TestPartner

Reading XML in Excel

2011-08-20T01:38:00.000-07:00

QTP vs CodedUI

2011-08-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

No.	Tool Feature	VSTS Coded UI	QTP 10.0
1	Coding Languages supported	VB.Net, C#	Only VBS is officially supported
2	Object Identification Technique	Coded UI used MSAA and UIA technologies to identify the object	QTP 10.0 uses coded injection approach
3	Add ins for supported environments	Addition Add ins are not required to support the environment under test	Licences Add ins are required to support the environment under test
4	Integrated Development Environment	Excellent Integrated Development Environment where application life cycle management can be implemented	Stable Integrated Development Environment where only the automation testing can be carried out
5	Object Repository	Complex UIMap.	Object Repository is fairly simple to manage. The UI is provided to manage object repository
		Modification of large UIMap takes a lot additional effort
6	Object Spy	Coded UI builder has a utility to spy the objects. But the objects are spied with limited set of properties those are supported by MSAA and UIA technology	In built Spy utility displays Test object as well as run time properties.
7	Checkpoints	Assert methods are available but it provides access to limited set of properties	Rich set of checkpoints including Bitmap, XML , Standard are available for verifications
8	Recovery scenario	Recovery has to handle through coding	Recovery Scenario manager provides simple way to recover out of unexpected application behaviour
9	Source Controlling	Excellent Source controlling features are available	Limited set of Source controlling is available when connected with Quality Centre
10	Connection with Test Management tool	Can be connected with TFS	Can be connected with QC
11	Active screen	AUT screen is not captured automatically	If active screens are captured then functionalities like checkpoints can be implemented
12	Output value	Can be achieved through code	Exclusive output value feature is available to capture the values from application
13	Step Generator	Step Generator not available	Using this feature, steps can be generated in QTP.
14	Function Generator	Method Generator is available	Using this feature, functions can be generated in QTP.
15	Record and Run	Basic Record and Run is available	Basic Record and Run is available
16	Shared object repository	UIMap can be shared across tests	Object Repository can be shared across tests
17	Record actions only desired application	No such setting is available	Done in Record and Run Settings
18	Customization of properties needed for object identification	No such setting is available.	Done in Object Identification Settings
		It can be achieved by writing a extension
19	Virtual Object Concept	No such feature is available	Virtual objects can be created using Virtual Object Manager
20	Save test with Resources	Resources can be saved with the Coded UI test	Only resources like library files can be saved with the Coded UI test
21	Analog Recording	No such recoding mode is available	Analog recording mode enables to record the exact mouse and keyboard operations performed in relation to either the screen or the application window.
22	Low Level Recording	No such recoding mode is available	Low Level recording mode enables to record on any object in application, whether or not QTP recognizes the specific object or the specific operation
23	Intellisense	Excellent Intellisense	Intellisense is good but not as good as Coded UI
24	Code Analysis	Coded Analysis can detect possible flaws in the code	No such feature available in QTP
25	Generate Architectural Diagram of the code	It is possible to generate Architectural Diagram of the code.	No such feature available in QTP
26	Generate code coverage report	It is possible to generate code coverage report	No such feature available in QTP
27	Calculation of Code Metrics	Code is calculated against parameters like Maintainability, Complexity etc	No such feature available in QTP
28	Map the test against the Requirement, Manual test case	Possible to map the test against the Requirement, Manual test case	No such feature available in QTP
29	List of impacted test when the code is changed	List of impacted test case can be generated when the code change occur	No such feature available in QTP
30	Smart Identification	VSTS has inbuilt mechanism to identify the objects even if there is small change in the object properties	Smart Identification can be used to identify the objects
31	Support for unsupported platforms Extension	VSTS has open architecture so that the Extension can be written to support the environment under test	No such feature available in QTP
32	Built in Configuration file	Configuration files can be used to store the global data	Only Environment variables, output parameters can be used to share data across the test
33	package used for performance testing, web testing	Coded UI test be used for performance, web, load testing	No such feature available in QTP
34	Help Library	MSDN library is available	In built Help library is available

Automating C unit Testing in Excel

2011-07-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

A Sample Test Case Demo

~Abhijeet Bhagat

ChExcel is a Microsoft Excel add-in. It embeds Ch (a C/C++ Interpreter) into Excel using Embedded Ch. ChExcel allows users to do C scripting, plotting and numerical computing from Excel worksheets and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

With ChExcel, Excel speadsheets can be manipulated through C/C++ scripts. The data can be easily exchanged between Ch and Excel. The architecture of how ChExcel embedding Ch into Excel is illustrated in the figure below.

