modularity relationship analysis. The results of this analysis help to incorporate data dependencies, plan for workflow dependencies between tests, and identify common scripts that can be repeatedly applied to the test effort. As test procedures are being developed, the test team needs to ensure that configuration control is performed for the entire test bed to include test design, test scripts, and test data, as well as for each individual test procedure. The test bed needs to be baselined using a configuration management tool.

Test development involves the development of test procedures that are maintainable, reusable, simple and robust, which in itself can be as challenging as the development of the application-under-test. Test procedure development standards need to be in place supporting structured and consistent development of automated tests. Test development standards can be based on the scripting language standards of a particular test tool. For example, Rational’s Robot uses SQABasic, a Visual Basic like scripting language and therefore the script development standards could be based on the Visual Basic development standards, outlined in a number of books on the subject.

Usually internal development standards exist that can be followed if the organization is developing in a language similar to the tool’s scripting language. The adoption or slight modification of existing development standards is generally a better approach than creating a standard from scratch. If no development standards exist within the organization for the particular tool scripting language, it is important for the test team to develop script development guidelines. Such guidelines can include directions on context independence, which addresses the particular place where a test procedure should start and where it should end. Additionally, modularity and reusability guidelines need to be addressed.

Phase	Development Process	Test Process
Module (Unit) Development	Design module from requirements	Perform test planning and test environment set up.
	Code module	Create test design and develop test data.
	Debug module	Write test scripts or record test scenario using module.
	Unit test module	Debug automated test script by running against module. Use tools that support unit testing,
	Correct defects	Rerun automated test script to regression test as defects are corrected.
	Conduct Performance Testing	Verify system is scaleable and will meet performance requirements
Integration	Build system by connecting modules. Integration test connected modules. Review trouble reports.	Combine unit test scripts and add new scripts that demonstrate module inter-connectivity. Use test tool to support automated integration testing.
	Correct defects and update defect status.	Rerun automated test script as part of regression test, as defects are corrected.
	Continued Performance Testing Activities	Verify system is scaleable and will meet performance requirements
System Test	Review trouble reports.	Integrate automated test scripts into system level test procedures, where possible, and develop additional system level test procedures. Execute system test and record test results.
	Correct defects and update defect status.	Rerun automated test script as part of regression test as defects are corrected.
Acceptance Test	Review incident reports.	Perform subset of system test as part of demonstration of user acceptance test.
	Correct defects	Rerun automated test script as part of regression test as defects are corrected.

Table 2 - Development / Test Relationship

By developing test procedures based on development guidelines, the test team creates the initial building blocks for an Automation Infrastructure. The Automation Infrastructure will eventually contain a library of common, reusable scripts. Throughout the test effort and in future releases, the test engineer can make use of the Automation Infrastructure in order to support reuse of archived test procedures, minimize duplication, and thus enhance the entire automation effort.

Test Development Architecture

Test team members responsible for test development need to be prepared with the proper materials. Test team personnel need to follow a test development architecture that includes, for example, a listing of the test procedures assigned to them and a listing of the outcome of automated vs. manual test analysis. Also, test team personnel will need to decide when to automate. At times a test team might want to avoid automating using a GUI testing tool before the interface –whether API, character UI, or GUI is stabilized to avoid re-engineering the automated tests in response to non-bug-related changes. Other times the test team can find workaround solutions when automating an unstable GUI, such as focusing automation on the known stable parts only.

The test engineer needs to adhere to the test procedure development and execution schedule, test design information, automated test tool user manuals, and test procedure development guidelines. Armed with the proper instructions, documentation and guidelines, test engineers will have the foundation that allows them to develop a more cohesive and structured set of test procedures. It is important to note that the ability for the test team to repeat a process and repeatedly demonstrate a strong test program, depends upon the availability of documented processes and standard guidelines such as the test development architecture.

An example of the graphical illustration, containing the major activities to be performed as part of the test development architecture, is depicted in Figure 2. Test development starts with test environment setup and preparation activities, discussed previously. Once they are concluded, the test team needs to make sure that pertinent information, necessary to support development has been documented or gathered. The test team will need to modify and tailor the sample test development architecture, depicted in Figure 2, in order to reflect the priorities of their particular project. Note that Figure 2 should be read from bottom to top.

Figure 2 - Building Blocks of the Test Development Architecture

Technical Environment

Test procedure development needs to be preceded by several setup activities. The test development activity needs to be supported by a technical environment, which facilitates the development of test procedures. As a result, the test environment needs to be set up and ready to go. The test environment includes the technical environment, which may include facility resources as well as the hardware and software necessary to support test development and execution. The test team needs to ensure that there are enough workstations to support the entire team. The various elements of the test environment need to be outlined within the test plan, as discussed previously.

Environment setup activities can also include the use of an environment setup script to load test data restore a drive image, and to calibrate the test tool to the environment. When test tool compatibility problems arise with the application under test, workaround solutions have to be identified. When developing test procedures it is important that the schedule for developing test procedures is consistent with the test execution schedule. It is also important that the test team follow test procedure development guidelines.

The test team will need to ensure that the proper test room or laboratory facilities are reserved and setup. Once the physical environment is established, the test team will need to ensure that all necessary equipment is installed and operational. The test plan defined the required technical environment and addressed test environment planning. Also within the test environment section of the test plan, the test team has already identified operational support required to install and checkout the operational readiness of the technical environment. The test team needs to ensure that operational support activities have been properly scheduled and must monitor progress of these tasks.

Specific tasks and potential issues outlined in the test plan should have now been addressed and resolved. Such issues could include network installation, network server configuration and allocated disk space, network access privileges, required desktop computer processing speed and memory, number and types of desktop computers (clients), video resolution requirements, and any additional software required to support the application such as browser software. Automated test tools that apply should have been scheduled for installation and checkout. These tools now should be configured to support the test team and be operational within the test environment.

The test environment setup activity includes the need to track and manage test environment set up activities, where material procurements may have long lead-times. These activities include the need to schedule and track environment set up activities; install test environment hardware, software and network resources; integrate and test install test environment resources; obtain/refine test databases; and develop environment setup scripts and test bed scripts.

The hardware supporting the test environment must be sufficient to ensure complete functionality of the production application. Test environment hardware needs to be sufficient to support performance analysis. In cases where the test environment utilizes hardware resources, which are also supporting other development or management activities, special arrangements may be necessary during actual performance testing. During system test, the software configuration loaded within the test environment must be a complete, fully integrated release with no patches and no disabled sections. The hardware configuration supporting the test environment needs to be designed to support processing, storage, and retrieval activities, which may be performed across a local or wide area network, reflecting the target environment.

The test environment design will also need to consider stress testing requirements. Stress and load tests may require the use of multiple workstations that will run multiple test procedures simultaneously, while some automated test tools include a virtual user simulation functionality that greatly eliminates or minimizes the need for multiple workstations.

Test data will need to be obtained with enough lead-time to support refinement and manipulation to support test requirements. Data preparation activities include the identification of conversion data requirements, the preprocessing of raw data files, loading of temporary tables possibly in a relational database management system format, and the performance of consistency checks. Identifying conversion data requirements involves performing in-depth analysis on data elements, which includes defining data mapping criteria, clarifying data element definitions, confirming primary keys, and defining data-acceptable parameters.

During test planning, the test team defined and scheduled the test environment activities. Now the team will need to track the test environment set up activities. Resources need to be identified to install hardware, software and network resources into test environment and integrate and test installed test environment resources. The test environment materials and the application under test need to be baselined within a configuration management tool. Additionally, test environment materials may include test data and test processes.

The test team will need to obtain and modify test databases necessary to exercise software applications, and develop environment setup scripts and test bed scripts. The test team should perform product reviews and validation of all test source materials. The location of the test environment for each project or task should be defined within the test plan for each project. Early identification of the test site is critical to cost effective test environment planning and development.

5 Execution and Management of Tests

The test team at this stage, has addressed test design and test development. Test procedures are now ready to be executed in support of exercising the application-under-test. Also test environment setup planning and implementation was addressed consistent with the test requirements and guidelines provided within the test plan.

With the test plan in hand and the test environment now operational, it is time to execute the tests defined for the test program. When executing test procedures, the test team will need to comply with a test procedure execution schedule, as discussed previously. The test procedure execution schedule implements the strategy defined within the test plan. Plans for unit, integration, system and user acceptance testing are executed. Together, these testing phases make up the steps that are required to test the system as a whole.

The various steps involved during execution and management of tests are outlined below.

When executing test procedures, the test team will need to comply with a test procedure execution schedule. Following test execution, test outcome evaluations are performed and test result documentation is prepared.

Plans for unit, integration, system and user acceptance testing are executed, which together make up the steps that are required to test the system as a whole. During the unit test phase, code profiling can be performed. Traditionally, profiling is a tuning process that determines whether an algorithm is inefficient or a function is being called too frequently. Profiling can discover instances where there is improper scaling of algorithms, instantiations and resource utilization.

Integration testing is performed which focuses on the application internals. During integration testing, units are incrementally integrated and tested together based upon control flow. Since units may consist of other units, some integration testing, also called module testing, may take place during unit testing.

During system test, the test engineer is testing the integration of parts, which comprise the entire system. A separate test team usually performs system-level tests. The test team implements the test procedure execution schedule and the system test plan.

The test team also performs analysis to identify particular components or functionality that are experiencing a greater relative number of problem reports. As a result of this analysis, additional test procedures and test effort may need to be assigned to the components. Test results analysis can also confirm whether executed test procedures are proving to be worthwhile in terms of identifying errors.

Each test team needs to perform problem-reporting operations in compliance with a defined process. The documentation and tracking of software problem reports is greatly facilitated by an automated defect-tracking tool.

The test team manager is responsible for ensuring that tests are executed according to schedule, and test personnel are allocated and redirected when necessary to handle problems that arise during the test effort. In order to perform this oversight function effectively, the test manager needs to perform test program status tracking and management reporting.

Test metrics provide the test manager with key indicators of the test coverage, progress, and the quality of the test effort. During white box testing the test engineer measures the depth of testing, by collecting data relative to path coverage and test coverage. During black box testing, metrics collection focuses on the breadth of testing to include the amount of demonstrated functionality and the amount of testing that has been performed.

