Qtp In Depth

Mercury QuickTest ProfessionalTM
User’s Guide
Version 8.0

Mercury QuickTest Professional User’s Guide, Version 8.0

This manual, and the accompanying software and other documentation, is protected by U.S. and
international copyright laws, and may be used only in accordance with the accompanying license
agreement. Features of the software, and of other products and services of Mercury Interactive
Corporation, may be covered by one or more of the following patents: U.S. Patent Nos. 5,701,139;
5,657,438; 5,511,185; 5,870,559; 5,958,008; 5,974,572; 6,138,157; 6,144,962; 6,205,122; 6,237,006;
6,341,310; 6,360,332, 6,449,739; 6,470,383; 6,477,483; 6,549,944; 6,560,564; and
6,564,342.6,564,342; 6,587,969; 6,631,408; 6,631,411; 6,633,912 and 6,694,288. Other patents
pending. All rights reserved.

Mercury, Mercury Interactive, the Mercury Interactive logo, LoadRunner, LoadRunner TestCenter,
QuickTest Professional, SiteScope, SiteSeer, TestDirector, Topaz and WinRunner are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Mercury Interactive Corporation or its subsidiaries, in the United States
and/or other countries. The absence of a trademark from this list does not constitute a waiver of
Mercury Interactive's intellectual property rights concerning that trademark.

All other company, brand and product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their
respective holders. Mercury Interactive Corporation disclaims any responsibility for specifying which
marks are owned by which companies or which organizations.

Mercury Interactive Corporation
379 North Whisman Road
Mountain View, CA 94043
Tel: (650) 603-5200
Toll Free: (800) TEST-911
Customer Support: (877) TEST-HLP
Fax: (650) 603-5300

© 2004 Mercury Interactive Corporation, All rights reserved

If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this document, please send them via e-mail to
documentation@mercury.com.

QTPUG8.0/02

Table of Contents

Welcome to QuickTest ...................................................................... xiii
Using This Guide ............................................................................... xiii
Documentation Updates ...................................................................xvii
Typographical Conventions............................................................ xviii

P A R T I : S T A R T IN G T HE T E S T I N G PR O C E S S
Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................3
Testing with QuickTest..........................................................................4
Understanding the Testing Process .......................................................5
Programming in the Expert View..........................................................8
Managing the Testing Process Using Quality Center ...........................8
Using the Sample Sites ..........................................................................9
Modifying License Information ............................................................9
Chapter 2: QuickTest at a Glance........................................................11
Starting QuickTest ...............................................................................12
The QuickTest Window.......................................................................14
Test Pane..............................................................................................16
Active Screen .......................................................................................18
Data Table............................................................................................19
Debug Viewer Pane..............................................................................19
Using QuickTest Commands...............................................................20
Browsing the QuickTest Professional Program Folder ........................29

P A R T I I : W O RK IN G W I T H T E ST O B J E CT S
Chapter 3: Understanding the Test Object Model .............................33
About Understanding the Test Object Model .....................................33
Applying the Test Object Model Concept...........................................37
Viewing Object Properties Using the Object Spy................................42
Viewing Object Methods and Method Syntax Using
the Object Spy ..................................................................................46

iii

Table of Contents

Chapter 4: Managing Test Objects ....................................................49
About Managing Test Objects .............................................................50
Understanding the Object Repository Dialog Box..............................51
Understanding the Object Properties Dialog Box...............................57
Modifying Test Object Properties While Editing Your Test
or Component ..................................................................................60
Working with Test Objects During a Run Session ..............................66
Modifying Object Descriptions ...........................................................67
Adding Objects to the Object Repository ...........................................73
Deleting an Object from the Object Repository .................................80

P A RT I I I : C R EA T I N G T E S T S O R CO M P O N E N T S
Chapter 5: Designing Tests .................................................................85
About Designing Tests.........................................................................85
Planning a Test ....................................................................................87
Recording a Test or Component .........................................................88
Understanding Your Recorded Test or Component ...........................92
Enhancing Your Test ...........................................................................93
Managing Your Test ............................................................................95
Choosing the Recording Mode .........................................................101
Changing the Active Screen ..............................................................108
Creating, Opening, and Saving Tests with Locked Resources ..........109
Chapter 6: Understanding Checkpoints ...........................................115
About Understanding Checkpoints ..................................................115
Adding Checkpoints to a Test or Component..................................116
Understanding Types of Checkpoints...............................................117
Chapter 7: Checking Object Property Values ...................................123
About Checking Object Properties....................................................123
Creating Standard Checkpoints ........................................................124
Understanding the Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box ....................126
Understanding the Image Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box..........130
Modifying Checkpoints.....................................................................132
Chapter 8: Checking Tables and Databases .....................................133
About Checking Tables and Databases .............................................133
Creating a Table Checkpoint ............................................................134
Creating a Check on a Database .......................................................135
Understanding the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties
Dialog Box ......................................................................................140
Modifying a Table Checkpoint .........................................................149
Modifying a Database Checkpoint....................................................149

iv

Table of Contents

Chapter 9: Checking Text..................................................................151
About Checking Text.........................................................................151
Creating a Text Checkpoint ..............................................................153
Creating a Standard Checkpoint for Checking Text.........................155
Creating a Text Area Checkpoint ......................................................156
Understanding the Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties
Dialog Box ......................................................................................159
Modifying a Text or Text Area Checkpoint ......................................168
Chapter 10: Checking Bitmaps..........................................................169
About Checking Bitmaps...................................................................169
Checking a Bitmap ............................................................................170
Modifying a Bitmap Checkpoint.......................................................177
Chapter 11: Checking XML ...............................................................181
About Checking XML........................................................................181
Creating XML Checkpoints...............................................................183
Modifying XML Checkpoints............................................................201
Reviewing XML Checkpoint Results .................................................201
Using XML Objects and Methods to Enhance Your Test
or Component ................................................................................202
Chapter 12: Parameterizing Values ..................................................203
About Parameterizing Values ............................................................203
Parameterizing Values in Steps and Checkpoints .............................205
Using Test, Action, and Component Input Parameters....................211
Using Data Table Parameters.............................................................215
Using Environment Variable Parameters ..........................................222
Using Random Number Parameters ..................................................233
Example of a Parameterized Test.......................................................235
Using the Data Driver to Parameterize Your Test .............................241
Chapter 13: Outputting Values .........................................................247
About Outputting Values ..................................................................247
Creating Output Values.....................................................................248
Outputting Property Values ..............................................................255
Specifying the Output Type and Settings .........................................261
Outputting Text Values .....................................................................268
Outputting Database Values..............................................................277
Outputting XML Values ....................................................................280

v

Table of Contents

Chapter 14: Configuring Values........................................................285
About Configuring Values.................................................................285
Configuring Constant and Parameter Values ...................................286
Understanding and Using Regular Expressions ................................290
Defining Regular Expressions............................................................293
Chapter 15: Working with the Keyword View..................................303
About Working with the Keyword View...........................................304
Understanding the Keyword View ....................................................305
Working with Steps in the Keyword View ........................................309
Setting Keyword View Display Options ............................................323
Viewing Properties of Step Elements in the Keyword View..............326
Using Conditional and Loop Statements in the Keyword View.......327
Working with Breakpoints in the Keyword View .............................328
Chapter 16: Learning Virtual Objects ...............................................329
About Learning Virtual Objects ........................................................329
Understanding Virtual Objects .........................................................330
Understanding the Virtual Object Manager .....................................331
Defining a Virtual Object ..................................................................333
Removing or Disabling Virtual Object Definitions...........................338
Chapter 17: Working with Actions ...................................................341
About Working with Actions ............................................................342
Using Global and Action Data Sheets ...............................................345
Using the Action Toolbar ..................................................................347
Creating New Actions........................................................................348
Inserting Calls to Existing Actions ....................................................352
Nesting Actions .................................................................................360
Splitting Actions................................................................................362
Using Action Parameters ...................................................................364
Setting Action Properties...................................................................366
Setting Action Call Properties ...........................................................375
Sharing Action Information ..............................................................382
Exiting an Action ..............................................................................384
Removing Actions from a Test ..........................................................385
Renaming Actions .............................................................................389
Creating an Action Template ............................................................391
Guidelines for Working with Actions ..............................................392

vi

Table of Contents

Chapter 18: Working with Data Tables ............................................395
About Working with Data Tables......................................................395
Working with Global and Action Sheets ..........................................397
Saving the Data Table........................................................................399
Editing the Data Table.......................................................................400
Importing Data from a Database.......................................................409
Using Formulas in the Data Table.....................................................412
Using Data Table Scripting Methods.................................................417
Chapter 19: Defining and Using Recovery Scenarios .......................419
About Defining and Using Recovery Scenarios.................................419
Deciding When to Use Recovery Scenarios.......................................421
Defining Recovery Scenarios .............................................................422
Understanding the Recovery Scenario Wizard .................................426
Managing Recovery Scenarios ...........................................................451
Setting the Recovery Scenarios List for Your Tests or Components .456
Programmatically Controlling the Recovery Mechanism ................462
Chapter 20: Adding Steps Containing Programming Logic.............465
About Adding Steps Containing Programming Logic ......................466
Inserting Steps Using the Step Generator .........................................467
Using Conditional Statements ..........................................................484
Using Loop Statements......................................................................488
Generating ”With” Statements for Your Test or Component ..........491
Sending Messages to Your Test Results .............................................496
Adding Comments ............................................................................498
Synchronizing Your Test or Component ..........................................499
Measuring Transactions ....................................................................504

P A R T I V: RU N N I N G A N D D E B UG GI N G T ES T S A N D C O M PO N EN T S
Chapter 21: Running Tests and Components...................................511
About Running Tests and Components............................................511
Running Your Entire Test or Component.........................................512
Running Part of Your Test or Component........................................517
Updating a Test or Component ........................................................519
Using Optional Steps.........................................................................525
Running a Test Batch ........................................................................527

vii

Table of Contents

Chapter 22: Debugging Tests and Components ..............................529
About Debugging Tests and Components ........................................530
Using the Step Commands................................................................530
Pausing a Run Session .......................................................................532
Setting Breakpoints............................................................................533
Removing Breakpoints ......................................................................534
Using the Debug Viewer....................................................................535
Handling Run Errors..........................................................................537
Practicing Debugging a Test ..............................................................538
Chapter 23: Analyzing Test Results ..................................................541
About Analyzing Test Results ............................................................541
Understanding the Test Results Window..........................................542
Viewing the Results of a Run Session................................................546
Viewing Checkpoint Results .............................................................557
Viewing Parameterized Values and Output Value Results................578
Analyzing Smart Identification Information in the Test Results......587
Deleting Test Results .........................................................................590
Submitting Defects Detected During a Run Session .........................597
Viewing WinRunner Test Steps in the Test Results ..........................603
Customizing the Test Results Display ...............................................606

P A RT V: CO N FI G UR I N G Q UI C K T E ST
Chapter 24: Setting Global Testing Options ....................................611
About Setting Global Testing Options ..............................................611
Using the Options Dialog Box ..........................................................612
Setting General Testing Options .......................................................614
Setting Folder Testing Options..........................................................616
Setting Active Screen Options ...........................................................618
Setting Run Testing Options .............................................................625
Setting Windows Application Testing Options ................................628
Setting Web Testing Options ............................................................639

viii

Table of Contents

Chapter 25: Setting Options for Individual Tests or Components ..651
About Setting Options for Individual Tests or Components............652
Using the Test Settings Dialog Box ...................................................654
Using the Business Component Settings Dialog Box .......................656
Defining Properties for Your Test......................................................659
Defining Properties for Your Component.........................................660
Defining Run Settings for Your Test .................................................665
Defining a Snapshot for Your Component .......................................669
Defining Application Settings for Your Component ........................670
Defining Resource Settings for Your Test..........................................674
Defining Resource Settings for Your Component.............................680
Defining Parameters for Your Test or Component ...........................682
Defining Environment Settings for Your Test or Component .........685
Defining Web Settings for Your Test or Component........................692
Defining Recovery Scenario Settings for Your Test or Component..694
Chapter 26: Setting Record and Run Options ..................................699
About Setting Record and Run Options............................................699
Using the Record and Run Settings Dialog Box ................................700
Setting Web Record and Run Options ..............................................703
Setting Windows Applications Record and Run Options .................705
Using Environment Variables to Specify the Application Details
for Your Test ...................................................................................709
Chapter 27: Customizing the Expert View .......................................713
About Customizing the Expert View.................................................713
Customizing Expert View Behavior ..................................................714
Customizing Script Element Appearance..........................................717
Personalizing Editing Commands.....................................................719
Chapter 28: Setting Testing Options During the Run Session .........723
About Setting Testing Options During the Run Session...................723
Setting Testing Options.....................................................................724
Retrieving Testing Options................................................................725
Controlling the Test Run...................................................................726
Adding and Removing Run-Time Settings........................................727

P A R T V I: WO R K I N G WI T H S UPP O R T ED E N V I R O N M E N T S
Chapter 29: Working with QuickTest Add-Ins ..................................731
About Working with QuickTest Add-ins...........................................731
Loading QuickTest Add-ins ...............................................................732
Tips for Working with QuickTest Add-ins ........................................736

ix

Table of Contents

Chapter 30: Testing Web Objects .....................................................739
About Testing Web Objects...............................................................739
Working with Web Browsers.............................................................742
Checking Web Objects ......................................................................744
Checking Web Pages .........................................................................747
Checking Web Content Accessibility................................................760
Accessing Password-Protected Resources in the Active Screen .........764
Activating Methods Associated with a Web Object..........................770
Using Scripting Methods with Web Objects.....................................771
Chapter 31: Testing Visual Basic Applications ..................................773
About Testing Visual Basic Applications...........................................774
Recording and Running on Visual Basic Applications .....................775
Checking Visual Basic Objects ..........................................................776
Using Visual Basic Objects and Methods to Enhance Your Test
or Component ................................................................................778
Chapter 32: Testing ActiveX Controls ..............................................779
About Testing ActiveX Controls .......................................................779
Recording and Running on ActiveX Controls ..................................781
Checking ActiveX Controls...............................................................783
Activating an ActiveX Control Method ............................................785
Using Scripting Methods with ActiveX Controls..............................785

PA RT VI I : A DV A N C E D F EA T U R ES
Chapter 33: Configuring Object Identification ................................789
About Configuring Object Identification .........................................789
Understanding the Object Identification Dialog Box.......................791
Configuring Smart Identification......................................................803
Mapping User-Defined Test Object Classes ......................................812
Chapter 34: Choosing the Object Repository Mode ........................815
About Choosing the Object Repository Mode ..................................815
Deciding Which Object Repository Mode to Choose.......................817
Setting the Object Repository Mode .................................................828
Chapter 35: Configuring Web Event Recording ...............................835
About Configuring Web Event Recording ........................................835
Selecting a Standard Event Recording Configuration.......................837
Customizing the Event Recording Configuration ............................839
Saving and Loading Custom Event Configuration Files...................849
Resetting Event Recording Configuration Settings...........................850

x

Table of Contents

Chapter 36: Working with the Expert View......................................851
About Working with the Expert View...............................................852
Understanding and Using the Expert View ......................................853
Navigating in the Expert View ..........................................................864
Understanding Basic VBScript Syntax...............................................873
Using Programmatic Descriptions.....................................................878
Running and Closing Applications Programmatically .....................887
Using Comments, Control-Flow, and Other VBScript Statements...888
Retrieving and Setting Test Object Property Values .........................898
Accessing Run-Time Object Properties and Methods .......................899
Running DOS Commands.................................................................901
Enhancing Your Tests using the Windows API.................................902
Choosing Which Steps to Report During the Run Session ...............904
Chapter 37: Working with User-Defined Functions .........................907
About Working with User-Defined Functions ..................................907
Working with Associated Library Files..............................................908
Executing Externally-Defined Functions from Your Test
or Component ................................................................................910
Using User-Defined Test Object Methods .........................................912
Chapter 38: Automating QuickTest Operations ...............................919
About Automating QuickTest Operations ........................................920
Deciding When to Use QuickTest Automation Programs ................921
Choosing a Language and Development Environment for
Designing and Running Automation Programs.............................923
Learning the Basic Elements of a QuickTest Automation Program..925
Generating Automation Scripts.........................................................926
Using the QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference..............927

P A R T V II I : W O R K I N G W I T H O T HE R M E R C UR Y PR O D UC T S
Chapter 39: Working with WinRunner .............................................931
About Working with WinRunner .....................................................931
Calling WinRunner Tests ..................................................................932
Calling WinRunner Functions ..........................................................937

xi

Table of Contents

Chapter 40: Working with Quality Center........................................943
About Working with Quality Center ................................................944
Connecting to and Disconnecting from Quality Center..................946
Saving Tests to a Quality Center Project ...........................................951
Opening Tests from a Quality Center Project...................................952
Running a Test Stored in a Quality Center Project...........................957
Managing Test Versions in QuickTest...............................................959
Setting Preferences for Quality Center Test Runs .............................967
Chapter 41: Working with Business Process Testing........................973
About Working with Business Process Testing .................................973
Understanding Components.............................................................980
Creating Components .......................................................................982
Opening Existing Components.........................................................983
Saving Components ..........................................................................985
Working with Component Templates ..............................................987
Recording Components ....................................................................991
Running Components.......................................................................993
Chapter 42: Working with Mercury Performance Testing
and Application Management Products ........................................995
About Working with Mercury Performance Testing
and Application Management Products ........................................996
Using QuickTest’s Performance Testing
and Application Management Features .........................................997
Designing QuickTest Tests for Use with LoadRunner
or the Business Process Monitor.....................................................999
Inserting and Running Tests in LoadRunner
or Mercury Application Management..........................................1000

P A RT I X : A P P EN D I X
Appendix A: Working with QuickTest—
Frequently Asked Questions............................................................1003
Recording and Running Tests .........................................................1003
Programming in the Expert View....................................................1004
Working with Dynamic Content ....................................................1005
Advanced Web Issues ......................................................................1006
Test Maintenance ............................................................................1007
Testing Localized Applications........................................................1009
Improving QuickTest Performance .................................................1010

Index................................................................................................1015

xii

Welcome to QuickTest

Welcome to QuickTest Professional, the Mercury automated keyword-driven
testing solution. QuickTest provides everything you need to quickly create
and run tests and components.

Using This Guide
This guide describes how to use QuickTest to test your applications. It
provides step-by-step instructions to help you create, debug, and run tests
and components, and report defects detected during the testing process.

It contains 8 parts:

Part I Starting the Testing Process
Provides an overview of QuickTest and the main stages of the testing
process.

Part II Working with Test Objects
Explains how QuickTest identifies objects in your application and how to
work with the object repository.

Part III Creating Tests or Components
Describes how to create tests and components, insert checkpoints,
parameters, and output values, use regular expressions, work with actions,
and handle unexpected events that occur during a run session.

xiii

Welcome

Part IV Running and Debugging Tests and Components
Describes how to run tests and components, analyze results, and control run
sessions to identify and isolate bugs in test or component scripts.

Part V Configuring QuickTest
Describes how to modify QuickTest settings to match your testing needs.

Part VI Working with Supported Environments
Explains how to work with QuickTest core add-ins, and includes
environment-specific information for testing Web sites, ActiveX controls,
and Visual Basic applications.

Part VII Advanced Features
Describes how to choose an object repository mode, configure object
identification and create Smart Identification definitions, and enhance your
test or component in Expert View mode. It also introduces several
programming techniques to create a more powerful script. This section is
recommended for advanced QuickTest users.

Part VIII Working with Other Mercury Products
Describes how you can run tests and components and call functions in
compiled modules from WinRunner, the Mercury enterprise functional
testing tool for Microsoft Windows applications. This section also describes
how QuickTest can be used with Business Process Testing, and how to create
components in QuickTest. In addition, this section describes how QuickTest
interacts with Mercury Quality Center, the Mercury centralized quality
solution (formerly TestDirector), and details considerations for designing
QuickTest tests for use with Mercury performance testing and application
management products.

Appendix
Provides information on frequently asked questions.

xiv

Welcome

QuickTest Documentation Set
In addition to this User’s Guide, QuickTest Professional comes with the
following printed documentation:

QuickTest Professional Installation Guide explains how to install QuickTest
Professional.

QuickTest Professional Tutorial teaches you basic QuickTest skills and shows
you how to design tests for your applications.

QuickTest Professional Shortcut Key Reference Card provides a list of
commands that you can execute using shortcut keys.

Online Resources
QuickTest Professional includes the following online resources:

Readme (available from the QuickTest Professional Start menu program
folder) provides the latest news and information about QuickTest
Professional.

What’s New in QuickTest Professional (available from Help > What’s New in
QuickTest) describes the newest features, enhancements, and supported
environments in this latest version of QuickTest Professional.

Printer-Friendly Documentation displays the complete documentation set in
Adobe portable document format (PDF). Online books can be read and
printed using Adobe Reader, which can be downloaded from the Adobe Web
site (http://www.adobe.com).

QuickTest Professional Tutorial (available from the QuickTest Professional
Welcome window, the Help menu, and the QuickTest Professional Start
menu program folder) teaches you basic QuickTest skills and shows you how
to start designing tests for your applications.

QuickTest Professional Context-Sensitive Help (available from specific dialog
boxes and windows) describes QuickTest dialog boxes and windows.

QuickTest Professional User’s Guide (available from Help > QuickTest
Professional Help) provides step-by-step instructions for using QuickTest
Professional to test your applications.

xv

Welcome

QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference (available from Help >
QuickTest Professional Help) describes QuickTest Professional test objects,
lists the methods and properties associated with each object, and provides
syntax information and examples for the methods.

QuickTest Professional Automation Object Model Reference (available from
the QuickTest Professional Start menu program folder and from Help >
QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference) provides syntax, descriptive
information, and examples for the automation objects, methods, and
properties. It also contains a detailed overview to help you get started
writing QuickTest automation scripts. The automation object model assists
you in automating test or component management, by providing objects,
methods and properties that enable you to control virtually every QuickTest
feature and capability.

VBScript Reference (available from Help > QuickTest Professional Help)
contains Microsoft VBScript documentation, including VBScript, Script
Runtime, and Windows Script Host.

Mercury Tours sample Web site (available from the QuickTest Professional
Start menu program folder and also available from the QuickTest
Professional Record and Run Settings dialog box) and the Mercury Tours
Windows sample flight application (available from the QuickTest
Professional Start menu program folder) are the basis for many examples in
this book. The URL for this Web site is http://newtours.mercuryinteractive.com.

Customer Support Online (available from Help > Customer Support Online)
uses your default Web browser to open the Mercury Customer Support Web
site. This site enables you to browse the knowledge base and add your own
articles, post to and search user discussion forums, submit support requests,
download patches and updated documentation, and more. The URL for this
Web site is http://support.mercury.com.

Send Feedback (available from Help > Send Feedback) enables you to send
online feedback about QuickTest Professional to the product team.

xvi

Welcome

Mercury Interactive on the Web (available from Help > Mercury Interactive
on the Web) uses your default Web browser to open the Mercury home
page. This site provides you with the most up-to-date information on
Mercury and its products. This includes new software releases, seminars and
trade shows, customer support, educational services, and more. The URL for
this Web site is http://www.mercury.com.

Documentation Updates
Mercury Interactive is continuously updating its product documentation
with new information. You can download the latest version of this
document from the Customer Support Web site (http://support.mercury.com).

To download updated documentation:
1 In the Customer Support Web site, click the Documentation link.
2 Under Select Product Name, select QuickTest Professional.
Note that if QuickTest Professional does not appear in the list, you must add
it to your customer profile. Click My Account to update your profile.
3 Click Retrieve. The Documentation page opens and lists the documentation
available for the current release and for previous releases. If a document was
recently updated, Updated appears next to the document name.
4 Click a document link to download the documentation.

xvii

Welcome

Typographical Conventions
This book uses the following typographical conventions:

1, 2, 3 Bold numbers indicate steps in a procedure.
> The greater-than sign separates menu levels (for example,
File > Open).
Stone Sans The Stone Sans font indicates names of interface
elements (for example, the Run button) and other items
that require emphasis.
Bold Bold text indicates method or function names.
Italics Italic text indicates method or function arguments,
file names in syntax descriptions, and book titles.
It is also used when introducing a new term.
<> Angle brackets enclose a part of a file path or URL address
that may vary from user to user (for example, <MyProduct
installation folder>bin).
Arial The Arial font is used for examples and text that is to be
typed literally.
Arial bold The Arial bold font is used in syntax descriptions for text
that should be typed literally.
SMALL CAPS The SMALL CAPS font indicates keyboard keys.
... In a line of syntax, an ellipsis indicates that more items of
the same format may be included. In a programming
example, an ellipsis is used to indicate lines of a program
that were intentionally omitted.
[ ] Square brackets enclose optional arguments.
| A vertical bar indicates that one of the options separated
by the bar should be selected.
Indicates information that is relevant only for
action-based tests.
Indicates information that is relevant only for business
components.

xviii

Part I
Starting the Testing Process

1
Introduction

Welcome to QuickTest Professional, the Mercury advanced keyword-driven
testing solution.

QuickTest Professional enables you to test standard Windows applications,
Web objects, ActiveX controls, and Visual Basic applications. You can also
acquire additional QuickTest add-ins for a number of special environments
(such as Java, Oracle, SAP Solutions, .NET Windows and Web Forms, Siebel,
PeopleSoft, Web services, and terminal emulator applications).

QuickTest Professional is Unicode compliant according to the requirements
of the Unicode standard (http://www.unicode.org/standard/standard.html),
enabling you to test applications in many international languages. Unicode
represents the required characters using 8-bit or 16-bit code values, to allow
the processing and display of many diverse languages and character sets.

This introductory section provides you with an overview of the following
QuickTest Professional features and testing procedures:

➤ Testing with QuickTest
➤ Understanding the Testing Process
➤ Programming in the Expert View
➤ Managing the Testing Process Using Quality Center
➤ Using the Sample Sites
➤ Modifying License Information

3

Part I • Starting the Testing Process

Testing with QuickTest
QuickTest Professional facilitates creating tests and business components by
recording operations as you perform them on your application. Tests and
business components are two different types of documents that you can use
to test that you application or Web site works as expected:

Test—A collection of steps organized into one or more actions, which are
used to verify that your application performs as expected.

Business Component—A collection of steps representing a single task in
your application. Business components (also known as components) are
combined into specific scenarios to build business process tests in Mercury
Quality Center with Business Process Testing.

As you navigate through your application, QuickTest records each step you
perform and generates a test or component that graphically displays these
steps in an table-based Keyword View. For example, clicking a link, selecting
a check box, or submitting a form are all recorded in your test or
component.

After you have finished recording, you can instruct QuickTest to check the
properties of specific objects in your application. For example, you can
instruct QuickTest to check that a specific text string is displayed in a
particular location on a dialog box, or you can check that a hypertext link
on your Web page goes to the correct URL address.

You can further enhance your test or component by adding and modifying
steps in the Keyword View. When you perform a run session, QuickTest
performs each step in your test or component. After the run sessions ends,
you can view a report detailing which steps were performed, and which ones
succeeded or failed.

A test is composed of actions. The steps you add to a test are included
within the test’s actions. Note that by default, each test begins with a single
action. You can divide your test into multiple actions to organize your test.
Most of the chapters in this guide provide information on how to work
within a single action. For information on when and how to work with
multiple actions in a test, see Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.” A
component does not contain actions—you add steps directly to a
component.

4

Chapter 1 • Introduction

Understanding the Testing Process
Testing with QuickTest involves three main stages:

Creating Tests or Components
You create a test or component by either recording a session on your
application or Web site or by building an object repository and adding steps
manually to the Keyword View using keyword-driven functionality. You can
then modify your test or component with special testing options and/or
with programming statements.

To create a test or component:
➤ Add steps to your test, in either or both of the following ways:
➤ Record a session on your application or site.
As you navigate through your application or site, QuickTest graphically
displays each step you perform as a row in the Keyword View. The
Documentation column of the Keyword View also displays a description
of each step in easy-to-understand sentences. A step is something that
causes or makes a change in your site or application, such as clicking a
link or image, or submitting a data form. For more information, see
Chapter 5, “Designing Tests.”
➤ Build an object repository and use these objects to add steps manually in
the Keyword View or Expert View.
Build an object repository that contains all the objects that you want to
test in your application or Web site. For more information on building an
object repository, see Chapter 4, “Managing Test Objects.”

5


Create steps by selecting items and operations in the Keyword View and
entering information as required. For more information, see Chapter 15,
“Working with the Keyword View”. Advanced users can add steps in the
Expert View. For more information, see Chapter 36, “Working with the
Expert View.”
➤ Insert checkpoints into your test or component.
A checkpoint checks specific values or characteristics of a page, object, or text
string and enables you to identify whether or not your Web site or
application is functioning correctly. For more information, see Chapter 6,
“Understanding Checkpoints.”
➤ Broaden the scope of your test or component by replacing fixed values with
parameters.
When you test your site or application, you can parameterize your test or
component to check how your application performs the same operations
with different data. You may supply data in the Data Table, define
environment variables and values, define test, component, or action
parameters and values, or have QuickTest generate random numbers or
current user and test data. When you parameterize your test or component,
QuickTest substitutes the fixed values in your test or component with
parameters. When you use Data Table parameters, QuickTest uses the values
from a different row in the Data Table for each iteration of the test or action.
For components, the data for each iteration is defined in Quality Center.
Each run session that uses a different set of parameterized data is called an
iteration. For more information, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”
You can also use output values to extract data from your test or component.
An output value is a value retrieved during the run session and entered into
your Data Table or saved as a variable or a parameter. You can subsequently
use this output value as input data in your test or component. This enables
you to use data retrieved during a run session in other parts of the test or
component. For more information, see Chapter 13, “Outputting Values.”
➤ Use the many functional testing features included in QuickTest to enhance
your test or component and/or add programming statements to achieve
more complex testing goals.

6


Running Tests or Components
After you create your test or component, you run it.

➤ Run your test or component to check your site or application.
The test or component runs from the first line in your test or component
and stops at the end of the test or component. While running, QuickTest
connects to your Web site or application and performs each operation in
your test or component, checking any text strings, objects, or tables you
specified. If you parameterized your test with Data Table parameters,
QuickTest repeats the test (or specific actions in your test) for each set of
data values you defined. For more information, see Chapter 21, “Running
Tests and Components.”
➤ Run your test or component to debug it.
You can control your run session to help you identify and eliminate defects
in your test or component. You can use the Step Into, Step Over, and Step
Out commands to run your test or component step by step. You can also set
breakpoints to pause your test or component at pre-determined points. You
can view the value of variables in your test or component each time it stops
at a breakpoint in the Debug Viewer. For more information, see Chapter 22,
“Debugging Tests and Components.”

Analyzing Results
After you run your test or component, you can view the results.

➤ View the results in the Results window.
After you run your test or component, you can view the results of the run in
the Test Results window. You can view a summary of your results as well as a
detailed report. For more information, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test
Results.”
➤ Report defects detected during a run session.
If you have Quality Center installed, you can report the defects you discover
to a database. You can instruct QuickTest to automatically report each failed
step in your test or component, or you can report them manually from the
Test Results window. Quality Center is the Mercury centralized quality
solution. For more information, see Chapter 40, “Working with Quality
Center.”

7


Programming in the Expert View
You can use the Expert View tab to view a text-based version of your test or
component. The test or component is composed of statements written in
VBScript (Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition) that correspond to the
steps and checks displayed in the Keyword View. For more information, see
Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert View.”

For more information on the test objects and methods available for use in
your test or component and how to program using VBScript, refer to the
QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference and the VBScript Reference
(choose Help > QuickTest Professional Help).

Managing the Testing Process Using Quality Center
You can use QuickTest together with Quality Center (formerly TestDirector),
the Mercury centralized quality solution. You can use Quality Center to
create a project (central repository) of manual and automated tests and
components, build test cycles, run tests and components, and report and
track defects. You can also create reports and graphs to help you review the
progress of test planning, runs, and defect tracking before a software release.

When you work in QuickTest, you can create and save tests and components
directly to your Quality Center project. For more information, see
Chapter 40, “Working with Quality Center.”

You can run QuickTest tests or components from Quality Center and then
use Quality Center to review and manage the results. You can also use
Quality Center with Business Process Testing support to create business
process tests, comprised of the components you create in either QuickTest or
Quality Center with Business Process Testing support. For more information,
see Chapter 41, “Working with Business Process Testing.”

8


Using the Sample Sites
Many examples in this guide use the Mercury Tours sample Web site. The
URL for this Web site is: http://newtours.mercuryinteractive.com.

Note that you must register a user name and password to use this site.

You can also use the Mercury Tours sample Windows application available
from the QuickTest Professional Start menu program folder.

Modifying License Information
After you install QuickTest, you are prompted to install your license code.
You can modify your license at any time to change your license type. You
can request a new license on the Mercury Interactive Customer Support Web
site. The URL for the License Request Web site is
http://support.mercury.com/license.

If you purchase one or more external add-ins, you need to install an add-in
license. For more information, refer to your add-in documentation.

To modify the license information, refer to the QuickTest Professional
Installation Guide.

9


10

2
QuickTest at a Glance

This chapter explains how to start QuickTest and introduces the QuickTest
window.

This chapter describes:

➤ Starting QuickTest
➤ The QuickTest Window
➤ Test Pane
➤ Active Screen
➤ Data Table
➤ Debug Viewer Pane
➤ Using QuickTest Commands
➤ Browsing the QuickTest Professional Program Folder

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Starting QuickTest
To start QuickTest, choose Programs > QuickTest Professional > QuickTest
Professional in the Start menu.

The first time you start QuickTest, the Add-in Manager dialog box opens.

Tip: If you do not want this dialog box to open the next time you start
QuickTest, clear the Show on startup check box.

For more information about loading add-ins, see “Loading QuickTest
Add-ins” on page 732.

12

Chapter 2 • QuickTest at a Glance

Click OK. The QuickTest Professional window opens. You can choose to
open the QuickTest tutorial, start recording a new test, open an existing test,
or open a blank new test.

Tips:
You can press the ESC key to close the window and open a blank test.

You can click Tip of the Day to browse through all the available tips.

If you do not want this window to be displayed the next time you start
QuickTest, clear the Show this screen on startup check box.

13


The QuickTest Window
The QuickTest window contains the following key elements:

➤ QuickTest title bar—Displays the name of the currently open test or
component.
➤ Menu bar—Displays menus of QuickTest commands.
➤ File toolbar—Contains buttons to assist you in managing your test or
component.
➤ Testing toolbar—Contains buttons to assist you in the testing process.
➤ Debug toolbar—Contains buttons to assist you in debugging your test or
component (not displayed by default).
➤ Action toolbar—Contains buttons and a list of actions, enabling you to view
the details of an individual action or the entire test flow.
➤ Test pane—Contains the Keyword View and Expert View tabs.
➤ Active Screen—Provides a snapshot of your application as it appeared when
you performed a certain step during the recording session.
➤ Data Table—Assists you in parameterizing your test or component. For a
test, the Data Table contains the Global tab and a tab for each action. For a
component, the Data Table contains single tab.
➤ Debug Viewer pane—Assists you in debugging your test or component. The
Debug Viewer pane contains the Watch Expressions, Variables, and
Command tabs (not displayed by default).
➤ Status bar—Displays the status of the QuickTest application.

14


Title bar
Menu bar

File toolbar
Debug
toolbar
Testing
toolbar
Action
toolbar

Test pane

Data
Table

Status bar Active Screen

15


Test Pane
The Test pane contains two tabs to view your test or component—the
Keyword View and the Expert View.

Keyword View
The Keyword View enables you to create and view the steps of your test or
component in a keyword-driven, modular, table format. Each step in your
test or component is a row in the Keyword View, comprised of individual
parts which you can easily modify. You create and modify tests or
components by selecting items and operations in the Keyword View and
entering information as required. Each step is automatically documented as
you complete it, enabling you to view a description of your test or
component steps in understandable English.

Each operation performed on your application or Web site during a
recording session is recorded as a row in the Keyword View.

For each row in the Keyword View, QuickTest displays a corresponding line
of script in the Expert View. If you focus on a specific step in the Keyword
View and switch to the Expert View, the cursor is located in that
corresponding line of the test or component. For more information on
using the Keyword View, see Chapter 15, “Working with the Keyword View.”

16


Note: The Keyword View replaces the Tree View found in earlier versions of
QuickTest. Many of the operations you could perform from the Tree View
can be performed in a similar manner from the Keyword View. For example,
right-click on a step to access context-sensitive options for that step, such as
checkpoint, output value and action-related operations.

Expert View
In the Expert View, QuickTest displays each operation performed on your
application in the form of a script, comprised of VBScript statements. The
Expert View is a script editor with many script editing capabilities. For each
object and method in an Expert View statement, a corresponding row exists
in the Keyword View. For more information on using the Expert View, see

17


Active Screen
The Active Screen provides a snapshot of your application as it appeared
when you performed a certain step during a recording session. Additionally,
depending on the Active Screen capture options that you used while
recording, the page displayed in the Active Screen can contain detailed
property information about each object displayed on the page. To view the
Active Screen, click the Active Screen button or choose View > Active
Screen.

The Active Screen enables you to easily parameterize object values and insert
checkpoints, methods, and output values for any object in the page, even if
your application is not available or you do not have a step in your test or
component corresponding to the selected object.

When QuickTest creates an Active Screen page for a Web-based application,
it stores the path to images and other resources on the page, rather than
downloading and storing the images with your test or component.
Therefore, you may need to provide login information to view password-
protected resources.

Active Screen pages for non-Web-based applications are based on a single
bitmap capture of the visible part of the application window (or other
top-level object), with context sensitive areas representing each object
displayed in the Active Screen.

For information on Active Screen customization options, see “Setting Active
Screen Options” on page 618.

For information on accessing password-protected resources in the Active
Screen of a Web-based application, see “Accessing Password-Protected
Resources in the Active Screen” on page 764.

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Data Table
In a new test, the Data Table contains one Global tab plus an additional tab
for each action, or test step grouping, in your test. In a new component, the
Data Table contains a single tab. The Data Table assists you in
parameterizing your test or component. To view the Data Table, click the
Data Table toolbar button or choose View > Data Table. The Data Table is a
Microsoft Excel-like sheet with columns and rows representing the data
applicable to your test or component. For more information, see
Chapter 18, “Working with Data Tables.”

Debug Viewer Pane
The Debug Viewer pane contains three tabs to assist you in debugging your
test or component—Watch Expressions, Variables, and Command. To view
the Debug Viewer pane, click the Debug Viewer button or choose View >
Debug Viewer.

Watch Expressions
The Watch Expressions tab enables you to view the current value of any
variable or other VBScript expression.

Variables
The Variables tab enables you to view the current value of all variables that
have been recognized up to the last step performed in the run session.

Command
The Command tab enables you to execute a line of script in order to set or
modify the current value of a variable or VBScript object in your test or
component. When you continue the run session, QuickTest uses the new
value that was set in the command.

For more information on using the Debug Viewer pane, see Chapter 22,
“Debugging Tests and Components.”

19


Using QuickTest Commands
You can select QuickTest commands from the menu bar or from a toolbar.
Certain QuickTest commands can also be executed by pressing shortcut keys
or selecting commands from context-sensitive (right-click) menus.

Choosing Commands on a Menu
You can choose all QuickTest commands from the menu bar.

Clicking Commands on a Toolbar
You can execute some QuickTest commands by clicking buttons on the
toolbars. QuickTest has four built-in toolbars—the File toolbar, the Testing
toolbar, the Debug toolbar, and the Action toolbar.

File Toolbar
The File toolbar contains buttons for managing a test or component. For
more information on managing your test, see Chapter 5, “Designing Tests.”
For more information on managing components, see Chapter 41, “Working
with Business Process Testing.” The following buttons are displayed on the
File toolbar:
Open Print Data Results Options Object
Table Repository

New Save Active Debug Test Quality Object
Screen Viewer Settings Center Spy
Connection

20


Testing Toolbar
The Testing toolbar contains buttons for the commands used when creating
and maintaining your test or component. The following buttons are
displayed on the Testing toolbar:
Split Start Analog
Record Stop Action Transaction Recording

Start New Insert End Low-Level
Run Action Checkpoint Transaction Recording

Debug Toolbar
The Debug toolbar contains buttons for the commands used when
debugging the steps in your test or component. The following buttons are
displayed on the Debug toolbar:
Step Step Clear All
Into Out Breakpoints

Pause Step Insert/Remove
Over Breakpoint

Action Toolbar
The Action toolbar is available in the Keyword View and contains
options that enable you to view all actions in the test flow or to view the
details of a selected action. The Action toolbar is not available for
components. The following options are displayed on the Action toolbar:
Action List Display selected action

Back

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When you have reusable or external actions in your test, the Action toolbar
is always visible. If there are no reusable or external actions in your test, you
can choose View > Toolbars > Action to show the Action toolbar.

When you have reusable or external actions in your test, only the action
icon is visible when viewing the entire Test Flow in the Keyword View. You
can view the details of the reusable or external actions by double-clicking on
the action, selecting the action name from the list in the Action toolbar, or
selecting the action in the Keyword View and clicking the Show button. You
can return to the Test Flow by clicking the Back button.

For more information about actions, see Chapter 17, “Working with
Actions.”

Executing Commands Using Shortcut Keys
You can perform some QuickTest commands by pressing shortcut keys. The
shortcut keys listed below are displayed on the corresponding menu
commands.

You can perform the following File menu commands by pressing the
corresponding shortcut keys:

Command Shortcut Key Function

New Test CTRL+N Creates a new test.

Open Test CTRL+O Opens an existing test.

Business CTRL+SHIFT+N Creates a new component.
Component > New

Business CTRL+SHIFT+O Opens an existing component.
Component > Open

Business CTRL+SHIFT+E Opens the component template of
Component > Edit the current Quality Center project
Template for editing.

Save CTRL+S Saves the active test or component.

Export to Zip File CTRL+ALT+S Creates a zip file of the active test or
component.

22



Import from Zip File CTRL+ALT+O Imports a test or component from a
zip file.

Print CTRL+P Prints the active test or component.

You can perform the following Edit menu commands by pressing the


Cut CTRL+X Removes the selection from your
test or component (Expert View
only).

Copy CTRL+C Copies the selection from your test
or component.

Paste CTRL+V Pastes the selection to your test or
component.

Delete DEL Deletes the selection from your test
or component.

Undo CTRL+Z Reverses the last command or
deletes the last entry you typed
(Expert View only).

Redo CTRL+Y Reverses the action of the Undo
command (Expert View only).

Rename Action F2 Changes the name of an action.

Find CTRL+F Searches for a specified string
(Expert View only).

Replace CTRL+H Searches and replaces a specified
string (Expert View only).

Go To CTRL+G Moves the cursor to a particular line
in the test or component (Expert
View only).

23



Bookmarks CTRL+B Creates bookmarks in your script
for easy navigation (Expert View
only).

Complete Word CTRL+SPACE Completes the word when you type
the beginning of a VBScript method
or object (Expert View only).

Argument Info CTRL+SHIFT+ Displays the syntax of a method
SPACE (Expert View only).

Apply “With” to Script CTRL+W Generates With statements for the
action displayed in the Expert View
(Expert View only).

Remove “With” CTRL+SHIFT+W Converts any With statements in
Statements the action displayed in the Expert
View to regular (single-line)
VBScript statements (Expert View
only).

You can perform the following Insert menu commands by pressing the


Checkpoint > Standard F12 Creates a standard checkpoint for
Checkpoint an object or a table.

Output Value > CTRL+F12 Creates a standard output value for
Standard Output Value an object or a table.

Step > Step Generator F7 Opens the Step Generator.

New Step F8 Inserts a new step in the Keyword
View (Keyword View only).

New Step After Block SHIFT+F8 Inserts a new step after a
conditional or loop block in the
Keyword View (Keyword View
only).

24


You can execute the following Test or Component menu commands by
pressing the corresponding shortcut keys:


Record F3 Starts a recording session.

Run F5 Starts a run session from the
beginning or from the line at
which the session was paused.

Stop F4 Stops the recording or run
session.

Analog Recording CTRL+SHIFT+F4 Starts/ends analog recording
mode.

Low Level Recording CTRL+SHIFT+F3 Starts/ends low level recording
mode.

You can perform the following Step menu commands by pressing the
corresponding shortcut keys, depending on the selected item:


Object Properties CTRL+ENTER on a Opens the Object Properties
test object dialog box of a selected
object.

Value Configuration CTRL+F11 on a value Opens the Value
Options in the Keyword View Configuration Options dialog
box for a selected value
(Keyword View only).

Step > Comment CTRL+ENTER on a Opens the Comment
comment Properties dialog box for a
selected comment (Keyword
View only).

Step > Report CTRL+ENTER on a Opens the Report Properties
report step dialog box for a selected
report step (Keyword View
only).

25


You can perform the following Debug menu commands by pressing the


Pause PAUSE Stops the run session after the
statement has been executed. The
run session can be resumed from
this point.

Step Into F11 Runs only the current line of the
script. If the current line calls a
method, the method is displayed in
the view but is not performed.

Step Over F10 Runs only the current line of the
script. When the current line calls a
method, the method is performed
in its entirety, but is not displayed
in the view.

Step Out SHIFT+F11 Runs to the end of the method then
pauses the run session. (Available
only after running a method using
Step Into.)

Insert/Remove F9 Sets or clears a breakpoint in the
Breakpoint test or component.

Clear All Breakpoints CTRL+SHIFT+ Deletes all breakpoints in the test or
F9 component.

You can perform the following Data Table menu commands by pressing the
corresponding shortcut keys when one or more cells are selected in the Data
Table:


Edit > Cut CTRL+X Cuts the table selection and puts it
on the Clipboard.

Edit > Copy CTRL+C Copies the table selection and puts
it on the Clipboard.

26



Edit > Paste CTRL+V Pastes the contents of the
Clipboard to the current table
selection.

Edit > Clear > Contents CTRL+DEL Clears the contents from the
current selection.

Edit > Insert CTRL+I Inserts empty cells at the location
of the current selection. Cells
adjacent to the insertion are shifted
to make room for the new cells.

Edit > Delete CTRL+K Deletes the current selection. Cells
adjacent to the deleted cells are
shifted to fill the space left by the
vacated cells.

Edit > Fill Right CTRL+R Copies data in the left-most cell of
the selected range to all cells to the
right of it, within the selected
range.

Edit > Fill Down CTRL+D Copies data in the top cell of the
selected range to all cells below it
within the selected range.

Edit > Find CTRL+F Finds a cell containing specified
text. You can search the table by
row or column and specify to
match case or find entire cells only.

Edit > Replace CTRL+H Finds a cell containing specified
text and replaces it with different
text. You can search the table by
row or column and specify to
match case and/or to find entire
cells only. You can also replace all.

Data > Recalc F9 Recalculates the selected data in the
Data Table.

27



Insert Multi-line value CTRL+F2 while Opens the Cell Text dialog box for
editing a cell multi-line value editing.

Activate next/previous CTRL+PAGE UP Activates the next or previous sheet
data sheet / CTRL+PAGE (global or action) in the Data Table.
DOWN

You can perform the following special options using shortcut keys only:

Option Shortcut Key Function

Switch between CTRL+TAB Toggles between the Keyword
Keyword View and View and Expert View.
Expert View

Open context menu SHIFT+F10, Opens the context menu for
or press the the selected step data cell in
Application Key ( ) the Data Table.
[Microsoft Natural
Keyboard only]

Expand all branches * Expands all branches in the
[on the numeric Keyword View (Keyword
keypad] View only).

Expand branch + Expands the selected item
[on the numeric branch and all branches
keypad] below it in the Keyword View

Collapse branch - Collapses the selected item
[on the numeric branch and all branches
keypad] below it in the Keyword View

Open the Item or SHIFT+F4 or ENTER, Opens the Item or Operation
Operation list when the Item or list in the Keyword View,
Operation column is when the Item or Operation
selected in the column is selected (Keyword
Keyword View. View only).

28


Browsing the QuickTest Professional Program Folder
After the QuickTest Professional setup process is complete, the following
items are added to your QuickTest Professional program folder (Start >
Programs > QuickTest Professional):

➤ Documentation—Provides the following links to commonly used
documentation files:
➤ Printer-Friendly Documentation—Opens a page that provides links to
printer-friendly versions of all QuickTest documentation, in Adobe
Acrobat Reader (PDF) format.
➤ QuickTest Automation Reference—Opens the QuickTest Automation
Object Model Reference. The automation object model assists you in
automating test management, by providing objects, methods and
properties that enable you to control virtually every QuickTest feature
and capability. The QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference
provides syntax, descriptive information, and examples for the objects,
methods, and properties. It also contains a detailed overview to help you
get started writing QuickTest automation scripts.
➤ QuickTest Professional Help—Opens a comprehensive help file
containing the QuickTest Professional User’s Guide, the corresponding
user’s guide for each installed add-in (if any), the QuickTest Professional
Object Model Reference (including the relevant sections for installed
add-ins), and the VBScript Reference.
➤ Tutorial—Opens the QuickTest Professional tutorial, which teaches you
basic QuickTest skills and shows you how to start testing your
applications.
➤ Sample Applications—Contains the following links to sample applications
that you can use to practice testing with QuickTest:
➤ Flight—Opens a sample flight reservation Windows application. To
access the application, enter any username and the password mercury.
➤ Mercury Tours Web Site—Opens a sample flight reservation Web
application. This Web application is used as a basis for the QuickTest
tutorial. Refer to the QuickTest Professional Tutorial for more information.

29


➤ Tools—Contains the following utilities and tools that assist you with the
testing process:
➤ Password Encoder—Opens the Password Encoder dialog box, which
enables you to encode passwords. You can use the resulting strings as
method arguments or Data Table parameter values. For more
information, see “Inserting Encoded Passwords into Method Arguments
and Data Table Cells” on page 416.
➤ Remote Agent—Activates the QuickTest Remote Agent, which
determines how QuickTest behaves when a test or component is run by a
remote application such as Quality Center. For more information, see
Chapter 40, “Working with Quality Center”.
➤ Test Batch Runner—Opens the Test Batch Runner dialog box, which
enables you to set up QuickTest to run several tests in succession. For
more information, see “Running a Test Batch” on page 527.
➤ Test Results Deletion Tool—Opens the Test Results Deletion Tool dialog
box, which enables you to delete unwanted or obsolete results from your
system according to specific criteria that you define. For more
information, see “Deleting Results Using the Test Results Deletion Tool”
on page 590.
➤ Check for Updates—Checks online for any available updates to QuickTest
Professional. You can choose which updates you want to download and
(optionally) install.
➤ QuickTest Professional—Opens the QuickTest Professional application.
➤ Readme—Opens the QuickTest Professional Readme, which provides the
latest news and information about QuickTest Professional.
➤ Test Results Viewer—Opens the Test Results window, which enables you to
select a test or component and view information about the steps performed
during the run session. For more information, see “Understanding the Test
Results Window” on page 542.
➤ Uninstall QuickTest Professional—Uninstalls QuickTest Professional and all
of its components, including core and external add-ins. Refer to the
QuickTest Professional Installation Guide for more information.

30

Part II
Working with Test Objects

3
Understanding the Test Object Model

This chapter describes how QuickTest learns and identifies objects in your
application, explains the concepts of test object and run-time object, and
explains how to view the available methods for an object and the
corresponding syntax, so that you can easily add statements to your script
in the Expert View.


➤ About Understanding the Test Object Model
➤ Applying the Test Object Model Concept
➤ Viewing Object Properties Using the Object Spy
➤ Viewing Object Methods and Method Syntax Using the Object Spy

About Understanding the Test Object Model
QuickTest tests your dynamically changing application by learning and
identifying test objects and their expected properties and values. During
recording QuickTest analyzes each object in your application much the
same way that a person would look at a photograph and remember its
details.

In the following narrative you will be introduced to the concepts related to
the test object model and how QuickTest uses the information it gathers to
test your application.

33

Part II • Working with Test Objects

Understanding How QuickTest Learns Objects While Recording
QuickTest learns objects just as you would.

For example, suppose as part of an experiment, Jonny is told that he will be
shown a photograph of a picnic scene for a few seconds during which
someone will point out one item in the picture. Jonny is told that he will be
expected to identify that item again in identical or similar pictures one week
from today.

Before he is shown the photograph, Jonny begins preparing himself for the
test by thinking about which characteristics he wants to learn about the
item that the tester indicates. Obviously, he will automatically note whether
it is a person, inanimate object, animal, or plant. Then, if it is a person, he
will try to commit to memory the gender, skin color, and age. If it is an
animal, he will try to remember the type of animal, its color, and so forth.

The tester shows the scene to Jonny and points out one of three children
sitting on a picnic blanket. Jonny notes that it is a caucasian girl about 8
years old. In looking at the rest of the picture, however, he realizes that one
of the other children in the picture could also fit that description. In
addition to learning his planned list of characteristics, he also notes that the
girl he is supposed to identify has long, brown hair.

Now that only one person in the picture fits the characteristics he learned,
he is fairly sure that he will be able to identify the girl again, even if the
scene the tester shows him next week is slightly different.

Since he still has a few moments left to look at the picture, he attempts to
notice other, more subtle differences between the child he is supposed to
remember and the others in the picture—just in case.

If the two similar children in the picture appeared to be identical twins,
Jonny might also take note of some less permanent feature of the child,
such as the child’s position on the picnic blanket. That would enable him to
identify the child if he were shown another picture in which the children
were sitting on the blanket in the same order.

QuickTest uses a very similar method when it learns objects during the
recording process.

34

Chapter 3 • Understanding the Test Object Model

First, it “looks” at the object on which you are recording and stores it as a
test object, determining in which test object class it fits. Just as Jonny
immediately checked whether the item was a person, animal, plant, or
thing. QuickTest might classify the test object as a standard Windows dialog
box (Dialog), a Web button (WebButton), or a Visual Basic scroll bar object
(VbScrollBar), for example.

Then, for each test object class, QuickTest has a list of mandatory properties
that it always learns; similar to the list of characteristics that Jonny planned
to learn before seeing the picture. When you record on an object, QuickTest
always learns these default property values, and then “looks” at the rest of
the objects on the page, dialog box, or other parent object to check whether
this description is enough to uniquely identify the object. If it is not,
QuickTest adds assistive properties, one by one, to the description, until it
has compiled a unique description; like when Jonny added the hair length
and color characteristics to his list. If no assistive properties are available, or
if those available are not sufficient to create a unique description, QuickTest
adds a special ordinal identifier, such as the object’s location on the page or in
the source code, to create a unique description, just as Jonny would have
remembered the child’s position on the picnic blanket if two of the children
in the picture had been identical twins.

Understanding How QuickTest Identifies Objects During the
Run Session
QuickTest also uses a very human-like technique for identifying objects
during the run session.

Suppose as a continuation to the experiment, Jonny is now asked to identify
the same “item” he initially identified but in a new, yet similar
environment.

The first photograph he is shown is the original photograph. He searches for
the same caucasian girl, about eight years old, with long, brown hair that he
was asked to remember and immediately picks her out. In the second
photograph, the children are playing on the playground equipment, but
Jonny is still able to easily identify the girl using the same criteria.

35


Similarly, during a run session, QuickTest searches for a run-time object that
exactly matches the description of the test object it learned while recording.
It expects to find a perfect match for both the mandatory and any assistive
properties it used to create a unique description while recording. As long as
the object in the application does not change significantly, the description
learned during recording is almost always sufficient for QuickTest to
uniquely identify the object. This is true for most objects, but your
application could include objects that are more difficult to identify during
subsequent run sessions.

Consider the final phase of Jonny’s experiment. In this phase, the tester
shows Jonny another photograph of the same family at the same location,
but the children are older and there are also more children playing on the
playground. Jonny first searches for a girl with the same characteristics he
used to identify the girl in the other pictures (the test object), but none of
the caucasian girls in the picture have long, brown hair. Luckily, Jonny was
smart enough to remember some additional information about the girl’s
appearance when he first saw the picture the previous week. He is able to
pick her out (the run-time object), even though her hair is now short and
dyed blond.

How is he able to do this? First, he considers which features he knows he
must find. Jonny knows that he is still looking for a caucasian female, and if
he were not able to find anyone that matched this description, he would
assume she is not in the photograph.

Once he has limited the possibilities to the four caucasian females in this
new photograph, he thinks about the other characteristics he has been using
to identify the girl—her age, hair color, and hair length. He knows that
some time has passed and some of the other characteristics he remembers
may have changed, even though she is still the same person.

Thus, since none of the caucasian girls have long, dark hair, he ignores these
characteristics and searches for someone with the eyes and nose he
remembers. He finds two girls with similar eyes, but only one of these has
the petite nose he remembers from the original picture. Even though these
are less prominent features, he is able to use them to identify the girl.

36


QuickTest uses a very similar process of elimination with its Smart
Identification mechanism to identify an object, even when the recorded
description is no longer accurate. Even if the values of your test object
properties change, QuickTest’s TestGuard technology maintains your test or
component’s reusability by identifying the object using Smart
Identification. For more information on Smart Identification, see
Chapter 33, “Configuring Object Identification.”

The remainder of this guide assumes familiarity with the concepts presented
here, including test objects, run-time objects, object properties, mandatory
and assistive properties, and Smart Identification. An understanding of
these concepts will enable you to create well-designed, functional tests or
components for your application.

Applying the Test Object Model Concept
The test object model is a large set of object types or classes that QuickTest
uses to represent the objects in your application. Each test object class has a
list of properties that can uniquely identify objects of that class and a set of
relevant methods that QuickTest can record for it.

A test object is an object that QuickTest creates in the test or component to
represent the actual object in your application. QuickTest stores information
about the object that will help it identify and check the object during the
run session.

A run-time object is the actual object in your Web site or application on
which methods are performed during the run session.

37


When you perform an operation on your application while recording,
QuickTest:

➤ identifies the QuickTest test object class that represents the object on which
you performed the operation and creates the appropriate test object
➤ reads the current value of the object’s properties in your application and
stores the list of properties and values with the test object
➤ chooses a unique name for the object, generally using the value of one of its
prominent properties
➤ records the operation that you performed on the object using the
appropriate QuickTest test object method

For example, suppose you click on a Find button with the following HTML
source code:

<INPUT TYPE="submit" NAME="Find" VALUE="Find">

QuickTest identifies the object that you clicked as a WebButton test object.
It creates a WebButton object with the name Find, and records the following
properties and values for the Find WebButton:

It also records that you performed a Click method on the WebButton.

QuickTest displays your step in the Keyword View like this:

QuickTest displays your step in the Expert View like this:

Browser("Mercury Interactive").Page("Mercury Interactive").
WebButton("Find").Click

38


When you run a test or component, QuickTest identifies each object in your
application by its test object class and its description—the set of test object
properties and values used to uniquely identify the object. The list of test
objects and their properties and values are stored in the object repository. In
the above example, QuickTest would search in the object repository during
the run session for the WebButton object with the name Find to look up its
description. Based on the description it finds, QuickTest would then look for
a WebButton object in the application with the HTML tag INPUT, of type
submit, with the value Find. When it finds the object, it performs the Click
method on it.

Understanding Test Object Descriptions
For each object class, QuickTest learns a set of properties when it records and
it uses this description to identify the object when it runs the test or
component.

For example, by default, QuickTest learns the image type (such as plain image
or image button), the HTML tag, and the Alt text of each Web image on
which you record an operation.

test object name

test object class

default
properties

test object name
image icon

If these three mandatory property values are not sufficient to uniquely
identify the object within its parent object, QuickTest adds some assistive
properties and/or an ordinal identifier to create a unique description.

39


When the test or component runs, QuickTest searches for the object that
matches the description it learned. If it cannot find any object that matches
the description, or if it finds more than one object that matches, QuickTest
may use the Smart Identification mechanism to identify the object.

You can configure the mandatory, assistive, and ordinal identifier properties
that QuickTest uses to record descriptions of the objects in your application,
and you can enable and configure the smart identification mechanism. For
more information, see Chapter 33, “Configuring Object Identification.”

Understanding Test Object and Run-Time Object Properties and
Methods
The test object property set for each test object is created and maintained by
QuickTest. The run-time object property set for each run-time object is
created and maintained by the object creator. (Microsoft for Internet
Explorer objects, Netscape for Netscape objects, the product developer for
ActiveX objects, and so forth.)

Similarly, test object methods are methods that QuickTest recognizes and
records when they are performed on an object while you are recording, and
that QuickTest performs when your test or component runs. Run-time
object methods are the methods of the object in your application as defined
by the object creator. You can access and perform run-time object methods
using the Object property.

For information about activating run-time methods using the Object
property, see “Retrieving and Setting Test Object Property Values” on
page 898.

➤ Each test object method you perform while recording is recorded as a
separate step in your test or component. When you run your test or
component, QuickTest performs the recorded test object method on the
run-time object.
➤ Test object properties are the properties whose values are captured from the
objects in your Web site or application when you record your test or
component. QuickTest uses the values of these properties to identify run-
time objects in your application during a run session.

40


➤ Property values of objects in your application may change dynamically each
time your application opens, or based on certain conditions. To make the
test object property values match the property values of the run-time object,
you can modify test object properties manually while designing your test or
component or using SetTOProperty statements during a run session. You
can also use regular expressions to identify property values based on
conditions or patterns you define, or you can parameterize property values
with Data Table parameters so that a different value is used during each
iteration of the test (this option is not applicable to components).
For more information on modifying object properties, see Chapter 4,
“Managing Test Objects.” For more information on parameterization, see
Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.” For more information on regular
expressions, see “Understanding and Using Regular Expressions” on
page 290.

➤ You can view or modify the test object property values that are stored with
your test or component in the Object Properties or Object Repository dialog
box. You can view the current test object property values of any object on
your desktop using the Properties tab of the Object Spy.
For information about the Object Properties and Object Repository dialog
boxes, see “Modifying Test Object Properties While Editing Your Test or
Component” on page 60.
For information about viewing test object property values using the Object
Spy, see “Viewing Object Properties Using the Object Spy” on page 42.

➤ You can view the syntax of the test object methods as well as the run-time
methods of any object on your desktop using the Methods tab of the Object
Spy.
For more information, see “Viewing Object Methods and Method Syntax
Using the Object Spy” on page 46.

41


➤ You can retrieve or modify property values of the test object during the run
session by adding GetTOProperty and SetTOProperty statements in the
Keyword View or Expert View. You can retrieve property values of the run-
time object during the run session by adding GetROProperty statements.
For more information, see “Retrieving and Setting Test Object Property
Values” on page 898.
➤ If the available test object methods or properties for an object do not
provide the functionality you need, you can access the internal methods
and properties of any run-time object using the Object property. You can
also use the attribute object property to identify Web objects in your
application according to user-defined properties. For information, see
“Accessing Run-Time Object Properties and Methods” on page 899.
For more information about test object methods and properties refer to the
QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

Viewing Object Properties Using the Object Spy
Using the Object Spy, you can view the properties of any object in an open
application. You use the Object Spy pointer to point to an object. The Object
Spy displays the selected object’s hierarchy tree and its properties and values
in the Properties tab of the Object Spy dialog box.

To view object properties:
1 Open your browser or application to the page containing the object on
which you want to spy.
2 Choose Tools > Object Spy or click the Object Spy toolbar button to open
the Object Spy dialog box and display the Properties tab. Alternatively, click
the Object Spy button from the Object Repository dialog box. For more
information on the Object Repository dialog box, see “Understanding the
Object Repository Dialog Box” on page 51.
3 In the Object Spy dialog box, click the pointing hand. Both QuickTest and
the Object Spy are minimized so that you can point to and click on any
object in the open application.

42


Note: If the window on which you want to spy is partially hidden by
another window, hold the pointing hand over the partially hidden window
for a few seconds. The window comes into the foreground. You can now
point and click on the object you want. You can configure the length of
time required to bring a window into the foreground in the General tab of
the Options dialog box. For more information, see Chapter 24, “Setting
Global Testing Options.” You can also hold the CTRL key to change the
window focus. Note that pressing the CTRL key does not enable you to select
an application from the Windows taskbar, therefore you must make sure
that the window you want to access is not minimized.

4 If the object on which you want to spy can only be displayed by performing
an event (such as a right-click or a mouse-over to display a context menu),
hold the CTRL key. The pointing hand temporarily turns into a standard
arrow and you can perform the event. When the object on which you want
to spy is displayed, release the CTRL key. The arrow becomes a pointing hand
again.

Note: Pressing the CTRL key does not enable you to select an application
from the Windows taskbar, therefore you must make sure that the window
you want to access is not minimized.

43


5 Click the object for which you want to view properties. The Object Spy
returns to focus and displays the object hierarchy tree and the properties of
the object that is selected within the tree.

object hierarchy tree

object type filter

object properties

selected property/value box

44


6 To view the properties of the test object, click the Test Object Properties
radio button. To view the properties of the run-time object, click the
Run-Time Object Properties radio button.

Tip: You can use the Object property to retrieve the values of the run-time
properties displayed in the Object Spy. For more information, see
“Retrieving Run-Time Object Properties” on page 900.

You can use the GetTOProperty and SetTOProperty methods to retrieve
and set the value of test object properties for test objects in your test or
component. You can use the GetROProperty to retrieve the current
property value of the objects in your application during the run session. For
more information, see “Retrieving and Setting Test Object Property Values”
on page 898.

7 If you want to view properties for another object within the displayed tree,
click the object in the tree.
8 If you want to copy an object property or value to the clipboard, click the
property or value. The value is displayed in the selected property/value box.
Highlight the text in the selected property/value box and use CTRL + C to
copy the text to the clipboard or right-click the highlighted text and choose
Copy from the menu.

Note: If the value of a property contains more than one line, the Values cell
of the object properties list indicates multi-line value. To view the value,
click the Values cell. The selected property/value box displays the value with
delimiters indicating the line breaks.

45


Viewing Object Methods and Method Syntax Using the
Object Spy
In addition to viewing object properties, the Object Spy also enables you to
view both the run-time object methods and the test object methods
associated with an object and to view the syntax for a selected method. You
use the Object Spy pointer to point to an object. The Object Spy displays the
object hierarchy tree and the run-time object methods or test object
methods associated with the selected object in the Methods tab of the
Object Spy dialog box.

To view object methods:
1 Open your browser or application to the page containing the object on
which you want to spy.
2 Choose Tools > Object Spy or click the Object Spy toolbar button to open
the Object Spy dialog box. Alternatively, click the Object Spy button from
the Object Repository dialog box. For more information on the Object
Repository dialog box, see “Understanding the Object Repository Dialog
Box” on page 51.
3 Click the Methods tab.
4 Click the pointing hand. Both QuickTest and the Object Spy are minimized
so that you can point to any object on the open application.

Note: If the object you want is partially hidden by another window, hold
the pointing hand over the partially hidden window for a few seconds. The
window comes into the foreground. You can now point and click on the
object you want. You can configure this option in the Options dialog box.
For more information, see Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options.”
You can also hold the CTRL key to change the window focus. Note that
pressing the CTRL key does not enable you to select an application from the
Windows taskbar, therefore you must make sure that the window you want
to access is not minimized.

46


5 If the object on which you want to spy can only be displayed by performing
an event (such as a right-click or a mouse-over to display a context menu),
arrow and you can perform the event. When the object on which you want
to spy is displayed, release the CTRL key. The arrow becomes a pointing hand
again.
6 Click the object for which you want to view the associated methods. The
Object Spy returns to focus and displays the object hierarchy tree and the
run-time object or test object methods associated with the object that is
selected within the tree.

object hierarchy tree

object type filter

object methods

selected method syntax box

method description box

47


7 To view the methods of the test object, click the Test Object Methods radio
button. To view the methods of the run-time object, click the Run-Time
Object Methods radio button.

Tip: You can use the Object property to activate the run-time object
methods displayed in the Object Spy. For more information, see “Activating
Run-Time Object Methods” on page 900.

8 If you want to view methods for another object within the displayed tree,
click the object on the tree.
9 If you want to copy the syntax of a method to the clipboard, click the
method in the list. The syntax is displayed in the selected method syntax
box. Highlight the text in the selected method syntax box and use CTRL + C
to copy the text to the clipboard, or right-click the highlighted text and
choose Copy from the menu.

48

4
Managing Test Objects

This chapter explains how to manage and maintain the test objects in your
test or component. It describes how to modify test object properties and
how to modify the way QuickTest identifies an object, which is useful when
working with objects that change dynamically. It also describes how objects
can be added to or deleted from your test or component.


➤ About Managing Test Objects
➤ Understanding the Object Repository Dialog Box
➤ Understanding the Object Properties Dialog Box
➤ Modifying Test Object Properties While Editing Your Test or Component
➤ Working with Test Objects During a Run Session
➤ Modifying Object Descriptions
➤ Adding Objects to the Object Repository
➤ Deleting an Object from the Object Repository

49


About Managing Test Objects
QuickTest identifies objects in your application based on a set of test object
properties. It stores the object data it learns in the object repository.

If one or more of the property values of an object in your application differ
from the property values QuickTest uses to identify the object, your test or
component may fail. Thus, when the property values of objects in your
application change, you should modify the corresponding test object
property values so that you can continue to use your existing tests or
components.

Note: In some cases, the Smart Identification mechanism may enable
QuickTest to identify an object, even when some of its property values
change. However, if you know about property value changes for a specific
object, you should try to correct the object definition so that QuickTest can
identify the object from its basic object description. For more information
on the smart identification mechanism, see Chapter 33, “Configuring
Object Identification.”

There are several methods for modifying test object properties. Choose the
method that best fits your needs:

➤ You can manually change a test object property value to match a new static
property of an object in your application.
➤ You can use the SetTOProperty method to modify test object properties
during a run session without changing the property values in the object
repository.
➤ You can modify the set of properties that QuickTest uses to identify the
object, so that it will be able to identify an object even when some of its
properties change dynamically.

50

Chapter 4 • Managing Test Objects

➤ You can parameterize a test object property with a Data Table parameter
if you expect the property value to change in a predictable way with each
iteration of the test.
➤ You can use regular expressions to identify an object based on conditions or
patterns you define.
This chapter includes information on the first three options above. You can
make the most of these modifications in the Object Properties dialog box or
in the Object Repository dialog box. For more information on
parameterizing object properties, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”
For information on using regular expressions, see “Understanding and
Using Regular Expressions” on page 290.

You can save your objects either in a shared object repository or in action object
repository. In shared object repository mode, you can use one object
repository file for multiple tests or components. In object repository per-
action mode, QuickTest automatically creates an object repository file for
each action in your test. Object repository per-action mode is not available
for components.

The information in this chapter on modifying test objects is relevant to both
the shared object repository and the action object repository. For more
information on the shared object repository and the action object
repository, see Chapter 34, “Choosing the Object Repository Mode.” For
more information on organizing your test using actions, see Chapter 17,
“Working with Actions.”

Understanding the Object Repository Dialog Box
The Object Repository dialog box displays a tree of all objects in the current
component or in the current action or entire test (depending on the object
repository mode you choose when you create your test). You can use the
Object Repository dialog box to view or modify the test object description of
any test object in the repository or to add new objects to your repository.

51


For more information on viewing and modifying test object properties, see
“Modifying Test Object Properties While Editing Your Test or Component”
on page 60.

Note: When working in object repository per-action mode, the object
repository stores objects on a per-action basis. Thus, if the same test object is
used in several steps within the same action, you need to modify the object’s
properties only one time. If the object is used again in another action,
however, you need to update the object’s properties in that action as well.
For more information about actions, see Chapter 17, “Working with
Actions.” For more information on choosing an object repository mode, see
Chapter 34, “Choosing the Object Repository Mode.”

52


Even when steps containing a test object are deleted from your test or
component, the objects remain in the object repository. If you delete all
occurrences of an object from your action or entire test (in object repository
per-action mode) or from all tests or components using the shared object
repository (in shared object repository mode), you can also choose to delete
the object from the object repository.

Identifying the Object
The top part of the dialog box displays information about the object:

Information Description

Name The name that QuickTest assigns to the test object.

Class The class of the object.

Find Opens the Find dialog box, where you can find a property
or value that occurs several times in the object repository.
For more information, see “Finding Test Object
Properties” on page 63.

Replace Opens the Replace Property Values dialog box, where you
can replace a property value that occurs several times in
the object repository. For more information, see
“Replacing Test Object Property Values” on page 64.

53


Viewing the Object’s Properties
The default properties for the object are listed in the Properties pane of the
dialog box. The pane includes the properties, their values, and their types:

Pane Element Description

Type The icon indicates that the value of the property is
currently a constant.
The icon indicates that the value of the property is
currently a test, action, or component parameter.
currently a Data Table parameter.
currently an environment variable parameter.
currently a random number parameter.

Property The name of the property.

Value The value of the property.

Enable Smart Indicates whether or not QuickTest uses Smart
Identification Identification to identify this object during the run
session if it is not able to identify the object using the test
object description. Note that this option is available only
if Smart Identification properties are defined for the
object’s class in the Object Identification dialog box. For
more information, see “Configuring Smart Identification”
on page 803.
Note: When you select Disable Smart Identification
during the run session in the Run tab of the Test Settings
dialog box, this option is disabled, although the setting is
saved. When you clear the Disable Smart Identification
during the run session check box, this option returns to
its previous on or off setting after the run session. For
more information, see “Defining Run Settings for Your
Test” on page 665.

Add/Remove Opens the Add/Remove Properties dialog box which lists
the properties that can be used to identify the object. For
more information, see “Modifying Object Descriptions”
on page 67.

