Home
Test Author Guide
This guide describes how to create test scripts and enhances them by applying different test elements such as dataset, variables, and verification points.
Tests in the Functional Test perspective
When you develop Java, HTML, or Terminal-based applications, you can use HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to create traditional functional tests for these applications. You must first record the tests and then use Test UI to run the tests before you can view the test results.
Preparing the functional test environment
This section describes the tasks you must perform to configure the functional test environment.
Setting preferences
You use the Preferences dialog to customize HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) in a number of different areas, such as settings for time options; colors for the Verification Point Editor, the Verification Point Comparator, and the Object Map Editor; highlight color for test objects; operating system; playback; delays; log; playback monitor; ScriptAssure(TM); recorder; recording monitor; and the workbench.

Test Author Guide
This guide describes how to create test scripts and enhances them by applying different test elements such as dataset, variables, and verification points.
- Tests in the UI Test perspective
  When you develop web applications, Windows-based applications, or mobile applications, you can use HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to create functional tests for these applications. You must first record the tests and then use Test UI to run the tests before you can view the test results.
- Tests in the Functional Test perspective
  When you develop Java, HTML, or Terminal-based applications, you can use HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to create traditional functional tests for these applications. You must first record the tests and then use Test UI to run the tests before you can view the test results.
  - Preparing the functional test environment
    This section describes the tasks you must perform to configure the functional test environment.
    - Automatically enabled environment for functional testing
      From HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) version 9.1 onwards, Test UI automatically enables the environments for functional testing.
    - Before you record
      Before you can start recording functional test scripts, perform the following setup and configuration tasks:
    - Enabling Java environments
      You need to enable Java™ environments before you can use HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to test Java applications. Test UI is shipped with a JRE that is automatically enabled during your installation. The JRE is called "Default JRE." To enable other JREs, or if you install a new JRE, you must run the enabler again.
    - Enabling web browsers
      To test the HTML applications in HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI), you must enable web browsers. You can then record and play back tests by using the browsers that you enabled.
    - Multiwindow support for functional HTML tests
      When you record functional test scripts for HTML applications, HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) provides multiwindow support to record actions that you perform on multiple windows of the same browser instance.
    - Preparing for functional testing in the Google Chrome browser
      You can use HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to test HTML applications in the Google Chrome browser. To do this, you must enable the Google Chrome browser and add the Test UI extension for Google Chrome™ to the browser.
    - Enabling the Eclipse non-p2 based applications for functional testing
      If the application under test is a non-p2 Eclipse based application, you can enable the Eclipse platform for functional testing using the Eclipse enabler.
    - Enabling the Eclipse p2- based applications for functional testing
      If the application-under-test is based on p2-based Eclipse, you must enable the Eclipse platform for testing using the Eclipse Software Updates feature.
    - Enabling stand-alone Standard Widget Toolkit applications
      You must enable stand-alone Standard Widget Toolkit (SWT) support before using HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to test SWT applications in the application under test.
    - Configuring applications for testing
      You must configure your Java™, HTML, VB.NET, SAP GUI, or Windows® applications for functional testing by providing the name, path, and other information that HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) uses to start and run the application. You use the Application Configuration Tool to configure applications.
    - Configuring the Java environment for testing
      You must configure JREs for testing Java only when the application under test is either Internet Explorer or a Java-based application that requires a Java distinct from the Java which is bundled with the product. The configured Java provides path, run options, and other information that HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) needs to access and use your JREs.
    - Configuring browsers for testing
      You need to configure your browsers for HTML testing with HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI). To configue browsers, you must provide name, path, and other information about the browsers.
    - Browser enablement diagnostic tool
      The Browser Enablement Diagnostic Tool is used to diagnose problems you might have with enabling your browser for HTML testing. The tool will diagnose the enablement problem and report how to solve the problem.
    - Enabling the Java plug-in of a browser
      The Oracle Java™ plug-in of your browser(s) must be enabled in order for some applets to be tested, and for the View Results link that launches the Verification Point Comparator from the HTML log to work properly. If you get an error regarding the plug-in during HTML testing, or when trying to launch the Comparator, use the following steps to fix the problem.
    - Adding references to external resources
      Functional test scripts or projects may refer to or use external resources like the DLLs in .Net IDE or JAR files in Eclipse IDE. To enable the scripts or projects to use these files, you must add references to these files in HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI).
    - Proxy settings for freeform DataWindow PowerBuilder controls
      In HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI), from version 8.2.1 onwards, new proxies are available for recording and playback on freeform DataWindow PowerBuilder controls in functional test scripts. By default, in a Test UI 8.2.1 installation, scripts that you recorded using the old proxies can be played back normally but any new scripts that you record will use these new proxies.
    - Setting up the environment for testing AJAX-based web applications
      You can test AJAX-based applications in two different ways; by setting the Auto Trace option to true or by setting the Auto Trace option to false. If you set the Auto Trace option to false, you must use the HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) APIs for AJAX in the script by manually inserting them.
    - Enabling AJAX support for a pre-existing script
      The HTML Document control is mapped to GuiTestObject in HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) versions prior to 7.0.0.2. The GuiTestObject does not contain any AJAX-related APIs. To use the AJAX-related APIs, the HTML Document control must be mapped to DocumentTestObject.