6 Test Program Review and Assessment

Test Program review and assessment activities need to be conducted throughout the testing life-cycle, in order to allow for continuous improvement activities. Throughout the testing life-cycle and following test execution activities, metrics need to be evaluated and final review and assessment activities need to be conducted to allow for process improvement.

The various steps necessary for test program review and assessment are outlined below.

Following test execution, the test team needs to review the performance of the test program in order to determine where improvements can be implemented to improve the test program performance on the next project. This test program review represents the final phase of the Automated Test Life-cycle Methodology (ATLM).

Throughout the test program, the test team collected various test metrics. The focus of the test program review includes an assessment of whether the application satisfies acceptance criteria and is ready to go into production. The review also includes an evaluation of earned value progress measurements and other metrics collected.

The test team needs to adopt, as part of its culture, an ongoing iterative process of lessons learned activities. Such a program encourages test engineers to take the responsibility to raise corrective action proposals immediately, when such actions potentially have significant impact on test program performance.

Throughout the entire test life cycle, it is good practice to document and begin to evaluate lessons learned at each milestone. The metrics that are collected throughout the test life-cycle and especially during the test execution phase help pinpoint problems that need to be addressed.

Lessons learned, metrics evaluations and corresponding improvement activity or corrective action need to be documented throughout the entire test process in a central repository that is easily accessible.

After collecting lessons learned and other metrics, and defining the corrective actions, test engineers also need to assess the effectiveness of the test program to include an evaluation of the Test Program Return on Investment. Test engineers capture measures of the benefits of automation realized throughout the test life-cycle in order to support this assessment.

Test teams can perform their own surveys to inquire about the potential value of process and tool changes. A sample survey form is provided that can be used to solicit feedback on the potential use of requirement management tools, design tools, and development tools. Surveys are helpful to identify potential misconceptions, and gather positive feedback.

Summary

ATLM is a structured methodology that is geared toward ensuring successful implementation of automated testing. The ATLM approach mirrors the benefits of modern rapid application development efforts, where such efforts engage the user early in the development cycle. The end-user of the software product is actively involved throughout analysis, design, development and test of each software build, which is augmented in an incremental fashion.

The ATLM incorporates a multi-stage process consisting of six components. This methodology supports the detailed and inter-related activities that are required to decide whether to acquire an automated testing tool. The methodology includes the process of how to introduce and best utilize an automated test tool, and addresses test planning, analysis, design, development, execution and management. The ATLM requires that the scope of the test program be outlined within the test plan, as a top-level description of test approach and implementation. The scope is further formulated through the definition of test goals, objectives and strategies, and with the definition of test requirements.

Similar to software application development, test requirements are specified before test design is constructed. Likewise, the test program must be mapped out and consciously designed to ensure that test activities performed represent the most efficient and effective tests for the application under test. Test design is developed, graphically portraying the test effort, in order to give project and test personnel a mental framework on the boundary and scope of the test program.

For organizations, whose development is performed by relatively small project teams of less than eight people and who are seeking to introduce automated testing as a new practice, the ATLM practice should be tailored to reflect the size, capability and maturity of the project team and the organization. The scope and design of the test effort needs to encapsulate the highest priority test concerns, which might initially only address load performance testing. As the capabilities of the project team develop with the use of an automated testing tool and as the development environment of the organization becomes more mature from a life-cycle perspective, then the project team can expand the scope of the test effort and incorporate additional features of the ATLM.

Rational Corporation lists the Automated Software Testing book and the (ATLM) as recommended reading as part of the Rational Unified Process. Many universities and professional software test training organizations have adopted the book for their classroom. Many companies (such as Imbus GMBH, Moehrendorf Germany) have adopted the book and ATLM as their company standard for automated software testing. Others believe that industry automated test tool vendors will soon be incorporating the book’s structured methodology within their tools. Instead of performing the entire test life cycle haphazardly, software test managers will use an ATLM-compliant test tool that automatically supports (and possibly enforces) the book’s sound building block approach to the test effort.

Elfriede Dustin may be contacted via her website at www.autotestco.com

[i] Adapted from “Automated Software Testing”, Elfriede Dustin, et all, Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. July 1999

[ii] Linz, T., Daigl, M. GUI Testing Made Painless. Implementation and Results of the ESSI Project Number 24306. 1998. www.imbus.de.

CHAPTER 1

Test automation FRAMEWORK

This section gives the introduction about test automation framework, various types of the framework and the analysis of the best suitable framework for the application under test (the application under test is referred as AUT). This also includes the detailed description of the format of the input (the input to the framework is referred as the test tables) that is given to our test automation framework.

1.1 RECORD/PLAYBACK MYTH

The test automation tool vendors market their product as the main feature of the tool is the ability to capture the user actions and later to playback them. Here is the basic paradigm for GUI-based automated regression testing – the so called Record/Playback method (also called as Capture/Replay approach)

1. Design a test case in the test management tool.

2. Using the capture feature of the automation testing tool record the user actions. The result is a macro-like script where each user action is presented.

3. Enhance the recorded script with verification points, where some property or data is verified against an existing baseline. Add delay and wait states points where the different actions are synchronized.

4. Playback the scripts and observe the results in the log of the test management tool.

The basic drawback in this method is the scripts resulting from this method contain hard-coded values which must change if anything at all changes in our AUT. The costs associated with maintaining such scripts are astronomical, and unacceptable. These scripts are not reliable, even if the application has not changed, and often fail on replay (pop-up windows, messages, and other things can happen that did not happen when the test was recorded).

If the tester makes an error entering data, etc., the test must be re-recorded. If the application changes the test must be re-recorded. All that is being tested are things that already work. Areas that have errors are encountered in the recording process (which is manual testing, after all). These bugs are reported, but a script cannot be recorded until the software is corrected. So logically nothing is tested by this approach.

So, avoid using "Record/Playback" as a method of automating testing. This method is fraught with problems, and is the most costly (time consuming) of all methods over the long term. The record/playback feature of the test tool is useful for determining how the tool is trying to process or interact with the application under test, and can give us some ideas about how to develop your test scripts, but beyond that, its usefulness ends quickly.

1.2 TYPES OF TEST AUTOMATION FRAMEWORKS

As we have eliminated Record/Playback method, let us explore about the existing automation methodologies. There are several test automation frameworks available, among these the selection is made based on the factors such as reusability of both the scripts and the test assets. The different test automation frameworks available are as follows,

Ø Test Script Modularity

Ø Test Library Architecture

Ø Data-Driven Testing

Ø Keyword-Driven or Table-Driven Testing

Ø Hybrid Test Automation

1.2.1 Test Script Modularity

The test script modularity framework is the most basic of the frameworks. It's a well-known programming strategy to build an abstraction layer in front of a component to hide the component from the rest of the application. This insulates the application from modifications in the component and provides modularity in the application design. When working with test scripts (in any language or proprietary environment) this can be achieved by creating small, independent scripts that represent modules, sections, and functions of the application- under-test. Then these small scripts are taken and combined them in a hierarchical fashion to construct larger tests. The use of this framework will yield a higher degree of modularization and add to the overall maintainability of the test scripts.

1.2.2 Test Library Architecture

The test library architecture framework is very similar to the test script modularity framework and offers the same advantages, but it divides the application-under-test into procedures and functions (or objects and methods depending on the implementation language) instead of scripts. This framework requires the creation of library files (SQABasic libraries, APIs, DLLs, and such) that represent modules, sections, and functions of the application-under-test. These library files are then called directly from the test case script. Much like script modularization this framework also yields a high degree of modularization and adds to the overall maintainability of the tests.

1.2.3 Data-Driven Testing

A data-driven framework is where test input and output values are read from data files (ODBC sources, CVS files, Excel files, DAO objects, ADO objects, and such) and are loaded into variables in captured or manually coded scripts. In this framework, variables are used for both input values and output verification values. Navigation through the program, reading of the data files, and logging of test status and information are all coded in the test script. This is similar to table-driven testing (which is discussed shortly) in that the test case is contained in the data file and not in the script; the script is just a "driver," or delivery mechanism, for the data. In data-driven testing, only test data is contained in the data files.

1.2.3.1 Merits of data-driven testing

The merits of the Data-Driven test automation framework are as follows,

Ø Scripts may be developed while application development is still in progress

Ø Utilizing a modular design, and using files or records to both input and verify data, reduces redundancy and duplication of effort in creating automated test scripts

Ø If functionality changes, only the specific "Business Function" script needs to be updated

Ø Data input/output and expected results are stored as easily maintainable text records.

Ø Functions return "TRUE" or "FALSE" values to the calling script, rather than aborting, allowing for more effective error handling, and increasing the robustness of the test scripts. This, along with a well-designed "recovery" routine, enables "unattended" execution of test scripts.

1.2.3.2 Demerits of data-driven testing

The demerits of the Data-Driven test automation framework are as follows,

Ø Requires proficiency in the Scripting language used by the tool (technical personnel)

Ø Multiple data-files are required for each Test Case. There may be any number of data-inputs and verifications required, depending on how many different screens are accessed. This usually requires data-files to be kept in separate directories by Test Case

Ø Tester must not only maintain the Detail Test Plan with specific data, but must also re-enter this data in the various required data-files

Ø If a simple "text editor" such as Notepad is used to create and maintain the data-files, careful attention must be paid to the format required by the scripts/functions that process the files, or script-processing errors will occur due to data-file format and/or content being incorrect

1.2.4 Keyword-Driven Testing

This requires the development of data tables and keywords, independent of the test automation tool used to execute them and the test script code that "drives" the application-under-test and the data. Keyword-driven tests look very similar to manual test cases. In a keyword-driven test, the functionality of the application-under-test is documented in a table as well as in step-by-step instructions for each test. In this method, the entire process is data-driven, including functionality.

1.2.4.1 Example

In order to open a window, the following table is devised, and it can be used for any other application, just it requires just changing the window name.

Test Table for Opening a Window

Window	Control	Action	Arguments
Window Name	Menu	Click	File, Open
Window Name	Menu	Click	Close
Window Name	Pushbutton	Click	Folder Name
Window Name		Verify	Results

Once creating the test tables, a driver script or a set of scripts is written that reads in each step executes the step based on the keyword contained the Action field, performs error checking, and logs any relevant information.