54


Modifying the Property Values
In the Configure value area, you can define a property value as a Constant or
Parameter. For more information on modifying values, see “Setting Values
in the Configure Value Area” on page 286.

Adding or Viewing New Objects and Saving the Object Repository
From the Object Repository dialog box, you can add a new object to your
repository, locate an existing object in your application, and use the Object
Spy. You can also export a per-action object repository or save a shared
object repository.

Option Description

Add Objects Adds the object selected with the pointing hand to the
current object repository. For more information see
“Adding Objects to the Object Repository” on page 73.

Highlight Indicates the selected object’s location in your application
by temporarily showing a frame around the object and
causing it to flash briefly. The application must be open to
the correct context so that the object is visible.
For example, to locate the User Name edit box in a Web
page, you can open the page in the Web browser and then
select the User Name test object in the Object Repository
dialog box. When you click Highlight, the User Name edit
box in your browser is framed in the Web page and flashes
several times.
Note: Both the frame and the flashing behavior are
temporary.

Object Spy Opens the Object Spy dialog box, enabling you to view
the properties of any object in an open application. For
more information see “Viewing Object Properties Using
the Object Spy” on page 42.

Export (Available only for tests and when working in per-action
repository mode.)
Saves all the object properties and values from a per-
action object repository to a separate file for use as a
shared object repository in another test.

55


Option Description

Save (Available only when working in shared object repository
mode.)
Saves all the object properties and values in a shared
object repository file. This option allows you to save the
current shared object repository without saving any
changes made to the open test or component.
To save your current shared object repository with a
different name, click the arrow next to the Save button
and select Save As (see below).

Save As (Available only when working in shared object repository
mode.)
Saves all the object properties and values in the current
shared object repository to a different shared object
repository file. You can overwrite an existing shared
object repository file or you can create a new one.
When you choose to save your shared object repository
with the Save As option, QuickTest gives you the option
to use the new file as the shared object repository for your
open test component or to continue working with the old
one. For more information and guidelines, see “Choosing
a Shared Object Repository File” on page 831.

Note: Clicking Save for a shared object repository cannot be cancelled by
clicking Cancel. Clicking Cancel cancels only those changes made after the
last save within the same object repository session.

Clicking OK to close the Object Repository dialog box enables the changes
you make to the repository to take effect while you are working in your
open test or component. The changes you make are not saved to a per-
action object repository until you save the test or to a shared object
repository until you save the test or component or click Save.

56


Understanding the Object Properties Dialog Box
The Object Properties dialog box accesses test object information from the
object repository and displays the properties and values of the test object in
the selected step.

You can use the Object Properties dialog box to view or modify the test
object description of the selected object. For more information on viewing
and modifying test object properties, see “Modifying Test Object Properties
While Editing Your Test or Component” on page 60.

57






Repository Opens the Object Repository dialog box and displays a
tree of all objects in the current action or component,
with the selected object highlighted in the tree. For more
information about the Object Repository dialog box, see
“Understanding the Object Repository Dialog Box” on
page 51.

Viewing the Object’s Properties





58



Enable Smart Indicates whether or not QuickTest uses Smart
Identification Identification to identify this object during the run
session if it is not able to identify the object using the test
object description. Note that this option is available only
if Smart Identification properties are defined for the
object’s class in the Object Identification dialog box. For
more information, see “Configuring Smart Identification”
on page 803.
Note: When you select Disable Smart Identification
during the run session in the Run tab of the Test Settings
dialog box, this option is disabled, although the setting is
saved. When you clear the Disable Smart Identification
during the run session check box, this option returns to
its previous on or off setting after the run session. For
more information, see “Defining Run Settings for Your
Test” on page 665.

Add/Remove Opens the Add/Remove Properties dialog box which lists
the properties that can be used to identify the object. For
more information, see “Modifying Object Descriptions”
on page 67.

Modifying the Property Values
In the Configure value area, you can define a property value as a Constant or
Parameter. For more information on modifying values, see “Setting Values

Using the Object Spy
You can view the properties and values of an object in any open application
using the Object Spy. You can open the Object Spy from the Object
Properties dialog box by clicking Object Spy at the bottom of the dialog box.
For more information, see “Viewing Object Properties Using the Object Spy”
on page 42.

59


Modifying Test Object Properties While Editing Your Test or
Component
As Web sites and applications change, the property values of the steps in
your test or component may also need to change.

Suppose an object in your application changes. If that object is part of your
test or component, you should modify its values so that QuickTest can
continue to identify it. For example, if the MyCompany Web site has a
“Contact Us” hypertext link and then the text string in this link is changed
to “Contact MyCompany,” you need to update your test or component so
that QuickTest can continue to identify the link properly.

You can modify the object by modifying one or more of the object’s
property values in the Object Repository or Object Properties dialog box or
by changing the set of properties used to identify that object.

To modify an object property in your test or component:
1 Right-click the step containing the object that changed, and choose Object
Properties or choose Step > Object Properties from the menu bar.

Tip: You can also right-click an object in the Active Screen and choose
View/Add Object. If the location you clicked is associated with more than
one object, the Object Selection - Object Properties View dialog box opens.
Select the object whose properties you want to modify, and click OK.

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The Object Properties dialog box opens and displays the properties
QuickTest uses to identify the object.

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If you want to view all objects in the action or component, click the
Repository button. The Object Repository dialog box opens and displays all
objects stored in the repository in a repository tree.

Tip: You can also open the object repository for the selected action or
component by choosing Tools > Object Repository or by clicking the Object
Repository toolbar button.

2 Highlight the property and value to modify.
3 Select Constant or Parameter in the Configure value area. For more
information, see “Setting Values in the Configure Value Area” on page 286.
4 Click OK to close the dialog box.

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Finding Test Object Properties
You can use the Find button in the Object Repository dialog box to find a
property or value that occurs several times in the object repository.

To find a property or value in the object repository:
1 Right-click an object with the property or value you want to find in the
Keyword View or Active Screen and choose Object Properties (or View/Add
Object in the Active Screen), and then click the Repository button, choose
Tools > Object Repository, or click the Object Repository toolbar button.
The Object Repository dialog box opens.
2 Right-click the object in the repository tree and choose Find, or click the
Find button. The Find dialog box opens.

3 Enter the text for the property or value you want to find. Select Property
name, Property value, or both.
➤ If you want the search to find only complete words that exactly match
the single word you entered, select Match whole word only.
➤ If you want the search to distinguish between upper and lower case
letters, select Match case.

Click Find Next. The first instance of the searched word is displayed.
4 To find the next instance, click Find Next again.

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Replacing Test Object Property Values
You can use the Replace button in the Object Repository dialog box to find
and replace property values that occur several times in the object repository.

Note: You cannot replace property names. You also cannot replace values in
a read-only test, action, or component.

To replace a value in the object repository:
1 Right-click an object in the Keyword View or Active Screen with the
property or value you want to find and choose Object Properties (or
View/Add Object from the Active Screen) to open the Object Properties
dialog box, and then click the Repository button, or choose Tools > Object
Repository, or click the Object Repository toolbar button. The Object
Repository dialog box opens.
2 Right-click the object in the repository tree and choose Replace, or click the
Replace button. The Replace Property Values dialog box opens.

3 In the Find what box, enter the property value you want to find, and in the
Replace with box, enter the modified text for the found property value.
➤ If you want the search to find only complete words that exactly match
the single word you entered, select Match whole word only.
➤ If you want the search to distinguish between upper and lower case
letters, select Match case.

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4 To individually find and replace each instance of the word(s) you are
searching for one at a time, click Find Next. When an instance is found,
click Replace. Then click Find Next again to find the next instance.
To replace all instances of the word you are searching for with the new
value, click Replace All.

Modifying Test Object Names
When an object changes in your application, or for any other reason you are
not satisfied with the current name of a test object, you can change the
name that QuickTest assigns to the stored object. You modify the test
object’s name in the object repository. When you modify the name of an
object, the name is automatically updated in both the Keyword View and
the Expert View for all occurrences of the object.

If you are working with a shared object repository, your change applies to all
occurrences of the object in the test or component. When you open another
test or component that uses the same shared object repository and has one
or more occurrences of the modified object, the names within that test or
component are updated. This may take a few moments.

If you are working in object repository per-action mode, your change
applies to all occurrences of the object in the selected action. If other actions
in your test also include operations on the object, you should modify the
object’s name in each relevant action.

For more information on shared and per-action object repository modes, see

To modify a test object’s name:
1 Open the object repository. Choose Tools > Object Repository, click the
Object Repository toolbar button, or open the Object Properties dialog box
for the object you want to modify and click the Repository button.
2 Right-click the object in the object repository tree and choose Rename.
3 Modify the name of the object and click OK or select another object in the
object repository tree.
The name you assign to the object must be unique within the object
repository. Object names are not case-sensitive.

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Working with Test Objects During a Run Session
The first time QuickTest encounters an object during a run session, it creates
a temporary version of the test object for that run session. For recorded
steps, QuickTest uses the properties in the object repository to create this
temporary version of the object. For the remainder of the test or
component, QuickTest refers to the temporary version of the test object
rather than to the test object in the object repository.

You can also create temporary versions of test objects to represent objects
from your Web site or application using programmatic descriptions and
without using the object repository.

Creating Test Objects During a Run Session
Programmatic descriptions enable you to create temporary versions of test
objects to represent objects from your application. You can perform
operations on those objects without referring to the object repository. For
example, suppose an edit box was added to a form on your Web site. You
could use a programmatic description to add a statement in the Expert View
that enters a value in the new edit box, so that QuickTest can identify the
object even though you never recorded on the object or added it to the
object repository. For more information on programmatic descriptions, see
“Using Programmatic Descriptions” on page 878.

Modifying Test Object Properties During a Run Session
You can modify the properties of the temporary version of the object during
the run session without affecting the permanent values in the object
repository by adding a SetTOProperty statement in the Expert View.

Use the following syntax for the SetTOProperty method:

Object(description).SetTOProperty Property, Value

Note: You can also add a SetTOProperty statement from the Keyword View
using the Step Generator. For more information, see “Inserting Steps Using
the Step Generator” on page 467.

For information, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

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Modifying Object Descriptions
You can change the properties that QuickTest uses to identify an object. This
is useful when you want to create and run tests or components on an object
that changes dynamically. An object may change dynamically if it is
frequently updated or if its property values are set using dynamic content,
e.g. from a database.

You can also change the properties that identify an object in order to
reference objects using properties that were not automatically learned while
recording.

For example, suppose you are testing a Web site that contains an archive of
newsletters. The archive page includes a hypertext link to the current
newsletter and others to all past newsletters. The text in the first hypertext
link on the page changes as the current newsletter changes, but it always
links to a page called current.html. Suppose you want to create a step in
your test or component in which you always click the first hypertext link in
your archive page. Since the news is always changing, the text in the
hypertext link keeps changing. You need to modify how QuickTest identifies
this hypertext link so that it can continue to find it.

The default properties for a Link object (hypertext link) are “text” and
“HTML tag”. The text property is the text inside the link. The HTML tag
property is always, “A”, which indicates a link.

You can modify the default properties for a hypertext link so that you can
identify it by its destination page, rather than by the text in the link. You
can use the “href” property to check the destination page instead of using
the “text” property to check the link by the text in the link.

The Object Properties dialog box contains the set of object properties and
values that make up the test object description of a selected object.
QuickTest uses this description to identify the object during a run session.
For each object class, QuickTest has a default property set that it uses for the
object description for a particular object. You can use the Add/Remove
Properties dialog box to change the properties that are included in the
object description.

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Note: You can also modify the set of properties that QuickTest learns when
it records objects from a particular object class using the Object
Identification dialog box. Such a change generally affects only objects that
you record after you make the change. For more information, see
“Configuring Object Identification” on page 789. You can also apply the
changes you make in the Object Identification dialog box to the
descriptions of all objects in an existing test or component using the Update
Run option. For more information, see “Updating a Test or Component” on
page 519.

To modify an object description:
1 Right-click the object in the Keyword View or Active Screen containing the
object that changed, and choose Object Properties (or View/Add Object
from the Active Screen) or choose Step > Object Properties.
The Object Properties dialog box opens and displays the properties that are
included in the object description.

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If you want to view all objects in the action, test, or component, click the
Repository button. If you are working in object repository per-action
mode, the Object Repository dialog box opens and displays the tree of the
action. If you are working in shared object repository mode, the Object
Repository dialog box displays the tree of all objects stored in the object
repository file.

Tip: You can also open the object repository by choosing Tools > Object
Repository or click the Object Repository toolbar button.

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2 Click the Add/Remove button.
The Add/Remove Properties dialog box opens, listing the properties that can
be used to identify the object. A selected check box next to a property
indicates that the property is part of the object description. The Type
column indicates whether the property is a constant or a parameter. The
value for each property is displayed in the Value column.

Notes: Values for all properties are displayed only if the application you are
recording is currently open. If the application is closed, only values for
properties that were part of the object description at the time of recording
are shown.

You can click the Add button to add valid test object properties to this
properties list. For more information, see “Adding Test Object Properties to
the Properties List,” below.

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3 Select the properties you want to include in the object description:
➤ To add a property to the object description, select the corresponding
check box.
➤ To remove a property from the object description, clear the
corresponding check box.

Note: You can click the Default button to instruct QuickTest to select only
the default properties for the object class as defined in the Object
Identification dialog box. For more information on the Object Identification
dialog box, see Chapter 33, “Configuring Object Identification.”

4 Click OK to close the Add/Remove Properties dialog box.
5 Click OK to save your changes and close the Object Repository or Object
Properties dialog box.

Tip: After you add a new property to the object description, you can modify
its value in the Configure Value area in the Object Repository or Object
Properties dialog box. For more information on modifying object properties,
see “Modifying Test Object Properties While Editing Your Test or

Adding Test Object Properties to the Properties List
You can add a valid test object property to the object properties list in the
Add/Remove dialog box. Suppose you want QuickTest to use a specific
property to identify your object, but that property is not listed in the
properties list. You can open the Add Property dialog box and add that
property to the list.

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Note: You can use the Properties tab of the Object Spy to view a complete
list of valid test object properties for a selected object. For more information
on the Object Spy, see “Viewing Object Properties Using the Object Spy” on
page 42.

To add test object properties to the properties list:
1 Open the Add/Remove Properties dialog box. For more information, see
“Modifying Object Descriptions” on page 67.
2 Click the Add button. The Add Property dialog box opens.

3 Enter a valid test object property:
➤ Property name—Enter the property name.
➤ Property value—Enter the value for the property.

Note: You must enter a valid test object property. If you enter an invalid
property and then select it to be part of the object description, your run
session will fail.

4 Click OK to add the property to the list and close the Add Property window.
5 Click OK to include the new property in the object description and close the
Add/Remove Properties dialog box.

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Adding Objects to the Object Repository
When you record a test or component, QuickTest adds each object on which
you perform an operation to the object repository. You can also add objects
to the object repository while editing your test or component.

There are various ways to add an object to the object repository while
editing a test or component:

➤ Use the Add Objects option in the Object Repository dialog box. You can
add any object as a single object or a parent object, along with all its
children.
➤ Choose the View/Add Object option from the Active Screen.
➤ Insert a step in your test or component for a selected object from the Active
Screen.

Note: To add objects to the object repository using the Active Screen, the
Active Screen must contain information for the object you want to add. You
can control how much information is captured in the Active Screen in the
Active Screen tab of the Options dialog box. For more information, see
“Setting Active Screen Options” on page 618.

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To add objects to the object repository using the Add Objects option in the
Object Repository dialog box:

1 Choose Tools > Object Repository or click the Object Repository toolbar
button. The Object Repository dialog box opens.

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2 Click Add Objects. QuickTest and the Object Repository dialog box are
minimized and the arrow becomes a pointing hand.

Note: If the window containing the object you want to add is partially
hidden by another window, hold the pointing hand over the partially
hidden window for a few seconds. The window comes into the foreground.
You can now point to and click the object you want. You can configure the
length of time required to bring a window into the foreground in the
General tab of the Options dialog box. For more information, see
Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options.” You can also hold the CTRL
key temporarily deactivate the pointing hand mechanism while you change
the window focus. Note that pressing the CTRL key does not enable you to
select an application from the Windows taskbar, therefore you must make
sure that the window you want to access is not minimized.

3 If the object you want to add to your repository can be displayed only by
performing an event (such as a right-click or a mouse-over to display a
context menu), hold the CTRL key. The pointing hand temporarily turns
into a standard arrow and you can perform the event. When the object you
want to add is displayed, release the CTRL key. The arrow becomes a pointing
hand again.
4 Click the object you want to add to your object repository.
5 If the location you click is associated with more than one object, the Object
Selection dialog box opens. Select the object you want to add to your
repository and click OK to close the Object Selection dialog box.

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6 If the object you select in the Object Selection dialog box is typically a
parent object, such as a browser or page in a Web environment or a dialog
box in a standard Windows application, the Add Object to Object

You can choose from the following options:
➤ Only the selected object—adds to the object repository the selected
object’s properties and values, without its child objects
➤ Selected object and all its direct children—adds to the object repository
the properties and values of the selected object, along with those child
objects one level below the selected parent object
➤ Selected object and all its descendants—adds to the object repository the
properties and values of the selected object, along with all the child
objects contained in the selected object, as well as all descendants of the
object’s child objects
Make your selection and click OK to close the Add Object to Object
Repository dialog box.

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7 The Object Repository dialog box opens, displaying the new object and its
properties and values. QuickTest also adds the new object’s parent objects if
they do not already exist in the object repository.

You can edit your new object’s settings in the Object Repository dialog box
just as you would any other object in your repository.
8 Click OK. The Object Repository dialog box closes and the new object(s) is
stored in the object repository.

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To add an object to the object repository using the View/Add Object option
from the Active Screen:
1 If the Active Screen is not displayed, choose View > Active Screen or click
the Active Screen toolbar button to display it.
2 Select a step in your test or component whose Active Screen contains the
object that you want to add to the object repository.
3 Right-click the object you want to add and select View/Add Object.
4 If the location you clicked is associated with more than one object, the
Object Selection dialog box opens. Select the object for which you want to
add a step, and click OK to close the Object Selection dialog box.
5 The Object Properties dialog box opens and displays the default test object
properties for the object.

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6 Click Add to repository. The Object Repository dialog box opens and
displays the object properties for the selected object.

You can edit your new object’s settings in the Object Repository dialog box
just as you would any other object in your test or component.
7 Click OK. The Object Repository dialog box closes and the object is stored in
the object repository.

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To add an object to the object repository by inserting a step from the Active
Screen:
1 If the Active Screen is not displayed, choose View > Active Screen or click
the Active Screen toolbar button to display it.
2 Select a step in your test or component whose Active Screen contains the
object for which you want to add a step.
3 Right-click the object for which you want to add a step and select the type of
step you want to insert (checkpoint, output value, method, and so forth).
Object Selection dialog box opens. Select the object for which you want to
add a step, and click OK.
The appropriate dialog box opens, enabling you to configure your
preferences for the step you want to insert.
5 Set your preferences and select whether to insert the step before or after the
step currently selected in the Keyword View or in the Expert View. Click OK
to close the dialog box. A new step is inserted in your test or component,
and the object is added to the object repository (if it was not yet included).

Deleting an Object from the Object Repository
When you remove a step from your test or component, the object remains
in the object repository.

If you are working with per-action object repositories and the object in
the step you removed does not occur in any other steps within that action,
you can delete the object from the object repository.

If you are working with a shared object repository, confirm that the object
does not appear in any other test or component using the same shared
object repository file before you choose to delete the object from the object
repository.

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Note: If your action or component contains references to an object that you
have deleted from the object repository, your test or component will not
run.

To delete an object from the object repository:
1 Right-click an object you want to delete in the Keyword View or Active
Screen and choose Object Properties (or View/Add Object in the Active
Screen), and then click the Repository button, choose Tools > Object
Repository, or click the Object Repository toolbar button. The Object
2 In the repository tree, right-click the object you want to delete and select
Delete. A confirmation message is displayed.
3 Click Yes to confirm that you want to delete the object.
4 Click OK to delete the object from the object repository and close the Object
Repository dialog box.

Tip: You can click Cancel in the Object Repository dialog box to cancel any
deletions you performed.

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82

Part III
Creating Tests or Components

5
Designing Tests

You can quickly create a test by recording the operations you perform on
your Web site or application. Once you have created your test, you can
enhance your test using checkpoints and other special testing options.


➤ About Designing Tests
➤ Planning a Test
➤ Recording a Test or Component
➤ Understanding Your Recorded Test or Component
➤ Enhancing Your Test
➤ Managing Your Test
➤ Choosing the Recording Mode
➤ Changing the Active Screen
➤ Creating, Opening, and Saving Tests with Locked Resources

About Designing Tests
QuickTest enables you to generate an automated test by recording the
typical processes that you perform on your Web site or application. As you
navigate through your application, QuickTest graphically displays each step
you perform as a row in the Keyword View. A step is anything a user does
that changes the content of a page or object in your site or application, for
example, clicking a link or typing data into an edit box.

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Part III • Creating Tests

While recording or designing your test, you can insert checkpoints into your
test. A checkpoint compares the value of an element captured in your test
when you recorded your test, with the value of the same element captured
during the test run. This helps you determine whether or not your
application or Web site is functioning correctly.

When you test your application or site, you may want to check how it
performs the same operations with different data. This is called
parameterizing your test. You can supply data in the Data Table by defining
environment variables and values, or you can have QuickTest generate
random numbers or current user and test data. For more information, see
Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”

After recording, you can further enhance your test by adding and modifying
steps in the Keyword View.

Notes:

Many QuickTest recording and editing operations are performed using the
mouse. In accordance with the Section 508 of the W3C accessibility
standards, QuickTest also recognizes operations performed using the
MouseKeys option in the Windows Accessibility Options utility.
Additionally, you can perform many operations using QuickTest’s shortcut
keys. For a list of shortcut keys, see “Executing Commands Using Shortcut
Keys” on page 22.
QuickTest Professional is Unicode compliant according to the requirements
of the Unicode standard (http://www.unicode.org/standard/standard.html),
enabling you to test applications in many international languages and
character sets.

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Chapter 5 • Designing Tests

Planning a Test
Before you start recording, you should plan your test and consider the
following suggestions and options:

➤ Determine the functionality you want to test. Short tests that check specific
functions of the application or site or complete a transaction are better than
long tests that perform several tasks.
➤ Decide which information you want to check during the test. A checkpoint
can check for differences in the text strings, objects, and tables in your
application or site. For more information, see Chapter 6, “Understanding
Checkpoints.”
➤ Evaluate the types of events you need to record. If you need to record more
or fewer events than QuickTest generally records by default, you can
configure the events you want to record. For more information, see
Chapter 35, “Configuring Web Event Recording.”
➤ Consider increasing the power and flexibility of your test by replacing fixed
values with parameters. When you parameterize your test, you can check
how it performs the same operations with multiple sets of data, or from data
stored or generated by an external source. For more information, see
➤ Change the way that QuickTest identifies objects. This is particularly helpful
when your application contains objects that change frequently or are
created using dynamic content, e.g. from a database. For additional
information, see Chapter 33, “Configuring Object Identification.”
➤ Decide how you want to organize your object repository files. You can work
with the individual action’s object repositories, or you can use a common
(shared) object repository file for multiple tests. If you are new to testing,
you may want to keep the default object repository per-action setting. Once
you feel more comfortable with the basics of test design, you may want to
take advantage of the shared object repository option. For additional
information, see Chapter 34, “Choosing the Object Repository Mode.”

87


➤ Consider using actions to streamline the testing process. For additional
information, see Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.”
➤ Link to WinRunner tests and call WinRunner TSL functions from a
QuickTest test. For additional information, see Chapter 39, “Working with
WinRunner.”

Recording a Test or Component
You create a test or component by recording the typical processes that users
perform. QuickTest records the operations you perform, displays them as
steps in the Keyword View, and generates them in a script.

Note that by default, each test includes a single action, but can include
multiple actions. This chapter describes how to record a test with a single
action. For information on why and how to work with multiple actions, see
Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.” Components do not use actions. Each
component is a single self-contained unit, and cannot include calls to other
components.

By default, QuickTest records in the normal recording mode. If you are
unable to record on an object in a given environment in the standard
recording mode, or if you want to record mouse clicks and keyboard input
with the exact x- and y-coordinates, you may want to record on those
objects using analog or low-level recording. For more information about
low-level and analog recording, see “Choosing the Recording Mode” on
page 101.

Tip: If you have objects that behave like standard objects, but are not
recognized by QuickTest, you can define your objects as virtual objects. For
more information, see Chapter 16, “Learning Virtual Objects.”

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Consider the following guidelines when recording a test or component:

➤ Before you start to record, close all applications not required for the
recording session.
➤ If you are recording on a Web site, determine the security zone of the site.
When you record on a Web browser, the browser may prompt you with
security alert dialog boxes. You may choose to disable/enable these dialog
boxes.
➤ Decide how you want to open the application or Web browser when you
record and run your test. You can choose to have QuickTest open one or
more specified applications, or record and run on any application or
browser that is already open. For more information, see Chapter 26, “Setting
Record and Run Options.”
➤ Choose how you want QuickTest to record and run your test or component
by setting global testing options in the Options dialog box and settings
specific to your test or component in the Test Settings or Business
Component Settings dialog boxes. For more information, see Chapter 24,
“Setting Global Testing Options” and Chapter 25, “Setting Options for
Individual Tests or Components.”

➤ If you are recording on a drop-down list in a Web page or application, you
must click on the drop-down list, scroll to an entry that was not originally
showing, and select it. If you want to select the item in the list that is
already displayed, you must first select another item in the list (click it),
then return to the originally displayed item and select it (click it). This is
because QuickTest only records a step if the value in the list changes.

Note: If you are creating a test on Web objects, you can record your test on
one browser and run it on another browser. QuickTest supports the
following browsers—Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, AOL,
and applications with embedded Web browser controls. For additional
information, see Chapter 30, “Testing Web Objects.”

Following are instructions for recording a test. Instructions for recording a
component are located in “Recording Components” on page 991.

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To record a test:
1 Open QuickTest. For more information, see “Starting QuickTest” on page 12.
2 Open a test:
➤ To create a new test, click the New button or choose File > New.
➤ To open an existing test, click the Open button or choose File > Open. In
the Open QuickTest Test dialog box, select a test and click Open.

For more information, see “Managing Your Test” on page 95.
3 Click the Record button or choose Test > Record. If you are recording a new
test and have not yet set your record and run settings in the Record and Run
Settings dialog box (from Test > Record and Run Settings), the Record and
Run Settings dialog box opens.

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Once you have set the record and run settings for a test, the Record and Run
Settings dialog box will not open the next time you start a session in the
same test. However, you can choose Test > Record and Run Settings to open
the Record and Run Settings dialog box. You can use this option to set or
modify your record and run preferences in the following scenarios:
➤ You have already recorded one or more steps in the test and you want to
modify the settings before you continue recording.
➤ You want to run the test on a different application or browser than the
one you previously used.
The Record and Run Settings dialog box contains tabbed pages
corresponding to the add-ins loaded. These can include both built-in and
separately purchased add-ins, where applicable. The image here includes the
environments listed below:

Tab Heading Subject

Windows Applications Options for testing standard Windows applications.

Web Options for testing Web sites.
Note: The Web tab is available only when Web
support is installed and loaded.

4 Set an option, as described in Chapter 26, “Setting Record and Run
Options.”
5 To apply your changes and keep the Record and Run Settings dialog box
open, click Apply.
For more information about record and run settings, see “Setting Web
Record and Run Options” on page 703.
6 Click OK to close the Record and Run Settings dialog box and begin
recording your test.
7 Navigate through your application or Web site. QuickTest records each step
you perform and displays it in the Keyword View and Expert View.
8 To determine whether or not your Web site or application is functioning
correctly, you can insert text checkpoints, object checkpoints, and bitmap
checkpoints. For more information, see Chapter 6, “Understanding
Checkpoints.”

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9 You can parameterize your test to check how it performs the same
operations with multiple sets of data, or with data from an external source.
For more information, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”
10 When you complete your recording session, click the Stop button or choose
Test > Stop.
11 To save your test, click the Save button or choose File > Save. In the Save
QuickTest Test dialog box, assign a name to the test. QuickTest suggests a
default folder called Tests under your QuickTest Professional installation
folder. For more information, see “Managing Your Test” on page 95.

Understanding Your Recorded Test or Component
While recording, QuickTest creates a graphical representation of the steps
you perform on your application. These steps are displayed in the Keyword
View tab.

The following is a sample test of a login procedure to the Mercury Tours site,
the Mercury Interactive sample Web site.

The table below provides an explanation of each step in the Keyword View.

Step Description

Action1 is the action name.

The browser invokes the Welcome:
Mercury Tours Web site.

Welcome: Mercury Tours is the name
of the Web page.

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Step Description

userName is the name of the edit box.
Set is the method performed on the
edit box. mercury is the value of the
edit box.

password is the name of the edit box.
SetSecure is an encryption method
performed on the edit box.
405d7bdbe1b2c594dc9822f39212f163
is the encrypted value of the password.

Sign-In is the name of the image link.
Click is the method performed on the
image. 2, 2 are the x- and y-coordinates
where the image was clicked.

QuickTest also generates a test script—a VBScript program based on the
QuickTest object model. The test script is displayed in the Expert View as
follows:

Browser("Welcome: Mercury Tours").Page("Welcome: Mercury Tours").
WebEdit("userName").Set "mercury"
WebEdit("password").SetSecure "405d7bdbe1b2c594dc9822f39212f163"
Image("Sign-In").Click 2,2

Enhancing Your Test
After you have recorded a test, you can use a variety of options to enhance
your test.

You can add checkpoints to your test. A checkpoint is a step in your test that
compares the values of the specified property during a test run with the
values stored for the same test object property within the test. This enables
you to identify whether or not your Web site or application is functioning
correctly. For more information about creating checkpoints, see Chapter 6,

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You can parameterize your test to replace fixed values with values from an
external source during your test run. The values can come from a Data Table,
environment variables you define, or values that QuickTest generates during
the test run. For more information, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”

You can retrieve values from your test and store them in the Data Table as
output values. You can subsequently use these values as an input parameter
in your test. This enables you to use data retrieved during a test in other
parts of the test. For more information, see Chapter 13, “Outputting
Values.”

You can divide your test into actions to streamline the testing process of
your Web site or application. For more information, see Chapter 17,
“Working with Actions.”

You can use special QuickTest options to enhance your test with
programming statements. The Step Generator guides you step-by-step
through the process of adding recordable and non-recordable methods to
your test. You can also synchronize your test to ensure that your application
is ready for QuickTest to perform the next step in your test, and you can
measure the amount of time it takes for your application to perform steps in
a test by defining and measuring transactions. For more information, see
Chapter 20, “Adding Steps Containing Programming Logic”.

You can also manually enter standard VBScript statements, as well as
statements using QuickTest test objects and methods, in the Expert View.
For more information, see Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert View.”

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Managing Your Test
You can use the File toolbar to create, open, save, zip, unzip, and print
recorded tests.

Creating a New Test
To create a new test, click the New button or choose File > New. A new test
opens. You are ready to start recording your test.

Note: If your default test settings include associating new tests with a locked
resource file, a message regarding locked resources opens when you create a
new test. For more information, see “Creating, Opening, and Saving Tests
with Locked Resources” on page 109.

Opening an Existing Test
You can open an existing test to enhance or run it.

To open an existing test:
1 Click the Open button or choose File > Open. The Open QuickTest Test
dialog box opens.
2 Select a test. You can select the Open in read-only mode option at the
bottom of the dialog box. Click Open. The test opens and the title bar
displays the test name.
You can also open tests that are part of a Quality Center project. For more
information, see Chapter 40, “Working with Quality Center”.

Tip: You can open a recently used test by selecting it from the Recent Files
list in the File menu.

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Note: If the test you are opening is associated with a locked resource file, a
message opens instructing you how to open the test. For more information,
see “Creating, Opening, and Saving Tests with Locked Resources” on
page 109.

Saving a Test
You can save a new test or save changes to an existing test. When you save a
test, any modified resource files associated with the test are also saved. These
associated resources include the Data Table file and the shared object
repository file.

Note: You must use the Save As option in QuickTest if you want to save a
test under another name or create a copy of a test. You cannot copy a test or
change its name directly in the file system or in Quality Center.

To save a new test:
1 Click the Save button or choose File > Save to save the test. The Save
QuickTest Test dialog box opens.
2 Choose the folder in which you want to save the test. QuickTest suggests a
default folder called Tests under your QuickTest Professional installation
folder.
3 Type a name for the test in the File name box.
4 Confirm that Save Active Screen files is selected if you want to save the
Active Screen files with your test.
Note that if you clear this box, your Active Screen files will not be saved, and
you will not be able to edit your test using the options that are normally
available from the Active Screen.
Clearing the Save Active Screen files check box can be especially useful for
conserving disk space once you have finished designing the test and you are
using the test only for test runs.

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Tip: If you clear the Save Active Screen files check box and then later want
to edit your test using Active Screen options, you can regenerate the Active
Screen information by performing an Update Run operation. For more
information, see “Updating a Test or Component” on page 519.

Note: You can also instruct QuickTest not to capture Active Screen files
while recording or to only capture Active Screen information under certain
conditions. You can set these preferences in the Active Screen tab of the
Options dialog box. For more information, see Chapter 24, “Setting Global
Testing Options.”

5 Click Save. QuickTest displays the test name in the title bar.

To save changes to an existing test:
➤ Click the Save button to save changes to the current test.
➤ Choose File > Save As to save an existing test to a new name or a new
location. If you choose File > Save As, the following options are available:
➤ Select or clear the Save Active Screen files check box to indicate whether
or not you want to save the Active Screen files with the new test. For
more information, see step 4 above.
➤ Select or clear the Save test results check box to indicate whether or not
you want to save any existing test results with your test.
Note that if you clear this box, your test result files will not be saved, and
you will not be able to view them later. Clearing the Save test results
check box can be useful for conserving disk space if you do not require
the test results for later analysis, or if you are saving an existing test
under a new name and do not need the test results.

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You can also save tests to a Quality Center project. For more information,
see Chapter 40, “Working with Quality Center”.

Note: If you are saving a test whose locked resources were not opened in
read-write mode and modified while editing the test, a warning message
opens regarding saving the test. For more information, see “Creating,
Opening, and Saving Tests with Locked Resources” on page 109.

Zipping a Test
While you record, QuickTest creates a series of configuration, run-time,
setup data, and Active Screen files. QuickTest saves these files together with
the test. You can zip these files to conserve space and make the tests easier to
transfer.

To zip a test:
1 Choose File > Export to Zip File. The Export to Zip File dialog box opens.
2 Type a zip file name and path, or accept the default name and path, and
click OK. QuickTest zips the test and its associated files.

Unzipping a Test
To open a zipped test in QuickTest, you must use the Import from Zip File
command to unzip it.

To unzip a zipped test:
1 Select File > Import from Zip File. The Import from Zip File dialog box opens.
2 Type or select the zip file that you want to unzip, choose a target folder into
which you want to unzip the files, and click OK. QuickTest unzips the test
and its associated files.

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Printing a Test or Component
You can print your entire test from the Keyword View (in table format). You
can also print a single action or component either from the Keyword View
(in table format) or the Expert View (in statement format). When printing
from the Expert View, you can also specify additional information that you
want to be included in the printout.

To print from the Keyword View:
1 Click the Print button or choose File > Print. A standard Print dialog box
opens.
2 Click OK to print the content of the Keyword View to your default Windows
printer.

Tip: You can choose File > Print Preview to display the Keyword View on
screen as it will look when printed. Note that the Print Preview option
works only with tests created using QuickTest 8.0 and later.

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To print from the Expert View:
1 Click the Print button or choose File > Print. The Print dialog box opens.

2 Specify the print options that you want to use:
➤ Printer—Displays the printer to the print job will be sent. You can change
the printer by clicking the Setup button.
➤ Selection only—Prints only the text that is currently selected
(highlighted) in the Expert View.
➤ Insert test name in header—Includes the name of the test at the top of
the printout.
➤ Insert date in header—Includes today’s date at the top of the printout.
The date format is taken from your Windows regional settings.
➤ Page numbers—Includes page numbers on the bottom of the printout
(for example, page 1 of 3).
➤ Show line numbers every __ lines—Displays line numbers to the left of
the script lines, as specified.
➤ Number of copies—Specifies the number of times to print the document.
3 If you want to print to a different printer, or change your printer
preferences, click Setup to display the Print Setup dialog box.
4 Click Print to print according to your selections.

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Choosing the Recording Mode
QuickTest’s normal recording mode records the objects in your application
and the operations performed on them. This mode is the default and takes
full advantage of QuickTest’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, however, you
may want to choose from the following, alternative recording modes:

➤ Analog Recording - 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, QuickTest 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 produced by dragging
the mouse.

Note: You cannot edit analog recording steps from within QuickTest.

➤ Low-Level Recording - enables you to record on any object in your
application, whether or not QuickTest 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 tests in an environment or on an object not
recognized by QuickTest. You can also use low-level recording if the exact
coordinates of the object are important for your test.

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

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Guidelines for Analog and Low-Level Recording
Consider the following guidelines when choosing Analog Recording or
Low-Level Recording:

➤ Use Analog Recording or Low-Level Recording only when QuickTest’s
normal recording mode does not accurately record your operation.
➤ Analog Recording and Low-Level Recording require more disk space than
normal recording mode.
➤ 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.

Analog Recording
➤ Use Analog Recording for applications in which the actual movement of the
mouse is what you want to record. These can include drawing a mouse
signature or working with drawing applications that create images by
dragging the mouse.
➤ You can record in Analog Recording mode relative to the screen or relative
to a specific window.
➤ Record relative to a specified window if the operations you perform are
on objects located within one window and that window does not move
during the analog recording session. This ensures that during the test
run, QuickTest will accurately identify the window location on which the
analog steps were performed even if the window is in a different location
when you run the analog steps. QuickTest does not record any click or
mouse movement performed outside the specified window. When using
this mode, QuickTest does not capture any Active Screen images.
➤ Record relative to the screen if the window on which you are recording
your analog steps moves during recording or if the operations you
perform are on objects located within more than one window. This can
include dragging and dropping an object from one window to another.
When using this mode, QuickTest captures the Active Screen image of
the final state of the window on which you are recording.
➤ The steps recorded using Analog Recording are saved in a separate data file.
This file is stored with the action in which the analog steps are recorded.

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➤ When you record in Analog Recording mode, QuickTest adds to your test a
RunAnalog statement that calls the recorded analog file. The corresponding
Active Screen displays the results of the last analog step that was performed
during the analog recording session.

Low-Level Recording
➤ Use Low-Level Recording for recording on environments or objects not
supported by QuickTest.
➤ Use Low-Level Recording for when you need to record the exact location of
the operation on your application screen. While recording in normal mode,
QuickTest performs the step on an object even if it has moved to a new
location on the screen. If the location of the object is important to your test,
switch to Low-Level Recording to enable QuickTest to record the object in
terms of its x- and y- coordinates on the screen. This way, the step will pass
only if the object is in the correct position.
➤ While Low-Level Recording, QuickTest records all parent level objects as
Window test objects and all other objects as WinObject test objects. They
are displayed in the Active Screen as standard Windows objects.
➤ Low-Level Recording supports the following methods for each test object:
➤ WinObject test object—Click, DblClick, Drag, Drop, Type
➤ Window test object—Click, DblClick, Drag, Drop, Type, Activate,
Minimize, Restore, Maximize
➤ Each step recorded in Low-Level Recording mode is shown in the Keyword
View and test script. (Analog Recording records only the one step in the
Keyword View that calls the external analog data file.)

Using Analog Recording
You can switch to Analog Recording mode only while recording a test. The
option is not available while editing a test.

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To record in Analog Recording mode:
1 If you are not already recording, click the Record button to begin a
recording session.
2 Click the Analog Recording button or choose Test > Analog Recording. The
Analog Recording Settings dialog box opens.

3 Select from the following options:
➤ Record relative to the screen—QuickTest records any mouse movement
or keyboard input relative to the coordinates of your screen, regardless of
which application(s) are open or which application(s) you specified in
the Record and Run Settings dialog box.
Select Record relative to the screen if you perform your analog
operations on objects located within more than one window or if the
window itself may move while you are recording your analog operations.

Notes: When you record in analog mode relative to the screen, the test
run will fail if your screen resolution or the screen location on which you
recorded your analog steps has changed from the time you recorded.

The analog tracking continues to record the movement of the mouse
until the mouse reaches the QuickTest screen to turn off analog recording
or to stop recording. Clicking on the QuickTest icon in the Windows
taskbar is also recorded. This should not affect your test. The mouse
movements and clicks on the QuickTest screen itself are not recorded.

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➤ Record relative to the following window—QuickTest records any mouse
movement or keyboard input relative to the coordinates of the specified
window.
Select Record relative to the following window if all your operations are
performed on objects within the same window and that window does
not move during analog recording. This guarantees that the test will run
the analog steps in the correct position within the window even if the
window’s screen location changes after recording.

Note: If you have selected to record in analog mode relative to window,
any operation performed outside the specified window is not recorded
while in analog recording mode.

4 If you choose to Record relative to the following window, click the pointing
hand and click anywhere in the window on which you want to record in
analog mode. The title of the window you clicked is displayed in the
window title box.

Tip: You can also hold the CTRL key to change the window focus or perform
operations such as a right-click or mouseover to display a context menu in
order select the window you require. Note that pressing the CTRL key does
not enable you to select an application from the Windows taskbar, therefore
you must make sure that the window you want to access is not minimized.

5 Click Start Analog Record.
6 Perform the operations you want to record in analog mode.
All of your keyboard input, mouse movements, and clicks are recorded and
saved in an external file. When QuickTest runs the test, the external data file
is called. It tracks every movement and click of the mouse to replicate
exactly the operations you recorded.

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7 When you are finished and want to return to normal recording mode, click
the Analog Recording button or choose Test > Analog Recording to turn off
the option.
If you chose to Record relative to the screen, QuickTest inserts the
RunAnalog step for a Desktop item. For example:

Desktop.RunAnalog "Track1"

If you chose to Record relative to the following window, QuickTest inserts
the RunAnalog step for a Window item. For example:

Window("Microsoft Internet Explorer").RunAnalog "Track1"

The track file called by the RunAnalog method contains all your analog
data and is stored with the current action.

You can use this track file in more than one action in your test, and also in
other tests, by saving the action containing the RunAnalog step as a
reusable action. A reusable action can be called by other tests or actions. For
more information on using actions, see Chapter 17, “Working with
Actions.”

Note: When entering the RunAnalog method, you must use a valid and
existing track file as the method argument.

Tip: To stop an analog step in the middle of a test run, click CTRL + ESC, then
click Stop in the Testing toolbar.

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Using Low-Level Recording
You can switch to low-level recording mode only while recording a test. The
option is not available while editing a test.

To record in Low-Level Recording mode:
1 If you are not already recording, click the Record button to begin a
recording session.
2 Click the Low Level Recording button or choose Test > Low Level Recording.
The record mode changes to low-level recording and all of your keyboard
input and mouse clicks are recorded based on mouse coordinates. When
QuickTest runs the test, the cursor retraces the recorded clicks.
3 When you are finished and want to return to normal recording mode, click
the Low Level Recording button or choose Test > Low Level Recording to
turn off the option.
The following examples illustrate the difference between the same
operations recorded using normal mode and low-level recording mode.
Suppose you type the word mercury into a user name edit box and then click
the TAB key while in normal recording mode. Your test is displayed as
follows in the Keyword View and Expert View:

If you perform the same action while in low-level recording mode,
QuickTest records the click in the user name box, followed by the keyboard
input, including the TAB key. Your test is displayed as follows in the Keyword
View and Expert View:

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Window("Microsoft Internet Explorer").WinObject("Internet Explorer_Server").
Click 564,263
Type "mercury"
Type micTab

Changing the Active Screen
As the content of your application or Web site changes, you can continue to
use tests you developed previously. You simply update the selected Active
Screen display so that you can use the Active Screen to add new steps to
your test rather than re-recording steps on new or modified objects.

For example, suppose that one of the pages in the Mercury Tours site now
includes a new object and you want to add a checkpoint that checks for this
object. You can use the Change Active Screen command to replace the page
in your Active Screen tab and then proceed to create a checkpoint for this
object.

To change the Active Screen:
1 Make sure that your application or Web browser is displaying the window or
page that you want to use to replace what is currently displayed in the
Active Screen tab.
2 In the Keyword View, click a step that you want to change and the window
or page is displayed in the Active Screen tab.
3 Choose Tools > Change Active Screen. The QuickTest window is minimized
and the mouse pointer becomes a pointing hand.

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4 Click the window or page displayed in your application or browser. A
message prompts you to change your current Active Screen display.

operations such as a right-click or mouseover to display a context menu to
choose the new Active Screen display. Note that pressing the CTRL key does
not enable you to select an application from the Windows taskbar, therefore
you must make sure that the window you want to access is not minimized.

5 Click Yes.

Creating, Opening, and Saving Tests with Locked Resources
QuickTest resource files can be locked by QuickTest to protect the
information in the file from being overwritten. QuickTest resource files are
locked if the file:

➤ is being used by another QuickTest user
➤ has been checked into a Quality Center version control database or some
other version control software
➤ has been marked as read-only

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External Resource Files
QuickTest resource files are external files that are associated with your test
and can be edited within QuickTest. These can include:

➤ Shared object repository files. (For more information, see Chapter 34,
“Choosing the Object Repository Mode.”)
➤ Data Table files. (For more information, see Chapter 18, “Working with Data
Tables.”)

Note: External files that are associated with your test, but cannot be edited
within QuickTest (such as library files and environment variable files) are
not affected by this locking mechanism.

QuickTest notifies you if a QuickTest resource file that is associated with
your test is locked when:

➤ creating a new test whose default settings associate the test with a QuickTest
resource that is locked. For more information, see “Creating Tests with
Locked Resources” on page 111.
➤ opening a test whose QuickTest resource file is locked. For more
information, see “Opening Tests with Locked Resources” on page 112.
➤ saving a test whose external resource files were not opened in read-write
mode (because they were locked when you opened the test) and modified
while editing the test. For more information, see “Saving Tests with Locked
Resources” on page 114.

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Creating Tests with Locked Resources
If your QuickTest settings have been configured to use a default, shared
object repository file, any test you create is automatically associated with
that external file for all test object information. When you create a new test,
the shared object repository file may be locked.

When you open QuickTest and when you create a new test, the following
message opens if the shared object repository file is locked:

Click OK.

It is recommended that you select a different shared object repository or
select Per-action as the Object repository type in the Resources tab of the
Test Settings dialog box before beginning to record or edit your test. For
more information, see “Setting the Object Repository Mode” on page 828.
Alternatively, create the test when the associated shared object repository is
available.

Note: You are able to change the object repository of the test only before
you begin recording or editing the test.

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If you choose to create the test with a locked shared object repository, then
the shared object repository opens in read-only mode. You can run the test
while it is open and you can choose to save the test, but any changes to the
shared object repository are not saved. This means that if any of the
descriptions or values of any of the objects change as a result of recording or
editing your new test, the object repository file will not be saved with the
modified data.

Opening Tests with Locked Resources
When you choose to open a test that is associated with a locked, QuickTest
resource file, the following message opens:

The resources listed are opened in read-only mode. You have the option to
open the test in:

➤ Read-Only Mode
➤ Read-Write Mode

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Read-Only Mode
If you open the test in read-only mode, you can run the test but not make
any changes to it. All editing options are disabled and you cannot edit the
test in the Keyword View or the Expert View. While the test itself cannot be
saved, if you run the test and choose to save the results, the test results file is
saved.

You can choose the Save As option from the File menu, save the test under a
new name, and then edit the test. The same is true for a shared object
repository file opened in read-only mode.

Read-Write Mode
If you open a test in read-write mode, you can run and edit the test and save
the changes you make to the test. However, any changes to locked,
QuickTest resource files cannot be saved. Locked resource files are opened in
read-only mode even if the test has been opened in read-write mode.

For example, suppose you choose to open a test in read-write mode that has
a locked Data Table file associated with it. When you edit the test, any
changes to the Data Table will not be saved. If any of the Data Table values
have changed as a result of editing the test and you save the changes to the
test, the test may fail the next time it calls the unmodified Data Table values.

It is therefore recommended to open the test in read-only mode or to close
the test without saving.

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Saving Tests with Locked Resources
When you choose to save a test with locked resources that you opened in
read-write mode, the following message opens if anything in a locked
resource file has changed:

It is recommended not to save a test whose locked resource files have been
modified. If you do save the test, the next time you run the test, the test
may fail because the test may be expecting different values from the
resource files.

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6
Understanding Checkpoints

You can check objects in your application or Web site to ensure that they
function properly.


➤ About Understanding Checkpoints
➤ Adding Checkpoints to a Test or Component
➤ Understanding Types of Checkpoints

About Understanding Checkpoints
QuickTest enables you to add checks to your test or component. A checkpoint
is a verification point that compares a current value for a specified property
with the expected value for that property. This enables you to identify
whether your Web site or application is functioning correctly.

When you add a checkpoint, QuickTest adds a checkpoint to the current
row in the Keyword View and adds a Check CheckPoint statement in the
Expert View. When you run the test or component, QuickTest compares the
expected results of the checkpoint to the current results. If the results do not
match, the checkpoint fails. You can view the results of the checkpoint in
the Test Results window.

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Note: If you want to retrieve the return value of a checkpoint (a boolean
value that indicates whether the checkpoint passed or failed), you must add
parentheses around the checkpoint argument in the statement in the Expert
View. For example:

a = browser("MyBrowser").page("MyPage").check (checkPoint("MyProperty"))

For more information on Expert View syntax, see “Understanding Basic
VBScript Syntax” on page 873.

Adding Checkpoints to a Test or Component
You can add checkpoints during a recording session or while editing your
test or component. It is generally more convenient to define checks once
the initial test or component has been recorded.

There are several ways to add checkpoints.

To add checkpoints while recording or editing:
➤ Use the commands on the Insert menu, or click the arrow beside the Insert
Checkpoint button on the Testing toolbar. This displays a menu of
checkpoint options that are relevant to the selected step in the Keyword
View.

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Chapter 6 • Understanding Checkpoints

To add a checkpoint while editing only:
➤ Right-click the step in the Keyword View where you want to add the
checkpoint and choose Insert Standard Checkpoint.
➤ Right-click any object in the Active Screen and choose Insert Standard
Checkpoint. This option can be used to create checkpoints for any object in
the Active Screen (even if the object is not part of any step in the Keyword
View).

Notes:

If you use the Active Screen method, ensure that Active Screen contains
sufficient data for the object you want to check. For more information, see
Throughout this User’s Guide, procedures for creating checkpoints may be
described using only one of the above methods. However, you can choose
any of the methods described above.

Understanding Types of Checkpoints
You can insert the following checkpoint types to check various objects in a
Web site or application.

➤ Standard Checkpoint checks the property value of an object in your
application or Web page. The standard checkpoint checks a variety of
objects such as buttons, radio buttons, combo boxes, lists, etc. For example,
you can check that a radio button is activated after it is selected or you can
check the value of an edit field.
Standard checkpoints are supported for all add-in environments (see
“Supported Checkpoints” on page 121).
For more information on standard checkpoints, see Chapter 7, “Checking
Object Property Values.”

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➤ Image Checkpoint checks the value of an image in your application or Web
page. For example, you can check that a selected image’s source file is
correct.

Note: You create an image checkpoint by inserting a standard checkpoint on
an image object.

Image checkpoints are supported for the Web environment (see “Supported
Checkpoints” on page 121).
For more information on image checkpoints, see Chapter 7, “Checking
Object Property Values.”
➤ Bitmap Checkpoint checks an area of your Web page or application as a
bitmap. For example, suppose you have a Web site that can display a map of
a city the user specifies. The map has control keys for zooming. You can
record the new map that is displayed after one click on the control key that
zooms in the map. Using the bitmap checkpoint, you can check that the
map zooms in correctly.
Bitmap checkpoints are supported for all add-in environments (see
For more information on bitmap checkpoints, see Chapter 10, “Checking
Bitmaps.”
➤ Table Checkpoint checks information within a table. For example, suppose
your application or Web site contains a table listing all available flights from
New York to San Francisco. You can add a table checkpoint to check that the
time of the first flight in the table is correct.

Note: You create a table checkpoint by inserting a standard checkpoint on a
table object.

Table checkpoints are supported for Web and ActiveX environments (see
“Supported Checkpoints” on page 121). Table checkpoints are also
supported for many external add-in environments.

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For more information on table checkpoints, see Chapter 8, “Checking Tables
and Databases.”
➤ Text Checkpoint checks that a text string is displayed in the appropriate
place in your application or on a Web page. For example, suppose your
application or Web page displays the sentence Flight departing from New York
to San Francisco. You can create a text checkpoint that checks that the
words “New York” are displayed between “Flight departing from” and “to
San Francisco”.
Text checkpoints are supported for all add-in environments (see “Supported
Checkpoints,” below).
For more information on text checkpoints, see Chapter 9, “Checking Text.”
➤ Text Area Checkpoint checks that a text string is displayed within a defined
area in a Windows application, according to specified criteria. For example,
suppose your Visual Basic application has a button that says View Doc
<Num>, where <Num> is replaced by the four digit code entered in a form
elsewhere in the application. You can create a text area checkpoint to
confirm that the number displayed on the button is the same as the number
entered in the form.
Text area checkpoints are supported for Standard Windows, Visual Basic,
and ActiveX add-in environments (see “Supported Checkpoints” on
page 121).
Text area checkpoints are also supported for some external add-in
environments.
For more information on text area checkpoints, see Chapter 9, “Checking
Text.”
➤ Accessibility Checkpoint identifies areas of your Web site that may not
conform to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines. For example, guideline 1.1 of the W3C Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines requires you to provide a text equivalent
for every non-text element. You can add an Alt property check to check
whether objects that require the Alt property under this guideline, do in fact
have this tag.
Accessibility checkpoints are supported for the Web environment (see

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For more information on accessibility checkpoints, see Chapter 30, “Testing
Web Objects.”
➤ Page Checkpoint checks the characteristics of a Web page. For example, you
can check how long a Web page takes to load or whether a Web page
contains broken links.

Note: You create a page checkpoint by inserting a standard checkpoint on a
page object.

Page checkpoints are supported for the Web environment (see “Supported
Checkpoints” on page 121).
For more information on page checkpoints, see Chapter 30, “Testing Web
Objects.”
➤ Database Checkpoint checks the contents of a database accessed by your
application. For example, you can use a database checkpoint to check the
contents of a database containing flight information for your Web site.
Database checkpoints are supported by all environments (see “Supported
Checkpoints,” below).
For more information on database checkpoints, see Chapter 8, “Checking
Tables and Databases.”
➤ XML Checkpoint checks the data content of XML documents in XML files or
XML documents in Web pages and frames. For more information on XML
checkpoints, see Chapter 11, “Checking XML.”
XML checkpoints (Web page/frame) are supported for the Web
environment; XML checkpoints (file) are supported by all environments (see
“Supported Checkpoints,” below).

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Supported Checkpoints
The following table shows the types of checkpoints that are supported for
each add-in environment supplied with the core installation of QuickTest
Professional.

Other Object
ActiveX
Web

Std

VB
Standard S S S S NA

Image S NS NS NS NA

Table S NS NS S NA

Text S S S S NA

Text Area NS S S S NA

Bitmap S S S S NA

Accessibility S NS NS NS NA

XML S NS NS NS S (File)

Page S NA NA NA NA

Database NA NA NA NA S (DbTable)

S—Supported
NS—Not Supported
NA—Not Applicable

Note: Checkpoints are also supported for various external add-in
environments. Refer to your QuickTest Professional add-in documentation
for details.

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122

7
Checking Object Property Values

By adding standard checkpoints to your tests and components, you can
compare object property values in different versions of your application or
Web site.


➤ About Checking Object Properties
➤ Creating Standard Checkpoints
➤ Understanding the Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box
➤ Understanding the Image Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box
➤ Modifying Checkpoints

About Checking Object Properties
You can check the object property values in your Web site or application
using standard checkpoints. Standard checkpoints compare the expected
values of object properties captured during recording to the object’s current
values during a run session.

You use standard checkpoints to perform checks on images, tables, Web
page properties, and other objects within your application or Web site.

Note: You can create standard checkpoints for all supported testing
environments (as long as the appropriate add-ins are loaded).

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Creating Standard Checkpoints
You can check that a specified object in your application or on your Web
page has the property values you expect, by adding a standard checkpoint to
your test or component. To set the options for a standard checkpoint, you
use the Checkpoint Properties dialog box.

Creating a Standard Checkpoint
You can add a standard checkpoint while recording or editing your test or
component.

To add a standard checkpoint while recording:
1 Click the Insert Checkpoint toolbar button or choose Insert > Checkpoint >
Standard Checkpoint.
The QuickTest window is minimized and the mouse pointer turns into a
pointing hand.

Note: If the object you want to check can only be displayed by performing
an event (such as a right-click or a mouse over to display a context menu),
hold the CTRL key. You can also use the CTRL key to change the window
focus. The pointing hand temporarily turns into a standard arrow and you
can perform the event. When the object you want to check is displayed,
release the CTRL key. The arrow becomes a pointing hand again.

2 Click the object you want to check. The Select an Object dialog box opens.
3 Select the item you want to check from the displayed object tree. The tree
item name corresponds to the object’s class, for example:

Icon Object Class

Windows button WinButton

Windows object WinObject

Windows edit box WinEdit

124

Chapter 7 • Checking Object Property Values

Icon Object Class

Windows dialog box Dialog

Web check box WebCheckBox

Web edit box WebEdit

Web radio button WebRadioGroup

Web list box WebList

Web element WebElement

Visual Basic combo box VbComboBox

Visual Basic radio button VbRadioButton

Visual Basic window VbWindow

4 Click OK. The Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
5 Specify the settings for the checkpoint. For more information, see
“Understanding the Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on page 126.
6 Click OK to close the dialog box. A checkpoint statement is added for the
selected object in the Keyword View and Expert View.

To add a standard checkpoint while editing:
1 Right-click the step on which you want to perform a checkpoint and choose
Insert Standard Checkpoint. The Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
“Understanding the Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box,” below.

125


Understanding the Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box
In the Checkpoint Properties dialog box, you can specify which properties
of the object to check and edit the values of these properties. While the
specific elements vary slightly depending on the type of object you are
checking, the Checkpoint Properties dialog box generally includes the
following basic elements:

The ABC icon
indicates that the
value of the
property to check
is a constant.
This icon indicates
that the value of
the property to
check is a Data
Table parameter.

The selected check
box indicates that
this property will
be checked.

126


The dialog box described above is used to configure most standard
checkpoints. Certain standard checkpoint types, however, employ different
dialog boxes, as follows:

For Information about the
See:
Dialog Box for:

Image checkpoint properties “Understanding the Image Checkpoint
Properties Dialog Box” on page 130

Page checkpoint properties “Understanding the Page Checkpoint
Properties Dialog Box” on page 750

Table checkpoint properties “Understanding the Table/Database
Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on
page 140

The top part of the dialog box displays information about the object to
check:



Class The type of object. In this example, the WebEdit class
indicates that the object is an edit field.

127


Selecting the Object Property to Check
The properties for the object are listed in the Properties pane of the dialog
box. The pane includes the properties, their values, and their types:


Check box For each object class, QuickTest recommends default
property checks. You can accept the default checks or
modify them accordingly.
To check a property, select the corresponding check box.
To exclude a property check, clear the corresponding
check box.



Value The expected value of the property. For more information
on modifying the value of a property, see “Setting Values

Editing the Expected Value of an Object Property
In the Configure value area, you can define the expected value of the
property to check as a Constant or Parameter. For information on
modifying property values, see “Setting Values in the Configure Value Area”
on page 286.

128


Setting General Standard Checkpoint Options
The bottom part of the Checkpoint Properties dialog box contains the
following options:

➤ Checkpoint timeout—Specifies the time interval (in seconds) during which
QuickTest attempts to perform the checkpoint successfully. QuickTest
continues to perform the checkpoint until it passes or until the timeout
occurs. If the checkpoint does not pass before the timeout occurs, the
checkpoint fails.
For example, suppose it takes some time for an object to achieve an
expected state. Increasing the checkpoint timeout value in this case can
make sure that the object has sufficient time to achieve that state and
therefore enables the checkpoint to pass before the maximum timeout is
reached.
You can see information about the checkpoint timeout, including the time
interval used by QuickTest to perform the checkpoint, in the Test Results
window.
➤ Insert statement—Specifies when to perform the checkpoint in the test or
component. Choose Before current step if you want to check the value of
the object property before the highlighted step is performed. Choose After
current step if you want to check the value of the property after the
highlighted step is performed.

Note: The Insert statement option is not available when adding a
checkpoint during recording or when modifying an existing object
checkpoint. It is available when adding a new checkpoint to an existing test
or component while editing it.

129


Understanding the Image Checkpoint Properties
Dialog Box
Image checkpoints enable you to check the properties of a Web image. In
the Image Checkpoint Properties dialog box, you can specify which
properties of the image to check and edit the values of those properties. This
dialog box is similar to the standard Checkpoint Properties dialog box,
except that it contains the Compare image content option. This option
enables you to compare the expected image source file with the actual image
source file.

This icon indicates
that the value of
the property to
check is a Data
Table parameter.

The ABC icon
indicates that the
value of the
property to check is
a constant.

The selected check
box indicates that
this property will
be checked.

Instructs QuickTest
to compare the
expected image
with the graphic of
the actual image.

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Identifying the Image
The top part of the dialog box displays information about the image to
check:



Class The type of object. This is always Image.

Selecting the Image Property to Check
The default properties for the image are listed in the Properties pane of the
dialog box. This pane includes the properties, their values, and their types. It
is identical to the Properties pane in the Checkpoint Properties dialog box
for standard checkpoints. For more information, see “Selecting the Object
Property to Check” on page 128.

Editing the Expected Value of an Image Property
The middle part of the Image Checkpoint Properties dialog box contains the
following:

➤ Configure value area—Enables you to define the expected value of the
property as a Constant or Parameter. For information on modifying
property values, see “Setting Values in the Configure Value Area” on page 286.
➤ Compare image content—Compares the expected image source file with the
graphic of the actual image source file. If the expected and actual images are
different, QuickTest displays them both in the Test Results. If the images are
identical, only one graphic is displayed.

Setting General Image Checkpoint Options
The bottom part of the Image Checkpoint Properties dialog box contains the
Checkpoint timeout and Insert statement options. These options are
identical to those in the Checkpoint Properties dialog box for standard
checkpoints. For more information, see “Setting General Standard
Checkpoint Options” on page 129.

131


Modifying Checkpoints
You can modify the settings of existing checkpoints. For example, you can
choose to use parameters, or you can use filters to specify which image
sources and links to check.

To modify a checkpoint:
1 Right-click a row with a checkpoint in the Keyword View and choose
Checkpoint Properties, or select a row with a checkpoint and choose
Step > Checkpoint Properties. The relevant checkpoint dialog box opens.
2 Modify the properties and click OK.

132

8
Checking Tables and Databases

By adding table checkpoints, you can check the content of tables displayed
in your application. By adding database checkpoints, you can check the
contents of databases accessed by your Web site or application. The process
for creating and modifying table or database checkpoints is quite similar.


➤ About Checking Tables and Databases
➤ Creating a Table Checkpoint
➤ Creating a Check on a Database
➤ Understanding the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box
➤ Modifying a Table Checkpoint
➤ Modifying a Database Checkpoint

About Checking Tables and Databases
You can check that a specified value is displayed in a cell in a table by
adding a table checkpoint to your test or component. For ActiveX tables,
you can also check the properties of the table object. To add a table
checkpoint, you use the Checkpoint Properties dialog box.

Table checkpoints are supported for Web and ActiveX applications, as well
as for a variety of external add-in environments.

You can use database checkpoints in your test or component to check
databases accessed by your Web site or application and to detect defects. You
define a query on your database, and then you create a database checkpoint
that checks the results of the query.

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Database checkpoints are supported for all core environments, as well as for
a variety of external add-in environments.

There are two ways to define a database query:

➤ Use Microsoft Query. You can install Microsoft Query from the custom
installation of Microsoft Office.
➤ Manually define an SQL statement.

Creating a Table Checkpoint
You can add a table checkpoint while recording or editing your test or
component.

To add a table checkpoint while recording:
1 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Standard Checkpoint or click the Insert
Checkpoint button. The QuickTest window is minimized, and the mouse
pointer turns into a pointing hand.

Tip: You can hold the CTRL key to change the pointing hand into a standard
arrow, and then change the window focus or perform operations such as a
right-click or mouseover to display a context menu. Note that pressing the
CTRL key does not enable you to select an application from the Windows
taskbar, therefore you must make sure that the window you want to access is
not minimized.

2 Click a table you want to check. The Object Selection - Checkpoint
Properties dialog box opens.
3 Select a table item from the displayed object tree.
4 Click OK. The Table Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
“Understanding the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on
page 140.

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Chapter 8 • Checking Tables and Databases


To add a table checkpoint while editing:
1 Depending on whether the table object is already in a step in the Keyword
View, perform one of the following:
➤ If you have already recorded a step on the table object you want to check,
right-click the table step in the Keyword View and choose Insert
➤ If you have not recorded a step on the table object you want to check,
make sure the Active Screen button is selected. Click a step in your test or
component where you want to add a checkpoint. The Active Screen
displays the Web page or application screen corresponding to the
highlighted step. Right-click the table in the Active Screen and choose
Insert Standard Checkpoint. The Object Selection - Checkpoint
Properties dialog box opens. Select a table item from the displayed object
tree and click OK.
The Table Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
“Understanding the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on
page 140.

Creating a Check on a Database
You create a database checkpoint based on the results of the query (result set)
you defined on a database. You can create a check on a database in order to
check the contents of the entire result set, or a part of it. QuickTest captures
the current data from the database and saves this information as expected
data. A database checkpoint is inserted into the test or component. This
checkpoint is displayed in the Expert View as a DbTable.Check CheckPoint
statement and as a step in the Keyword View, as follows:

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When you run the test or component, the database checkpoint compares
the current data in the database to the expected data defined in the
Database Checkpoint Properties dialog box. If the expected data and the
current results do not match, the database checkpoint fails. The results of
the checkpoint can be viewed in the Test Results window. For more
information, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test Results.”

You can modify the expected data of a database checkpoint before you run
your test or component. You can also make changes to the query in an
existing database checkpoint. This can be useful if you move the database to
a new location on the network.

Creating a Database Checkpoint
You can define the query for your checkpoint using Microsoft Query or by
manually entering a database connection and SQL statement.

To create a database checkpoint:
1 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Database Checkpoint. The Database Query
Wizard opens.

136


2 Select your database selection preferences and click Next. You can choose
from the following options:
➤ Create query using Microsoft Query—Opens Microsoft Query, enabling
you to create a new query. Once you finish defining your query, you
return to QuickTest. This option is available only if you have Microsoft
Query installed on your computer.
➤ Specify SQL statement manually—Opens the Specify SQL statement
screen in the wizard, which enables you to specify the connection string
and an SQL statement. For additional information, see step 3.
➤ Maximum number of rows—Select this check box if you would like to
limit the number of rows and enter the maximum number of database
rows to check. You can specify a maximum of 32,000 rows.
➤ Show me how to use Microsoft Query—Displays an instruction screen
when you click Next before opening Microsoft Query. (Enabled only
when Create query using Microsoft Query is selected).
3 If you chose Create query using Microsoft Query in the previous step,
Microsoft Query opens. Choose a data source and define a query. For more
information about creating a query, see “Creating a Query in Microsoft
Query” on page 139.
If you chose Specify SQL statement in the previous step, the Specify SQL
statement screen opens. Specify the connection string and the SQL
statement, and click Finish. For more information about specifying SQL
statements, see “Specifying SQL Statements” on page 138.
4 The Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens. Select the checks to perform
on the result set as described in “Understanding the Table/Database
Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on page 140. You can also modify the
expected data in the result set.


137


Specifying SQL Statements
You can manually specify the database connection string and the SQL
statement.

To specify SQL statements:
1 Choose Specify SQL statement in the Database Query Wizard screen. The
following screen opens:

2 Specify the connection string and the SQL statement, and click Finish.
➤ Connection string—Enter the connection string, or click Create to open
the ODBC Select Data Source dialog box. You can select a .dsn file in the
ODBC Select Data Source dialog box or create a new .dsn file to have the
Database Query Wizard insert the connection string in the box for you.
➤ SQL statement—Enter the SQL statement.
QuickTest takes several seconds to capture the database query and restore
the QuickTest window.
3 Return to step 4 in the previous procedure to continue creating your
database checkpoint in QuickTest.

138


Creating a Query in Microsoft Query
You can use Microsoft Query to choose a data source and define a query
within the data source.

To choose a data source and define a query in Microsoft Query:
1 When Microsoft Query opens during the insert database checkpoint process,
choose a new or an existing data source.
2 Define a query.
3 When you are done, in the Finish screen of the Query Wizard, select Exit
and return to QuickTest Professional and click Finish to exit Microsoft
Query. Alternatively, click View data or edit query in Microsoft Query and
click Finish. After viewing or editing the data, choose
File > Exit and return to QuickTest Professional to close Microsoft Query and
return to QuickTest.
4 Return to step 4 on page 137 to continue creating your database checkpoint
in QuickTest.

For additional information on working with Microsoft Query, refer to your
Microsoft Query documentation.

139


Understanding the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties
Dialog Box
The Table/Database Checkpoint Properties dialog box enables you to specify
which cell contents of your table or database to check and which
verification method and type to use. You can also edit or parameterize the
expected data for the cells included in the check.

Note: The Table Checkpoint Properties dialog box for an ActiveX table looks
slightly different from the dialog box shown below. For an ActiveX table,
you can also choose whether to check the properties of the table object
(using the Properties tab), in addition to or instead of checking the table
content (using the Table Content tab). Select the Select Table Content check
box and/or the Select Properties check box, at the top of the relevant tabs in
the Table Checkpoint Properties dialog box, depending on the type of
information you want to check.

For information on the options in the Table Content tab, see the sections
below. For information on the options in the Properties tab, see
“Understanding the Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on page 126.

140


Add to
Check
Click to
Remove from
select the
Check
entire table
(or result
set) Click to
select an
Click to entire
select an column
entire row

Row and
column
indicator

The top part of the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties dialog box
displays the data that was captured for the checkpoint. You use this area to
specify which cells you want to check. For more information, see
“Specifying Which Cells to Check,” on page 144.

Below the expected data, the Table/Database Checkpoint dialog box
contains the following three tabs:

➤ Expected Data—Enables you to set each checked cell as a constant or
parameterized value. For example, you can instruct QuickTest to use a value
from the Data Table as the expected value for a particular cell. For more
information, see “Specifying the Expected Data” on page 145.

141


➤ Settings—Enables you to set the criteria for a successful match between the
expected and actual values. For example, you can instruct QuickTest to treat
the value as a number so that 45 or 45.00 are treated as the same value, or
you can instruct QuickTest to ignore spaces when comparing the values. For
more information, see “Specifying the Value Type Criteria” on page 146.
➤ Cell Identification—Enables you to instruct QuickTest how to locate the cells
to be checked. For example, suppose you want to check the data that is
displayed in the first row and second column in the Table/Database
Checkpoint Properties dialog box. However, you know that each time you
run your test or component, it is possible that the rows may be in a different
order, depending on the sorting that was performed in a previous step.
Therefore, rather than finding the data based on row and column numbers,
you may want QuickTest to identify the cell based on the column name and
the row containing a known value in a key column. For more information,
see “Specifying the Cell Identification Settings” on page 147.

Tip: The value matching settings and cell identification criteria apply to all
selected cells in the checkpoint. If you want to use different value matching
or cell identification criteria for different cells in the table or database, create
separate checkpoints and specify the relevant cells for each.

The bottom part of the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties dialog box
contains the following options:

checkpoint fails.
For example, suppose it takes some time for data to load in a table.
Increasing the checkpoint timeout value in this case can ensure that the
data has sufficient time to load and therefore enables the checkpoint to pass
before the end of the timeout period is reached.

142


window.

Note: The Checkpoint timeout option is available only when creating a
table checkpoint. It is not available when creating a database checkpoint.

component. Choose Before current step if you want to check the table or
database content before the highlighted step is performed. Choose After
current step if you want to check the table or database content after the

Note: The Insert statement option is not available when adding a
checkpoint during recording or when modifying an existing checkpoint. It
is available when adding a new checkpoint to an existing test or
component.

143


Specifying Which Cells to Check
The top part of the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties dialog box
displays a grid representing the cells in the table or captured result set.

Tip: You can change the column widths and row heights of the grid by
dragging the boundaries of the column and row headers.

When you create a new table/database checkpoint, all cells contain a blue
check mark, indicating they are selected for verification. You can select to
check the entire table or results set, specific rows, specific columns, or
specific cells.

To add to check or to remove from check: Double-click:

a single cell the cell

an entire row the row header

an entire column the column header

the entire result set the top-left corner of the grid

Alternatively, you can select a range of cells and click the Add to Check
button to check the selected cells or click the Remove from Check button to
remove the selected cells from the check.

QuickTest checks only cells containing a check mark.

Notes:

When more than one cell is selected, the options on the Expected Data tab
are disabled.
Double-clicking on the grid toggles the settings of each cell in the selection.