Note:- ChExcel is FREEWARE. Download ChExcel 1.2 (size: 31 MB)

Broad Level Steps to Test C Functions. The following steps can also be automated using VBA Macros.

Have ChExcel Addin in Excel.

Get Your C File and save it as .ch extension. For example I used following file(Abhijeet.ch)

The function in Abhijeet.ch is as given in the following code.

#include<stdio.h>

void main()

{

}

int add2(int x,int y)

{

return x+y;

}

I am going to load add2function in my excel sheet and test with various data.
Hence I create a new Excel workbook and enable ChExcel Addin.
I call the Abhijeet.ch Script and then call the Add2 function.
The snaps of steps in excel are as below.

ODT : Object Driven Testing Framework for SilkTest

2011-04-16T06:38:00.001-07:00

Test Automation Through Excel

2011-02-26T00:27:00.000-08:00

Test Automation Through Excel

Most usually and likely you must be using VBA macros for some excel automation. There is other side of VBA too i.e. creating small applications to be applied to automation. This article discusses some of these facets.

The Excel Gift

VBA editor

The day MS office was installed on your computer, you were gifted. You were gifted with a free editor that comes with it so that you could churn out the code with all the features and facets of any wonderful code editor.

Most of you must have used the code editor to write snippets called macros in MS terminology. The code editor window gives you something interesting i.e. a project explorer. Thus exposing the excel sheets so that you could manipulate it whichever way you want. Since it’s a Project explorer you know that you are creating a project typically like a development project. Yes! Like a development project, where you can add window forms, add business logic modules and treat the excel cells as data layer. The gift also provides you with some more powerful features like referencing an external dll (dll, tlb.ocx, wsc, .net ineterops etc) thereby providing the extensibility to excel to its existing vast set of functionalities.

You had an automation tool right in front of you all these years

If automation is defined as anything that saves human effort then excel as an automation tool was there right in front of your eyes all these years.

You need to do some file manipulation?

You need to access windows services and check the status?

You need to access the web services?

You need to access web browser?

You need to send out an email?

… And the list goes on. If above are some of the activities that you do routinely and want to automate, Excel is the right tool for you.

UI (Web) Test Automation

The other perspective of using the Excel’s VBA editor is that it can be used to drive IE. Capture the objects rendered on the screen and do actions on it. The automation level can be from simple HTML controls to advance RAD controls like component one if you know how to do it.

Learning VBA

If you are a VBScript developer or novice or a mix VBA is equally good for all. The learning curve of VBA is smooth and short and in minimal time you can master the VBA language. I was always addicted by the power that a simple excel sheet can offer. With little step by step mastering the Excel has led to building small to full blown applications.

Just with the intent that how can the excel sheets be used as an automation tool, the following examples show case as well as probably instigate you to think in this direction so that even in lack of tools like selenium, QTP, Robot, SilkTest you would be able to achieve much.

EXAMPLE 1: Excel Mock SOAPUI

The tools to create SOAP Xmls, Submit SOAP requests and get SOAP responses. In Core this is what essentially is done by industry standard tool named SOAPUI.