1.2.4.2 Merits of keyword driven testing

The merits of the Keyword Driven Testing are as follows,

Ø The Detail Test Plan can be written in Spreadsheet format containing all input and verification data.

Ø If "utility" scripts can be created by someone proficient in the automated tool’s Scripting language prior to the Detail Test Plan being written, then the tester can use the Automated Test Tool immediately via the "spreadsheet-input" method, without needing to learn the Scripting language.

Ø The tester need only learn the "Key Words" required, and the specific format to use within the Test Plan. This allows the tester to be productive with the test tool very quickly, and allows more extensive training in the test tool to be scheduled at a more convenient time.

1.2.4.3 Demerits of keyword driven testing

The demerits of the Keyword Driven Testing are as follows,

Ø Development of "customized" (Application-Specific) Functions and Utilities requires proficiency in the tool’s Scripting language. (Note that this is also true for any method)

Ø If application requires more than a few "customized" Utilities, this will require the tester to learn a number of "Key Words" and special formats. This can be

Ø time-consuming, and may have an initial impact on Test Plan Development. Once the testers get used to this, however, the time required to produce a test case is greatly improved.

1.2.5 Hybrid Test Automation Framework

The most commonly implemented framework is a combination of all of the above techniques, pulling from their strengths and trying to mitigate their weaknesses. This hybrid test automation framework is what most frameworks evolve into over time and multiple projects. The most successful automation frameworks generally accommodate both Keyword-Driven testing as well as Data-Driven scripts.

This allows data driven scripts to take advantage of the powerful libraries and utilities that usually accompany a keyword driven architecture. The framework utilities can make the data driven scripts more compact and less prone to failure than they otherwise would have been.

The utilities can also facilitate the gradual and manageable conversion of existing scripts to keyword driven equivalents when and where that appears desirable. On the other hand, the framework can use scripts to perform some tasks that might be too difficult to re-implement in a pure keyword driven approach, or where the keyword driven capabilities are not yet in place. The following sections describe its architecture, merits and demerits.

1.2.5.1 Hybrid Test Automation Framework Architecture

The framework is defined by the Core Data Driven Engine, the Component Functions, and the Support Libraries. While the Support Libraries provide generic routines useful even outside the context of a keyword driven framework, the core engine and component functions are highly dependent on the existence of all three elements.

The test execution starts with the LAUNCH TEST(1) script. This script invokes the Core Data Driven Engine by providing one or more High-Level Test Tables to CycleDriver(2). CycleDriver processes these test tables invoking the SuiteDriver(3) for each Intermediate-Level Test Table it encounters. SuiteDriver processes these intermediate-level tables invoking StepDriver(4) for each Low-Level Test Table it encounters. As StepDriver processes these low-level tables it attempts to keep the application in synch with the test. When StepDriver encounters a low-level command for a specific component, it determines what Type of component is involved and invokes the corresponding Component Function(5) module to handle the task.

All of these elements of the framework rely on the information provided in the App Map to interface or bridge the automation framework with the application being tested. The App Map is the only means by which the framework could identify the objects in the application under test. Each of these elements is described in more detail in the following sections. The following figure shows the diagrammatic representation of the Hybrid Test Automation Framework.

APPLICATION MAP

The Application Map is one of the most critical components, which is used for mapping the objects from names humans can recognize to a data format useful for the automation tool. For a given project it is needed to define a naming convention or specific names for each component in each window as well as a name for the window itself. Then use the Application Map to associate that name to the identification method needed by the automation tool to locate and properly manipulate the correct object in the window.

Application Map not only gives the ability to provide useful names for the objects, it also enables the scripts and keyword driven tests to have a single point of maintenance on the object identification strings. Thus, if a new version of an application changes the title of the window or label of the components or the index of an image element within it, they should not affect the test tables. The changes will require only a quick modification in one place--inside the Application Map.

COMPONENT FUNCTIONS

Component Functions are those functions that actively manipulate or interrogate component objects. In test automation framework there are different Component Function modules for each type of component that are encountered (Window, CheckBox, TextBox, Image, Link, etc,).

Component Function modules are the application-independent extensions applied to the functions already provided by the automation tool. However, unlike those provided by the tool, the extra code to help with error detection, error correction, and synchronization are added. These modules can readily use the application-specific data stored in the Application Map and test tables as necessary. In this way, these Component Functions are developed once and are used again and again by every application tested.

Another benefit from Component Functions is that they provide a layer of insulation between the application and the automation tool. Without this extra layer, changes or "enhancements" in the automation tool itself can break existing scripts and the table driven tests. Each Component Function modules will define the keywords or "action words" that are valid for the particular component type it handles.

The component Functions takes the windows name in which the component resides, the actual component name on which the action is to be performed, the values needed for performing the action and the type of action to be performed as its arguments. The Component Function keywords and their arguments define the low-level vocabulary and individual record formats will be used to develop the test tables.

TEST TABLES

The input to the framework apart from the application map are the test tables, which holds the arguments needed for the Component Functions and other information. There are three levels in which the test tables are organized, they are as follows,

Ø Low-Level Test Tables (or) Step Tables

Ø Intermediate-Level Test Tables (or) Suite Tables

Ø High-Level Test Tables (or) Cycle Tables.

LOW-LEVEL TEST TABLES

Low-level Test Tables or Step Tables contain the detailed step-by-step instructions of the tests. Using the object names found in the Application Map, and the vocabulary defined by the Component Functions; these tables specify what window, what component, and what action to take on the component. The columns in the Step Tables are as follows,

Ø Action Command

Ø Window Name

Ø Component Name

Ø Values Need to Perform the Specified Action

The StepDriver module is the one that initially parses and routes all low-level instructions that ultimately drive our application.

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL TEST TABLES

Intermediate-level Test Tables or Suite Tables do not normally contain such low-level instructions. Instead, these tables typically combine Step Tables into Suites in order to perform more useful tasks. The same Step Tables may be used in many Suites. In this way the minimum numbers of Step Tables necessary are developed. Then they are organized in Suites according to the purpose and design of the tests, for maximum reusability. The columns in the Suite Tables are as follows,

Ø Step Table Name

Ø Specific Arguments to be Passed to the Step Tables

The Suite Tables are handled by the SuiteDriver module which parses each record in the Suite Table and passes each Step Table to the StepDriver module for processing.

HIGHER-LEVEL TEST TABLES

High-level Test Tables or Cycle Tables combine intermediate-level Suites into Cycles.

The Suites can be combined in different ways depending upon the testing Cycle which is efficient to execute. Each Cycle will likely specify a different type or number of tests. The columns in the Cycle Tables are as follows,

Ø Suite Table Name

Ø Specific Arguments to be Passed to the Suite Table

These Cycles are handled by the CycleDriver module which passes each Suite to SuiteDriver for processing.

CORE DATA DRIVEN ENGINE

The Core Data Driven Engine is the primary part of the framework and it has three main modules, they are as follows

Ø StepDriver

Ø SuiteDriver

Ø CycleDriver

CycleDriver processes Cycles, which are high-level tables listing Suites of tests to execute. CycleDriver reads each record from the Cycle Table, passing SuiteDriver each Suite Table it finds during this process. SuiteDriver processes these Suites, which are intermediate-level tables listing Step Tables to execute. SuiteDriver reads each record from the Suite Table, passing StepDriver each Step Table it finds during this process. The following figure represents the Core Data Driven Engine,

StepDriver processes these Step Tables, which are records of low-level instructions developed in the keyword vocabulary of the Component Functions. StepDriver parses these records and performs some initial error detection, correction, and synchronization making certain that the window and\or the component planned to manipulate is available and active. StepDriver then routes the complete instruction record to the appropriate Component Function for final execution.

SUPPORT LIBRARIES

The Support Libraries are the general-purpose routines and utilities that let the overall automation framework do what it needs to do. They are the modules that provide services like,

Ø File Handling

Ø String Handling

Ø Buffer Handling

Ø Variable Handling

Ø Database Access

Ø Logging Utilities

Ø System\Environment Handling

Ø Application Mapping Functions

Ø System Messaging or System API Enhancements and Wrappers

They also provide traditional automation tool scripts access to the features of our automation framework including the Application Map functions and the keyword driven engine itself. Both of these items can vastly improve the reliability and robustness of these scripts until such time that they can be converted over to keyword driven test tables.

CHECK POINTS

A checkpoint verifies that expected information is displayed in a Application while the test is running. The expected information is captured while creating the check points and is compared against the data from the Application on runtime

When to go for Check Points in the test

Check points are mainly used when the objective is to compare certain object against the earlier captured Expected value (While recording/Creating Check Points),

The Check Points should be used when the Object in test (Table, Text etc) is static and stationary and the output can be predicted.

When to Use Different Check Points

a.      Standard Check Point:

a.      When Different object properties are to be verified (e.g. To check if a check box is selected or not)

b.      Text Check point

a.      To check if a text String is displayed at an appropriate location on the Page

c.       Text Area Check Points

a.      To verify the Text values of an object.

d.      Bitmap Check Points

a.      When an area on the Application is to be checked as Bitmap image

e.      Page Check Points:

a.      To check the properties of a page, Broken Links on the Page, Load Time.

f.        Image Check Points:

a.      To check if an Image is displayed on the application or not (e.g. Company Logo)

g.      Table Check Points

a.      To check the contents of a Table in the Application

h.      Database Check Points:

a.      Checks the DB contents by Querying the DB

i.        XML Check Points:

a.      Checks an XML documents within a Web Page/Frame OR Checks a specified XML file

j.        Accessibility Checkpoint

a.      To check Frames, applets, Active X and Alt property of an image from a Webpage.

Environments Supported by Different Check Points

a.      Standard (Object) Check Points: Works with all the Add-in Environment

b.      Page Check Points: Works on Web Environment

c.       Image Check Points : Supported on Web Environment

d.      Bitmap Check Points: Works with all the Add-in Environment

e.      Text Check Points: Supported on all Environments

f.        Table Check Points: Supported on Web and Active X Environments

g.      DB Check Points: Supported on all the Environments supported by QTP

h.      XML Check Points: XML check points are only available when Web Add-ins are installed and loaded.

i.        Accessibility Check Points: Web Environment.