144


Specifying the Expected Data
The Expected Data tab displays options for setting the expected value of the
selected cell in the table or result set.

You can modify the value of a cell or you can parameterize it to use a value
from an external source, such as the Data Table or an environment variable.
During the run session, QuickTest compares the value specified in this tab
with the actual value that it finds during the run session. If the expected
value and the actual value do not match, the checkpoint fails.

To modify or parameterize several cells in the table, select a cell and then set
your preferences for that cell in the Expected Data tab. Repeat the process
for each cell you want to modify.

The Expected Data tab includes the following:

➤ Selected cell—Indicates the table name and the row and column numbers of
the selected cell.
➤ Configure value area—Enables you to set the expected value of the cell as a
constant or parameter. For more information on modifying values, see
“Setting Values in the Configure Value Area” on page 286.

145


Specifying the Value Type Criteria
The Settings tab includes options that determine how the actual cell values
are compared with the expected cell values. The settings in this tab apply to
all selected cells.

The default setting is to treat cell values as strings and to check for the exact
text, while ignoring spaces.

The Settings tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Verification type Specifies how cell contents are compared:
• String Content— Default. Evaluates the content of the
cell as a string. For example, 2 and 2.00 are not
recognized as the same string.
• Numeric Content—Evaluates the content of the cell
according to numeric values. For example, 2 and 2.00
are recognized as the same number.
• Numeric Range—Compares the content of the cell
against a numeric range, where the minimum and
maximum values are any real number that you specify.
This comparison differs from string and numeric
content verification in that the actual result set data is
compared against the range that you defined and not
against a specific expected value.

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Option Description

Exact match Default. Checks that the exact text, and no other text, is
displayed in the cell. Clear this box if you want to check
that a value is displayed in a cell as part of the contents of
the cell.
Note: QuickTest displays this option only when String
Content is selected as the Verification type.

Ignore space Default. Ignores spaces in the captured content when
performing the check. The presence or absence of spaces
does not affect the outcome of the check.

Match case Conducts a case sensitive search.

Min / Max Specifies the numeric range against which the content of
the cell is compared. The range values can be any real
number.
Note: QuickTest displays this option only when Numeric
Range is selected as the Verification type.

Specifying the Cell Identification Settings
The settings in the Cell Identification tab determine how QuickTest locates
the cells to be checked. The settings in this tab apply to all selected cells.

147


The Cell Identification tab includes the following options:

Identify columns Specifies the column location of the cell(s) in your actual
database to which you want to compare the expected
data.
• By position—Locates cells according to the column
position. A shift in the position of the columns within
the database results in a mismatch. Always selected for
table checkpoints.
• By column name—Default for database checkpoints.
Not available for table checkpoints. Locates cells
according to the column name. A shift in the position
of the columns within the database does not result in a
mismatch.

Identify rows Specifies by row the location of the cell(s) in your actual
database to which you want to compare the expected
data.
• By row number—Default. Locates cells according to
the row position. A shift in the position of any of the
rows within the database results in a mismatch.
• By selected key column(s)—Locates the row(s)
containing the cells to be checked by matching the
value of the cell whose column was previously selected
as a key column. A shift in the position of the row(s)
does not result in a mismatch. If more than one row is
identified, QuickTest checks the first matching row.
You can use more than one key column to uniquely
identify any row.
Note: A key symbol is displayed in the header of
selected key columns.

Use value match Instructs QuickTest to use the verification type settings
criteria to identify from the Settings tab as the criteria for identifying data in
data in the key the key column.
column Enabled only when you select to identify rows By selected
key column(s).

148


Modifying a Table Checkpoint
You can change the expected data, settings and cell identification options
for an existing table checkpoint.

To modify the table checkpoint:
1 In the Keyword View or Expert View, right-click the table checkpoint that
you want to modify.
2 Select Checkpoint Properties. The Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
Modify the settings as described in “Understanding the Table/Database
Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on page 140.

Modifying a Database Checkpoint
You can make the following changes to an existing database checkpoint:

➤ Modify the SQL query definition.
➤ Modify the expected data, verification type, or method.

To modify the SQL query definition:
1 In the Keyword View, right-click the database object that you want to
modify.
2 Select Object Properties.
3 Modify the SQL and connection string properties as necessary and click OK.

To modify the expected data in a database checkpoint:
1 In the Keyword View or Expert View, right-click the database checkpoint
that you want to modify.
Modify the settings as described “Understanding the Table/Database

149


150

9
Checking Text

QuickTest can check that a text string is displayed in the appropriate place
in an application or on a Web page.


➤ About Checking Text
➤ Creating a Text Checkpoint
➤ Creating a Standard Checkpoint for Checking Text
➤ Creating a Text Area Checkpoint
➤ Understanding the Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box
➤ Modifying a Text or Text Area Checkpoint

About Checking Text
You can check that a specified text string is displayed by adding one of the
following checkpoints to your test or component.

➤ Text Checkpoint—Enables you to check that the text is displayed in a
screen, window, or Web page, according to specified criteria. It is
supported for all environments.
➤ Standard Checkpoint—Enables you to check the text property of an
object. This is the preferred way of checking text in many Windows
applications. For more information, see “Creating Standard
Checkpoints” on page 124.

151


➤ Text Area Checkpoint—Enables you to check that a text string appears
within a defined area in a Windows application, according to specified
criteria. It is supported for Standard Windows, Visual Basic, and ActiveX
environments.

Note: Text and text area checkpoints are also supported for various external
QuickTest Professional add-ins (purchased separately). Refer to your add-in
documentation for details.

Considerations for Using a Text Checkpoint for Windows-Based
Applications
The text-recognition mechanism used when you create a text or text area
checkpoint may occasionally retrieve unwanted text information (such as
hidden text and shadowed text, which appears as multiple copies of the
same string).

Additionally, text (or text area) checkpoints may behave differently in
different run sessions depending on the operating system version you are
using, service packs you have installed, other installed toolkits, the APIs
used in your application, and so on.

Therefore, when possible, it is highly recommended to check text from your
application window by inserting a standard checkpoint for the object
containing the desired text, using its text (or similar) property.

Note that the above issues do not apply when working with Web-based
applications.

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Chapter 9 • Checking Text

Creating a Text Checkpoint
You can add a text checkpoint while recording a test or component in all
environments. You can also add a text checkpoint on a Web page or frame
from the Active Screen while editing your test or component.

Note: Text checkpoints are also supported for various external QuickTest
Professional add-ins (purchased separately). Refer to your add-in

To add a text checkpoint while recording:
1 Display the page, window, or screen containing the text you want to check.
2 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Text Checkpoint, or click the arrow next to
the Insert Checkpoint button and choose Text Checkpoint.
pointing hand.

Tip: Hold the CTRL key to change the window focus or perform operations
such as a right-click or mouseover to display a context menu. Note that

3 Click the text string for which you want to create the checkpoint.

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If the area you defined is associated with more than one object, the Object
Selection–Text Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.

Select the object for which you are creating the checkpoint.
4 The Text Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
5 Specify the checkpoint settings. For more information, see “Understanding
the Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on page 159.

To add a text checkpoint while editing:

Note: You can insert text checkpoints using the Active Screen only for Web
applications. This option is not supported for other environments.

1 Make sure the Active Screen button is selected.
2 Click the step where you want to add a checkpoint.
The Active Screen displays the page or screen corresponding to the
highlighted step.
3 Highlight a text string on the Active Screen.

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4 Right-click the text string and choose Insert Text Checkpoint. The Text
Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
“Understanding the Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on
page 159.

Creating a Standard Checkpoint for Checking Text
You can check the text in Windows-based applications by using a standard
checkpoint to check the text property of an object. This is the preferred way
of checking text in many Windows applications. Note, however, that the
standard checkpoint does not allow you to use the features available in the
Text Checkpoint Properties dialog box (see “Considerations for Using a Text
Checkpoint for Windows-Based Applications” on page 152).

To add a standard checkpoint for checking text, while recording:
1 Click the Insert Checkpoint button or choose Insert > Checkpoint >
The QuickTest window is minimized, and the mouse pointer turns into a
pointing hand.


2 Click the object whose text you want to check. If the area you clicked is
associated with more than one object, the Object Selection–Checkpoint
3 Select the item you want to check from the displayed object tree.

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4 Click OK. The Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
5 Select the text property.
6 If necessary, edit the text value you want QuickTest to check. Note that you
can parameterize this value.
7 If you only want to check text, clear the other check boxes in the dialog box.

To add a standard checkpoint for checking text while editing:
1 In the Keyword View, right-click the step for the object whose text you want
to check, and choose Insert Standard Checkpoint. The Checkpoint
2 Select the text property.
3 If necessary, edit the text value you want QuickTest to check. Note that you
can parameterize this value.
4 If you want to check only text, clear the other check boxes in the dialog box.

For more information on creating standard checkpoints, see Chapter 7,
“Checking Object Property Values.”

Creating a Text Area Checkpoint
You can add a text area checkpoint only while recording a test or
component on Windows-based applications—Standard Windows, Visual
Basic, and ActiveX.

Note: Text area checkpoints are also supported for various external
QuickTest Professional add-ins (purchased separately). Refer to your add-in

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To add a text area checkpoint:
1 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Text Area Checkpoint, or click the arrow next
to the Insert Checkpoint button and choose Text Area Checkpoint.
The QuickTest window is minimized, and the mouse pointer turns into a
crosshairs pointer.
2 Define the area containing the text you want QuickTest to check by clicking
and dragging the crosshairs pointer. (See “Considerations for Defining the
Text Area,” below.)

Tip: Hold down the left mouse button and use the arrow keys to make
precise adjustments to the defined area.

Release the mouse button after outlining the area required.
If the area you defined is associated with more than one object, the
Object Selection–Text Area Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.

3 Select the object for which you are creating the checkpoint.
The Text Area Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.

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4 Specify the checkpoint settings. For more information, see “Understanding
the Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on page 159.

Considerations for Defining the Text Area
When checking text displayed in a Windows application, it is often
advisable to define a text area larger than the actual text you want QuickTest
to check. You then use the Text Area Checkpoint Properties dialog box to
configure the relative position of the Checked Text within the captured
string. When QuickTest runs the test or component, it checks for the
selected text within the defined area, according to the settings you
configured.

Consider the following when defining the area for a text area checkpoint:

➤ If you parameterize a text string, the captured area must be large enough
to accommodate any string that might replace the one selected during a
run session.
➤ The captured area must be large enough to include all parts of the
required text (Checked Text / Text Before / Text After).
➤ Text may change its position during run sessions; therefore, make sure
that the area you capture is large enough to allow for acceptable position
shifts. If the defined area is too small, even a slight shift in the text’s
position will cause the run to fail, although the changed position may be
acceptable to you. If, on the other hand, the position of the text on the
screen is critical, or if you do not want it to exceed certain boundaries, set
the defined area accordingly.

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Understanding the Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties
Dialog Box
In the Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties dialog box, you can specify the
text to be checked as well as which text is displayed before and after the
checked text. These configuration options are particularly helpful when the
text string you want to check appears several times or when it could change
in a predictable way during run sessions.

For example, suppose you want to check the third occurrence of a particular
text string in a page or defined text area. To check for this string, you can
specify which text precedes and/or follows it and to which occurrence of the
specified text string you are referring.

The Checkpoint Summary pane at the top of the dialog box summarizes the
selected text for the checkpoint. For text checkpoints in Web-based
environments, it displays the text you selected when creating the
checkpoint, plus some text before and after it.

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For text and text area checkpoints in Windows-based environments, it
displays the text you selected when creating the checkpoint.

Note: In Windows-based environments, if there is more than one line of
text selected, the Checkpoint Summary pane displays [complex value]
instead of the selected text string. You can then click Configure to view and
manipulate the actual selected text for the checkpoint.

QuickTest automatically displays the Checked Text in red and the text
before and after the Checked Text in blue. For text area checkpoints, only
the text string captured from the defined area is displayed (Text Before and
Text After are not displayed).

To designate parts of the captured string as Checked Text and other parts as
Text Before and Text After, click the Configure button. The Configure Text
Selection dialog box opens.

For more information about configuring the text selection, see “Configuring
the Text Selection” on page 161.

To set parameterization and other preferences for each of the string
elements in your checkpoint, select the string element type (Checked Text /
Text Before / Text After) from the list box and select your preferences. For
more information, see “Setting Options for the Checked Text” on page 163,
“Setting Options for Text Displayed Before the Checked Text” on page 164,
and “Setting Options for Text Displayed After the Checked Text” on
page 166.

The bottom part of the dialog box enables you to specify the time interval
during which QuickTest attempts to perform the checkpoint successfully.
You can also specify when to perform the checkpoint. For more
information, see “Setting General Checkpoint Options” on page 167.

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Configuring the Text Selection
You can configure the text selection displayed in the Checkpoint Summary
pane using the following options:

Option Description

Configure Opens the Configure Text Selection dialog box, where you
can specify the checked text, the text before (if any), and
the text after (if any).

Checkpoint Displays the text configuration you make using the
summary Configure Text Selection dialog box.

Reset Resets the text selection to the previous configuration.

The Configure Text Selection dialog box displays the text you captured
when creating the text checkpoint. For text checkpoints, it also displays
some text before and after the selected text. QuickTest displays the checked
text in red and the text before and after it in black (as indicated in the
Legend displayed in the dialog box).

For text area checkpoints, you can designate parts of the captured text as
checked text, and other parts as text before and text after.

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Note: If you are modifying an existing text checkpoint, the Configure Text
Selection dialog box displays the existing text configuration.

Tip: If you want to configure more text than is displayed, cancel the text
checkpoint and make a larger text selection in your Web page or application
window.

You can specify the parts of the displayed text for the checkpoint by
highlighting them and clicking one of the following buttons:

Option Description

Checked Text Sets the highlighted text as the checked text. QuickTest
displays this text in red and the remainder in black.

Text Before Sets the highlighted text as the text before the checked
text.

Text After Sets the highlighted text as the text after the checked text.

Note: QuickTest displays in gray any text that is not configured as Checked
Text, Text Before, or Text After. The gray text is not displayed the next time
the Configure Text Selection dialog box is opened.

When you close the Configure Text Selection dialog box, the Checkpoint
Summary pane displays the new text selection configuration.

The middle area of the Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties dialog box
enables you to set options for the checked text, text before, and text after as
described in the following sections.

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Setting Options for the Checked Text

Choose Checked Text from the list box. In the Checked Text area, you can
indicate whether you want the checked text to be a constant or a parameter,
and you can set the criteria for a successful match. Choose from the
following options for the checked text:

➤ Constant (default)—Sets the expected value of the checked text as a
constant. For information on modifying values, see “Setting Values in the
Configure Value Area” on page 286.

Tip: The Constant box displays the checked text. You can change the
checked text by typing in the Constant box or by using the Configure Text
Selection dialog box.

➤ Parameter—Sets the expected value of the checked text as a parameter. For
information on modifying values, see “Setting Values in the Configure Value
Area” on page 286.
➤ Match case—Conducts a case-sensitive check.
➤ Exact match—Checks for the exact expected text. For example, you create a
checkpoint with the following description—Check that New York is displayed
between Flight departing from and to San Francisco and select Exact match. If
the actual text is New York City, the checkpoint fails. If you do not select
Exact match, the checkpoint passes because the expected text is contained
within the actual text.
➤ Ignore spaces—Ignores spaces in the captured text when performing the
check. The presence or absence of spaces does not affect the outcome of the
check.
➤ Text not displayed—Checks that the text string is not displayed. For
example, you create a checkpoint with the following description— Check
that New York is displayed between Flight departing from and to San Francisco
and select Text not displayed. QuickTest checks that the text New York is not
displayed.

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Setting Options for Text Displayed Before the Checked Text
Choose Text Before from the list box. In the Text Before area, you can set
the text before the checked text as a constant or a parameter.

You can choose from the following options for setting the text displayed
before the checked text:
➤ Use the text before—Checks the text before the checked text. To ignore this
text, clear this check box.
➤ Text to check is displayed after occurrence—Checks that the checked text is
displayed after the specified text.
If the identical text string you specify is displayed more than once on the
page, you can specify to which occurrence of the string you are referring.
If you accept the default text that QuickTest recommends, the number in
the dialog box will be correct. If you modify the text, confirm that the
occurrence number is also accurate.

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If you choose a non-unique text string, change the occurrence number
appropriately. For example, if you want to check that the words Mercury
Tours are displayed after the fourth occurrence of the word the, enter 4 in
the Text to check is displayed after occurrence box.
➤ Constant (default)—Sets the expected value of the text before the checked
text as a constant. For information on modifying values, see “Setting Values
If you modify the text, use a string that is unique within the object
whenever possible, so that the occurrence number is 1.

Tip: The Constant box displays the text before the checked text. You can
change the text by typing in the Constant box or by using the Configure
Text Selection dialog box.

➤ Parameter—Sets the expected value of the text before the checked text as a
parameter. For information on modifying values, see “Setting Values in the

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Setting Options for Text Displayed After the Checked Text
Choose Text After from the list box. In the Text After area, you can set the
text after the checked text as a constant or a parameter.

You can choose from the following options for setting which text is
displayed after the checked text:

➤ Use the text after—Checks the text after the checked text. To ignore this
text, clear this check box.
➤ Text to check is displayed before occurrence—Checks that the checked text
is displayed before the specified text. QuickTest starts counting occurrences
of the is displayed before text you specify, from the end of the is displayed
after string. In other words, it starts looking for the specified text from the
text you selected to check.

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the dialog box will be correct. If you modify the recommended text string
and the string you specify is displayed in your highlighted text as well as in
the is displayed before text, you need to modify the occurrence number
accordingly.
For example, if you want to check that the words my hat is the best are
displayed before the word hat, enter 2 in the Text to check is displayed
before occurrence box, to show that you want your text to be displayed
before the second occurrence of the word hat.
➤ Constant (default)—Sets the expected value of the text after the checked text
as a constant. For information on modifying values, see “Setting Values in
the Configure Value Area” on page 286.
If you modify the text, use a string that is unique within the object
whenever possible, so that the occurrence number is 1.

Tip: The Constant box displays the text after the checked text. You can
change the text by typing in the Constant box or by using the Configure
Text Selection dialog box.

➤ Parameter—Sets the expected value of the text after the checked text as a
parameter. For information on modifying values, see “Setting Values in the

Setting General Checkpoint Options
The bottom part of the Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties dialog box
contains the following options:

checkpoint fails.

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For example, suppose it takes time for an object to achieve an expected
state. Increasing the checkpoint timeout value in this case can ensure that
the object has sufficient time to achieve that state and therefore enables the
checkpoint to pass before the end of the timeout period is reached.
window.

Note: The Checkpoint timeout option is only available when creating a text
checkpoint. It is not available when creating a text area checkpoint.

➤ Insert statement—Specifies when to perform the checkpoint. Choose Before
current step if you want to check the value of the text before the
highlighted step is performed. Choose After current step if you want to
check the value of the text after the highlighted step is performed.

Note: The Insert statement option is not available when adding a new text
checkpoint or a text area checkpoint during recording, or when modifying
an existing checkpoint. It is available only when adding a new text
checkpoint to an existing test or component while editing.

Modifying a Text or Text Area Checkpoint
You can modify an existing text or text area checkpoint.

To modify a text or text area checkpoint:
1 In the Keyword View, right-click the checkpoint that you want to modify.
2 Select Checkpoint Properties. The Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties
dialog box opens.
3 Modify the settings. For more information, see “Understanding the
Text/Text Area Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on page 159.

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10
Checking Bitmaps

QuickTest enables you to compare objects in a Web page or application by
matching captured bitmaps.


➤ About Checking Bitmaps
➤ Checking a Bitmap
➤ Modifying a Bitmap Checkpoint

About Checking Bitmaps
You can check an area of a Web page or application as a bitmap. While
creating a test or component, you specify the area you want to check by
selecting an object. You can check an entire object or any area within an
object. QuickTest captures the specified object as a bitmap, and inserts a
checkpoint in the test or component. You can also choose to save only the
selected area of the object with your test or component in order to save disk
space.

When you run the test or component, QuickTest compares the object or
selected area of the object currently displayed on the Web page or
application with the bitmap stored when the test or component was
recorded. If there are differences, QuickTest captures a bitmap of the actual
object and displays it with the expected bitmap in the details portion of the
Test Results window. By comparing the two bitmaps (expected and actual),
you can identify the nature of the discrepancy. For more information on test
results of a checkpoint, see “Viewing Checkpoint Results” on page 557.

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For example, suppose you have a Web site that can display a map of a city
the user specifies. The map has control keys for zooming. You can record the
new map that is displayed after one click on the control key that zooms in
the map. Using the bitmap checkpoint, you can check that the map zooms
in correctly.

You can create bitmap checkpoints for all supported testing environments
(as long as the appropriate add-ins are loaded).

Note: The results of bitmap checkpoints may be affected by factors such as
operating system, screen resolution, and color settings.

Checking a Bitmap
You can add a bitmap checkpoint while recording or editing your test or
component.

To create a bitmap checkpoint while recording:
1 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Bitmap Checkpoint or click the arrow beside
the Insert Checkpoint button and choose Bitmap Checkpoint.
pointing hand.

Note: If the object you want to check can only be displayed by performing
an event (such as a right-click or a mouse over to display a context menu),
arrow and you can perform the event. When the object you want to check is
displayed, release the CTRL key. The arrow becomes a pointing hand again.
You can also use the CTRL key to change the window focus. Note that

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Chapter 10 • Checking Bitmaps

2 Click an object to check in your Web page or application. If the location you
click is associated with more than one object, the Object Selection - Bitmap

Tip: Select an object from the tree on which to create a bitmap checkpoint.
If you want to create a bitmap checkpoint of multiple objects, you should
select the highest level object that includes all the objects to include in the
bitmap checkpoint.

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3 Click OK. The Bitmap Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.

A bitmap of the object you selected in the previous step is displayed in the
dialog box.
4 If you want to check a specific area of the object, click the Select Area
button. Use the crosshairs pointer to specify the area you want to select.
This instructs QuickTest to check only the selected area and to ignore the
remainder of the bitmap. The Test Results window displays the bitmap with
this area highlighted.

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5 If you want to save only the selected area of the object with your test or
component (to save disk space), select the Save only selected area check
box. The Test Results window displays only the selected area of the bitmap.

Note: If you select the Save only selected area check box, you can later
modify the checkpoint by selecting a smaller area within the selected area,
but you cannot return the bitmap to its former size. The Update Run option
(Test > Update Run) only updates the saved area of the bitmap, it does not
update the original, full size object. To include more of the object in the
checkpoint, create a new checkpoint.

6 Specify the Checkpoint Timeout if you want to define the time interval (in
seconds) during which QuickTest attempts to perform the checkpoint
successfully. QuickTest continues to perform the checkpoint until it passes
or until the timeout occurs. If the checkpoint does not pass before the
timeout occurs, the checkpoint fails.
ensure that the object has sufficient time to achieve that state and therefore
enables the checkpoint to pass before the end of the timeout period is
reached.
window.
7 Click OK to add the bitmap checkpoint to your test or component. A
checkpoint statement is added for the selected object in the Keyword View
and Expert View.

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To create a bitmap checkpoint while editing:
2 Click a step in the Keyword View to add a checkpoint. The Active Screen
displays the Web page or application corresponding to the highlighted step.
3 Right-click an object in the Active Screen and choose Insert Bitmap
Checkpoint. If the location you click is associated with more than one
object, the Object Selection - Bitmap Checkpoint Properties dialog box
opens.

Note: Select an object from the tree on which to create a bitmap checkpoint.
Ensure that the object you select is completely visible. Otherwise, if another
application is overlapping the object, it will also be captured.

Tip: If you want to create a bitmap checkpoint of multiple objects, you
should select a parent object that includes all the objects to include in the
bitmap checkpoint.

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4 Click OK. The Bitmap Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.

A bitmap of the object you selected in the previous step is displayed in the
dialog box.
5 If you want to check a specific area of the object, click the Select Area
button. Use the crosshairs pointer to specify the area you want to select.
This instructs QuickTest to check only the selected area and to ignore the
remainder of the bitmap. The Test Results window displays the bitmap with
this area highlighted.

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6 If you want to save only the selected area of the object with your test or
component (to save disk space), select the Save only selected area check

Note: If you select the Save only selected area check box, you can later
modify the checkpoint by selecting a smaller area within the selected area,
but you cannot return the bitmap to its former size. The Update Run option
(Test > Update Run) only updates the saved area of the bitmap, it does not
update the original, full size object. To include more of the object in the
checkpoint, create a new checkpoint.

reached. You can see information about the checkpoint timeout, including
the time interval used by QuickTest to perform the checkpoint, in the Test
Results window.

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8 Choose to insert the bitmap checkpoint before or after the highlighted step.

Notes:

Choose Before current step if you want to check the bitmap before the
highlighted step is performed. Choose After current step if you want to
check the bitmap after the highlighted step is performed.
The Insert statement option is not available when adding a new bitmap
checkpoint during recording or when modifying an existing bitmap
checkpoint. It is available only when adding a new bitmap checkpoint to an
existing test or component.

9 Click OK to add the bitmap checkpoint. A checkpoint statement is added for
the selected object in the Keyword View and Expert View.

Modifying a Bitmap Checkpoint
You can modify an existing bitmap checkpoint.

Note: If you selected the Save only selected area check box when you
created or previously modified the checkpoint, then you can only modify
the checkpoint by selecting a smaller area within the bitmap; you cannot
return the bitmap to its former size. The Update Run option (Test > Update
Run) only updates the saved area of the bitmap, it does not update the
original, full size object. To include more of the object in the checkpoint,
create a new checkpoint.

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To modify a bitmap checkpoint:
1 In the Test pane, right-click the bitmap checkpoint that you want to modify
and select Checkpoint Properties. The Bitmap Checkpoint Properties dialog
box opens and displays the object or area you saved with the checkpoint.

2 Click the Select Area button. Use the crosshairs pointer to specify the area
you want to select. This instructs QuickTest to check only the selected area
and to ignore the remainder of the bitmap. The Test Results window
displays the bitmap with this area highlighted.
3 If you want to save only the newly selected area of the object with your test
or component (to save disk space), select the Save only selected area check

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reached.
window.
5 Click OK to modify the checkpoint.

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180

11
Checking XML

By adding XML checkpoints to your test or component, you can check the
contents of individual XML data files or documents that are part of your
Web application.


➤ About Checking XML
➤ Creating XML Checkpoints
➤ Modifying XML Checkpoints
➤ Reviewing XML Checkpoint Results
➤ Using XML Objects and Methods to Enhance Your Test or Component

About Checking XML
XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a meta-markup language for text
documents that is endorsed as a standard by the W3C. XML makes the
complex data structures portable between different computer
environments/operating systems and programming languages, facilitating
the sharing of data.

XML files contain text with simple tags that describe the data within an
XML document. These tags describe the data content, but not the
presentation of the data. Applications that display an XML document or file
use either Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) or XSL Formatting Objects (XSL-FO)
to present the data.

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You can verify the data content of XML files by inserting XML checkpoints.
A few common uses of XML checkpoints are described below:

➤ An XML file can be a static data file that is accessed in order to retrieve
commonly used data for which a quick response time is needed—for
example, country names, zip codes, or area codes. Although this data can
change over time, it is normally quite static. You can use an XML file
checkpoint to validate that the data has not changed from one application
release to another.
➤ An XML file can consist of elements with attributes and values (character
data). There is a parent and child relationship between the elements, and
elements can have attributes associated with them. If any part of this
structure (including data) changes, your application’s ability to process the
XML file may be affected. Using an XML checkpoint, you can check the
content of an element to make sure that its tags, attributes, and values have
not changed.
➤ XML files are often an intermediary that retrieves dynamically changing
data from one system. The data is then accessed by another system using
Document Type Definitions (DTD), enabling the accessing system to read
and display the information in the file. You can use an XML checkpoint and
parameterize the captured data values in order to check an XML document
or file whose data changes in a predictable way.
➤ XML documents and files often need a well-defined structure in order to be
portable across platforms and development systems. One way to accomplish
this is by developing an XML schema, which describes the structure of the
XML elements and data types. You can use schema validation to check that
each item of content in an XML file adheres to the schema description of
the element in which the content is to be placed.

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Chapter 11 • Checking XML

Creating XML Checkpoints
You can create two types of XML checkpoints:

➤ XML Web Page/Frame Checkpoint—Checks an XML document within a
Web page or frame.
➤ File Checkpoint—Checks a specified XML file.

Creating XML Web Page/Frame Checkpoints
You can create an XML Web page/frame checkpoint for any XML document
contained in a Web page or frame. Note that you can create an XML Web
page/frame checkpoint only while recording.

To create an XML Web page/frame checkpoint:
1 Begin recording your test or component.
2 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > XML Checkpoint (Web Page/Frame), or click
the Insert Checkpoint arrow and select XML Checkpoint (Web Page/Frame).

Note: The XML Checkpoint (Web Page/Frame) option is available only
when the Web Add-in is installed and loaded. For more information on
loading add-ins, see Chapter 29, “Working with QuickTest Add-Ins.”

The QuickTest window is minimized and the mouse pointer becomes a
pointing hand.


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3 Click a Web page or frame to check the XML documents associated with the
page.
If only one XML file is associated with the Web page or frame, the XML
Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens. In this case, proceed to step 5.
If more than one XML document is associated with the selected location,
the Object Selection - XML Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.

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4 Select the XML document you want to check, and click OK. The XML

The XML Checkpoint Properties dialog box displays the element hierarchy
and values (character data) of the selected XML document.

Note: QuickTest loads large XML files in the background. While the file is
loading, an indication of this is shown in the XML Checkpoint Properties
dialog box, and you can only select XML nodes that are already loaded.

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5 Select the element(s), attribute(s), and/or value(s) that you want to check.
For each element you want to check, select the checks you want to perform.
For each attribute or value you want to check, select the checks you want to
perform, or the parameterization options you want to set.
For more information on these options, see “Understanding the XML
6 If you want to check that the XML structure adheres to a specific XML
schema, click Activate Schema Validation and set the required options. For
more information on these options, see “Understanding the Schema
Validation Dialog Box” on page 197.
7 Click OK to add the XML checkpoint. A checkpoint similar to the following
is added to the Keyword View.

QuickTest records this step in the Expert View as:

Browser("Simple XML Example").Page("Simple XML Example").
Frame("contents").WebXML("AccessoriesXML").
Check CheckPoint("AccessoriesXML")

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Creating XML File Checkpoints
You create XML file checkpoints in order to directly access and verify
specified XML files in your system. Note that you can create an XML file
checkpoint while you are recording or editing your test or component.

To create an XML file checkpoint:
1 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > XML Checkpoint (File), or click the Insert
Checkpoint arrow and select XML Checkpoint (File). The XML Checkpoint
from File dialog box opens.

2 In the XML file box, enter the file path or Internet address of the XML file.
Alternatively, click the browse button to navigate to the XML file for which
you want to create a checkpoint. You can specify an XML file either from
your file system or from Quality Center.

Note: You can enter a relative path and QuickTest will search for the XML
file in the folders listed in the Folders tab of the Options dialog box. Once
QuickTest locates the file, it saves it as an absolute path and uses the
absolute path during the run session. For more information, see Chapter 24,
“Setting Folder Testing Options.”

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3 Click OK. The XML Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.

The XML Checkpoint Properties dialog box displays the element hierarchy
and values (character data) of the selected XML file.

dialog box, and you can only select XML nodes that are already loaded.

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4 Select the element(s), attribute(s), and/or value(s) that you want to check.
For each element you want to check, select the checks you want to perform.
For each attribute or value you want to check, select the checks you want to
perform, or the parameterization options you want to set.
For more information on these options, see “Understanding the XML
5 If you want to check that the XML structure adheres to a specific XML
schema, click Activate Schema Validation and set the required options. For
more information on these options, see “Understanding the Schema
6 If you are inserting the checkpoint while editing, choose whether you want
to insert the XML checkpoint before or after the highlighted step. Choose
Before current step if you want to check the XML file before the highlighted
step is performed. Choose After current step if you want to check the XML
file after the highlighted step is performed.

Note: The Insert statement options are not available if you are adding an
XML checkpoint while recording, or if you are modifying an existing XML
checkpoint. It is available only if you are adding a new XML checkpoint to
an existing test or component.

7 Click OK to add the XML checkpoint. A checkpoint similar to the following
is added to the Keyword View.

QuickTest inserts this step as follows in the Expert View:

XMLFile("books.xml").Check CheckPoint("books.xml")

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Understanding the XML Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box
The XML Checkpoint Properties dialog box enables you to choose which
elements, attributes, and/or values to check.

dialog box. You can only select XML nodes that are already fully loaded.

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The top part of the dialog box displays test object information about the
selected XML document or file:

Option Description

Name The name assigned to the checkpoint and step.

Class The test object class. This is either XMLFile (for files) or
WebXML (for Web pages or frames).

XML Checkpoint Control Buttons
In the right-hand corner, above the XML Tree, there are four control
buttons:

Option Description

Select All Selects all elements and values in the XML Tree.

Clear All Clears all elements and values in the XML Tree.

Open Value Opens the Element Value dialog box, enabling you to view
Dialog the complete value of each element. This button is enabled
only when a value item is selected. Note that you can also
open the Element Value dialog box by double-clicking a
value tree item.
For more information, see “Understanding the Element
Value Dialog Box” on page 196.

Expands the window in order to display the attributes of the
selected XML element. The attributes are displayed to the
Attributes right of the XML Tree. Note that you can click this button
again to hide the attributes.

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XML Tree Pane
The XML Tree pane displays the hierarchy of the XML file, enabling you to
select the elements, attributes and/or values you want to check.

Option Description

XML Tree The XML Tree displays the hierarchal relationship between
each element and value in the XML document or file. Each
element is displayed with a icon. Each value is displayed
with a icon.

Attributes When you click the Attributes >> button, the attributes
Pane associated with the selected element are displayed in the
Attributes pane to the right of the XML Tree. The attributes
pane lists the name and value of each attribute. Note that you
can click this button again to hide the Attributes pane.

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Checkpoint Options Pane
The checkpoint options pane enables you to select the types of checks you
want to perform on selected elements and/or the parameterization options
you want to set for selected values and attributes.

➤ Element Checks
When you select an element in the XML Tree, the checkpoint options pane
displays the Element Checks area, which includes the name of the selected
element and the available element checks.

The following element checks are available:

Option Description

Attribute Checks the values of the attributes that are attached to the
values element (selected by default).

Number of Checks the number of attributes that are attached to the
attributes element.

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Option Description

Number of Displays the number of child elements associated with the
child element selected parent element. If you select this option, QuickTest
occurrences in verifies that the number of child elements in your XML
block document or file (with the specified name, if applicable)
corresponds to the number that appears in the read-only
Number of child element occurrences in block field.
(selected by default)

Element Specifies the child element name for the Number of child
element occurrences check. If you select a child element name,
QuickTest verifies that the number of child elements with that
name corresponds to the number that appears in the read-only
Number of child element occurrences in block field.
Select Any Child (default) to check the total number of child
elements associated with the selected parent element.

➤ Configure Value Checks
When you select an element value or attribute in the XML Tree or attributes
pane, the checkpoint options pane displays the Configure Value area,
enabling you to define the value as a constant or parameterize the value or
attribute.

For more information about modifying values, see “Setting Values in the

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The following Configure Value options are available:

Option Description

Constant Sets the expected value of the selected element value
(character data) or attribute as a constant.

Parameter Sets the expected value of the selected element value
(character data) or attribute as a parameter.

For more information on parameterizing values and attributes, see

➤ Activate Schema Validation
You can use the Activate Schema Validation button to confirm that the XML
in your application or file adheres to the XML structure defined in a specific
XML schema or schemas. You can validate the XML structure using one or
more external schema files or using schema(s) embedded within your XML
document. For more information, see “Understanding the Schema

➤ Insert statement options
If you are inserting a checkpoint while editing your test or component, the
bottom part of the XML Checkpoint Properties dialog box displays the
Insert statement options, enabling you to choose whether you want to
insert the XML checkpoint before or after the step that you highlighted.
Choose Before current step if you want to check the value of the text before
the highlighted step is performed. Choose After current step if you want to
check the value of the text after the highlighted step is performed.

Note: The Insert statement options are not available if you are adding an
XML checkpoint while recording or if you are modifying an existing XML
checkpoint. They are available only if you are adding a new XML
checkpoint to an existing test or component.

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Understanding the Element Value Dialog Box
The XML Tree in the XML Checkpoint Properties dialog box and XML
Output Value dialog box displays values in a single line. There is limited
space for a value to be displayed in both the XML Tree and tooltip (which is
displayed when you hold your mouse over the value). The Element Value
dialog box enables you to view multi-line values and/or values that are very
long.

The following is an example of an Element Value dialog box for a multi-line
value with several line breaks.

The Element Value dialog box contains the following options:

Option Description

Enables you to navigate forward through the element
values in the XML Tree. Clicking this button displays
the next value in the XML Tree.

Enables you to navigate backward through the element
values in the XML Tree. Clicking this button displays
the previous value in the XML Tree.

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Understanding the Schema Validation Dialog Box
The Schema Validation dialog box enables you to specify an XML schema
against which you want to validate the structure of the XML in your
application or file.

The Schema Validation dialog box contains the following options:

➤ Disable schema validation—Specifies that you do not want to validate the
XML in your application or file against an XML schema. This is the default
option.
➤ Use the schema defined in the XML document—Instructs QuickTest to use
the schema or schemas defined within your XML document to validate the
structure of the XML in your Web page/frame or file.
➤ Use single external schema—Instructs QuickTest to use an external XML
schema file to validate the structure of your XML. If you select this option,
specify the following:

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➤ Schema path or URL—Enter the path or URL of your XML schema file.
Alternatively, click the browse button to navigate to the XML schema
you want to use to validate the XML in your Web page/frame or file. You
can specify a schema file either from your file system or from Quality
Center.
➤ Schema namespace (if applicable)—If your schema file has a namespace,
specify it. QuickTest checks that the namespace matches the schema file
as part of the validation process. If the schema file has a namespace and
you do not specify it, or if the namespace you specify is different than
the one specified in the schema file, the validation will fail.
➤ Use multiple external schemas—Instructs QuickTest to use multiple external
XML schema files to validate the structure of your XML. You can specify a
schema file either from your file system or from Quality Center. For each
external file you want to use, you must specify its path or URL and
namespace.
If you select this option, the following toolbar buttons are enabled:

Button Description

Enables you to add an external schema file to the list. For more
information, see “Understanding the Add Schema Dialog Box” on
page 200.

Enables you to modify the details of an external schema file in the
list. For more information, see “Understanding the Edit Schema
Dialog Box” on page 200.

Enables you to remove an external schema file from the list.

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Guidelines for Schema Validation
Following are specific guidelines that you should adhere to when specifying
a schema file to validate your XML.

➤ If there is more than one schema embedded in the XML, QuickTest
recognizes each individual schema and compares the relevant section of the
XML document against the schema for the corresponding section.
➤ When specifying multiple external schemas either from your file system or
from Quality Center, the paths cannot include spaces. When specifying
multiple external schemas from Quality Center, QuickTest ignores the
"[Quality Center] " part of the file path, but the remainder of the path must
not contain spaces.
➤ If you are validating an XML file using a schema defined in the XML file, the
schema can be defined with an absolute or relative path. When you specify
a relative path, QuickTest searches for the schema in the folders listed in the
Folders tab of the Options dialog box. For more information, see
Chapter 24, “Setting Folder Testing Options.”
➤ If you are validating an XML document located on the Web with a schema
file located on your file system, you cannot use UNC format (for example,
ComputerNamePathToSchema) to specify the schema file location.
Instead, map the schema file location to a network drive.
➤ Using an external XML schema file to validate an XML document may cause
an unexpected result if the XML document has an XML schema declaration
defined in the document, and the namespace in the external schema file
and the schema defined in the document are not identical.
➤ When you perform a schema validation, QuickTest validates all of the
elements in the XML document, even if certain XML elements are not
associated with a schema file. Any XML elements that are not associated
with a schema file will cause the schema validation to fail.

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Understanding the Add Schema Dialog Box
The Add Schema dialog box enables you to specify the path or URL of an
external schema file. For each external schema file, you must also specify its
namespace.

Understanding the Edit Schema Dialog Box
The Edit Schema dialog box displays the path and namespace of the schema
file you selected in the list. You can modify the path or URL of the selected
schema file. You can also modify its namespace.

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Modifying XML Checkpoints
You can change the expected data and settings of an existing XML
checkpoint.

To modify an XML checkpoint:
1 In the Keyword View or the Expert View, right-click the XML checkpoint
2 Select Checkpoint Properties. The XML Checkpoint Properties dialog box
opens.
3 Modify the settings as described in the previous sections.

Reviewing XML Checkpoint Results
By adding XML checkpoints to your tests and components, you can verify
that the data and structure in your XML documents or files has not changed
unexpectedly. When you run your test or component, QuickTest compares
the expected results of the checkpoint to the actual results of the run
session. If the results do not match, the checkpoint fails.

You can view summary results of the XML checkpoint in the Test Results
window. You can view detailed results by opening the XML Checkpoint
Results window. For more information on XML checkpoint results, see
“Analyzing XML Checkpoint Results” on page 564.

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Using XML Objects and Methods to Enhance Your Test or
Component
QuickTest provides several scripting methods that you can use with XML
data. You can use these scripting methods to retrieve data and return new
XML objects from existing XML data. You can also use these methods to
create and manipulate new XML objects. You do this by entering XML
statements in the Expert View. For more information about programming in
the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert View.”

For additional information on XML objects and methods, refer to the
Supplemental section of the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

202

12
Parameterizing Values

QuickTest enables you to expand the scope of a basic test or component by
replacing fixed values with parameters. This process, known as
parameterization, greatly increases the power and flexibility of your test or
component.


➤ About Parameterizing Values
➤ Parameterizing Values in Steps and Checkpoints
➤ Using Test, Action, and Component Input Parameters
➤ Using Data Table Parameters
➤ Using Environment Variable Parameters
➤ Using Random Number Parameters
➤ Example of a Parameterized Test
➤ Using the Data Driver to Parameterize Your Test

About Parameterizing Values
You can use the parameter feature in QuickTest to enhance your test or
component by parameterizing the values that it uses. A parameter is a
variable that is assigned a value from an external data source or generator.

You can parameterize values in steps and checkpoints in your test or
component. You can also parameterize the values of action parameters.

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If you wish to parameterize the same value in several steps in your test or
component, you may want to consider using the Data Driver rather than
adding parameters manually.

There are four types of parameters:

➤ Test, action or component parameters enable you to use values passed
from your test or component, or values from other actions in your test.
In order to use a value within a specific action, you must pass the value
down through the action hierarchy of your test to the required action. You
can then use that parameter value to parameterize a step in your test or
component.
For example, suppose that you want to parameterize a step in Action3 using
a value that is passed into your test from the external application that runs
(calls) your test. You can pass the value from the test level to Action1 (a top-
level action) to Action3 (a child action of Action1), and then parameterize
the required step using this Action input parameter value (that was passed
through from the external application).
➤ Data Table parameters enable you to create a data-driven test (or action)
that runs several times using the data you supply. In each repetition, or
iteration, QuickTest uses a different value from the Data Table.
For example, suppose your application or Web site includes a feature that
enables users to search for contact information from a membership
database. When the user enters a member’s name, the member’s contact
information is displayed, together with a button labelled View
<MemName>’s Picture, where <MemName> is the name of the member.
You can parameterize the name property of the button so that during each
iteration of the run session, QuickTest can identify the different picture
buttons.
➤ Environment variable parameters enable you to use variable values from
other sources during the run session. These may be values you supply, or
values that QuickTest generates for you based on conditions and options
you choose.

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Chapter 12 • Parameterizing Values

For example, you can have QuickTest read all the values for filling in a Web
form from an external file, or you can use one of QuickTest’s built-in
environment variables to insert current information about the machine
running the test or component.
➤ Random number parameters enable you to insert random numbers as
values in your test or component. For example, to check how your
application handles small and large ticket orders, you can have QuickTest
generate a random number and insert it in a number of tickets edit field.

Parameterizing Values in Steps and Checkpoints
You can parameterize values in steps and checkpoints while recording or
editing your test or component.

You can parameterize the values of object properties for a selected step. You
can also parameterize the values of the operation (method or function
arguments) defined for the step.

For example, your application or Web site may include a form with an edit
field into which the user types the user name. You may want to test whether
your application or Web site reads this information and displays it correctly
in a dialog. You can insert a text checkpoint that uses the built-in
environment variable for the logged-in user name, to check whether the
displayed information is correct.

Note: When you parameterize the value of an object property, you are
modifying the test object description in the object repository. Therefore, all
occurrences of the specified object within the test, action, or component are
parameterized. For more information on the object repository, see
Chapter 4, “Managing Test Objects.”

Parameterizing the value of a checkpoint property enables you to check how
an application or Web site performs the same operation based on different
data.

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For example, if you are testing the Mercury Tours sample Web site, you may
create a checkpoint to check that once you book a ticket, it is booked
correctly. Suppose that you want to check that flights are booked correctly
for a variety of different destinations. Rather than create a separate test or
component with a separate checkpoint for each destination, you can add a
Data Table parameter for the destination information. For each iteration of
the test or component, QuickTest checks the flight information for a
different destination.

For more information on using checkpoints, see Chapter 6, “Understanding
Checkpoints.”

When you define a value as a parameter, you first select the value and then
specify the parameter type and its settings.

For more information on using specific parameter types, see:

➤ “Using Test, Action, and Component Input Parameters” on page 211
➤ “Using Data Table Parameters” on page 215
➤ “Using Environment Variable Parameters” on page 222
➤ “Using Random Number Parameters” on page 233

You can parameterize values in existing steps and checkpoints for object
properties, checkpoint properties, and operations (method and function
arguments). For more information, see:

➤ “Parameterizing Property Values for Objects and Checkpoints” on page 207
➤ “Parameterizing Values for Operations” on page 208

Tip: When you use the Step Generator to add new steps, you can
parameterize the values for the operation you select. For more information,
see “Inserting Steps Using the Step Generator” on page 467.

206


Parameterizing Property Values for Objects and Checkpoints
You can parameterize the values for one or more properties of an object in
the Object Properties or Object Repository dialog box. You can parameterize
the values for one or more properties of a checkpoint in the Checkpoint
Properties dialog box.

To parameterize object or checkpoint property values:
1 Open the dialog box for the object properties or checkpoint properties in
one of the following ways:
➤ Choose Step > Object Properties, or right-click a step and choose Object
Properties. The Object Properties dialog box opens.
➤ Choose Tools > Object Repository, click the Object Repository toolbar
button, or right-click the action or component containing the object and
choose Object Repository. The Object Repository dialog box opens.
➤ Choose Step > Checkpoint Properties, or right-click the checkpoint and
choose Checkpoint Properties.
2 Select the property that you want to parameterize.
3 In the Configure value area of the dialog box, select Parameter.

If the value is already parameterized, the Parameter box displays the current
parameter definition for the value. If the value is not yet parameterized, the
Parameter box displays the default parameter definition for the value. For
more information, see “Understanding Default Parameter Values” on
page 210.

207


4 Accept or change the displayed parameter definition:
➤ To accept the displayed parameter statement and close the dialog box,
click OK.
➤ To accept the displayed parameter statement and parameterize another of
the displayed values, select another property.
➤ To change the parameter type or modify the value settings for the
selected property, click the Parameter Options button. The Parameter
Options dialog box opens for the displayed parameter type.

For more information on defining value settings for specific parameter
types, see:

➤ “Setting Test, Action, or Component Parameter Options” on page 213
➤ “Setting Data Table Parameter Options” on page 218
➤ “Choosing Global or Action Data Table Parameters” on page 220

Parameterizing Values for Operations
If the method or function used in the step has arguments, you can
parameterize the argument values as required. For example, if the operation
uses the Click method, you can parameterize the values for the x argument,
the y argument, or both.

When you select a parameterized value in the Keyword View, the icon for
the parameter type is displayed. For example, in the following segment, the
value of the Set method has been defined as a random number parameter.
QuickTest enters a random number value into the creditnumber edit box
each time the test or component runs.

You can parameterize operation values using the parameterization icon
in the Value column of the Keyword View.

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To parameterize a value for an operation using the parameterization icon:
1 In the Keyword View, click in the Value column of the required step.
2 Click the parameterization icon for the value that you want to
parameterize. The Value Configuration Options dialog box opens, showing
the currently defined value.

3 Select Parameter. If the value is already parameterized, the Parameter
section displays the current parameter definition for the value. If the value is
not yet parameterized, the Parameter section displays the default parameter
definition for the value. For more information, see “Understanding Default
Parameter Values” on page 210.
4 Accept or change the parameter definition:
➤ Click OK to accept the displayed parameter statement and close the
dialog box.
➤ Modify the value settings for the selected parameter type and click OK.
➤ Change the parameter type. The options in the Parameter section
change according to the parameter type you select.

209


For more information on configuring values for specific parameter types,
see:

➤ “Defining the Settings for a Test, Action, or Component Parameter” on
page 214
➤ “Defining the Settings for a Data Table Parameter” on page 219
➤ “Defining the Settings for an Environment Variable Parameter” on page 230
➤ “Defining Settings for a Random Number Parameter” on page 234

Understanding Default Parameter Values
When you select a value that has not yet been parameterized, QuickTest
generates a default parameter definition for the value. The following table
describes how the default parameter settings are determined:

Default
When Default parameter
Condition parameter
parameterizing name
type

A value for a At least one input Action The first input
step or a checkpoint action parameter is parameter parameter displayed
in an action defined in the in the Parameters
current action tab of the Action
Properties dialog
box

An input action At least one input Action The first input
parameter value for action parameter is parameter parameter displayed
a nested action defined for the in the Parameters
action calling the tab of the Action
nested action Properties dialog
box of the calling
action

An input action At least one input Test The first input
parameter value for parameter is parameter parameter displayed
a top-level action defined for the test in the Parameters
call tab of the Test
Settings dialog box

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Default
When Default parameter
Condition parameter
parameterizing name
type

A value for a At least one input Component The first input
step or checkpoint parameter is parameter parameter displayed
in a component defined for the in the Parameters
component tab of the Business
Component Settings
dialog box

If the relevant condition described above is not true, the default parameter
type is Data Table. If you accept the default parameter details, QuickTest
creates a new Data Table parameter with a name based on the selected value.

Data Table parameters for components are created in the Data Table
sheet for each component.

Data Table parameters for tests are created in the Global sheet.

For more information on Data Table sheets, see Chapter 18, “Working with
Data Tables.”

Using Test, Action, and Component Input Parameters
You can parameterize a step using a test, action, or component input
parameter, in order to use values that have been passed from the application
that ran (called) your test or component. For example, you can use an input
test parameter as the value for a method argument.

You can only parameterize a value using a test, action, or component
parameter if the parameter has been defined for the calling test, action or
component. For more information on defining parameters, see “Setting
Action Parameters” on page 370 and “Setting Action Call Parameter Values”
on page 379.

You can parameterize steps by selecting input component parameters in the
Parameter Options or Value Configuration Options dialog box.

211


The parameter options that are available in these dialog boxes depend on
where you are currently located in your test, and whether test, action, or
component parameters are defined. In addition, the option to parameterize
a value using a specific test, action, or component parameter is available
only if the value types match. For more information, see “Using Action
Parameters” on page 364 and “Defining Parameters for Your Test or

Alternatively, you can parameterize steps using the Alternatively, you can
enter the parameter name in the Expert View using the Parameter utility
object, in the format: Parameter("ParameterName"). For more information,
see “Using Action, or Component Parameters in Steps in the Expert View”
on page 214.

Tip: You can also create test, action, or component parameter output values
that retrieve values during the run session and store them for use at another
point in the run session. You can then use these output values to
parameterize a step in your test or component. For more information, see
“Outputting a Value to an Action or Component Parameter” on page 262.

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Setting Test, Action, or Component Parameter Options
When Test parameter, Action parameter, or Component parameter is
selected as the parameter type, you can select the required parameter in the
Parameter Options dialog box. The Parameter section of the Value
Configuration Options dialog box is very similar to the Parameter Options
dialog box.

Tip: When you open the Parameter Options dialog box, the default
parameter type may be set to Test parameter, Action parameter, or
Component parameter. For more information about default parameter type
settings, see “Understanding Default Parameter Values” on page 210.

213


Defining the Settings for a Test, Action, or Component Parameter
The following options are available for configuring test, action, or
component parameters:

Name—Specifies the name of the parameter.

Type—Displays the type defined for the parameter.

Description—Displays the description defined for the parameter.

You can also use test, action, or component parameter variables using
parameterization objects and methods in the Expert View. For more
information, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

Using Action, or Component Parameters in Steps in the Expert View
Instead of selecting input (or output) parameters from the appropriate
dialog boxes while parameterizing steps or inserting output value steps, you
can enter input and output parameters as values in the Expert View using
the Parameter utility object in the format: Parameter("ParameterName").

Suppose you have test steps that enter information in a form in order to
display a list of purchase orders in a table, and then return the total value of
the orders displayed in the table.

You can define input parameters, called SoldToCode and MaterialCode, for
the codes entered in the Sold to and Materials edit boxes of the form so that
the Orders table that is opened is controlled by the input parameter values
passed when the test is called.

You can define an output parameter, called TotalValue, to store the returned
value. The output value (TotalValue) could then be returned to the
application that called the test.

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The example described above might look something like this (parameters
are in bold font):

Browser("Mercury").Page("List Of Sales").WebEdit("Sold to").
Set Parameter("SoldToCode")
Browser("Mercury").Page("List Of Sales").WebEdit("Materials").
Set Parameter("MaterialCode")
Browser("Mercury").Page("List Of Sales").WebButton("Enter").Click
NumTableRows = Browser("Mercury").Page("List Of Sales").
WebTable("Orders").RowCount
Parameter("TotalValue") = Browser("Mercury").Page("List Of Sales").
WebTable("Orders").GetCellData(NumTableRows,"Total")

Using Data Table Parameters
You can supply the list of possible values for a parameter by creating a Data
Table parameter. Data Table parameters enable you to create a data-driven
test, component, or action that runs several times using the data you supply.
In each repetition, or iteration, QuickTest uses a different value from the
Data Table.

For example, consider the Mercury Tours sample Web site, which enables
you to book flight requests. To book a flight, you supply the flight itinerary
and click the Continue button. The site returns the available flights for the
requested itinerary.

You could conduct the test by accessing the Web site and recording the
submission of numerous queries. This is a slow, laborious, and inefficient
solution. By using Data Table parameters, you can run the test or
component for multiple queries in succession.

When you parameterize your test or component, you first record steps that
accesses the Web site and checks for the available flights for one requested
itinerary.

215


You then substitute the recorded itinerary with a Data Table parameter and
add your own sets of data in the global sheet of the Data Table, one for each
itinerary.

When you create a new Data Table parameter, a new column is added in the
Data Table and the current value you parameterized is placed in the first
row. If you parameterize a value and select an existing Data Table parameter,
then the values in the column for the selected parameter are retained, and
are not overwritten by the current value of the parameter.

Each column in the table represents the list of values for a single Data Table
parameter. The column header is the parameter name.

Each row in the table represents a set of values that QuickTest submits for all
the parameters during a single iteration of the test or component. When
you run your test or component, QuickTest runs one iteration of the test or
component for each row of data in the table. For example, a test with ten
rows in the global sheet of the Data Table will run ten times.

For more information on entering values in the Data Table, see Chapter 18,
“Working with Data Tables.”

Tip: You can also create Data Table output values, which retrieve values
during the run session and insert them into a column in the Data Table. You
can then use these columns as Data Table parameters in your test or
component. For more information, see Chapter 13, “Outputting Values.”

216


In the previous example, QuickTest submits a separate query for each
itinerary when you run the test or component.

217


Setting Data Table Parameter Options
When Data Table is selected as the parameter type, the Parameter Options
dialog box enables you to configure your parameter to use values from the
Data Table. The Parameter section of the Value Configuration Options
dialog box is very similar to the Parameter Options dialog box.

Tip: When you open the Parameter Options dialog box, Data Table may be
set as the default parameter type. For more information about default
parameter type settings, see “Understanding Default Parameter Values” on
page 210.

218


Defining the Settings for a Data Table Parameter
The following options are available for configuring Data Table parameters:

Name—Specifies the name of the parameter in the Data Table. You can
create a new parameter by using the default parameter name or entering a
new, descriptive name. Alternatively, you can select an existing Data Table
parameter from the list.

Note: The parameter name must be unique in the sheet. It can contain
letters, numbers, periods, and underscores. The first character of the
parameter name must be a letter or an underscore. If you specify an invalid
name, QuickTest displays a warning message when you click OK. You can
choose to edit the name manually or to instruct QuickTest to fix the name
automatically (by adding an underscore at the beginning of the name).

Location in Data Table—Specifies whether to store the parameter in the
global or current action sheet in the Data Table.

For more information about global and action parameters, see “Choosing
Global or Action Data Table Parameters” on page 220. For more information
about actions, see Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.”

If you are working in shared object repository mode, and you want to
parameterize an object property value, the Current action sheet (local)
option is disabled and you can store your parameter only in the global Data
Table. For more information, see “Parameterizing Test Objects in Shared
Object Repository Mode” on page 824.

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Advanced configuration (if applicable):

➤ Regular expression (if applicable)—Sets the value of the parameter as a
regular expression. For more information, see “Understanding and Using
Regular Expressions” on page 290. Note that this option is available only
when parameterizing checkpoint and object property values.
➤ Use Data Table formula (if applicable)—Inserts two columns in the Data
Table. The first column contains a formula that checks the validity of
output in the second column. QuickTest uses the data in the output
column to compute the formula, and inserts a value of TRUE or FALSE in
the table cell of the formula column. Note that this option is available
only for checkpoints. For more information on using Data Table
formulas, see “Using Formulas in the Data Table” on page 412.

Note: You can also define Data Table variables using parameterization
objects and methods in the Expert View. For more information, refer to the

Choosing Global or Action Data Table Parameters
When you parameterize a step in a test using the Data Table, you must
decide whether you want to make it a global Data Table parameter or an
action Data Table parameter.

Note: When working with components, there is only one type of Data
Table sheet and one type of Data Table parameter.

Global Data Table parameters take data from the global sheet in the Data
Table. The global sheet contains the data that replaces global parameters in
each iteration of the test. By default, the test runs one iteration for each row
in the global sheet of the Data Table. You can also set the test to run only
one iteration, or to run iterations on specified rows within the global sheet
of the Data Table. You can use the parameters defined in the global data
sheet in any action.

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Tip: By outputting values to the global Data Table sheet from one action
and using them as input parameters in another action, you can easily pass
values from one action to another. For more information, see Chapter 13,
“Outputting Values.”

For more information about setting global iteration preferences, see
“Defining Run Settings for Your Test” on page 665.

Action Data Table parameters take data from the action’s sheet in the Data
Table. The data in the action’s sheet replaces the action’s parameters in each
iteration of the action. By default, actions run only one iteration.

You can also set the action to run iterations for all rows in the action’s sheet
or to run iterations on specified rows within the action’s sheet. When you
set your action properties to run iterations on all rows, QuickTest inserts the
next value from the action’s data sheet into the corresponding action
parameter during each action iteration, while the values of the global
parameters stay constant.

For more information about setting action iteration preferences, see
“Inserting Calls to Existing Actions” on page 357.

Note: After running a parameterized test, you can view the actual values
taken from the Data Table in the Test Results Run-Time Data Table. For more
information, see “Viewing the Run-Time Data Table” on page 581.

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Using Environment Variable Parameters
QuickTest can insert a value from the Environment variable list, which is a
list of variables and corresponding values that can be accessed from your
test. Throughout the test run, the value of an environment variable remains
the same, regardless of the number of iterations, unless you change the
value of the variable programmatically in your script.

Tip: Environment parameters are especially useful for localization testing,
when you want to test an application where the user interface strings
change, depending on the selected language. Environment parameters can
be used for testing the same application on different browsers.

You can also vary the input values for each language by selecting a different
Data Table file each time you run the test. For more information, see

There are three types of environment variables:

➤ User-Defined Internal—variables that you define within the test. These
variables are saved with the test and are accessible only within the test in
which they were defined.
You can create or modify internal, user-defined environment variables for
your test in the Environment tab of the Test Settings dialog box or in the
Parameter Options dialog box.
For more information on creating or modifying environment variables in
the Test Settings dialog box, see “Defining Environment Settings for Your
Test or Component” on page 685.

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For information on creating or modifying environment variables in the
Parameter Options dialog box, see “Setting Environment Variable Parameter
Options” on page 229.

Tip: You can also create environment output values, which retrieve values
during the test run and output them to internal environment variable
parameters for use in your test. For more information, see Chapter 13,
“Outputting Values.”

➤ User-Defined External—variables that you predefine in the active external
environment variables file. You can create as many files as you want and
select an appropriate file for each test, or change files for each test run. Note
that external environment variable values are designated as read-only
within the test. For more information, see “Using User-Defined External
Environment Variables” on page 224.
➤ Built-in—variables that represent information about the test and the
computer on which the test is run, such as Test path and Operating system.
These variables are accessible from all tests and components, and are
designated as read-only. For more information, see “Using Built-in

Note: QuickTest also has a set of predefined environment variables that you
can use to set the values of the Record and Run Settings dialog options. You
should not use the names of these variables for any other purpose. For more
information, see “Using Environment Variables to Specify the Application
Details for Your Test” on page 709.

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Using User-Defined External Environment Variables
You can create a list of variable-value pairs in an external file in .xml format.
You can then select the file as the active external environment variable file
for a test and use the variables from the file as parameters.

You can set up your environment variable files manually, or you can define
the variables in the Environment tab of the Test Settings or Component
Settings dialog box and use the Export button to create the file with the
correct structure. For more information on exporting environment
variables, see Chapter 25, “Setting Options for Individual Tests or
Components.”

Notes:

You can also store environment variable files in Quality Center. For more
information, see “Using Environment Variable Files with Quality Center” on
page 226.

You can create several external variable files with the same variable names
and different values and then run the test several times, using a different file
each time. This is especially useful for localization testing.
You can continue to use existing external environment variable files that
were created for QuickTest 6.5 (in .ini format) in this version of QuickTest.

If you create your files manually, you must use the correct format, as defined
below. You can use the QuickTest environment variable file schema in:
<QuickTest Professional installation folder>helpQTEnvironment.xsd.

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To create an external environment variables file:
1 Create an xml file using the editor of your choice.
2 Type <Environment> on the first line.
3 Type each variable name-value pair within <Variable> elements in the
following format:

<Variable>
<Name>This is the first variable’s name</Name>
<Value>This is the first variable’s value</Value>
<Description> This text is optional and can be used to add comments. It is
shown only in the XML not in QuickTest)</Description>
</Variable>
4 Type </Environment> on the last line.
For example, your environment variables file may look like this:
<Environment>
<Variable>
<Name>Address1</Name>
<Value>25 Yellow Road</Value>
</Variable>
<Variable>
<Name>Address2</Name>
<Value>Greenville</Value>
</Variable>
<Variable>
<Name>Name</Name>
<Value>John Brown</Value>
</Variable>
<Variable>
<Name>Telephone</Name>
<Value>1-123-12345678</Value>
</Variable>
</Environment>
5 Save the file in a location that is accessible from the QuickTest computer.
The file must be in .xml format with an .xml file extension.

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To select the active external environment variables file:
1 Choose Test > Settings to open the Test Settings dialog box. For more
information about the Test Settings dialog box, see Chapter 25, “Setting
Options for Individual Tests or Components.”
2 Click the Environment tab.
3 Select User-defined from the Variables type list.
4 Select the Load variables and values from external file (reloaded each run
session) check box.
5 Use the browse button or enter the full path of the external environment
variables file you want to use with your test. The variables defined in the
selected file are displayed in blue in the list of user-defined environment
variables.

You can now select the variables in the active file as external user-defined
environment parameters in your test. For more information, see “Setting
Environment Variable Parameter Options” on page 229.

Using Environment Variable Files with Quality Center
When working with Quality Center and environment variable files, you
must save the environment variable file as an attachment in your Quality
Center project before you specify the file in the Environment tab of the Test
Settings dialog box.

You can add a new or an existing environment variable file to your Quality
Center project. Note that adding an existing file from the file system to a
Quality Center project creates a copy of the file in the file system. Thus,
once you save the file to the project, changes made to the Quality Center
repository file will not affect the file system file and vice versa.

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To use an environment variable file with Quality Center:
1 To add a new environment variable file, create a new .xml file in your file
system, as described in “Using User-Defined External Environment
Variables” on page 224.
2 In Quality Center, add the file to the project as an attachment. For more
information, refer to your Quality Center documentation.
3 In QuickTest, connect to the Quality Center project. For more information,
see “Connecting to and Disconnecting from Quality Center” on page 946.
4 In the Test Settings dialog box, click the Environment tab.
5 Select User-defined from the Variables type list.
6 Select Load variables and values from external file (reload each run session).
7 In the File box, click the browse button to find the user-defined variable file
in the Quality Center project.
8 Save your test. QuickTest saves the file to the Quality Center project.

For more information on working with Quality Center, see Chapter 40,
“Working with Quality Center” and refer to your Quality Center
documentation.

Using Built-in Environment Variables
QuickTest provides a set of built-in variables that enable you to use current
information about the test and the QuickTest computer running your test.
These can include the test name, the test path, the operating system type
and version, and the local host name.

For example, you may want to perform different checks in your test based
on the operating system being used by the computer that is running the
test. To do this, you could include the OSVersion built-in environment
variable in an If statement.

You can also select built-in environment variables when parameterizing
values. For more information, see “Setting Environment Variable Parameter

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The following built-in environment variables are available:

Name Description

ActionIteration The action iteration currently running.

ControllerHostName The name of the controller’s computer. This variable
is relevant only when running as a GUI VUser from
the LoadRunner controller.

GroupName The name of the group in the running scenario.
This variable is relevant only when running as a
GUI VUser from the LoadRunner controller.

LocalHostName The local host name.

OS The operating system.

OSVersion The operating system version.

ProductDir The folder path where the product is installed.

ProductName The product name.

ProductVer The product version.

ResultDir The path of the folder in which the current test
results are located.

ScenarioId The identification number of the scenario. This
variable is relevant only when running as a GUI
VUser from the LoadRunner controller.

SystemTempDir The system temporary directory.

TestDir The path of the folder in which the test is located.

TestIteration The test iteration currently running.

TestName The name of the test.

UpdatingActiveScreen Indicates whether the Active Screen images and
values are being updated during the update run
process. For more information, see “Updating a Test
or Component” on page 519.

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Name Description

UpdatingCheckpoints Indicates whether checkpoints are being updated
during the update run process. For more
information, see “Updating a Test or Component”
on page 519.

UpdatingTODescriptions Indicates whether the set of properties used to
identify test objects are being updated during the
update run process. For more information, see
“Updating a Test or Component” on page 519.

UserName The Windows login user name.

VuserId The VUser identification under load. This variable is
relevant only when running as a GUI VUser from
the LoadRunner controller.

Setting Environment Variable Parameter Options
When you select Environment as the parameter type, the Parameter Options
dialog box enables you to configure your parameter to use values from the
Environment variable list. The Parameter section of the Value
Configuration Options dialog box is very similar to the Parameter Options
dialog box.

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Defining the Settings for an Environment Variable Parameter

The following options are available for configuring environment variable
parameters:

➤ Name—Specifies the name of the parameter. For an internal user-defined
environment variable parameter, you can create a new parameter by using
the default parameter name or entering a new, descriptive name.
Alternatively, you can select an existing internal user-defined environment
variable parameter from the list.

Note: If you edit the name displayed in the Name box for an existing
parameter, you create a new internal user-defined environment variable
parameter. The original environment variable parameter is not modified.

➤ Value—Specifies the value of the parameter. You can enter the value for a
new user-defined internal parameter, or modify the value for an existing
user-defined internal parameter. External and built-in environment variable
parameter values cannot be modified in this dialog box.
If the entire value of a selected environment variable parameter cannot be
displayed in the Value box, it is shown as [complex value]. For example, the
value of a list’s all items property is a multi-line value, where each line
contains the value of an item in the list.

You can view or edit a complex value by clicking the Edit Complex Value
button. For more information, see “Viewing and Editing Complex Parameter

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➤ Type—Specifies the type of environment variable parameter:
➤ internal user-defined
➤ external user-defined
➤ built-in

Tip: The value of an environment variable remains the same throughout the
test run, regardless of the number of iterations, unless you change the value
of the variable programmatically in your script.

Regular expression—Sets the value of the parameter as a regular expression.
This option is available only when parameterizing a checkpoint or object
property text string value, and the selected environment variable parameter
type is internal user-defined. For more information on regular expressions,
see “Understanding and Using Regular Expressions” on page 290.

Note: You can also define environment variables using parameterization

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Viewing and Editing Complex Parameter Values
When you click the Edit Complex Value button for a parameter with a value
that cannot be displayed entirely in the Value box, the Edit Value dialog box
displays the full contents of the value.

You can edit the value for an internal user-defined environment variable
parameter.

For an external or built-in environment variable parameter, you can view
the value but you cannot modify it in this dialog box.

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Using Random Number Parameters
When you select Random Number as the parameter type, the Parameter
Options dialog box enables you to configure your parameter to use random
numbers. The Parameter section of the Value Configuration Options dialog
box is very similar to the Parameter Options dialog box.

233


Defining Settings for a Random Number Parameter

Note: Random number parameters are not appropriate for non-numeric
values, such as text or hypertext links.

Numeric range—Specifies the range from which the random number is
generated. By default, the random number range is between 0 and 100. You
can modify the range by entering different values in the From and To boxes.
The range must be between 0 and 2147483647 (inclusive).

Name—Assigns a name to your parameter. Assigning a name to a random
parameter enables you to use the same parameter several times in your test.
You can select an existing named parameter or create a new named
parameter by entering a new, descriptive name.

Generate new random number—Defines the generation timing for a named
random parameter. This box is enabled when you select the Name check
box. You can select one of the following options:

➤ For each action iteration—Generates a new number at the end of each
action iteration.
➤ For each test iteration—Generates a new number at the end of each
global iteration.
➤ Once per entire test run—Generates a new number the first time the
parameter is used. The same number is used for the parameter
throughout the test run.

Notes:
If you select an existing parameter, then changing the settings in the dialog
box affects all instances of that parameter in the test.

You can also define random number variables using parameterization

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Example of a Parameterized Test
The following example shows how to parameterize a step object, step
method, and a checkpoint using Data Table parameters.

When you test your application or Web site, you may want to check how it
performs the same operations with multiple sets of data. For example, if you
are testing the Mercury Tours sample Web site, you may want to check that
the correct departure and the arrival cities are selected before you book a
particular flight.

Suppose that you want to check that the flights are booked correctly for a
variety of different locations. Rather than create a separate test with a
separate checkpoint for each location, you can parameterize the location
information. For each iteration of the test, QuickTest then checks the flight
information for the different locations.

The following is a sample test of a flight booking procedure. The departure
city is Frankfurt and the arrival city is Acapulco.

235


Parameterize a Step
Parameterize the object and the method of the following step:

In the Object Properties dialog box, select the name property. Select the
Parameter radio button and click the Parameter Options button. In the
Parameter Options dialog box, rename fromPort to Activity. Click OK to close
the Parameter Options dialog box.

Click OK to close the Object Properties dialog box. The Activity column is
added to the Data Table.

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Now parameterize the method of the fromPort step. In the Keyword View,
click in the Value column of the step and then click the parameterization
icon . In the Value Configuration Options dialog box, select the
Parameter radio button. In the Name box, rename p_item to Location.

Click OK. The Location column is added to the Data Table.

For more information on parameterizing a step, see “Parameterizing Values
in Steps and Checkpoints” on page 205.

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Parameterize a Checkpoint
In the following example, you add a parameterized text checkpoint to check
that the correct locations were selected before you book a flight.

Select the Select a Flight step. In the Active Screen, highlight the text
Frankfurt to Acapulco, right-click and insert a text checkpoint:

In the Text Checkpoint Properties dialog box, select Parameter to
parameterize the selected text. Select the Parameter radio button and click
the Parameter Options button.

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In the Parameter Options dialog box, rename the parameter to
Check_Locations_Text. Click OK in the Parameter Options dialog box and in
the Text Checkpoint Properties dialog box. A Check_Locations_Text column
is added to the Data Table.

For more information on parameterizing a checkpoint, see “Parameterizing
Values in Steps and Checkpoints” on page 205.

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Enter Data in the Data Table
Complete the Data Table. The Data Table may be displayed as follows:

For more information on Data Tables, see Chapter 18, “Working with Data
Tables.”

Modified Test
The following example shows the test after parameterizing the step and
creating a parameterized text checkpoint.

The parameterized value for the fromPort step is clearly shown as a Data
Table parameter. To see the parameterization setting for the checkpoint,
click in the Value column for the Select a Flight step.

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Using the Data Driver to Parameterize Your Test
The Data Driver enables you to quickly parameterize several (or all) property
values for test objects, checkpoints, and/or method arguments containing
the same constant value within a given action.

You can choose to replace all occurrences of a selected constant value with a
parameter, in the same way that you can use a Find and Replace All
operation instead of a step-by-step Find and Replace process. QuickTest can
also show you each occurrence of the constant so that you can decide
whether or not to parameterize the value.

