Book Image

TestComplete Cookbook

By : Gennadiy Alpaev
Book Image

TestComplete Cookbook

By: Gennadiy Alpaev

Overview of this book

<p>TestComplete is an automated testing tool, designed for advanced and novice testers alike, to create, manage and run tests for any desktop, Web or rich client software. It does not depend on any development tool, or application type. Your tests will work fine with any application regardless of whether it was created in C#, C++, Delphi, Java, or any other development language. TestComplete is the most efficient tool of its kind, in regards to the price and quality of the product.</p> <p>This guide takes a refined approach towards quickly learning the capabilities of TestComplete, using relevant illustrations and practical examples. Each example is consonant with true-to-life situations, which testers would come across sooner or later, while automating tests. With the help of these examples, we will look into complex themes and learn how to test web applications in the most effective manner.</p> <p>Throughout the first chapters, we will be dealing with some fairly simple tasks that are of interest to people new to TestComplete, gradually moving towards advanced-level automation approaches, which are riveting both for novices and experienced TestComplete users.</p> <p>We will explore various methods of tests creation for study (e.g. recording, modification and manual coding with use of different approaches), learn test creation using different methods(each of them being suitable for a specific use-case), learn how to distinguish between different methods for accessing controls elements, selecting a most appropriate approach for each of the cases in view. We will also undertake distributive testing for the sake of shortening the overall time for test launches.</p> <p>This practical guide will help you to answer frequently asked questions relating to automation testing and set the tone for the correct direction of your advancements, which are instrumental to organizing automation in your project.</p>

Related Content you might be interested in

Current Title:

Small book image
TestComplete Cookbook
Gennadiy Alpaev
Dec, 2013 | 282 pages
No titles found
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
TestComplete Cookbook
TestComplete Cookbook
Credits
Credits
About the Author
About the Author
About the Reviewers
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Preface
Free Chapter
1
Getting Started
Getting Started
Introduction
Installing TestComplete
Creating your first project
Choosing a scripting language for the project
Recording your first test
Modifying the recorded test
Saving and restoring user settings
Creating code templates
Delaying script execution
Adding and removing project items
Understanding how TestComplete interacts with tested applications
Understanding Object Browser
Using Object Spy
2
Working with Tested Applications
Working with Tested Applications
Introduction
Adding a tested application project item
Running a tested application from the script
Terminating a tested application
Killing several instances of a tested application
Closing a tested application
Running a tested application in the Debug mode
Running a tested application under a different user account
Changing tested application settings dynamically from the script
Running external programs and DOS commands
Testing installers – running an MSI file
3
Scripting
Scripting
Introduction
Entering text into text fields
Using wildcards to process objects with variable names
Structuring code using loops
Creating property checkpoints
Creating object checkpoints
Using global variables
Testing multilingual applications
Working with nonstandard controls
Organizing script code in the project
Handling exceptions
Handling exceptions from a different unit
Creating framework using the OOP approach
4
Running Tests
Running Tests
Introduction
Running a single function
Verifying test accuracy
Creating a test plan for regular runs
Running tests from the command line
Passing additional parameters to test from the command line
Organizing test plan runs
Scheduling automatic runs at nighttime
Running tests via Remote Desktop
Changing playback options
Increasing run speed
Disabling a screensaver when running scripts
Sending messages to Indicator
Showing a message window during a script run
5
Accessing Windows, Controls, and Properties
Accessing Windows, Controls, and Properties
Introduction
Choosing Object Tree Model
Understanding the window's life cycle
Ignoring overlapping windows
Dragging one object into another
Calling methods asynchronously
Verifying if an object has a specific property
Finding objects by properties' values
Waiting for an object to appear
Waiting for a property value
Mapping custom control classes to standard ones
Using text recognition to access text from nonstandard controls
Using Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Dealing with self-drawn controls not supported by TestComplete
6
Logging Capabilities
Logging Capabilities
Introduction
Posting messages to the log
Posting screenshots to the log
Creating folders in the log
Changing log messages' appearance
Assessing the number of errors in the log
Changing pictures' format
Comparing screenshots with dynamic content
Decreasing log size
Generating log in our own format
Exporting log to MHT format
Sending logs via e-mail
7
Debugging Scripts
Debugging Scripts
Introduction
Enabling and disabling debugging
Using breakpoints to pause script execution
Viewing variables' values
Debugging tests step by step
Evaluating expressions
8
Keyword Tests
Keyword Tests
Introduction
Recording and understanding Keyword Tests
Adding new actions to existing Keyword Tests
Enhancing Keyword Tests using loops
Creating object checkpoints
Calling script functions from Keyword Tests
Converting Keyword Tests to scripts
Creating our own Keyword driver
9
Data-driven Testing
Data-driven Testing
Introduction
Generating random data for tests
Accessing a specific cell in a table
Reading all data from a table
Using DDT tables for storing expected values
Changing CSV delimiter and other parameters
Driving data without using loops
Accessing Excel spreadsheets without having MS Office installed
Auto-detecting Excel driver
10
Testing Web Applications
Testing Web Applications
Introduction
Choosing Web Tree Model
Using updates for the latest browser versions
Performing cross-browser testing
Verifying if a text exists on a page
Waiting for an element to appear on a page
Saving screenshots of an entire page
Running scripts on a page
11
Distributed Testing
Distributed Testing
Introduction
Setting up Network Suite and understanding distributed testing
Copying Project Suite to a Slave workstation
Using a Master workstation to run tests
Using different configuration files for each workstation
Sharing data between workstations
Synchronizing test runs on several workstations
12
Events Handling
Events Handling
Introduction
Creating event handlers
Disabling the postage of certain error messages
Clicking on disabled controls without an error message
Handling unexpected windows that affect TestComplete
Handling unexpected windows that don't affect TestComplete
Saving the log to a disk after each test
Sending a notification e-mail on timeouts
Creating preconditions and postconditions for tests
Index
Index