             You can add accessibility checkpoints to help you quickly identify areas of your Web site that may not conform to the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

j.        These guidelines are developed by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) to develop uniform access criteria for Web-Based technologies.

NOTE: Some of the Check Points support Additional Add-in Environments which might need to be installed externally.

Regular Expressions in Check Points

If the Value set in the Check Point is Dynamic in Nature and expected to change during the Run-time, Regular Expressions can be used alongwith the Check Points to handle this scenario.

For E.g.

If user creates a check point at a Page Description which has only a part of it as static and rest of the description is dynamic in nature ( abc-…..)

User can define a regular expression for all the text which is dynamic in nature

NOTE: Regular Expression are advisable only when Some part of the text is Static and other is dynamic( Changes on the Runtime) in nature so that the dynamic text can be replaced with a regular Expression.

QTP provides various options that can be used with regular expression to enhance the efficiency of the search string as mentioned in the table below

.	Matching Any Single Character
[xy]	Matching Any Single Character in a List
[^xy]	Matching Any Single Character Not in a List
[x-y]	Matching Any Single Character within a Range
*	Matching Zero or More Specific Characters
+	Matching One or More Specific Characters
?	Matching Zero or One Specific Character
( )	Grouping Regular Expressions
\|	Matching One of Several Regular Expressions
^	Matching the Beginning of a Line
$	Matching the End of a Line
\w	Matching Any Alpha Numeric Character Including the Underscore
\W	Matching Any Non-Alpha Numeric Character

You can combine regular expression operators in a single expression to achieve the exact search criteria you need.

Different Coding Alternatives which can be used instead of Check Points

Check Points	Alternate VB Script Code (On Web Environment)
Text CheckPoint	Browser("..").Page("..").WebElement("..").Exist
Image CheckPoint	Browser("..").Page("..").Image("…").Exist
Standard Check Point	IF Browser("..").Page("..").WebcheckBox("..").Set "ON"
Table CheckPoint	IF Browser("..").Page("..").WebTable("..").Exist
DataBase CheckPoint	Create a DB Object in the QTP Script

Output Values

The Values from the Application can be retrieved and stored as Output values

These output values can be passed to the Data table or to Environment variable and can then be used at different stage in the script.

Different Types of Output check Points

a.      Standard Output values – Supported on All the Environments

b.      Text Output Values – Supported on all the Environments

c.       Text Area Output Values – Not supported on the Web Environment

d.      Data Base Output Values

e.      XML Output Values

f.        Table Output Values

g.      Page Output Values – Supported on Web Environment

Some Additional Options can be used with Check Points

a.      User can set the default Synchronization Time out for the check Points

b.      (By Default, the Check Point Time out is 0 Seconds)

c.       While creating Check Points, User can select which Properties to select from the list of the properties QTP identifies

d.      QTP 9.0 provides options to change the default properties of the object under test

e.      Check Points can also be parameterized to compare the object in the Application against the Data Table or can be compared against an Environment variable as well.

'To hide or unhide files from a folder

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You need to make use of GetFile method on FileSystemObject and then set the value of "Attributes" property to -1 to hide the file.

KeyBenefits of QTP

1. Descriptive Programming Approach

2. Actions concept

3. Fast Execution

4. Better object identification mechanism.

5. Active Screen Feature

6. Data table Feature

7. Advanced Keyword Driven Approach

8. Easy to Use

LibraryFunctions

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LibFlights.vbs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' 1. OpenFlights()

' 2. Login(Agent, Pword)

' 3. NewOrder(dtFlight, FlyFrm, FlyTo, FltDetails, Cname, Tkts)

' 4. OpenOrder(OrdNum)

' 5. UpdOrder(Cname, Tkts)

' 6. FaxOrder(FaxNum)

' 7. Logout()

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Invoke

Function OpenFlights()

SystemUtil.Run "C:\Program Files\HP\QuickTest Professional\samples\flight\app\flight4a.exe","","C:\Program Files\HP\QuickTest Professional\samples\flight\app\","open"

If Dialog("Login").Exist Then

OpenFlights = "Pass"

Else

OpenFlights = "Fail"

End If

End Function

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Function Name :Login

' Parameters

' input

' output

' Return Value

' Author :

' Date

' Location

' Module/Functionality

' Description

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Revision History

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Revision By

' Date

' Description

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Function Login(Agent, Pword)

Dialog("Login").WinEdit("Agent Name:").Set Agent

Dialog("Login").WinEdit("Password:").Set Pword

Dialog("Login").WinButton("OK").Click

If Window("Flight Reservation").Exist Then

Else

End If

End Function

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Function Name :Insert

' Parameters

' input

' output

' Return Value

' Author :

' Date

' Location

' Module/Functionality

' Description

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Revision History

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Revision By

' Date

' Description

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Function NewOrder(dtFlight, FlyFrm, FlyTo, FltDetails, Cname, Tkts)

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu("Menu").Select "File;New Order"

Window("Flight Reservation").ActiveX("MaskEdBox").Type dtFlight

Window("Flight Reservation").WinComboBox("Fly From:").Select FlyFrm

Window("Flight Reservation").WinComboBox("Fly To:").Select FlyTo

Window("Flight Reservation").WinButton("FLIGHT").Click

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").WinList("From").Select FltDetails

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").WinButton("OK").Click

Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Name:").Set Cname

Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Tickets:").Set Tkts

Window("Flight Reservation").WinButton("Insert Order").Click

wait(9)

t = Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Order No:").GetROProperty("text")

NewOrder = t

End Function

'Open

Function OpenOrder(OrdNum)

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu("Menu").Select "File;Open Order..."

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinCheckBox("Order No.").Set "ON"

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinEdit("Edit_2").Set OrdNum

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinButton("OK").Click

If Window("Flight Reservation").Exist Then

OpenOrder = "Pass"

Else

OpenOrder = "Fail"

End If

End Function

'Update

Function UpdOrder(Cname, Tkts)

Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Name:").Set Cname

Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Tickets:").Set Tkts

Window("Flight Reservation").WinButton("Update Order").Click

End Function

'Fax

Function FaxOrder(FaxNum)

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu("Menu").Select "File;Fax Order..."

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Fax Order No. 6").ActiveX("MaskEdBox").Type FaxNum

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Fax Order No. 6").WinButton("Send").Click

End Function

'Logout

Function Logout()

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu("Menu").Select "File;Exit"

End Function

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LibFlights.vbs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' 1. OpenFlights()

' 2. Login(Agent, Pword)

' 3. NewOrder(dtFlight, FlyFrm, FlyTo, FltDetails, Cname, Tkts)

' 4. OpenOrder(OrdNum)

' 5. UpdOrder(Cname, Tkts)

' 6. FaxOrder(FaxNum)

' 7. Logout()

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Invoke

Function OpenFlights()

SystemUtil.Run "C:\Program Files\HP\QuickTest Professional\samples\flight\app\flight4a.exe","","C:\Program Files\HP\QuickTest Professional\samples\flight\app\","open"

End Function

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Function Name :Login

' Parameters

' input

' output

' Return Value

' Author :

' Date

' Location

' Module/Functionality

' Description

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Revision History

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Revision By

' Date

' Description

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Function Login(Agent, Pword)

Dialog("Login").WinEdit("Agent Name:").Set Agent

Dialog("Login").WinEdit("Password:").Set Pword

Dialog("Login").WinButton("OK").Click

End Function

'Insert

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Function Name :Insert

' Parameters

' input

' output

' Return Value

' Author :

' Date

' Location

' Module/Functionality

' Description

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Revision History

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Revision By

' Date

' Description

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Function NewOrder(dtFlight, FlyFrm, FlyTo, FltDetails, Cname, Tkts)

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu("Menu").Select "File;New Order"

Window("Flight Reservation").ActiveX("MaskEdBox").Type dtFlight

Window("Flight Reservation").WinComboBox("Fly From:").Select FlyFrm

Window("Flight Reservation").WinComboBox("Fly To:").Select FlyTo

Window("Flight Reservation").WinButton("FLIGHT").Click

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").WinList("From").Select FltDetails

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").WinButton("OK").Click

Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Name:").Set Cname

Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Tickets:").Set Tkts

Window("Flight Reservation").WinButton("Insert Order").Click

End Function

'Open

Function OpenOrder(OrdNum)

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu("Menu").Select "File;Open Order..."

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinCheckBox("Order No.").Set "ON"

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinEdit("Edit_2").Set OrdNum

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinButton("OK").Click

End Function

'Update

Function UpdOrder(Cname, Tkts)

Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Name:").Set Cname

Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Tickets:").Set Tkts

Window("Flight Reservation").WinButton("Update Order").Click

End Function

'Fax

Function FaxOrder(FaxNum)

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu("Menu").Select "File;Fax Order..."

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Fax Order No. 6").ActiveX("MaskEdBox").Type FaxNum

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Fax Order No. 6").WinButton("Send").Click

End Function

'Logout

Function Logout()

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu("Menu").Select "File;Exit"

End Function

Naming Conventions

A Naming Convention is a collection of rules followed by a set of names. The intent is that users of these names will be able to deduce useful information, based on the names' character sequence and knowledge of the rules followed. Though naming conventions are difficult to follow, they would be very useful during maintenance of the script.

Test Name

The Test name should be with an acronym that represents the application and followed by the Module Name that is being automated.

Example: MSTodayHomePage would be the name of the Test Script automating homepage of MS Today web portal.

Actions

The Action name should be with an acronym of the test script name, Module name and the sub-module that is being automated.

Example: MST_HP_Navigation would be the name of the Action, where MST is the acronym of MS Today and HP the acronym of homepage. Navigation is the sub-module of homepage.

Reusable Actions

The reusable Action name should be following the same naming convention of Actions with only word “R” attached at the end.

Example: MST_HP_Navigation_R would be the name of the Action, where MST is the acronym of MS Today and HP the acronym of homepage. Navigation is the sub-module of homepage.

Variables

The Variable name should be with an acronym of the data type and the variable name.

Example: chrName would be the name of the variable, where chr is the acronym of character and Name is the entity.

Arrays

The array variables should be prefixed with “arr” before the variable name.