Notes:

When finding multiple occurrences of a selected value, QuickTest conducts
a search that is case sensitive and searches only for exact matches. (It does
not find values that include the selected value as part of a longer string.)
You cannot use the Data Driver to parameterize the values of arguments for
user-defined methods or VBScript functions.

To parameterize a value using the Data Driver:
1 Display the action you want to parameterize.
2 Choose Tools > Data Driver.
QuickTest scans the test for constants before the Data Driver opens (this
may take a few moments).

Note: If the action being scanned contains a large number of lines and
constant values, QuickTest warns you that loading the constants may take
some time. You can choose whether to wait for the constants to load, or to
open the Data Driver wizard quickly without constants.

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The Data Driver displays the Constants list for the action. For each constant
value, it displays the number of times the constant value appears in the
action.
By default, the list displays the constants for one or more of the arguments
of the following methods: Activate, Collapse, Deselect, Expand,
ExtendSelect, GetTextLocation, Press, Select, SelectColumn,
SelectRange, SelectRow, Set, SetCellData, SetSecure, SetText, Type, and
WaitProperty.
For more information on how to work with testing methods, see
Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert View.” For syntax and method

Note: If you chose not to wait for the constants to load, the Data Driver
opens with an empty Constants table. You can now add the constant values
that you want to parameterize, as described in the following step.

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3 If you want to parameterize a value that is not currently displayed in the list
(such as an object property value), click Add Value. The Add Value dialog
box opens.

Enter a constant value in the dialog box and click OK. The constant is added
to the list.

Note: You can add only constant values that currently exist in the test.

4 Select the value you want to parameterize from the Constants list and click
Parameterize. The Data Driver Wizard opens.

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5 Select the type of parameterization you want to perform:
➤ Step-by-step parameterization—Enables you to view the current values
of each step containing the selected value. For each step, you can choose
whether or not to parameterize the value and if so, which
parameterization options you want to use.
➤ Parameterize all—Enables you to parameterize all occurrences of the
selected value throughout the action. You set your parameterization
preferences one time and the same options are applied to all occurrences
of the value.
6 If you selected Step-by-step parameterization, click Next. The Parameterize
the Selected Step screen opens.
If you selected Parameterize all, the Parameter option is enabled in the
Parameter details area. Select your parameterization preferences the same
way that you would for an individual step. For more information, see
“Parameterizing Values in Steps and Checkpoints” on page 205.
Proceed to step 9.

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7 In the Step to parameterize area, the first step with an object property or
checkpoint value containing the selected value is displayed in the test tree
on the left. The parameterization options for the step are displayed on the
right.

The default parameterization settings are displayed for the value. For more
information on default parameterization settings, see “Understanding
Default Parameter Values” on page 210.
Accept the default parameterization settings or click the Parameter Options
button to set the parameterization options you want to apply to this step.
For more information, see “Parameterizing Values in Steps and
Checkpoints” on page 205.
➤ Click Next to parameterize the selected step and view the next step
containing the selected value.
➤ Click Skip if you do not want to parameterize the selected step.
➤ Click Finish to apply the parameterization settings of the current step to
all remaining steps containing the selected value.

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8 If you clicked Next in the previous step, and steps remain that contain the
selected value, the Parameterize the Selected Step screen opens displaying
the next relevant step. Repeat step 7 for each relevant step.
If there are no remaining steps containing the selected value, the Finished
screen opens.
9 Click Finish. The Data Driver Wizard closes and the Data Driver main screen
shows how many occurrences you selected to parameterize and how many
remain as constants.

10 If you want to parameterize another constant value, select the value and
repeat steps 4 - 9.
11 When you are finished parameterizing constants, click OK. The
parameterization options you selected are applied to your action.

246

13
Outputting Values

QuickTest enables you to retrieve values in your test or component and to
store them as output values. You can subsequently retrieve these values and
use them as input at a different stage in the run session.


➤ About Outputting Values
➤ Creating Output Values
➤ Outputting Property Values
➤ Specifying the Output Type and Settings
➤ Outputting Text Values
➤ Outputting Database Values
➤ Outputting XML Values

About Outputting Values
An output value is a step in which one or more values are captured at a
specific point in your test or component and stored for the duration of the
run session. The values can later be used as input at a different point in the
run session.

You can output the property values of any object. You can also output values
from text strings, table cells, databases, and XML documents.

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When you create output value steps, you can determine where the values
are stored during the run session and how they can be used. During the run
session, QuickTest retrieves each value at the specified point and stores it in
the specified location. When the value is needed later in the run session,
QuickTest retrieves it from this location and uses it as required.

Output values are stored only for the duration of the run session. When the
run session is repeated, the output values are reset.

Note: After the run session, you can view the output values retrieved during
the session as part of the session results. For more information, see “Viewing
Parameterized Values and Output Value Results” on page 578.

Creating Output Values
When you add an output value step to your test or component, you first
select the category of values to output, for example, property values, text
values, or XML element values. You can then determine which values to
output and the storage location for each value.

For more information on storage location options, see “Storing Output

You can create the following categories of output values:

➤ Standard output values
➤ Text and text area output values
➤ Database output values
➤ XML output values

248

Chapter 13 • Outputting Values

Standard Output Values
You can use standard output values to output the property values of most
objects. For example, in a Web-based application, the number of links on a
Web page may vary based on the selections a user makes on a form on the
previous page. You could create an output value in your test to store the
number of links on the page.

You can also use standard output values to output the contents of table cells.

Tip: You can use standard output values to output text strings by specifying
the text property of the object as an output value. This is the preferred way
of outputting the text displayed in many Windows applications.

For more information on standard output values, see “Outputting Property

Text and Text Area Output Values
You can use text output values to output text strings displayed in a screen or
Web page. When creating a text output value, you can output a part of the
object’s text. You can also specify the text before and after the output text.

You can use text area output values to output text strings displayed within a
defined area of a screen in a Windows application.

For example, suppose that you want to store the text of any error message
that appears after a specific step in the application you are testing. Inside the
If statement you check whether a window exists with a known title bar
value, for example Error. If it exists, you output the text in this window
(assuming that the window size is the same for all possible error messages).

For more information on text output values, see “Outputting Text Values”
on page 268. For more information on text area output values, see “Creating
Text Area Output Values” on page 270.

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Considerations for Using a Text Output Value for Windows-Based
Applications

The text-recognition mechanism used when you create a text or text area
output value on a Windows-based application may occasionally retrieve
unwanted text information (such as hidden text and shadowed text, which
appears as multiple copies of the same string).

Additionally, text (and text area) output values may behave differently in
different run sessions depending on the operating system version you are
using, service packs you have installed, other installed toolkits, the APIs
used in your application, and so on.

Therefore, when possible, it is highly recommended to retrieve text from
your application window by using a standard output value step to output
the value of the object’s text (or similar) property.

Note that the above issues do not apply when working with Web-based
applications.

Database Output Values
You can use database output values to output the value of the contents of
database cells, based on the results of a query (result set) that you define on
a database. You can create output values from the entire contents of the
result set, or from a part of it. During the run session, QuickTest retrieves the
current data from the database and outputs the values according to the
settings that you specified.

For more information on database output values, see “Outputting Database

XML Output Values
You can use XML output values to output the values of XML elements and
attributes in XML documents.

After the run session has finished, you can view summary results of the XML
output values in the Test Results window. You can also view detailed results
by opening the XML Output Value Results window. For further information,
see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test Results.”

250


For example, assume that an XML document in a Web page contains a price
list for new cars. You can output the price of a particular car by selecting the
appropriate XML element value to output.

For more information on XML output values, see “Outputting XML Values”
on page 280.

Output Value Categories and Environments
The following table shows the categories of output values that are supported
by each environment.

Output Value Web Standard VB ActiveX Other Environment
Category Windows

Standard S S S S NA

Page (Standard) S NA NA NA NA

Table (Standard) S NA NA S NA

Text S S S S NA

Text area NS S S S NA

Database NS NA NA NA S (DbTable)

XML S NA NA NA XML file

S—Supported
NS—Not Supported
NA—Not Applicable

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Storing Output Values
When you define an output value, you can specify where and how each
value is stored during the run session.

You can output a value to:

➤ a test, action or component parameter
➤ the run-time Data Table
➤ an environment variable

Note: Output values are stored only for the duration of the test or
component, and are not saved with the test or component. If you select to
output a value to an existing parameter, Data Table column, or environment
variable, the existing value is overwritten when the output value step runs.
When the run session ends, the original value is restored.

Storing Values in Test, Action or Component Parameters
You can output a value to an action or component parameter, so that values
from one part of a run session can be used later in the run session, or be
passed back to the application that ran (called) the test or component.

For example, suppose you are testing a shopping application that calculates
your purchases and automatically debits your account with the amount that
you have purchased. You want to test that the application correctly debits
the purchase amount from the account each time that the action or
component is run with a different list of items to purchase. You could
output the total amount spent to an action or component parameter value,
and then use that value later in your run session in the action that debits
the account.

For more information on action parameters in general, see “Using Action
Parameters” on page 364.

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Storing Values in the Run-time Data Table
The option to output a value to the run-time Data Table is especially useful
with a data-driven test (or action) that runs several times. In each repetition,
or iteration, QuickTest retrieves the current value and stores it in the
appropriate row in the run-time Data Table.

For example, suppose you are testing a flight reservation application and
you design a test to create a new reservation and then view the reservation
details. Every time you run the test, the application generates a unique order
number for the new reservation. To view the reservation, the application
requires the user to input the same order number. You do not know the
order number before you run the test.

To solve this problem, you output a value to the Data Table for the unique
order number generated when creating a new reservation. Then, in the View
Reservation screen, you use the column containing the stored value to insert
the output value into the order number input field.

When you run the test, QuickTest retrieves the unique order number
generated by the site for the new reservation and enters this output value in
the run-time Data Table. When the test reaches the order number input field
required to view the reservation, QuickTest inserts the unique order number
stored in the run-time Data Table into the order number field.

Note: Although you can output values to the run-time Data Table for
components, you can use only the first row of the Data Table, because
component iterations are defined by the business process test in Quality
Center and not by Data Table rows. For more information, refer to the
Business Process Testing User’s Guide.

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Storing Values in Environment Variables
When you output a value to an internal user-defined environment variable,
you can use the environment variable input parameter at a later stage in the
run session.

Note: You can output values only to internal user-defined environment
variables and not to external or built-in environment variables, which are
read-only.

For example, suppose you are testing an application that prompts the user
to input an account number on a Welcome page and then displays the user’s
name. You can use a text output value to capture the value of the displayed
name and store it in an environment variable.

You can then retrieve the value in the environment variable to enter the
user’s name in other places in the application. For example, in an Order
Checkbook Web page, which for security reasons requires users to enter the
name to appear on the checks, you could use the value to insert the user’s
name into the Name edit box.

Viewing and Editing Output Values
When you insert an output value step in your test or component, the
Keyword View shows the step with Output displayed in the Operation
column and CheckPoint displayed in the Value column, followed by the
name assigned to the output value.

The output value statement is displayed in the Expert View with the
following syntax:

Object.Output CheckPoint(Name)

You can view or edit the output value or its details in the relevant Output
Value Properties dialog box, by right-clicking the step in the Keyword View
or Expert View and choosing Output Value Properties. Alternatively, you
can click the step in the Value column in the Keyword View and then click
the Output Properties button.

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For more information on the options available in the different Output Value
Properties dialog boxes, see:

➤ “Defining Standard Output Values” on page 258
➤ “Defining Text and Text Area Output Values” on page 272
➤ “Defining Database and Table Cell Output Values” on page 278
➤ “Defining XML Output Values” on page 282

Outputting Property Values
You can use standard output values to output the property values of most
objects. You can also use standard output values to output the contents of
table cells.

You can create standard output values while recording or editing your test or
component.

To create standard output values while recording:
1 In the Keyword View or Expert View, choose Insert > Output Value.
Alternatively, you can click the arrow beside the Insert Checkpoint button
on the toolbar.
2 Select Standard Output Value. The mouse pointer turns into a pointing
hand.


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3 In your application, click the object for which you want to specify an output
value. If the location you clicked is associated with more than one object,
the Object Selection – Output Value Properties dialog box opens.

4 In the Object Selection dialog box, select the object for which you want to
specify an output value, and click OK. The Output Value Properties dialog
box opens for the selected object. If you select a Table item, the Table
Output Value Properties dialog box opens.
5 Specify the property values to output and their settings. For more
information, see “Defining Standard Output Values” on page 258. If you
selected a Table item, see “Defining Database and Table Cell Output Values”
on page 278.
6 When you have finished defining the output value details, click OK.
QuickTest inserts an output value step in your test or component.

To create standard output values while editing your test or component:
2 In the Keyword View or Expert View, click a step whose Active Screen
contains the object for which you want to specify an output value. The
Active Screen displays the captured bitmap or HTML source corresponding
to the highlighted step.
For Windows-based applications, make sure that the Active Screen contains
property data for the object for which you want to specify an output value.
For more information, see “Setting Active Screen Options” on page 618.

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3 In the Active Screen, right-click the object for which you want to specify an
output value and choose Insert Output Value. Alternatively, you can right-
click the step in your test and choose Insert Output Value.
Object Selection – Output Value Properties dialog box opens.

5 Select the object for which you want to specify an output value, and click
OK. The Output Value Properties dialog box opens for the selected object. If
you select a a Table item, the Table Output Value Properties dialog box
opens.
6 Specify the property values to output and their settings. For more
information, see “Defining Standard Output Values” on page 258. If you
selected a Table item, see “Defining Database and Table Cell Output Values”
on page 278.

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Defining Standard Output Values
The Output Value Properties dialog box enables you to choose which
property values to output and to define the settings for each value that you
select.

Note: If you insert an output value on a Web page, the Page Output Value
Properties dialog box opens. This dialog box is identical to the Output Value
Properties dialog box, except that it contains two additional option areas,
HTML verification and All objects in page. These options are relevant only
for checkpoints and are disabled when defining output values.

You can select a number of properties for the same object and define the
output settings for each property value before closing the dialog box. When
the output value step is reached during the run session, QuickTest retrieves
all the specified property values.

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The top part of the dialog box displays information about the test object for
which you are creating an output value:

Item Description

Name The name of the test object.

Class The type of object. In this example, the WebList class
indicates it is a list object in a Web application.

Selecting the Property Values to Output
The upper part of the dialog box contains a pane that lists the properties of
the selected object, with their values and types. This pane contains the
following items:


Check box To specify a property to output, select the corresponding
check box. You can select more than one property for
the object and specify the output options for each
property value you select.

currently stored in a test, action, or component
parameter.
currently stored in the run-time Data Table.
currently stored in an environment variable.


Value The current value of the property. For more information,
see “Specifying the Output Settings for a Property
Value,” below.

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Specifying the Output Settings for a Property Value
When you select a check box for a property, the property details are
highlighted and the current output definition for the selected property
value is displayed in the Configure value area.

When a property value is first selected for output, the default output
definition for the value is displayed in the Configure value area. For more
information on default output definitions, see “Understanding Default
Output Definitions” on page 261.

When you select a property value to output, you can:

➤ accept the displayed output definition by selecting another property value
or by clicking OK.
➤ change the output type and/or settings for the selected value by clicking the
Modify button. The Output Options dialog box opens and displays the
current output type and settings for the value. For more information, see
“Specifying the Output Type and Settings” on page 261.

Specifying the Location for the Output Value Step
If the Insert statement area is displayed at the bottom of the dialog box, you
can specify where the new output value step should be inserted in your test
or component. For more information, see “Selecting the Location for the
Output Value Step” on page 268.

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Specifying the Output Type and Settings
The output type and settings that you define for each value determine
where it is stored and how it can be used during the run session. When the
output value step is reached, QuickTest retrieves each value selected for
output and stores it in the specified location for use later in the run session.

When you create a new output value step, QuickTest assigns a default
definition to each value selected for output. For more information, see
“Understanding Default Output Definitions,” below.

You can change the current output definition for the selected value by
selecting a different output type and/or changing the output settings. For
more information, see:

➤ “Outputting a Value to an Action or Component Parameter” on page 262
➤ “Outputting a Value to the Data Table” on page 264
➤ “Outputting a Value to an Environment Variable” on page 266

Understanding Default Output Definitions
When you initially select a value for output, QuickTest generates a default
output definition for the value.

When you output a value for a step in an action (for a test):

➤ if at least one output parameter is defined in the action, the default output
type is Action parameter and the default output name is the first output
parameter displayed in the Action Properties dialog box.
➤ if no output parameters are defined in the action, the default output type is
Data Table and QuickTest creates a new Data Table output name based on
the selected value.
The output value is created in the Global sheet of the Data Table. For more
information on creating output parameters for actions, see “Using Action
Data Tables.”

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When you output a value for a step in a component:

➤ if at least one output parameter is defined in the component, the default
output type is Component parameter and the default output name is the
first output parameter displayed in the Component Properties dialog box.
➤ if no output parameters are defined in the component, the default output
type is Data Table and QuickTest creates a new Data Table output name
based on the selected value. The value is created in the Data Table sheet for
the component.
For more information on defining output parameters for components, see
“Defining Parameters for Your Test or Component” on page 682.

Data Tables.”

Outputting a Value to an Action or Component Parameter
You can output a value to an action or component parameter, so that the
values can be used later in the run session, or the values can be passed back
to the external application that ran (called) the test or component. You can
only output a value to an action or component parameter if the parameter
has been defined as an output parameter for the calling action or
component. In addition, the option to output a value to an action or
component is available only if the output value type and the parameter
value type match.

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When Test parameter, Action parameter, or Component parameter is
selected as the output type, the Output Options dialog box enables you to
select the parameter in which to store the selected value for the duration of
the run session.

Tip: When you open the Output Options dialog box, QuickTest may display
Action parameter or Component parameter as the default output type. For
more information, see “Understanding Default Output Definitions” on
page 261.

➤ Name—Specifies the name of the parameter in which to store the output
value. The list contains the names of the currently defined output
parameters for the action or component.
➤ Type—Displays the type of parameter, for example, String.
➤ Description—Displays the description defined for the parameter.

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Outputting a Value to the Data Table
When Data Table is selected as the output type, the Output Options dialog
box enables you to specify where to store the selected value within the
run-time Data Table.

Tip: When you open the Output Options dialog box, QuickTest may display
Data Table as the default output type. For more information, see
“Understanding Default Output Definitions” on page 261.

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The following options are available when outputting a value to the Data
Table:

➤ Name—Specifies the name of the column in the Data Table in which to
store the value. QuickTest suggests a default name for the output. You can
select an existing output name from the list, or create a new output name by
using the default output name or entering a valid descriptive name.
You can define a new name containing letters, numbers, periods, and
underscores. The first character of the output name must be a letter or an
underscore. The output name must be unique in the Data Table sheet.
➤ Location in Data Table— When outputting values for a test, specifies
whether to add the Data Table column name in the global or current action
sheet in the Data Table. For more information on the use of data in the
global and current action sheets, see “Using Global and Action Data Sheets”
on page 345. For more information on actions, see Chapter 17, “Working
with Actions.”

Note: This option is not available when outputting values for a
component.

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Outputting a Value to an Environment Variable
When you select Environment as the output type, the Output Options
dialog box enables you to specify the internal user-defined environment
variable in which to store the selected value for the duration of the run
session.

266


➤ Name—Specifies the name of the internal user-defined environment
variable in which to store the value. The list contains all currently defined
internal user-defined environment variables with the corresponding type.
You can select an existing variable from the list, or you can create a new
internal environment variable by modifying the displayed name or by
entering a new, descriptive name.

Note: If you edit the name displayed in the Name box for an existing
variable, you create a new internal user-defined environment variable. The
original environment variable is not modified.

Alternatively, you can output the value to an existing environment variable.
If you select an existing variable from the list, QuickTest prompts you to
choose whether to overwrite its current value with the new value when the
output value step runs.
If you choose not to overwrite the current value of the selected variable, a
new environment variable is created with the original variable name and an
identifying suffix.

➤ Type—displays the environment variable type. Since it is not possible to
output values to external or built-in environment variables, the type is
always User-defined - internal.

For more information on environment variables, see “Using Environment
Variable Parameters” on page 222.

267


Selecting the Location for the Output Value Step
When you create output values while editing a test or component, the
Insert statement area is displayed at the bottom of the dialog box.

By default, QuickTest inserts the new output value step before the current
step (the step you selected when you chose the Output Value option). You
can instruct QuickTest to insert the new output value step after the current
step, by selecting the After current step option.

Note: This option is not available while recording. QuickTest automatically
inserts the new output value step after the previously recorded step. It is also
not available when modifying an existing output value step.

Outputting Text Values
You can create a text output value from a text string displayed in a screen.
You can define the output value as part of the displayed text, and you can
specify the text before and/or after the output text.

You can also output text values from defined text areas. For more
information, see “Creating Text Area Output Values” on page 270.

Note: When you create a text or text area output value, the text-recognition
mechanism may not always retrieve the expected text. For this reason, when
possible, you should retrieve text from your application window by using a
standard output value for the object containing the text you require, using
its text (or similar) property. For more information on standard output
values, see “Outputting Property Values” on page 255. When an object does
not have a text-type property, a text area output value must be used.

You can create a text output value while recording or editing your test or
component.

268


To create a text output value while recording:
1 Highlight or display the text string you want to use for an output value.
2 Choose Insert > Output Value > Text Output Value. The mouse pointer turns
into a pointing hand.


3 In your application, click the text string for which you want to specify a text
output value. If the location you clicked is associated with more than one
object, the Object Selection – Text Output Value Properties dialog box
opens.

4 In the Object Selection dialog box, select the object for which you want to
specify a text output value, and click OK.
5 The Text Output Value Properties dialog box opens.
6 Specify the settings for the output value. For more information, see
“Defining Text and Text Area Output Values” on page 272.
7 When you have finished defining the text output value details, click OK.

269


To create a text output value when editing your test or component:
2 Click a step in your test where you want to create an output value. The
Active Screen displays the screen corresponding to the highlighted step.
3 In the Active Screen, highlight or display the text string you want to specify
as an output value.
4 Right-click and choose Insert Text Output. The Text Output Value Properties
dialog box opens.

Creating Text Area Output Values
You can create a text area output value from a text string displayed in a
defined area of a screen in a Windows application. You can define the
output value as part of the displayed text, and you can specify the text
before and/or after the output text.

You can create a text area output value only while recording on
Windows-based applications—Standard Windows, Visual Basic and ActiveX.

Tip: When you use text-area selection to capture text displayed in a
Windows application, it is often advisable to define a text area larger than
the actual text you want QuickTest to use as an output value. When
QuickTest runs your test, it outputs the selected text, within the defined
area, according to the settings you configured.

Because text may change its position during test runs, you must make sure
that the area defined is large enough so that the output text is always within
its boundaries.

270


To create a text area output value:
1 While recording, choose Insert > Output Value > Text Area Output Value.
crosshairs pointer.
2 Define the area containing the text you want QuickTest to use as an output
value by clicking and dragging the crosshairs pointer. Release the mouse
button after outlining the required area.

Tip: Hold down the left mouse button and use the arrow keys to make
precise adjustments to the defined area.

If the area you defined is associated with more than one object, the
Object Selection – Text Area Output Properties dialog box opens.

3 Select the object for which you are creating the output value. The Text Area
Output Value Properties dialog box opens.

271


Defining Text and Text Area Output Values
You can specify a text string as an output value. You can also specify the text
that is displayed before and after the output value text string. This is helpful
when the text string you want to specify as an output value is displayed
several times in the defined screen area or when the text could change in a
predictable way during test runs.

The Text Output Value Properties and Text Area Output Value Properties
dialog boxes enable you to define the output value settings for the selected
text string, and also to define the options for the text displayed before and
after the output value.

Text Before
value

Text After
value

Output name

Note: The Text Output Value Properties and Text Area Output Value
Properties dialog boxes are identical. However, when you create a text area
output value, the Text Before and Text After values are not captured.

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In the example shown above, the output value is the text displayed between
Economy class (the Text Before value) and First (the Text After value).

When you create a text or text area output value, you can specify the Text
Before and Text After values, and you can define these values as parameters.
If the specified text is displayed more than once in the selected object or
area, you can specify the exact occurrence that relates to the output value.

Identifying the Text for the Output Value
The Output Value Summary pane at the top of the dialog box describes the
text string for the output value. For a text output value, this is the string
displayed between the Text Before value and the Text After value. For a text
area output value, the output value string contains all the text in the
selected area.

This pane also shows the output name assigned to the text string.

Specifying the Captured Text as an Output Value
By default, Output Text is selected in the list box in the center of the dialog
box and the area below the list box displays the current output value
settings for the selected text.

When you create a new output value, the default output definition is
displayed for the value. For more information, see “Understanding Default

You can accept the displayed output definition or click Modify to specify the
output settings for the selected text. For more information, see “Specifying
the Output Type and Settings” on page 261.

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Specifying Options for the Text Before/Text After Values
When you choose Text Before from the list box, you can define the options
for the text displayed before the output value string.

Note: If you clear the Use the text before check box, the options below it
are not available. During the run session, QuickTest retrieves the value of
the first occurrence of the defined output string, regardless of the text
displayed before it.

When you choose Text After from the list box, you can define the options
for the text displayed after the output value string.

274


Note: If you clear the Use the text after check box, the options below it are
not available. During the run session, QuickTest retrieves the value of the
first occurrence of the defined output string, regardless of the text displayed
after it.

When the Use the text before check box is selected, the current Text Before
value is displayed in the Constant box. When the Use the text after check
box is selected, the current Text After value is displayed in the Constant box.

You can use the following options to define these values:

➤ Text to capture is displayed before occurrence/ Text to capture is displayed
after occurrence— Specifies the exact occurrence of the value specified in
the Constant or Parameter box, if it is displayed more than once in the
object or area.
this box is correct. In the example above, the selected output string is
displayed before the first occurrence of the string First. When Text After is
selected, the number 1 is displayed in the Text to capture is displayed before
occurrence box.
If you modify the recommended value, confirm that the occurrence number
is accurate. If you choose text that is not unique in the defined object or
area, change the occurrence number appropriately. For example, if you want
to output the text displayed after the third occurrence of the string Mercury
Tours, select Text Before and enter 3 in the Text to capture is displayed after
occurrence box.

Note: QuickTest starts counting occurrences of the specified Text After value
from the beginning of the text string you selected to output, and includes
any occurrences within the output value string itself.

275


➤ Constant—Sets the Text Before or Text After value as a constant. A constant
is a value that is defined directly within the test or component and remains
set for the duration of the test or component.
When you are creating a text output value with Text Before selected, the
Constant box displays the captured Text Before value. When you are
creating a text output value with Text After selected, the Constant box
displays the captured Text After value. You can change the value by typing
in the text box.
When you are creating a text area output value, the Text Before and Text
After values are not captured. You can enter the text by typing or copying it
into the Constant box.

Tip: It is recommended to specify a text string that is unique within the
object or area whenever possible, to insure that the occurrence number is 1.

➤ Parameter—Sets the Text Before or Text After value as a parameter. For more
information on specifying parameter values, see “Configuring a Parameter
Value” on page 287.


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Outputting Database Values
You can create database output values by defining a query to retrieve data
from the database and selecting the values you want to output from the
query result set. You can then specify the output settings for the selected
values. During the run session, QuickTest captures the current data from the
database and outputs the values according to the specified settings.

You can create database output values while recording or editing your test or
component.

To create database output values:
1 Choose Insert > Output Value > Database Output Value. The Database Query
Wizard opens.

2 Use the wizard to define a query to retrieve the data that you want to
output. Follow the instructions for creating a database checkpoint in
“Creating a Check on a Database” on page 135.
When you have finished defining your query, the Database Output Value
3 Specify the values to output and their settings. For more information, see
“Defining Database and Table Cell Output Values” on page 278.

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Defining Database and Table Cell Output Values
The Database Output Value Properties dialog box enables you to select the
database cells for the values you want to output. The Table Output Value
Properties dialog box enables you to select the table cells for the values you
want to output. You can define the output settings for each value that you
select.

The options in the two dialog boxes are identical.

278


Choosing Cells for Output Values
The top part of the dialog box displays a grid representing the cells in the
captured table or the database query results set. You can output the values
for one or more cells in the grid.

Tip: You can change the width of the columns and the height of the rows in
the grid by dragging the boundaries of the column and row headers.

To choose a cell for an value to output, double-click it or select it and click
the Add Output Value button (located above the grid, on the right). An
output value icon is added to the cell.

To deselect a cell for an output value, double-click it again or select it and
click the Remove Output Value button (located above the grid, on the right).
The output value icon is removed from the cell.

Specifying the Settings for the Output Value
When a value in a table or database cell is first selected for output, the
default output definition for the value is displayed in the Configure value
area. For more information on default output definitions, see
“Understanding Default Output Definitions” on page 261.

When you select a value in a table or database cell, you can:

➤ accept the displayed output definition by selecting another cell or by
clicking OK.
Modify button. The Output Options dialog box opens and displays the
current output type and settings for the value. For more information, see
“Specifying the Output Type and Settings” on page 261.


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Outputting XML Values
You can create XML output values from any XML document contained in
an XML Web page or frame, or directly from an XML file. You can output
element and/or attribute values in an XML output value step.

You can insert XML Web page or frame output values while you are
recording. You can create XML output values directly from an XML file
while recording or editing your test or component.

To create XML output values from an XML Web page or frame:
1 While recording, choose Insert > Output Value > XML Output Value. The
mouse pointer turns into a pointing hand.


2 Click the XML object for which you want to specify an output value. If the
location you clicked is associated with more than one object, the Object
Selection - XML Output Value Properties dialog box opens.

3 Select the XML item you want to specify for the output value step.

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4 Click OK. The XML Output Value Properties dialog box opens.
“Defining XML Output Values” on page 282.

To create XML output values from an XML file:
1 Choose Insert > Output Value> XML Output Value (File). The XML Output
Value from File dialog box opens.

2 In the XML File box, enter the Internet address or the file path of the XML
file. Alternatively, click the browse button to navigate to the XML file for
which you want to create output values. You can specify an XML file either
from your file system or from Quality Center.

Note: You can enter a relative path and QuickTest will search for the XML
file in the folders listed in the Folders tab of the Options dialog box. Once
QuickTest locates the file, it saves it as an absolute path and uses the
absolute path during the test run. For more information, see Chapter 24,
“Setting Folder Testing Options.”

3 Click OK. The XML Output Value Properties dialog box opens.
“Defining XML Output Values” on page 282.

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Defining XML Output Values
The XML Output Value Properties dialog box enables you to choose which
element and/or attribute values to output and to define the output settings
for each value that you select.

loading, an indication of this is shown in the XML Output Value Properties
dialog box, and you can select only XML nodes that are already loaded.

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Identifying the XML File or Object
The top part of the XML Output Value Properties dialog box displays
information about the XML file or object:

Item Description

Name The name of the XML file or object.

Class The type of test object on which you are creating an
output value. This is either XMLFile (for files) or
WebXML (for Web pages or frames).

Choosing the Element Values and/or Attributes to Output
The XML Tree pane displays the hierarchy of the XML document, enabling
you to select the element and/or attribute values that you want to output.
This pane contains the following items:

Option Description

XML Tree The XML Tree displays the hierarchical relationship between
each element and value in the XML document. Each element is
displayed with a icon. Each value is displayed with a
icon. Select the check box of an element value to output its
value.

Attributes When you click the Attributes>> button, the attributes
Pane associated with the selected element from the tree are displayed
in the Attributes pane to the right of the XML Tree. The
attributes pane lists the name and value of each attribute. Select
the check box of an attribute to output its value.

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Specifying the Settings for the Output Value
When you select an element value or attribute, the Configure value area
displays its current output settings.

When an element or attribute value is first selected for output, the default
output definition for the value is displayed in the Configure value area. For
more information on default output definitions, see “Understanding
Default Output Definitions” on page 261.

When you select an XML element or attribute value for output, you can:

➤ accept the displayed definition by selecting another element or attribute or
by clicking OK.
Modify button. The Output Options dialog box opens for the output type
displayed in the Configure value area. For more information, see “Specifying
the Output Type and Settings” on page 261.


284

14
Configuring Values

QuickTest enables you to configure the values for properties and other items
by defining a value as a constant or a parameter. You can also use regular
expressions in values to increase the flexibility and adaptability of your tests
and components.


➤ About Configuring Values
➤ Configuring Constant and Parameter Values
➤ Understanding and Using Regular Expressions
➤ Defining Regular Expressions

About Configuring Values
A number of dialog boxes, such as the Object Repository, Object Properties,
and Checkpoint Properties dialog boxes include a Configure value area, in
which you can define the value for a selected item as a constant or a
parameter. In other contexts, such as the Keyword View and Step Generator,
you can select a value directly and parameterize it or define it as a constant.

➤ Constant—A value that is defined directly in the step and remains
unchanged for the duration of the test or component.
➤ Parameter—A value that is defined or generated separately from the step
and is retrieved when the specific step runs. For example, a parameter value
may be defined in an external file or generated by QuickTest.

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When you define a value as a parameter, you can also specify other settings
according to the parameter type. For more information on using parameters
in your test and components, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”

You can edit a constant value in the Configure value area. In certain
contexts, you can define a a constant value, a Data Table parameter value, or
an environment parameter value as a regular expression.

A regular expression is a string that specifies a complex search phrase.
Regular expressions are used to identify objects and text strings with varying
values. For example, if the name of a window’s titlebar changes according to
a file name, you can use a regular expression to identify a window whose
titlebar has the specified product name, followed by a hyphen, and then any
other text.

Configuring Constant and Parameter Values
You can define a value as a constant or a parameter:

➤ in the Value Configuration Options dialog box, by clicking the
parameterization button for a selected value, for example, in the
Keyword View or Step Generator. For more information, see “Configuring a
Selected Value” on page 289.
➤ in the Configure value area of a dialog box, by selecting a property or
argument, for example, in the Checkpoint Properties dialog box.

Setting Values in the Configure Value Area
When you select an item in a dialog box containing a Configure value area,
such as the Object Repository or Checkpoint Properties dialog box, you can
select Constant or Parameter to set the value. The default is Constant.

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Chapter 14 • Configuring Values

If you select Constant, you can edit a single-line value directly in the
Constant box. If it is a string value, you can also click the Constant Value
Options button to define the value as a regular expression. For information
on regular expressions, see “Understanding and Using Regular Expressions”
on page 290.

If the entire value cannot be displayed in the Constant box, it is shown as
[complex value]. For example, the value of a list’s all items property is a
multiline value, where each line contains the value of an item in the list.

You can view or edit a complex value by clicking the Constant Value
Options button. You can also define a complex value as a regular expression.
For more information on editing constant values, see “Setting Constant
Value Options” on page 288.

Configuring a Parameter Value
If you select Parameter for a value that is already parameterized, the
Parameter box displays the current parameter definition for the value. If
you select Parameter for a value that is not yet parameterized, the
Parameter box displays the default parameter definition for the value.

For more information on default parameter definitions, see “Understanding

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You can click the Parameter Options button to select a different parameter
type or modify the parameter settings for the value.

The Parameter Options dialog box opens for the displayed parameter type.
For more information on defining values for specific parameter types, see:

➤ “Setting Test, Action, or Component Parameter Options” on page 213
➤ “Setting Data Table Parameter Options” on page 218
➤ “Setting Environment Variable Parameter Options” on page 229

For more information on using parameters in your test and components, see

Setting Constant Value Options
When you click the Constant Value Options button in the Configure value
area, the Constant Value Options dialog box opens.

For a complex value (a value that can not be displayed entirely in the
Constant box), the Constant Value Options dialog box expands to show the
entire contents of the value.

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You can update the following options to edit the value of the constant:

➤ Value—Specifies the value for the constant.
➤ Regular expression—Sets the defined value as a regular expression:
➤ For general information on regular expressions, see “Understanding and
Using Regular Expressions” on page 290.
➤ For information on defining a regular expression, see “Defining Regular
Expressions” on page 293.

Configuring a Selected Value
When you click the parameterization button for a selected value, the
Value Configuration Options dialog box opens.

You can select one of the following options:

➤ Constant—defines a value that remains unchanged for the duration of the
test or component. You can edit the value directly in the Constant box.
➤ Parameter—specifies a value that is defined or generated separately from the
step and is retrieved when the specific step runs.

289


If you select Parameter for a value that is already parameterized, the
Parameter section displays the current parameter type and details for the
value. If you select Parameter for a value that is not yet parameterized, the
Parameter section displays the default parameter type and details for the
value.
For more information on default parameter definitions, see “Understanding
You can change the default definition by selecting a different parameter
type or modifying the parameter settings for the value. The options in the
Parameter section change according to the parameter type you select.
The Parameter section of the Value Configuration Options dialog box is
very similar to the Parameter Options dialog box. For more information on
configuring values for specific parameter types, see:
➤ “Defining the Settings for a Test, Action, or Component Parameter” on
page 214
➤ “Defining the Settings for a Data Table Parameter” on page 219
➤ “Defining the Settings for an Environment Variable Parameter” on
page 230
➤ “Defining Settings for a Random Number Parameter” on page 234

For more information on using parameters in your test and components, see

Understanding and Using Regular Expressions
Regular expressions enable QuickTest to identify objects and text strings
with varying values. You can use regular expressions when:

➤ defining the property values of an object in dialog boxes or in programmatic
descriptions
➤ parameterizing a step
➤ creating checkpoints with varying values

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For example, you can use a regular expression if you want to create a text
checkpoint on a date text string, but the displayed date changes according
to the current date. If you define the date as a regular expression, the
checkpoint checks that the captured text string matches the expected date
format, rather than checking the exact date value.

A regular expression is a string that specifies a complex search phrase. By
using special characters, such as a period (.), asterisk (*), caret (^), and
brackets ([ ]), you can define the conditions of a search.

Notes:

You can use regular expressions only for values of type string.
When any special character in a regular expression is preceded by a
backslash (), QuickTest searches for the literal character.

For more information and examples of the use of regular expressions, see:

➤ “Using Regular Expressions for Property Values” on page 291
➤ “Using Regular Expressions in Checkpoints” on page 292
For information on defining regular expressions, including regular
expression syntax, see “Defining Regular Expressions” on page 293.

Using Regular Expressions for Property Values
If you expect the value of a property to change in a predictable way during
each run session, you can use regular expressions when defining or
parameterizing property values in dialog boxes, such as the Object
Properties or Object Repository dialog box, or in programmatic descriptions.
For more information on programmatic descriptions, see “Using
Programmatic Descriptions” on page 878.

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For example, your site may include a form in which the user inputs data and
clicks the Send button to submit the form. When a required field is not
completed, the form is displayed again for the user to complete. When
resubmitting the form, the user clicks the Resend button. You can define the
value of the button’s name property as a regular expression, so that
QuickTest ignores variations in the button name when clicking the button.

Using Regular Expressions in Checkpoints
When creating a standard checkpoint to verify the property values of an
object, you can set the expected value of an object’s property as a regular
expression so that an object with a varying value can be verified.

For example, suppose you want to check that every window and dialog box
in your application contains the name of your application followed by a
hyphen (-) and a descriptive title. You can add a checkpoint to each dialog
box object in your test to check that the first part of the title contains the
name of your application followed by a hyphen.

When creating a text checkpoint to check that a varying text string is
displayed on your Web site or application, you can define the text string as a
regular expression.

For example, when booking a flight in the Mercury Tours sample Web site,
the total cost charged to a credit card number should not be less than $300.
You define the amount as a regular expression, so that QuickTest will ignore
variations in the text string as long as the value is not less than $300.

You can apply the same principles to any checkpoint type whose dialog box
contains a Configure Value area similar to that described in “Configuring
Constant and Parameter Values” on page 286.

For example, for table checkpoints you can set cell values as regular
expressions, and for XML checkpoints you can set attribute or element
values as regular expressions. For more information on specific checkpoint
types, see the relevant chapter for the checkpoint type.

292


Defining Regular Expressions
You can define a regular expression for a constant value, a Data Table
parameter value, an Environment parameter value, or a property value in a
programmatic description. For more information on defining property
values, see “Configuring Constant and Parameter Values” on page 286.

You can define a regular expression by entering the regular expression
syntax for the string in the Value box in the Constant Value Options dialog
box or the Parameter Options dialog box. You instruct QuickTest to treat the
value as a regular expression by selecting the Regular Expression check box.

All programmatic description property values are automatically treated as
regular expressions. For more information on programmatic descriptions,
see “Using Programmatic Descriptions” on page 878.

Note: You can use regular expressions only for values of type string.

By default, QuickTest treats all characters in a regular expression literally,
except for the period (.), hyphen (-), asterisk (*), caret (^), brackets ([ ]),
parentheses (()), dollar sign ($), vertical line (|), plus sign (+), question mark
(?), and backslash (). When one of these special characters is preceded by a
backslash (), QuickTest treats it as a literal character.

If you enter a special character in the Value box of the Constant Value
Options or the Parameter Options dialog box, QuickTest asks you if you
want to add a backslash () before each special character. If you click Yes,
a backslash () is added before the special character to instruct QuickTest to
treat the character literally. If you click No, QuickTest treats the special
character as a regular expression character.

293


This section describes some of the more common options that can be used
to create regular expressions:

➤ Using the Backslash Character ( )
➤ Matching Any Single Character ( . )
➤ Matching Any Single Character in a List ( [xy] )
➤ Matching Any Single Character Not in a List ( [^xy] )
➤ Matching Any Single Character within a Range ( [x-y] )
➤ 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 ( $ )
➤ Matching Any AlphaNumeric Character Including the Underscore ( w )
➤ Matching Any Non-AlphaNumeric Character ( W )
➤ Combining Regular Expression Operators

Note: For a complete list and explanation of supported regular expressions
characters, refer to the Regular Expressions section in the Microsoft VBScript
documentation (choose Help > QuickTest Professional Help to open the
QuickTest Professional Help. Then choose VBScript Reference > VBScript >
User’s Guide > Introduction to Regular Expressions).

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Using the Backslash Character
A backslash () instructs QuickTest to treat the next character as a literal
character, if it is otherwise a special character. The backslash () can also
instruct QuickTest to recognize certain ordinary characters as special
characters. For example, QuickTest recognizes n as the special newline
character.

For example:

➤ w matches the character w
➤ w is a special character that matches any word character including
underscore
➤ matches the literal character
➤ ( matches the literal character (

For example, if you were looking for a Web site called:

mercurytours.mercuryinteractive.com

the period would be mistaken as an indication of a regular expression. To
indicate that the period is not part of a regular expression, you would enter
it as follows:

mercurytours.mercuryinteractive.com

Note: If a backslash character is used before a character that has no special
meaning, the backslash is ignored. For example, z matches z.

295


Matching Any Single Character
A period (.) instructs QuickTest to search for any single character (except for
n). For example:

welcome.

matches welcomes, welcomed, or welcome followed by a space or any other
single character. A series of periods indicates the same number of
unspecified characters.

To match any single character including n, enter:

(.|n)

For more information on the ( ) regular expression characters, see
“Grouping Regular Expressions” on page 298. For more information on the |
regular expression character, see “Matching One of Several Regular

Matching Any Single Character in a List
Square brackets instruct QuickTest to search for any single character within
a list of characters. For example, to search for the date 1967, 1968, or 1969,
enter:

196[789]

296


Matching Any Single Character Not in a List
When a caret (^) is the first character inside square brackets, it instructs
QuickTest to match any character in the list except for the ones specified in
the string. For example:

[^ab]

matches any character except a or b.

Note: The caret has this special meaning only when it is displayed first
within the brackets.

Matching Any Single Character within a Range
In order to match a single character within a range, you can use square
brackets ([ ]) with the hyphen (-) character. For instance, to match any year
in the 1960s, enter:

196[0-9]

A hyphen does not signify a range if it is displayed as the first or last
character within brackets, or after a caret (^).

For example, [-a-z] matches a hyphen or any lowercase letter.

Note: Within brackets, the characters “.”, “*”, “[“ and “” are literal. For
example, [.*] matches . or *. If the right bracket is the first character in the
range, it is also literal.

297


Matching Zero or More Specific Characters
An asterisk (*) instructs QuickTest to match zero or more occurrences of the
preceding character. For example:

ca*r

matches car, caaaaaar, and cr.

Matching One or More Specific Characters
A plus sign (+) instructs QuickTest to match one or more occurrences of the
preceding character. For example:

ca+r

matches car and caaaaaar, but not cr.

Matching Zero or One Specific Character
A question mark (?) instructs QuickTest to match zero or one occurrences of
the preceding character. For example:

ca?r

matches car and cr, but nothing else.

Grouping Regular Expressions
Parentheses (()) instruct QuickTest to treat the contained sequence as a unit,
just as in mathematics and programming languages.

Using groups is especially useful for delimiting the argument(s) to an
alternation operator ( | ) or a repetition operator ( * , + , ? , { } ).

298


Matching One of Several Regular Expressions
A vertical line (|) instructs QuickTest to match one of a choice of
expressions. For example:

foo|bar

causes QuickTest to match either foo or bar.

fo(o|b)ar

causes QuickTest to match either fooar or fobar.

Matching the Beginning of a Line
A caret (^) instructs QuickTest to match the expression only at the start of a
line, or after a newline character.
For example:

book

matches book within the lines—book, my book, and book list, while

^book

matches book only in the lines—book and book list.

Matching the End of a Line
A dollar sign ($) instructs QuickTest to match the expression only at the end
of a line, or before a newline character. For example:

book

matches book within the lines—my book, and book list, while a string that is
followed by ($), matches only lines ending in that string. For example:

book$

matches book only in the line—my book.

299


Matching Any AlphaNumeric Character Including the
Underscore
w instructs QuickTest to match any alphanumeric character and the
underscore (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, _).

For example:

w* causes QuickTest to match zero or more occurrences of the alphanumeric
characters—A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and the underscore (_). It matches Ab, r9Cj, or
12_uYLgeu_435.

For example:

w{3} causes QuickTest to match 3 occurrences of the alphanumeric
characters A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and the underscore (_). It matches Ab4, r9_, or z_M.

Matching Any Non-AlphaNumeric Character
W instructs QuickTest to match any character other than alphanumeric
characters and underscores.

For example:

W matches &, *, ^, %, $, and # .

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

For example, you can combine the ‘.’ and ‘*’ characters in order to find zero
or more occurrences of any character (except n).

For example,

start.*

matches start, started, starting, starter, etc.

You can use a combination of brackets and an asterisk to limit the search to
a combination of non-numeric characters. For example:
[a-zA-Z]*

300


To match any number between 0 and 1200, you need to match numbers
with 1 digit, 2 digits, 3 digits, or 4 digits between 1000-1200.

The regular expression below matches any number between 0 and 1200.

([0-9]?[0-9]?[0-9]|1[01][0-9][0-9]|1200)

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302

15
Working with the Keyword View

The Keyword View provides an easy way to create, view, and modify tests
and components in a graphical easy-to-use format.


➤ About Working with the Keyword View
➤ Understanding the Keyword View
➤ Working with Steps in the Keyword View
➤ Setting Keyword View Display Options
➤ Viewing Properties of Step Elements in the Keyword View
➤ Using Conditional and Loop Statements in the Keyword View
➤ Working with Breakpoints in the Keyword View

303


About Working with the Keyword View
The Keyword View enables you to create and view the steps of your test or
component in a modular, table format. Each step is a row in the Keyword
View, comprised of individual parts that you can easily modify. You create
and modify steps by selecting items and operations in the Keyword View
and entering information as required. Each step is automatically
documented as you complete it, enabling you to view a description of your
test or component in understandable sentences. You can also use these
descriptions as instructions for manual testing, if required.

You can use the Keyword View to easily add steps to your test or component,
and also to modify existing steps. You simply select the test object or other
step type you want for your step, select the method operation you want to
perform, and define any necessary values for the selected operation or
statement. The Keyword View does not require any programming
knowledge. The programming required to actually perform each step of the
test or component is done automatically behind-the-scenes by QuickTest.

Note: The Keyword View replaces the Tree View found in earlier versions of
QuickTest. Most of the operations you could perform from the Tree View
can be performed in a similar manner from the Keyword View. For example,
right-click on a step to access context-sensitive options for that step, such as
inserting checkpoints, output values, and action-related operations.

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Chapter 15 • Working with the Keyword View

Understanding the Keyword View
The Keyword View is comprised of a table-like view, where each step is a
separate row in the table, and each column represents different parts of the
steps. The columns displayed vary according to your selection. For more
information, see “Setting Keyword View Display Options” on page 323.

Action toolbar

Action

Step

Keyword View columns

The Action toolbar enables you to view either the flow of all the action
calls in your test or the content of a specific action in your test. For more
information, see Chapter 17, “Working with Actions”. The Action toolbar is
only available if at least one of the actions in your test is reusable, and is not
available for components.

Each step you perform on your application during a recording session is
recorded as a row in the Keyword View. For example, the Keyword View
could contain the following rows:

305


These rows show the following three steps that are all performed on the
Welcome: Mercury Tours page of the Mercury Tours sample web site:

➤ mercury is entered in the userName edit box.
➤ The encrypted string 3ee35 is entered in the password edit box.
➤ The Sign-In image is clicked.
The Documentation column translates each of the steps into
understandable sentences.

For every step in the Keyword View, QuickTest displays a corresponding line
of script in the Expert View. If you select a specific row in the Keyword View
and switch to the Expert View, the cursor is located in the corresponding
line of the script.

Tip: You can print the contents of the Keyword View to your Windows
default printer, or preview it on screen before printing. For more
information, see “Printing a Test or Component” on page 99.

Understanding the Keyword View Columns
The Keyword View can contain any of the following columns: Item,
Operation, Value, Assignment, Comment, and Documentation. A brief
description of each column is provided below. For more detailed
information on each column, see “Modifying a Step” on page 314.

Note: If you do not see one or more of the columns described below in your
Keyword View, you can use the Keyword View Options dialog box to display
them. For more information, see “Setting Keyword View Display Options”
on page 323.

306


Item Column
The item on which you want to perform the step (test object, utility object,
function call, or statement). This column displays a hierarchical icon-based
tree. The highest level of the tree are actions or components, and all steps
are contained within the relevant branch of the tree. Steps performed within
the same parent object are displayed under that same object. Function calls,
utility objects, and statements are placed in the tree hierarchy at the same
level as the item above them (as a sibling).

You can collapse or expand an item in the item tree to change the level of
detail that the tree displays.

➤ To collapse an item and its sub-items, click the arrow to the left of the
item icon, press the minus key (-) on your keyboard number pad, press
the left arrow key on your keypad, or right-click the item and choose
Collapse Sub Tree. The item tree hides all its sub-items and the collapse
arrow changes to expand.
➤ To collapse all the items in the tree, choose View > Collapse All.
➤ To expand an item one level or to its previously expanded state, select it
and click the arrow to the left of the item icon, press the plus key (+)
on your keyboard number pad, press the right arrow key on your
keyboard, or right-click the item and choose Expand Sub Tree. The tree
displays the details for the item and all its first-level sub-items and the
expand arrows change to collapse.
➤ To expand an item and all its sub-items, select the item and press the
asterisk (*) key on your keyboard number pad. The tree displays the
details for the item and all its sub-items and the expand arrows change to
collapse.
➤ To expand all the items in the tree, choose View > Expand All.

Note: When you use the +, -, and * keys to expand and collapse the Item
tree, make sure that the entire row is selected (by clicking to the left of the
row) and that a specific column is not selected, before pressing the required
key. Otherwise, the keys will not work.

307


Operation Column
The operation to be performed on the item. This column contains a list of
all available operations (methods or functions) that can be performed on the
item selected in the Item column, for example, Click and Select. The default
operation for the item selected in the Item column is displayed by default.

Value Column
The argument values for the selected operation, or the content of the
statement. The Value cell is partitioned according to the number of
arguments of the selected operation.

Assignment Column
The assignment of a value to or from a variable, for example, Store in cCols
would store the return value of the current step in a variable called cCols,
which you could then use later in the test or component.

Comment Column
A free text edit box for any information you want to add regarding the step.
These are also displayed as inline comments in the Expert View.

Documentation Column
Read-only auto-documentation of what the step does, in an
easy-to-understand sentence.

Using Keyboard Commands in the Keyword View
If you prefer to use your keyboard, you can use the following keyboard
commands to navigate within the Keyword View:

➤ Press F8 to add a new step below the currently selected step.
➤ Press SHIFT+F8 to add a new step after a conditional or loop block.
➤ Press F7 to use the Step Generator to add a new step below the selected step.
➤ The TAB and SHIFT+TAB keys move the focus left or right within a single row,
unless you are in a cell that is in edit mode. If so, press ENTER to exit edit
mode, and then you can use the TAB keys.

308


➤ When a column containing a list is selected:
➤ You can press ENTER or SHIFT+F4 to open the list for that column.
➤ You can change the selected item by using the up and down arrow keys.
In the Item column, the list must be open before you can use the arrow
keys.
➤ You can type a letter or sequence of letters to move to a value that starts
with the typed letter(s). The typed sequence is highlighted white.
➤ You can use the left and right arrow keys to move the focus one cell to the
left or right, with the following exceptions:
➤ In the last cell in a row, the right arrow key moves the focus to the first
cell in the next row.
➤ In the Item column, the left and right arrow keys collapse or expand the
item (if possible). If not possible, the arrow keys behave as in any other
column.
➤ When a cell is in edit mode, for example, when modifying a value or
comment, the left and right arrow keys move within the edited cell.
➤ When the Value column is selected, press CTRL+F11 to open the Value
Configuration Options dialog box.
➤ When the entire step is selected (by clicking to its left), use the + key
(expands a specific branch), - key (collapses a specific branch), and * key
(expands all branches) to expand and collapse the Item tree.
➤ When a row is selected (not a specific column), you can type a letter to jump
to the next row that starts with that letter.

Working with Steps in the Keyword View
You can use the Keyword View to add steps at any point in your test or
component. You can also modify or delete steps as required, using standard
editing commands to easily make changes.

You can also view properties for items such as checkpoints, output values,
and actions, use conditional and loop statements to manipulate the flow of
your test or component, and insert breakpoints to assist you in debugging it.

309


Adding an Action
Actions are the highest level of the test hierarchy, and contain all the
steps that are part of that action. In the Keyword View, you can view either
the flow of all the action calls in the test, or the content of a specific
reusable action, using the options in the Actions toolbar.

You can insert a new action, a call to an action, or a copy of an action, to
your test. For more information about inserting and using actions in the
Keyword View, see Chapter 17, “Working with Actions”.

Tip: You can copy and paste or drag and drop actions to move them to a
different location within a test. For more information, see “Moving Actions
and Steps in the Hierarchy” on page 321.

Note: Components do not contain actions. When working with
components, each component is a single entity. It cannot contain multiple
components or nested calls to other components.

Adding a Standard Step
You can use the Keyword View to add a step at any point in your test or
component. You can either add a step below the currently selected step, at
the end of a test or component, or at the beginning of a new test or
component. You can also add a new step immediately after a conditional or
loop block, as described in “Adding a Standard Step After a Conditional or
Loop Block” on page 313.

Tip: You can also add a step using the Step Generator. For more information,
see “Inserting Steps Using the Step Generator” on page 467.

310


To add a standard step:
1 Select the row after which you want to add the new step, and choose
Insert > New Step or press F8. A new step is added to the Keyword View,
either as a sibling step or a sub-step, according to the QuickTest object
hierarchy, as described in “Understanding the QuickTest Recorded Object
Hierarchy” on page 311.

Tip: If you want to add a step at the end of your test or component, or at the
beginning of a new test or component, click in the first empty row of the
Keyword View. A new step is added to the Keyword View, either as a sibling
step or a sub-step, according to the QuickTest object hierarchy, as described
in “Understanding the QuickTest Recorded Object Hierarchy” on page 311.

2 Specify the content of the step by modifying it, as described in “Modifying a
Step” on page 314.

Understanding the QuickTest Recorded Object Hierarchy

When you add a new step to your test or component in the Keyword View,
the step is added as a sibling step or sub-step of the selected step, according
to the QuickTest recorded object hierarchy. Following is a description of the
recorded hierarchy, and then specific information describing where new
steps are inserted in this hierarchy.

The recorded object hierarchy is composed of two or more levels of test
objects. The top level is an object that represents a window, dialog, or
browser type object, depending on the environment. Depending on the
actual object on which you performed an operation, that object may be
recorded as a second level object, for example, Window > WinToolbar, or there
may be another object at the second level, and then the object on which
you performed the operation is recorded as a third level object, for example,
Browser > Page > WebButton.

Note that when testing ActiveX objects in a browser, the top-level ActiveX
object is recorded within the standard Web object hierarchy, for example,
Browser > Page > ActiveX.

311


Even though the object on which you record may be embedded in several
levels of objects, the recorded hierarchy does not include these objects. For
example, even if the WebButton object on which you record is actually
contained in several nested WebTable objects, which are all contained
within a Browser and Page, the recorded hierarchy is only Browser > Page >
WebButton.

An object that can potentially contain a lower-level object is called a
container object. All top-level objects in the recorded hierarchy are
container objects. If a second-level object contains third-level objects
according to the QuickTest recorded object hierarchy, then it is also
considered a container object. For example, in the step Browser > Page > Edit
> Set “David”, Browser and Page are both container objects.

When you add a new step to the Keyword View, it is added either as a sibling
step or sub-step of the currently selected step, as follows:

➤ If the selected step is a container object, and the branch for the selected
step is expanded, the new step is inserted as the first sub-step of the
container object.

Originally
selected step
New step as first
child

➤ If the selected step is at the end of the test or component, and it is a
container object, and the branch for the selected step is collapsed, the
new step is inserted as a sibling step to the selected step, (after any
sub-steps of the selected step).
Originally selected
step
New step as sibling

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➤ If the selected step is at the lowest level of the recorded hierarchy, the
new step is inserted as a sibling step immediately after the selected step.

Originally selected
step
New item as sibling
at child level

Adding a Standard Step After a Conditional or Loop Block
After you add a conditional or loop statement to your test or component, all
steps that you add or record are automatically inserted within the
conditional or loop statement block. After you have finished adding steps to
the block, you can add a step outside of the block, at a sibling level to the
conditional or loop statement step, as described below. For more
information about conditional and loop statements, see Chapter 20,
“Adding Steps Containing Programming Logic.”

To add a standard step outside of a conditional or loop block:
1 Select the conditional or loop statement step after and outside of which you
want to add the new step, and choose Insert > New Step After Block or press
SHIFT+F8. A new step is added to the Keyword View, at the end of the
conditional or loop block, outside of the conditional or loop statement (as a
sibling).

Originally
selected
conditional or
loop statement

New step as
sibling

2 Specify the content of the step by modifying it, as described in “Modifying a

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Adding Other Types of Steps
In addition to adding standard statement steps to your test or component
using the Keyword View, you can also insert the following special types of
steps using the relevant options from the Insert menu. Each step is entered
as a row in the Keyword View, and you can then modify it as described in
“Modifying a Step” on page 314.

➤ You can insert a checkpoint step, for more information see Chapter 6,
“Understanding Checkpoints”.
➤ You can insert an output value step, for more information see Chapter 13,
“Outputting Values”.
➤ You can insert a step that sends information to the results, a step that puts a
comment line in your test or component, a step that synchronizes your test
or component with your application, or a step that measures a transaction
in your test (transactions are not available for components). For more
information see Chapter 20, “Adding Steps Containing Programming
Logic”.
➤ You can insert a step that calls a WinRunner test or function, for more
information see Chapter 39, “Working with WinRunner”.

Modifying a Step
You can modify any part of a step in the Keyword View. For example, you
can change the test object on which the step is performed, change the
operation to be performed in the step, or add information regarding a step
in the Comment column.

When working in the Keyword View, you can use the standard editing
commands (Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete) in the Edit menu or in the
context-sensitive menu to make it easier to modify your steps.

Tip: You can copy and paste or drag and drop steps to move them to a
different location within a test, action, or component. For more
information, see “Moving Actions and Steps in the Hierarchy” on page 321.

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To modify a step, click in the cell for the part of the step you want to modify
and specify the content of the call, as described below. Each cell in the step
row represents a different part of the step.

Item
Click in the Item cell, then click the arrow button and select the item on
which you want to perform the step from the displayed list. If you have just
entered a new step, the list is displayed automatically as soon as you create
the new step. You can choose an item from one of the following:

➤ A test object in the object repository. You can either choose a test object
from the list, or choose Object from repository to open the Select Object for
Step dialog box in which you can select a test object from the object
repository or an object from your application. The test objects available in
the list are the sibling and child test objects of the previous step’s test object.
The Select Object for Step dialog box contains all test objects in the object
repository. You can select whether you want the operation for the step to be
a test object operation or a run-time object operation. If you select a run-
time object, an Object statement is added to the Keyword View. You can also
select an object directly from your application and add it to the object
repository so that you can use it in the step. For more information, see
“Understanding the Select Object for Step Dialog Box” on page 319.
➤ A statement, for example, a Dim statement.
➤ A step generated by the Step Generator. For more information, see “Inserting
Steps Using the Step Generator” on page 467.

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Operation
Click in the Operation cell, then click the arrow button and select the
operation to be performed on the item. The available operations vary
according to the item selected in the Item column. For example, if you
selected a browser test object, the list contains all of the methods and
properties available for the browser object. If you selected a test object in
the Item column, the default operation (most commonly-used operation)
for the test object is automatically displayed in the Operation column. This
cell is not applicable if you chose to insert a statement in the Item column.

Note: Even if the Item column in the Keyword View is displayed to the right
of the Operation column, you must still first select an item in order to view
the list of available operations in the Operation column.

Value
Click the Value cell and enter the argument values for the selected
operation, or the value for the statement. The Value cell is partitioned
according to the number of possible arguments of the selected operation.
Each partition contains different options, depending on the type of
argument that can be entered in the partition, as follows:

Argument
Argument Type Instructions
Partition

String Enables you to enter any alphanumeric string
enclosed by quotes. If you do not enter the
quotes, QuickTest adds them automatically.

Integer Enables you to enter any number, or use the up
and down arrows to select a number.

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Argument
Argument Type Instructions
Partition

Boolean Enables you to select a True or False value from
the drop-down list.

Any A variant argument type, which enables you to
enter any of the above argument value types.
For example, if the operation requires a string as
the argument value, you must enclose it in
quotation marks. When you specify a value of
Any type, QuickTest checks whether it is a
number. If the value is not a number, QuickTest
automatically encloses it in quotation marks. If
you are editing an existing value, QuickTest
automatically encloses it in quotation marks if
the previous value had quotation marks.
Note: Some operations have arguments of Any
type, but actually expect to receive either
a string or a number. If you are specifying
an argument value of type Any, you must
specify it in the format that is expected by
the operation.

Note: If you want to specify a variable as an argument value, you can do this
only in the Expert View.

When you click in the Value cell, a tooltip displays information regarding
each argument. In the tooltip, the argument for the partition that is
currently highlighted is displayed in bold, and any optional arguments are
enclosed in square brackets.

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You can also parameterize the value in any partition of the Value column.
Click the parameterization button to open the Parameter Options dialog
box in which you can parameterize the value. For more information, see
Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values”.

Note: After you enter the initial value, you can edit the value at any time in
the Keyword View for a test object, utility object, function call, conditional
statement, or loop statement. You cannot edit the value of a regular
statement, such as x=10, in the Keyword View after you define its initial
value. You can edit the previously defined value of a regular statement only
in the Expert View.

Assignment
Double-click in the left part of the Assignment cell if you want to create or
edit an assignment to or from a variable. Click the arrow button to select
either Get from or Store in, depending on whether you want to retrieve the
value from a variable or store the value in a variable. Click in the right part
of the Assignment cell to specify or modify the name of the variable.

Comment
Click in the Comment cell to enter textual notes about the step. Text you
enter in this cell is also displayed as an inline comment in the Expert View.

Note: You can also enter a comment on a new line below the currently
selected step by choosing Insert > Step > Comment. For more information,
see “Adding Comments” on page 498.

Documentation
This cell displays an explanation (in read-only format) of what the step
does, in an easy-to-understand sentence, for example, Click the “Sign-in”
image. or Select “San Francisco” in the “toPort” list.

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Understanding the Select Object for Step Dialog Box
The Select Object for Step dialog box displays the object repository tree and
enables you to select an object for your step from the object repository or
from your application, or enter an Object statement for a selected test
object.

You can select any object in the object repository tree for your new step, or
you can select the Insert run-time object for selected test object option to
enter an Object statement in your test or component. For more information
on the object repository, see Chapter 4, “Managing Test Objects.” For more
information on Object statements, see “Accessing Run-Time Object
Properties and Methods” on page 899.

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If the object that you want to use in the new step is not in the object
repository, you can select an object from your application.

When you click OK, the object is displayed in the Item column in the
Keyword View. You can now specify the operation for the selected object.
For more information, see “Modifying a Step” on page 314.

To select an object from your application:
1 Click the Select from Application button. QuickTest is minimized.
2 Use the pointing hand to click on the required object in your application.

Tip: You can hold the CTRL key to change the window focus or perform
operations such as a right-click or mouseover to display a context menu. If
the window containing the object you want to click is partially hidden by
another window, you can also hold the pointing hand over the partially
hidden window for a few seconds until the window comes into the
foreground and you can point and click on the object you want. Note that

If the location you clicked is associated with more than one object, the
Object Selection dialog box opens.

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3 Select the object for the new step and click OK. The object is displayed in the
object repository tree in the Select Object for Step dialog box.
4 Click OK, the object is displayed in the Item column in the Keyword View.
You can now specify the operation for the selected object. For more
information, see “Modifying a Step” on page 314.

Tip: If you select an object in your application that is not in the object
repository, a test object is added to the object repository when you insert the
new step.

Moving Actions and Steps in the Hierarchy
You can move an action or step to a different location within a test or
component by simply dragging it up or down the tree in the Item column
and dropping it at the required location. You can also move a step by
copying or cutting it to the Clipboard and then pasting it in the required
location. When you move an action or step, you also move all of its
sub-steps, if any.

Note: If you copy an action (Edit > Copy), the Select Action dialog opens,
which enables you to insert a call to a copy of an action. For more
information on inserting a call to a copy of an action, see “Inserting Calls to
Copies of Actions” on page 354. You cannot use the Copy and Paste options
to move an action within the test hierarchy.

You can only move an action or step to a different location in the same level
in the hierarchy (a sibling level). You cannot move an action or step to be
above the first action or step in a hierarchy. However, you can move the first
action or step in a hierarchy below any other action or step in the hierarchy.

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For example, in the hierarchy shown below, you cannot drag the Sign_in
action above the FlightOrder action, but you can drag the FlightOrder
action below the Sign_in action. You can also move the Select a Flight:
Mercury step (and sub-steps) above the Find a Flight: Mercury step (and
sub-steps), and you can move the userName step below the password step.
You cannot move the password step above the userName step.

Note: You cannot copy an item if one of its cells is in edit mode.

Deleting an Item
You can delete an item in the Keyword View. When an item has both an
operation and sub-steps defined for it, as in the image below, you can
choose whether to delete only the operation of the item, or to delete the
item and all of its sub-steps.

Note: You cannot delete an item if one of its cells is in edit mode.

322


To delete an item:
1 Select the row for the item you want to delete.
2 Choose Edit > Delete or press the DELETE key. One of the following messages
is displayed, depending on the type of step you select:
➤ If you select an item with either an operation (or checkpoint or output
value) or sub-steps (but not both), a message opens asking if you want to
delete the selected item and all of its sub-steps (if any).
➤ If you select an item with both an operation (or checkpoint or output
value) and sub-steps, a message opens asking whether you want to delete
the selected item and all of its sub-steps, or delete only the item’s
operation (and leave the item and sub-steps).
3 Click Delete Item to delete the selected item (and any sub-steps), or click
Delete Operation to delete only the operation for the selected item (and not
delete the item).

Setting Keyword View Display Options
You can specify which columns you want to display in the Keyword View,
and also specify the order in which they are displayed.

Tip: You can choose to display only the Item and Documentation columns
and then print the Keyword View for use as instructions for manual testing.
For more information on printing from the Keyword View, see “Printing a
Test or Component” on page 99.

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To specify Keyword View display options:
1 Choose Tools > Keyword View Options. The Keyword View Options dialog
box opens:

The Available columns box lists columns not currently displayed in the
Keyword View. The Visible columns box lists columns currently displayed in
the Keyword View.
2 Double-click column names or choose column names and click the arrow
buttons (> and <) to move them between the Available columns and Visible
columns boxes.

Tip: Click the double arrow buttons (>> and <<) to move all the column
names from one list to the other. Select multiple column names (using the
SHIFT and/or CONTROL keys) and click the arrow buttons (> and <) to move
only the selected column names from one list to the other.

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3 In the Visible columns box, set the order in which columns appear in the
Keyword View by selecting one or more columns and then using the up and
down arrow buttons.

Note: The order of the columns in the Keyword View does not affect the
order in which the cells need to be completed for each step. For example, if
you choose to display the Operation column to the left of the Item column,
you still need to select the item first, and only then is the Operation column
list refreshed to match the selection you made in the Item column.

4 Click OK to close the dialog box and apply the new column display.

Tip: You can also display or hide specific columns by right-clicking the
column header row in the Keyword View and then selecting or deselecting
the required column name from the displayed menu.

You can also rearrange columns by dragging a column header to its new
location in the Keyword View. Red arrows are displayed when the column
header is dragged to an available location.

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Viewing Properties of Step Elements in the Keyword View
You can view properties for different parts of a step in the Keyword View. For
example, you can view object properties, action properties, action call
properties, checkpoint properties, and output value properties. Right-click
the item for which you want to view the properties, and select the relevant
option from the displayed menu.

The property options available in the Step menu or the context (right-click)
menu change according to the currently selected step. For example, if you
right-click a step that contains a checkpoint or output value on a test object,
you can view object properties and checkpoint or output value properties
for the current object and checkpoint or output value. If you right-click
an action, you can choose to view action properties or action call properties
for the current action.

326


Using Conditional and Loop Statements in the Keyword
View
You can control the flow of your test or component with conditional
statements and loop statements. Using conditional statements, you can
incorporate decision making into your tests or components. Using loop
statements, you can run a group of steps repeatedly, either while or until a
condition is true. You can also use loop statements to repeat a group of steps
a specific number of times.

Each statement type is indicated by one of the following icons in the
Keyword View:

Icon Type

If...Then statement

ElseIf...Then statement

Else statement

While...Wend statement

For...Next statement

Do...While statement

Do...Until statement

After you insert a conditional or loop statement in the Keyword View, you
can insert or record steps after the statement to include them in the
conditional or loop block.

For more information on including conditional and loop statements in your
test or components, see Chapter 20, “Adding Steps Containing
Programming Logic”. For more information on inserting steps after a
conditional or loop block, see “Adding a Standard Step After a Conditional
or Loop Block” on page 313.

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Working with Breakpoints in the Keyword View
You can easily insert and remove breakpoints in the Keyword View. When
you place a breakpoint in a step in the Keyword View, it is also displayed in
the Expert View, and vice versa.

You insert a breakpoint in the Keyword View by clicking in the left margin
at the point where you want to insert the breakpoint, or by selecting a step
and pressing F9 or choosing Debug > Add/Remove Breakpoint. A red
breakpoint icon is displayed. You can remove a breakpoint by clicking the
breakpoint icon, or by selecting a step and pressing F9 or choosing Debug >
Add/Remove Breakpoint.

Note: QuickTest automatically places the breakpoint next to the appropriate
item for the step. In the example shown above, even if you click next to the
Welcome: Mercury browser or page item, the breakpoint is automatically
inserted next to the userName edit item, on which the step is actually
performed. When you collapse items, the breakpoint icons remain in the
left margin next to the closest visible item, so you can see that the test or
component contains breakpoints.

For more information on breakpoints, see Chapter 22, “Debugging Tests and
Components”.

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16
Learning Virtual Objects

You can teach QuickTest to recognize any area of your application as an
object by defining it as a virtual object. Virtual objects enable you to record
and run tests or components on objects that are not normally recognized by
QuickTest.


➤ About Learning Virtual Objects
➤ Understanding Virtual Objects
➤ Understanding the Virtual Object Manager
➤ Defining a Virtual Object
➤ Removing or Disabling Virtual Object Definitions

About Learning Virtual Objects
Your application may contain objects that behave like standard objects but
are not recognized by QuickTest. You can define these objects as virtual
objects and map them to standard classes, such as a button or a check box.
QuickTest emulates the user’s action on the virtual object during the run
session. In the test results, the virtual object is displayed as though it is a
standard class object.

For example, suppose you want to record a test on a Web page containing a
bitmap that the user clicks. The bitmap contains several different hyperlink
areas, and each area opens a different destination page. When you record a
test, the Web site matches the coordinates of the click on the bitmap and
opens the destination page.

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To enable QuickTest to click at the required coordinates during a run
session, you can define a virtual object for an area of the bitmap, which
includes those coordinates, and map it to the button class. When you run a
test or component, QuickTest clicks the bitmap in the area defined as a
virtual object so that the Web site opens the correct destination page.

You define a virtual object using the Virtual Object Wizard. The wizard
prompts you to select the standard object class to which you want to map
the virtual object. You then mark the boundaries of the virtual object using
a crosshairs pointer. Next, you select a test object as the parent of the virtual
object. Finally, you specify a name and a collection for the virtual object. A
virtual object collection is a group of virtual objects that is stored in the
Virtual Object Manager under a descriptive name.

Note: QuickTest does not support virtual objects for analog or low-level
recording. For additional information about low-level recording, see
“Recording and Running Tests” on page 1003.