Installing TestComplete

Before getting down to TestComplete, make sure it is installed to begin with.

Installing TestComplete is quite simple; it is no different from installing most Windows applications.

Getting ready

To install TestComplete, we will need to download installation file from the SmartBear website:

  • If you are up for using a trial version of TestComplete, please follow the link http://smartbear.com/products/qa-tools/automated-testing-tools/free-testcomplete-trial, enter all the required data (name, e-mail, company, and so on), and click on the Sign Up Now button. Thus, you will receive a letter with a download link and activation code for a 30-days trial version of TestComplete.

  • If you are registered as a SmartBear client and have an account on their website, please follow the link https://my.smartbear.com/login.asp, enter your account data, and click on the Login button. After this, you will be redirected to the page with available programs to download and install. Clicking on the link with the version near the TestComplete, you will find yourself on the page for the download with the link and the license key.

After this you will have an installation file named TestCompleteXYY.exe (where XYY stands for the current TestComplete version).

How to do it...

To accomplish successful TestComplete installation, follow these steps:

  1. Launch the downloaded .exe file and wait for the InstallShield Wizard window to appear.

  2. Click on Next.

  3. In the License Agreement window, check the I agree… option and then click on Next.

  4. In the Customer Information window enter a user name and that of a company (it may be arbitrary, not necessarily corresponding with the information from the TestComplete license). Select the type of installation (for any users or only for the current one), and then click on Next.

  5. In the Choose Destination Location window, select the destination folder to install TestComplete and then click on Next.

  6. In the Select Program Folder window, signify the folder in the main menu to target the shortcut of the program and click on Next.

  7. In the Select Features window, select necessary components to install and click on Next. If you are not sure which components to install, leave all the options by default.

  8. Click on Next in the Start Installation window and wait for the installation to complete.

  9. Click on Finish.

  10. Now, all we have got left to do is activate the TestComplete. In order to do so launch TestComplete application.

  11. In the new popped-up window, click on the Activate license button.

  12. Check the Automatic activation option and then click on Next.

  13. Enter your data (name, company, e-mail, and key) that you signified for the registration and activation code that you have received by the e-mail. Click on Next.

  14. If necessary, input the parameters of your proxy server and click on the Activate button.

  15. In a matter of several minutes, necessary to connect to the server and validate registration data, you will receive the notification: Your license has been activated successfully. Thank you.. Click on the Finish button. TestComplete will fire up to the starting pane. Now you are able to begin your working expertise.

How it works...

During the installation process TestComplete verifies programs installed on your computer. The Select Features window displays only components which are installable at the moment. All other features (which are not accessible at the moment) will be turned off.

So far, we have considered the simplest method of activation: automatic activation of the trial TestComplete license on the SmartBear server. Automatic activation of the node-locked license is not complex either.

TestComplete uses two license types:

  • Node-locked license : This type of license is attached to one computer and cannot be used on virtual machines

  • Floating license : This type of license allows running several copies on multiple workstation in the local network (the number of copies is determined by the license key) and can be used on virtual machines

There's more...

If you are occupied as a system administrator in your company and need to install TestComplete on several computers, you can cut back on the installation time by using silent installation mode from command prompt.

In order to do that, you should extract the content of the downloaded archive TestCompleteXYY.exe and launch the installation file Setup.exe with the /r parameter:

<path_to_extracted_files>\Setup.exe /r

The downloaded archive file can be opened with the help of any archiver that supports RAR SFX formats (for example, WinRAR or 7-Zip).

Having done so, you should carry out the previously listed steps. As a result, there will appear the Setup.iss file in the Windows folder. Move this file to the folder with the files for TestComplete installation and copy the content of the folder to the targeted computers for TestComplete installation. Launch the installation file with the /s parameter:

<path_to_extracted_files>\Setup.exe /s

As a result of this TestComplete will be installed with the same settings as the first installation.

See also

  • In the event of a floating license activation as well as license activation on a computer that is not connected to the Internet, it is recommended that you read up on SmartBear article via the following link:

    http://support.smartbear.com/viewarticle/33840/

Previous Section
End of Section 3
Next Section