Example: arrName would be the name of the variable, where arr is the acronym for array and Name is the entity.

Temporary Variables

The dummy variables which would be used in many places across the action with different values can be declared with acronym “tmp” and then the variable name.

Example: tmpName would be the name of the variable, where tmp is the acronym for Temporary variable and Name is the entity.

Functions

The Function name should be with an acronym “fcn” and the name representing its purpose.

Example: fcnCalculateTime would be the name of the function, where fcn is the acronym for function and CalculateTime is the name representing the function purpose.

Function Variables

The Function Variable name should be with an acronym of the data type and the variable name.

Example: chrName would be the name of the variable, where chr is the acronym of character and Name is the entity

<< Further these are the following things which needs to be added>>

1. Data Sheet

2. Object Repository

3. Recovery Files

4. VBS files

Coding Standards

Action Template

All the action in the script would be in a standard and specific format. The Action Template has five different sections in it.

Option Explicit:

This would make sure that all the variables have been declared in the Action.

Header:

The Header should contain information like Action Name, Purpose of the Action, Number of Verifications done in that particular action, Preconditions for the action (like users id should exist etc…), Author of the Action, and the Creation date of the action.

Declaring Variables:

All the variables should be declared under this section only, unless it a ReDim which could be given wherever needed. It should also contain comments briefing the usage of the variables.

Assigning Variables:

If any default value has to be assigned for a variable that should be done only in this section. The variables may be reassigned thereafter in the script. Constant values declaration also needs to be included under this section.

Main Script:

Main part of the script for functional verification or calling other actions should come under this section.

Internal Functions:

All the internal functions used within the Action should be defined under this section only.

Review History:

This section would have an audit as who has reviewed the script on what date etc. It also has a field, Comment which may have the comments of the person who reviewed the script.

Coding Techniques

· The first letter of any scripting statement should be in Upper case. Example, For…Next, Dim, If…Then..Else…End If etc…

· The Wait statement should be called wherever the script has to wait for the application to respond or refresh. The performance of the application may vary for every build depending on various factors. If in any of the future builds the application is slow and takes more time to respond, it would be very difficult to and change the number of wait seconds throughout the script.

Therefore to avoid this rework, an environment variable, “numWait” should be created and the Wait statement should be called as,

Call Wait (5 + numWait)

Whenever the application is very slow and we wanted to increase the wait time, then the value of the variable, numWait would be increased, which in turn would increase the Wait time. This approach would be very helpful in long run.

· Indentation should be proper. Unnecessary spacing should be avoided.

· There should be a comment line explaining about all the logic formed in code.

· There should be a space left between the operators and the operands

Types of Parameters

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Environment Variables

2. Data Table

3. Random Number

4. Test/Action Parameters

Procedure to do Parameterization (Environment Variables)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Create a XML file with Environment Variables

2. Associate the XML file to the Test.

File Menu -> Settings -> environment -> Variable Type as -> User defined and Seleect Load variables check box and browse the XML file

3. Open the script in Keyword view

4. Identify the object to perform parameterization

5. Select its value column

6. Click on "Configure the Value" button (which displayed after selecting the value column)

7. Select Parameter Radio button

Parameter Type as -> Environment

Name of the Variable in the Name field

8. Perform the same process to parameterize the other objects as test needs.

Procedure to do Parameterization (DataTable)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Create a XL file with test data.

2. Associate the XL file to the Test.

Select DataTable (View Menu)

Right Click on the Global sheet area

Select Sheet -> Import -> From file and Browse the XL file

3. Open the script in Keyword view

4. Identify the object to perform parameterization

5. Select its value column

6. Click on "Configure the Value" button (which displayed

after selecting the value column)

7. Select Parameter Radio button

Parameter Type as -> DataTable

Location as -> global sheet

Name -> Column Name

8. Perform the same process to parameterize the other objects as test needs.

Procedure to do Parameterization (Random Number)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note: Only numeric data we can parameterize

1.Open the script in Keyword view

2. Identify the object to perform parameterization

3. Select its value column

4. Click on "Configure the Value" button (which displayed

after selecting the value column)

5. Select Parameter Radio button

Parameter Type as -> Random number

Enter a Range ->

Name -> Enter a Parameter Name

6. Perform the same process to parameterize the other objects as test needs.

Intrinsic Problems with Automated Testing

Automated testing does not solve all of the testing needs. In fact, it usually introduces several new problems. While many of these problems may be addressed by being extremely disciplined in an automated testing approach, it is still important to be aware of these problems.

1. Automated Scripts Become Outdated by Frequent Changes to the Application.

Unless scripted by a self-disciplined group of testers who understand object-oriented principles, it is likely the automated scripts will contain a lot of duplicated code. Imagine having hundreds or even thousands of automated scripts written against a word processor. It is highly likely that those scripts will end up using several features of the word processor just to arrive at the point being tested. Let's take editing a file as an example. To test the underline feature, the application must be started, a file must be opened, text must be selected, the underline button must be pressed and finally the text must validated as being underlined. This single test includes four actions; not to mention, validating the successful completion of each of the actions. A change in any of these application features necessitates changes in the underline test as well as many other tests.

2. Flexibility and Power is often Sacrificed for Ease of Scripting.

Many of the available tools have as a selling point that they make writing automated tests quick and easy. To do this they rely on simplified scripting languages, which don't allow access to external resources or publicly developed and supported libraries. The languages also often limit the extent of abstraction and reuse, or at the least do not encourage good coding practices for maintainability over the long run. To make scripting easier, the tools lose the complexity of a full language, so organizations can only feasibly test the easier problems, missing most of the unique value of automation. Because of the lack of flexibility, it is common to see organizations needing several different tools for web testing, desktop GUI testing, client/server testing, load testing, etc. Now testers have to learn many simplified scripting languages, so in the long run it may not be so simple to learn.

3. Automated Scripts are hard to Read and External Docs Get Out of Sync.

For both automated and manual testing, test cases which document the steps required to pass the business rules, are the base of any test plan. Because automated scripts are usually managed separate from the test cases, the automated scripts and the test cases have a high probability of getting out of sync. Soon, no one knows whether the test case or the test script represent the current state of the application.

4. Too Much Work to Test all Possible Scenarios.

In many cases, the data being tested cannot be easily separated from the actual test script. This requires creating several test scripts or requiring the data be included in the code itselft in order to test the many small rules of a single business rule. This not only requires extra work to test a that single feature, but it also makes it a nightmare to maintain the test scripts that only differ in the data being used to test the application.

5. Automated Scripts can be Difficult to Port between Environments.

Many of the automated testing frameworks available don't take the lifecycle of a product into consideration. A product must go through development, alpha testing, beta testing, and performance testing before it reaches the masses. Because of the infeasibility of editing large numbers of scripts, many organizations only run their automated tests against one environment, thus missing opportunities for validation and regression testing as the application advances in the product lifecycle.

6. Need to Learn Proprietary Technologies.

Most testing tools require learning a propriety language or technology. This makes it harder to find experienced people, which restricts a company's options in selecting testing tools. The narrow applicability of proprietary technologies may also deter current employees from acquiring a more in-depth knowledge of the tool.

QTP 11.0 – AIS Certification (Accredited Integration Specialist)

QTP 11 Version was introduced in September 2010, in July 2011 QTP 11 certification (Code: HPO-M47) has been introduced in place of QTP 10.

Changes between QTP 10 and QTP 11 Certification Exams:

QTP 11 we just take one core exam that is HP AIS –Functional Testing (Code: HPO-M47) in formally known as QTP 11.0 certification.

QTP 11 Certification Exam Details:

o Exam type: Objective (Multiple Choice)

o Exam Duration: 105 Minutes

o Number of Questions : 72

o Pass percentage: 75%

Syllabus for QTP 11 (HPO- M47) Certification Exam

SNO	Sections	Percentage of Items
I)	Automated Test Planning	10%
II)	Creating Basic Tests and Working with Objects	19%
III)	Test Verification & Enhancements	24%
IV)	Modular automated test builds	11%
V)	QTP and ALM integration	7%
VI)	Automated test troubleshooting	10%
VII)	Advanced QTP Scripting	4%
VIII)	Expert View	7%
IX)	Web applications	8%

Detailed Syllabus

I) Automated Test Planning

o Plan for Test Automation.

o Plan for QTP testing.

o Identify and describe features and settings.

o Explain QTP licensing and packaging.

II) Creating Basic Tests and Working with Objects

o Create the basic test.

o Explain how QTP works with objects.

o Add steps without recording.

o Object Identification Configuration and Smart Identification

III) Test Verification & Enhancements

o Add Checkpoints

o Enhance tests with parameters.

o Define Test results

o View test results.

IV) Modular automated test builds

o Build Modular Tests using Actions

o Using Shared Object Repositories.

V) QTP and ALM integration

o Explain the QTP/ALM connection.

o Define ALM management of QTP resources.

o Explain versioning features in QTP

VI) Automated test troubleshooting

o Troubleshoot Object Recognition problems.

o Use Recovery scenarios.

o Use the Debugging Tool.

o Measure System Performance.

o Configure log tracking

VII) Advanced QTP Scripting

o Import and export Excel sheets.

o Get and set object properties.

o Using Programmatic Descriptions to bypass repository.

VIII) Expert View

o Features of Expert View

o Describe dynamic object programming.

o Identify and describe VBScript elements.

IX) Web applications

o Recognize Web Add-in Extensibility.

o Describe Web event recording use and configuration.

o Identify new web testing capabilities.

------------------------------------------------------------

Note: Maximum Questions on QTP Tool features only, Less / no importance for Scripting logic (VB Script). Industry point of view and Product Understanding point view Certification is useful, but work point limited use only.