Understanding Virtual Objects
QuickTest identifies a virtual object according to its boundaries. Marking an
object’s boundaries specifies its size and position on a Web page or
application window. When you assign a test object as the parent of your
virtual object, you specify that the coordinates of the virtual object
boundaries are relative to that parent object. When you record a test or
component, QuickTest recognizes the virtual object within the parent object
and adds it as a test object in the object repository so that QuickTest can
identify the object during the run session.

Note: The Web page or application window must be the same size and in the
same position when recording and running tests or components as it was
when you defined the virtual object.

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Chapter 16 • Learning Virtual Objects

You can disable recognition of virtual objects without deleting them from
the Virtual Object Manager. For additional information, see “Removing or
Disabling Virtual Object Definitions” on page 338.

Notes: You can use virtual objects only when recording and running a test
or component. You cannot insert any type of checkpoint on a virtual object,
or use the Object Spy to view its properties.

In order to perform an operation in the Active Screen on a marked virtual
object, you must first record it, so that its properties are saved in the test
object description in the object repository. If you perform an operation in
the Active Screen on a virtual object that has not yet been recorded,
QuickTest treats it as a standard object.

Understanding the Virtual Object Manager
The Virtual Object Manager contains all the virtual object collections
defined on your computer. From the Virtual Object Manager, you can define
and delete virtual objects and collections.

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Available virtual object collections list—Displays the virtual object
collections defined on your computer and the virtual objects contained in
each one. Use the + and - signs next to a collection to view or hide the
virtual objects defined in that collection.

New—Opens the Virtual Object Wizard, which guides you through the
process of defining a new virtual object for a new or existing collection. For
more information, see “Defining a Virtual Object” on page 333.

Delete—Deletes the selected virtual object or virtual object collection. For
more information, see “Removing or Disabling Virtual Object Definitions”
on page 338.

Note: The virtual object collections displayed in the Virtual Object Manager
are stored on your computer and not with the tests or components that
contain virtual object steps. This means that if you use a virtual object in a
test or component step, the object will be recognized during the run session
only if it is run on a computer containing the appropriate virtual object
definition. To copy your virtual object collection definitions to another
computer, copy the contents of your <QuickTest installation
folder>datVoTemplate folder (or individual .vot collection files within
this folder) to the same folder on the destination computer.

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Defining a Virtual Object
Using the Virtual Object Wizard, you can map a virtual object to a standard
object class, specify the boundaries and the parent of the virtual object, and
assign it a name. You can also group your virtual objects logically by
assigning them to collections.

Note: You can define virtual objects only for objects on which you can click
or double-click and that record a Click or DblClick step. Otherwise, the
virtual object is ignored. For example, if you define a virtual object over the
WinList object, the Select operation is recorded, and the virtual object is
ignored.

To define a virtual object:
1 With QuickTest open (but not in record mode), open your Web site or
application and display the object containing the area you want to define as
a virtual object.

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2 In QuickTest, choose Tools > Virtual Objects > New Virtual Object.
Alternatively, from the Virtual Object Manager, click New. The Virtual
Object Wizard opens. Click Next.

3 Select a standard class to which you want to map your virtual object.

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If you select the list class, specify the number of rows in the virtual object.
For the table class, select the number of rows and columns. Click Next.

4 Click Mark Object.

The QuickTest window and the Virtual Object Wizard are minimized. Use
the crosshairs pointer to mark the area of the virtual object. You can use the
arrow keys while holding down the left mouse button to make precise
adjustments to the area you define with the crosshairs. Click Next.

Note: The virtual object should not overlap other virtual objects in your
application or Web page. If the virtual object overlaps another virtual object,
QuickTest may not record or run tests or components correctly on the
virtual objects.

335


5 Click an object in the object tree to assign it as the parent of the virtual
object.

The coordinates of the virtual object outline are relative to the parent object
you select.
6 In the Identify object using box, select how you want QuickTest to identify
and map the virtual object.
➤ If you want QuickTest to identify all occurrences of the virtual object,
select parent only. QuickTest identifies the virtual object using its direct
parent only, regardless of the entire parent hierarchy. For example, if the
virtual object was defined using Browser("A").Page("B").Image("C"),
QuickTest will recognize the virtual object even if the hierarchy changes
to Browser("X").Page("Y").Image("C").
➤ If you want QuickTest to identify the virtual object in one occurrence
only, select entire parent hierarchy. QuickTest identifies the virtual object
only if it has the exact parent hierarchy. For example, if the virtual
object was defined using Browser("A").Page("B").Image("C"), QuickTest
will not recognize it if the hierarchy changes to
Browser("X").Page("B").Image("C").

Click Next.

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7 Specify a name and a collection for the virtual object. Choose from the list
of collections or create a new one by entering a new name in the Collection
name box.

8 To add the virtual object to the Virtual Object Manager and close the wizard,
select No and then click Finish.
To add the virtual object to the Virtual Object Manager and define another
virtual object, select Yes and then click Next. The wizard returns to the Map
to a Standard Class screen, where you can define the next virtual object.

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Removing or Disabling Virtual Object Definitions
You can remove virtual objects from your test or component by deleting
them or by disabling recognition of these objects while recording.

To delete a virtual object:
1 Choose Tools > Virtual Objects > Virtual Object Manager. The Virtual Object
Manager opens.

2 In the list of available virtual object collections, click the plus sign next to
the collection to display the virtual object you want to delete. Select the
virtual object, and click Delete.
To delete an entire collection, select it and click Delete.
3 Click Close.

Tip: Click New in the Virtual Object Manager to open the Virtual Object
Wizard, where you can define a new virtual object.

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To disable recognition of virtual objects while recording:
1 Choose Tools > Options or click the Options toolbar button. The Options
dialog box opens.
2 In the General tab, select the Disable recognition of virtual objects while
recording check box.
3 Click OK.

Note: When you want QuickTest to recognize virtual objects during
recording, ensure that the Disable recognition of virtual objects while
recording check box in the General tab of the Options dialog box is cleared.
For more information, see “Setting General Testing Options” on page 614.

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17
Working with Actions

You can divide your test into actions to streamline the process of testing
your application or Web site.

Note: Components do not contain actions, and cannot be divided into
actions.


➤ About Working with Actions
➤ Using Multiple Actions in a Test
➤ Using Global and Action Data Sheets
➤ Using the Action Toolbar
➤ Creating New Actions
➤ Inserting Calls to Existing Actions
➤ Nesting Actions
➤ Splitting Actions
➤ Using Action Parameters
➤ Setting Action Properties
➤ Setting Action Call Properties
➤ Sharing Action Information
➤ Exiting an Action
➤ Removing Actions from a Test

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➤ Renaming Actions
➤ Creating an Action Template
➤ Guidelines for Working with Actions

About Working with Actions
Actions help divide your test into logical units, like the main sections of a
Web site, or specific activities that you perform in your application.

A test is made up of calls to actions. When you create a new test, it contains
a call to a single action. By creating tests that call multiple actions, you can
design more modular and efficient tests.

An action consists of its own test script, including all the steps recorded
within that action, and its own object repository if the test is in per-action
repository mode. For more information on object repositories, see

Each action is stored together with the test in which you created it. You can
insert a call to an action that is stored with the test and, depending on the
properties of the action, you may also be able to call an action stored with
another test.

When you open a test, you can choose to view the test flow (calls to actions)
or you can view and edit the individual actions stored with your test.

If you work with tests that include many steps or lines of script, it is
recommended that you use actions to divide your test steps. Actions should
ideally contain no more than a few dozen test steps.

For example, suppose you want to test several features of a flight reservation
system. You plan several tests to test various business processes, but each
one requires the same login and logout steps. You can create one action that
contains the steps required for the login process, another for the logout
steps, and other actions for the main steps in your test. Once you have
created the login and logout actions, you can insert those actions into other
tests.

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Chapter 17 • Working with Actions

If you create a test in which you log into the system, book one flight, and
then log out of the system, your test might be structured as shown—one test
calling three separate actions:

Actions enable you to parameterize and iterate over specific elements of a
test. They can also make it easier to re-record steps in one action when part
of your application changes.

For every action called in your test, QuickTest creates a corresponding action
sheet in the Data Table so that you can enter Data Table parameters that are
specific to that action only. For more information on global and action data
sheets, see “Using Global and Action Data Sheets,” below. For information
on parameterizing tests, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values,” and
Chapter 13, “Outputting Values.”

Note: You can also run a single action, or part of an action, using the Run
from Step option. For more information, see Chapter 21, “Running Tests
and Components.”

You can specify input parameters for actions, so that steps in an action can
use values supplied from elsewhere in the test. You can also output values
from actions to be used in steps later in the test, or to be passed back to the
application that ran the test. For more information, see “Using Action

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Using Multiple Actions in a Test
When you create a test, it includes one action. All the steps you record and
all the modifications you make while editing your test are part of a single
action.

You can divide your test into multiple actions by creating new actions and
inserting calls to them, or by inserting calls to existing actions. There are
three kinds of actions:

➤ non-reusable action—an action that can be called only in the test with
which it is stored, and can be called only once.
➤ reusable action—an action that can be called multiple times by the test
with which it is stored (the local test) as well as by other tests.
➤ external action—a reusable action stored with another test. External
actions are read-only in the calling test, but you can choose to use a local,
editable copy of the Data Table information for the external action.

For more information about creating and calling new actions, see “Creating
New Actions” on page 348. For more information about inserting calls to
existing actions, see “Inserting Calls to Existing Actions” on page 352.

By default, new actions are non-reusable. You can mark each action you
create in a test as reusable or non-reusable. Only reusable actions can be
called multiple times from the current test or from another test. You can
store a copy of a non-reusable action with your test and then insert a call to
the copy, but you cannot directly insert a call to a non-reusable action saved
with another test. Inserting calls to reusable actions makes it easier to
maintain your tests, because when an object or procedure in your
application changes, it needs to be updated only one time, in the original
action.

Two or more tests can call the same action and one action can call another
action (this is known as nesting an action, described in “Nesting Actions”
on page 360). Complex tests may have many actions and may share actions
with other tests.

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When you run a test with multiple actions, the test results are divided by
actions within each test iteration so that you can see the outcome of each
action, and you can view the detailed results for each action individually.
For more information on the Test Results window, see Chapter 23,
“Analyzing Test Results.”

Using Global and Action Data Sheets
When you output a value to the Data Table or add a Data Table parameter to
your test, you can specify whether to store the data in the global data sheet
or in the action data sheet.

➤ Choosing Global sheet enables you to create a new column or select an
existing column in the Global sheet in the Data Table. When you run your
test, QuickTest inserts or outputs a value from or to the current row of the
global data sheet during each global iteration. You can use the columns in
the global data sheet for Data Table output values or Data Table parameters
in any action. This enables you to pass information between actions.
➤ Each action also has its own sheet in the Data Table so that you can insert
data that applies only to that action. Choosing Current action sheet (local)
enables you to create a new column or select an existing column in the
corresponding action sheet in the Data Table. When you run your test,
QuickTest inserts or outputs a value from or to the current row of the
current action (local) data sheet during each action iteration.

Note: When you parameterize the value of an object property using a Data
Table parameter, you cannot select Current action sheet (local) if your test
uses a shared object repository file. For more information, see Chapter 34,
“Choosing the Object Repository Mode.”

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When there are parameters or output value steps in the current action’s
sheet, you can set QuickTest to run one or more iterations on that action
before continuing with the current global iteration of the test. When you set
your action properties to run iterations on all rows, QuickTest inserts the
next value from or to the corresponding action parameter or output value
during each action iteration, while the values of the global parameters stay
constant.

Note: If you create Data Table parameters or output value steps in your
action and select to use the Current action sheet (local) option, be sure that
the run settings for your action are set correctly in the Run tab of the Action
Call Properties dialog box. You can set your action to run without iterations,
to run iterations on all rows in the action’s data sheet, or to run iterations
only on the rows you specify. For more information about setting action
iteration preferences, see “Inserting Calls to Existing Actions” on page 357.

For example, suppose you want to test how a flight reservation system
handles multiple bookings. You may want to parameterize the test to check
how your site responds to multiple sets of customer flight itineraries. When
you plan your test, you plan the following procedures:

1 The travel agent logs into the flight reservation system.
2 The travel agent books five sets of customer flight itineraries.
3 The travel agent logs out of the flight reservation site.

When you consider these procedures, you realize that it is necessary to
parameterize only the second step—the travel agent logs into the flight
reservation system only once, at the beginning, and logs out of the system
only once, at the end. Therefore, it is not necessary to parameterize the
login and logout procedures in your test.

By creating three separate actions within your test—one for logging in,
another for booking a flight, and a third for logging out—you can
parameterize the second action in your test without parameterizing the
others.

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For more information on the Data Table, see Chapter 18, “Working with
Data Tables.” For more information about parameterization, see Chapter 12,
“Parameterizing Values.” For more information about output values, see
Chapter 13, “Outputting Values.”

Using the Action Toolbar
The Action toolbar contains options that enable you to view all action calls
in the test flow or to view the details of a selected action. By default, the
Action toolbar is hidden in the Keyword View when you open QuickTest.
The first time you insert a reusable or external action into a test, the Action
toolbar is automatically displayed above the Keyword View.

Tip: You can display or hide the Action toolbar in the Keyword View by
choosing View > Toolbars > Action. For more information, see Chapter 2,
“QuickTest at a Glance.”

The Action List enables you to view either the entire test flow (the calls to the
actions in the test) or you can view the steps for a selected reusable or
external action. The test flow displays the overall flow of your test with all
the action calls in your test. The test flow also enables you to view and edit
the individual steps of non-reusable actions. An action view displays all the
details of the selected reusable or external action.

Action List

In the test flow, reusable actions are not expandable. You can view the
expanded steps of a reusable action by selecting the action from the Action
List. For more information about reusable actions, see “Setting General
Action Properties” on page 368.

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There are three ways to open the action view for a reusable or external
action in the Keyword View:

➤ In the test flow, double-click the call to the action you want to view.
➤ In the test flow, highlight the call to the action you want to view and click
the Show button.
➤ Select the name of the action from the Action List.

Note: In the Expert View, the Action List is always visible and the Expert
View always displays the script for the selected action. For more information
on the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert View.”

Creating New Actions
You can create new actions and add calls to them during a recording session
or while designing or editing your test.

You can call the new action from your test flow as a top-level action, or you
can call the new action from within another action in your test as a sub-
action (or nested action). For more information, see “Nesting Actions” on
page 360.

You can also split an existing action into two actions. For more information
on splitting actions, see “Splitting Actions” on page 362.

To create a new action in your test:
1 If you want to insert a call to the new action from an existing action in your
test, click the step after which you want to insert the new action. To insert a
call to the new action from the test flow as a top-level action, click any step.
2 While recording or editing your test, choose Insert > Call to New Action or
click the Insert Call to New Action button.

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The Insert Call to New Action dialog box opens.

3 Type a new action name or accept the default name.
4 If you wish, add a description of the action. You can also add an action
description at a later time using the Action Properties dialog box.

Tip: Descriptions of actions are displayed in the Select Action dialog box.
The description makes it easier for you to select the action you want to call.
For more information, see “Setting General Action Properties” on page 368.

5 Select Reusable Action if you want to be able to call the action from other
tests or multiple times from within this test. You can also set or modify this
setting at a later time using the Action Properties dialog box.
For more information about reusable actions, see “Using Multiple Actions in
a Test” on page 344. For more information about the Action Properties
dialog box, see “Setting Action Properties” on page 366.

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6 Decide where to insert the call to the action by selecting At the end of the
test or After the current step. Choosing At the end of the test creates a call
from the test flow to a top-level action. Choosing After the current step
inserts the call to the action from within the current action (nests the
action).

Note: If the currently selected step is a reusable action from another test, the
new action is added automatically to the end of the test (the location
options are disabled).

For more information about inserting action calls within actions, see
“Nesting Actions” on page 360.

7 Click OK. A new action is stored with your test and the call to it is displayed
at the bottom of the test or after the current step. You can move your action
call to another location at a parallel (sibling) level within your test by
dragging it to the desired location. For more information about moving
actions, see “Moving Actions and Steps in the Hierarchy” on page 321.
8 If you inserted the call to the new action while editing your test, make sure
your new action is selected and click Record to add steps to your new action.

Understanding Action Syntax in the Expert View
An action call in the expert view can define the action iterations, input
parameter values, output parameter storage locations, and an action return
values.

Calling Actions Using Basic Syntax
In the Expert View, a call to an action with no parameters is displayed
within the calling action with the following basic syntax:

RunAction ActionName, IterationQuantity

For example, to call the Select Flight action and run it one iteration:

RunAction "Select Flight", oneIteration

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For example, to call the Select Flight action and run it as many iterations as
there are rows in the Data Table:

RunAction "Select Flight", allIterations

For example, to call the Select Flight action and run it four iterations (for
the first four rows of the Data Table):

RunAction "Select Flight", "1 - 4"

Calling Actions with Parameters
If the action you are calling has input and/or output parameters defined,
you can also supply the values for the input parameters and the storage
location of the output parameters as arguments of the RunAction
statement. Input parameters are listed before output parameters.

For an input parameter, you can specify either a fixed value or you can
specify the name of another defined parameter (Data Table parameter,
environment parameter, or an action input parameter of the calling action)
from which the argument should take its value.

For an output parameter, you can specify either a variable in which you
want to store the value or the name of a defined parameter (Data Table
parameter, environment parameter, or an action output parameter of the
calling action).

An action call with parameters has the following syntax:

RunAction ActionName, IterationQuantity, Parameters

For example, suppose you call Action2 from Action1 and Action2 has one
input and one output parameter defined.

RunAction "Action2", oneIteration, “MyValue”, MyVariable

Supplies a string value of MyValue for the input parameter and stores the
resulting value of the output parameter in a variable called MyVariable.

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RunAction "Action2", oneIteration, Parameter(“Axn1_In”),
DataTable("Column1_out", dtLocalSheet)

Uses the value defined for Action1’s Axn1_In input action parameter as the
value for the input parameter, and stores the resulting value of the output
parameter in Action1’s Data Table sheet in a column called Column1_out.

Storing Action Return Values
If the action called by the RunAction statement includes an ExitAction
statement, the RunAction statement can return the value of the
ExitAction's RetVal argument. Note that this return value is a return value of
the action call itself and is independent of any values returned by specific
output parameters of the action call.

To store the return value of an action call, use the syntax:

MyRetVal=RunAction (ActionName, IterationQuantity, Parameters)

For more information about the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working with
the Expert View.” For more information on the RunAction statement, refer
to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

Inserting Calls to Existing Actions
When you plan a suite of tests, you may realize that each test requires some
identical activities, such as logging in. For example, rather than recording
the login process three times in three separate tests and enhancing this part
of the script (with checkpoints, parameterization, and programming
statements) separately for each test, you can create an action that logs into a
flight reservation system and store it with one test. Once you are satisfied
with the action you created, you can insert calls to the existing action into
other tests.

You can insert calls to an existing action by inserting a call to a copy of the
action, or by inserting a call to the original action.

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For example, suppose you wanted to record the following three tests in the
Mercury Tours site—booking a flight, modifying a reservation, and deleting
a reservation. While planning your tests, you realize that for each test, you
need to log in and log out of the site, giving a total of five actions for all
three tests.

You would initially create three tests with five actions as shown:

The following diagram shows an example of how to create your tests using
calls to the original actions you created in Test 1.

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Inserting Calls to Copies of Actions
When you insert a call to a copy of an action into a test, the original action
is copied in its entirety, including checkpoints, parameterization, the
corresponding action tab in the Data Table, plus any defined action
parameters. If the test you are copying uses per-action repository mode, the
copied action’s object repository is also copied together with the action.

If the test into which you are copying uses a shared object repository, the
copied action will use the same shared object repository as the calling test.
Before running the test, confirm that the shared object repository contains
all the objects that are in the copied action. Otherwise, the test may fail.

Note: If you are working in a test that uses per-action object repository
mode, you cannot copy an action from a test using a shared object
repository. For more information, see “Splitting and Copying Actions in
Object Repository Per-Action Mode” on page 820.

The action is inserted into the test as an independent, non-reusable action
(even if the original action was reusable). Once the action is copied into
your test, you can add to, delete from, or modify the action just as you
would with any other non-reusable action. Any changes you make to this
action after you insert it affect only this action, and changes you make to
the original action do not affect the copied action.

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To create a copy of an action and call the copy in your test:
1 While recording or editing your test, choose Insert > Call to Copy of Action,
right-click an action icon and select Insert Call to Copy of Action, or right-
click any step and select Action > Insert Call to Copy. The Select Action
dialog box opens.

2 Use the From test browse button to find the test containing the action you
want to copy. The Action box displays all local actions (actions that are
stored with the test you selected).

Note: You can enter a Quality Center folder or a relative path in the From
test box. If you enter a relative path, QuickTest searches for the test in the
folders listed in the Folders tab of the Options dialog box. For more
information, see Chapter 24, “Setting Folder Testing Options.”

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3 In the Action list, select the action you want to insert. When you select an
action, its type (Non-reusable or Reusable Action) and description, if one
exists, are displayed. This helps you identify the action you want to copy.
For more information about action descriptions see “Setting General Action

Note: QuickTest disables the Action list if the test you are working in is using
per-action repository mode and the test from which you want to copy uses a
shared object repository. For more information, see “Splitting and Copying
Actions in Object Repository Per-Action Mode” on page 820.

4 If you want to modify the copied action’s properties, select the Edit new
action properties check box. If you select this option, the Action Properties
dialog box is displayed when you click OK. You can then modify the action
properties as described in “Setting Action Properties” on page 366.

Note: If you do not select this option, you can modify the action’s
properties later by right-clicking the action icon in the Keyword View and
selecting Action Properties.

5 Decide where to insert the call to the copy of the action and select At the
end of the test or After the current step.
For more information about inserting actions within actions, see “Nesting
Actions” on page 360.

call to the copy of the action is added automatically to the end of the test
(the location options are disabled).

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6 Click OK. The action is inserted into the test as a call to an independent,
non-reusable action. You can move your action call to another location at a
parallel (sibling) level within your test by dragging it to the desired location.
For more information about moving actions, see “Moving Actions and Steps
in the Hierarchy” on page 321.

Inserting Calls to Existing Actions
You can insert a call to a reusable action that is stored in your current test
(local action), or in any other test (external action). Inserting a call to an
existing action is like linking to it. You can view the steps of the action in
the action view, but you cannot modify them. If you call an external action,
you can choose, however, whether you want the data from the action’s data
sheet to be imported as a local, editable copy, or whether you want to use
the (read-only) data from the original action.

If the test calling an action uses per-action repository mode, the called
action’s object repository is read-only (as are the steps of the called action)
in the test calling the action. If the test calling an action uses a shared object
repository, the called action uses the same shared object repository as the
calling test. In this case, before running the test, confirm that the shared
object repository of the calling test contains all the objects that are in the
called action. Otherwise, the test may fail.

Note: If you are working in a test that uses per-action object repository
mode, you cannot call an external action from a test using a shared object
repository. For more information, see “Inserting Action Calls in Object
Repository Per-Action Mode” on page 821.

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To modify a called, external action, you must open the test with which the
action is stored and make your modifications there. The modifications apply
to all tests that call that action. If you chose to use the original action’s data
when you call an external action, then changes to the original action’s data
are applied as well.

Tip: You can view the location of the original action in the General tab of
the Action Properties dialog box.

To insert a call to an existing action:
1 Choose Insert > Call to Existing Action, right-click an action icon and select
Insert Call to Existing Action, or right-click any step and select Action >
Insert Call to Existing. The Select Action dialog box opens.

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2 Use the From test browse button to find the test that contains the action
you want to call. The Action box displays all reusable actions in the test you
selected.

Note: You can enter a Quality Center folder or a relative path in the From
test box. If you enter a relative path, QuickTest searches for the test in the
folders listed in the Folders tab of the Options dialog box. For more
information, see Chapter 24, “Setting Folder Testing Options.”

3 In the Action list, select the action you want to call. When you select an
action, its type (Reusable Action) and description, if one exists, are
displayed. This helps you identify the action you want to call. For more
information about action descriptions, see “Setting General Action

Tip: External actions that the test calls are also displayed in the list. If the
action you want to call is already called from within the selected test, you
can select it from the list of actions. This creates another call to the original
action.

Note: QuickTest disables the Action list if the selected test does not contain
any reusable or external actions. It also disables the option if the test in
which you are working uses per-action object repository mode and the test
from which you want to call an action uses a shared object repository. For
more information, see “Inserting Action Calls in Object Repository Per-
Action Mode” on page 821.

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4 Decide where to insert the call to the action and select At the end of the test
or After the current step.

call to the action is added automatically to the end of the test (the location
options are disabled).

For more information about inserting actions within actions, see “Nesting

5 Click OK. A call to the action is inserted into the test flow. You can move
your action call to another location at a parallel (sibling) level within your
test by dragging it to the desired location. For more information about
moving actions, see “Moving Actions and Steps in the Hierarchy” on
page 321.

Tip: You can create an additional call to any reusable or external action in
your test by pressing CTRL while you drag and drop the action to another
location at a parallel (sibling) level within your test.

Nesting Actions
Sometimes you may want to call an action from within an action. This is
called nesting. By nesting actions, you can:

➤ maintain the modularity of your test.
➤ run one action or another based on the results of a conditional statement.

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For example, suppose you have parameterized a step where a user selects one
of three membership types as part of a registration process. When the user
selects a membership type, the page that opens depends on the membership
type selected in the previous page. You can create one action for each type of
membership. Then you can use If statements to determine which
membership type was selected in a particular iteration of the test and run
the appropriate action for that selection.

In the Keyword View, your test might look something like this:

In the Expert View, your test might look something like this:

Browser("Membership Preference").Page("Membership Preference").
WebRadioGroup("MemType").Select DataTable("memtype", dtGlobalSheet)
Mem_Type=Browser("Membership Preference").
Page("Membership Preference").WebRadioGroup("MemType").
GetROProperty (“value”)
If Mem_Type="paid" Then
RunAction "Paid_Mem", oneIteration
ElseIf Mem_Type = "free" Then
RunAction "Free_Mem", oneIteration
Else
RunAction "Preferred", oneIteration
End If

For more information about inserting conditional statements, see “Using
Conditional Statements” on page 484.

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To nest an action within an existing action:
1 Highlight the step after which you would like to insert the call to the action.
2 Follow the instructions for inserting a call to a new action as described in
“Creating New Actions” on page 348, or for inserting a call to a copy of an
action or a call to an existing action as described in “Inserting Calls to
Existing Actions” on page 352.

Splitting Actions
You can split an action that is stored with your test into two sibling actions
or into parent-child nested actions. When you split an action, the second
action starts with the step that is selected when you perform the split action
operation.

You cannot split an action and the option is disabled when:

➤ an external action is selected
➤ the first step of an action is selected
➤ recording a test
➤ running a test
➤ you are working with a read-only test
To split an action:
1 Select the step before which you want the new (second) action to begin.

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2 Choose Step > Split Action, click the Split Action button, or right-click the
step and choose Action > Split. The Split Action dialog box opens.

3 Choose one of the following options:
➤ Independent of each other—Splits the selected action into two sibling
actions.
➤ Nested (the second action is called by the first)—Splits the selected
action into a parent action whose last step calls the second, child action.
4 If you wish, modify the name and description of the two actions in the
Name and Description boxes.

Note: If a reusable action is called more than once in a test and you split the
action into two independent actions, each call to the action within the test
will be followed by a call to the new (reusable) action. If a reusable action is
called from another test, however, splitting it may cause the calling test to
fail.

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Using Action Parameters
Action parameters enable you to transfer values between actions and their
nested actions in your test, from your test to a top-level action, or from a
step in a top-level action back to the script or action that ran (called) your
test. For example, you can output a value from a step in a nested action and
store it in an output action parameter, and then use that value as input in a
later step in the calling parent action.

You define the parameters that an action can receive and the output values
that it can return in the Parameters tab of the Action Properties dialog box.
You specify the actual values that are provided to these parameters and the
locations in which the output values are stored in the Parameter Values tab
in the Action Call Properties dialog box.

You can specify input parameters for an action so it can receive input values
from elsewhere in the test. Input values for an action can be retrieved from
the test (for a top-level action) or from the parameters of the action that
calls it (for a nested action). You can also specify output parameters for an
action, so that it can output values for use later in the test, or pass values
back to the application that ran (called) the test.

For example, suppose you want to take a value from the external application
that runs (calls) your test and use it in an action within your test. In the test
below, you would need to pass the input test parameter from the external
application through Action2 and Action3 to the required step in Action4.

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You would do this as follows:

1 Define the input test parameter (Test > Settings > Parameters tab) with the
value that you want to use later in the test.
2 Define an input action parameter for Action2 (Step > Action Properties >
Parameters tab) with the same value type as the input test parameter.
3 Parameterize the input action parameter value (Step > Action Call Properties
> Parameter Values tab) using the input test parameter value you specified
above.
5 Parameterize the input action parameter value.
➤ Choose Step > Action Call Properties > Parameter Values tab and select
the input action parameter value you specified for Action2.
➤ Use the Parameter utility object to specify the action parameter as the
parameter argument for the RunAction statement in the Expert View. For
more information, see “Calling Actions with Parameters” on page 351.
7 Parameterize the input action parameter value.
➤ Choose Step > Action Call Properties > Parameter Values tab and select
the input action parameter value you specified for Action3.
➤ Use the Parameter utility object to specify the action parameter as the
parameter argument for the RunAction statement in the Expert View. For
more information, see “Calling Actions with Parameters” on page 351.
8 Parameterize the value in the required step in Action4.
➤ Click the parameterization icon and specify the parameter in the
Value Configuration Options dialog box using the input action
parameter you specified for Action 4.
➤ Use the Parameter utility object in the Expert View to specify the value
to use for the step. For more information, see “Using Action, or
Component Parameters in Steps in the Expert View” on page 214.

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An action’s parameters are stored with the action and are the same for all
calls to that action. If you change the action parameters defined for an
action, and then view the action properties for a call to that same action in a
different part of the test, you can see the action parameters have changed.
However, the actual values specified for input action parameters and the
locations specified for action output parameters can be different for each
call to the action. When you insert a call to a copy of an action, the copy of
the action is inserted with the action parameters and action call parameter
values that were defined for the action you copied. When you split an
action, the action parameters are copied to both actions. The action call
values for the second action are taken from the default values of that
action’s parameters.

For information on defining Action parameters and the values used in
action calls, see “Setting Action Parameters” on page 370, and “Setting
Action Call Parameter Values” on page 379.

Setting Action Properties
The Action Properties dialog box enables you to define options for the
stored action. These settings apply each time the action is called. You can
modify an action name, add or modify an action description, and set an
action as reusable. You can also define input and output parameters to be
used by the action, and, for an external action, you can set the Data Table
and object repository definitions.

Note: The following sections describe how to define action properties using
the Action Properties dialog box. You can also define actions and action
parameters in the Expert View. For more information, see “Understanding
Action Syntax in the Expert View” on page 350.

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You can open the Action Properties dialog box while recording or editing
your test by:

➤ Choosing Step > Action Properties from the Keyword View when an action
node is highlighted or from the Expert View.
➤ Right-clicking an action node in the Keyword View and selecting Action
Properties.
The Action Properties dialog box always contains the General tab and the
Parameters tab as shown below:

Note: In addition to the tabs described above, the Action Properties dialog
box for an external action also contains an External Action tab. For more
information, see “Setting Properties for an External Action” on page 373.

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Setting General Action Properties
You can use the General tab of the Action Properties dialog box to modify
the name of an action, add or edit an action’s description, or change the
reusability status of the action.

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The General tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Name The name of the action.

Location The folder or Quality Center path where the action is
stored.

Description You can insert comments about the action. An action
description helps you and other testers know what a
specific action does without reviewing all the steps in
the action. The description is also displayed in the
description area of the Select Action dialog box. This
enables you and other testers to determine which
action you want to call or copy from another test
without having to open it. For more information
about inserting copies and calls to actions, see
“Inserting Calls to Existing Actions” on page 352.
Note: You can also add a description when inserting a
call to a new action. For more information, see
“Creating New Actions” on page 348.

Reusable action Indicates whether the action is a reusable action. A
reusable action can be called multiple times within a
test and can be called from other tests. Non-reusable
actions can be copied and inserted as independent
actions, but cannot be inserted as calls to the original
action.
When you change this setting, the action icon changes
to a reusable or non-reusable action icon as
appropriate. If the steps of the action were expanded,
they collapse after changing a non-reusable action to a
reusable action. The first time you convert an action to
a reusable action within a test, the Test Flow box is
displayed above the Keyword View. You can view the
steps of the reusable action by selecting the action
name in the Test Flow box.

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Notes:

If the action is called more than once within the test flow or if the action is
called by a reusable action, the Reusable action option is read-only. If you
want to make the action non-reusable, remove the additional calls to the
action from the test.
You cannot expand reusable actions from the test flow view. You can view
details of a reusable action by double-clicking the action in the Keyword
View, or selecting the action from the Action List. For more information
about the test flow and action views, see “Using the Action Toolbar” on
page 347.

Setting Action Parameters
You can specify input parameters for an action so that steps in the action
can use values supplied from elsewhere in the test. Input values for an
action parameter can be retrieved from the test (for a top-level action) or
from the parameters of the action that calls it (for a nested action). You can
specify output parameters for an action, so that it can return values for use
later in the test. For each input or output action parameter, you define a
name and a type. You can also specify a default value for each action input
parameter, or you can use the default value that QuickTest provides for the
parameter value type that you choose. The default value is saved with the
action and is used by the action if a value is not defined for a parameter in
the action call. You can define, modify, and delete input and output
parameters in the Parameters tab of the Action Properties dialog box.

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For more information about using action parameters, see “Using Action

To add a new input or output action parameter:
1 Click the Add button next to the Input parameters or Output parameters
lists to add a new parameter to the appropriate list. A row for the new
parameter is added to the relevant list.
2 Click in the Name box and enter a name for the parameter.

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3 Select the value type for the parameter in the Type box. You can select one
of the following types:
➤ String—A character string enclosed within a pair of quotation marks, for
example, “New York”. If you enter a value and do not include the
quotation marks, QuickTest adds them automatically when the value is
inserted in the script during the test run. The default value is an empty
string.
➤ Boolean—A true or false value. If you select a Boolean value type, you
can click in the Default Value column and click the arrow to select a True
or False value. The default value is True.
➤ Date—A date string, for example, 3/2/2005. If you select a Date value
type, you can click in the Default Value column and click the arrow to
open a calendar from which you can select a date. The default value is
today’s date.
➤ Number—Any positive or negative number. The default value is 0.
➤ Password—An encrypted password value. If you select a Password value
type, the password characters are masked when you enter the password
in the Default Value field. The default value is an empty string.
➤ Any—A variant value type, which accepts any of the above value types.
Note that if you select the Any value type, you must specify the value in
the format that is required in the location where you intend to use the
value. For example, if you intend to use the value later as a string, you
must enclose it in quotation marks. When you specify a value of Any
type, QuickTest checks whether it is a number. If the value is not a
number, QuickTest automatically encloses it in quotation marks. If you
are editing an existing value, QuickTest automatically encloses it in
quotation marks if the previous value had quotation marks. The default
value is an empty string.
4 If you are defining an input action parameter, click in the Default Value box
and enter a default value for the parameter or you can leave the default
value provided by QuickTest for the parameter value type. The default value
is required so that you can run the action without receiving parameter
values from elsewhere in the test.
5 If you wish, click in the Description box, then enter a description of the
parameter, for example, the purpose of the parameter in the action.

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To modify an existing action parameter:
1 Select the parameter you want to modify from the Input parameters or
Output parameters list.
2 Modify the values as necessary in the edit boxes of the parameter row.

To delete an existing action parameter:
1 Select the parameter you want to delete from the Input parameters or
Output parameters list.
2 Click the Delete button. The parameter is removed from the list.

Setting Properties for an External Action
When you insert a call to an external action you can choose where you want
QuickTest to store the Data Table data and, if you are using the shared object
repository mode, you can choose where to store the action’s object
information. You can set these options in the External Action tab of the
Action Properties dialog box.

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Note: When you open the Action Properties dialog box while working in a
test in per-action repository mode or for an external action coming from a
test that uses the shared object repository mode, the Object repository type
options in the External Action tab are not available.

The External Action tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Data Table parameters Indicates where to store the action’s Data Table data:
• To use the original action’s data, select Use data
stored with the original action (read-only). When
you select this option, the data is read-only when
viewed from the calling test and all changes to the
original action’s data sheet apply when the action
runs in the calling test.
• To use an editable copy of the data in the test’s
Data Table, select Use a local, editable copy. When
you select this option, a copy of the action’s data
sheet is stored in the test’s Data Table and is
independent of the original action. Changes to the
original data sheet do not affect the calling test.

Object repository type Indicates which object repository mode the action
uses:
• Choose Per-action to instruct QuickTest to refer to
the external action’s repository.
• Choose Shared to instruct QuickTest to use the
test’s shared object repository for this action.
Available only when the calling test uses a shared
object repository and the external action comes from a
test using per-action repository mode.
For more information on object repository modes, see

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Setting Action Call Properties
The Action Call Properties dialog box controls the way the action behaves in
a specific call to the action. It enables you to specify how many times
QuickTest should run the called action, and also to specify the initial value
for any input action parameters and the location in which you want to store
the values of any output action parameters.

Note: The following sections describe how to define action call properties
using the Action Call Properties dialog box. You can also define actions calls
and action call parameters in the Expert View. For more information, see
“Understanding Action Syntax in the Expert View” on page 350.

You can open the Action Call Properties dialog box while recording or
editing your test by:

➤ Choosing Step > Action Call Properties from the Keyword View when an
action node is highlighted.
➤ Right-clicking an action node in the Keyword View and selecting Action Call
Properties.

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The Action Call Properties dialog box enables you to set options that apply
only to a specific action call. The dialog box contains both the Run tab and
the Parameter Values tab as shown below:

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Setting the Run Properties for an Action
You can use the Run tab of the Action Call Properties dialog box to instruct
QuickTest to run only one iteration on the called action, to run iterations on
all rows in the Data Table, or to run iterations only for a certain row range in
the Data Table.

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The Run tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Run one iteration only Runs the called action only once, using the row
in the action’s data sheet that corresponds to
the current global iteration number. If the
action’s data sheet contains fewer rows than the
global sheet, the last row of the action’s data
sheet is used for each subsequent test iteration.

For example, suppose an action’s data sheet has
two rows and the global sheet has four rows. If
you choose to run one iteration only for the
action and you choose to run iterations on all
rows of the global data sheet, then during each
iteration of the test, this action will run only
one iteration. The data that the action
parameters use during each repetition of the
test are based on the iteration number for the
test. During the first iteration of the test, Data
Table parameters in the action take data from
the first row of the action’s data sheet. In the
second iteration of the test, Data Table
parameters in the action take data from the
second row of the action’s data sheet. In the
third and subsequent iterations of the test, the
Data Table parameters in the action continue to
take data from the second (last) row of the
action’s data sheet.

Run on all rows Runs the called action with the number of
iterations according to the number of rows in
the action’s Data Table.

Run from row __ to row __ Runs the called action with the number of
iterations according to the specified row range.

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Notes:

If you run multiple iterations on an action, the action must begin and end
at the same point in the application, so that the application is in the proper
location and state to run the next iteration of the action.
The Run tab of the Action Call Properties dialog box applies to individual
action calls and refers to the rows in the action’s data sheet. You can set the
Run properties for an entire test (setting iterations for rows on the global
data sheet) from the Run tab in the Test Settings dialog box. For more
information, see Chapter 25, “Setting Options for Individual Tests or
Components.”

Setting Action Call Parameter Values
You use the Parameter Values tab of the Action Call Properties dialog box to
specify the values of input action parameters used by the called action and
to specify the locations in which you want to store output action parameter
values. You can also parameterize the value used for a particular input action
parameter using any available parameter type.

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The actual input and output action parameters that an action can receive or
return, and their types, are defined in the Action Properties dialog box. If
you do not set a value for an input action parameter in the Action Call
Properties dialog box, the default value that is specified in the Action
Properties dialog box is used.

For more information about defining input and output action parameters,
see “Setting Action Properties” on page 366. For general information about
using action parameters, see “Using Action Parameters” on page 364.

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To specify the value for an input action parameter:
1 In the Input parameters area, click in the Value box for the parameter and
enter a value. For a description of the different options available for each
value type, see the definitions included in “Setting Action Parameters” on
page 370.
Alternatively, you can click the parameterization button in the Value
box to open the Value Configuration Options dialog box in which you can
parameterize the value. You can parameterize the value using a test or action
parameter (test parameter for a top-level action, or action parameter for a
nested action), Data Table parameter, environment parameter, or random
number parameter. For more information, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing
Values”.
2 Repeat this procedure for any additional input action parameter values you
want to set.

To specify a location in which to store an output action parameter value:
1 In the Output parameters area, click in the Store In box for the parameter
and enter a variable name.
Alternatively, you can click the output storage button in the Store In box
to open the Storage Location Options dialog box in which you can specify a
location for storing the output value. You can select to store the value in a
test or action parameter, a Data Table parameter, or an environment
parameter. For more information, see “Storing Return Values and Action
Output Parameter Values” on page 482.
2 Repeat this procedure for each output action parameter value in the list.

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Sharing Action Information
There are several ways to share or pass values from one action to other
actions:

➤ Store values in the output action parameters of a called action and use those
values in steps that are performed after the action call within the calling
action. For more information, “Storing Values in Test, Action or Component
➤ Store values from one action in the global Data Table and use these values as
Data Table parameters in other actions. For more information, see “Sharing
Values via the Global Data Table,” below.
➤ Set a value from one action as a user-defined environment variable and then
use the environment variable in other actions. For more information, see
“Sharing Values Using Environment Variables” on page 383.
➤ Add values to a Dictionary object in one action and retrieve the values in
other actions. For more information, see “Sharing Values Using the
Dictionary Object” on page 383.

Sharing Values via the Global Data Table
You can share a value that is generated in one action with other actions in
your test by storing the value in the global Data Table. Other actions can
then use the value in the Data Table as an input parameter. You can store a
value in the Data Table by outputting the value to the global Data Table or
by using DataTable, Sheet and Parameter objects and methods in the
Expert View to add or modify a value.

For example, suppose you are testing a flight reservation application. When
a user logs into the application, his or her full name is displayed on the top
of the page. Later, when the user chooses to purchase the tickets, the user
must enter the name that is listed on his or her credit card. Suppose your
test contains three actions—Login, SelectFlight, and PurchaseTickets and the
test is set to run multiple iterations with a different login name for each
iteration. In the Login action, you can create a text output value to store the
displayed name of the user. In the PurchaseTickets action, you can
parameterize the value that is set in the Credit Card Owner edit box using
the Data Table column containing the user’s full name.

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For more information on output values, see Chapter 13, “Outputting
Values.” For more information on parameterization, see Chapter 12,
“Parameterizing Values.” For more information about DataTable objects and
methods, see Chapter 18, “Working with Data Tables,” and refer to the

Sharing Values Using Environment Variables
If you don’t need to run multiple iterations of your test or you want the
value you are sharing to stay constant for all iterations, you can use an
internal, user-defined environment variable that can be accessed by all local
actions in your test.

For example, suppose you want to test that your flight reservation
application correctly checks the credit card expiration date that the user
enters. The application should request a different credit card if the
expiration date that was entered is earlier than the scheduled flight
departure date. In the SelectFlight action, you can store the value entered in
the departure date edit box in an environment variable. In the
PurchaseTickets action, you can compare the value of the expiration date
edit box with the value stored in your environment variable.

For more information on environment variables, see Chapter 12,
“Parameterizing Values.” For information on the Environment object, refer

Sharing Values Using the Dictionary Object
As an alternative to using environment variables to share values between
actions as described above, you can use the Dictionary object. The
Dictionary object enables you to assign values to variables that are accessible
from all actions (local and external) called in the test in which the
Dictionary object is created.

To use the Dictionary object, you must first add a reserved object to the
registry (in HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMercury InteractiveQuickTest
ProfessionalMicTestReservedObjects) with
ProgID = "Scripting.Dictionary". For example:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMercury InteractiveQuickTest
ProfessionalMicTestReservedObjectsGlobalDictionary

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Once you have added the reserved Dictionary object to the registry and
restarted QuickTest, you can add and remove values to the Dictionary in one
action and retrieve the values in another action from the same test.

For example, if you want to access the departure date set in the SelectFlight
action from the PurchaseTickets action, you can add the value of the
DepartDate WebEdit object to the dictionary in the SelectFlight action as
follows:

GlobalDictionary.RemoveAll
GlobalDictionary.Add "DateCheck", "DepartDate"

Then you can retrieve the date from the PurchaseTickets action as follows:

Dim CompareDate
CompareDate=GlobalDictionary.Item("DateCheck")

For more information about the Dictionary object, refer to the VBScript
Reference documentation (Help > QuickTest Professional Help > VBScript
Reference > Script Runtime).

Exiting an Action
You can add a line in your script in the Expert View to exit an action before
it runs in its entirety. You may want to use this option to return the current
value of the action to the value at a specific point in the run or based on the
result of a conditional statement. There are four types of exit action
statements you can use:

➤ ExitAction—Exits the current action, regardless of its iteration attributes.
➤ ExitActionIteration—Exits the current iteration of the action.
➤ ExitRun—Exits the test, regardless of its iteration attributes.
➤ ExitGlobalIteration—Exits the current global iteration.

You can view the exit action node in the Test Results tree. If your exit action
statement returns a value, the value is displayed in the action, iteration, or
test summary, as applicable.

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For more information about these functions, refer to the QuickTest
Professional Object Model Reference. For more information about the Test
Results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test Results.”

Removing Actions from a Test
The procedures and effects of removing calls to non-reusable actions,
external actions, or reusable actions are different.

➤ When you remove a call to a non-reusable action, you also delete the action
itself entirely as well as the action’s data sheet.
➤ When you remove a call to a reusable or external action, you remove the
action from your test flow, but the action remains stored with the test in
which it was created and is still displayed in the action list.
➤ When you remove an external action, you remove all calls and the action
from the action list. The original action is not affected.
➤ When you remove a reusable action stored with your test, you delete all calls
and the action entirely. This will cause any test calling this action to fail.

Removing a Non-Reusable Action
Removing a call to a non-reusable action from your test, deletes the action
itself entirely as well as the action’s data sheet.

To remove a non-reusable action:
1 In the Keyword View, select the action you want to remove and press the
Delete key on your keyboard or select Edit > Delete. A delete confirmation
message box opens.
2 Click Yes to confirm.

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Removing a Call to a Reusable or External Action from the Test
Flow
You should choose to remove a call to a reusable or external action if you
want to remove the action from the test flow, but you still want the action
to be available for other calls. When you choose this option, the action still
exists even though it is removed from your test flow, and the action’s data
sheet remains. You can still view the action (and edit a reusable action) by
selecting it from the Action List in the Keyword View or in the Expert View.

After you remove a call to an action, you can insert the action back into the
test from which it was removed, or into any other test using the Insert Call
to Copy of Action or Insert Call to Existing Action options. For more
information see “Inserting Calls to Existing Actions” on page 352.

To remove a call to a reusable or external action from the test flow:
1 Select the Test Flow view from the Action List in the Keyword View.
2 Highlight the action you want to remove.
3 Choose Edit > Delete or press the Delete key on your keyboard. The Delete
Action dialog box opens.

4 Choose Delete the selected call to the action and click OK. The action call is
deleted. The action remains in the test’s Action List.

386


Removing an External Action from the Test
When you remove an external action from the test, the action is removed
from the action list and the corresponding action sheet is removed from the
Data Table. Columns related to this action that are located in the global
sheet are not removed.

After you remove an external action from your test, you can reinsert it by
choosing Insert > Call to Existing Action and locating the test with which
the original action is stored. For more information, see “Inserting Calls to
Existing Actions” on page 352.

To remove an external action from the test:
1 Select the action you want to remove from the Action List.
2 Highlight the action icon in the test.

4 Choose Delete the action and its calls from this test and click OK. The
action and all calls to the action are removed from the test. The reusable
action in the original test is not affected.

387


Removing a Reusable Action from the Test
You should choose to remove a reusable action from the test only if you are
sure that you no longer need the action and that no other test calls this
action. This option deletes the action content entirely.

Note: Deleting a reusable action that is called by other tests will cause those
tests to fail.

To remove a reusable action from the test:
1 Select the action you want to remove from the Action List.
2 Highlight the action icon in the test.

4 Choose Delete the action and its calls from this test and click OK. The
action is permanently deleted and can no longer be inserted in, or accessed
by, any test. Any test calling this action will fail.

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Renaming Actions
You can rename an action from the Keyword View or Expert View using the
Action Properties dialog box or the Rename Action dialog box.

Note: You must use the Rename Action option in QuickTest if you want to
save an action under another name. You cannot change the name of an
action directly in the file system or in Quality Center.

To rename an action in the Rename Action dialog box:
1 In the Keyword View, select the call to the action you want to rename and
choose Edit > Rename Action. In the Expert View display the action that you
want to rename and choose Edit > Rename Action. The Rename Action
dialog box opens.

2 Enter a new name for the action in the New name box.
3 Click OK to save the change.

Tip: You can also press F2 to open the Rename Action dialog box.

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To rename an action in the Action Properties dialog box:
1 In the Keyword View, select or right-click an action and choose Step >
Action Properties. In the Expert View, choose Step > Action Properties. The
Action Properties dialog box opens.

2 Enter a new action name in the Name box of the General tab.
3 Click OK to save the change.

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Creating an Action Template
If you want to include one or more statements in every new action in your
test, you can create an action template. For example, if you always enter
your name as the author of an action, you can add this comment line to
your action template. An action template applies only to actions created on
your computer.

To create an action template:
1 Create a text file containing the comments, function calls, and other
statements that you want to include in your action template. The text file
must be in the structure and format used in the Expert View.
2 Save the text file as ActionTemplate.mst in your <QuickTest Installation
Folder>dat folder. All new actions you create contain the script lines from
the action template.

Note: Only the file name ActionTemplate.mst is recognized as an action
template.

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Guidelines for Working with Actions
Consider the following guidelines when working with actions:

➤ If your action runs more than one iteration, the action must ‘clean up after
itself.’ In other words, the action must end at the same point in your
application as it started, so that it can run another iteration without
interruption. For example, suppose you are testing a sample flight
reservation site. If the action starts with a blank flight reservation form, it
should conclude with a blank flight reservation form.
➤ A single test may include both global Data Table parameters and action
(local) Data Table parameters. For example, you can create a test in which a
travel agent logs into the flight reservation system, books three flights, and
logs out; the next travel agent logs into the flight reservation system, books
three flights, logs out, and so on. To parameterize the ‘book a flight’ action,
you choose Current action sheet (local) in the parameterization dialog box
and enter the three flights into the relevant Action tab in the Data Table. To
parameterize the entire test, you choose Global in the parameterization
dialog box and enter the login names and passwords for the different agents
into the Global tab in the Data Table.
Your entire test will run one time for each row in the global data sheet.
Within each test, each parameterized action will be repeated depending on
the number of rows in its data sheet and according to the run settings
selected in the Run tab of the Action Properties dialog box.
➤ You may want to rename the actions in your test with descriptive names to
help you identify them. It is also a good idea to add detailed action
descriptions. This facilitates inserting actions from one test to another. You
can rename an action by choosing Edit > Rename Action.

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➤ If you plan to use an identical or virtually identical procedure in more than
one test, you should consider inserting a call to an action from another test.
➤ If you want to make slight modifications to the action in only one test,
you should use the Insert Call to Copy of Action option to create a copy
of the action.
➤ If you want modifications to affect all tests containing the action, you
should use the Insert Call to Existing Action option to insert a link to the
action from the original test.
➤ If you want modifications to the action to affect all tests containing the
action, but you want to edit data in a specific test’s Data Table, use the
Insert Call to Existing Action option and, in the External tab of the
Action Properties dialog box, select Use a local, editable copy.
➤ When you insert a call to an external action, the action is inserted in
read-only format, so the Record button is disabled. If you want to continue
recording, you first need to insert a call to a local action into your test, or
select a step from a local action that already exists in your test.
➤ Reusable actions help you to maintain your tests, but it is important to
consider the effects of making an action reusable. Once you make an action
reusable, be sure to consider how changes to that action could potentially
affect other tests that call that action.
➤ If you expect other users to open your tests and all actions in your tests are
stored in the same drive, you should use relative paths for your reusable
actions so that other users will be able to open your tests even if they have
mapped their network drives differently.
➤ If you expect certain elements of your application to change regularly, it is a
good idea to divide the steps related to changeable elements into a separate
action so that it will be easy to re-record the required steps, if necessary, after
the application is modified.

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Guidelines for Working with Action Parameters
Consider the following guidelines when working with action parameters:

➤ Input action parameter values can only be used within steps of the calling
action.
➤ Output action parameter values can only be used within steps of the calling
action, and only after the action has been called.
➤ To use an action parameter value from one action (or from the test) within
the step of another action, you must pass the value from action to action
down the test hierarchy to the action in which you want to use it (Test ->
Action A -> Action B -> Action C -> Step 1).
➤ To use an action output value from one action within the step of another
action, you must pass the value from action to action up the test hierarchy
to the action in which you want to use it (Step 1-> Action C-> Action B ->
Action A -> Test 1).
➤ You can only use an action parameter to parameterize a value if the value
types are both the same.
➤ You can use an action output parameter value of any type retrieved from a
called action, in subsequent steps of the calling action as a variable. For
example, if ActionA calls ActionB and specifies MyBVar as the variable in
which to store ActionB’s output parameter, then steps in ActionA after the
call to ActionB can use the MyBVar as a value (just as you would use any
other variable).

394

18
Working with Data Tables

QuickTest enables you to insert and run steps that are driven by data stored
in the Data Table.


➤ About Working with Data Tables
➤ Working with Global and Action Sheets
➤ Saving the Data Table
➤ Editing the Data Table
➤ Importing Data from a Database
➤ Using Formulas in the Data Table
➤ Using Data Table Scripting Methods

About Working with Data Tables
The data your test or component uses is stored in the design-time Data Table,
which is displayed in the Data Table pane at the bottom of the screen while
you insert and edit steps.

The Data Table has the characteristics of a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet,
meaning that you can store and use data in its cells and you can also execute
mathematical formulas within the cells. You can use the DataTable,
DTSheet and DTParam utility objects to manipulate the data in any cell in
the Data Table.

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You can insert Data Table parameters and output values into your test or
component. Using Data Table parameters and/or output values in a test
enables you to create a data-driven test or action that runs several times using
the data you supply. In each repetition, or iteration, QuickTest uses a
different value from the Data Table.

Note: You can insert Data Table parameters and output values to
components, but you can store the values only in the first row of the Data
Table. Component iterations are defined for the business process test in
Quality Center and are not affected by the Data Table. For more
information, refer to the Business Process Testing User’s Guide.

During the run session, QuickTest creates a run-time Data Table—a live
version of the Data Table associated with your test or component. During
the run session, QuickTest displays the run-time data in the Data Table pane
so that you can see any changes to the Data Table as they occur.

When the run session ends, the run-time Data Table closes, and the Data
Table pane again displays the stored design-time Data Table. Data entered in
the run-time Data Table during the run session is not saved with the test or
component. The final data from the run-time Data Table is displayed in the
Run-Time Data Table in the Test Results window. For more information on
the run-time Data Table, see “Viewing the Run-Time Data Table” on
page 581.

Tip: If it is important for you to save the resulting data from the run-time
Data Table, you can insert a DataTable.Export statement to the end of your
test or component to export the run-time Data Table to a file. You can then
import the data to the design-time Data Table using the Data Table File >
Import menu. Alternatively you can add a DataTable.Import statement to
the beginning of your test or component to import the run-time Data Table
that was exported at the end of the previous run session. For more
information on these methods, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object
Model Reference.

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Chapter 18 • Working with Data Tables

Working with Global and Action Sheets
When working with tests, the Data Table has two types of data sheets—
Global and Action. You can access the different sheets by clicking the
appropriate tabs below the Data Table.

➤ You store data in the Global tab when you want it to be available to all
actions in your test and you want the data to control the number of test
iterations.
➤ You store data in the action’s tab when you want to use the data in Data
Table parameters for that action only and you want the data to control the
number of action iterations.

For example, suppose you are creating a test on the sample Mercury Tours
Web site. You might create one action for logging in, another for booking
flights, and a third for logging out. You may want to create a test in which
the user logs onto the site once, and then books flights for five passengers.
The data about the passengers is relevant only to the second action, so it
should be stored in the action tab corresponding to that action.

Note: When working with components, the Data Table has only one
type of sheet for the component.

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Global Sheet
The Global sheet contains the data that replaces parameters in each
iteration of the test. If you create a Global parameter called Arrivals, the
Global sheet might look like this:

Action Sheets
Each time you add a new action to the test, a new action sheet is added to the
Data Table. Action sheets are automatically labeled with the exact name of
the corresponding action. The data contained in an action sheet is relevant
for Data Table parameters in the corresponding action only. For example, if
a test had the Data Table below, QuickTest would use the data contained in
the Purchase sheet when running iterations on action parameter steps
within the Purchase action.

For more information about creating global and action parameters, see

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Saving the Data Table
The Data Table contains the values that QuickTest substitutes for Data Table
parameters when you run a test or component, as well as any other values or
formulas you enter. Whenever you save your test or component, QuickTest
automatically saves its Data Table as an .xls file.

When working with tests, the Data Table is saved with your test by
default. You can save the Data Table in another location and instruct the test
to use this Data Table when running a test. You specify a name and location
for the Data Table in the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog box.

For more information on the Test Settings dialog box, see Chapter 25,
“Setting Options for Individual Tests or Components.”

Saving the Data Table in a specified location can be useful in the following
circumstances:

➤ You want to run the same test with different sets of input values. For
example, you can test the localization capabilities of your application by
running your test with a different Data Table file for each language you want
to test. You can also vary the user interface strings that you check in each
language by using a different environment parameter file each time you run
the test. For more information, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”
➤ You need the same input information for different tests. For example, you
can test a Web version and a standard Windows version of the same
application using different tests, but the same Data Table file.

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Notes:

If you select an external file as your Data Table, you must make sure that the
column names in the external Data Table match the parameter names in the
test and that the sheets in the external Data Table match the action names
in the test.
The external Data Table file may be locked by QuickTest, for example, if
another user is working with the same external file when you open your
test. If the file is locked, a message regarding locked resources opens. For
more information, see “Creating, Opening, and Saving Tests with Locked

When working with components, the Data Table is always saved with
your component, and cannot be saved in a different location.

Editing the Data Table
You can edit information in the Data Table by typing directly into the table
cells. You use the Data Table in the same way as an Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet, including inserting formulas into cells. You can also import
data in Microsoft Excel, tabbed text files (.txt), or ASCII format.

For information on supported versions of Microsoft Excel, refer to the
QuickTest Professional Readme.

The Data Table pane is displayed when the Data Table button is enabled.

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Each row in the table represents the set of values that QuickTest submits for
the parameterized arguments during a single iteration of the test or action.
QuickTest runs the iterations of your action based on the settings selected in
the Run tab of the Action Properties dialog box. The number of iterations
that a test runs is equal to the number of rows in the Global sheet.

Each column in the table represents the list of values for a single
parameterized argument. The column header is the parameter name.

You can also enter data and formulas in cells in the columns that are not
intended for use with Data Table parameters (the columns that do not have
a parameter name in the column header).

When you add data to the Data Table, you must enter the data in rows from
top to bottom and left to right— you cannot leave a gap of an entire row or
column. For example, if there is data in row 1, you cannot enter data in a
cell in row 3 until you have entered data in row 2. Similarly, if there is data
in column A, you cannot enter data in column C until you have entered
data in column B.

Note: QuickTest underlines each row to which you add data in the Data
Table. When you run your test using the Run on all rows option (Test >
Settings > Run tab, or Action Call Properties, Run tab), it runs one iteration
for each underlined row. If you use the Clear option from the table’s Edit
menu (or CTRL+X), or select a cell and press Delete on the keypad, the data
is deleted from the cells, but the row is not deleted and the underline
remains. This means that QuickTest will run an iteration for this row even
though there is no data in it. If you want to delete an entire row from the
Data Table, you must use the Edit > Delete option (CTRL+K).

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Data Table Specifications
The main limitations for the Data Table are listed below:

➤ Maximum worksheet size—65,536 rows by 256 columns
➤ Column width—0 to 255 characters
➤ Text length—16,383 characters
➤ Formula length—1024 characters
➤ Number precision—15 digits
➤ Largest positive number—9.99999999999999E307
➤ Largest negative number— -9.99999999999999E307
➤ Smallest positive number—1E-307
➤ Smallest negative number— -1E-307
➤ Maximum number of names per workbook—Limited by available memory
➤ Maximum length of name—255
➤ Maximum length of format string—255
➤ Maximum number of tables (workbooks)—Limited by system resources
(windows and memory)

Changing a Column Name
You can change the name of a column for a parameter by double-clicking
the column heading cell. In the Change Parameter Name dialog box, you
can type a new parameter name. This parameter name must be unique in
the test or component. It can contain letters, numbers, commas, and
underscores. The first character of the parameter name must be a letter or an
underscore.

Note: If you change the name in the table, you must also change the name
defined for the corresponding parameter in the test or component.

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Using the Data Table Menu Commands
You can use the Data Table menu commands described below to edit the
data in the Data Table. To open the Data Table menu, right-click a cell, a row
heading or a column heading.

The following menus are available:

➤ File
➤ Sheet
➤ Edit
➤ Data
➤ Format

File Menu
The following commands are available in the File menu:

File Command Description

Import From File Imports an existing Microsoft Excel or tabbed text file into
the Data Table. This command will import all the sheets in
the selected Microsoft Excel file. If you want to import only
one sheet from an existing Microsoft Excel file, use the Sheet
>Import > From File command described below.
Notes: The table file you import replaces all data in all sheets
of the table, and the first row in each Microsoft Excel
sheet replaces the column headers in the
corresponding Data Table sheet. It is therefore
essential that the first row of your Microsoft Excel
sheet exactly matches the parameter names in your
test, and that the file contains at least the same
number of sheets as the current Data Table.
If you import a Microsoft Excel table containing combo box
or list cells, conditional formatting, or other special cell
formats, the formats are not imported and the cells are
displayed in the Data Table with a fixed value.

Export Exports the table to a specified Microsoft Excel (.xls) file.

Print Prints the entire table or the selected sheet.

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Sheet Menu
The following commands are available in the Sheet menu:

Sheet Command Description

Import > Imports a tabbed text file or a single sheet from an existing
From File Microsoft Excel file into the table.
Note: The sheet you import replaces all data in the currently
selected sheet of the table, and the first row in the
Excel sheet replaces the column headers in the
corresponding Data Table sheet. It is therefore essential
that the first row of your Microsoft Excel sheet exactly
matches the parameter names in your test .

Import > Imports data from the specified database to the current sheet.
From Database

Export Exports the current sheet of the Data Table to a specified
Microsoft Excel (.xls) file.

Edit Menu
The following commands are available in the Edit menu:

Edit Command Description

Cut Cuts the table selection and places it on the Clipboard.

Copy Copies the table selection and places it on the Clipboard.

Paste Pastes the contents of the Clipboard to the current table
selection.

Paste Values Pastes values from the Clipboard to the current table
selection. Any formatting applied to the values is ignored. In
addition, only formula results are pasted; formulas are
ignored.

Clear Clears formats or contents from the current selection. You
can clear formats only, contents only (including formulas), or
both formats and contents.

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Edit Command Description

Insert Inserts empty cells at the location of the current selection.
Cells adjacent to the insertion are shifted to make room for
the new cells. Note that this option is available only when a
row or column heading is selected.

Delete Deletes the entire current row or column selection. Cells
adjacent to the deleted cells are shifted to fill the space left by
the vacated cells. Note that this option is available only when
a row or column heading is selected.

Fill Right Copies data in the left-most cell of a selected range to all the
cells to the right of that left-most cell within the selected
range.

Fill Down Copies data in the top cell of a selected range to all cells
below that top cell within the selected range.

Find Finds a cell containing specified text. You can search by row
or column in the table and specify to match case and/or find
entire cells only. You can also search for formulas or values.

Replace Finds a cell containing specified text and replaces it with
different text. You can search by row or column in the table
and specify to match case and/or to find entire cells only. You
can also search for formulas or values. You can also replace all
instances of the found text.

Go To Goes to a specified cell. This cell becomes the active cell. You
must enter the column and row number of the cell.

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Data Menu
The following commands are available in the Data menu:

Data Command Description

Recalc Recalculates any formula cells in the table.

Sort Sorts a selection of cells by row or column and keys in
ascending or descending order.

AutoFill List Creates, edits, or deletes an autofill list. An autofill list
contains frequently-used series of text such as months and
days of the week. To use an autofill list, enter the first item
into a cell in the table. Drag the cursor, from the bottom right
corner of the cell, and QuickTest automatically fills in the
cells in the range according to the autofill list.
• Lists—The lists that are available in your project. Four
default lists are included.
• Current List—The selected list. This pane can be used to
create a new list. Separate the items in a new list with a
semi-colon.
• Add—Adds a new list to the Lists box.
• Delete—Deletes a list from the Lists box.
• Open—Opens the Open dialog box, where you can
browse to a previously created list.
• Save—Opens the Save As dialog box, where you can save
a new list.

Encrypt Encodes the text in the selected cells. Note that you cannot
decrypt data that has been encrypted.
You can also use the Password Encoder to encrypt any text
string. This can be useful for entering encrypted strings as
method arguments in the Expert View. For more information,
see “Inserting Encoded Passwords into Method Arguments
and Data Table Cells” on page 416.

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Format Menu
The following commands are available in the Format menu:

Format
Description
Command

General Sets format to General. The General format displays numbers
with as many decimal places as necessary and no commas.

Currency(0) Sets format to currency with commas and no decimal places.
Note that QuickTest uses the currency symbol defined in your
Windows Regional Settings dialog box.

Currency(2) Sets format to currency with commas and two decimal places.
Note that QuickTest uses the currency symbol defined in your
Windows Regional Settings dialog box.

Fixed Sets format to fixed precision with commas and no decimal
places.

Percent Sets format to percent with no decimal places. Numbers are
displayed as percentages with a trailing percent sign (%).

Fraction Sets format to fraction in numerator denominator form, i.e.
1/2.

Scientific Sets format to scientific notation with two decimal places.

date (dynamic) Sets format to Date with the M/D/YY format.

Time: h:mm Sets format to Time with the h:mm AM/PM format.
AM/PM

Custom Number Sets format to a custom number format that you specify. This
option enables you to set special and customized formats for
percentages, currencies, dates, times, and so on.

Note: Combo box and list cells, conditional formatting, and other special
cell formats are not supported in the Data Table.

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You can also execute Data Table menu commands using shortcut keys. For
more information, see “Executing Commands Using Shortcut Keys” on
page 22.

Using Data Table Files with Quality Center
When working with Quality Center and Data Tables, you must save the Data
Table file as an attachment in your Quality Center project before you specify
the Data Table file in the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog box.

You can add a new or existing Data Table file to your Quality Center project.
Note that if you add an existing Data Table from the file system to a Quality
Center project, it will be a copy of the one used by tests not in the Quality
Center project, and thus once you save the file to the project, changes made
to the Quality Center repository file will not affect the Data Table file in the
file system and vice versa.

To use a Data Table file with Quality Center:
1 If you want to add a new Data Table file, create a new Microsoft Excel file in
your file system with a .xls extension.
2 In Quality Center, add the Data Table file to the project as an attachment.
3 In the Test Settings dialog box, click the Resources tab.
4 Select Other location and click the browse button to locate the Data Table
file.
5 Create your test. When you save the test, QuickTest saves the Data Table file
to the Quality Center project.

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Importing Data from a Database
You can import data from a database by selecting a query from Microsoft
Query or by manually specifying an SQL statement.

You can install Microsoft Query from the custom installation option of
Microsoft Office.

Note: Contrary to importing an Excel file (File > Import From File), existing
data in the Data Table is not replaced when you import data from a database.
If the database you import contains a column with the same name as an
existing column, the database column is added as a new column with the
column name followed by a sequential number. For example, if your Data
Table already contains a column called departures, a database column by the
same name would be inserted into the Data Table as departures1.

To import data from a database:
1 Right-click on the Data Table sheet to which you want to import the data
and select Sheet > Import > From Database. The Database Query Wizard
opens.

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2 Select your database selection preferences and click Next. You can choose
from the following options:
➤ Create query using Microsoft Query—Opens Microsoft Query, enabling
you to create a new query. Once you finish defining your query, you exit
back to QuickTest. This option is only available if you have Microsoft
Query installed on your computer.
➤ Specify SQL statement manually—Opens the Specify SQL statement
screen in the wizard, which enables you to specify the connection string
and an SQL statement. For additional information, see step 3.
➤ Maximum number of rows—Select this check box and enter the
maximum number of database rows to import. You can specify a
maximum of 32,000 rows.
➤ Show me how to use Microsoft Query—Displays an instruction screen
before opening Microsoft Query when you click Next. (Enabled only
when Create query using Microsoft Query is selected).
3 If you chose Create query using Microsoft Query in the previous step,
Microsoft Query opens. Choose a data source and define a query. For more
information about creating a query, see “Creating a Query in Microsoft
Query,” below.

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If you chose Specify SQL statement manually in the previous step, the
following screen opens:

Specify the connection string and the SQL statement and click Finish.
➤ Connection string—Enter the connection string or click Create to open
the ODBC Select Data Source dialog box. You can select a .dsn file in the
ODBC Select Data Source dialog box or create a new .dsn file to have it
insert the connection string in the box for you.
➤ SQL statement—Enter the SQL statement.
4 QuickTest takes several seconds to capture the database query and restore
the QuickTest window. The resulting data from the database query is
displayed in the Data Table.

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Creating a Query in Microsoft Query
You can use Microsoft Query to choose a data source and define a query
within the data source. For information on supported versions of Microsoft
Query, refer to the QuickTest Professional Readme.

To choose a data source and define a query in Microsoft Query:
1 When Microsoft Query opens during the Import data from database
process, choose a new or an existing data source.
2 Define a query.
3 In the Finish screen of the Query Wizard, select Exit and return to QuickTest
and click Finish to exit Microsoft Query.
Alternatively, click View data or edit query in Microsoft Query and click
Finish. After viewing or editing the data, choose File > Exit and return to
QuickTest to close Microsoft Query and return to QuickTest.

For additional information on working with Microsoft Query, refer to the
Microsoft Query documentation.

Using Formulas in the Data Table
You can use any Microsoft Excel formula in your Data Table. This enables
you to create contextually relevant data during the run session. You can also
use formulas as part of a checkpoint to check that objects created on-the-fly
(dynamically generated) or other variable objects in your Web page or
application have the values you expect for a given context.

When you use formulas in a Data Table to compare values (generally in a
checkpoint), the values you compare must be of the same type, i.e. integers,
strings, etc. When you extract values from different places in your
applications using different functions, the values may not be of the same
type. Although these values may look identical on the screen, a comparison
of them will fail, since, for example, 8.2 is not equal to “8.2”.

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You can use the TEXT and VALUE functions to convert values from one
type to another as follows:

➤ TEXT(value, format) returns the textual equivalent of a numeric value in
the specified format, so that, for example the formula =TEXT(8.2, "0.00") is
"8.20".
➤ VALUE(string) returns the numeric value of a string, so that, for example,
=VALUE("$8.20") is 8.20.

For additional information on using worksheet functions, refer to the
Microsoft Excel documentation.

Using Formulas to Create Parameterization Data
You can enter formulas rather than fixed values in the cells of a parameter
column.

For example, suppose you want to parameterize the value for a WebEdit
object that requires a date value no earlier than today’s date. You can set the
cells in the Date column to the date format, and enter the =NOW() Excel
formula into the first row to set the value to today’s date for the first
iteration.

Then you can use another formula in the rest of the rows in order to enter
the above date plus one day, as shown below. By using this formula you can
run the test on any day and the dates will always be valid.

For more information about using parameters, see Chapter 12,
“Parameterizing Values.”

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Using Formulas in Checkpoints
You can use a formula in a checkpoint to confirm that an object created
on-the-fly (dynamically generated) or another variable object in your Web
page or application contains the value it should for a given context. For
example, suppose a shopping cart Web site displays a price total. You can
create a text checkpoint on the displayed total value and use a Data Table
formula to check whether the site properly computes the total, based on the
individual prices of the products selected for purchase in each iteration.

When you use the Data Table formula option with a checkpoint, QuickTest
creates two columns in the Data Table. The first column contains a default
checkpoint formula. The second column contains the value to be checked in
the form of an output parameter. The result of the formula is Boolean—
TRUE or FALSE.

A FALSE result in the checkpoint column during a test run causes the test to
fail.

Once you finish adding the checkpoint, you can modify the default formula
in the first column to perform the check you need.

To use a formula in a checkpoint:
1 Select the object or text for which you want to create a checkpoint and open
the Insert Checkpoint dialog box as described in Chapter 6, “Understanding
Checkpoints.”
2 In the Configure value area, click Parameter.

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3 Click the Parameter Options button. The Parameter Options dialog box
opens.