    - Enabling SAP client and server
      To use HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to test SAP applications, you must enable the SAP client and SAP server.
    - Enabling applications with WebDynPro controls for functional testing
      When you playback functional test scripts to test HTML applications with WebDynPro controls, you may get object not found exception or a weak recognition warning even if the control exists.
    - Enabling SAP support for pre-existing DevOps Test UI projects
      To use the SAP support for a project that was created using the releases of HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) version 6, you must add two new templates (one for script headers and one for script helper headers) to the project. You will also need to update the build or reference information for the project.
    - Enabling the GEF application
      You must enable the GEF support before using HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to test GEF objects on the application under test.
    - Enabling response time breakdown
      You can enable response time breakdown to see how much time is spent in each part of the application as the test runs. To collect response time breakdown, the data collection infrastructure must be installed and running on all computers that are used in the distributed application under test.
    - Importing and exporting configuration and customization files
      You can import and export the files in the configuration and customization directories.
    - Setting preferences
      You use the Preferences dialog to customize HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) in a number of different areas, such as settings for time options; colors for the Verification Point Editor, the Verification Point Comparator, and the Object Map Editor; highlight color for test objects; operating system; playback; delays; log; playback monitor; ScriptAssure(TM); recorder; recording monitor; and the workbench.
      - About preferences
        You use the Preferences dialog to customize various aspects of HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI), such as settings for time options; colors for the Verification Point Editor, the Verification Point Comparator, and the Object Map Editor; highlight color for test objects; operating system; playback; delays; log; playback monitor; ScriptAssure(TM); recorder; recording monitor; and the workbench.
      - Restricting actions during the recording and playing back of tests with start application
        You can restrict the recording of tests to capture only the actions that you perform on the start application. The playing back of such a test performs the recorded actions only on the instance of the start application associated with the test and reduces the overall playback time.
      - Changing the verification point and object map colors
        You can change the color of information displayed in the Verification Point Editor, Verification Point Comparator, and Object Map. This feature is useful for enhancing the accessibility for people with disabilities.
      - Changing the syntax of Verification Point commands
        During recording, a verification point captures information about a specified GUI component, for example, its size or its position. HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) records a statement in the test script for each verification point.
      - Changing user interface fonts
        You can change the font and point size of information displayed in dialogs for HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) and those that are part of the Eclipse IDE. For IDE dialogs and the Java™ Editor, you do this through the Workbench Preferences.
      - General page
        You use the HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) General page to set all product time options. These options are useful to accommodate different computer speeds.
      - Colors page
        You use the tabs on the Colors page to specify color settings for the Verification Point Editor, Verification Point Comparator, and the Object Map Editor. This feature is also useful for enhancing the accessibility for people who have physical challenges, such as limited vision.
      - Highlight page
        You use the Highlight page to specify how you want HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to emphasize test objects in applications-under-test when you select them in a test object map or in the Script Explorer. These settings also control how Test UI highlights objects you select with the Verification Point and Action Wizard and the Insert a GUI Object into the Object Map dialog.
      - Logging and Tracing page
        HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) allows you to collect the errors and warning messages into a log file (rft_log.txt). The logging and tracing functionality is controlled through certain configurable parameters such as level, file size, directory. With Test UI you can configure the ‘level' parameter for individual components. If a log and trace level is not defined explicitly for a component, then it defaults to the overall setting defined in the general page. With Test UI, you can set the preferences for logging and tracing through an user interface.
      - Logging page
        You use the Logging page to set log and comparator options, such as preventing the script launch wizard from displaying on playback, displaying the log viewer after playback, and displaying a message before overwriting an existing log. You also use this page to indicate the type of log generated.
      - Operating System page
        You use the Operating System page to indicate the Foreground Lock Timeout setting for Windows® 98/Me and Windows 2000 systems.
      - General Playback page
        You use the General Playback page to set script playback options, such as the amount of time HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) looks for an object and waits before trying to find an object again. You can also elect to skip all verification points in the script.
      - Setting general playback preferences in test scripts
        You can set the general playback preferences in test scripts. The preference set in the script, if any, takes precedence over the one that is set through the Preferences dialog and it applies globally to all the scripts. Hence, ensure that the script includes a reset command that reverts the preference to its earlier setting.
      - Playback preferences example
        This topic provides an example of the interaction between settings in the Playback Preferences page.
      - Dynamic Find Enablement page
        You can use the Dynamic Find Enablement page to enable the dynamic find feature for all functional test scripts run within the integrated development framework (IDE). With the dynamic find feature, HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) can search for and locate objects in the script whose hierarchical position has changed, to prevent playback failure.
      - Delays page
        You use the Delays page to set delays during Functional Test script playback. These settings are useful to control the rate at which script commands are sent to the operating system.
      - Playback Monitor page
        You use the Playback Monitor page to specify whether to display the playback monitor during playback.
      - ScriptAssure page--Advanced