In order to get certification -

o Explore all Tool Menus and remember QTP commands and Shortcut keys

o Read HP QTP Documentation

o Collect Exam papers dumps and Practice

o Practice Tool features

------------------------------------------------------------------

' Read XML file contents

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dim objXML, Root, node

set objXML = CreateObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM")

objXML.async = "false"

objXML.load("d:\myfile.xml")

Set Root = objXML.documentElement

For Each node In Root.childNodes

if node.nodename="Variable" then

itemname=node.text

MsgBox itemname

End If

set objXML = Nothing

Set Root = Nothing

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' SendKeys method

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dim objKey

Set objKey = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

Set objCalc=Window("nativeclass:=SciCalc", "index:=0")

SystemUtil.Run "calc.exe"

wait (4)

objKey.AppActivate "Calculator"

objKey.SendKeys "2{+}"

wait(2)

objKey.SendKeys "2"

wait(2)

objKey.SendKeys "="

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

' Create a Word Document

' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dim objWD

Set objWD = CreateObject("Word.Application")

objWD.Documents.Add

objWD.Selection.TypeText "Hello" & Chr(13) & "How are you Doing"

objWD.ActiveDocument.SaveAs "D:\mydoc.doc"

objWD.Quit

Recording Scripts (Context Sensitive, Low Level and Analog)

There are 3 types of recording modes in QTP.

i) Context Sensitive

ii) Low Level

iii) Analog recording

QTP’s normal recording mode records the objects on your application and the operations performed on them. This mode is the default mode and takes full advantage of QTP's test object model, recognizing the objects in your application regardless of their location on the screen.

When working with specific types of objects or operations the user may need to use Analog Recording and Low-Level Recording.

Analog Recording – It enables you to record the exact mouse and keyboard operations you perform in relation to either the screen or the application window. In this recording mode, QTP records and tracks every movement of the mouse as you drag the mouse around a screen or window.

This mode is useful for recording operations that cannot be recorded at the level of an object.

For example: Recording a signature created by dragging the mouse.

The steps recorded using Analog Recording are saved in a separate data file. This file is stored with the action or component in which the analog steps are recorded.

Imp Note: We cannot edit analog recording steps from within QTP.

Low-Level Recording – It enables you to record on any object in your application, whether or not QTP recognizes the specific object or the specific operation. This mode records at the object level and records all run-time objects as Window or WinObject test objects.

Use low-level recording for recording an object not recognized by QTP. You can also use low-level recording if the exact coordinates of the object are important for your test or component.

Imp Note: Steps recorded using low-level mode may not run correctly on all objects.

Use Analog Recording or Low-Level Recording only when QuickTest's normal recording mode does not accurately record your operation

You can switch to either Analog Recording or Low-Level Recording in the middle of a recording session for specific steps. Once you have recorded the necessary steps in Analog Recording or Low-Level Recording, you can return to normal recording mode for the remainder of your recording session.

Recovery Scenarios

What is a recovery scenario:

u Recovery scenario - a definition of an unexpected event or error or application crash and the operation(s) necessary to recover the run session

u A recovery scenario consists of the following:

Ø Trigger Event—The event that interrupts your run session

Ø Recovery Operation(s)—The operation(s) that need to be performed in order to continue running the test or component

Ø Post-Recovery Test Run Option—The instructions on how QuickTest should proceed once the recovery operations have been performed, and from which point in the test or component QuickTest should continue, if at all.

Recommendations for using Recovery Scenarios

Ø If you can predict that a certain event may happen at a specific point in your component, it is highly recommended to handle that event directly within your component by adding steps such as If statements or “Optional Steps” in user-defined functions, rather than depending on a recovery scenario.

Ø You should use recovery scenarios only for unpredictable events, or events that you cannot synchronize with a specific step in your component.

Ø Handling an event directly within your component enables you to handle errors more specifically than recovery scenarios. It also enables you to control the timing of the corrective operation with minimal resource usage and maximum performance.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Different Recovery Operations:

Keyboard or mouse operation—QuickTest simulates a click on a button in a window or a press of a keyboard key.
Function Call - QuickTest calls a VBScript function.
Close application process—QuickTest closes specified processes.
Restart Microsoft Windows—QuickTest restarts Microsoft Windows.

Disclaimer: If you use the Restart Microsoft Windows recovery operation, you must ensure that any component associated with this recovery scenario is saved before you run it. You must also configure the computer on which the component is run to automatically log in on restart.

Disclaimer: If you use the Function call recovery operation, User can select an existing function from a library file or he can define a new function. The new function is added to the function library you selected.

8 Different Post-Recovery Test Run Options:

Repeat current step and continue

The current step is the step that QuickTest was running when the recovery scenario was triggered.

Disclaimer: If you are using the On error activation option for recovery scenarios, the step that returns the error is often one or more steps later than the step that caused the trigger event to occur. Thus, in most cases, repeating the current step does not repeat the trigger event.

Proceed to next step

Skips the step that QuickTest was running when the recovery scenario was triggered.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that skipping a step that performs operations on your application may cause subsequent steps to fail.

Restart current test run

Stops performing steps and re-runs the component from the beginning.

Stop the test run

Stops running the component.

Disclaimer: If you chose Restart Microsoft Windows as a recovery operation, you can choose from only the last two test run options listed above.

Associating Recovery Scenarios with the test:

Ø While associating the recovery with your test, you need to specify when you want to activate recovery scenarios i.e. only on errors or on every steps.

Ø If you select On errors option then keep in mind that by default, recovery operations will be activated only when a step returns an error, which can potentially occur several steps after the one that actually caused the error. So you may get the advantages of using recovery scenarios.

Disclaimer: If you are using “On Error Resume Next” statement in a script which has some activated Recovery scenarios then keep in mind that “On Error Resume Next” is NOT going to affect the triggering of Recovery Scenario i.e. Recovery Scenarios has priority over “On Error Resume Next”.

Ø If you select on every steps then keep in mind that checking for trigger events after every step, may slow performance.

Disclaimer: In this case, use “Recovery Object” which enables you to control the recovery scenario mechanism programmatically during the run session. “Activate Method” is an useful method associated with Recovery Object which explicitly activates the recovery scenario mechanism at a specific point in the run. Activating recovery scenarios in particular section of the script, where the probability of unexpected event or error or application crash is high, can improve performance.

ScriptforScrollBarmoves

'For page up

Set Obj=Browser("browsername").Page("pagename").Object.body

Obj.doScroll("pageUp")

'For page down

Set Obj=Browser("browsername").Page("pagename").Object.body

Obj.doScroll("pageDown")

Or you can also the following Send Keys method: 'For page up Set

objShell=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

objShell.SendKeys "{PGUP}"

'For page down

Set objShell=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

objShell.SendKeys "{PGDN}"

SendMail to OutLook

Set objLook = CreateObject("OutLook.Application")

Set objMail = ObjLook.CreateItem(0)

objMail.Subject = "Test Result"

objMail.To = "mailid"

'objMail.cc = "mail ids"

objMail.Attachments.Add "D:\SuryaQTP\Vbscript.doc"

objMail.HtmlBody = "Test Message"

objMail.send

Set objLook = Nothing

Synchronization Points

Synchronization points are used if you do not want QTP to proceed/perform a step or checkpoint until an object in your application achieves a certain status, you should insert a synchronization point to instruct QTP to pause the test or component until the object property achieves the value you specify.

Difference between synchronization point and wait

If we use wait() method in our script, QTP will compulsorily wait there for the specified period of the time even if the object gets downloaded on the application and then will proceed to the next step. Whereas in synchronization point we specify the Timeout (in milliseconds) which is the maximum time for which QTP will wait and then proceed. Hence, synchronization point saves the time for running the script.

QTP must be able to identify the specified object in order to perform a synchronization point. To instruct QTP to wait for an object to open or appear, use an Exist or Wait statement.

You can enter Exist and/or Wait statements to instruct QTP to wait for a window to open or an object to appear. Exist statements return a Boolean value indicating whether or not an object currently exists. Wait statements instruct QTP to wait a specified amount of time before proceeding to the next step. You can combine these statements within a loop to instruct QTP to wait until the object exists before continuing with the test or component.

If we use wait() method in our script, QTP will compulsorily wait there for the specified period of the time even if the object gets downloaded on the application which slows down the execution of the script. Whereas in Exist method, QTP will wait until the object exist on the application which increases the speed of execution.

We can use Exist method without specifying the time with it.

Eg: Window (“Window Name”).Dialog (“Dialog Name”).Exist

In this case, QTP will wait maximum for the time, which is specified in Timeout.

Similarly, we can use Exist method with time.

Eg: Window (“Window Name”).Dialog (“Dialog Name”).Exist(5)

In this case, QTP will wait maximum for the specified amount of time with Exist method (5 seconds) irrespective of the time specified in Timeout.

While automating the application, the user is not sure about the time taken by the application to get downloaded on the page. In that case synchronization point can be used which can save the time of the execution.

To insert a synchronization point:

Begin recording your test or component.
Display the screen or page in your application that contains the object for which you want to insert a synchronization point.
In QuickTest, choose Insert > Step > Synchronization Point. The mouse pointer turns into a pointing hand.
Click the object in your application for which you want to insert a synchronization point.
Displays the dialog box showing the parent object hierarchy of the selected object.
Select the object for which you want to insert a synchronization point, and click OK.

The Add Synchronization Point dialog box opens

The Add Synchronization Point dialog box contains the following options:

Class—Displays the test object class of the selected object.

Name—Displays the name of the selected object.

Property name—Contains a list of the test object properties associated with the object. Select the property name you want to use for the synchronization point.

Property value—Enables you to specify the property value for which QuickTest should wait before continuing to the next step in the test or component.

Timeout (in milliseconds)—Enables you to specify the time (in milliseconds) after which QuickTest should continue to the next step, even if the specified property value was not achieved.

Select the property name you want to use for the synchronization point from the drop down.
Enter the property value for which QTP should wait before continuing to the next step in the test.
Enter the synchronization point timeout (in milliseconds) after which QTP should continue to the next step. After the specified time (in Timeout), QTP will proceed to the next step even if the specified property value was not achieved.
Click OK.

A WaitProperty step is added to your test or component with the Property name, Property value and Timeout (in milliseconds).

Test Settings

Before Running or Recording any test on QTP, the test settings need to be set as per the requirements of the Test. Settings these Test Settings before starting a Test plays a crucial part in the behaviour of the test.

These can be found under File>Settings or the Settings toolbar button. A dialog box opens, in which various tabs are present which allow one to set

Properties of the test
Run session preferences
Resources to associate with test such as function libraries and data table
Parameters to specify( input and output) for test
Environment variables( built-in and user-defined)
Web for recording and running on a web browser
Recovery for recovering from unexpected events and errors

Apart from these tabs, it may contain other tabs corresponding to any external add-ins that are loaded.