4 Select Data Table as the parameter type and choose a parameter from the
Parameter name box list or enter a new name.
➤ To use an existing parameter, select it from the list.
➤ To create a new parameter, either use the default parameter name or
enter a descriptive name for the parameter.

5 Select the Use Data Table formula check box and click OK to close the
Parameter Options dialog box.

Note: You cannot select Use Data Table formula if Regular expression is
selected.

6 Specify your other checkpoint setting preferences as described in Chapter 6,

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7 Click OK. The two columns are added to the table, and the checkpoint step
is inserted into your test or component.
8 Highlight the value in the first (formula) column to view the formula and
modify the formula to fit your needs.
9 If you want to run several iterations, add the appropriate formula in
subsequent rows of the formula column for each iteration in the test or
action.

Inserting Encoded Passwords into Method Arguments and Data
Table Cells
You can encode passwords in order to use the resulting strings as method
arguments or Data Table parameter values. For example, your Web site may
include a form in which the user must supply a password. You may want to
test how your site responds to different passwords, but you also want to
ensure the integrity of the passwords. The Password Encoder enables you to
encode your passwords and place secure values into the Data Table.

Tip: You can also encrypt strings in Data Table cells using the Encrypt
option in the Data Table menu. For more information, see “Data Menu” on
page 406.

To encode a password:
1 From the Windows menu, select Start > Programs > QuickTest Professional >
Tools > Password Encoder. The Password Encoder dialog box opens.

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2 Enter the password in the Password box.
3 Click Generate. The Password Encoder encrypts the password and displays it
in the Encoded String box.
4 Use the Copy button to copy and paste the encoded value into the Data
Table.
5 Repeat the process for each password you want to encode.
6 Click Close to close the Password Encoder.

Using Data Table Scripting Methods
QuickTest provides several Data Table methods that enable you to retrieve
information about the run-time Data Table and to set the value of cells in
the run-time Data Table.

You enter these statements manually in the Expert View. For more
information about working in the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working
with the Expert View.”

From a programming perspective, the Data Table is made up of three types
of objects—DataTable, DTSheet (sheet), and DTParameter (column). Each
object has several methods and properties that you can use to retrieve or set
values.

For more details on the Data Table methods, refer to the QuickTest
Professional Object Model Reference.

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418

19
Defining and Using Recovery Scenarios

You can instruct QuickTest to recover from unexpected events and errors
that occur in your testing environment during a run session.


➤ About Defining and Using Recovery Scenarios
➤ Deciding When to Use Recovery Scenarios
➤ Defining Recovery Scenarios
➤ Managing Recovery Scenarios
➤ Setting the Recovery Scenarios List for Your Tests or Components
➤ Programmatically Controlling the Recovery Mechanism

About Defining and Using Recovery Scenarios
Unexpected events, errors, and application crashes during a run session can
disrupt your run session and distort results. This is a problem particularly
when running tests or components unattended—the test or component is
suspended until you perform the operation needed to recover. For
information on when to use recovery scenarios, see “Deciding When to Use
Recovery Scenarios” on page 421.

The Recovery Scenario Manager provides a wizard that guides you through
the process of defining a recovery scenario—a definition of an unexpected
event and the operation(s) necessary to recover the run session. For
example, you can instruct QuickTest to detect a Printer out of paper
message and recover the run session by clicking the OK button to close the
message and continue the test or component.

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A recovery scenario consists of the following:

➤ Trigger Event—The event that interrupts your run session. For example, a
window that may pop up on screen, or a QuickTest run error.
➤ Recovery Operation(s)—The operation(s) that need to be performed in
order to continue running the test or component. For example, clicking an
OK button in a pop-up window, or restarting Microsoft Windows.
➤ 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. For
example, you may want to restart a test or component from the beginning,
or skip a step entirely and continue with the next step in the test or
component.

Recovery scenarios are saved in recovery scenario files. A recovery scenario
file is a logical collection of recovery scenarios, grouped according to your
own specific requirements.

To instruct QuickTest to perform a recovery scenario during a run session,
you must first associate it with that test or component. A test or component
can have any number of recovery scenarios associated with it. You can
prioritize the scenarios associated with your test or component to ensure
that trigger events are recognized and handled in the required order. For
more information, see “Adding Recovery Scenarios to Your Test or

When you run a test or component for which you have defined recovery
scenarios and an error occurs, QuickTest looks for the defined trigger
event(s) that caused the error. If a trigger event has occurred, QuickTest
performs the corresponding recovery and post-recovery operations.

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Chapter 19 • Defining and Using Recovery Scenarios

You can also control and activate your recovery scenarios during the run
session by inserting Recovery statements into your test or component. For
more information, see “Programmatically Controlling the Recovery
Mechanism” on page 462.

Note: If you choose On error in the Activate recovery scenarios box in the
Recovery tab of the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings
dialog box, the recovery mechanism does not handle triggers that occur in
the last step of a test or component. If you chose this option and need to
recover from an unexpected event or error that may occur in the last step of
a test or component, you can do this by adding an extra step to the end of
your test or component.

Deciding When to Use Recovery Scenarios
If you can predict that a certain event may happen at a specific point in
your test or component, it is highly recommended to handle that event
directly within your test or component by adding steps such as If statements
or optional steps, rather than depending on a recovery scenario. For
example, if you know that an Overwrite File message box may open when a
Save button is clicked during a run session, you can handle this event with
an If statement that clicks OK if the message box opens or by adding an
optional step that clicks OK in the message box. Handling an event directly
within your test enables you to handle errors more specifically than
recovery scenarios, which by nature are designed to handle a more generic
set of unpredictable events. It also enables you to control the timing of the
corrective operation with minimal resource usage and maximum
performance. By default, recovery operations are activated only occur after a
step returns an error, which can potentially occur several steps after the one
that actually caused the error. The alternative, checking for trigger events
after every step, may slow performance.

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You should use recovery scenarios only for unpredictable events, or events
that you cannot synchronize with a specific step in your test or component.
For example, a recovery scenario can handle a printer error by clicking the
default button in the Printer Error message box. You cannot handle this
error directly in your test or component, since you cannot know at what
point the network will return the printer error. You could try to handle this
event in your test or component by adding an If statement immediately
after the step that sent a file to the printer, but if the network takes time to
return the printer error, your test or component may have progressed several
steps before the error is displayed. Therefore, for this type of event, only a
recovery scenario can handle it.

For more information on optional steps, see “Using Optional Steps” on
page 525. For more information on inserting programming statements such
as If statements, see Chapter 20, “Adding Steps Containing Programming
Logic.”

Defining Recovery Scenarios
The Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box enables you to create recovery
scenarios and save them in recovery files. You create recovery scenarios
using the Recovery Scenario Wizard, which leads you through the process of
defining each of the stages of the recovery scenario. You then save the
recovery scenarios in a recovery file, and associate them with specific tests or
components.

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Creating a Recovery File
You save your recovery scenarios in a recovery file. A recovery file is a
convenient way to organize and store multiple recovery scenarios together.
You can create a new recovery file or edit an existing one.

To create a recovery file:
1 Choose Tools > Recovery Scenario Manager. The Recovery Scenario
Manager dialog box opens.

2 By default, the Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box opens with a new
recovery file. You can either use this new file, or click the Open button to
choose an existing recovery file. Alternatively, you can click the arrow next
to the Open button to select a recently-used recovery file from the list.
You can now create recovery scenarios using the Recovery Scenario Wizard
and save them in your recovery file, as described in the following sections.

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Understanding the Recovery Scenario Manager Dialog Box
The Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box enables you to create and edit
recovery files, and create and manage recovery scenarios.

The Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box displays the name of the
currently open recovery file, a list of the scenario(s) saved in the recovery
file, and a description of each scenario.

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The Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box contains the following toolbar
buttons:

Option Description

Creates a new recovery file. For more information, see “Creating a
Recovery File” on page 423.

Opens an existing recovery file. You can also click the arrow to select a
recovery file from the list of recently-used recovery files.

Saves the current recovery file. For more information, see “Saving the
Recovery Scenario in a Recovery File” on page 450.

Opens the Recovery Scenario Wizard, in which you define a new
recovery scenario. For more information, see “Understanding the
Recovery Scenario Wizard” on page 426.

Opens the Recovery Scenario Wizard for the selected recovery
scenario, in which you can modify the recovery scenario settings. For
more information, see “Modifying Recovery Scenarios” on page 454.

Displays summary properties for the selected recovery scenario in
read-only format. For more information, see “Viewing Recovery
Scenario Properties” on page 452.

Copies a recovery scenario from the open recovery file to the
Clipboard. This enables you to paste a recovery scenario into another
recovery file. For more information, see “Copying Recovery Scenarios
between Recovery Scenario Files” on page 455.

Pastes a recovery scenario from the Clipboard into the open recovery
file. For more information, see “Copying Recovery Scenarios between
Recovery Scenario Files” on page 455.

Deletes a recovery scenario. For more information, see “Deleting
Recovery Scenarios” on page 454.

Note: Each recovery scenario is represented by an icon that indicates its
type. For more information, see “Managing Recovery Scenarios” on
page 451.

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Understanding the Recovery Scenario Wizard
The Recovery Scenario Wizard leads you, step-by-step, through the process
of creating a recovery scenario. The Recovery Scenario Wizard contains five
main steps:

➤ defining the trigger event that interrupts the run session
➤ specifying the recovery operation(s) required to continue
➤ choosing a post-recovery test run operation
➤ specifying a name and description for the recovery scenario
➤ specifying whether to associate the recovery scenario to the current test
and/or to all new tests

You open the Recovery Scenario Wizard by clicking the New Scenario
button in the Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box.

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Welcome to the Recovery Scenario Wizard Screen
The Welcome to the Recovery Scenario Wizard screen provides general
information about the different options in the Recovery Scenario Wizard,
and provides an overview of the stages involved in defining a recovery
scenario.

Click Next to continue to the Select Trigger Event screen.

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Select Trigger Event Screen
The Select Trigger Event screen enables you to define the event type that
triggers the recovery scenario, and the way in which QuickTest recognizes
the event.

Select a type of trigger and click Next. The next screen displayed in the
wizard depends on which of the following trigger types you select:

➤ Pop-up window—QuickTest detects a pop-up window and identifies it
according to the window title and textual content. For example, a message
box may open during a run session, indicating that the printer is out of
paper. QuickTest can detect this window and activate a defined recovery
scenario in order to continue the run session.
Select this option and click Next to continue to the Specify Pop-up Window
Conditions screen.
➤ Object state—QuickTest detects a specific test object state and identifies it
according to its property values and the property values of all its ancestors.
Note that an object is identified only by its property values, and not by its
class.

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For example, a specific button in a dialog box may be disabled when a
specific process is open. QuickTest can detect the object property state of the
button that occurs when this problematic process is open and activate a
defined recovery scenario to close the process and continue the run session.
Select this option and click Next to continue to the Select Object screen.
➤ Test run error—QuickTest detects a run error and identifies it by a failed
return value from a method. For example, QuickTest may not be able to
identify a menu item specified in the method argument, due to the fact that
the menu item is not available at a specific point during the run session.
QuickTest can detect this run error and activate a defined recovery scenario
in order to continue the run session.
Select this option and click Next to continue to the Select Test Run Error
screen.
➤ Application crash—QuickTest detects an application crash and identifies it
according to a predefined list of applications. For example, a secondary
application may crash when a certain step is performed in the run session.
You want to be sure that the run session does not fail because of this crash,
which may indicate a different problem with your application. QuickTest
can detect this application crash and activate a defined recovery scenario to
continue the run session.
Select this option and click Next to continue to the Recovery Operations
screen.

Notes: The set of recovery operations is performed for each occurrence of
the trigger event criteria. For example, suppose you define a specific object
state, and two objects match this state, the set of replay operations is
performed two times, once for each object that matches the specified state.

The recovery mechanism does not handle triggers that occur in the last step
of a test or component. If you need to recover from an unexpected event or
error that may occur in the last step of a test or component, you can do this
by adding an extra step to the end of your test or component.

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Specify Pop-up Window Conditions Screen
If you chose a Pop-up window trigger in the Select Trigger Event screen, the
Specify Pop-up Window Conditions screen opens.

Click the pointing hand and then click the pop-up window to capture the
window title and textual content of the window.


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You can choose whether you want to identify the pop-up window according
to its Window title and/or Window text. You can also use regular expressions
in the window title or textual content by selecting the relevant Regular
expression check box and then entering the regular expression in the
relevant location. For information on regular expressions, see
“Understanding and Using Regular Expressions” on page 290.

Click Next to continue to the Recovery Operations screen.

Select Object Screen
If you chose an Object state trigger in the Select Trigger Event screen, the
Select Object screen opens.

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Click the pointing hand and then click the object whose properties you
want to specify.


If the location you click is associated with more than one object, the Object
Selection–Object State Trigger dialog box opens.

Select the object whose properties you want to specify and click OK.

Note: The hierarchical object selection tree also enables you to select an
object that QuickTest would not ordinarily record (a non-parent object),
such as a web table.

The selected object and its parents are displayed in the Select Object screen.

Click Next to continue to the Set Object Properties and Values screen.

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Set Object Properties and Values Screen
After you select the object whose properties you want to specify in the Select
Object screen, the Set Object Properties and Values screen opens.

For each object in the hierarchy, in the Edit property value box, you can
modify the property values used to identify the object. You can also click the
Add/Remove button to add or remove object properties from the list of
property values to check. Note that an object is identified only by its
property values, and not by its class.

Select the Regular expression check box if you want to use regular
expressions in the property value. For information on regular expressions,
see “Understanding and Using Regular Expressions” on page 290.


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Select Test Run Error Screen
If you chose a Test run error trigger in the Select Trigger Event screen, the
Select Test Run Error screen opens.

In the Error list, choose the run error that you want to use as the trigger
event:

➤ Any error—Any error code that is returned by a step.
➤ Item in list or menu is not unique—Occurs when more than one item in the
list, menu, or tree has the name specified in the method argument.
➤ Item in list or menu not found—Occurs when QuickTest cannot identify the
list, menu, or tree item specified in the method argument. This may be due
to the fact that the item is not currently available or that its name has
changed.
➤ More than one object responds to the physical description—Occurs when
more than one object in your application has the same property values as
those specified in the test object description for the object specified in the
step.

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➤ Object is disabled—Occurs when QuickTest cannot perform the step because
the object specified in the step is currently disabled.
➤ Object not found—Occurs when no object within the specified parent
object matches the test object description for the object.
➤ Object not visible—Occurs when QuickTest cannot perform the step because
the object specified in the step is not currently visible on the screen.

Select Processes Screen
If you chose an Application crash trigger in the Select Trigger Event screen,
the Select Processes screen opens.

The Running processes list displays all application processes that are
currently running. The Processes list displays the application processes that
will trigger the recovery scenario if they crash.

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You can add application processes to the Processes list by typing them in
the Processes list or by selecting them from the Running processes list.

To add a process from the Running processes list, double-click a process in
the Running processes list or select it and click the Add button. You can
select multiple processes using standard Windows multiple selection
techniques (CTRL and SHIFT keys).

To add a process directly to the Processes list, click the Add New Process
button to enter the name of any process you want to add to the list.

To remove a process from the Processes list, select it and click the Remove
Process button.

Tip: You can modify the name of a process by selecting it in the Processes
list and clicking the process name to edit it.


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Recovery Operations Screen
The Recovery Operations screen enables you to manage the collection of
recovery operations in the recovery scenario. Recovery operations are
operations that QuickTest performs sequentially when it recognizes the
trigger event.

You must define at least one recovery operation. To define a recovery
operation and add it to the Recovery operations list, click Next to continue
to the Recovery Operation screen.

If you define two or more recovery operations, you can select a recovery
operation and use the Move Up or Move Down buttons to change the order
in which QuickTest performs the recovery operations. You can also select a
recovery operation and click the Remove button to delete a recovery
operation from the recovery scenario.

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Note: If you define a Restart Microsoft Windows recovery operation, it is
always inserted as the last recovery operation, and you cannot change its
position in the list.

After you have defined at least one recovery operation, the Add another
recovery operation check box is displayed.

➤ Select the check box and click Next to define another recovery operation.
➤ Clear the check box and click Next to continue to the Post-Recovery Test
Run Options screen.

Recovery Operation Screen
The Recovery Operation screen enables you to specify the operation(s)
QuickTest performs after it detects the trigger event.

Select a type of recovery operation and click Next. The next screen displayed
in the wizard depends on which recovery operation type you select.

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You can define the following types of recovery operations:

➤ Keyboard or mouse operation—QuickTest simulates a click on a button in a
window or a press of a keyboard key. Select this option and click Next to
continue to the Recovery Operation – Click Button or Press Key screen.
➤ Close application process—QuickTest closes specified processes. Select this
option and click Next to continue to the Recovery Operation – Close
Processes screen.
➤ Function call—QuickTest calls a VBScript function. Select this option and
click Next to continue to the Recovery Operation – Function screen.
➤ Restart Microsoft Windows—QuickTest restarts Microsoft Windows. Select
this option and click Next to continue to the Recovery Operations screen.

Note: If you use the Restart Microsoft Windows recovery operation, you
must ensure that any test or component associated with this recovery
scenario is saved before you run it. You must also configure the computer on
which the test or component is run to auto login on restart.

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Recovery Operation – Click Button or Press Key Screen
If you chose a Keyboard or mouse operation recovery operation in the
Recovery Operation screen, the Recovery Operation – Click Button or Press
Key screen opens.

Specify the keyboard or mouse operation that you want QuickTest to
perform when it detects the trigger event:

➤ Click Default button / Press the ENTER key—Instructs QuickTest to click the
default button or press the ENTER key in the displayed window when the
trigger occurs.
➤ Click Cancel button / Press the ESCAPE key—Instructs QuickTest to click the
Cancel button or press the ESCAPE key in the displayed window when the
trigger occurs.
➤ Click button with label—Instructs QuickTest to click the button with the
specified label in the displayed window when the trigger occurs. If you select
this option, click the pointing hand and then click anywhere in the trigger
window.

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All button labels in the selected window are displayed in the list box. Select
the required button from the list.
➤ Press key or key combination—Instructs QuickTest to press the specified
keyboard key or key combination in the displayed window when the trigger
occurs. If you select this option, click in the edit box and then press the key
or key combination on your keyboard that you want to specify.
Click Next. The Recovery Operations screen reopens, showing the keyboard
or mouse recovery operation that you defined.

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Recovery Operation – Close Processes Screen
If you chose a Close application process recovery operation in the Recovery
Operation screen, the Recovery Operation – Close Processes screen opens.

The Running processes list displays all application processes that are
currently running. The Processes to close list displays the application
processes that will be closed when the trigger is activated.

You can add application processes to the Processes to close list by typing
them in the Processes to close list or by selecting them from the Running
processes list.

To add a process from the Running processes list, double-click a process in
the Running processes list or select it and click the Add button. You can
select multiple processes using standard Windows multiple selection
techniques (CTRL and SHIFT keys).

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To add a process directly to the Processes to close list, click the Add New
Process button to enter the name of any process you want to add to the list.

To remove a process from the Processes to close list, select it and click the
Remove Process button.

Tip: You can modify the name of a process by selecting it in the Processes to
close list and clicking the process name to edit it.

Click Next. The Recovery Operations screen reopens, showing the close
processes recovery operation that you defined.

Recovery Operation – Function Call Screen
If you chose a Function call recovery operation in the Recovery Operation
screen, the Recovery Operation – Function Call screen opens.

Select a recently specified library file in the Library file box. Alternatively,
click the browse button to navigate to an existing library file.

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Note: QuickTest automatically associates the library file you select with your
test or component. Therefore, you do not need to associate the library file
with your test or component in the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog
box or Business Component Settings dialog box, respectively.

After you select a library file, choose one of the following options:

➤ Select function—Choose an existing function from the library file you
selected.

Note: Only functions that match the prototype syntax for the trigger type
selected in the Select Trigger Event screen are displayed. Following is the
prototype for each trigger type:

Test run error trigger
OnRunStep
(
[in] Object as Object: The object of the current step.
[in] Method as String: The method of the current step.
[in] Arguments as Array: The actual method’s arguments.
[in] Result as Integer: The actual method’s result.
)
Pop-up window and Object state triggers
OnObject
(
[in] Object as Object: The detected object.
)
Application crash trigger
OnProcess
(
[in] ProcessName as String: The detected process’s Name.
[in] ProcessId as Integer: The detected process’ ID.
)

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➤ Define new function—Create a new function by specifying a unique name
for it, and defining the function in the Function Name box according to the
displayed function prototype. The new function is added to the library file
you selected.

Note: If more than one scenario use a function with the same name from
different library files, the recovery process may fail. In this case, information
regarding the recovery failure is displayed during the run session.

Click Next. The Recovery Operations screen reopens, showing the function
operation that you defined.

Post-Recovery Test Run Options Screen
When you clear the Add another recovery operation check box in the
Recovery Operations screen and click Next, the Post-Recovery Test Run
Options screen opens.

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Post-recovery test run options specify how to continue the run session after
QuickTest has identified the event and performed all of the specified
recovery operations.

QuickTest can perform one of the following run session options after it
performs the recovery operations you defined:

➤ Repeat current step and continue
The current step is the step that QuickTest was running when the recovery
scenario was triggered. 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. For more
information, see “Enabling and Disabling Recovery Scenarios” on page 460.
➤ Proceed to next step
Skips the step that QuickTest was running when the recovery scenario was
triggered. Keep in mind that skipping a step that performs operations on
your application may cause subsequent steps to fail.

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➤ Proceed to next action iteration
Stops performing steps in the current action iteration and begins the next
action iteration from the beginning (or the next action if no additional
iterations of the current action are required).
➤ Proceed to next test iteration
Stops performing steps in the current action and begins the next test
iteration from the beginning (or stops running the test if no additional
iterations of the current action are required).
➤ Restart current test run
Stops performing steps and re-runs the test or component from the
beginning.
➤ Stop the test run
Stops running the test or component.

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

Select a test run option and click Next to continue to the Name and
Description screen.

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Name and Description Screen
After you specify a test run option in the Post-Recovery Test Run Options
screen, and click Next, the Name and Description screen opens.

In the Name and Description screen, you specify a name by which to
identify your recovery scenario. You can also add descriptive information
regarding the scenario.

Enter a name and a textual description for your recovery scenario, and click
Next to continue to the Completing the Recovery Scenario Wizard screen.

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Completing the Recovery Scenario Wizard Screen
After you specify a recovery scenario name and description in the Name and
Description screen and click Next, the Completing the Recovery Scenario
Wizard screen opens.

In the Completing the Recovery Scenario Wizard screen, you can review a
summary of the scenario settings you defined. You can also specify whether
to automatically associate the recovery scenario with the current test or
component, and/or to add it to the default settings for all new tests.

Select the Add scenario to current test check box to associate this recovery
scenario with the current test or component. When you click Finish,
QuickTest adds the recovery scenario to the Scenarios list in the Recovery
tab of the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings dialog
box, respectively.

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Select the Add scenario to default test settings check box to make this
recovery scenario a default scenario for all new tests. The next time you
create a test, this scenario will be listed in the Scenarios list in the Recovery
tab of the Test Settings dialog box.

Note: You can remove scenarios from the default scenarios list. For more
information, see “Defining Recovery Scenario Settings for Your Test or

Note: You define the default recovery scenarios for all new components
in the component template. For more information, see “Working with
Component Templates” on page 987.

Click Finish to complete the recovery scenario definition.

Saving the Recovery Scenario in a Recovery File
After you create or modify a recovery scenario in a recovery file using the
Recovery Scenario Wizard, you need to save the recovery file.

To save a new or modified recovery file:
1 Click the Save button. If you added or modified scenarios in an existing
recovery file, the recovery file and its scenarios are saved. If you are using a
new recovery file, the Save Attachment dialog box opens.

Tip: You can also click the arrow to the right of the Save button and select
Save As to save the recovery file under a different name.

2 Choose the folder in which you want to save the file.

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3 Type a name for the file in the File name box. The recovery file is saved in
the specified location with the file extension .qrs.

Tip: If you have not yet saved the recovery file, and you click the Close
button in the Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box, QuickTest prompts
you to save the recovery file. Click Yes, and proceed with step 2 above. If
you added or modified scenarios in an existing recovery file, and you click
Yes to the message prompt, the recovery file and its scenarios are saved.

Managing Recovery Scenarios
Once you have created recovery scenarios, you can use the Recovery
Scenario Manager to manage them.

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The Recovery Scenario Manager contains the following recovery scenario
icons:

Icon Description

Indicates that the recovery scenario is triggered when a window pops
up in an open application during the run session.

Indicates that the recovery scenario is triggered when the property
values of an object in an application match specified values.

Indicates that the recovery scenario is triggered when a step in the test
or component does not run successfully.

Indicates that the recovery scenario is triggered when an open
application fails during the run session.

The Recovery Scenario Manager enables you to manage existing scenarios
by:

➤ Viewing Recovery Scenario Properties
➤ Modifying Recovery Scenarios
➤ Deleting Recovery Scenarios
➤ Copying Recovery Scenarios between Recovery Scenario Files

Viewing Recovery Scenario Properties
You can view properties for any defined recovery scenario.

To view recovery scenario properties:
1 In the Scenarios box, select the recovery scenario whose properties you want
to view.

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2 Click the Properties button. Alternatively, you can double-click a scenario in
the Scenarios box. The Recovery Scenario Properties dialog box opens.

The Recovery Scenario Properties dialog box displays the following
read-only information about the selected scenario:

➤ General tab—Displays the name and description defined for the recovery
scenario, plus the name and path of the recovery file in which the scenario
is saved.
➤ Trigger Event tab—Displays the settings for the trigger event defined for the
recovery scenario.
➤ Recovery operation tab—Displays the recovery operation(s) defined for the
recovery scenario.
➤ Post-Recovery Operation tab—Displays the post-recovery operation defined
for the recovery scenario.

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Modifying Recovery Scenarios
You can modify the settings for an existing recovery scenario.

To modify a recovery scenario:
1 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario that you want to modify.
2 Click the Edit button. The Recovery Scenario Wizard opens, with the
settings you defined for the selected recovery scenario.
3 Navigate through the Recovery Scenario Wizard and modify the details as
needed. For information on the Recovery Scenario Wizard options, see
“Defining Recovery Scenarios,” on page 422.

Note: Modifications you make are not saved until you click Save in the
Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box. If you have not yet saved your
modifications, and you click the Close button in the Recovery Scenario
Manager dialog box, QuickTest prompts you to save the recovery file. Click
Yes to save your changes.

Deleting Recovery Scenarios
You can delete an existing recovery scenario if you no longer need it. When
you delete a recovery scenario from the Recovery Scenario Manager, the
corresponding information is deleted from the recovery scenario file.

Note: If a deleted recovery scenario is associated with a test or component,
QuickTest ignores it during the run session.

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To delete a recovery scenario:
1 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario that you want to delete.
2 Click the Delete button. The recovery scenario is deleted from the Recovery
Scenario Manager dialog box.

Note: The scenario is not actually deleted until you click Save in the
Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box. If you have not yet saved the
deletion, and you click the Close button in the Recovery Scenario Manager
dialog box, QuickTest prompts you to save the recovery file. Click Yes to
save the recovery scenario file and delete the scenarios.

Copying Recovery Scenarios between Recovery Scenario Files
You can copy recovery scenarios from one recovery scenario file to another.

To copy a recovery scenario from one recovery scenario file to another:
1 In the Scenarios box, select the recovery scenario that you want to copy.
2 Click the Copy button. The scenario is copied to the Clipboard.
3 Click the Open button and select the recovery scenario file to which you
want to copy the scenario, or click the New button to create a new recovery
scenario file in which to copy the scenario.
4 Click the Paste button. The scenario is copied to the new recovery scenario
file.

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Notes: If a scenario with the same name already exists in the recovery
scenario file, you can choose whether you want to replace it with the new
scenario you have just copied.

Modifications you make are not saved until you click Save in the Recovery
Scenario Manager dialog box. If you have not yet saved your modifications,
and you click the Close button in the Recovery Scenario Manager dialog
box, QuickTest prompts you to save the recovery file. Click Yes to save your
changes.

Setting the Recovery Scenarios List for Your Tests or
Components
After you have created recovery scenarios, you associate them with selected
tests or components so that QuickTest will perform the appropriate
scenario(s) during the run sessions if a trigger event occurs. You can
prioritize the scenarios and set the order in which QuickTest applies the
scenarios during the run session. You can also choose to disable specific
scenarios, or all scenarios, that are associated with a test or component.
You can also define which recovery scenarios will be used as the default
scenarios for all new tests.

Note: You define the default recovery scenarios for all new components
in the component template. For more information, see “Working with
Component Templates” on page 987.

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Adding Recovery Scenarios to Your Test or Component
After you have created recovery scenarios, you can associate one or more
scenarios with a test or component in order to instruct QuickTest to perform
the recovery scenario(s) during the run session if a trigger event occurs. The
dialog box lists all the recovery scenarios associated with the current test or
component.

Tip: When a trigger event occurs, QuickTest checks for applicable recovery
scenarios in the order in which they are displayed in the Recovery tab. You
can change this order as described in “Setting Recovery Scenario Priorities”
on page 459.

To add a recovery scenario to a test or component:
1 Choose Test > Settings or Component > Settings. The Test Settings dialog
box or Business Component Settings dialog box opens. Select the Recovery
tab.

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2 Click the Add button. The Add Recovery Scenario dialog box opens.

3 In the Recovery file box, select the recovery file containing the recovery
scenario(s) you want to associate with the test or component. Alternatively,
click the browse button to navigate to the recovery file you want to select.
The Scenarios box displays the names of the scenarios saved in the selected
file.
4 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario(s) that you want to associate with
the test or component and click Add Scenario. The Add Recovery Scenario
dialog box closes and the selected scenarios are added to the Scenarios list in
the Recovery tab.

Tip: You can edit a recovery scenario file path by clicking the path once to
highlight it, and then clicking it again to enter edit mode. For example, you
may want to modify an absolute file path to be a relative file path. If you
modify a recovery scenario file path, you must ensure that the recovery
scenario is defined in the new path location before running your test or
component.

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You can view properties for any recovery scenario associated with your test
or component.

Note: You modify recovery scenario settings from the Recovery Scenario
Manager dialog box. For more information, see “Modifying Recovery
Scenarios” on page 454.

1 In the Scenarios box, select the recovery scenario whose properties you want
to view.
2 Click the Properties button. Alternatively, you can double-click a scenario in
the Scenarios box. The Recovery Scenario Properties dialog box opens,
displaying read-only information regarding the settings for the selected
scenario. For more information, see “Viewing Recovery Scenario Properties”
on page 452.

Setting Recovery Scenario Priorities
You can specify the order in which QuickTest performs associated scenarios
during a run session. When a trigger event occurs, QuickTest checks for
applicable recovery scenarios in the order in which they are displayed in the
dialog box.

To set recovery scenario priorities:
1 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario whose priority you want to change.
2 Click the Up or Down button. The selected scenario’s priority changes
according to your selection.
3 Repeat steps 1-2 for each scenario whose priority you want to change.

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Removing Recovery Scenarios from Your Test or Component
You can remove the association between a specific scenario and a test or
component using the Recovery tab of the Test Settings dialog box or
Business Component Settings dialog box. After you remove a scenario from
a test or component, the scenario itself still exists, but QuickTest will no
longer perform the scenario during a run session.

To remove a recovery scenario from your test or component:
1 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario you want to remove.
2 Click the Remove button. The selected scenario is no longer associated with
the test or component.

Enabling and Disabling Recovery Scenarios
You can enable or disable specific scenarios and determine when QuickTest
activates the recovery scenario mechanism in the Recovery tab of the Test
Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings dialog box. When you
disable a specific scenario, it remains associated with the test or component,
but is not performed by QuickTest during the run session. You can enable
the scenario at a later time.

To enable/disable specific recovery scenarios:
➤ Select the check box to the left of one or more individual scenarios to enable
them.
➤ Clear the check box to the left of one or more individual scenarios to disable
them.

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To define when the recovery mechanism is activated:
➤ Select one of the following options in the Activate recovery scenarios box:
➤ On every step—The recovery mechanism is activated after every step.
➤ On error—The recovery mechanism is activated only after steps that
return an error return value.
Note that the step that returns an error is often not the same as the step
that causes the exception event to occur.
For example, a step that selects a check box may cause a pop-up dialog
box to open. Although the pop-up dialog box is defined as a trigger
event, QuickTest moves to the next step because it successfully
performed the check box selection step. The next several steps could
potentially perform checkpoints, functions or other conditional or
looping statements that do not require performing operations on your
application. It may only be ten statements later that a step instructs
QuickTest to perform an operation on the application that it cannot
perform due to the pop-up dialog box. In this case, it is this tenth step
that returns an error and triggers the recovery mechanism to close the
dialog box. After the recovery operation is completed, the current step is
this tenth step, and not the step that caused the trigger event.
➤ Never—The recovery mechanism is disabled.

Note: Choosing On every step may result in slower performance during the
run session.

Tip: You can also enable or disable specific scenarios or all scenarios
associated with a test or component programmatically during the run
session. For more information, see “Programmatically Controlling the
Recovery Mechanism” on page 462.

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Setting Default Recovery Scenario Settings for All New Tests
You can click the Set as Default button in the Recovery tab of the Test
Settings dialog box to set the current list of recovery scenarios to be the
default scenarios for all new tests. Any future changes you make to the
current recovery scenario list only affect the current test, and do not change
the default list that you defined.

You define the default recovery scenarios for all new components in the
component template. For more information, see “Working with Component
Templates” on page 987.

Programmatically Controlling the Recovery Mechanism
You can use the Recovery object to control the recovery mechanism
programmatically during the run session. For example, you can enable or
disable the entire recovery mechanism or specific recovery scenarios for
certain parts of a run session, retrieve status information about specific
recovery scenarios, and explicitly activate the recovery mechanism at a
certain point in the run session.

By default, QuickTest checks for recovery triggers when an error is returned
during the run session. You can use the Recovery object’s Activate method
to force QuickTest to check for triggers after a specific step in the run
session. For example, suppose you know that an object property checkpoint
will fail if certain processes are open when the checkpoint is performed. You
want to be sure that the pass or fail of the checkpoint is not affected by these
open processes, which may indicate a different problem with your
application.

However, a failed checkpoint does not result in a run error. So by default, the
recovery mechanism would not be activated by the object state. You can
define a recovery scenario that looks for and closes specified open processes
when an object’s properties have a certain state. This state shows the object’s
property values as they would be if the problematic processes were open.

462


You can instruct QuickTest to activate the recovery mechanism if the
checkpoint fails so that QuickTest will check for and close any problematic
open processes and then try to perform the checkpoint again. This ensures
that when the checkpoint is performed the second time it is not affected by
the open processes.

For more information on the Recovery object and its methods, refer to the

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464

20
Adding Steps Containing Programming
Logic

After recording a test or component, you can use special QuickTest tools to
enhance it with programming statements, even if you choose not to
program manually in the Expert View.


➤ About Adding Steps Containing Programming Logic
➤ Inserting Steps Using the Step Generator
➤ Using Conditional Statements
➤ Using Loop Statements
➤ Generating ”With” Statements for Your Test or Component
➤ Sending Messages to Your Test Results
➤ Adding Comments
➤ Synchronizing Your Test or Component
➤ Measuring Transactions

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About Adding Steps Containing Programming Logic
The easiest way to create a test or component is to begin by recording
typical business processes that you perform on your application or Web site.
Then, to increase the power and flexibility of your test or component, you
can add steps that contain programming logic to the recorded framework.
Programming statements can contain:

➤ recordable test object methods: operations that a user can perform on an
application or Web site.
➤ non-recordable test object methods: operations that users cannot perform on
an application or Web site. You use these methods to retrieve or set
information, or to perform operations triggered by an event.
➤ run-time methods of the object being tested.
➤ various VBScript programming commands that affect the way the test or
component runs, such as conditions and loops. These are often used to
control the logical flow of a test or component.
➤ supplemental statements, such as comments, to make your test or
component easier to read, and messages that appear in the test results, to
alert you to a specified condition.

Note: Test object methods are defined in QuickTest; run-time methods are
defined within the object you are testing, and therefore are retrieved from
them.

This chapter shows you how to insert different types of statements, mostly
from the Keyword View, aided by the Step Generator and other dialog boxes.

The Step Generator dialog box helps you quickly and easily add steps that
use test object methods, utility object methods, and function calls, so that
you do not need to memorize syntax or to be proficient in high-level
VBScript. You can use the Step Generator from the Keyword View and also
from the Expert View.

For information on how to insert statements in the Expert View, see

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Chapter 20 • Adding Steps Containing Programming Logic

You can incorporate decision-making into your test or component and
define messages for the test results by using the appropriate dialog boxes.

In addition, you can improve the readability of your test or component
using With statements. You can instruct QuickTest to automatically
generate With statements as you record. But even after your basic test or
component is recorded, you can convert its statements, in the Expert View,
to With statements—by selecting a menu command.

You can handle synchronization issues between the run session and your
application, using synchronization points.

When working with tests, you can also measure how long it takes certain
parts of your test to run, using transaction statements.

Inserting Steps Using the Step Generator
The Step Generator enables you to add steps quickly and easily, by selecting
from a range of context-sensitive options and entering the required values.
In the Step Generator dialog box you can define steps that use:

➤ test object methods and properties
➤ utility object methods and properties
➤ calls to library functions, VBScript functions, and internal script functions
For example, you can add a step that checks that an object exists, or that
stores the returned value of a method as an output value or as part of a
conditional statement. You can parameterize any of the values in your step.

Before you open the Step Generator to define a new step, you first select
where in your test or component the new step should be inserted. For more
information on the hierarchy of steps and objects, see “Understanding the
QuickTest Recorded Object Hierarchy” on page 311.

After you open the Step Generator, you first select the category for the step
operation (test object, utility object or function) and the required object or
the function library. You can then select the appropriate method or function
and define the arguments and return values, parameterizing them if
required.

467


The Step Generator then inserts a step with the correct syntax into your test
or component. You can continue to add further steps at the same location
without closing the Step Generator.

You can open the Step Generator from the Keyword View or Expert View
while recording or editing your test or component. You can also open the
Step Generator from the Active Screen while editing.

To open the Step Generator from the Keyword View or Expert View:
1 While recording or editing, click the step which you want the new step to
follow. (When you finish defining the new step, QuickTest will insert it after
this step.)
2 Choose Insert > Step > Step Generator or right-click the step and choose
Insert Step > Step Generator. Alternatively, press F7.
The Step Generator dialog box opens and displays the object from the
selected step in the Object box. For more information, see “Defining Steps
in the Step Generator Dialog Box” on page 470.

To open the Step Generator from the Active Screen while editing:
1 Confirm that the Active Screen is displayed. If it is not, choose View > Active
Screen or toggle the Active Screen toolbar button.
2 In the Keyword View or Expert View, click the step which you want the new
step to follow. (When you finish defining the new step, QuickTest will insert
it after this step.) The Active Screen displays the captured bitmap or HTML
source corresponding to the selected step.
3 In the Active Screen, right-click the object for which you want to insert a
step, and choose Step Generator.

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Object Selection - Step Generator dialog box opens.

4 Select an object and click OK. The Step Generator dialog box opens and
displays the object from the selected step in the Object box. For more
information, see “Defining Steps in the Step Generator Dialog Box,” below.

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Defining Steps in the Step Generator Dialog Box
The Step Generator dialog box enables you to add steps that perform
operations, using test object methods, utility object methods, or function
calls.

Note: The Step Generator dialog box that opens from the Expert View is
similar to the dialog box that opens from the Keyword View (shown in the
example above).
In the Expert View, the dialog box title is Step Generator - Expert Mode and
the box title at the bottom of the dialog box is Generated step. For more
information, see “Viewing the Generated Step in the Expert View” on
page 473.

470


When the Step Generator dialog box opens, the object from the selected
step is displayed in the Object box.

Defining a New Step
When you define a new step, you first select the type of step that you want
to add to your test or component. You can then select the specific object and
method for the step, or the function that you want the step to use.

After you select the operation for the step, you can specify the relevant
argument values and the location for the return value, if applicable. These
values can be parameterized if required.

Finally, you can view the step documentation or statement syntax and add
your new step to your test or component.

Note: Although the Step Generator shows information regarding the
currently selected step, selections that you make in the Step Generator add a
new step to your test or component; they do not modify the existing step.

Selecting the Type of Step to Add
In the Category list box, you can choose one of the following options:

➤ Test Objects—Enables you to select a test object and method for the step.
For more information, see “Specifying a Test Object and Method for the
➤ Utility Objects—Enables you to select a utility object and method for the
step. For more information, see “Specifying a Utility Object and Method for
the Step” on page 479.
➤ Functions—Enables you to select a function for the step from one or all the
available libraries. For more information, see “Specifying a Function for the

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Specifying Argument Values
After you select the object and method or the function for the step, you can
specify the relevant argument values. These values can be parameterized if
required.

If the selected method or function has arguments, the Arguments area
displays the name and type of each argument.

In the Value column, you can define the values for the arguments, as
follows:

➤ Mandatory arguments—If the name of the argument is followed by a red
asterisk (*), you must specify a value for the argument. You cannot insert the
step or view the step documentation if the values have not been defined for
all mandatory arguments.
➤ Optional arguments—If the name of the argument is not followed by a red
asterisk (*), you can specify a value for the argument or leave the cell blank.
If you do not specify a value, QuickTest uses the default value for the
argument. (You can view the default value by moving the mouse over the
cell).
➤ Required arguments—If you specify a value for an optional argument, then
you must also specify the values for any optional arguments that are listed
before this argument. If you do not specify these values, QuickTest uses the
default values for all required arguments. You can see the default value for
each argument in a tooltip, by moving the mouse over the Value column.
➤ Parameterized arguments—You can use a parameter for any argument value
by clicking the parameterization button . For more information, see
“Configuring a Selected Value” on page 289.

Specifying the Location for the Return Value
If the selected method or function returns a value, you can specify that you
want to store the value by selecting the Return Value check box. When this
check box is selected, a default variable is displayed as the return value
location.

472


You can supply a different variable definition by editing the value. You can
select a different storage location for the return value by clicking the
displayed value and then the output storage button . For more
information, see “Storing Return Values and Action Output Parameter

Viewing the Step Documentation in the Keyword View
If you open the Step Generator from the Keyword View, the Step
documentation box at the bottom of the Step Generator dialog box can
display summary information about the current step in an easy-to-read
sentence.

If you select either the Test Object or Utility Object category and you define
all the mandatory and required values for the current operation, the Step
documentation box describes the operation performed by the step. When
the step is inserted into your test or component, this description is displayed
in the Documentation column in the Keyword View.

If all the mandatory and required argument values have not been defined
for the operation, the Step documentation box displays a warning message.

Note: If you select the Functions category, step documentation is not
available.

Viewing the Generated Step in the Expert View
If you open the Step Generator from the Expert View, the Generated step
box displays the defined statement for the step.

If all the mandatory and required argument values have not been defined
for the operation, the names of the undefined arguments are highlighted in
bold text. If you attempt to insert the step, an error message is displayed.

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Inserting Steps
After you define all mandatory argument values for the current operation,
the following options are available:

➤ To insert the current step and close the Step Generator, make sure the
Insert another step check box is cleared. When you click OK, the step is
added to your test or component and the Step Generator dialog box closes.
➤ To insert the current step and continue adding steps at the same location,
select the Insert another step check box. The OK button changes to Insert.
When you click Insert, the current step is added to your test or component
and the Step Generator dialog box remains open, enabling you to define
another step.

Note: If you click Insert again before changing the step details, the Step
Generator inserts another copy of the current step.

When you insert a new step using the Step Generator, it is added to your test
or component after the selected step, and the new step is selected. For more
information on the hierarchy of steps and objects and the positioning of
new steps, see “Understanding the QuickTest Recorded Object Hierarchy”
on page 311.

Specifying a Test Object and Method for the Step
If you select Test Objects in the Category list in the Step Generator dialog
box, you can select the object for the new step in the context of the
currently selected step in your test or component. Alternatively, you can
select any object from the object repository or from your application.

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The list in the Object box contains all the objects in the object repository
that are at the same hierarchical level and location as the currently selected
step. You can select any of these objects for your new step.

For example, assume that you selected the step for the userName object in
the Welcome: Mercury Tours web page, as shown below:

When you open the Step Generator, Test Objects is selected in the Category
box, and the Object box lists the userName, password and Sign-in objects.

Note: The objects are listed in alphabetical order of their object names, and
not according to the order of the steps in the test or component.

You can select an object from the object repository or from your application,
by clicking the Select Object button . For more information, see “Selecting
an Object from the Repository or Application” on page 477.

After you select the object for the step, you can select the required operation
type (test object method or, if available, run-time object method) and then
you can select the method for the step.

475


Selecting the Method for a Test Object
If QuickTest can retrieve run-time methods for the selected test object, you
can select the method type—Test object method or Run-time object
method. (If QuickTest cannot retrieve run-time methods for the selected
object, the Run-time object method option is not available.)

The Operation box displays the default method for the selected object. You
can select a different method from the Operation box list, which contains
all the methods that are available for the selected object.

For detailed information about a test object method and its syntax, you can
click the Operation Help button to open the QuickTest Professional Object
Model Reference for the selected method.

If you click the Operation Help button when a run-time method is selected,
the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference opens for the selected test
object. For more information about specific run-time methods, refer to the
documentation for the environment or application you are testing.

Note: If you select a run-time method, the Step Generator inserts a step
using .Object syntax. For information on using the Object property, see
“Accessing Run-Time Object Properties and Methods” on page 899.

After you select the method for your test object, you can define the relevant
argument values. For more information, see “Specifying Argument Values”
on page 472.

476


Selecting an Object from the Repository or Application
The Select Object for Step dialog box displays the object repository tree and
enables you to select an object from the object repository or from your
application.

You can select any object in the object repository tree for your new step.
For more information on the object repository, see Chapter 4, “Managing
Test Objects.”

If the object that you want to use in the new step is not in the object
repository, you can select an object in your application.

When you click OK, the selected object is displayed in the Object box in the
Step Generator dialog box. You can now specify the method for the selected
object. For more information, see “Selecting the Method for a Test Object”
on page 476.

477


To select an object in your application for the new step:
1 Click the Select from Application button. QuickTest is minimized.
2 Use the pointing hand to click on the required object in your application.

Tip: You can hold the CTRL key to change the window focus or perform
operations such as a right-click or mouseover to display a context menu. If
the window containing the object you want to click is partially hidden by
another window, you can also hold the pointing hand over the partially
hidden window for a few seconds until the window comes into the
foreground and you can point and click on the object you want. Note that

Object Selection dialog box opens.

478


3 Select the object for the new step and click OK. The object is displayed in the
Object box in the Step Generator dialog box.
You can now continue to specify the method for the selected object. For
more information, see “Selecting the Method for a Test Object” on page 476.

Tip: If you select an object in your application that is not in the object
repository, a test object is added to the object repository when you insert the
new step.

Specifying a Utility Object and Method for the Step
If you select Utility Objects in the Category box list, you can select the
required utility (reserved) object from the Object box list.

479


Tip: The above example shows the list of Utility objects that are available
when you open the Step Generator from the Keyword View. When you open
the Step Generator from the Expert View, the list includes a number of
additional Utility objects. If you have one or more Add-ins installed, the list
may include additional Utility objects.

For more information about Utility objects, refer to the Utility Objects
section of the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

The Operation box displays the default method for the selected utility
object. You can select a different method from the Operation box list, which
contains all the methods that are available for the selected object.

For detailed information about a utility object method and its syntax, you
can click the Operation Help button to open the QuickTest Professional Object
Model Reference for the selected method.

After you select the method for your utility object, you can define the
relevant argument values. For more information, see “Specifying Argument

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Specifying a Function for the Step
If you select Functions in the Category box list, you can choose one of the
following options from the Library box list:

➤ All—Enables you to select a function from all the available functions and
types.
➤ Library functions—Enables you to select a function from any library file
associated with your test or component. For more information about
defining and using associated function libraries, see “Working with
Associated Library Files” on page 908.
➤ Built-in functions—Enables you to select any standard VBScript function
supported by QuickTest. For more information about working with
VBScript, you can open the VBScript documentation from the QuickTest
Help menu (Help > QuickTest Professional Help > VBScript Reference).
➤ Local script functions—Enables you to select any local function defined
directly in the current action or component.

You can select the required function from the Operation box list, which
displays the functions available for the selected function type in
alphabetical order.

For detailed information about a selected built-in VBScript function, you
can click the Operation Help button to open Microsoft’s VBScript Reference.
This option is not available for library and local script functions.

After you select the function for the operation, you can define the relevant
argument values. For more information, see “Specifying Argument Values”
on page 472.

481


Storing Return Values and Action Output Parameter Values
The Storage Location Options dialog box enables you to specify how and
where to store a return value for an operation that you have selected in the
Step Generator dialog box. When you click the displayed return value and
then the output storage button , the Storage Location Options dialog box
opens.

The Storage Location Options dialog box also enables you to specify how
and where to store the value for an output parameter for an action. When
you select an output parameter in the Parameter Values tab of the Action
Call Properties dialog box and click the output storage button in the
Store in column, the Storage Location Options dialog box opens.

482


You can select one of the following options to specify where to store the
value:

➤ Variable—Stores the value in a run-time variable for the duration of the run
session. You can accept the default name assigned to the variable or enter a
different variable name.
➤ Output Type—Stores the value in an action output parameter, Data Table
column or environment variable. You can specify the output type and
settings as for any other output value.
When a return value or action output parameter is first selected, the default
output definition for the value is displayed. For more information on
default output definitions for a return value, see “Understanding Default
For more information on default output definitions for output action
parameter values, see “Understanding Default Output Definitions for Action
Parameter Values,” below.
You can accept the default output definition by clicking OK or you can
change the output type and/or settings.
The options for changing the output type and settings are identical to those
in the Output Options dialog box. For more information, see:
➤ “Outputting a Value to an Action or Component Parameter” on page 262
➤ “Outputting a Value to the Data Table” on page 264
➤ “Outputting a Value to an Environment Variable” on page 266

483


Understanding Default Output Definitions for Action Parameter
Values
When you select Output Type for an output action parameter value for a
nested action:

➤ if at least one output action parameter is defined in the action calling the
nested action, the default output type is Action parameter and the default
output name is the first output parameter displayed in the Action Properties
dialog box of the calling action.
➤ if no output action parameters are defined in the calling action, the default
output type is Data Table and QuickTest creates a new Data Table output
name based on the selected value. The value is created in the Global sheet of
the Data Table.

When you select Output Type for an output action parameter value for a
top-level action:

➤ if at least one output action parameter is defined in the test, the default
output type is Test parameter and the default output name is the first
output parameter displayed in the Test Properties dialog box.
if no output action parameters are defined in the test, the default output
type is Data Table and QuickTest creates a new Data Table output name
based on the selected value. The value is created in the Global sheet of the
Data Table.

Using Conditional Statements
You can control the flow of your test or component with conditional
statements. Using conditional If...Then...Else statements, you can
incorporate decision-making into your tests and components.

The If...Then...Else statement is used to evaluate whether a condition is true
or false and, depending on the result, to specify one or more statements to
run. Usually the condition is an expression that uses a comparison operator
to compare one value or variable with another. The following comparison
operators are available: less than <, less than or equal to <=, greater than >,
greater than or equal to >=, not equal <>, and equal =.

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Your If...Then...Else statement can be nested to as many levels as you need. It
has the following syntax:

If condition Then statements [Else elsestatements] End If

Or, you can use the block form syntax:
If condition Then
[statements]
[ElseIf condition-n Then
[elseifstatements] . . .
[Else
[elsestatements]
End If

Note: For additional information on conditional statements, refer to the
VBScript documentation (choose Help > QuickTest Professional Help >
VBScript Reference).

To insert a conditional statement:
1 In the Keyword View, select the step which you want the conditional
statement to follow.
2 Choose Insert > Step and choose the statement type that you want to insert
from the Conditional Statement sub-menus. The new statement is added to
the Keyword View below the selected step. Each statement type is indicated
by one of the following icons:

Icon Type

If...Then statement

ElseIf...Then statement

Else statement

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3 In the Value column, enter the required condition, for example:
Item_name = “New”, CICount > 0
or
Browser("Welcome Mercury").Page("Welcome: Mercury").
WebEdit("Edit").Exist(5).

Tip: You can edit the value of a conditional statement at any time. You can
change the condition in the Keyword View by selecting a different item in
the dropdown list in the Item column.

4 To complete the Then part of the If statement, you can:
➤ Select the If statement step and record a new step to add it to your Then
statement.
➤ Select the If statement step and choose Insert > New Step or press F8 to
insert a new step into your If statement.
➤ Enter the statement manually in the Expert View.

Note: For more information on working in the Expert View, see Chapter 36,
“Working with the Expert View.”

5 To nest an additional level to your statement, select the If statement in the
Keyword View and choose one of the following options:

To add: Choose:

an If statement Insert > Step > Conditional Statement > If...Then

an ElseIf statement Insert > Step > Conditional Statement > ElseIf...Then

an Else statement Insert > Step > Conditional Statement > Else

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To complete the new statement you can:
➤ Select the If statement step and record a new step to add it.
➤ Select the If statement step and choose Insert > New Step or press F8 to
insert a new step into your If statement.

For example, the test segment below (as it is displayed in the Keyword View)
checks that the User Name edit box exists in the Mercury Tours site. If the
edit box exists, Then a user name is entered; Else a message is sent to the
test results.

The same example is displayed in the Expert View as follows:
If Browser("Welcome: Mercury").Page("Welcome: Mercury").
WebEdit("userName").Exist Then
Browser("Welcome: Mercury").Page("Welcome: Mercury").
Else
Reporter.ReportEvent micFail, "UserName Check", "The User Name field
does not
exist."
End If
6 After you have finished creating the conditional statement, use the Insert
Step After Block option if you want to insert a step outside of the
conditional statement block. For more information, see “Adding a Standard
Step After a Conditional or Loop Block” on page 313.

487


Using Loop Statements
You can control the flow of your test or component with loop statements.
Using loop statements, you can run a group of steps repeatedly, either while
or until a condition is True. You can also use loop statements to repeat a
group of steps a specific number of times.

The following loop statements are available in the Keyword View:

➤ While...Wend—Performs a series of statements as long as a specified
condition is True.
➤ For...Next—Uses a counter to perform a group of statements a specified
number of times.
➤ Do...While—Performs a series of statements indefinitely, as long as a
specified condition is True.
➤ Do...Until—Performs a series of statements indefinitely, until a specified
condition becomes True.

Note: For additional information on loop statements, refer to the VBScript
documentation (choose Help > QuickTest Professional Help > VBScript
Reference).

To insert a loop statement:
1 In the Keyword View, select the step which you want the loop statement to
follow.

488


2 Choose Insert > Step and choose the statement type that you want to insert
from the Loop Statement sub-menus. The new statement is added to the
Keyword View below the selected step. Each statement type is indicated by
one of the following icons:

Icon Type

While...Wend statement

For...Next statement

Do...While statement

Do...Until statement

3 In the Value column, enter the required condition, for example, For i = 0 to
ItemsCount - 1, or Browser("Welcome Mercury").Page("Welcome: Mercury").
WebEdit("Edit").Exist(5).

Tip: You can edit the value of a loop statement at any time. For all loop
types except For...Next, you can change the condition in the Keyword View
by selecting a different item in the dropdown list in the Item column.

4 To complete the loop statement, you can:
➤ Select the loop statement step and record a new step to add it to your
loop statement.
➤ Select the loop statement step and choose Insert > New Step or press F8
to insert a new step into your loop statement.

Note: For more information on working in the Expert View, see Chapter 36,

489


For example, the test segment below (as it is displayed in the Keyword View)
counts the number of items in a list and then selects them one by one. After
each of the items has been selected, the test continues.

The same example is displayed in the Expert View as follows:
itemsCount = Browser("Welcome: Mercury").Page("Find a Flight:").
WebList("toDay").GetROProperty ("items count")
For i = 1 To ItemsCount-1
ItemName = Browser("Welcome: Mercury").Page("Find a Flight:").
WebList("toDay").GetItem (i)
Browser("Welcome: Mercury").Page("Find a Flight:").WebList("toDay").
Select ItemName
Next
5 After you have finished creating the loop statement, use the Insert Step
After Block option if you want to insert a step outside of the loop statement
block. For more information, see “Adding a Standard Step After a
Conditional or Loop Block” on page 313.

490


Generating ”With” Statements for Your Test or Component
You can instruct QuickTest to automatically generate With statements when
you record a test or component or to generate With statements for any
existing action. You can also remove With statements from an action.

Note: Using With statements in your test or component has no effect on the
run session itself, only on the way your test or component appears in the
Expert View. Generating With statements for your test or component does
not affect the Keyword View in any way.

Understanding ”With” Statements
With statements make your script (in the Expert View) more concise and
easier to read by grouping consecutive statements with the same parent
hierarchy.

The With statement has the following syntax.

With object
statement
statement
statement
End With

For example, you could replace this script:

Window("Flight Reservation").WinComboBox("Fly From:").Select "London"
Window("Flight Reservation").WinComboBox("Fly To:").Select "Los Angeles"
Window("Flight Reservation").WinButton("FLIGHT").Click
Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").WinList("From").Select
"19097 LON "
Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").WinButton("OK").Click

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with the following:

With Window("Flight Reservation")
.WinComboBox("Fly From:").Select "London"
.WinComboBox("Fly To:").Select "Los Angeles"
.WinButton("FLIGHT").Click
With .Dialog("Flights Table")
.WinList("From").Select "19097 LON "
.WinButton("OK").Click
End With ’Dialog("Flights Table")
End With ’Window("Flight Reservation")

Automatically Generating ”With” Statements

You can instruct QuickTest to automatically generate With statements for
the steps you record. When you select this option, statements are displayed
in their normal format while recording. When you stop recording, the
statements in all actions recorded during the current recording session are
automatically converted to the With format.

492


To generate With statements automatically when you record:
dialog box opens.

2 In the General tab, select Automatically generate “With” statements after
recording.
3 Enter the minimum number of consecutive, identical objects for which you
want to apply the With statement in the Generate “With” statements for __
or more objects box. The default is 2.

Note: This setting is used when you use the Apply “With” to Script option
(see “Generating ”With” Statements for Existing Actions,” below) as well as
for the Automatically generate “With” statements after recording option.

For example, if you only want to generate a With statement when you have
three or more consecutive statements based on the same object, enter 3.

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4 Begin recording your test or component. While recording, statements are
recorded normally. When you stop recording, the statements in all actions
recorded during the current recording session are automatically converted
to the With format.

Generating ”With” Statements for Existing Actions
You can instruct QuickTest to generate With statements for any action
displayed in the Expert View.

To generate With statements for existing actions:
1 Confirm that the proper number is set for the Generate ”With” statements
for __ or more objects in the General tab of the Options dialog box. (The
default is 2.)
2 Display the action for which you want to generate With statements.
3 From the Expert View, choose Edit > Apply “With” to Script. The “With”
Generation Results window opens.

Note that each With statement contains only one object.

494


Note: You can search for text strings in the Generation Results window by
pressing CTRL+F. For more information on the Find dialog box, see “Finding
Text Strings” on page 867.

4 To confirm the generated results, click OK. The With statements are applied
to the action.

Removing “With” Statements from an Action
You can remove all the With statements in an action displayed in the Expert
View.

To remove ”With” statements from an action:
1 Display the action for which you want to remove With statements.
2 From the Expert View, choose Edit > Remove “With” Statements. The
Remove “With” Results window opens.

495


3 To confirm the results, click OK. The With statements are replaced with the
standard statement format.

Sending Messages to Your Test Results
You can define a message that QuickTest sends to your test results. For
example, suppose you want to check that a password edit box exists in the
Mercury Tours site. If the edit box exists, then a password is entered.
Otherwise, QuickTest sends a message to the test results indicating that the
object is absent.

To send a message to your test results:
1 In the Keyword View, select a step and choose Insert > Step > Report or
right-click a step and choose Insert Step > Report. The Insert Report dialog
box opens.

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2 Select the status that will result from this step from the Status list.

Status Description

Passed Causes this step to pass. Sends the specified message to the
report.

Failed Causes this step (and therefore the test or component itself) to
fail. Sends the specified message to the report.

Done Sends a message to the report without affecting the pass/fail
status of the step.

Warning Sends a warning status for the step, but does not cause the test or
component to stop running, and does not affect its pass/fail
status.

3 In the Name box, type a name for the step, for example, Password edit box.
4 In the Details box, type a detailed description of this step to send to your
test results, for example, Password edit box does not exist.
5 Click OK. A report step is inserted into the Keyword View and a
ReportEvent statement is inserted into your script in the Expert View. For
example:
Reporter.ReportEvent micFail, "Password edit box", "Password edit box does
not exist"

In this example, micFail indicates the status of the report (failed), Password
edit box is the report name, and Password edit box does not exist is the report
message.

For more information on test results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test
Results”

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Adding Comments
While programming, you can add comments to your test or component. A
comment is an explanatory remark in a program. When you run a test or
component, QuickTest does not process comments. You can use comments
to explain sections of your tests and components to improve readability and
to make them easier to update.

To add a comment in the Keyword View:
1 If the Comment column is not visible, right-click in any column header and
select Comment.
2 To add a comment on the same line as a step, select the step and type your
comment in the Comment column.
3 To add a comment on a separate line, select a step and choose Insert > Step
> Comment, or right-click a step and choose Insert Step > Comment. The
Insert Comment dialog box opens.

4 Type a comment and click OK. A comment statement is added to your test
or component. In the Keyword View, the icon indicates a comment.
In the Expert View, a comment is specified with an apostrophe (’). You can
add comments in the Expert View by typing an apostrophe (’) at the end of a
line or at the beginning of a separate line, followed by your comment.
If you want to add the same comment to every action that you create, you
can add the comment to an action template. For more information, see
“Creating an Action Template” on page 391.

498


Synchronizing Your Test or Component
When you run a test or component, your application may not always
respond with the same speed. For example, it might take a few seconds:

➤ for a progress bar to reach 100%
➤ for a status message to appear
➤ for a button to become enabled
➤ for a window or pop-up message to open
You can handle these anticipated timing problems by synchronizing your
test or component to ensure that QuickTest waits until your application is
ready before performing a certain step.

There are several options that you can use to synchronize your test or
component:

➤ You can insert a synchronization point, which instructs QuickTest to pause the
test or component until an object property achieves the value you specify.
When you insert a synchronization point into your test or component,
QuickTest generates a WaitProperty statement in the Expert View.
➤ You can insert Exist or Wait statements that instruct QuickTest to wait until
an object exists or to wait a specified amount of time before continuing the
test or component.
➤ You can modify the default amount of time that QuickTest waits for a Web
page to load.
➤ When working with tests, you can increase the default timeout settings
for a test in order to instruct QuickTest to allow more time for objects to
appear.

Creating Synchronization Points
If you do not want QuickTest to perform a step or checkpoint until an object
in your application achieves a certain status, you should insert a
synchronization point to instruct QuickTest to pause the test or component
until the object property achieves the value you specify (or until a specified
timeout is exceeded).

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For example, suppose you record a test on a flight reservation application.
You insert an order, and then you want to modify the order. When you click
the Insert Order button, a progress bar is displayed and all other buttons are
disabled until the progress bar reaches 100%. Once the status bar reaches
100%, you record a click on the Update Order button.

Without a synchronization point, QuickTest may try to click the Update
Order button too soon during a test run (if the progress bar takes longer
than the test’s object synchronization timeout), and the test will fail.

You can insert a synchronization point that instructs QuickTest to wait until
the Update Order button’s enabled property is 1.

Tip: QuickTest must be able to identify the specified object in order to
perform a synchronization point. To instruct QuickTest to wait for an object
to open or appear, use an Exist or Wait statement. For more information,
see “Adding Exist and Wait Statements” on page 503.

To insert a synchronization point:
1 Begin recording your test or component.
2 Display the screen or page in your application that contains the object for
which you want to insert a synchronization point.
3 In QuickTest, choose Insert > Step > Synchronization Point. The mouse
pointer turns into a pointing hand.
4 Click the object in your application for which you want to insert a
synchronization point.

operations such as a right-click or mouseover to display a context menu in
order select the object you require. Note that pressing the CTRL key does not
enable you to select an application from the Windows taskbar, therefore you
must make sure that the window you want to access is not minimized.

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Note: It does not matter what property values the object has at the time that
you insert the synchronization point.

If the location you click is associated with more than one object in your
application, the Object Selection - Synchronization Point dialog box opens.

Select the object for which you want to insert a synchronization point, and
click OK.
The Add Synchronization Point dialog box opens.

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5 The Property name list contains the test object properties associated with
the object. Select the property name you want to use for the
synchronization point.
6 Enter the property value for which QuickTest should wait before continuing
to the next step in the test or component.
7 Enter the synchronization point timeout (in milliseconds) after which
QuickTest should continue to the next step, even if the specified property
value was not achieved.
8 Click OK. A WaitProperty step is added to your test or component.
Because the WaitProperty step is a method of the selected object, it is
displayed in the Keyword View with the icon for the selected object. For
example, if you insert a synchronization point for the Update Order button,
it may look something like this:

In the Expert View, this appears as:
Browser("Welcome: Mercury Tours").Page("Flight Confirmation: Mercury").Sync
Browser("Welcome: Mercury Tours").Page("Flight Confirmation: Mercury").
WebElement("Flight Confirmation #").WaitProperty "visible", true, 10000

502


Adding Exist and Wait Statements
You can enter Exist and/or Wait statements to instruct QuickTest 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 QuickTest to wait a specified amount of time before proceeding to
the next step. You can combine these statements within a loop to instruct
QuickTest to wait until the object exists before continuing with the test or
component.

For example, the following statements instruct QuickTest to wait up to 20
seconds for the Flights Table dialog box to open.

blnDone=Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").Exist
counter=1
While Not blnDone
Wait (2)
blnDone=Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").Exist
counter=counter+1
If counter=10 then
blnDone=True
End if
Wend

For more information on While, Exist, and Wait statements, refer to the

Modifying Timeout Values
If you find that, in general, the amount of time QuickTest waits for objects
to appear or for a browser to navigate to a specified page is insufficient, you
can increase the default object synchronization timeout values for your test
and the browser navigation timeout values for your test or component.

503


Alternatively, if you insert synchronization points and Exist and/or Wait
statements for the specific areas in your test or component where you want
QuickTest to wait a longer time for an event to occur, you may want to
decrease the default timeouts for the rest of your test or component.

➤ When working with tests, to modify the maximum amount of time that
QuickTest waits for an object to appear, change the Object Synchronization
Timeout in the Test > Settings > Run tab. For more information, see
“Defining Run Settings for Your Test” on page 665.

Note: The object synchronization timeout for a component is always 20
seconds (20000 milliseconds).

➤ To modify the amount of time that QuickTest waits for a Web page to load,
change the Browser Navigation Timeout in the Test > Settings > Web tab or
Business Component > Settings > Web tab. For more information, see
“Defining Web Settings for Your Test or Component” on page 692.

Measuring Transactions
You can measure how long it takes to run a section of your test by defining
transactions. A transaction represents the process in your application that
you are interested in measuring. You define transactions within your test by
enclosing the appropriate sections of the test with start and end transaction
statements. For example, you can define a transaction that measures how
long it takes to reserve a seat on a flight and for the confirmation to be
displayed on the client’s terminal.

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A transaction can be inserted anywhere in your test, but must start and end
within the same action. For more information about actions, see
Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.”

Note: Transactions can be defined only for tests. Components cannot
include transactions.

During the test run, the Start Transaction signals the beginning of the time
measurement. The time measurement continues until the End Transaction
is encountered. The test report displays the time it took to perform the
transaction.

Note: Your test must include transactions to be used by LoadRunner or the
Business Process Monitor. LoadRunner and the Business Process Monitor use
only the data that is included within a transaction, and ignore any data in a
test outside of a transaction. For more information, see Chapter 42,
“Working with Mercury Performance Testing and Application Management
Products”.

There is no limit to the number of transactions that can be added to a test.
You can also insert a transaction within a transaction.

505


Part of a sample test with a transaction is shown below, as it is displayed in
the Keyword View:

Start
Transaction

End
Transaction

The same part of the test is displayed in the Expert View as follows:

Services.StartTransaction "ReserveSeat"
Browser("Welcome: Mercury Tours").Page("Find a Flight: Mercury").
WebList("fromPort").Select "London"
WebList("toPort").Select "Frankfurt"
WebList("toDay").Select "12"
WebRadioGroup("servClass").Select "Business"
WebList("airline").Select "Blue Skies Airlines"
Image("findFlights").Click 65,12
Browser("Welcome: Mercury Tours").Page("Select a Flight: Mercury").
WebRadioGroup("outFlight").Select "Blue Skies Airlines"
WebRadioGroup("inFlight").Select "Blue Skies Airlines"
Image("reserveFlights").Click 46,8
Services.EndTransaction "ReserveSeat"

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Inserting Transactions
During the test run, the Start Transaction signals the beginning of the time
measurement. You define the beginning of a transaction in the Start
Transaction dialog box.

To insert a transaction:
1 Click the step where you want the transaction timing to begin. The page is
displayed in the Active Screen tab.
2 Click the Start Transaction button or choose Insert > Start Transaction. The
Start Transaction dialog box opens.

3 Enter a meaningful name in the Name box.

Note: You cannot include spaces in a transaction name.

4 Decide where you want the transaction timing to begin:
➤ To insert a transaction before the current step, select Before current step.
➤ To insert a transaction after the current step, select After current step.
5 Click OK. A Start Transaction step is added to the Keyword View.

507


Ending Transactions
During the test run, the End Transaction signals the end of the time
measurement. You define the end of a transaction in the End Transaction
dialog box.

To end a transaction:
1 Click the step where you want the transaction timing to end. The page
opens in the Active Screen.
2 Click the End Transaction button or choose Insert > End Transaction. The
End Transaction dialog box opens.

3 The Name box contains a list of the transaction names you defined in the
current test. Select the name of the transaction you want to end.
4 Decide where to insert the end of the transaction:
➤ To insert a transaction before the current step, select Before current step.
➤ To insert a transaction after the current step, select After current step.
5 Click OK. An End Transaction step is added to the Keyword View.

508

Part IV
Running and Debugging Tests and
Components

21
Running Tests and Components

Once you have created a test or component, you can run it to check the
behavior of your application.


➤ About Running Tests and Components
➤ Running Your Entire Test or Component
➤ Running Part of Your Test or Component
➤ Updating a Test or Component
➤ Using Optional Steps
➤ Running a Test Batch

About Running Tests and Components
When you run a test or component, QuickTest performs the steps it
contains. If you have defined test or component parameters, QuickTest
prompts you to enter values for them. When the test run is complete,
QuickTest displays a report detailing the test results. For more information
on viewing the test results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test Results.”

If your test contains a global Data Table parameter, QuickTest runs the
test once for each row in the Data Table. If your test contains a Data Table
parameter for the current action data sheet, QuickTest runs the action once
for each row of data in that action data sheet. You can also specify whether
to run the first iteration or all iterations, for the entire test or for a specific
action in the test; or to run the iterations for a specified range of data sets.

511

Part IV • Running and Debugging Tests

For additional information, see Chapter 25, “Setting Options for Individual
Tests or Components,” and Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.”

You can run the entire test or component from the beginning, or you can
run part of it. You can designate certain steps as optional, to enable QuickTest
to bypass them instead of aborting the run if these steps do not succeed. You
can update your test or component to change the expected checkpoint
values, and/or the Active Screen images and values.

You can run tests and components on objects with dynamic descriptions.
For information, see Chapter 4, “Managing Test Objects.”

You can set up a batch of tests and run them sequentially, using the
QuickTest Test Batch Runner.

Note for WinRunner users: You can run WinRunner tests and call functions
from WinRunner-compiled modules while running a QuickTest test. For
information, see Chapter 39, “Working with WinRunner.”

Running Your Entire Test or Component
QuickTest always runs a test or component from the first step, unless you
specify otherwise. To run a test or component from a selected step, or a test
from a selected action, you can use the Run from Step option. This feature is
useful if you want to check a specific section of the test or component,
without running it from the beginning. For more information, see
“Running Part of Your Test or Component” on page 517.

When you start to run a test or component, the Run dialog box opens, to
enable you to specify the location for the results and to enter the values for
any test or component parameters you have defined.

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Chapter 21 • Running Tests and Components

To run a test or component:
1 If your test or component is not already open, choose File > Open or click
the Open button to open it.
2 Click the Run button on the toolbar, or choose Test > Run or Component >
Run. The Run dialog box opens.

3 Specify the results location and the input parameter values (if applicable) for
the run session. For more information, see “Understanding the Results
Location Tab” on page 514, and “Understanding the Input Parameters Tab”
on page 516.
4 Click OK. The Run dialog box closes and the run session starts.
By default, when the run session ends, the Test Results window opens. For
more information on viewing the test results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing
Test Results.”

Note: If you cleared the View results when run session ends check box in
the Run tab of the Options dialog box, the Test Results window does not
open at the end of the run session. For more information on the Options
dialog box, see Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options.”

513


Tip: If you want to interrupt a run session, do either of the following:

Click the Pause button in the Debug toolbar or choose Debug > Pause. The
run pauses. To resume running a paused run session, click the Run button or
choose Test > Run or Component > Run.
Click the Stop button or choose Test > Stop or Component > Stop. The run
session stops and the Test Results window opens.