• You can create an Template to create XML with feature to add /delete multiple nodes on the fly with a custom menu item added via macros

• Embedded textbox controls to edit/modify xml

• Embedded web browser control to view SOAP response

To Submit a SOAP Request. Use reference MSXML2

objXMLHTTP.Open "post", <>, False

objXMLHTTP.setRequestHeader "Man", Post & " " & <> & " HTTP/1.1"

objXMLHTTP.setRequestHeader "MessageType", "CALL"

objXMLHTTP.setRequestHeader "Content-Type", "text/xml"

objXMLHTTP.setRequestHeader "SOAPAction", <>

objXMLHTTP.send Sheet4.txtPreview.Text

EXAMPLE 2: XML to XML Convertor

The tool to convert one form of XML to another using a simple XSLT transformation

To Transform XML to XML using XSLT

Set xml = New DOMDocument60

Set stylesheet = New DOMDocument60

xml.async = False

stylesheet.async = False

xml.Load <>

stylesheet.LoadXML <>' "SOA-SOAP.xsl"

EXAMPLE 3: UI Automation1 A tool to navigate web pages, access the web links and get the BSE/NSE codes. The VBA code inside the excel sheets mock user actions on the page. The tools does not make use of any third party tools and merely uses IE and MSHTML objects to achieve automation.

Access IE Dom to create IE objects and access the API Clicks the same way SIlkTest would be achieveing.

EXAMPLE 4: UI Automation2 Web UI automation achieved again for an order entry application. Typically this approach can be used to create /pump test data into the applications.

Just use Excel Application Object, Scripting Run time as reference and FileSystemObjects.

Just use MSHTML reference to achieve UI Automation.

Thank You!. Hopefully these examples are good enough for one to think in the direction of using Excel as an automation tool. I Would be glad to help anyone. Abhijeet Bhagat

My TestPartner's XML Function Library

2010-07-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

My TestPartner's XML Function Library

Friends many a times we need to interact with XML to Add Values, modify or add attributes etc.
Here is a quick reference library for you that could handy. I am using MSXML for xml modification.
Codes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub ModifyXMLNodeValue(XMLFilePath As String, MatchNodePattern As String, NewValue As String)
    Dim xmldoc As New MSXML2.DOMDocument
    Dim xmlnode As IXMLDOMNode

    xmldoc.async = False
    xmldoc.Load XMLFilePath
    xmldoc.SetProperty "SelectionLanguage", "XPath"
    Set xmlnode = xmldoc.SelectSingleNode(MatchNodePattern) 'e.g.("//mytest")
    xmlnode.Text = NewValue
    xmldoc.Save XMLFilePath
    Sleep 2
End Sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub ModifyXMLNodeAttribute(XMLFilePath As String, MatchNodePattern As String, MatchAttribute As String, NewAttributeValue As String)
    Dim xmldoc As New MSXML2.DOMDocument
    Dim xmlnode As IXMLDOMNode

    xmldoc.async = False
    xmldoc.Load XMLFilePath
    xmldoc.SetProperty "SelectionLanguage", "XPath"
    Set xmlnode = xmldoc.SelectSingleNode(MatchNodePattern) 'e.g.("//VehiclesPerFleet") OR ("//add[@key='ServerPort']")
    xmlnode.Attributes.getNamedItem(MatchAttribute).Text = Trim(NewAttributeValue)
    xmldoc.Save XMLFilePath
    Sleep 2
End Sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub AddNewXMLAttribute(XMLFilePath As String, MatchNodePattern As String, NewAttributeName As String, NewAttributeValue As String)
    Dim xmldoc As New MSXML2.DOMDocument
    Dim xmlnode As IXMLDOMNode
    Dim xmlnode1 As IXMLDOMNode

    xmldoc.async = False
    xmldoc.Load XMLFilePath
    xmldoc.SetProperty "SelectionLanguage", "XPath"
    Set xmlnode = xmldoc.SelectSingleNode(MatchNodePattern) 'e.g.("//VehiclesPerFleet") OR ("//add[@key='ServerPort']")
    'MsgBox xmlnode.Attributes.Length
    Set xmlnode1 = xmldoc.createNode(tagDOMNodeType.NODE_ATTRIBUTE, NewAttributeName, "ns")
    xmlnode1.nodeValue = NewAttributeValue
    xmlnode.Attributes.setNamedItem xmlnode1
    xmldoc.Save XMLFilePath
End Sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub AddNewNode(XMLFilePath As String, MatchParentNodePattern As String, NodeName As String, CommaSeparatedAttributeNames As String, CommaSeparatedAttributeValues As String)
    Dim xmldoc As New MSXML2.DOMDocument
    Dim xmlnode As IXMLDOMNode
    Dim xmlnode1 As IXMLDOMNode
    Dim xmlnode2 As IXMLDOMNode
    Dim xmlnode3 As IXMLDOMNode
    Dim AttributeNames() As String
    Dim AttributeValues() As String
    Dim AttributeName As String
    Dim i As Integer