Run

This consist of various options to set

Data Tables iterations for the test
How to respond when an error occurs during the run session
Object synchronization timeout
Disable Smart Identification
Capturing a snapshot of the desktop if an error occurs during a run session

Disclaimer:

Set the Data Table iterations to run one iteration only if one can handle it programmatically. Otherwise leave it to default setting i.e. run on all rows
If selecting run from row m to row n, make sure that no blank row selected
Disable smart identification only if not needed
While capturing image, set its extension to .png for better performance

Resources

This includes the following option areas:

Function libraries to add, delete and prioritize which associated with test
Setting current list of function libraries as the default
Checking the syntax of library files
Setting the location of the Data table

Disclaimer:

· Associate library files which are common to test

· Specify the location of the Data Table to Default location if it is action specific otherwise other location to use it across the test.

Parameters

The Parameters tab contains two lists:

Input parameter pass values into test
Output parameter pass values from test to external sources

Disclaimer:

· Specify input parameters if test needs input from outside and

· Specify output parameters if test returning value.

Environment

This displays existing built-in and user defined variables.

Disclaimer:

Leave it to default setting i.e. built-in otherwise change it user-defined and define parameters.

Web

It provides for recording and running tests( only when web add-ins installed and loaded) on web sites.

Recovery

This displays a list of all recovery scenarios associated with the test and enables to add, remove, change and view a read-only summary of each scenario.

Disclaimer:

Always associate recovery scenarios with the test and activate it on occurrence of an error.
Always provide scenario description for associated scenario with the test.

Excel File Operations

--------------------------------------------------

Objects in Excel Object Model

a) Excel Application - Excel Application Object

b) Excel Workbook / File - Workbook Object

c) Excel Worksheet / sheet - Worksheet Object

------------------------------------------------------

Note: Without creating Work Book Object and Work Sheet Object, we can perform all Excel Application Operations using Excel Application(Main) Object, but for user friendliness we use those objects.

'Creating Excel Application Object

Dim objExcel

Set objExcel=CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Important Operations on Excel files

a) Create Excel Files

b) Open Excel Files

c) Read Data

d) Read Data for Data driven Testing

e) Write Data

f) Write Test Result

Examples:

---------------------------------------------

1) 'Create Excel file /Work book

Dim objExcel

Set objExcel=CreateObject("Excel.Application")

objExcel.Visible=True 'To view the Operations

objExcel.Workbooks.Add 'Creatining Excel file / workbook

objExcel.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\myfile.xls"

objExcel.Quit 'To Quit the Excel Application

Set objExcel=Nothing

2) 'Check the existence of the File If exists then open the file and enter some data

' If Not exists Create the Excel file /Work book and enter some data

Dim objExcel, objFso, FilePath

FilePath = "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Myfile.xls"

Set objFso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

If objFso.FileExists(FilePath) Then

objExcel.Workbooks.Open (FilePath)

objExcel.Worksheets("Sheet1").Cells(1,1)="VB Script"

objExcel.ActiveWorkbook.Save

Else

objExcel.Workbooks.Add

objExcel.ActiveSheet.Cells(2,2)="VB Script"

objExcel.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs (Filepath)

End If

objExcel.Quit 'To Quit the Excel Appliction

Set objExcel=Nothing

------------------------------------------------------

3) 'Fetch Test Data directly from an Excel file and perform Data driven testing Valid Login Operation

Dim objExcel, objWorkbook, objWorksheet

Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Set objWorkbook = objExcel.Workbooks.Open ("C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Login.xls")

Set objWorksheet = objWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1")

RowsCount = objWorksheet.usedrange.rows.count

For I = 2 to RowsCount

SystemUtil.Run "C:\Program Files\HP\QuickTest Professional\samples\flight\app\flight4a.exe

Dialog("Login").WinEdit("Agent Name:").Set objWorksheet.Cells(i,"A")

Dialog("Login").WinEdit("Password:").Set objWorksheet.Cells(i,"B")

Wait(1)

Dialog("Login").WinButton("OK").Click

If Window("Flight Reservation").Exist(5) Then

Window("Flight Reservation").Close

objWorksheet.Cells(i,"C")="Login Successful"

Else

SystemUtil.CloseDescendentProcesses

objWorksheet.Cells(i,"C")="Login Filed"

End If

Window("Flight Reservation").Close

objWorkbook.Save

objExcel.Quit

Set objWorksheet=Nothing

Set objWorkbook=Nothing

Set objExcel=Nothing

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

5) 'Capture Link names from Google home page and export to Excel file 3rd sheet

Dim ObjExcel, ObjWorkbook, ObjWorksheet

Dim oLink, Links, myLink, i

Set ObjExcel=CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Set ObjWorkbook = ObjExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\GooglePageLinks.xls")

Set ObjWorksheet = ObjWorkbook.Worksheets(3)

ObjWorksheet.Cells(1,1)="Link Names"

Set oLink=Description.Create

oLink("micclass").value="Link"

Set Links=Browser("title:=Google").Page("title:=Google").ChildObjects(oLink)

For i = 0 to Links.Count-1

myLink = Links(i).GetRoProperty("text")

ObjWorksheet.Cells(i+2, 1) = myLink

ObjWorkbook.Save

ObjExcel.Quit

Set ObjWorksheet=Nothing

Set ObjWorkbook=Nothing

Set ObjExcel=Nothing

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6) 'Capture Button names from Flight Reservation Window (Flight Reservation Application) and export to Excel file 3rd sheet

Dim ObjExcel,ObjWorkbook,ObjWorksheet

Dim oButton,Buttons,myButton,i

Set ObjExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Set ObjWorkbook = ObjExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\MainWindowButtonNames.xls")

Set ObjWorksheet = ObjWorkbook.Worksheets(2)

ObjWorksheet.Cells(1,1) ="Button Names"

Set oButton = Description.Create

oButton("Class Name").value="WinButton"

Set Buttons = Window("text:=Flight Reservation").ChildObjects(oButton)

For I = 0 to Buttons.Count-1

myButton = Buttons(i).GetRoProperty("text")

ObjWorksheet.Cells(i+2, 1) = myButton

ObjWorkbook.Save

ObjExcel.Quit

Set ObjWorksheet=Nothing

Set ObjWorkbook=Nothing

Set ObjExcel=Nothing

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7) ' Read/capture order numbers and customer names from 1 - 10 orders in Flight Reservation window

Dim objExcel, objWorkBook, objWorkSheet, ord, CName

Set objExcel = createobject("Excel.Application")

Set objWorkBook = objExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\Documents and Settings\gcr\Desktop\Ordersdata.xls")

Set objWorkSheet = objWorkBook.Worksheets(2)

objWorkSheet.cells(1,1) = "Order No."

objWorkSheet.cells(1,2) = "CustName"

For ord= 1 to 10 Step 1

Window("Flight Reservation").Activate

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu(“Menu”).Select “File;Open Order…”

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinCheckBox("Order No.").Set "ON"

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinEdit("Edit").Set ord

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinButton("OK").Click

Wait 1

CName = Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Name:").GetROProperty("text")

objWorkSheet.cells(ord+1,1) = ord

objWorkSheet.cells(ord+1,2) = CName

objWorkBook.Save

objExcel.Quit

Set objWorkSheet=Nothing

Set objWorkBook=Nothing

Set objExcel=Nothing

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8) 'Create Excel file and Rename 1st sheet as "Module", 2nd Sheet as "Test Case", 'and 3rd Sheet as "Test Step"

Dim objExcel

Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

objExcel.Visible = True

objExcel.Workbooks.Add

objExcel.Worksheets("Sheet1").Name = "Module"

Wait 4

objExcel.Worksheets("Sheet2").Name = "TestCase"

Wait 4

objExcel.Worksheets("Sheet3").Name = "TestStep"

objExcel.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\RenameSheets.xls"

objExcel.Quit

Set objExcel=Nothing

Excel File Operations

--------------------------------------------------

Objects in Excel Object Model

a) Excel Application - Excel Application Object

b) Excel Workbook / File - Workbook Object

c) Excel Worksheet / sheet - Worksheet Object

------------------------------------------------------

'Creating Excel Application Object

Dim objExcel

Set objExcel=CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Important Operations on Excel files

a) Create Excel Files

b) Open Excel Files

c) Read Data

d) Read Data for Data driven Testing

e) Write Data

f) Write Test Result

Examples:

---------------------------------------------

1) 'Create Excel file /Work book

Dim objExcel

Set objExcel=CreateObject("Excel.Application")

objExcel.Visible=True 'To view the Operations

objExcel.Workbooks.Add 'Creatining Excel file / workbook

objExcel.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\myfile.xls"

objExcel.Quit 'To Quit the Excel Application

Set objExcel=Nothing

2) 'Check the existence of the File If exists then open the file and enter some data

' If Not exists Create the Excel file /Work book and enter some data

Dim objExcel, objFso, FilePath

FilePath = "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Myfile.xls"

Set objFso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

If objFso.FileExists(FilePath) Then

objExcel.Workbooks.Open (FilePath)

objExcel.Worksheets("Sheet1").Cells(1,1)="VB Script"

objExcel.ActiveWorkbook.Save

Else

objExcel.Workbooks.Add

objExcel.ActiveSheet.Cells(2,2)="VB Script"

objExcel.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs (Filepath)

End If

objExcel.Quit 'To Quit the Excel Appliction

Set objExcel=Nothing

------------------------------------------------------

3) 'Fetch Test Data directly from an Excel file and perform Data driven testing Valid Login Operation

Dim objExcel, objWorkbook, objWorksheet

Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Set objWorkbook = objExcel.Workbooks.Open ("C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Login.xls")

Set objWorksheet = objWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1")

RowsCount = objWorksheet.usedrange.rows.count

For I = 2 to RowsCount

SystemUtil.Run "C:\Program Files\HP\QuickTest Professional\samples\flight\app\flight4a.exe

Dialog("Login").WinEdit("Agent Name:").Set objWorksheet.Cells(i,"A")