        You use the ScriptAssure(TM) Advanced page to set thresholds for recognition scores, which HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) uses when searching for objects during script playback.
      - ScriptAssure page-standard
        During playback, HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) compares objects in the application-under-test with recognition properties in the test object map. You use the ScriptAssure(TM) Standard page to control object-matching sensitivity during playback. This feature enables you to successfully play back scripts when the application-under-test has been updated.
      - Enabling the unexpected window handling feature
        You can enable the unexpected window handling feature to ensure that scripts playback smoothly. When you enable this feature, unexpected windows that open during script playback are handled according to the configuration in the Configure Handling of Unexpected Windows dialog.
      - General Recorder page
        You use the General Recorder page to indicate options for recording Functional Test scripts, such as excluding an executable from being recorded and setting the delay before recording a mouse action or a keystroke. You can also select or clear the option to open the test object map if there is a new test object in the application.
      - Recorder Monitor page
        You use the Recorder Monitor page to change settings in the Recording monitor, such as displaying the recorder toolbar or the Recorder Monitor, including a timestamp for messages, and selecting the types of messages you want to display and their colors.
      - Mapping keyboard shortcut keys
        You can map keyboard shortcut keys in HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) by changing the assignment of a shortcut key to a command. You can change the shortcut key for menu items and toolbar buttons.
      - Customizing keyboard shortcuts in the Visual Studio IDE
        You can customize the appearance and behavior of HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) to enhance accessibility for people with disabilities.
      - Simplified Scripting preference page
        Use this page to indicate whether the simplified scripts feature must be enabled while creating the test scripts.
      - Application Visuals preference page
        Use this page to specify whether to capture the application visuals of the test application while recording the test scripts. You can also specify whether to enable the verification points or data-driven commands that are featured in the application visuals so that you can insert them in the script using the application visuals without opening the test application.
      - Simplified Script Editor preference page
        Use this page to specify the preferences for simplified script editor operations such as undo, redo and undo history operations.
      - Webserver Configuration page
        You can use the Webserver Configuration page to change the default web server port for communication between Google Chrome and HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI), and to enable logging of messages.
      - Workbench Preferences page
        The Workbench Preferences page enables you to indicate how you want the Workbench to behave while playing back, recording, and debugging Functional Test scripts.
      - Workbench Advanced Preferences
        This Advanced page enables you to set advanced Workbench preferences for HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI), such as switching to the Test Debug perspective rather than the Functional Test perspective when debugging or turning on or off.
  - Functional test assets
    This section describes the different types of functional test assets that are available in HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI).
  - Functional test projects
    A functional test project stores application test assets such as scripts, object maps, verification point baseline files, and script templates. You must create a functional test project before you can record scripts.
  - Working with functional test scripts (Windows-only)
    This section describes the process of creating functional test scripts to test your applications.
  - Verification points
    Verification points verify whether an expected behavior occurred during a test playback, or they verify whether there is a change in the state of a control or an object. When you create a verification point, you capture information about a control or an object in the application to establish this information as a baseline for comparison during the playback.
  - Functional tests with external data
    You can use external data to data-drive functional tests. When you data-drive a test, the script uses variables for key application input fields and programs instead of literal values so that you can use external data as you data-drive the application you are testing.
  - Testing terminal-based applications
    Use the HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) Terminal-based Applications feature to create test scripts and automate your host-application test cases. You can test host attributes, host field attributes, and screen-flow through a host application. It uses terminal verification points and properties, as well as synchronization code to identify the readiness of terminal for user input.
- Extending the UI Test perspective with custom Java™ code
  You can use custom code to extend the default Web UI testing capabilities. You can write custom Java™ code and call the code from the test. You can also specify that results from the tests that are affected by your custom code to be included in reports.
- Extending the Functional Test perspective
  You can use custom code to extend the default functional testing capabilities. You can write custom code and call the code from the test. You can also specify that results from the tests that are affected by your custom code to be included in reports.
- Extending the functionality in the Visual Studio IDE
  These topics describe various ways that you can customize HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) or use the application programming interface (API) to extend Test UI functionality.
- Experimental features
  HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) contains a set of pre-releases that enable you to test various experimental features. These experimental features, while still in progress, are introduced early in the release to seek your feedback on its overall functionality and performance. You can play around with these capabilities before they are made available and supported as a general feature in an upcoming release.

Setting preferences

You use the Preferences dialog to customize HCL DevOps Test UI (Test UI) in a number of different areas, such as settings for time options; colors for the Verification Point Editor, the Verification Point Comparator, and the Object Map Editor; highlight color for test objects; operating system; playback; delays; log; playback monitor; ScriptAssure(TM); recorder; recording monitor; and the workbench.

Procedure

To change preferences for the current user:

From the Test UI menu, click Window > Preferences.
In the Preferences dialog, in the left pane, expand Functional Test.
Select the appropriate preferences page for the options you want to change.
Change the options.
In some cases, you might want to clear the Use Default field to edit the option.
Click Apply to save the new setting and continue changing options or click OK to save the new setting and close the Preferences dialog.