Command line interface

In this section, you will learn all the actions from the graphical user interface can also be performed from the command line.

These actions include:

Record a script
Compile a script
Play back a script, passing command-line arguments to the script
View and edit verification point and object map files
Invoke the Java/HTML enabler
Invoke the Application Configuration Tool

Core command line format

The core command line formats follow:

java <standard java options> -classpath hcl_ft.jar com.rational.test.ft.rational_ft <product options> or

java <standard java options> -jar

hcl_ft.jar

<product options>

The standard java options refer to the Java™ command line options such as -classpath <classpath> to set the classpath appropriately.

-classpath: If you use the first command-line format, you must explicitly include the hcl_ft.jar in the classpath. It can be found in the install directory. If you use the second command-line format, specify the full path of the rational_ft.jar hcl_ft.jar file after the -jar option. You do not need to specify a classpath or the class to run (com.rational.test.ft.rational_ft ). If you are using the product with PurifyPlus™, use the first command-line format.
Note: If the external jar file or directory that is referenced in a project, does not meet the project path criteria, then such jar files must be added to the classpath.

See the API Reference (com/rational/test/ft/rational_ft) for a full list of the command-line options.

-projectpath: If you have dependencies on a project, then you must add the project path using the -projectpath option. If you have added other project dependencies to the functional test project, you can specify the project name using the -projectpath option. For example, Consider a scenario where you have a functional test script that uses a class from another project. To resolve this dependency, during a command line invocation, you must specify the dependent project name using the -projectpath option.; In a scenario where you have added external jar files or projects to a Rational® Functional Tester project and the playback for this is run from the command line prompt then add the jar file to the project path provided the jar file contains a Rational® Functional Tester project or the project that is added is a Rational® Functional Tester project.

Commonly used command line options

The following table lists the more commonly used command line options:

Table 1. Command line options
Parameter	Description
`-datastore <datastore directory>`	Use this option whenever a script is specified. For example, use it with `-record` or `-playback`
`-record <script name>`	Use this option to record a new script (or in conjunction with `-insertafter <line number>` to insert recording into an existing script). The script name is not a file name. It is a fully qualified class name using the dot (.) character to separate package/namespace and script class name. You can use `-record <script name>` to record Java™ or VB.NET scripts, depending on the project type .
`-playback <script name>`	Use this option to play back a Java™ script. You must specify the playback option at the end of the command. Rational® Functional Tester ignores any arguments specified after the playback option.
`-edit <file>` or `-display <file>`	Use this option to edit or view a verification point or object map. The `<file>` can be a complete file name (with directory path). Use double-quotes if the name or path includes space characters.
`-enable`	Use this option to open the Enable Environments dialog box to enable a specific environment.
`-appconfig`	Use this option to open the Application Configuration Tool dialog box.
`-inspector`	Use this option to open the Test Object Inspector Tool dialog box.
`-compile`	Use this option to compile the test script for the first time before playback.
`-compileall`	Use this option to compile all test scripts in the project for the first time before playback. If you use the `-datastore` option, you can compile all tests scripts in the datastore directory and subdirectories. (Requires 9.1.1.1 and newer)