Dialog("Login").WinEdit("Password:").Set objWorksheet.Cells(i,"B")

Wait(1)

Dialog("Login").WinButton("OK").Click

If Window("Flight Reservation").Exist(5) Then

Window("Flight Reservation").Close

objWorksheet.Cells(i,"C")="Login Successful"

Else

SystemUtil.CloseDescendentProcesses

objWorksheet.Cells(i,"C")="Login Failed"

End If

Window("Flight Reservation").Close

objWorkbook.Save

objExcel.Quit

Set objWorksheet=Nothing

Set objWorkbook=Nothing

Set objExcel=Nothing

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

5) 'Capture Link names from Google home page and export to Excel file 3rd sheet

Dim ObjExcel, ObjWorkbook, ObjWorksheet

Dim oLink, Links, myLink, i

Set ObjExcel=CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Set ObjWorkbook = ObjExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\GooglePageLinks.xls")

Set ObjWorksheet = ObjWorkbook.Worksheets(3)

ObjWorksheet.Cells(1,1)="Link Names"

Set oLink=Description.Create

oLink("micclass").value="Link"

Set Links=Browser("title:=Google").Page("title:=Google").ChildObjects(oLink)

For i = 0 to Links.Count-1

myLink = Links(i).GetRoProperty("text")

ObjWorksheet.Cells(i+2, 1) = myLink

ObjWorkbook.Save

ObjExcel.Quit

Set ObjWorksheet=Nothing

Set ObjWorkbook=Nothing

Set ObjExcel=Nothing

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6) 'Capture Button names from Flight Reservation Window (Flight Reservation Application) and export to Excel file 3rd sheet

Dim ObjExcel,ObjWorkbook,ObjWorksheet

Dim oButton,Buttons,myButton,i

Set ObjExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Set ObjWorkbook = ObjExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\MainWindowButtonNames.xls")

Set ObjWorksheet = ObjWorkbook.Worksheets(2)

ObjWorksheet.Cells(1,1) ="Button Names"

Set oButton = Description.Create

oButton("Class Name").value="WinButton"

Set Buttons = Window("text:=Flight Reservation").ChildObjects(oButton)

For I = 0 to Buttons.Count-1

myButton = Buttons(i).GetRoProperty("text")

ObjWorksheet.Cells(i+2, 1) = myButton

ObjWorkbook.Save

ObjExcel.Quit

Set ObjWorksheet=Nothing

Set ObjWorkbook=Nothing

Set ObjExcel=Nothing

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7) ' Read/capture order numbers and customer names from 1 - 10 orders in Flight Reservation window

Dim objExcel, objWorkBook, objWorkSheet, ord, CName

Set objExcel = createobject("Excel.Application")

Set objWorkBook = objExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\Documents and Settings\gcr\Desktop\Ordersdata.xls")

Set objWorkSheet = objWorkBook.Worksheets(2)

objWorkSheet.cells(1,1) = "Order No."

objWorkSheet.cells(1,2) = "CustName"

For ord= 1 to 10 Step 1

Window("Flight Reservation").Activate

Window("Flight Reservation").WinMenu(“Menu”).Select “File;Open Order…”

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinCheckBox("Order No.").Set "ON"

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinEdit("Edit").Set ord

Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Open Order").WinButton("OK").Click

Wait 1

CName = Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Name:").GetROProperty("text")

objWorkSheet.cells(ord+1,1) = ord

objWorkSheet.cells(ord+1,2) = CName

objWorkBook.Save

objExcel.Quit

Set objWorkSheet=Nothing

Set objWorkBook=Nothing

Set objExcel=Nothing

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8) 'Create Excel file and Rename 1st sheet as "ProjectName", 2nd Sheet as "ModuleName", 'and 3rd Sheet as "TestScenarios"

Dim objExcel

Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

objExcel.Visible = True

objExcel.Workbooks.Add

objExcel.Worksheets("Sheet1").Name = " ProjectName "

Wait 4

objExcel.Worksheets("Sheet2").Name = " ModuleName "

Wait 4

objExcel.Worksheets("Sheet3").Name = " TestScenarios "

objExcel.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\RenameSheets.xls"

objExcel.Quit

Set objExcel=Nothing

What is Data Type?

Data type is a categorization of identifying one of various types of data, such as string, integer, double, date or Boolean etc…

Implicit & Explicit Data types:

Specifying Data types along with variable names is called Explicit declaration of Data types.

Declaring Variables Without specifying Data types is called Implicit declaration of variables.

VB Script Supports Implicit declaration of variables only, doesn’t support Explicit declaration of Data types.

VB Script Data Type:

VB script has only data type called Variant, it can hold any type of data, and based on usage of data it considers data sub types.

Example:

Dim x

X is a Variable and it can hold any type of data (String, integer, double, date etc…)

X= “Surya” ‘String type

X= 100 ‘Integer

X= 10.345 ‘Double

X=#10/10/2010# ‘Date

How to know Data sub types:

Using VarType Function we can get data sub type

VarType Function

It returns a value indicating a subtype of a Variable

Example:

'Checking Data sub types

-----------------------------

Dim x, y, z(3)

x="Mindq"

Msgbox VarType(x) '8 for String

x=500

Msgbox VarType(x) ' 2 for Integer

x="400"

Msgbox VarType(x) '8 for String

x=199.123

Msgbox VarType(x) '5 for double

x="199.123"

Msgbox VarType(x) '8 for string

x=#10/10/2010#

Msgbox VarType(x) '7 for date

Set x =CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Msgbox VarType(x) '9 for Automation Object

x=384322225

Msgbox VarType(x) ‘3 for Long integer

Msgbox VarType(z) ‘8204 for Array

Msgbox VarType(y) '0 for Empty / Uninitialized

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Data sub type and descriptions:

String:

It consists of any type of characters, maximum length up to approximately 2 billion characters.

Boolean:

It Contains either True or False (Logical Result)

Empty:

Uninitialized, Value is 0 for numeric variables or a zero-length string ("") for string variables.

Integer:

Contains integer in the range -32,768 to 32,767

Long Integer

Contains integer in the range -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647

Double:

Contains a double-precision, floating-point number in the range -1.79769313486232E308 to -4.94065645841247E-324 for negative values; 4.94065645841247E-324 to 1.79769313486232E308 for positive values.

Date:

Contains a number that represents a date between January 1, 100 to December 31, 9999

Object:

Contains an object

Error:

Contains an error number

Null:

Contains no valid data

Etc…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

'Converting the Data from one type to another

-----------------------------------------------

We use Conversion Functions to convert the data from one type to another.

Whenever we read data using input devices, or from files, or from Databases or from Application objects then VB Script considers the data as string type data, we need to convert the data in order to perform operations.

Dim x, y, Tickets, Price

'Read from Input Devices

x=InputBox("Enter a Value")

Msgbox VarType(x) '8 for String

x=Cint(x)

Msgbox VarType(x) '2 for Integer

y=InputBox("Enter a Value")

Msgbox VarType(y) '8 for String

y=Cdbl(y)

Msgbox VarType(y) '5 for double

'Read from Application Objects

Tickets = Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Tickets:").GetVisibleText()

Msgbox VarType(Tickets)'8

Tickets=Cint(Tickets)

Msgbox VarType(Tickets) '2

Price = Window("Flight Reservation").WinEdit("Price:").GetVisibleText()

Msgbox VarType(Price) '8

Price=Cdbl(Price)

Msgbox VarType(Price) '5

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Example: 2

Dim a, b, c

a=”100”

Msgbox VarType(a) ‘ 8 for String

a=Cint(a)

Msgbox VarType(a) ‘2 for Integer

b=”100.345”

Msgbox VarType(b) ‘ 8 for String

b=Cdbl(b)

Msgbox VarType(b) ‘5 for Double

c=”Hyderabad”

Msgbox VarType(c) ‘8 for String

c=Cint(c)

Msgbox VarType(c) ‘Mismatch (Error)

Note: we can’t convert alphabets as integer or double type data

Total Pageviews

Monday, 30 January 2012

RK QTP REVision Classes

Automatic Test Plan Generation

Currently, there is no commercially available tool that can automatically create a comprehensive test plan, while also supporting test design and execution.

Test Tool Fits All

Currently not one single test tool exists that can be used to support all operating system environments.

1.3 Acquiring management support

2 Test Tool Acquisition

3 Automated Testing Introduction Phase

Test Process Analysis

During the test process analysis, techniques get defined. Best practices, such as conducting performance testing during the unit-testing phase are laid out.

Test Tool Consideration

4 Test Planning, Design and Development

Test Planning

Test Design

Test Development

Test Development Architecture

5 Execution and Management of Tests

6 Test Program Review and Assessment

Summary

CHECK POINTS

A checkpoint verifies that expected information is displayed in a Application while the test is running. The expected information is captured while creating the check points and is compared against the data from the Application on runtime

When to go for Check Points in the test

The Check Points should be used when the Object in test (Table, Text etc) is static and stationary and the output can be predicted.

When to Use Different Check Points

Environments Supported by Different Check Points

Regular Expressions in Check Points

Different Coding Alternatives which can be used instead of Check Points

Output Values

Some Additional Options can be used with Check Points

QTP 11 Certification Exam Details:

o Exam type: Objective (Multiple Choice)

o Exam Duration: 105 Minutes

o Number of Questions : 72

o Pass percentage: 75%

Syllabus for QTP 11 (HPO- M47) Certification Exam

SNO

Sections

Percentage of Items

I)

Automated Test Planning

10%

II)

Creating Basic Tests and Working with Objects

19%

III)

Test Verification & Enhancements

24%

IV)

Modular automated test builds

11%

V)

QTP and ALM integration

7%

VI)

Automated test troubleshooting

10%

VII)

Advanced QTP Scripting

4%

VIII)

Expert View

7%

IX)

Web applications

8%

Detailed Syllabus

I) Automated Test Planning

o Plan for Test Automation.

o Plan for QTP testing.

o Identify and describe features and settings.

o Explain QTP licensing and packaging.

II) Creating Basic Tests and Working with Objects

o Create the basic test.

o Explain how QTP works with objects.

o Add steps without recording.

o Object Identification Configuration and Smart Identification

III) Test Verification & Enhancements

o Add Checkpoints