    AttributeNames = Split(CommaSeparatedAttributeNames, ",")
    AttributeValues = Split(CommaSeparatedAttributeValues, ",")

    xmldoc.async = False
    xmldoc.Load XMLFilePath
    xmldoc.SetProperty "SelectionLanguage", "XPath"
    xmldoc.Save XMLFilePath

    Set xmlnode = xmldoc.SelectSingleNode(MatchParentNodePattern) 'e.g.("//VehiclesPerFleet") OR ("//add[@key='ServerPort']")
    Set xmlnode1 = xmldoc.createNode(1, NodeName, "")
    Set xmlnode2 = xmlnode.appendChild(xmlnode1)

    For i = 0 To UBound(AttributeNames)
        AttributeName = AttributeNames(i)
        Set xmlnode3 = xmldoc.createNode(tagDOMNodeType.NODE_ATTRIBUTE, "" & AttributeName & "", "ns")

        xmlnode3.nodeValue = AttributeValues(i)
        xmlnode2.Attributes.setNamedItem xmlnode3
    Next i
    xmldoc.Save XMLFilePath
    Set xmlnode = Nothing
    Set xmlnode1 = Nothing
    Set xmlnode2 = Nothing
    Set xmlnode3 = Nothing
    Set xmldoc = Nothing
End Sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub DeleteNode(XMLFilePath As String, MatchParentNodePattern As String)
    Dim xmldoc As New MSXML2.DOMDocument
    Dim xmlnode As IXMLDOMNode
    Dim xmlnode1 As IXMLDOMNode

    xmldoc.async = False
    xmldoc.Load XMLFilePath
    xmldoc.SetProperty "SelectionLanguage", "XPath"

    Set xmlnode = xmldoc.SelectSingleNode(MatchParentNodePattern) 'e.g.("//VehiclesPerFleet") OR ("//add[@key='ServerPort']")
    Set xmlnode1 = xmlnode.parentNode
    xmlnode1.removeChild xmlnode
    xmldoc.Save XMLFilePath


    Set xmlnode = Nothing
    Set xmlnode1 = Nothing
    Set xmldoc = Nothing
End Sub

TestPartner Vs CodedUI

2010-07-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

TestPartner Vs CodedUI

Tester segmentation

TestPartner:
- Scripting experienced.

CodedUI: -
Programming(C#, VB.Net) experienced.

Language support

TestPartner:
- VBA (Visual Basic for Application)

CodedUI: - C#,
VB.Net.

Intent aware recording – Recording testers intents
in the form of comments

TestPartner:
- Rich Comments while recording. Commenting is configurable to on/off.

CodedUI: - Same as
TestPartner

Usage of .Net Framework

TestPartner:
- Only through the .Net Interops available viz.
system.tlb, system.windows.forms.tlb

CodedUI: - Based on
.Net framework. In facts Coded UI Classes are extended from Unit Test

How are UI actions taken

TestPartner:
- TPOSI Library built into tool which inturn hooks
into the UI via MSAA or Win32API

CodedUI: - UI Actions
taken on Control via UIAutomation Namespace classes
which is next gen to MSAA

Wait For Ready (WFR) and auto wait and Auto
scroll

TestPartner:
- Testers need to code (script) for UI object being ready for action, Auto
wait is available as tool option. Auto scroll to bring control in focus is a
drawback.

CodedUI: - Strong WFR,
Auto wait and Auto Scroll

Object Maps

TestPartner:
- Flat Object Maps i.e. no DOM followed hence faster search of controls.

CodedUI: - Object
Maps are nothing but UI Map Class

Storage of Scripts

TestPartner:
- In SQL Server or MS Access Database.

CodedUI: - On File
System.

IE6 Support/ Browser Support

TestPartner:
- IE6 onwards supported, other browsers supported too.

CodedUI: - Support
for IE6 using extensibility packages. Only IE is supported as of this
writing.