Understanding the Results Location Tab
The Results Location tab enables you to specify the location in which you
want to save the test results.

514


Select one of the following options:

➤ New run results folder—This option displays the default path and folder
name in which the test results are saved. By default, the results for a
QuickTest test are stored in the test folder, and the results for components
are stored in a Quality Center cache folder on your computer.
Accept the default settings, or enter a new path by typing it in the text box
or clicking the browse button to locate a different folder.

Note: If you are running a test from a Quality Center project, the Project
name, Run name, Test set, and Instance options are displayed instead of the
New run results folder option. For more information, see “Running a Test
Stored in a Quality Center Project” on page 957.

➤ Temporary run results folder—Saves the test run results in a temporary
folder. This option overwrites any results previously saved in this folder.

Note: QuickTest stores temporary test results for all tests in <System
Drive>Documents and Settings<user name>Local SettingsTemp. The
path in the text box of the Temporary run results folder option cannot be
changed.

If you save test results to an existing test results folder, the contents of the
folder are deleted when the run session starts.

515


Understanding the Input Parameters Tab
The Input Parameters tab enables you to specify the run-time values of input
parameters to be used during the test run.

The Input Parameters tab displays the input parameters that were defined
for the test (using the Test > Settings > Parameters tab) or for the
component (using the Business Component > Settings > Parameters tab).

To set the value of a parameter to be used during the run session, click in the
Value field for the specific parameter and enter the value, or select a value
from the drop-down list. If you do not enter a value, QuickTest uses the
default value from the Test Settings or Business Component Settings dialog
box during the run session.

For more information on setting test or component parameters, see
“Defining Parameters for Your Test or Component” on page 682. For more
information about using parameters, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing
Values.”

516


Running Part of Your Test or Component
You can use the Run from Step option to run a selected part of your test or
component. This enables you to check a specific section of your application
or to confirm that a certain part of your test or component runs smoothly.

You can run a component from a selected step to the end.

You can run a test from a selected step to the end of the current action, if
running from the Expert View, or to the end of the test, if running from the
Keyword View:

➤ Use the Run from Step option from the action view in the Expert View to
run your test from the selected step until the end of the action. Using Run
from Step in this mode ignores any iterations. However, if the action
contains nested actions, QuickTest runs the nested actions for the defined
number of iterations.

➤ Use the Run from Step option from the Keyword View to run your test from
the selected step until the end of the test (if the selected step is not part of a
reusable action). Using Run from Step in this mode includes all iterations.
The first iteration will run from the step you selected until the end of the
test; all other iterations will run from the beginning of the test.

Tips:

If you only want to run one iteration of your test, choose Run one iteration
only from the Run tab in the Test Settings dialog box.
If you want to run your test until a specific point within the test (and not to
the end of the action or test), you can insert a breakpoint. The test will then
run from the selected step or action until the breakpoint. For more
information on breakpoints, see “Setting Breakpoints” on page 533.

For more information on actions, see Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.”

517


To run a test, action, or component from a selected step:
1 Open your application to the location matching the action or step you want
to test.
2 Select the action or step where you want to start running the test or
component:
➤ In the Keyword View, highlight a step.
➤ In the Expert View, place your cursor in a line of VBScript.

Make sure that the step you choose is not dependent on previous steps.
3 Choose Test > Run from Step or Component > Run from Step, or right-click
and choose Run from Step.
4 In the Run dialog box, choose where to save the test results, and any input
parameters you want to use, as described in “Understanding the Results
Location Tab” on page 514, and “Understanding the Input Parameters Tab”
on page 516.
5 Click OK. The Run dialog box closes and the run session starts.
By default, when the run session ends, the Test Results window opens. For
more information on viewing the test results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing
Test Results.”

The test results summary displays a note indicating that the test or
component was run using the Run from Step option.


518


Updating a Test or Component
When you update a test or component, QuickTest runs through the test or
component to update the test object descriptions, the expected checkpoint
values, and/or the Active Screen images and values. After you save the test or
component, the updated data is used for subsequent runs.

When QuickTest updates tests, it runs through only one iteration of the
test and one iteration of each action in the test. For information on actions,
see Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.”

Note: When QuickTest updates a test or component, it does not update
parameterized values, such as Data Table data and environment variables.
For information on parameterized values and environment variables, see

To run a test or component to update the expected results:
1 If your test or component is not already open, choose File > Open or click
the Open button to open it.
2 Choose Test > Update Run or Component >Update Run. The Update Run
dialog box opens.

519


3 Specify the settings for the update run process. For more information, see
“Understanding the Results Location Tab” on page 514, “Understanding the
Input Parameters Tab” on page 516, and “Understanding the Update
Options Tab” on page 521.
4 Click OK. The Update Run dialog box closes and QuickTest begins running
the test or component update.
QuickTest runs the test or component and updates the test object
descriptions, the Active Screen information, and/or the expected checkpoint
values, depending on your selections.
When the run session ends, the Test Results window opens. For information
on viewing the test results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test Results.”


When the update run ends, the Test Results window can show:

➤ updated values for checkpoints.
➤ updated test object descriptions. For example:

520


Understanding the Update Options Tab
The Update Options tab enables you to specify which aspects of your test or
component you want to update: test object descriptions, expected
checkpoint values, and/or Active Screen images and values. After you save
the test or component, the results of the updated test or component are
used for subsequent runs.

You can specify one or more of the following information types to update:

➤ Update test object descriptions—QuickTest updates the test object
description according to the properties currently defined in the Object
Identification dialog box for each object class. You can use this option to
modify the set of properties used to identify an object.

Note: If the property set you select in the Object Identification dialog box
for an object class is not ideal for a particular object, the new object
description may cause future runs to fail. Therefore, it is recommended that
you save a copy of your test or component (or check it into a Quality Center
project with version control support, if applicable) before updating it, so
that you can return to the previously saved version if necessary.

521


This option can be especially useful when you want to record and debug
your test or component using property values that are easy to recognize in
your application (such as object labels), but may be language or operating
system-dependent. Once you have debugged your test or component you
can use the Update Run option to change the object descriptions to use
more universal property values.
For example, suppose you designed a test for the English version of your
application. The test objects are recognized according to the test object
property values in the English version, some of which may be language
dependent. You now want to use the same test for the French version of
your application.
To do this, you define non-language dependent properties to be used for the
object identification (for example, you can identify a link object by its
target property value instead of its text property value). You can then
perform an update run on the English version of your application using
these new properties to modify the test object descriptions so that you can
later run the test successfully on the French version of your application.

Tip: If you have a test that runs successfully, but in which certain objects are
identified using Smart Identification, you can also use the Update test
object descriptions option to update the test object description property
values.

522


When you run the test with Update test object descriptions selected,
QuickTest finds the test object specified in each test step based on its current
test object description. If QuickTest cannot find the test object based on its
description, it uses the Smart Identification properties to identify the test
object (if Smart Identification is enabled). After QuickTest finds the test
object, it then updates its description based on the mandatory and assistive
properties that you define in the Object Identification dialog box.

Note: Test objects that cannot be identified during the update process are
not updated. As in any run session, if an object cannot be found during the
update run, the test run fails, and information about the failure is included
in the test results.

Any properties that were used in the previous test object description and are
no longer part of the description for that test object class, as defined in the
Object Identification dialog box, are removed from the new description,
even if the values were parameterized or defined as regular expressions.
If the same property appears both in the test object’s new and previous
descriptions, one of the following occurs:
➤ If the property value in the previous description is parameterized or
specified as a regular expression and matches the new property value,
QuickTest keeps the property’s previous parameterized or regular
expression value. For example, if the previous property value was defined
as the regular expression button.*, and the new value is button1, the
property value remains button.*.
➤ If the property value in the previous description does not match the new
property value, but the object is found using Smart Identification,
QuickTest updates the property value to the new, constant property
value. For example, if the previous property value was button.*, and the
new value is My button, then if a Smart Identification definition enabled
QuickTest to find the object, then My button becomes the new property
value. In this case, any parameterization or use of regular expressions is
removed from the test object description.

523


➤ Update checkpoint properties—QuickTest updates the expected checkpoint
values to reflect any changes that may have occurred in your application
since you recorded the test or component. For example, suppose you had
defined a text checkpoint as part of your test, and the text in your
application has changed since you recorded your test. You can update the
test to update the checkpoint properties to reflect the new text.

Notes:

If you selected the Save only selected area check box when creating a
bitmap checkpoint, the Update Run option only updates the saved area of
the bitmap; it does not update the original, full size object. To include more
of the object in the checkpoint, create a new checkpoint. For more
information, see “Checking Bitmaps” on page 169.
If your test includes calls to a WinRunner test and you have write
permissions for both the test and the expected results folder, then selecting
Update checkpoint properties also updates the expected values of the
checkpoints in your WinRunner test. If you do not want to update the
WinRunner test, you may want to comment out the line that calls the
WinRunner test. For more information on calling WinRunner tests, see
“Calling WinRunner Tests” on page 932. For more information on comment
lines, see “Adding Comments” on page 498.

➤ Update Active Screen images and values—QuickTest updates images and
property values in the Active Screen to reflect any changes that may have
occurred in your application since you recorded the test or component or if
the Active Screen does not appear as it should. For example, suppose a
dialog box in your application has changed since you recorded your test or
component. You can update the test or component to update the dialog box
appearance and its properties in the Active Screen.

524


Using Optional Steps
When running a test or component, if a step does not succeed in opening a
dialog box, QuickTest does not necessarily abort the run session. It bypasses
any step designated optional and continues the run. By default, QuickTest
automatically marks as optional steps that open certain dialog boxes. You
can manually designate additional steps as optional.

Note: An alternative method to bypassing dialog boxes is the use of recovery
scenarios to click a button, press ENTER, or enter login information in a step.
For more information, see Chapter 19, “Defining and Using Recovery
Scenarios.”

Setting Optional Steps
When recording a test or component, the application you are testing may
prompt you to enter a user name and password in a login window. When
you run the test or component, however, the application does not prompt
you to enter your user name and password, because it has retained the
information that was previously entered. In this case, the steps that were
recorded for entering the login information are not required and should,
therefore, be marked optional.

When running a test or component, if a step in an optional dialog box does
not open, QuickTest bypasses this step and continues to run the test. When
the run session ends, a message is displayed for the step that failed to open
the dialog box, but the step does not cause the test or component to fail.

525


To set an optional step in the Keyword View, right-click a step and choose
Optional Step. The Optional Step icon is added next to the selected
step.

Note: You can also add an optional step in the Expert View by adding
OptionalStep to the beginning of the VBScript statement. For example:

OptionalStep.Browser("browser_name").Page("page_name").Link("link_name")

For information on working in the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working
with the Expert View.” For information on the OptionalStep object, refer to
the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

Default Optional Steps
By default, QuickTest considers steps that open the following dialog boxes
optional:

Dialog Box Titlebar

Auto Complete

File Download

Internet Explorer

Netscape

Enter Network Password

Error

Security Alert

Security Information

Security Warning

Username and Password Required

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Running a Test Batch
You can use Test Batch Runner to run several tests in succession. The
results for each test are stored in their default location.

Using Test Batch Runner, you can set up a list of tests and save the list as
an .mtb file, so that you can easily run the same batch of tests again, at
another time. You can also choose to include or exclude a test in your batch
list from running during a batch run.

Notes:

To enable Test Batch Runner to run tests, you must select Allow other
Mercury products to run tests and components in the Run tab of the
Options dialog box. For more information, see Chapter 24, “Setting Global
Testing Options.”
Test Batch Runner can be used only with tests located in the file system. If
you want to include tests saved in Quality Center in the batch run, you
must first save the tests in the file system. Components cannot be used with
Test Batch Runner.
You can stop a test batch run at any time by clicking the Stop button.

To set up and run a test batch:
1 Choose Programs > QuickTest Professional > Tools > Test Batch Runner from
the Start menu. The Test Batch Runner dialog box opens.
2 Click the Add button or choose Batch > Add. The Open Test dialog box
opens.

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3 Select a test you want to include in the test batch list and click Open. The
test is added to the list.

4 Repeat step 3 for each test you want to include in the list. By default, each
test selected is added to the bottom of the list.
To insert a test at another point in the list, select the test that is to precede
the test you would like to add. When you add the test, it is added above the
selected test.
To remove a test from the list, select it and click the Remove button, or
choose Batch > Remove.
If you want to include a test in the list, but you do not want the test to be
run during the next batch run, clear the check box next to the test name.
5 If you want to save the batch list, click the Save button, or choose File >
Save, and enter a name for the list. The file extension is .mtb.
6 When you are ready to run your test batch, click the Run button or choose
Batch > Run. If QuickTest is not already open, it opens and the tests run
sequence begins. Once the batch run is complete, you can view the results
for each test in its default test results folder (<test folder>res#report).
For more information about Test Results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test
Results.”

528

22
Debugging Tests and Components

By controlling and debugging your run sessions, you can identify and
eliminate defects in your tests and components.


➤ About Debugging Tests and Components
➤ Using the Step Commands
➤ Pausing a Run Session
➤ Setting Breakpoints
➤ Removing Breakpoints
➤ Using the Debug Viewer
➤ Handling Run Errors
➤ Practicing Debugging a Test

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About Debugging Tests and Components
After you create a test or component, you should check that it runs
smoothly, without errors in syntax or logic. In order to detect and isolate
defects in a test or component, you can use step commands and the Pause
command to control the run session.

You can also do this by setting breakpoints. When the test or component
stops at a breakpoint, you can use the Debug Viewer to check and modify
the values of VBScript objects and variables. Also, if QuickTest displays a
run-error message during a run session, you can click the Debug button on
the error message to suspend the test or component and debug it.

Note: You can also use the Run from Step feature to debug your test or
component. This runs your test or component from a selected step to the
end. For additional information, see “Running Part of Your Test or

Using the Step Commands
You can run a single step of a test or component using the Step Into, Step
Out, and Step Over commands.

Tip: To display the Debug toolbar, choose View > Toolbars > Debug.

Step Into
Choose Debug > Step Into, click the Step Into button, or press F11 to run
only the current line of the active test or component. If the current line of
the active test or component calls another action or a function, the called
action/function is displayed in the QuickTest window, and the test or
component pauses at the first line of the called action/function.

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Chapter 22 • Debugging Tests and Components

Step Out
Choose Debug > Step Out or click the Step Out button, or press SHIFT+F11
only after using Step Into to enter a action or a user-defined function. Step
Out runs to the end of the called action or user-defined function, then
returns to the calling action and pauses the run session.

Step Over
Choose Debug > Step Over or click the Step Over button, or press F10 to
run only the current step in the active test or component. When the current
step calls another action or a user-defined function, the called action or
function is executed in its entirety, but the called action script is not
displayed in the QuickTest window.

Using the Step Commands - An Example
Follow the instructions below to create a simple test and run it using the
Step Into, Step Out, and Step Over commands.

To create the sample test:
1 Choose File > New to open a new test.
2 Click the Expert View tab to display the Expert View.
3 Enter the following lines exactly:

public Function myfunc()
msgbox "one"
msgbox "two"
msgbox "three"
End Function

myfunc
myfunc
myfunc

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To run the test using the Step Into, Step Out, and Step Over commands:
1 Press F9 (Insert/Remove Breakpoint) to add a breakpoint on the seventh line
of the test (the first call to the myfunc function). The Expert View
breakpoint symbol is displayed in the left margin. For more information, see
“Setting Breakpoints” on page 533.
2 Run the test. The test pauses at the breakpoint.
3 Press F11 (Step Into). The execution arrow points to the first line within the
function (msgbox "one").
4 Press F11 (Step Into) again. A message box displays the text one.
5 Click OK to close the message box. The execution arrow moves to the next
line in the function.
6 Continue pressing F11 (Step Into) until the execution arrow leaves the
function and is pointing to the eighth line in the script (the second call to
the myfunc function).
7 Press F11 (Step Into) to enter the function again. The execution arrow
points to the first msgbox line within the function.
8 Press SHIFT+F11 (Step Out). Three message boxes open. The execution arrow
continues to point to the first line in the function until you close the last of
the three message boxes. After you close the third message box, the
execution arrow points to the last line in the test.
9 Press F10 (Step Over.) The three message boxes open again. The execution
arrow remains on the last line in the test.

Pausing a Run Session
You can temporarily suspend a run session by choosing Debug > Pause or
clicking the Pause button. A paused test or component stops running when
all previously interpreted steps have been run.

To resume running a paused test or component, click the Run button or
choose Test > Run or Component > Run. The run continues from the point it
was suspended.

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Setting Breakpoints
By setting a breakpoint, you can stop a run session at a pre-determined place
in a test or component. A breakpoint is indicated by a red hand icon in the
left margin of the Keyword View, or a red circle icon in the left margin of the
Expert View. QuickTest pauses the run when it reaches the breakpoint,
before executing the step. You can examine the effects of the run up to the
breakpoint, make any necessary changes, and then continue running the
test or component from the breakpoint.

You can use breakpoints to:

➤ suspend a run session and inspect the state of your site or application
➤ mark a point from which to begin stepping through a test or component
using the step commands

To set a breakpoint:
1 Click a step or a line in the test or component where you want the run to
stop.
2 Choose Debug > Insert/Remove Breakpoint, press F9, or click the
Insert/Remove Breakpoint button. The breakpoint symbol is displayed in
the left margin of the Keyword View and Expert View.

Tip: You can also insert breakpoints by clicking in the left margin of the
Keyword View. See “Working with Breakpoints in the Keyword View” on
page 328.

Note: The breakpoints inserted are active only during the current QuickTest
session. If you terminate your QuickTest session, you must insert new
breakpoints to continue debugging the test or component in another
session.

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Removing Breakpoints
From the Debug menu you can remove a single breakpoint or all
breakpoints defined for the current test or component.

➤ To remove a single breakpoint, click a line in your test or component
with the breakpoint symbol and choose Debug > Insert/Remove
Breakpoint, or click the Insert/Remove Breakpoint button.
The breakpoint symbol is removed from the left margin of the QuickTest
window.
➤ To remove all breakpoints, choose Debug > Clear All Breakpoints, press
F9, or click the Clear All Breakpoints button.
All breakpoint symbols are removed from the left margin of the
QuickTest window.

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Using the Debug Viewer
You use the Debug Viewer pane to view, set, or modify the current value of
objects or variables in your test or component, when it stops at a
breakpoint, or when a step fails and you select the Debug option.

To open the Debug Viewer pane:
1 Run a test or component with one or more breakpoints.
2 When it pauses at a breakpoint, choose View > Debug Viewer or click the
Debug Viewer button.

The Debug Viewer pane opens along the bottom of the QuickTest screen. If
the Data Table or Active Screen are also displayed, the Debug Viewer pane is
positioned below them.

Context box

Debug Viewer
tabs

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The Debug Viewer tabs are used to display the values of variables and objects
in the main script of the current action, or in a selected subroutine. In the
Context box, you can choose between the main script of the action
(VBScript: global code) and the subroutines and functions of the action.

Watch Expressions Tab
Use the Watch Expressions tab to view the current value of any variable or
VBScript object that you enter in the Watch Expressions table. Paste or type
the name of the object or variable into the Name column and press ENTER to
view the current value in the Value column. If the value of the object or
variable changes when you continue to run the test or component, the
value in the Watch Expressions tab is updated. You can also change the
value of the variable manually when the test or component pauses at a
breakpoint.

Note: QuickTest updates the value of the object or variable in the Watch
Expressions tab when running a test or component step-by-step.

Variables Tab
Use the Variables tab to view the current value of all variables, in the current
action or selected subroutine, identified up to the point where the test or
component stopped. If the value of a variable changes when the run
continues, the value in the Variables tab is updated. (You can also change
the value of the variable manually, during the breakpoint pause.)

Note: QuickTest updates the value of the variable in the Variables tab when
running a test or component step by step.

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Command Tab
Use the Command tab to execute a line of script in order to set or modify
the current value of a variable or VBScript object in your test or component.
When the run continues, QuickTest uses the value that you set.

Handling Run Errors
The Run Error message box displayed during a run session offers a number
of option buttons for dealing with errors encountered:

➤ Stop—Stops the run session.
The test results are displayed if QuickTest is configured to show test results
after the run.
➤ Retry—QuickTest attempts to perform the step again.
If the step succeeds, the run continues.
➤ Skip—QuickTest skips the step that caused the error, and continues the run
from the next step.
➤ Debug—QuickTest suspends the run, enabling you to debug the test or
component.
You can perform any of the debugging operations described in this chapter.
After debugging, you can continue the run session from the step where the
test or component stopped, or you can use the step commands to control
the remainder of the run session.
➤ Help—Opens QuickTest troubleshooting Help for the displayed error
message. After you review the Help topic, you can select another button in
the error message box.
➤ Details—Expands the message box to display additional information about
the error.

537


Practicing Debugging a Test
Suppose you create an action in your test that defines variables that will be
used in other parts of your test. You can add breakpoints to the action to see
how the value of the variables change as you run the test. To see how the
test handles the new value, you can also change the value of one of the
variables during a breakpoint.

Step 1: Create the New Action
Open a test and insert a new action called “SetVariables.” For more
information about inserting actions, see Chapter 17, “Working with
Actions.”

Enter the VBScript code for the action in the Expert View, as follows:

Dim a
a="hello"
b="me"
MsgBox a

For more information about the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working with
the Expert View.”

Step 2: Add Breakpoints
Add breakpoints at line 3 and line 4. For more information about adding
breakpoints, see “Setting Breakpoints” on page 533.

Step 3: Begin Running the Test
Run the test. The test stops at the first breakpoint, before executing that step
(line of script).

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Step 4: Check the Value of the Variables in the Debug Viewer Pane
Choose View > Debug Viewer to open the Debug Viewer pane.

Select the Watch Expressions tab on the Debug Viewer pane. In the first cell
of the Name column, type ”a” (without quotes) and press Enter on the
keypad. The Value column indicates that the a variable value is currently
hello, because the breakpoint stopped after the value of variable a was
initiated. In the next cell of the Name column, type ”b” (without quotes) and
press Enter on the keypad. The Value column indicates that Variable b is
undefined, because the test stopped before variable b was declared.

Select the Variables tab in the Debug Viewer pane. Note that the variable a is
displayed with the value hello, because a is the only variable initiated, at
this point in the test.

Step 5: Check the Value of the Variables at the Next Breakpoint
Click the Run button to continue running the test. The test stops at the next
breakpoint. Note that the values of variables a and b have both been
updated in the Watch Expressions and Variables tabs.

Step 6: Modify the Value of a Variable Using the Command Tab
Select the Command tab in the Debug Viewer pane. Type: a="This is the new
value of a" at the command prompt, and press Enter on the keypad. Click
the Run button to continue running the test. The message box that appears
displays the new value of a.

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540

23
Analyzing Test Results

After running a test or component, you can view a report of major events
that occurred during the run session.


➤ About Analyzing Test Results
➤ Understanding the Test Results Window
➤ Viewing the Results of a Run Session
➤ Viewing Checkpoint Results
➤ Viewing Parameterized Values and Output Value Results
➤ Analyzing Smart Identification Information in the Test Results
➤ Deleting Test Results
➤ Submitting Defects Detected During a Run Session
➤ Viewing WinRunner Test Steps in the Test Results
➤ Customizing the Test Results Display

About Analyzing Test Results
When a run session ends, you can view the test results in the Test Results
window. By default, the Test Results window opens automatically at the end
of a run. If you want to change this behavior, select or clear the View results
when run session ends check box in the Run tab of the Options dialog box.

The Test Results window contains a description of the steps performed
during the run session. For a component, or for a test that does not contain
Data Table parameters, the Test Results window shows a single test iteration.

541


If the test contains Data Table parameters, and the test settings are
configured to run multiple iterations, the Test Results window displays
details for each iteration of the test run. The results are grouped by the
actions in the test.

Note: You set the test to run for one or all iterations in the Run tab of the
Test Settings dialog box. For more information, see “Defining Run Settings
for Your Test” on page 665.

After you run a test or component, the Test Results window displays all
aspects of the run session, including:

➤ a high-level results overview report (pass/fail status)
➤ the data used in all runs
➤ an expandable tree of the steps, specifying exactly where application failures
occurred
➤ the exact locations in the test or component where failures occurred
➤ application snapshots that highlight any discrepancies, for each stage of the
test or component
➤ detailed explanations of each step and checkpoint pass or failure, at each
stage of the test or component

Understanding the Test Results Window
After a run session, you view the results in the Test Results window. By
default, the Test Results window opens when a run session is completed. For
information on changing the default setting, see “Defining Run Settings for
Your Test” on page 665.

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Chapter 23 • Analyzing Test Results

Note: You can open the Test Results window as a standalone application
from the Start menu. To open the Test Results window, choose Start >
Programs > QuickTest Professional > Test Results Viewer.

The following example shows the results of a test with three iterations:
Test results title
bar
Menu bar
Test results
toolbar

Test results tree

Test results
details

Status bar

The test shown in the example above includes three iterations, as shown in
the test results tree. Note that the results for a test are organized by action.

543


Below is an example of the test results for a business component, with a
specific step selected:
Test results title
bar
Menu bar
Test results
toolbar

Test results tree

Test results
details for
selected step in
component

Status bar

The Test Results window contains the following key elements:

➤ Test results title bar—Displays the name of the test or component.
➤ Menu bar—Displays menus of available commands.
➤ Test results toolbar—Contains buttons for viewing test results (choose
View > Test Results Toolbar to display the toolbar). For more information,
see “Test Results Toolbar” on page 546.
➤ Test results tree—Contains a graphic representation of the test results in the
test results tree. For more information, see “Test Results Tree”, below.

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➤ Test results details—Contains details of the selected step. For more
information, see “Test Results Details” on page 546.
➤ Status bar—Displays the status of the currently selected command (choose
View > Status Bar to view the status bar).

Test Results Tree
The left pane in the Test Results window displays the test results tree—a
graphical representation of the test results:

➤ indicates a step that succeeded.
➤ indicates a step that failed. Note that this causes all parent steps (up to
the root action or test) to fail as well.
➤ indicates a warning, meaning that the step did not succeed, but it did
not cause the action or test to fail.
➤ indicates a step that failed unexpectedly, such as when an object is not
found for a checkpoint.
➤ indicates an optional step that failed and therefore was ignored. Note
that this does not cause the test to fail.
➤ indicates that the Smart Identification mechanism successfully found
the object.
➤ indicates that a recovery scenario was activated.
➤ indicates that the run session was stopped before it ended.
The test results tree also includes the icon that displays the run-time Data
Table—a table that shows the values used to run a test containing Data Table
parameters or the Data Table output values retrieved from a test while it
runs.

You can collapse or expand a branch in the test results tree in order to
change the level of detail that the tree displays.

545


Test Results Details
By default, when the Test Results window opens, a test or component
summary is displayed in the right portion of the window. Indicated are the
test or component name, results name, the date and time of the run, the
number of iterations (for a test), and whether an iteration passed or failed.

When you select a branch or step in the tree, the right pane displays detailed
information for the selected item.

Test Results Toolbar
The Test Results toolbar contains buttons for viewing test results.

Print Quality Center Find Find Go to Next
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Open Filters Add Find Go to Help
Defect Previous Previous Topics
Page

Viewing the Results of a Run Session
By default, at the end of the run session, the results are displayed in the Test
Results window. (You can change the default setting in the Options dialog
box. For more information, see “Defining Run Settings for Your Test” on
page 665.)

In addition, you can view the results of previous runs of the current test or
component, and results of other tests and components. You can also
preview test results on screen and print them to your default Windows
printer.

546


To view the results of a run:
1 If the Test Results window is not already open, click the Results button or
choose Test > Results or Component > Results.

Tip: You can open the Test Results window as a standalone application from
the Start menu. To open the Test Results window, choose Start > Programs >
QuickTest Professional > Test Results Viewer.

➤ If there are test results for the current test or component, they are
displayed in the Test Results window. For information on the Test Results
window, see “Understanding the Test Results Window” on page 542.
➤ If there are several test results for the current test or component, or if
there are no test results for the current test or component, the Open Test
Results dialog box opens. You can select the test results for any test or
component, or you can search for the test results (results.xml) file
anywhere in the file system. Click Open to display the selected results in
the Test Results window. For additional information on viewing test
results, see “Opening Test Results to View a Selected Run” on page 551.

Note: Results files for QuickTest Professional version 6.5 and earlier are
saved with a .qtp file extension.

2 You can collapse or expand a branch in the test results tree to select the level
of detail that the tree displays.
➤ To collapse a branch, select it and click the collapse (–) sign to the left of
the branch icon, or press the minus key (–) on your keyboard number
pad. The details for the branch disappear in the results tree, and the
collapse sign changes to expand (+).
➤ To collapse all of the branches in the test results tree, choose View >
Collapse All or right click a branch and select Collapse All.

547


➤ To expand a branch, select it and click the expand (+) sign to the left of
the branch icon, or press the plus key (+) on your keyboard number pad.
The tree displays the details for the branch and the expand sign changes
to collapse.
If you just opened the test results, the tree expands one level at-a-time. If
the tree was previously expanded, it reverts to its former state.
➤ To expand a branch and all branches below it, select the branch and press
the asterisk (*) key on your keyboard number pad.
➤ To expand all of the branches in the test results tree, choose View >
Expand All; right click a branch and select Expand All; or select the top
level of the tree and press the asterisk (*) key on your keyboard number
pad.
3 You can view the results of an individual iteration, action, or step. The
results can be one of three types:
➤ Iterations, actions, and steps that contain checkpoints are marked Passed
or Failed in the bottom right part of the Test Results window and are
identified by the icon or in the tree pane.
➤ Iterations, actions, and steps that ran successfully, but do not contain
checkpoints, are marked Done in the bottom right part of the Test Results
window.
➤ Steps that were not successful, but did not cause the test or component to
stop running, are marked Warning in the bottom right part of the Test
Results window and are identified by the icon or .

Note: A test, component, iteration, or action containing a step marked
Warning may still be labeled Passed or Done.

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4 To filter the information displayed in the test results window, click the
Filters button or choose View > Filters. The Filters dialog box opens.

The default filter options are displayed in the image above. The Filters dialog
box contains the following options:
Iterations area (available for tests only):
➤ All—Displays test results from all iterations.
➤ From iteration X to X—Displays the test results from a specified range of
test iterations.
Status area:
➤ Fail—Displays the test results for the steps that failed.
➤ Warning—Displays the test results for the steps with the status Warning
(steps that did not pass, but did not cause the test or component to fail).
➤ Pass—Displays the test results for the steps that passed.
➤ Done—Displays the test results for the steps with the status Done (steps
that were performed successfully but did not receive a pass, fail, or
warning status).

549


Content area:
➤ All—Displays all steps from all nodes in the test or component.
➤ Show only actions—Displays the action nodes in the test (not the specific
steps in the action nodes).

5 To find specific steps within the test results, click the Find button or choose
Tools > Find.

6 To move between previously selected nodes within the test results tree, click
the Go to Previous Node or Go to Next Node buttons.

7 To view the results of other run sessions, click the Open button or choose
File > Open. For additional information, see “Opening Test Results to View a
Selected Run” on page 551.
8 To print test results, click the Print button or choose File > Print. For
additional information, see “Printing Test Results” on page 555.

Note: If you have Quality Center installed, you can add a defect to a Quality
Center project. For additional information, see “Submitting Defects
Detected During a Run Session” on page 597.

9 Choose File > Exit to close the Test Results window.

Note: You can use Reporter.Filter statements in the Expert View to disable
or enable the saving of selected steps, or to save only steps with Failed or
Warning status. For more information about saving run session information,
see “Choosing Which Steps to Report During the Run Session” on page 904,
or refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

The Reporter.Filter statement differs from the Filters dialog box described
above. The Reporter.Filter statement determines which steps are saved in
the test results, while the Filter dialog box determines which steps are
displayed at any time.

550


Opening Test Results to View a Selected Run
You can view the saved results for the current test or component, or you can
view the saved results for other tests or components.

You select the test results to open for viewing from the Open Test Results
dialog box, which opens when:

➤ you choose File > Open from within the Test Results window.
➤ you click the Results button in the QuickTest window or choose Test >
Results or Component > Results, when there are several results, or no
results, for the current test or component.

The results of run sessions for the current test or component are listed. To
view one of the results sets, select it and click Open.

Tip: To update the results list after you change the specified test or
component path, click Refresh.

To view results of runs for other tests or components, you can search in your
file system by test or component, or by their result files. If you are
connected to Quality Center, you can also search in Quality Center by
business process test or by QuickTest test (if saved in Quality Center).

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Searching for Results in the File System
By default, the results for a QuickTest test that is saved in the file system are
stored in the test folder. The results for components are stored in a Quality
Center cache folder on your computer.

When you run your test or component, you can specify a different location
to store the results, using the Results Location tab of the Run dialog box.
Specifying your own location for the results file can make it easier for you to
locate the results file in the file system. For more information, see
“Understanding the Results Location Tab” on page 514.

To search for results in the file system by test or component:
1 In the Open Test Results dialog box, enter the path of the folder that
contains the results file for your test or component, or click the Browse
button to open the Open Test dialog box.
2 Find and highlight the test or component whose results you want to view,
and click Open.
3 In the Open Test Results dialog box, highlight the test result set you want to
view, and click Open. The Test Results window displays the selected results.

To search for results in the file system by result file:
1 In the Open Test Results dialog box, click the Open from File button to open
the Select Results File dialog box.
2 Browse to the folder where the test or component results file is stored.
3 Highlight the results (.xml) file you want to view, and click Open. The Test
Results window displays the selected results.

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Notes: By default, result files for tests are stored in
<Test><ResultName>Report.

Results files for QuickTest Professional version 6.5 and earlier are saved with
a .qtp file extension. In the Select Results File dialog box, only results files
with an .xml extension are shown by default. To view results files with a .qtp
extension in the Select Results File dialog box, select Test Results (*.qtp) in
the Files of type box.

Searching for Results in Quality Center
If your QuickTest test is stored in Quality Center, the results are stored in the
test folder in Quality Center. You cannot change the location of the test
results. You can search in Quality Center for a QuickTest test or a business
process test. You can view the results of all the components in the business
process test. You cannot search by individual component in Quality Center.

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To search for results in Quality Center by test type:
1 In the Open Test Results dialog box, enter the path of the folder that
contains the results file for your QuickTest test or business process test, or
click the Browse button to open the Open Test from Quality Center Project
dialog box.

2 Select QuickTest test or Business process test in the Test Type list.
3 Find and highlight the test whose test results you want to view, and click
Open.
4 In the Open Test Results dialog box, highlight the test result set you want to
view, and click Open. The Test Results window displays the selected test
results. For a business process test, all the components are shown in the test
results tree. You can select an individual component in the test results tree
to see its results.

554


Printing Test Results
You can print test results from the Test Results window. You can select the
type of report you want to print, and you can also create and print a
customized report.

To print the test results:
1 Click the Print button or choose File > Print. The Print dialog box opens.

2 Select a Print range option:
➤ All—Prints the results for the entire test or component.
➤ Selection—Prints test results information for the selected branch in the
test results tree.
3 Specify the Number of copies of the test results that you want to print.
4 Select a Print format option:
➤ Short—Prints a summary line (when available) for each item in the test
results tree. This option is only available if you selected All in step 2.
➤ Detailed—Prints all available information for each item in the test results
tree.
➤ User-defined XSL—Enables you to browse to and select a customized .xsl
file. You can create a customized .xsl file that specifies the information to
be included in the printed report, and the way it should appear. For more
information, see “Customizing the Test Results Display” on page 606.

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Note: The Print format options are available only for test results created
with QuickTest version 8.0 and later.

5 Click OK to print the selected test results information to your default
Windows printer.

Previewing Test Results
You can preview test results on screen before you print them. You can select
the type and quantity of information you want to view, and you can also
display the information in a customized format.

Note: The Print Preview option is available only for test results created with
QuickTest version 8.0 and later.

To preview the test results:
1 Choose File > Print Preview. The Print Preview dialog box opens.

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2 Select a Print range option:
➤ All—Previews the test results for the entire test or component.
➤ Selection—Previews test results information for the selected branch in
the test results tree.
3 Select a Print format option:
➤ Short—Previews a summary line (when available) for each item in the
test results tree. This option is only available if you selected All in step 2.
➤ Detailed—Previews all available information for each item in the test
results tree.
➤ User-defined XSL—Enables you to browse to and select a customized .xsl
file. You can create a customized .xsl file that specifies the information to
be included in the preview, and the way it should appear. For more
information, see “Customizing the Test Results Display” on page 606.
4 Click Preview to preview the appearance of your test results on screen.

Tip: If some of the information is cut off in the preview, for example, if
checkpoint names are too long to fit in the display, click the Page Setup
button in the Print Preview window and change the page orientation from
Portrait to Landscape.

Viewing Checkpoint Results
By adding checkpoints to your tests or components, you can compare
expected values in, for example, Web pages, text strings, object properties,
and tables to the values of these elements in your application. This enables
you to ensure that your application functions as desired.

When you run the test or component, QuickTest compares the expected
results of the checkpoint to the current results. If the results do not match,
the checkpoint fails, which causes the test or component to fail. You can
view the results of the checkpoint in the Test Results window.

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To view the results of a checkpoint:
1 Display the test results for your test or component in the Test Results
window. For more information, see “Viewing the Results of a Run Session”
on page 546.
2 In the left pane of the Test Results window, expand the branches of the test
results tree and click the branch for the checkpoint whose results you want
to view. The checkpoint results are displayed in the Test Results window.

Note: By default, the bottom right part of the Test Results window displays
information about the selected checkpoint only if it has the status Failed.
You can change the conditions for when a step’s image is saved, in the Run
tab of the Options dialog box. For more information, see “Setting Run
Testing Options” on page 625.

The information in the Test Results window and the available options are
determined by the type of checkpoint you selected. For more information,
see:
➤ “Analyzing Standard Checkpoint Results” on page 559
➤ “Analyzing Table and Database Checkpoint Results” on page 560
➤ “Analyzing Bitmap Checkpoint Results” on page 562
➤ “Analyzing Text or Text Area Checkpoint Results” on page 563
➤ “Analyzing XML Checkpoint Results” on page 564
➤ “Analyzing Accessibility Checkpoint Results” on page 573

3 Choose File > Exit to close the Test Results window.

For more information on checkpoints, see Chapter 6, “Understanding
Checkpoints.”

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Analyzing Standard Checkpoint Results
By adding standard checkpoints to your tests or components, you can
compare the expected values of object properties to the object’s current
values during a run session. If the results do not match, the checkpoint fails.
For more information on standard checkpoints, see “Checking Object
Property Values” on page 123.

You can view detailed results of the standard checkpoint in the Test Results
window.

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The top right pane displays detailed results of the selected checkpoint,
including its status (Passed or Failed), the date and time the checkpoint was
run, and the portion of the checkpoint timeout interval that was used (if
any). It also displays the values of the object properties that are checked,
and any differences between the expected and actual property values. The
bottom right pane displays the image capture for the checkpoint step (if
available).

In the above example, the details of the failed checkpoint indicate that the
expected results and the current results do not match. The expected value of
the flight departure is Frankfurt, but the actual value is Paris.

Analyzing Table and Database Checkpoint Results
By adding table checkpoints to your tests or components, you can check
that a specified value is displayed in a cell in a table on your application. By
adding database checkpoints to your tests or components, you can check
the contents of databases accessed by your application.

The results displayed for table and database checkpoints are similar. When
you run your test or component, QuickTest compares the expected results of
the checkpoint to the actual results of the run session. If the results do not
match, the checkpoint fails.

For more information on table and database checkpoints, see Chapter 8,
“Checking Tables and Databases.”

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You can view detailed results of the table or database checkpoint in the Test
Results window.

The top right pane displays the checkpoint step results, including its status
(Passed or Failed), the date and time the checkpoint was run, the
verification settings you specified for the checkpoint, and the number of
individual table cells or database records that passed and failed the
checkpoint.

The bottom right pane shows the table cells or database records that were
checked by the checkpoint. Cell values or records that were checked are
displayed in black; cell values or records that were not checked are displayed
in gray. Cells or records that failed the checkpoint are marked with a
failed icon.

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You can click the Next Mismatch button in the bottom right pane to
highlight the next table cell or database record that failed the checkpoint.

You can click the Compare Values button in the bottom right pane to
display the expected and actual values of the selected table cell or database
record.

Analyzing Bitmap Checkpoint Results
By adding bitmap checkpoints to your tests or components, you can check
the appearance of elements in your application by matching captured
bitmaps. When you run your test or component, QuickTest compares the
expected results of the checkpoint to the actual results of the run session. If
the results do not match, the checkpoint fails.

For more information on bitmap checkpoints, see Chapter 10, “Checking
Bitmaps.”

You can view detailed results of the bitmap checkpoint in the Test Results
window.

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(Passed or Failed), the date and time the checkpoint was run and the
portion of the checkpoint timeout interval that was used (if any).

The bottom right pane shows the expected and actual bitmaps that were
compared during the run session.

Analyzing Text or Text Area Checkpoint Results
By adding text or text area checkpoints to your tests or components, you
can check that a text string is displayed in the appropriate place in your
application. When you run your test or component, QuickTest compares the
expected results of the checkpoint to the actual results of the run session. If
the results do not match, the checkpoint fails.

For more information on text and text area checkpoints, see Chapter 9,
“Checking Text.”

You can view detailed results of the text or text area checkpoint in the Test
Results window.

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(Passed or Failed), the date and time the checkpoint was run and the
portion of the checkpoint timeout interval that was used (if any). It also
shows the expected text and actual text that was checked, and the
verification settings you specified for the checkpoint.

Analyzing XML Checkpoint Results
By adding XML checkpoints to your tests or components, you can verify
that the data and structure in your XML documents or files has not changed
unexpectedly. When you run your test or component, QuickTest compares
the expected results of the checkpoint to the actual results of the run
session. If the results do not match, the checkpoint fails. For more
information on XML checkpoints, see Chapter 11, “Checking XML.”

You can view summary results of the XML checkpoint in the Test Results
window.

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The top right pane displays the checkpoint step results.

The bottom right pane shows the details of the schema validation (if
applicable) and a summary of the checkpoint results. If the schema
validation failed, the reason(s) for the failure is also shown.

If the checkpoint failed, you can view details of each check performed in the
checkpoint by clicking View XML Checkpoint Results in the bottom right
pane. The XML Checkpoint Results window opens, displaying details of the
checkpoint’s failure.

Note: By default, if the checkpoint passes, the View XML Checkpoint Results
button is not available. If you want to view the detailed results of the
checkpoint even when the checkpoint passes, choose Tools > Options and
select the Run tab. In the Save step screen capture to test results option,
select always.

Understanding the XML Checkpoint Results Window
When you click the View XML Checkpoint Results button from the Test
Results window, the XML Checkpoint Results window displays the XML file
hierarchy.

The Expected XML Tree pane displays the expected results—the elements,
attributes, and values, as stored in your XML checkpoint.

The Actual XML Tree pane displays the actual results—what the XML
document actually looked like during the run session.

The Checkpoint Summary pane displays results information for the check
performed on the selected item in the expected results pane.

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When you open the XML Checkpoint Results window, the Checkpoint
Summary pane displays the summary results for the first checked item in
the expected results pane.

Navigating the XML Checkpoint Results Window
The XML Checkpoint Results window provides a menu and toolbar that
enables you to navigate the various parts of your XML checkpoint results.

You can use the following commands or toolbar buttons to navigate your
XML checkpoint results:

➤ View Checkpoint Summary—Select an element in the XML Tree and click
the View Checkpoint Summary button or choose View > Checkpoint
Summary. The Checkpoint Summary pane, which provides a detailed
description of which parts of an element passed or failed, is displayed at the
bottom of the XML Checkpoint Results window.

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The following example displays the Checkpoint Summary for the book
element in an XML file.

➤ View Attribute Details—In the XML Tree, select an element whose attributes
were checked. Click the View Attribute Details button or choose View >
Attribute Details. Both the Expected Attributes and Actual Attributes panes
at the bottom of the XML Checkpoint Results window display the details of
the attributes check.
The following example shows the attribute details of the Action element in
an XML Web page or frame. The Expected Attributes pane displays each
attribute name, its expected value, and the result status of the attribute
check.

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The Actual Attributes pane displays the attribute name and its actual value
during the execution run.

➤ Find Next Check—Choose View > Find Next Check or click the Find Next
Check button to jump directly to the next checked item in the XML Tree.
➤ Find Previous Check—Choose View > Find Previous Check or click the Find
Previous Check button to jump directly to the previous checked item in the
XML Tree.

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➤ Scroll Trees Simultaneously—Choose View > Scroll Trees Simultaneously, or
click the Scroll Trees Simultaneously button to synchronize the scrolling of
the Expected and Actual XML Trees. If this option is selected, the Expected
and Actual XML Trees scroll simultaneously as you navigate through either
of the tree structures. If this option is not selected, you can scroll only one
tree at a time.
➤ Help Topics—Choose Help > Help Topics or click the Help Topics button to
view help on the XML Checkpoint Results window.

Examining Sample XML Checkpoint Results
Below are four sample XML checkpoint scenarios. Each example describes
the changes that occurred in the actual XML document, explains how you
locate the cause of the problem in the XML checkpoint results, and displays
the corresponding XML Checkpoint Results window.

Scenario 1
In the following example, the airline element tag was changed to airlines and
the XML checkpoint identified the change in the tag structure. The airline
element’s child element check also failed because of the mismatch at the
parent element level.

To view details of the failed element, select the airline tag from the Expected
XML Tree and choose View > Checkpoint Summary to view the Checkpoint
Summary in the bottom pane of the XML Checkpoint Results window.

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The text: This element is missing indicates that the airline element tag
changed in your XML document.

Scenario 2
In the following example, an attribute that is associated with the orders
element tag was changed from the original, expected value of orders1, to a
new value of orders2.

To view details of the failed attribute, select the failed element from the
Expected XML Tree and choose View > Attribute Details. The Expected
Attributes and Actual Attributes panes are displayed at the bottom of the
XML Checkpoint Results window.

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Using the Expected Attributes and Actual Attributes panes, you can identify
which attribute caused the error and which values were mismatched.

Scenario 3
In the following example, the actual value of the total element was changed
between execution runs, causing the checkpoint to fail.

To view details of the failed value, select the failed element from the
Expected XML Tree and choose View > Checkpoint Summary to view the
Checkpoint Summary in the bottom pane of the XML Checkpoint Results
window.

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Using the Checkpoint Summary pane, you can compare the expected and
actual values of the total element.

Scenario 4
In the following example, the value of the total element was parameterized
and the value’s content caused the checkpoint to fail in this iteration.

Note that the value icon is displayed with a pound symbol to indicate
that the value was parameterized.

To view details of the failed value, select the failed element from the
Expected XML Tree and choose View > Checkpoint Summary to view the
Checkpoint Summary in the bottom pane of the XML Checkpoint Results
window. Note that the procedure for analyzing the checkpoint results does
not change even though the value was parameterized.

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Using the Checkpoint Summary pane, you can compare the expected and
actual values of the total element.

Analyzing Accessibility Checkpoint Results
When you include accessibility checkpoints in your test or component, the
Test Results window displays the results of each accessibility option that you
checked.

The test results tree displays a separate step for each accessibility option that
was checked in each checkpoint. For example, if you selected all accessibility
options, the test results tree for an accessibility checkpoint may look
something like this:

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The test results details provide information that can help you pinpoint parts
of your Web site that may not conform to the W3C Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines. The information provided for each check is based
on the W3C requirements.

Note: Some of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines that are
relevant to accessibility checkpoints are cited or summarized in the
following sections. This information is not comprehensive. When checking
whether your Web site satisfies the W3C Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines, you should refer to the complete document at:
http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/.

For more information on accessibility checkpoints, see Chapter 30, “Testing
Web Objects.”

ActiveX Check
Guideline 6 of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines requires you
to ensure that pages are accessible even when newer technologies are not
supported or are turned off. When you select the ActiveX check, QuickTest
checks whether the selected page or frame contains any ActiveX objects. If it
does not contain any ActiveX objects, the checkpoint passes. If the page or
frame does contain ActiveX objects then the results display a warning and a
list of the ActiveX objects so that you can check the accessibility of these
pages on browsers without ActiveX support. For example:

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Alt Property Check
Guideline 1.1 of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines requires
you to provide a text equivalent for every non-text element. The Alt
property check checks whether objects that require the Alt property under
this guideline, do in fact have this attribute. If the selected frame or page
does not contain any such objects, or if all such objects have the required
attribute, the checkpoint passes. If one or more objects that require the
property do not have it, the test or component fails and the test results
details display a list that shows which objects are lacking the attribute. For
example:

The bottom right pane of the Test Results window displays the captured
page or frame, so that you can see the objects listed in the Alt property
check list.

Applet Check
The Applet Check also helps you ensure that pages are accessible, even when
newer technologies are not supported or are turned off (Guideline 6), by
finding any Java applets or applications in the checked page or frame. The
checkpoint passes if the page or frame does not contain any Java applets or
applications. Otherwise, the results display a warning and a list of the Java
applets and applications. For example:

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Frame Titles Check
Guideline 12.1 requires you to title each frame to facilitate frame
identification and navigation. When you select the Frame Titles check,
QuickTest checks whether Frame and Page objects have the TITLE tag. If the
selected page or frame and all frames within it have titles, the checkpoint
passes. If the page, or one or more frames, do not have the tag, the test or
component fails and the test results details display a list that shows which
objects are lacking the tag. For example:

The bottom right part of the Test Results window displays the captured page
or frame, so that you can see the frames listed in the Frame Titles check list.

Multimedia Links Check
Guidelines 1.3 and 1.4 require you to provide an auditory, synchronized
description of the visual track of a multimedia presentation. Guideline 6
requires you to ensure that pages are accessible, even when newer
technologies are not supported or are turned off. The Multimedia Links
Check identifies links to multimedia objects so that you can confirm that
alternate links are available where necessary. The checkpoint passes if the
page or frame does not contain any multimedia links. Otherwise, the results
display a warning and a list of the multimedia links.

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Server-Side Image Check
Guideline 1.2 requires you to provide redundant text links for each active
region of a server-side image map. Guideline 9.1 recommends that you
provide client-side image maps instead of server-side image maps except
where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
When you select the Server-side Image check, QuickTest checks whether the
selected page or frame contains any server-side images. If it does not, the
checkpoint passes. If the page or frame does contain server-side images, then
the results display a warning and a list of the server-side images so that you
can confirm that each one answers the guideline requirements. For example:

Tables Check
Guideline 5 requires you to ensure that tables have the necessary markup to
be transformed by accessible browsers and other user agents. It emphasizes
that you should use tables primarily to display truly tabular data and to
avoid using tables for layout purposes unless the table still makes sense
when linearized. The TH, TD, THEAD, TFOOT, TBODY, COL, and
COLGROUP tags are recommended so that user agents can help users to
navigate among table cells and access header and other table cell
information through auditory means, speech output, or a braille display.

The Tables Check checks whether the selected page or frame contains any
tables. If it does not, the checkpoint passes. If the page or frame does
contain tables, the results display a warning and a visual representation of
the tag structure of the table.

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For example:

Viewing Parameterized Values and Output Value Results
You can view information about parameterized values and the results of
output value steps in the Test Results window. You can also view the
contents of the run-time Data Table.

Viewing Parameterized Values in the Test Results Window
A parameter is a variable that is assigned a value from an external data source
or generator. For more information on defining and using parameters in
your tests and components, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”

You can view the values for the parameters defined in your test or
component in the Test Results window.

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To view parameterized values:
on page 546.
results tree and click the branch for the test, action, component, or step that
contains parameterized values.
The name and value of the input parameters are displayed in the bottom
right pane.

The example above shows the input parameter UserName defined for the
action with the value mercury.

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For more information on defining and using parameters in your tests and
components, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”

Viewing Output Value Results in the Test Results Window
An output value is a step in which one or more values are captured during the
run session for use at another point in the run. When one of the values is
needed later in the run as input, QuickTest retrieves it from the specified
output location. For more information on defining and storing output
values, see Chapter 13, “Outputting Values.”

To view the results of an output value step :
on page 546.
results tree and click the branch for the output value step whose results you
want to view. The output value results are displayed in the Test Results
window.

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The right pane displays detailed results of the selected output value step,
including its status, and the date and time the output value step was run. It
also displays the details of the output value, including the value that was
captured during the run session, its type and its name.
For more information on output values, see Chapter 13, “Outputting
Values.”
For information on viewing the results of XML output value steps, see
“Analyzing XML Output Value Results” on page 582.

Viewing the Run-Time Data Table
After running a test or component with Data Table parameters and/or Data
Table output value steps, the Run-Time Data Table displays the
parameterized values that were used, as well as any output values stored in
the Data Table during the run. You can view the contents of the run-time
Data Table in the Test Results window. For more information on the run-
time Data Table, see Chapter 18, “Working with Data Tables.”

To view the run-time Data Table:
on page 546.

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2 Highlight Run-Time Data in the left pane of the Test Results window.

In the above example, the Run-Time Data Table contains the parameterized
flight departure values.
For more information on the run-time Data Table, see Chapter 18, “Working
with Data Tables.”

Analyzing XML Output Value Results
You can output element or attribute values to your test or component from
XML documents used in your application. For more information on XML
output values, see “Outputting XML Values” on page 280.

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You can view summary results of the XML output value in the Test Results
window.

The right pane displays a summary of the output value results. You can view
detailed results by clicking View XML Output Value Results to open the XML
Output Value Results window.

Note: By default, the View XML Output Value Results button is available
only when an error occurs. If you want to have the option to view the
detailed results of the output value after every run, choose Tools > Options
and select the Run tab. In the Save step screen capture to test results
option, select always.

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For more information on XML output value results, see “Understanding the
XML Output Value Results Window,” below.

Understanding the XML Output Value Results Window
When you click the View XML Output Value Results button from the Test
Results window, the XML Output Value Results window displays the XML
file hierarchy.

The Data Table Names pane displays the XML output value settings—the
structure of the XML and the Data Table column names you selected to
output for Data Table output values.

The Output Values pane displays the actual XML tree—what the XML
document or file actually looked like and the actual values that were output
during the run.

The Additional Details pane displays results information for the selected
item.

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Navigating the XML Output Value Results Window
The XML Output Value Results window provides a menu and toolbar that
enables you to navigate the various parts of your XML output value results.

You can use the following commands or toolbar buttons to navigate your
XML output value results:

➤ View Output Value Summary—Select an element in the XML Tree and click
the View Output Value Summary button or choose View > Output Value
Summary. The Additional Details pane, which provides information
regarding the output value for the selected element, attribute, or value, is
displayed at the bottom of the XML Output Value Results window.

➤ View Attribute Details—In the XML Tree, select an element whose attributes
were output as values. Click the Attribute Details button or choose View >
Attribute Details. Both the Expected Attributes and Actual Attributes panes
at the bottom of the XML Output Value Results window display the details
of the attributes output value.

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The Expected Attributes pane displays each attribute name and its expected
value or output value name. The Actual Attributes pane displays the
attribute name and the actual value of each attribute during the run session.

➤ Find Next Output Value—Choose View > Find Next Output Value or click the
Find Next Output Value button to jump directly to the next output value in
the XML Tree.
➤ Find Previous Output Value—Choose View > Find Previous Output Value or
click the Find Previous Output Value button to jump directly to the previous
output value in the XML Tree.
➤ Scroll Trees Simultaneously—Choose View > Scroll Trees Simultaneously, or
click the Scroll Trees Simultaneously button to synchronize the scrolling of
the Data Table Names and Output Values trees.

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If this option is selected, the Data Table Names and Output Values trees
scroll simultaneously as you navigate through either of the tree structures. If
this option is not selected, you can scroll only one tree at a time.
➤ Help Topics—Choose Help > Help Topics or click the Help Topics button to
view help on the XML Output Value Results window.

Analyzing Smart Identification Information in the Test
Results
If the recorded description does not enable QuickTest to identify the
specified object in a step, and a Smart Identification definition is defined
(and enabled) for the object, then QuickTest tries to identify the object using
the Smart Identification mechanism.

If QuickTest successfully uses Smart Identification to find an object after no
object matches the recorded description, the test results receive a warning
status and include the following information:

In the results tree: In the results details:

A description mismatch icon for the An indication that the object was not
missing object. For example: found.

A Smart Identification icon for the An indication that the Smart Identification
missing object. For example: mechanism successfully found the object,
and information about the properties used
to find the object. You can use this
information to modify the recorded test
object description, so that QuickTest can
find the object using the description in
future run sessions.

The actual step performed. Normal result details for the performed
step.

For more information on the Smart Identification mechanism, see
Chapter 33, “Configuring Object Identification.”

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The image below shows the results for a test in which Smart Identification
was used to identify the WebEdit object after one of the recorded description
property values changed.

If QuickTest successfully uses Smart Identification to find an object after
multiple objects are found that match the recorded description, QuickTest
shows the Smart Identification information in the test results. The step still
receives a passed status, because in most cases, if Smart Identification was
not used, the test object description plus the ordinal identifier could have
potentially identified the object.

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In such a situation, the test results show the following information:

In the results tree: In the results details:

A Smart Identification icon for the An indication that the Smart Identification
missing object. For example: mechanism successfully found the object,
and information about the properties used
to find the object. You can use this
information to create a unique object
description for the object, so that
QuickTest can find the object using the
description in future run sessions.

The actual step performed. For Normal result details for the performed
example: step.

The image below shows the results for a test in which Smart Identification
was used to uniquely identify the Home object after the recorded description
resulted in multiple matches.

If the Smart Identification mechanism cannot successfully identify the
object, the test or component fails and a normal failed step is displayed in
the test results.

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Deleting Test Results
You can use the Test Results Deletion Tool to remove unwanted or obsolete
test results from your system, according to specific criteria that you define.
This enables you to free up valuable disk space.

You can use this tool with a Windows-style user interface, or you can use the
Windows command line to run the tool in the background (silently) in
order to directly delete results that meet criteria that you specify.

Deleting Results Using the Test Results Deletion Tool
You can use the Test Results Deletion Tool to view a list of all the test results
in a specific location in your file system or in a Quality Center project. You
can then delete any test results that you no longer require.

The Test Results Deletion Tool enables you to sort the test results by name,
date, size, and so forth, so that you can easily identify the results you want
to delete.

To delete test results using the Test Results Deletion Tool:
1 Choose Programs > QuickTest Professional > Tools > Test Results Deletion
Tool from the Start menu. The Tests Results Deletion Tool window opens.

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2 In the Test or folder box, specify the folder or specific test from which you
want to delete test results. You can specify a full file system path or a full
Quality Center path.
You can also browse to a test or folder as follows:
➤ To navigate to a specific test, click the Browse button or click the arrow
to the right of the Browse button and select Tests.
➤ To navigate to a specific folder, click the arrow to the right of the Browse
button and select Folders.

Note: To delete test results from a Quality Center database, click Connect to
connect to Quality Center before browsing or entering the test path. Specify
the Quality Center test path in the format [Quality Center] Subject<folder
name><test name>. For more information, see “Connecting to and
Disconnecting from Quality Center” on page 946.

3 Select Include test results found in subfolders if you want to view all tests
results contained in subfolders of the specified folder.

Note: The Include test results found in subfolders check box is available
only for folders in the file system. It is not supported when working with
tests in Quality Center.

The test results in the specified test or folder are displayed in the Test Results
box, together with descriptive information for each one. You can click a
column's title in the Test Results box to sort test results based on the entries
in that column. To reverse the order, click the column title again.
The Delete Test Results window status bar shows information regarding the
displayed test results, including the number of results selected, the total
number of results in the specified location and the size of the files.
4 Select the test results you want to delete. You can select multiple test results
for deletion using standard Windows selection techniques.

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5 Click Delete. The selected test results are deleted from the system and the
Quality Center database.

Tip: You can click Refresh at any time to update the list of test results
displayed in the Test Results box.

Deleting Results Using the Windows Command Line
You can use the Windows command line to instruct the Test Results
Deletion Tool to delete test results according to criteria you specify. For
example, you may want to always delete test results older than a certain date
or over a minimum file size.

To run the Test Results Deletion Tool from the command line:
Open a Windows command prompt and type <QuickTest installation
path>binTestResultsDeletionTool.exe, then type a space and type the
command line options you want to use. For more information, see
“Command Line Options,” below.

Note: If you use the -Silent command line option to run the Test Results
Deletion Tool, all test results that meet the specified criteria are deleted.
Otherwise, the Delete Test Results window opens.

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Command Line Options
You can use command line options to specify the criteria for the test results
that you want to delete. Following is a description of each command line
option.

Note: If you add command line options that contain spaces, you must
specify the option within quotes, for example:

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Test "F:TestsKeepweb objects"

-Domain Quality_Center_domain_name
Specifies the name of the Quality Center domain to which you want to
connect. This option should be used in conjunction with the -Server,
-Project, -User, and -Password options.

-FromDate results_creation_date
Deletes test results created after the specified date. Results created on or
before this date are not deleted. The format of the date is MM/DD/YYYY.

The following example deletes all results created after November 1, 2002.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Silent -Test "C:teststest1" -FromDate "11/1/2002"

-Log log_file_path
Creates a log file containing an entry for each test results file in the folder or
test you specified. The log file indicates which results were deleted and the
reasons why other results were not. For example, results may not be deleted
if they are smaller than the minimum file size you specified.

You can specify a file path and name or use the default path and name. If
you do not specify a file name, the default log file name is
TestResultsDeletionTool.log in the folder where the Test Results Deletion
Tool is located.

The following example creates a log file in C:tempLog.txt.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Silent -Log "C:tempLog.txt" -Test "C:teststest1"

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The following example creates a log file named TestResultsDeletionTool.log
in the folder where the Test Results Deletion Tool is located.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Silent -Log -Test "C:teststest1"

-MinSize minimum_file_size
Deletes test results larger than or equal to the specified minimum file size.
Specify the size in bytes.

Note: The -MinSize option is available only for test results in the file system.
It is not supported when working with tests in Quality Center.

The following example deletes all results larger than or equal to 10000 bytes.
Results that are smaller than 10000 bytes are not deleted.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Silent -Test "C:teststest1" -MinSize "10000"

-Name result_file_name
Specifies the name(s) of the result file(s) to be deleted. Only results with the
specified name(s) are deleted.

You can use regular expressions to specify criteria for the result file(s) you
want to delete. For more information about regular expressions and regular
expression syntax, see “Understanding and Using Regular Expressions” on
page 290.

The following example deletes results with the name Res1.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Silent -Test "C:teststest1" -Name "Res1"

The following example deletes all results whose name starts with Res plus
one additional character. (For example, Res1 and ResD would be deleted.
ResDD would not be deleted.)

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Silent -Test "C:teststest1" -Name "Res."

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-Password Quality_Center_password
Specifies the password for the Quality Center user name. This option should
be used in conjunction with the -Domain, -Server, -Project, and -User
options.

The following example connects to the Default Quality Center domain,
using the server located at http://QCServer/qcbin, with the project named
Quality Center_Demo, using the user name Admin and the password
PassAdmin.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Domain "Default" -Server "http://QCServer/qcbin"
-Project "Quality Center_Demo" -User "Admin" -Password "PassAdmin"

-Project Quality_Center_project_name
Specifies the name of the Quality Center project to which you want to
connect. This option should be used in conjunction with the -Domain, -
Server, -User, and -Password options.

-Recursive
Deletes test results from all tests in a specified folder and its subfolders.
When using the -Recursive option, the -Test option should contain the
path of the folder that contains the tests results you want to delete (and not
the path of a specific test).

The following example deletes all results in the F:Tests folder and all of its
subfolders.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Test "F:Tests" -Recursive

Note: The -Recursive option is available only for folders in the file system. It
is not supported when working with tests in Quality Center.

-Server Quality_Center_server_path
Specifies the full path of the Quality Center server to which you want to
connect. This option should be used in conjunction with the -Domain,
-Project, -User, and -Password options.

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-Silent
Instructs the Test Results Deletion Tool to run in the background (silently),
without the user interface.

The following example instructs the Test Results Deletion Tool to run
silently and delete all results located in C:teststest1.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Silent -Test "C:teststest1"

-Test test_or_folder_path
Sets the test or test path from which the Test Results Deletion Tool deletes
test results. You can specify a test name and path, file system path, or full
Quality Center path.

This option is available only when used in conjunction with the -Silent
option.

Note: The -Domain, -Server, -Project, -User, and -Password options must
be used to connect to Quality Center.

The following example deletes all results in the F:TestsKeepwebobjects
test.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Test "F:TestsKeepwebobjects"

The following example deletes all results in the Quality Center
Testswebobjects test:

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Domain "Default" -Server "http://QCServer/qcbin" -
Project "Quality Center_Demo592" -User "Admin" -Password "PassAdmin" -
Test "SubjectTestswebobjects"

Note: The -Test option can be combined with the -Recursive option to
delete all test results in the specified folder and all its subfolders.

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-UntilDate results_creation_date
Deletes test results created before the specified date. Results created on or
after this date are not deleted. The format of the date is MM/DD/YYYY.

option.

The following example deletes all results created before November 1, 2002.

TestResultsDeletionTool.exe -Silent -Test "C:teststest1" -UntilDate "11/1/2002"

-User Quality_Center_user_name
Specifies the user name for the Quality Center project to which you want to
connect. This option should be used in conjunction with the -Domain, -
Server, -Project, and -Password options.

option.

Submitting Defects Detected During a Run Session
You can instruct QuickTest to automatically submit a defect to a Quality
Center project for each failed step in your test or component. You can also
manually submit a defect for a specific step to Quality Center directly from
within your QuickTest Test Results window. These options are only available
when you are connected to a Quality Center project.

For more information about working with Quality Center and QuickTest,
see Chapter 40, “Working with Quality Center.” For additional information
about Quality Center, refer to the Mercury Quality Center User’s Guide.

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Manually Submitting Defects to a Quality Center Project
When viewing the results of a run session, you can submit any defects
detected to a Quality Center project directly from the Test Results window.

To manually submit a defect to Quality Center:
1 Choose Tools > Quality Center Connection or click the Quality Center
Connection button to connect to a Quality Center project. For additional
information, see “Connecting to Quality Center from the Test Results
Window,” below.

Note: If you do not connect to a Quality Center project before proceeding to
the next step, QuickTest prompts you to connect before continuing.

2 Choose Tools > Add Defect or click the Add Defect button to open the Add
Defect dialog box in the specified Quality Center project. The Add Defect
dialog box opens.
3 You can modify the Defect Information if required. Basic information about
the test or component and any checkpoints (if applicable) is included in the
description:

4 Click Submit to add the defect information to the Quality Center project.
5 Click Close to close the Add Defect dialog box.

Connecting to Quality Center from the Test Results Window
To manually submit defects to Quality Center from the Test Results window,
you must be connected to Quality Center.

The connection process has two stages. First, you connect QuickTest to a
local or remote Quality Center Web server. This server handles the
connections between QuickTest and the Quality Center project.

Next, you choose the project in which you want to report the defects.

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Note that Quality Center projects are password-protected, so you must
provide a user name and a password.

To connect QuickTest to Quality Center:
Connection button. The Quality Center Connection dialog box opens.

2 In the Server box, type the URL address of the Web server where Quality
Center is installed.

Note: You can choose a Web server accessible via a Local Area Network
(LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN).

3 Click Connect.
Once the connection to the server is established, the server’s name is
displayed in read-only format in the Server box.

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4 If you are connecting to a project in TestDirector 7.6 or later, or Quality
Center 8.0 or later, in the Domain box, select the domain which contains
the TestDirector or Quality Center project.
If you are connecting to a project in TestDirector 7.2, skip this step.
5 In the Project box, select the desired project with which you want to work.
6 In the User name box, type a user name for opening the selected project.
7 In the Password box, type the password.
8 Click Connect to connect QuickTest to the selected project.
Once the connection to the selected project is established, the project’s
name is displayed in read-only format in the Project box.
9 To automatically reconnect to the Quality Center server and the selected
project the next time you open QuickTest or the Test Results viewer, select
the Reconnect on startup check box.
10 If the Reconnect on startup check box is selected, then the Save password
for reconnection on startup check box is enabled. To save your password for
reconnection on startup, select the Save password for reconnection on
startup check box.
If you do not save your password, you will be prompted to enter it when
QuickTest connects to Quality Center on startup.
11 Click Close to close the Quality Center Connection dialog box. The Quality
Center icon is displayed on the status bar to indicate that QuickTest is
currently connected to a Quality Center project.

Tip: You can open the Quality Center Connection dialog box by double-
clicking the Quality Center icon in the status bar.

You can disconnect from a Quality Center project and/or server. Note that if
you disconnect QuickTest from a Quality Center server without first
disconnecting from a project, QuickTest’s connection to that project
database is automatically disconnected.

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To disconnect QuickTest from Quality Center:
Connection button. The Quality Center Connection dialog box opens.

2 To disconnect QuickTest from the selected project, in the Project connection
area, click Disconnect.
3 To disconnect QuickTest from the selected Web server, in the Server
connection area, click Disconnect.
4 Click Close to close the Quality Center Connection dialog box.

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Automatically Submitting Defects to a Quality Center Project
You can instruct QuickTest to automatically submit a defect to the Quality
Center project specified in the Quality Center Connection dialog box
(Tools > Quality Center Connection) for each failed step in your test or
component.

To automatically submit defects to Quality Center:
1 Choose Tools > Options or click the Options button. The Options dialog box
opens.
2 Click the Run tab.

3 Select the Submit a defect to Quality Center for each failed step check box.
4 Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

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A sample of the information that is submitted to Quality Center for each
defect is shown below:

Viewing WinRunner Test Steps in the Test Results
If your QuickTest test includes a call to a WinRunner test and
WinRunner 7.6 or later is installed on your computer, you can view detailed
results of the WinRunner steps within your QuickTest Test Results window.

Note: You can view the WinRunner test steps of a result created using
QuickTest Professional 8.0 only after you have installed patch WR76P44 -
Support WR/QTP integration on WinRunner 7.6. This patch is available in
the patch database on the Mercury Interactive Customer Support site
(http://support.mercury.com).

Tip: If you have WinRunner version 7.5 installed on your computer, you
can view basic information about the WinRunner test run in the QuickTest
Test Results window. You can also open the WinRunner Test Results window
for additional details.

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The left pane of the QuickTest test results include a node for each
WinRunner event that would normally be included in the WinRunner
results. When you select a node corresponding to a WinRunner test event or
function call, the right pane displays a summary of the called WinRunner
test or function and details about the selected event.

The start and end of the WinRunner test are indicated in the results tree by
test run icons. WinRunner events are indicated by WinRunner icons.
Calls to WinRunner functions are indicated by icons.

When you select a step in a WinRunner test, the top right pane displays the
results summary for the WinRunner test. The summary includes the start
and end time of the test, total run time, operator name, and summary
results of the checkpoints performed during the test.

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The bottom right pane displays the following information:

Option Description

Event name The name of the selected step.

Result The status (pass or fail) of the step.

Line number The line number of the step within the WinRunner
test.

Event time The time when the event was performed.

Description Displays additional information about the selected
step followed by a link to the WinRunner details for
the step.
For example, clicking the link for a GUI checkpoint
that checks the enabled property of a push button
displays a WinRunner dialog box similar to the
following:

Note: You must have WinRunner 7.6 or later
installed on your computer to view
WinRunner details for a selected step.

For more information on running WinRunner tests and functions from
QuickTest, see Chapter 39, “Working with WinRunner.”

605


Customizing the Test Results Display
The results of each QuickTest run session are saved in a single .xml file
(called results.xml). This .xml file stores information about each of the test
result nodes in the display. The information in these nodes is used to
dynamically create .htm files that are shown in the top-right pane of the
Test Results window.

Each node in the test results tree is an element in the results.xml file. In
addition, there are different elements that represent different types of
information displayed in the test results. You can take test result
information from the .xml file and use XSL to display the information you
require in a customized format (either when printing from within the
QuickTest Test Results window or when displaying test results in your own
customized results viewer).

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The diagram below shows the correlation between some of the elements in
the .xml file and the items they represent in the test results.

Report element
DT element
AIter element
Action element

TName element
Res element

sTime and
eTime attributes
of Summary
element

Step element

Test Summary
attributes

XSL provides you with the tools to describe exactly which test result
information to display and exactly where and how to display/print it. You
can also modify the .css file referenced by the .xsl file, to change the
appearance of the report (for example, fonts, colors, and so forth).

For example, in the results.xml file, one element tag contains the name of
an action, and another element tag contains information about the time at
which the run session is performed. Using XSL, you could tell your
customized test results viewer that the action name should be displayed in a
specific place on the page and in a bold green font, and that the time
information should not be displayed at all.

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You may find it easier to modify the existing .xsl and .css files provided with
QuickTest, instead of creating your own customized files from scratch. The
files are located in <QuickTest Installation Folder>dat, and are named as
follows:

➤ PShort.xsl—Specifies the content of the test results report printed when you
select the Short option in the Print dialog box.
➤ PDetails.xsl—Specifies the content of the test results report printed when
you select the Detailed option in the Print dialog box.
➤ PSelection.xsl—Specifies the content of the test results report printed when
you select the Selection option in the Print dialog box.
➤ PResults.css—Specifies the appearance of the test results print preview. This
file is referenced by all three .xsl files.
For more information on printing test results using a customized .xsl file, see
“Printing Test Results” on page 555.

For information about the structure of the XML schema, and a description
of the elements and attributes you can use to customize the test results
reports, refer to the XML Report Help (located in <QuickTest Professional
installation folder>helpXMLReport.chm).