Wait For Ready (WFR) and auto wait and Auto
scroll

TestPartner:
- Testers need to code (script) for UI object being ready for action, Auto
wait is available as tool option. Auto scroll to bring control in focus is a
drawback.

CodedUI: - Strong WFR,
Auto wait and Auto Scroll

Support for SAP

TestPartner:
- Strong.

CodedUI: - None. Not
on the roadmap either.

Support for Java Applications

TestPartner:
- Yes a reasonably good support.Also come with AOR(Active Object Recognition) for Java Aplets.

CodedUI: - None.

Available References (dlls)

TestPartner:
- Only COM and .Net

CodedUI: - All.COM,.NET and Web References.

Extensibility of Tool /Framework

TestPartner:
- Tool cannot be extended. Its only that by adding
.Net References one could make use of .Net assemblies of your application
under test.

CodedUI: - Has well
defined extensibility framework ready.

Checkpoints and parameterization support

TestPartner:
- well defined checkpoints available. Parameterization can be done using handwritten
code or wizards.

CodedUI: - Checkpoints
(Assertions) available. parameterization needs to be
handcoded.

In built Keyword or Visual test View?

TestPartner:
- Yes.

CodedUI: - It’s a Coders
tool so no visual test available out of box.

One place for developers
and testers?

TestPartner:
- definitely not. TestPartner has its own IDE.

CodedUI: - yes. All
done in one place VS 2010

Learning curve

TestPartner:
- Short. VBS testers can easily migrate to VBA

CodedUI: - Would
require Testers to grasp OOP and either or C# or VB.Net

How TestPartner Works

2009-12-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

This is a Short Guide or you may treat it as small TestPartner Tutorial to explain how TestPartner Works.

If you are new To TestPartner then you may want to go through the Introduction to TestPartner first.

TestPartner Talks to the Application Under Test (Called AUT after this line) through some memory images in the memory. In TestPartner Terminology its called as OBJECT MAPS.

An object map is a TestPartner's way of identifying a control or a window.Simply put its some unique identification given to a control e.g. An Object may be named as "MyNotePadWindow". but simply naming a object map has no meaning unless you define what is the meaning of MyNotePadWindow. So what you do is define the Object Map MyNotePadWindow has a class name="WinClass32" the Object has Exe Name="Notepad.exe" so on and so forth.
Thus defining a object map means assigning properties to your object map so that it uniquely identifies a control or Window.

Tip: There is no limit on creating number of object maps.

An object map is a TestPartner asset that contains a logical name (an alias) that is associated with a control or a window, rather than the control or window's raw attach name. The attach name is an important concept when testing applications using TestPartner.

When you control a Windows application manually, you select the window by clicking on it. TestPartner uses a slightly different method, called attaching. TestPartner’s method of attaching to a window is analogous to clicking on the window to bring it into focus.

A typical application displays many controls, each with a name that uniquely identifies it. TestPartner uses the unique name to locate the control and attach to it. The full name of any control (called its raw attach name) is constructed from the name and the control's properties of interest, as shown in the examples below:

Window("Application=IEXPLORE.EXECaption='http://intranet/ - Microsoft Internet Explorer'").Attach
HTMLBrowser("Caption='Employee Lookup' ExtendedStyle=0").Attach
HTMLButton("Name=btnclose").Click

An object map substitutes a logical name instead of the control or window's raw attach name. The alias represents the control or window's definition in the database, which includes all of its properties. Once a control is registered in an object map asset, all references to it in visual tests, test scripts, check definitions, and event definitions are made by its alias, rather than by its actual attach name. The object map maintains a 1:1 relationship between logical and physical window names.

Object mapping has the following benefits:

Lets descriptive names to be substituted for complex actual attach names, which can make visual tests and test scripts easier to read.
Eliminates dependence on attach names — which may change if the target application is modified.

During playback, if an object map does not exist in either the current project or Common project, a playback error occurs.

Having Known What is an object map[I shall discuss the variors other aspects of Object Map i later articles]

Once an object maps are created then the UI Automation engineer instructs the TestPartner through VBA code to take appropriate actions on the AUT. Like ObjectXYZ.Click() or ObjectABC.setfocus etc.

In a nut shell to give you an analogy Object Map to TestParter equals to What Translator to A Foreigner.

TestPartner Stores eeach and everything in the database. If you Look at the following diagram you can understand the TestPartner Architechture.

Let's understand it pointwise.

TestPartner or TestPartner.exe is a Desktop application through which you can write and playback the test scripts.
When TestPartner Opens it first checks the availability of license. The License file can be on the sma machine or on remote machine.
When you write the code you do so in a scripts and each script logically belong one of the project.
A project is a logical collection of test scripts /object maps/ modules /shared modules etc.
Modules and Shared Modules similar to Scripts except for the fact that the contain only functions and not a main() entry point.
Modules and Share Modules are created to Share functions across scripts.

Let' Summarize What We Learnt :

An object Map is a way of identifying a control.
Object Map also serves the purpose of naming the long 'raw' attach names of a window to shorten up.
TestPartner fetches the definition specified in the object map before taking any action on AUT.
TestPartner Store everything in database.
A TestPartner Project Compreises of Scripts .Modules /Shared Modules etc.

Hope you liked the article. Plese do not forget to leave your comments. Your Comments are valuable to me.
I have a genuine interest in helping build a Strong TestPartner community.

More To Come.... Keep Following.

TestPartner Introduction

2009-11-25T02:14:00.000-08:00

What is TestPartner? An Introduction

TestPartner is an automated testing tool that is used for the functional testing of complex applications developed with Microsoft, Java, Web, SAP, Oracle and many other distributed technologies. TestPartner is a Record and Playback tool with advanced features to create your own scripts if you prefer rather than recording. TestPartner Playbacks your exact Scripted or recorded actions again and again in order to verify if your application worked as expected.

If you are a business analyst and /or have low scripting experience TestPartner Provides a powerful keyword driven framework where you can embed you test logic using GUI features – The Visual Tests.

TestPartner also provides following features:

· Enhanced Debugger
· Active Data - For data driven scripts .i.e. parameterize your scripts to use custom generated data.
· Events – This is the most powerful feature of the tool which allows the end user to trigger an action upon some predecessor actions happening.
· In built Checks - To validate the functionality of your application.
· User Forms – Also called Driver Forms in the Test Partner developer community. You can design your own user interface to kick start your scripts. The User forms allow all the standards and custom controls to be inserted on your GUI.

Since TestPartner uses uses Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) as its scripting language. The power of complier based language is at your stake. Since VBA is the most easy to learn language hence learning TestPartner is piece of cake.

If you application undergoes lot of changes every day and in turn you have to maintain multiple version of your scripts then TestPartner allows you to maintain multiple versions of your scripts.

There are times when there are lots of custom controls in your Application under Test (AUT), how do you script for these controls? Well TestPartner is the key then. Advance TestPartner users can find out the dlls used in your application and provide the reference in the tool. Providing reference of the dlls exposes the internals of your AUT to you so that you can take the advantage of the application itself to test the application!!!

Need to Learn More? Keep Following This Blog. More to Come...

TestPartner

Reading XML in Excel

QTP vs CodedUI

Automating C unit Testing in Excel

ODT : Object Driven Testing Framework for SilkTest

Test Automation Through Excel

My TestPartner's XML Function Library

TestPartner Vs CodedUI

Tester segmentation

Language support

Intent aware recording – Recording testers intentsin the form of comments

Usage of .Net Framework

How are UI actions taken

Wait For Ready (WFR) and auto wait and Autoscroll

Object Maps

Storage of Scripts

IE6 Support/ Browser Support

Wait For Ready (WFR) and auto wait and Autoscroll

Support for SAP

Support for Java Applications

Available References (dlls)

Extensibility of Tool /Framework

Checkpoints and parameterization support

In built Keyword or Visual test View?

One place for developersand testers?

Learning curve

How TestPartner Works

TestPartner Introduction

Intent aware recording – Recording testers intents
in the form of comments

Wait For Ready (WFR) and auto wait and Auto
scroll

Wait For Ready (WFR) and auto wait and Auto
scroll

One place for developers
and testers?