608

24
Setting Global Testing Options

You can control how QuickTest records and runs tests and components by
setting global testing options.


➤ About Setting Global Testing Options
➤ Using the Options Dialog Box
➤ Setting General Testing Options
➤ Setting Folder Testing Options
➤ Setting Active Screen Options
➤ Setting Run Testing Options
➤ Setting Windows Application Testing Options
➤ Setting Web Testing Options

About Setting Global Testing Options
Global testing options affect how you record and run tests and components,
as well as the general appearance of QuickTest. For example, you can choose
not to display the Welcome screen when QuickTest starts, or set timing-
related settings used by QuickTest when running a test or component. The
values you set remain in effect for all tests and components and for
subsequent testing sessions.

You can also set testing options that affect only the test or component
currently open in QuickTest. For more information, see Chapter 25, “Setting
Options for Individual Tests or Components.”

611

Part V • Configuring QuickTest

Using the Options Dialog Box
You can use the Options dialog box to modify your testing options. The
values you set remain in effect for all subsequent record and run sessions.

To set global testing options:
dialog box opens. It is divided by subject into several tabbed pages.

Note: The Web tab shown above is displayed only if the Web Add-in is
installed and loaded.

2 Select the required tab and set the options as necessary. See the table below
for more information on the available options in each tab.
3 Click Apply to apply your changes and keep the dialog box open, or click OK
to save your changes and close the dialog box.

612

Chapter 24 • Setting Global Testing Options

The Options dialog box can contain the following tabbed pages:

Tab Heading Contains:

General Options for general test settings. For more
information, see “Setting General Testing

Folders Options for entering the folders (search paths)
in which QuickTest searches for tests, actions,
or files that are specified as relative paths in
dialog boxes and statements. For more
information, see “Setting Folder Testing

Active Screen Options for configuring which information
QuickTest saves and displays in the Active
Screen while recording. For more information,
see “Setting Active Screen Options” on
page 618.

Run Options for running tests. For more
information, see “Setting Run Testing Options”
on page 625.

Windows Applications Options for configuring how QuickTest records
and runs tests for the following Windows
applications:
• Standard Windows applications
• .NET Windows Forms
• Visual Basic
• ActiveX
For more information, see “Setting Windows
Application Testing Options” on page 628.

Web Options for configuring recording and run
(displayed only if the Web session behavior in the Web environment. For
Add-in is installed and loaded) more information, see “Setting Web Testing

The Options dialog box may contain additional tabs for any external
add-ins that are currently installed and loaded.

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Setting General Testing Options
The General tab options affect the general appearance of QuickTest and
other general testing options.

The General tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Display Add-in Manager on Determines whether the Add-in Manager is
startup displayed when starting QuickTest. For information
on working with the Add-in Manager, see “Loading
QuickTest Add-ins” on page 732.

Display Welcome screen on Determines whether the Welcome screen is
startup displayed when starting QuickTest.

Disable recognition of Determines whether the defined virtual objects
virtual objects while stored in the Virtual Object Manager are recognized
recording while recording. For more information, see
Chapter 16, “Learning Virtual Objects.”

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Option Description

Automatically generate Instructs QuickTest to automatically generate With
“With” statements after statements when you record. For more
recording information, see “Generating ”With” Statements
for Your Test or Component” on page 491.

Generate “With” Indicates the minimum number of identical,
statements for __ or more consecutive objects for which you want to apply
objects the With statement. This setting is used when
QuickTest automatically generates With statements
after recording and when you select to generate
With statements for an existing action.
Default = 2.
For more information, see “Generating ”With”
Statements for Your Test or Component” on
page 491.

When pointing at a Specifies the time (in tenths of a second) that
window, activate it after __ QuickTest waits before it sets the focus on an
tenths of a second application window when using the pointing hand
to point to an object in the application (for Object
Spy, checkpoints, Step Generator, Recovery
Scenario Wizard, and so on).
Default = 5.

Save data for integrating Instructs QuickTest to save the relevant data to
with Mercury performance enable Mercury performance testing and
testing and application application management products to use
management products QuickTest tests.
Note: The data is saved with each individual test.

Restore Layout Restores the layout of the QuickTest window so
that it displays the panes in their default sizes and
positions.

Generate Script Generates an automation script containing the
current global testing options. For more
information, see “Automating QuickTest
Operations” on page 919, or refer to the QuickTest
Automation Object Model Reference (Help > QuickTest
Automation Object Model Reference).

615


Setting Folder Testing Options
The Folders tab enables you to enter the folders (search paths) in which
QuickTest searches for tests, actions, or files that are specified as relative paths in
dialog boxes and statements. For example, suppose you add the folder in which
all of your tests are stored to the folders list. If you later insert a copy of an
action to a test, you only have to enter the name of the test containing the
action you want to insert in the Insert Copy of Action dialog box. QuickTest
searches for the test’s path in the folders you specified in the Folders tab.

Note: The current test or component is listed in the Search list by default. It
cannot be deleted.

The order in which the folders are displayed in the search list determines the
order in which QuickTest searches for the specified test, component, action,
or file.

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The Folders tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Search list Indicates the folders in which QuickTest searches for tests,
actions, or files. If you define folders here, you do not
need to designate the full path of a test, component,
action, or file in other dialog boxes or call statements. The
order of the search paths in the list determines the order
in which QuickTest searches for a specified action or file.

Adds a new folder to the search list.
Tip: To add a Quality Center path when connected to
Quality Center, click this button. QuickTest adds
[QualityCenter], and displays a browse button so that
you can locate the Quality Center path.
When not connected to Quality Center, hold the
SHIFT key and click this button. QuickTest adds
[QualityCenter], and you enter the path. You can also
type the entire Quality Center path manually. If you
do, you must add a space after [QualityCenter]. For
example: [QualityCenter] SubjectTests.
Note that QuickTest searches Quality Center project
folders only when you are connected to the
corresponding Quality Center project.

Deletes the selected folder from the search list.

Moves the selected folder up in the list.

Moves the selected folder down in the list.

Tip: You can use a PathFinder.Locate statement in your test to retrieve the
complete path that QuickTest will use for a specified relative path based on
the folders specified in the Folders tab. For more information, refer to the

617


Setting Active Screen Options
The Active Screen tab enables you to specify which information QuickTest
saves and displays in the Active Screen while recording and running tests
and components.

Tip: The more information saved in the Active Screen, the easier it is to edit
the test or component after it is recorded. However, more information saved
in the Active Screen adds to the recording time and disk space required. This
is especially critical in Visual Basic, ActiveX, and .NET Windows Forms
environments.

You can increase or decrease the amount of information saved in your test
or component after it is recorded. For more information, see “Can I increase
or decrease Active Screen information after I finish recording a test?” on
page 1008.

618


Note: When you are recording on an MDI (Multiple Document Interface)
application, the Active Screen does not capture information for non-active
child frames.

The Active Screen tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Capture level Specifies the objects for which QuickTest stores data
in the Active Screen.
Use the slider to select one of the following options:
• Complete—Captures all properties of all objects
in the application’s active window/dialog
box/Web page in the Active Screen of each step.
This level saves Web pages after any dynamic
changes and saves Active Screen files in a
compressed format.
• Partial—(Default). Captures all properties of all
objects in the application’s active
window/dialog box/Web page in the Active
Screen of the first step performed in an
application’s window, plus all properties of the
recorded object in subsequent steps in the same
window. This level saves Web pages after any
dynamic changes and saves Active Screen files in
a compressed format.
• Minimum—Captures properties only for the
recorded object and its parent in the Active
Screen of each step. This level saves the original
source HTML of all Web pages (prior to dynamic
changes) and saves Active Screen files in a
compressed format.
• None—Disables capturing of Active Screen files
for all applications and Web pages.

Custom Level Enables you to specify custom Active Screen
options. For more information, see “Custom Active
Screen Capture Settings” on page 620.

619


Option Description

Default Level Returns the capture level settings to the predefined
default level (Partial).

Advanced Enables you to define the appearance of Web pages
in the Active Screen, see “Web Page Appearance” on
page 623.

Custom Active Screen Capture Settings
The Custom Active Screen Capture Settings dialog box enables you to
customize how QuickTest captures and saves Active Screen information.

Note: The Custom Active Screen Capture Settings dialog box may also
contain options applicable to any QuickTest external add-ins installed on
your computer. For information regarding these options, refer to the
documentation provided with the specific add-in.

620


General Options
You can specify the type of compression QuickTest uses for storing captured
Active Screen information.

➤ Simple—Instructs QuickTest to save Active Screen captures in standard
uncompressed file formats (for example, .html and .png).
➤ Compressed—Instructs QuickTest to save Active Screen captures in a
compressed (zipped) file format. Using this option saves disk space, but it
may affect the time it takes to load images in the Active Screen. This is the
default option.

Windows Applications Options
You can specify which properties are captured for each object in a Windows
application when it is captured for the Active Screen.

➤ Complete—Instructs QuickTest to save all properties of all objects in the
application’s open window/dialog box in the Active Screen of each step.
This option makes it possible for you to insert checkpoints and perform
other operations on any object in the window/dialog box, from the Active
Screen for any step.
➤ Partial—(Default). Instructs QuickTest to save all properties of all objects in
the application’s open window/dialog box in the Active Screen of the first
step performed in an application’s window, plus all properties of the
recorded object in subsequent steps in the same window.
This option makes it possible for you to insert checkpoints and perform
other operations on any object displayed in the Active Screen, while
conserving recording time and disk space. Note that with this option the
Active Screen information may not be fully updated for subsequent steps.
➤ Minimum—Instructs QuickTest to save properties only for the recorded
object and its parent in the Active Screen of each step.
This option enables speedy recording and requires relatively little disk space.
However, you can insert checkpoints and perform other operations only on
the recorded object and on the window/dialog box itself. You cannot
perform operations on the other objects displayed in the Active Screen.

621


➤ None—Disables capture of Active Screen files for Windows applications.
This option allows extremely fast recording and requires only a minimum of
disk space. However, you cannot perform post-recording test editing from
the Active Screen.

Web Options
You can specify whether QuickTest captures Web pages for the Active Screen.

➤ Disable Active Screen capture—Disables the screen capture of all steps in the
Active Screen.
If you do not select this option, you can also delete Active Screen
information after you have finished editing your test by selecting Save As,
and clearing the Save Active Screen files check box. For more information,
see “Saving a Test” on page 96.
➤ Capture original HTML source—Captures the HTML source of Web pages as
they appear originally, before any scripts are run. Deselecting this option
instructs QuickTest to capture the HTML source of Web pages after any
dynamic changes have been made to the HTML source (for example, by
scripts running automatically when the page is loaded).

Reset Custom Settings
You can reset the custom settings to one of the predefined levels provided
with QuickTest (Complete, Partial, Minimum, or None) by choosing a level
from the Reset to list and clicking Reset. For more information on the
available capture levels, see “Windows Applications Options” on page 621.

622


Web Page Appearance
The Web Page Appearance dialog box enables you to modify how QuickTest
displays captured Web pages in the Active Screen.

The Web Page Appearance dialog box contains the following options:

➤ Run scripts—Specifies whether QuickTest runs scripts when a page is loaded
in the Active Screen, according to one of the following options:
➤ Enabled—Runs scripts whenever loading a page in the Active Screen.
➤ Automatic—Runs scripts as needed, according to the page that is
displayed.
➤ Disabled—Prevents scripts from running when loading a page in the
Active Screen.

Note: This option refers only to scripts that run automatically when the
page loaded. It does not enable you to activate scripts in the Active Screen
by performing an operation on the screen.

623


➤ Load ActiveX controls—Instructs QuickTest to load ActiveX controls from
your browser page to the Active Screen, so that for each step you can
preview how the page is actually displayed in the application. If this option
is cleared, a default ActiveX image is displayed in the Active Screen for all
ActiveX control objects.
➤ Load images—Instructs QuickTest to load images from your browser page to
the Active Screen.
➤ Load Java applets—Instructs QuickTest to load Java applets from your
browser page to the Active Screen, so that for each step you can preview
how the page is actually displayed in the application. If this option is
cleared, a default Java image is displayed in the Active Screen for all Java
applet objects.

Notes:

QuickTest loads ActiveX controls or Java applets to the Active Screen in
view-only mode. You cannot perform operations or retrieve additional
information on the loaded ActiveX or Java objects.
To perform operations on these items from the Active Screen, you must load
the relevant add-in and then record directly on the ActiveX or Java object.
ActiveX controls or Java applets that are loaded to the Active Screen may
not work exactly as they do in the application. In some cases, this may cause
unexpected behavior, depending on the implementation of the specific
controls or applets that are loaded.

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Setting Run Testing Options
The Run tab options affect how QuickTest runs tests and components and
displays test results.

625



Option Description

Run mode Instructs QuickTest how to run your test or
component:
Normal (displays execution marker)—Runs your
test or component with the execution arrow to
the left of the Keyword View or Expert View,
marking each step or statement as it is
performed. If the test contains multiple actions,
the tree in the Keyword View Item column
expands to display the steps, and the Expert
View displays the script, of the currently
running action. This option requires more
system resources.
Note: You must have Microsoft Script Debugger
installed to enable this mode. For more
information, refer to the QuickTest
Installation Guide.
Fast—Runs your test or component without the
execution arrow to the left of the Keyword View
or Expert View and does not expand the item
tree or display the script of each action as it
runs. This option requires fewer system
resources.

Submit a defect to Quality Instructs QuickTest to automatically submit a
Center for each failed step defect to Quality Center for each failed step in
your test or component. This option is available
only when you are connected to a Quality
Center project. For more information, see
“Automatically Submitting Defects to a Quality
Center Project” on page 602.

View results when run session Instructs QuickTest to display the results
ends automatically following the run session.

Allow other Mercury products Enables other Mercury products such as Quality
to run tests and components Center and Test Batch Runner to run QuickTest
tests and components. This option is not
required to enable WinRunner to run QuickTest
tests and components.

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Option Description

Save step screen capture to Instructs QuickTest when to capture and save
results images of the application during the run session
to display them in the results.
Choose an option from the list:
• Always—Captures images of each step,
whether the step fails or passes.
• On errors—Captures images only if the step
fails.
• On errors and warnings—Captures images
only if the step returns a failed or warning
status.
• Never—Never captures images.

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Setting Windows Application Testing Options
The Windows Applications tab options allow you to configure how
QuickTest records and runs tests and components for Standard Windows,
ActiveX, .NET Windows Forms, and Visual Basic applications.

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The Windows Applications tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Attached text Enables you to specify the search criteria that QuickTest
uses to retrieve an object’s attached text. An object’s
attached text is the closest static text within a specified
radius from a specified point. The retrieved attached text
is saved in the object’s corresponding text or attached text
test object property.
Note: Sometimes the static text that you believe to be
closest to an object is not actually the closest static
text. You may need to use trial and error to make
sure that the attached text is the static text object
of your choice.
Search radius—Indicates the maximum distance, in
pixels, that QuickTest searches for attached text.
Search area—Indicates the point on an object from which
QuickTest searches for the object’s attached text.

• Top-Left—top-left corner
• Top—midpoint of the two top corners
• Top-Right—top-right corner
• Right—midpoint of the two right corners
• Bottom-Right—bottom-right corner
• Bottom—midpoint of the two bottom corners
• Bottom-Left—bottom-left corner
• Left—midpoint of the two left corners
Open menu to Instructs QuickTest to open menu objects before
retrieve item retrieving menu item properties during a run session.
properties Note: Selecting this option may slow the run, but it can
be useful if menu item properties change upon
opening the menu.
This option, selected by default, sets the default
behavior for all menu objects. You can use the
ExpandMenu method to set this behavior for a
specified menu object. For more information, refer

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Option Description

Record non-unique Determines what QuickTest records when more than one
list items item (in a list or tree) has an identical name.
• by name—Records the item’s name.
When the test or component runs, QuickTest finds
and selects the first instance of the name, no matter
which item was chosen during recording. Select this
option if the all items with the same name have
identical properties.
• by index—Records the item’s index number.
Select this option if items with the same name do not
necessarily have identical properties.

Record owner- Instructs QuickTest how to identify and record custom-
drawn buttons as made buttons in the application.
• push buttons
• check boxes
• radio buttons
• objects
Note: Choosing objects records each owner-drawn button
either as a WinObject or as a virtual object. For the
latter, you must also define the virtual object. For
more information, see “Defining a Virtual Object”
on page 333.

Advanced Opens the Advanced Windows Applications Options
dialog box, where you can customize record and run
options for your Windows applications. For more
information, see “Advanced Windows Applications

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Advanced Windows Applications Options
The Advanced Windows Applications Options dialog box enables you to
modify how QuickTest records and runs tests or components on Windows-
based applications, such as ActiveX or Visual Basic. You can click the Reset
button at any time to reset all options to their default settings.

Object Identification Options
You can specify the method QuickTest uses to identify objects when running
a test or component.

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The Advanced Windows Applications Options dialog box includes the
following Object identification options:

Option Description

Always enumerate child Instructs QuickTest to enumerate all child windows
windows (may affect when recording and running a test or component.
performance) This option is cleared by default and should be used
only when an object cannot otherwise be identified,
because it may significantly affect performance. For
more information, see “Advanced Information” on
page 637.

Record Settings Options
You can specify how QuickTest treats certain objects when recording a test
or component.

following Record settings options:

Category Option

Button Defines record settings for button objects:
• Record only the object’s basic operation—
Enables simplified recording on the button.
Using this mode may improve recognition of
user operations in non-standard cases. This
option is cleared by default and should be used
only when the default recording method does
not meet your needs. For more information, see
“Advanced Information” on page 637.
• Record Click—Specifies whether the Click
operation should be recorded when the mouse
button is pressed (On mouse button down) or
when the mouse button is released (On mouse
button up). This option is only enabled when
Record only the object’s basic operation is
selected. Default = On mouse button up.

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Category Option

List Defines record settings for Windows-based list
objects (for example, WinList, WinListView, and
VbList):
Enables simplified recording on the list. Using
this mode may improve recognition of user
operations in non-standard cases. This option is
cleared by default and should be used only when
the default recording method does not meet
your needs. For more information, see
• Record Select—Specifies whether the Select

Menu Defines record settings for menu objects:
• Enable recording—Specifies whether QuickTest
records operations on menu controls. For
example, you may want QuickTest to ignore the
actual process of selecting a menu to open
another window. This option is selected by
default.
• Menu recording mode—Specifies whether
QuickTest verifies or ignores menu initialization
events before recording operations on menu
controls. This option is only enabled when
Enable recording is selected. Default = Verify
menu initialization event.
For more information, see “Advanced
Information” on page 637.

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Category Option

Object Defines record settings for objects recognized as
WinObject test objects:
Enables simplified recording on the WinObject
test object. Using this mode may improve
recognition of user operations in non-standard
cases. This option is cleared by default and
should be used only when the default recording
method does not meet your needs. For more
information, see “Advanced Information” on
page 637.
selected. Default = On mouse button down.

Tab Defines record settings for tab objects:
Enables simplified recording on the tab. Using
this mode may improve recognition of user
operations in non-standard cases. This option is
cleared by default and should be used only when
the default recording method does not meet
your needs. For more information, see

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Category Option

Toolbar Defines record settings for toolbar objects:
Enables simplified recording on the toolbar.
• Record Press—Specifies whether the Press

Tree view Defines record settings for tree view objects:
Enables simplified recording on the tree view.
• Record tree items—Specifies whether tree items
are recorded By name or By virtual index.
Default = By name.

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Category Option

Window Defines record settings for window objects:
Enables simplified recording on the window.

Keyboard Defines record settings for operations performed on
the keyboard:
• Keyboard state detection—Specifies which API
QuickTest should use to detect the keyboard
state. Default = Standard.
For more information, see “Advanced
Information” on page 637.

Utility object Defines record settings for utility objects:
• Record SystemUtil.Run commands—Specifies
whether QuickTest records SystemUtil.Run
commands when you open an application
during a recording session. This option is
selected by default. For more information on the
SystemUtil.Run method, refer to the QuickTest

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Run Settings Options
You can specify how QuickTest treats certain objects when running a test or
component.

following Run settings options:

Option Description

Edit Box Defines run settings for Edit objects:
• Click Edit box before inserting text—Specifies
whether QuickTest performs a Click operation
to set the focus in an edit box before inserting
text in it while running a test or component.
This option is cleared by default.
• Use keyboard events to perform Set
operations—When selected, instructs QuickTest
to simulate keyboard events when performing
Set operations on edit boxes during a run
session. When cleared, instructs QuickTest to use
API or Window messages for edit box Set
operations. This option is cleared by default.

Advanced Information
The following information is intended for users with expertise in the Win32
API and the Windows messages model. It expands on the information
provided for some of the Advanced Windows Applications options in the
previous section.

Always enumerate child windows
If QuickTest does not correctly record an object in your application, you can
select this option to force QuickTest to enumerate all windows in the
system. This means that even when QuickTest looks for a window without
WS_CHILD style, it enumerates all windows in the system and not only the
top-level windows.

You should select this option if there is a window in your application that
does not have a WS_CHILD style but does have a parent (not an owner)
window.

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Record only the object’s basic operation
In general, QuickTest records operations on Windows objects based on
Windows messages sent by the application. QuickTest recognizes the
sequence of Windows messages sent to a specific application window by the
system, and uses a smart algorithm to determine which operation to record.

In rare cases (where a non-standard message sequence is used), the smart
algorithm may record unwanted operations. Select this option if you want
to record only the object’s basic operation when the selected event occurs.
When you select this option, you can also select when to record the
operation. If you select On mouse button down, QuickTest records the
operation performed when a WM_LBUTTONDOWN message is detected; if
you select On mouse button up, QuickTest records the operation performed
when a WM_LBUTTONUP message is detected.

Keyboard state detection
If QuickTest does not correctly record keyboard key combinations (for
example, CTRL+Y, or ALT+CTRL+HOME), you can try changing the default
setting for this option. Following is a brief explanation of each of the
options:

➤ Standard—Uses the GetKeyboardState API to detect the keyboard state. For
more information, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/winui/
winui/windowsuserinterface/userinput/keyboardinput/
keyboardinputreference/keyboardinputfunctions/getkeyboardstate.asp.
➤ Alternate synchronous—Uses the GetKeyState API to detect the keyboard
state. For more information, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/
en-us/winui/winui/windowsuserinterface/userinput/keyboardinput/
keyboardinputreference/keyboardinputfunctions/getkeystate.asp.
➤ Alternate asynchronous—Uses the GetAsyncKeyState API to detect the
keyboard state. For more information, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/
library/en-us/winui/winui/windowsuserinterface/userinput/keyboardinput/
keyboardinputreference/keyboardinputfunctions/getasynckeystate.asp.

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Menu recording mode
In most applications, Windows sends a WM_CONTEXTMENU message,
WM_ENTERMENULOOP message, WM_INITMENU message,
WM_INITMENUPOPUP message, or other initialization message when a
user opens a menu. Windows then sends a WM_MENUSELECT message
when a user selects a menu item.

The Verify menu initialization event option instructs QuickTest to record
menu operations only after detecting a menu initialization message. If
QuickTest does not correctly record menu operations, or if your application
does not send initialization messages before sending WM_MENUSELECT
messages, try using the Ignore menu initialization event option. This
instructs QuickTest to always record menu operations.

Setting Web Testing Options
The Web tab options determine QuickTest’s behavior when recording and
running tests or components on Web sites.

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The Web tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Add __ seconds to page Instructs QuickTest to add a specified number of
load time seconds to the page load time property specified in
each Page checkpoint.
Note: This option is a safeguard that prevents page
checkpoints from failing in the event that
the amount of time it takes for a page to load
during the run is longer than the amount of
time it took during the record session.

Broken links - check only Instructs QuickTest to check only for broken links
links to current host that are targeted to your current host.

Page/Frame Options Opens the Page and Frame Options dialog box,
where you can customize how QuickTest records
Page and Frame test objects. For more information,
see “Page and Frame Options” on page 641.

Advanced Opens the Advanced Web Options dialog box,
where you can customize record and run options for
your Web sites. For more information, see
“Advanced Web Options” on page 644.

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Page and Frame Options
The Page and Frame Options dialog box enables you to modify how
QuickTest records Page and Frame objects. You can click the Reset button at
any time to reset all options to their default settings.

Page Options
The Create a new Page test object for options instruct QuickTest when to
create a new Page object in the object repository while recording.

Note: These options only affect how Page test objects are created; Frame test
objects are created according to the Frame options you select. For more
information, see “Frame Options” on page 643.

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The following Page options are available:

➤ Every navigation—Creates a new Page object every time you click a
hyperlink on a Web page.
➤ Different test object descriptions—Creates a new Page object for pages with
different test object descriptions, according to the properties defined for the
Page test object.

Note: The default test object description for Page objects includes only the
test object class. If you select this option, it is highly recommended that you
define object identification properties that uniquely identify different Page
objects. You should also ensure that the properties you define remain
constant over time, otherwise future runs may fail.

➤ Different URLs or a change in data transfer—(Default). Creates a new Page
object only when the page URL changes, or if the URL stays the same and
data that is transferred to the server changes, according to the data types
and transfer methods you select (below).

Notes: Clear this option to instruct QuickTest to create a new Page test
object for every navigation. (QuickTest version 5.6 and earlier worked this
way automatically.)

➤ Ignore non user-input data - Get—Instructs QuickTest to ignore non
user-input data if the Get method is used to transfer data to the server.
For example, suppose a user enters data on a Web page, and the data is
then inserted as a hidden field using the Get method. The user clicks
Submit (to send the data to the server). The new Web page is different,
according to the hidden field data. However, QuickTest does not create a
new Page test object.

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➤ Ignore non user-input data - Post—Instructs QuickTest to ignore non
user-input data if the Post method is used to transfer data to the server.
For example, suppose a user enters data on a Web page, and the data is
then inserted as a hidden field using the Post method. The user clicks
Submit (to send the data to the server). The new Web page is different,
according to the hidden field data. However, QuickTest does not create a
new Page test object.
➤ Ignore user-input data - Get—Instructs QuickTest to ignore user-input
data if the Get method is used to transfer data to the server.
For example, suppose a user enters data in a form on a Web page and
clicks Submit (to send the data to the server) using the Get method. The
new Web page is different according to the data filled in by the user.
However, QuickTest does not create a new Page test object.
➤ Ignore user-input data - Post—Instructs QuickTest to ignore user-input
data if the Post method is used to transfer data to the server.
For example, suppose a user enters data in a form on a Web page and
clicks Submit (to send the data to the server) using the Post method. The
new Web page is different according to the data filled in by the user.
However, QuickTest does not create a new Page test object.
➤ Use additional Page information—Instructs QuickTest to use additional
properties of the test object to identify an existing Page test object.

Tip: Select this option to instruct QuickTest to recognize existing pages
when the Back and Forward navigation buttons are used.

Frame Options
The Create a new Frame test object for options instruct QuickTest when to
create a new Frame object in the object repository while recording. The
Frame options are similar to the Page options (except that the Every
navigation option is not available). For more information, see “Page

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Advanced Web Options
The Advanced Web Options dialog box enables you to modify how
QuickTest records and runs tests and components on Web sites. You can
click the Reset button at any time to reset all options to their default
settings.

Accessibility Checkpoint Options
You can add accessibility checkpoints to check that Web pages and frames
conform to the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Note: All accessibility checkpoints in a test or component use the options
that are selected in this dialog box during the run session.

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The Advanced Web Options dialog box includes the following Accessibility
checkpoint options:

Option Description

Include the following Instructs QuickTest to check the selected
checks in the checkpoint accessibility elements for all accessibility
checkpoints. Choose from the following:
• ActiveX Check—Checks whether the page or
frame contains ActiveX objects. If it does,
QuickTest sends a warning and displays a list of
the objects in the Test Results.
• Alt Property Check—Checks that the <alt>
attribute exists for all relevant objects (such as
images). If one or more objects lack the required
attribute, the test or component fails and
QuickTest displays a list of the objects with the
missing attribute in the Test Results. This option
is selected by default.
• Applet Check—Checks whether the page or
frame contains Java objects. If it does, QuickTest
sends a warning and displays a list of the objects
in the Test Results.
• Frame Titles Check—Checks that the page and
all frames in the page have titles. If one or more
frames (or the page) lack the required title, the
test or component fails and QuickTest displays a
list of the frames that lack titles in the Test
Results.

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Option Description

Include the following • Multimedia Links Check—Checks whether the
checks in the checkpoint page or frame contains links to multimedia
(continued) objects. If it does, QuickTest sends a warning and
displays a list of the links in the Test Results.
• Server-side Image Check—Checks whether the
page or frame contains Server-side images. If it
does, QuickTest sends a warning and displays a
list of the images in the Test Results.
• Tables Check—Checks whether the page or
frame contains tables. If it does, QuickTest sends
a warning and displays the table format and the
tags used in each cell in the Test Results.
For more information, see “Checking Web Content
Accessibility” on page 760.

Add an automatic Instructs QuickTest to automatically add an
accessibility checkpoint to accessibility checkpoint to each Web page while
each Web page while recording, using the checks selected in the option
recording above.

Automatic Web Page Checkpoint Options
You can check that expected and actual page properties are identical. The
Advanced Web Options dialog box includes the following automatic Page
checkpoint options:

Option Description

Create a checkpoint for Instructs QuickTest to automatically add a Page
each Web page while checkpoint for each Web page navigated during the
recording recording process.
Note: If you are testing a Web page with dynamic
content, using automatic Page checkpoints
may cause the test or component to fail as
these checkpoints assume that the page
content is static between record and run
sessions.

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Option Description

Create a checkpoint for All automatic Page checkpoints include the checks
each Web page while that you select from among the following options:
recording (continued) • Broken links—Displays the number of broken
links contained in the page during the run
session.
Note: If the Broken links - check only links to
current host option is selected (see “Setting
Web Testing Options” on page 639), this
number includes only those broken links that
are targeted to the current host.

• HTML source—Checks that the expected source
code is identical to the source code during the
run session.

• HTML tags—Checks that the expected HTML
tags in the source code are identical to those in
the run session.

• Image source—Checks that the expected source
paths of the images are identical to the sources
in the run session.

• Links URL—Checks that the expected URL
addresses for the links are identical to the URL
addresses in the source code during the run
session.

• Load time—Checks that the expected time it
takes for the page to load during the run session
is less than or equal to the amount of time it
took during the record session PLUS the amount
of time specified in the Add seconds to page
load time option (see “Setting Web Testing
Options” on page 639).

• Number of images—Checks that the expected
number of images is identical to the number
displayed in the run session.

• Number of links—Checks that the expected
number of links is identical to the number
displayed in the run session.

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Option Description

Ignore automatic Instructs QuickTest to ignore the automatically
checkpoints while running added Page checkpoints while running your test or
tests or components component.

Record Settings
You can set the preferences for recording Web objects. The Advanced Web
Options dialog box includes the following Record options:

Option Description

Enable Web support for When selected, QuickTest treats relevant objects in
Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows Explorer as Web objects.
Explorer When cleared, QuickTest does not record events on
Web pages displayed in Microsoft Windows
Explorer.
Note: After modifying this setting, for the change to
take effect, you must close all instances of
Microsoft Windows Explorer (confirm that
all explorer.exe processes are closed in the
Windows Task Manager or restart the
computer) and then restart QuickTest.

Record coordinates Records the actual coordinates relative to the object
for each operation.

Record MouseDown and Records a Click method for MouseUp and
MouseUp as Click MouseDown events.

Record Navigate for all Records a Navigate statement each time a Frame
navigation operations URL changes.

Use standard Windows Instructs QuickTest to use standard Windows mouse
mouse events events instead of browser events for the following
events:
• OnClick
• OnMouseDown
• OnMouseUp
Note: Use this option only if the events are not
properly recorded using browser events.

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If QuickTest does not record Web events in a way that matches your needs,
you can also configure the events you want to record for each type of Web
object. For example, if you want to record events, such as a mouseover that
opens a sub-menu, you may need to modify the your Web event
configuration to recognize such events. For more information, see
Chapter 35, “Configuring Web Event Recording.”

Run Settings
You can set the preferences for working with Web objects during a run
session. The Advanced Web Options dialog box includes the following Run
options:

Option Description

Browser cleanup Closes all open browsers when the current test or
component closes.
When this option is selected, all currently open
browsers are closed when the current test or
component closes, regardless of whether the
browsers were opened before or after QuickTest.

Run only click Runs Click events using the MouseDown event, the
MouseUp event, and the Click event, or using only
the Click event.

Replay type Configures how to run mouse operations according
to the selected option:
• Event—Runs mouse operations using browser
events.
• Mouse—Runs mouse operations using the
mouse.

Run using source index Uses the source index property for better
performance.

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Option Description

Enable browser resize on If this option is selected and you resize the browser
record/run during a recording session, QuickTest resizes the
browser to this size when a subsequent run session
begins. At the end of a run session, the browser
returns to its default size.
Note: To use this option, select the Open the
following browser option in the Record and
Run Settings dialog box before recording.
When this option is cleared, QuickTest does not
change the browser size when a run session begins.

650

25
Setting Options for Individual Tests or
Components

You can control how QuickTest records and runs different tests and
components by setting specific testing options for any individual test or
component.


➤ About Setting Options for Individual Tests or Components
➤ Using the Test Settings Dialog Box
➤ Using the Business Component Settings Dialog Box
➤ Defining Properties for Your Test
➤ Defining Properties for Your Component
➤ Defining Run Settings for Your Test
➤ Defining a Snapshot for Your Component
➤ Defining Application Settings for Your Component
➤ Defining Resource Settings for Your Test
➤ Defining Resource Settings for Your Component
➤ Defining Parameters for Your Test or Component
➤ Defining Environment Settings for Your Test or Component
➤ Defining Web Settings for Your Test or Component
➤ Defining Recovery Scenario Settings for Your Test or Component

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About Setting Options for Individual Tests or Components
You can set testing options that affect how you record and run a specific test
or component. For example, you can instruct QuickTest to run a
parameterized test for only certain lines in the Data Table.

The individual testing options that you specify are saved when you save the
test or the component.

The Test Settings and Business Component Settings dialog boxes are very
similar, containing many options that are common to both tests and
components. However, there are some important differences between them.

Certain options and tabbed pages are available only when you are
working with tests. For example:

➤ The Test Settings dialog box includes Set as Default options that enable you
to define the current settings as the defaults for new tests. The default
settings for new components are based on the settings defined in the
Quality Center project’s component template. For more information on
default settings for components, see “Working with Component Templates”
on page 987.
➤ Run session preference options are available only when working with tests.
The Business Component Settings dialog box does not have a Run tab. For
more information about the run settings for components, see “Running
Components” on page 993.

Certain options and tabbed pages are available only when you are
working with components. For example:

652

Chapter 25 • Setting Options for Individual Tests or Components

➤ The options in the Applications tab enable you to specify the
Windows-based applications on which the component can record.
➤ You can use the Snapshot tab to capture an image and save it with the
component for display in the business process test in Quality Center.

Note: When you are working with components, only the settings in the
Business Component Settings dialog box apply. Settings that were made
previously in the Test Settings dialog box, including those that were set as
default settings, do not apply to components.

You can set testing options for specific parts of the test or component during
the run session. For more information, see Chapter 28, “Setting Testing
Options During the Run Session.”

You can also set testing options that affect all tests and components. For
more information, see Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options.”

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Using the Test Settings Dialog Box
Before you record or run a test, you can use the Test Settings dialog box
to modify your testing options for the specific test.

To set testing options for an individual test:
1 Choose Test > Settings or click the Test Settings toolbar button. The Test
Settings dialog box opens. It is divided by subject into tabbed pages.


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The Test Settings dialog box contains the following tabbed pages:

Tab Heading Tab Contents

Properties Options for setting the properties of the test, for
example, its description and associated add-ins. For more
information, see “Defining Properties for Your Test” on
page 659.

Run Options for setting the run session preferences. For more
information, see “Defining Run Settings for Your Test”
on page 665.

Resources Options for specifying resources you want to associate
with your test, such as function libraries stored in
VBScript library files. For more information, see
“Defining Resource Settings for Your Test” on page 674.

Parameters Options for specifying input and output parameters for
your test. For more information, see “Defining
Parameters for Your Test or Component” on page 682.

Environment Options for viewing existing built-in and user-defined
environment variables, adding, modifying and saving
user-defined environment variables, and selecting the
active external environment variables file. For more
information, see “Defining Environment Settings for
Your Test or Component” on page 685.

Web Options for setting how the test records and runs on a
(displayed only if the Web browser. For more information, see “Defining Web
Web Add-in is Settings for Your Test or Component” on page 692.
installed and loaded)

Recovery Options for setting how QuickTest recovers from
unexpected events and errors that occur in your testing
environment during a run session. For more
information, see “Defining Recovery Scenario Settings

In addition to these tabs, the Test Settings dialog box may contain other tabs
corresponding to any external add-ins that are loaded. For more
information on external add-ins, refer to the relevant QuickTest add-in
documentation.

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Using the Business Component Settings Dialog Box
Before you record or run a component, you can use the Business
Component Settings dialog box to modify your testing options for the
specific component.

When you open a new component, the Business Component Settings dialog
box displays the currently defined default settings. Many of these settings
are based on the defaults defined in the Quality Center project’s component
template. For more information on component template settings, see
“Working with Component Templates” on page 987.

To set testing options for an individual component:
1 Choose Component > Settings or click the Business Component Settings
toolbar button. The Business Component Settings dialog box opens. It is
divided by subject into tabbed pages.

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The Business Component Settings dialog box contains the following tabbed
pages:


Properties Options for setting the properties of the component,
for example, its description and associated add-ins. For
more information, see “Defining Properties for Your

Snapshot Options for capturing a snapshot image to be saved
with the component for display in Quality Center. For
more information, see “Defining a Snapshot for Your

Applications Options for specifying the Windows-based
applications on which the component can record. For
more information, see “Defining Application Settings
for Your Component” on page 670.

Resources Options for specifying resources you want to associate
with your component, such as the location of the
shared object repository to use with your component.
For more information, see “Defining Resource Settings
for Your Component” on page 680.

Parameters Options for specifying input and output parameters
for your component. For more information, see
“Defining Parameters for Your Test or Component” on
page 682.

Environment Options for viewing existing built-in and user-defined
environment variables, adding, modifying and saving
user-defined environment variables, and selecting the
active external environment variables file. For more
information, see “Defining Environment Settings for

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Web Options for setting how the component records and
(displayed only if the runs on a Web browser. For more information, see
Web Add-in is installed “Defining Web Settings for Your Test or Component”
and loaded) on page 692.

Recovery Options for setting how QuickTest recovers from
unexpected events and errors that occur in your
testing environment during a run session. For more
information, see “Defining Recovery Scenario Settings

In addition to these tabs, the Business Component Settings dialog box may
contain other tabs corresponding to any external add-ins that are loaded.
For more information on external add-ins, refer to the relevant QuickTest
add-in documentation.

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Defining Properties for Your Test
You can use the Properties tab of the Test Settings dialog box to view and
define general information about your test, including the add-ins associated
with it. You can also choose to generate an automation script for the test
settings.

The Properties tab of the Test Settings dialog box includes the following
items:

Option Description

Name Indicates the name of the test.

Author Indicates the user name of the person who created the
test.

Last modified using Indicates the version of QuickTest last used to modify the
test.

Location Indicates the path and filename of the test.

Description Enables you to specify a description for your test.

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Option Description

Associated add-ins Displays the add-ins associated with the test. For more
information, see “Associating Add-ins with Your Test or

Modify Enables you to select the add-ins to associate with your
test. For more information, see “Modifying Associated
Add-Ins” on page 663.

Generate Script Generates an automation script containing the current
test settings. For more information, see “Automating
QuickTest Operations” on page 919, or refer to the
QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference
(Help > QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference).

Defining Properties for Your Component
You can use the Properties tab of the Business Component Settings dialog
box to view and define general information about your component,
including the add-ins associated with it. You can also set the status of the
component, and you can choose whether Quality Center can specify
iterations for the component.

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The Properties tab of the Business Component Settings dialog box includes
the following items:

Option Description

Name Indicates the name of the component.

Author Indicates the user name of the person who created the
component.

Location Indicates the path and filename of the component.

Description Indicates the description specified for your component.

Associated add-ins Displays the add-ins associated with the component. For
more information, see “Associating Add-ins with Your Test

Modify Enables you to select the add-ins to associate with your
component. For more information, see “Modifying
Associated Add-Ins” on page 663.

Status Specifies the status of the component. You can change the
status of the component by selecting a different option
from the list. For more information about status options,
see “Defining the Status for a Component”, below.

Allow iterations Controls whether iterations can be specified for this
component in a Quality Center business process test.
Component iterations are defined in Quality Center, using
the Components tab. However, some components may not
be designed for multiple iterations, if the last step in the
component does not end at the same point in the
application as the first step.
In such cases, you can clear the Allow iterations check box
to prevent iterations from being specified for the
component in Quality Center.

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Defining the Status for a Component
The following component status options are provided when Quality Center
is installed with Business Process Testing support:

➤ Error—The component contains errors that need to be fixed, for example, due to a
change in the application. When a business process test contains a component with
this status, the status of the entire business process test is also Error.

➤ Maintenance—The component is currently being developed and tested and is not
yet ready to run, or it was previously implemented and is now being modified to
adapt it for changes that have been made in the application.

➤ Ready—The component is fully implemented and ready to be run. It answers the
requirements specified for it and has been tested according to the criteria defined for
your specific system.

➤ Under Development—The component is currently under development. This
status is initially assigned to:
➤ New components created in the Business Components module of Quality
Center with Business Process Testing support.
➤ Component requests dragged into the component tree in Quality Center
with Business Process Testing support.

Associating Add-ins with Your Test or Component
When you open QuickTest, you select the add-ins to load from the Add-in
Manager dialog box. You can record on any environment for which the
necessary add-in is loaded.

When you create a new test, the add-ins that are currently loaded are
automatically associated with your test. When you create a new component,
the default associated add-ins are those defined in the component template.
For more information on default settings for components, see “Working
with Component Templates” on page 987.

Choosing to associate an add-in with your test or component instructs
QuickTest to check that the associated add-in is loaded each time you open
that test or component.

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When you open a test or component, QuickTest notifies you if an associated
add-in is not currently loaded, or if you have loaded add-ins that are not
currently associated with your test or component. This process ensures that
your run session will not fail due to unloaded add-ins and reminds you to
add required add-ins to the associated add-ins list if you plan to use them
with the currently open test or component.

Quality Center uses the associated add-ins list to determine which add-ins to
load when it opens QuickTest. For more information on working with
Quality Center, see Chapter 40, “Working with Quality Center.”

Modifying Associated Add-Ins
You can associate or disassociate add-ins with your test or component in the
Modify Associated Add-ins dialog box.

This dialog box lists all the add-ins currently associated with your test or
component, as well as any other add-ins that are currently loaded in
QuickTest. Add-ins that are associated with your test or component but not
currently loaded are shown dimmed.

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You can select the check boxes for add-ins that you want to associate with
your test or component, or clear the check boxes for add-ins that you do not
want to associate with your test or component.

In the above example:

➤ Web is loaded and associated with the test.
➤ ActiveX is loaded, but not associated with the test.
➤ Visual Basic is associated with the test, but is not loaded.

Note: If a specific add-in is not currently loaded, but you want to associate it
with your test or component, reopen QuickTest and load the add-in from
the Add-in Manager. If the Add-in Manager dialog box is not displayed
when you open QuickTest, you can choose to display it the next time you
open QuickTest. To do so, select Display Add-in Manager on startup from
the General tab of the Options dialog box.
See Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options” for more information on
the Options dialog box. For more information on the Add-in Manager, see
Chapter 29, “Working with QuickTest Add-Ins.”

You can also retrieve this list and load add-ins accordingly using an
automation script. For more information on working with automation
scripts, refer to the QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference.

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Defining Run Settings for Your Test
When you run a test, QuickTest performs the steps you recorded on your
application or Web site.

You can use the Run tab in the Test Settings dialog box to choose what to do
when an error occurs during the run session, set the object synchronization
timeout and choose whether or not to disable the Smart Identification
mechanism for the test.

By default, when you run a test with global Data Table parameters,
QuickTest runs the test for each row in the Data Table, using the parameters
you specified. For more information, see “Choosing Global or Action Data
Table Parameters” on page 220.

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You can use the Run tab to instruct QuickTest to run iterations on a test only
for certain lines in the Global tab in the Data Table.

Note: The Run tab of the Test Settings dialog box applies to the entire test.
You can set the run properties for an individual action in a test from the Run
tab in the Action Call Properties dialog box of a selected action. For more
information about action run properties, see “Setting the Run Properties for
an Action” on page 377.


Option Description

Data Table iterations Specifies the iterations for the test. Choose an option:
• Run one iteration only—Runs the test only once,
using only the first row in the global Data Table.
• Run on all rows—Runs the test with iterations using
all rows in the global Data Table.
• Run from row __ to row __—Runs the test with
iterations using the values in the global Data Table for
the specified row range.

When error occurs Specifies how QuickTest responds to an error during the
during run session run session. For more information, see “Specifying the
Response to an Error” on page 667.

Object Sets the maximum time (in milliseconds) that QuickTest
synchronization waits for an object to load before running a step in the
timeout test.
Note: When working with Web objects, QuickTest waits
up to the amount of time set for the Browser
navigation timeout option, plus the time set for
the object synchronization timeout. For more
information on the Browser navigation timeout
option, see “Defining Web Settings for Your Test or

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Option Description

Disable Smart Instructs QuickTest not to use the Smart Identification
Identification during mechanism during the run session.
the run session Note: When you select this option, the Enable Smart
Identification check boxes in the Object Properties
and Object Repository dialog boxes are disabled,
although the settings are saved. When you clear
this option, the Enable Smart Identification check
boxes return to their previous on or off setting.

Save image of This option is applicable only to tests that are run by the
desktop when error Business Process Monitor component of Mercury
occurs (if test is run Application Management (formerly Topaz ActiveAgent).
by Mercury Business
Selecting this option instructs QuickTest to capture a
Process Monitor)
snapshot of the desktop if an error occurs during a run
session of a test initiated by the Mercury Business Process
Monitor. The image is saved in Application Management.
The Business Process Monitor forwards the run results to
the Application Management servers.

Specifying the Response to an Error
By default, if an error occurs during the run session, QuickTest displays a
popup message box describing the error. You must click a button on this
message box to continue or end the run session.

You can accept the popup message box option or you can specify a different
response by choosing one of the alternative options in the list in the When
error occurs during run session box:

➤ proceed to next action iteration—QuickTest proceeds to the next action
iteration when an error occurs.
➤ stop run—QuickTest stops the run session when an error occurs.
➤ proceed to next step—QuickTest proceeds to the next step in the test or
component when an error occurs.

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QuickTest first performs any recovery scenarios associated with the test or
component, and performs the option selected above only if the associated
recovery scenarios do not resolve the error. For more information, see
“Defining Recovery Scenario Settings for Your Test or Component” on
page 694.

Note: This option replaces the global option found in QuickTest versions 6.0
and earlier. When you open a test created in QuickTest 6.0 and earlier, the
pop up message box option is automatically selected by default.

To use a different setting for a large number of tests, you can use a QuickTest
automation script to set this value. To easily access the automation script
line that controls this option, you can use the Generate Script button in the
Properties tab of the Test Settings dialog box.
For more information, see “Automating QuickTest Operations” on page 919,
or refer to the QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference (Help >
QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference).

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Defining a Snapshot for Your Component
The Snapshot tab of the Business Component Settings dialog box enables
you to capture an image and save it with the component. This image is
displayed in the business process test in Quality Center and provides a visual
indication of the main purpose of the component.

Note: The snapshot image can also be captured and saved with the
component from the Components tab in Quality Center when installed
with Business Process Testing support.

For more information about business process testing, see Chapter 41,
“Working with Business Process Testing.”

669


The Snapshot tab contains the following options:

Option Description

Capture snapshot from Enables you to define the image to be captured by
application clicking the Capture Snapshot button. You can then
drag the crosshairs pointer to select the area to be
captured. When you release the mouse button, the
captured area is displayed in the Snapshot pane.

Load from file Specifies the .png or .bmp file containing the
required image. You can enter the path and
filename or use the browse button to locate the file.

When you click Apply or OK, the image is saved with the component and is
displayed in the business process tests containing this component in
Quality Center.

Defining Application Settings for Your Component
In the Applications tab of the Business Component Settings dialog box, you
can specify the Windows-based applications on which the component can
record. You can record steps only on the specified applications.

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You can also view other environments on which the component can
currently record (based on the currently loaded add-ins).

You can use the Applications tab to set or modify your application
preferences in the following scenarios:

➤ You have already recorded one or more steps in the component and you
want to modify the settings before you continue recording.
➤ You want to run the component on a different application than the one you
previously used.

If you are recording a new component and have not yet set your application
settings in the Applications tab of the Business Component Settings dialog
box, the Applications dialog box opens with the same options as in the
Applications tab. For more information on recording components, see
“Recording Components” on page 991.

Note: To record on an application, you must open it manually. There are no
settings available for automatically opening applications for components.

The following options are available in the Applications tab:

Option Description

Application Lists the applications on which to record the component.
If you do not want to record on any Windows application,
leave the Application area blank. (This is the default setting.)
You can manually add standard Windows steps to your
component and then run them, even if the Application area is
left blank (or does not list the application for which you want
to add a step).
Note: If you define values for one or more APP_ENV
environment variables, those values override the values
specified in the Application area during a run session. For
more information, see “Using Environment Variables to
Specify Windows-based Applications” on page 672.

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Option Description

Add Adds an application to the application list. You can add up to
ten applications. For more information, see “Specifying an
Application for a Component,” below.

Delete Removes the selected application from the Application area.

Specifying an Application for a Component
In the Select Application dialog box you can specify the executable file on
which you want QuickTest to record your component.

You can enter the path and filename of the executable file in the Executable
file box, or click the browse button to locate the file.

Using Environment Variables to Specify Windows-based
Applications
You can use special, predefined environment variables to specify the
applications you want to record on for your component. This can be useful
if you want to test how your application works in different environments.
For example, you may want to test that similar or localized versions of your
application work properly.

When you define an environment variable for one or more applications
before recording, the environment variable value overrides the value
specified in the Applications dialog box and tab.

You can define the environment variables as internal user-defined variables,
or you can add them to an external environment variable file and set your
component to load environment variables from that file.

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To use application environment variables for your component:
1 Define an environment variable for each application executable file you
want to set using the appropriate variable name.

Option Variable Names Description

Application 1_APP_ENV, The executable files (up to ten
2_APP_ENV, application names) on which
... QuickTest records operations.
10_APP_ENV

For more information on how to define a user-defined environment variable
and how to create environment variable files, see “Using Environment
2 Run the component. QuickTest uses the environment variables to determine
on which application(s) you can record.

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Defining Resource Settings for Your Test
You can use the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog box to associate
specific files with your test, such as VBScript library files and Data Table files,
and to specify the object repository mode and file to use for your test. You
can also set the currently associated library files and object repository
settings as the default settings for all new tests.

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The Resources tab in the Test Settings dialog box includes the following
option areas:

Option Area Description

Libraries Displays the list of library files associated with your test. You
can add, delete, and prioritize the files. You can also set the
default library files for new tests. For more information, see
“Specifying Associated Library Files” on page 677.

Data Table Specifies the location of the Data Table to be used in your test:
• Default location (under test directory)—Instructs QuickTest
to use data stored in the default Data Table location under
the test folder.
• Other location—Instructs QuickTest to use data stored in
the specified Data Table location. The Data Table can be any
Microsoft Excel (.xls) file.
For more information on choosing a Data Table location, see
“Editing the Data Table” on page 400.
Note: You can specify Microsoft Excel files stored in Quality
Center as Data Tables. For more information, “Using Data
Table Files with Quality Center” on page 408.

Object Specifies the object repository mode and file to use for your
repository type test, and enables you to set the default object repository mode
and/or file for new tests.
Note: These options are enabled only if the test does not call
any external actions and does not contain any steps or
objects.
For more information, see “Specifying Object Repository
Settings”, below.

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Specifying Object Repository Settings
The Object repository type option area in the Test Settings dialog box
includes the following options:

➤ Per-action—Instructs QuickTest to use the object repository per-action mode
for your test. A repository file is stored with each action.
➤ Shared—Instructs QuickTest to use the shared object repository mode and
the specified object repository file for your test.
You can enter an existing shared object repository file as an absolute or
relative path. If you enter a relative path, QuickTest searches for the file in
the current test’s directory, and then in the folders listed in the Folders tab
of the Options dialog box. For more information, see “Setting Folder Testing

Note: If your object repository file is stored in the file system and you want
other users or Mercury products to be able to run this test on other
computers, you should set the file path as a relative path (click the path
once to highlight it, and then click it again to enter edit mode). Any users
who want to run this test should then specify the drive letter and folder in
which QuickTest should search for the relative path. For more information,
see “Setting Folder Testing Options” on page 616.

To create a new object repository file, enter the complete file system or
Quality Center path of the new file. For more information, see “Using
Shared Object Repository Files with Quality Center” on page 828.
➤ Set as Default—Sets the currently specified object repository mode and/or
file to be the default for new tests. The Set as Default button is enabled
when the setting for this test is different than the default for all tests.
For more information about object repository modes, see Chapter 34,
“Choosing the Object Repository Mode.”

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Specifying Associated Library Files
The Associated library files pane of the Resources tab indicates the list of
library files associated with your test or component. QuickTest searches
these files for the VBScript functions, subroutines, etc. specified in the test
or component.

The order of the library files in the list determines the order in which
QuickTest searches for a function or subroutine that is called from a step in
your test or component. If there are two functions or subroutines with the
same name, QuickTest uses the first one it finds. For more information, see
“Working with Associated Library Files” on page 908.

You can enter an associated library file as a relative path. During the run
session, QuickTest searches for the file in the directory for the current test,
and then in the folders listed in the Folders tab of the Options dialog box.
For more information, see “Setting Folder Testing Options” on page 616.

Note: When working with tests, if your library files are stored in the file
system and you want other users or Mercury products to be able to run this
test on other computers, you should set the file path as a relative path (click
the path once to highlight it, and then click it again to enter edit mode).
Any users who want to run this test should then specify the drive letter and
folder in which QuickTest should search for the relative path. For more
information, see “Setting Folder Testing Options” on page 616.

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You can add, delete and prioritize the library files associated with your test
or component using the library file control buttons:

Option Description

Associates a library file with the test or component. You can enter the
absolute or relative path and filename of the library file, or use the
browse button to locate the required file.
You can associate files located in Quality Center project folders. For
more information, see “Associating Library Files in Quality Center
Project Folders”, below.

Removes an associated library file from the list.

Assigns a higher priority to the selected library file.

Assigns a lower priority to the selected library file.

Set as Sets the current list of library files as the default list to be associated
Default with new tests.
Note: The Set as Default option is available for tests only. It is enabled
when the setting for this test is different than the default for all
tests. The default library file settings for components are
specified using the component template. For more information,
see “Working with Component Templates” on page 987.

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Associating Library Files in Quality Center Project Folders
When you are connected to Quality Center and you click the button.
QuickTest adds [QualityCenter], and displays a browse button so that you can
locate the Quality Center path.

When not connected to Quality Center, you can add a file located in a
Quality Center project folder by holding the SHIFT key and clicking the
button. QuickTest adds [QualityCenter], and you can enter the path. You
can also type the entire Quality Center path manually. If you do, you must
add a space after [QualityCenter]. For example: [QualityCenter] SubjectTests.

Note: When running a test, QuickTest uses associated library files from
Quality Center project folders only when you are connected to the
corresponding Quality Center project.

For more information about working with Quality Center projects, see
Chapter 40, “Working with Quality Center.”

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Defining Resource Settings for Your Component
You can use the Resources tab of the Business Component Settings dialog
box to associate specific files with your component, such as VBScript library
files. You can also specify the location of the shared object repository file to
use for your component.

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The Resources tab in the Business Component Settings dialog box includes
the following option areas:


Libraries Displays the list of library files currently associated with your
component and enables you to add, delete, and prioritize the
files. You can specify Quality Center files as associated library
files. For more information, see “Specifying Associated Library
Files” on page 677.

Object Specifies the location of the shared object repository file to use
repository with your component. Components use shared object repository
location files stored in Quality Center.
You can enter the path and filename or use the browse button to
locate the file. You can enter an existing shared object repository
file as an absolute or relative path. If you enter a relative path,
QuickTest searches for the file in the current test’s directory, and
then in the folders listed in the Folders tab of the Options dialog
box. For more information, see “Setting Folder Testing Options”
on page 616.
To create a new object repository file, enter the complete path of
the new file.
If you have already saved a shared object repository file as an
attachment in your Quality Center project, you can enter a
Quality Center path. For more information, see “Using Shared
Object Repository Files with Quality Center” on page 828.

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Defining Parameters for Your Test or Component
In the Parameters tab, you can define input parameters that pass values into
your test or component and output parameters that pass values from your
test or component to external sources. You can also use the Parameters tab
to modify or delete existing test or component parameters.

Test and Component parameters are similar to Action parameters. For
information on Action parameters, see “Setting Action Parameters” on
page 370.

The Parameters tab contains two parameter lists:

➤ Input parameters—Specifies the parameters that the test or component can
receive values from the source that runs or calls it.
➤ Output parameters—Specifies the parameters that the test or component
can pass to the source that runs or calls it.
You can edit an existing parameter by selecting it in the appropriate list and
modifying its details.

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Note: For components, the input and output parameter lists can also be
modified in the Quality Center Components module. For more information,
refer to the Business Process Testing User’s Guide.

You can add and remove input and output parameters for your test or
component using the parameter control buttons:

Option Description

Adds a parameter to the appropriate parameter list. Enter a name for
the new parameter and select the parameter type. You can enter a
description for the parameter, for example, the purpose of the
parameter in the test or component.
If you are defining an input parameter, a default value for the specified
parameter type is automatically entered. You can modify enter a
default value for the parameter in the Default Value column. For more
information, see “Defining Default Values for Input Parameters”,
below.
You define test or component parameters in the same way you define
action parameters. For information on defining parameters and
parameter types, see “Setting Action Parameters” on page 370.

Removes the selected parameter from the test or component.

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Defining Default Values for Input Parameters
When a test or component runs, the actual values used for parameters are
generally those sent by the application calling the test (either QuickTest or
Quality Center) as described in the table below:

Document Type: Called From: Parameter Values Specified In:

Test or QuickTest Input Parameters tab of the Run dialog
Component box. For more information, see
“Running Your Entire Test or

Test Quality Center Test Run Properties dialog box (Test
Lab module). For more information,
refer to the Quality Center User’s Guide.

Component Quality Center Component Iterations dialog box (Test
Plan module). For more information,
refer to the Business Process Testing
User’s Guide.

If, when a test or component runs, a value is not supplied by QuickTest or
Quality Center for one or more input parameters, QuickTest uses the default
value for the parameter.

When you define a new parameter in the Parameters tab of the Test Settings
or Business Components Settings dialog box, you can specify the default
value for the parameter or you can keep the default value that QuickTest
assigns for the specified parameter type as follows:

Value Type QuickTest Default Value

String Empty string

Boolean True

Date The current date

Number 0

Password Empty string

Any Empty string

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Using Test or Component Parameters in Steps
You can directly access test parameters only when parameterizing the
value of a top-level action input parameter or when specifying the storage
location for a top-level output parameter. To use values supplied for test
parameters in steps within an action, you must pass the test parameter to
the action containing the step. For more information, see “Using Action

Once you have defined component parameters, you can use them
directly in the steps in your component by selecting input component
parameters in the Parameter Options or Value Configuration Options dialog
box or by selecting output component parameters in the Output Options or
the Storage Location Options dialog box. For more information, see “Using
Test, Action, and Component Input Parameters” on page 211 and “Storing
Values in Test, Action or Component Parameters” on page 252.

Alternatively, you can enter the parameter name in the Expert View using
the Parameter utility object, in the format: Parameter("ParameterName").
For more information, see “Using Action, or Component Parameters in
Steps in the Expert View” on page 214.

Defining Environment Settings for Your Test or Component
The Environment tab of the Test Settings or Business Component Settings
dialog box displays existing built-in and user-defined environment
variables. It also enables you to add, modify, or delete internal user-defined
environment variables, save the defined variables to an external .XML file,
and retrieve them from a file.

If you export your user-defined variables to an external .XML file, you can
then use the exported environment variable file with any other test or
component.

For more information about environment variables and environment
parameters, see “Using Environment Variable Parameters” on page 222.

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The Environment tab includes the following options for the Variable type:

➤ Built-in—Displays the built-in environment variables defined by QuickTest
Professional and their current values.
➤ User-defined—Displays both internal and external user-defined
environment variables and their current values.

Built-in Environment Variables
When Built-in is selected, the Environment tab lists the built-in
environment variables defined by QuickTest Professional.

The following information is displayed for built-in environment variables:

➤ Name—The name of each built-in environment variable
➤ Description—A short description of each built-in environment variable
➤ Current value—The current value of the selected environment variable

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User-defined Environment Variables
When User-defined is selected, the Environment tab lists the user-defined
environment variables available for the test or component.

Note: Variables from an external environment variables file are displayed in
blue. Internal environment variables are displayed in black.

The Environment tab provides the following information for user-defined
environment variables:

➤ Name—The name of each user-defined variable
➤ Value—The value assigned to each user-defined variable
➤ Type—The type of each user-defined variable: Internal or External. Internal
environment variables are available only to the test or component in which
they are defined.

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The Environment tab provides the following options for user-defined
environment variables:

Option Description

New Enables you to define a new internal environment variable
and add it to the list. For more information, see “Adding
User-Defined Environment Variables”, below.

View/Edit Enables you to edit the value of a selected internal
environment variable or to view the properties of a
selected external environment variable. For more
information, see “Viewing and Modifying User-Defined

Delete Deletes a selected internal environment variable from the
list.
Note: After you confirm the deletion of the environment
variable, you cannot retrieve it, even if you click
Cancel on the Test Settings or Business Component

Export Exports your user-defined environment variables to an
external .XML file for use with other tests or components.
You can then use the exported environment variable file
with any test or component. For more information, see
“Exporting and Loading User-Defined Environment
Variables” on page 691.

Load variables and Loads the variables saved in the .XML file that you specify
values from external for use with your test or component. For more
file (reloaded each information, see “Exporting and Loading User-Defined
run session) Environment Variables” on page 691.

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Adding User-Defined Environment Variables
You can add internal user-defined environment variables in the
Environment tab of the Test Settings or Business Component Settings dialog
box. Internal environment variables are available only to the test or
component in which they are defined.

To add internal user-defined environment variables:
1 In the Variable type box of the Environment tab, select User-defined.
2 Click the New button. The Add New Environment Parameter dialog box
opens.

3 In the Details area, enter a definition for the variable:
➤ Name—Enter the name of the variable.
➤ Value—Enter the value of the variable.
4 Click OK to save your changes and close the Add New Environment
Parameter dialog box. The variable is added to the list (displayed in black) in
the Environment tab of the Test Settings or Business Component Settings
dialog box.

Viewing and Modifying User-Defined Environment Variables
You can edit the values of internal user-defined environment variables in
the Environment tab of the Test Settings or Business Component Settings
dialog box. You can also view the properties of external user-defined
variables.

You can copy the values of internal and external variables for use in other
areas of QuickTest, for example, in the Data Table.

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To modify or copy an internal user-defined environment variable:
1 In the Environment tab of the Test Settings or Business Component Settings
dialog box, double-click the internal variable, or select it and click the
View/Edit button. The Edit Environment Parameter dialog box opens.

2 To modify the value of the variable, enter a different value in the Value box.
3 To copy the value of the variable to the Windows Clipboard, select the value
text, right-click, and choose Copy.
4 Click OK to save your changes and close the Edit Environment Parameter
dialog box. The value of the variable is updated in the Environment tab of
the Test Settings or Business Component Settings dialog box.

To view an external user-defined environment variable:
dialog box, double-click the external variable you want to view, or select it
and click the View/Edit button. The View Environment Parameter dialog
box displays the details of the selected variable.

If the variable has a complex value (a value that cannot be displayed entirely
in the Value box), you can click the View/Edit Complex Value button to view
the contents of the value.

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2 To copy the value of the variable to the Windows Clipboard, select the value
text, right-click and choose Copy.
3 Click Close to close the View Environment Parameter dialog box.

Exporting and Loading User-Defined Environment Variables
You can export your user-defined environment variables to an external
.XML file for use with other tests or components. You can then use the
exported environment variables with any test or component, by loading
them from the file as external user-defined environment variables. Their
values are loaded each time the test or component runs.

To export user-defined environment variables:
dialog box, click the Export button. The Save Environment Variable File
dialog box opens, enabling you to export the current list of user-defined
variables and values to an .XML file.
2 Choose the folder in which you want to save the file. If QuickTest is
currently connected to Quality Center, you can click the Quality Center
button to save the file in Quality Center, or you can click the File System
button to save the file in the file system.
3 Type a name for the file in the File name box.
4 Click Save to save your file.

To load variables from an external user-defined environment variable file:
dialog box, select Load variables and values from external file (reloaded
each run session).
2 In the File box, enter the file name or click the browse button to find the
external user-defined variable file. If QuickTest is currently connected to
Quality Center, you can click the Quality Center button in the Open dialog
box to find the file in Quality Center, or you can click the File System
button to find the file in the file system.
The environment variables loaded from the selected file are displayed in
blue in the Environment tab of the Test Settings or Business Component

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Note: You can enter a relative path for the environment variable file.
QuickTest searches for the file in the folders listed in the Folders tab of
the Options dialog box. For more information, see “Setting Folder Testing

For more information on built-in and user-defined variables, and for
information on how to create an external user-defined environment
variable file, see “Using Environment Variable Parameters” on page 222.

Defining Web Settings for Your Test or Component
The Web tab provides options for recording and running tests or
components on Web sites. You can set how long to wait for browser
navigations and you can specify the Active Screen access information to use
with password-protected resources in the captured Active Screen page.

Note: The Web tab is available only if the Web Add-in is installed and
loaded.

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Option Description

Browser navigation Sets the maximum time (in milliseconds) that
timeout QuickTest waits for a Web page to load before running
a step in the test or component.

User name The user name for password-protected resources that
use a standard authentication mechanism.
For more information, see “Using the Standard
Authentication Mechanism” on page 765.

Password The password for password-protected resources that
use a standard authentication mechanism.
For more information, see “Using the Standard

Advanced Opens the Advanced Authentication dialog box,
which enables you to manually log in to your Web site
in order to enable access to password-protected
resources that use an advanced authentication
mechanism.
For more information, see “Using the Advanced

Tip: In addition to the options in this tab, you can also configure the events
you want to record for each type of Web object. For example, if you want to
record events, such as a mouseover that opens a sub-menu, you may need to
modify your Web event configuration to recognize such events. For more
information, see Chapter 35, “Configuring Web Event Recording.”

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Defining Recovery Scenario Settings for Your Test or
Component
The Recovery tab displays a list of all recovery scenarios associated with the
current test or component. It also enables you to associate additional
recovery scenarios with the test or component, remove scenarios from the
test or component, change the order in which they are applied to the run
session, and view a read-only summary of each scenario.

You can enable or disable specific scenarios or the entire recovery
mechanism for the test or component.

If you are working with tests, you can also specify that the current list of
scenarios be used as the default for all new tests.

For more information about recovery scenarios, see Chapter 19, “Defining
and Using Recovery Scenarios.”

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The Recovery tab includes the following option areas:


Scenarios Displays the name and recovery file path for each recovery
scenario associated with your test or component. You can add,
delete, and prioritize the scenarios in the list, and you can edit
the file path for a selected file. For more information, see
“Specifying Associated Recovery Scenarios”, below.

Scenario Displays the textual description of the scenario selected in the
description Scenarios box.

Activate Instructs QuickTest to check whether to run the associated
recovery scenarios as follows:
scenarios
• On every step—The recovery mechanism is activated after
every step.
• On error—The recovery mechanism is activated only after
steps that return an error return value.
• Never—The recovery mechanism is disabled.
Note: Choosing On every step may result in slower
performance during the run session.

Set as Default Sets the current list of recovery scenario files as the default list
to be associated with new tests.
Note: The Set as Default option is available for tests only. It is
enabled when the setting for this test is different than the
default for all tests. The default recovery scenario settings
for components are specified in the component template.
For more information, see “Working with Component
Templates” on page 987.

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Note: When working with tests, if your recovery files are stored in the
file system and you want other users or Mercury products to be able to run
this test on other computers, you should set the recovery file path as a
relative path (click the path once to highlight it, and then click it again to
enter edit mode). Any users who want to run this test should then specify
the drive letter and folder in which QuickTest should search for the relative
path. For more information, see “Setting Folder Testing Options” on
page 616.

Specifying Associated Recovery Scenarios
You can select or clear the check box next to each scenario in order to enable
or disable it for the current test or component.

You can also edit the recovery scenario file path by clicking the path once to
highlight it, and then clicking it again to enter edit mode. For example, you
may want to modify an absolute file path to be a relative file path. If you
modify a recovery scenario file path, ensure that the recovery scenario exists
in the new path location before running your test or component.

Scenarios are indicated by the following icons:

Icon Description

Indicates that the recovery scenario is triggered by a specific pop-up
window in an open application during the run session.

Indicates that the recovery scenario is triggered when the property
values of an object in an application match specified values.

Indicates that the recovery scenario is triggered when a step in the test
or component does not run successfully.

Indicates that the recovery scenario is triggered when a specified
application fails during the run session.

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Icon Description

Indicates that the recovery scenario is no longer available for the test
or component. This may be because the recovery file has been
renamed or moved, or can no longer be accessed by QuickTest. When
an associated recovery file is not available during a run session, a
message is displayed in the test results.

Note: The default recovery scenarios provided with QuickTest are installed
in your QuickTest installation folder. The paths specifying the default
recovery scenarios in the Recovery tab use an environment variable
(%ProductDir%) in the file path. This enables QuickTest to locate these
recovery scenarios when tests or components associated with them are run
on different computers or by different Mercury products.

Do not modify the file paths of these default recovery scenarios or attempt
to use the environment variable for any other purpose.

You can add, delete, and prioritize the recovery scenario files associated with
your test or component using the recovery scenario file control buttons:

Option Description

Opens the Add Recovery Scenario dialog box, which enables you to
associate one or more recovery scenarios with the test or component.
For more information, see “Understanding the Recovery Scenario
Manager Dialog Box” on page 424.

Removes the selected recovery scenario from the test or component.

Moves the selected scenario up in the list, giving it a higher priority.

Moves the selected scenario down in the list, giving it a lower priority.

Displays summary properties for the selected recovery scenario in
read-only format. For more information, see “Viewing Recovery
Scenario Properties” on page 452.

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26
Setting Record and Run Options

You can control how QuickTest starts recording and running tests in
specific environments by setting the record and run options.

Note: This chapter describes how to define record and run settings for tests.
The applications to use with components are defined differently, and are
described in “Recording Components” on page 991.


➤ About Setting Record and Run Options
➤ Using the Record and Run Settings Dialog Box
➤ Setting Web Record and Run Options
➤ Setting Windows Applications Record and Run Options
➤ Using Environment Variables to Specify the Application Details for Your Test

About Setting Record and Run Options
You can set options that affect how you start recording and running tests for
different environments. For example, you can choose to have QuickTest
open specific Windows applications when you start recording or running
tests in the standard Windows environment, or QuickTest can open a
particular Web browser and URL you start recording and running tests on a
Web site. You can set your record and run options in the Record and Run
Settings dialog box, or you can set the options using environment variables.

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Using the Record and Run Settings Dialog Box
Before you record or run a test on a Web or Windows application, you can
use the Record and Run Settings dialog box to instruct QuickTest which
applications to open when you begin to record or run your test. For
Windows applications, you also specify the applications on which you want
want to record. Note that you can instruct QuickTest to open and record on
applications from more than one environment.

Notes:

You can set the record and run settings for some add-in environments using
the corresponding tab (displayed only when the add-in is installed and
loaded). For other add-in environments, such as terminal emulators, you
may use the Windows Applications tab. For more information on setting the
record and run settings for a specific add-in, refer to the relevant QuickTest
You can choose not to set record and run options at all but, in this case, you
may need to open the application after you open QuickTest to ensure
support for that application. For more information, refer to the Working
with Supported Environments section of this guide, or refer to your add-in
documentation.

The Record and Run Settings dialog box opens automatically each time you
begin recording a new test (unless you open the dialog box and set your
preferences manually before you begin recording). QuickTest uses the same
settings for additional record sessions on the same test, and when you run
the test, unless you open the Record and Run Settings dialog box manually
to modify the settings.

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Chapter 26 • Setting Record and Run Options

Note: The setting of the Active Screen capture level (Tools > Options > Active
Screen tab) can significantly affect the recording time for your test and the
functionality of the Active Screen while editing your test. Confirm that the
level selected answers your testing needs. For more information, see “Setting
Active Screen Options” on page 618.

The Record and Run Settings dialog box can contain the following tabbed
pages:

Tab Heading Subject

Web Options for testing Web sites.
Note: The Web tab is available only when Web
support is installed and loaded.
For more information, see “Setting Web Record and
Run Options” on page 703.

Windows Applications Options for testing standard Windows applications.
Note: This tab is always available and applies to all
Standard Windows, Visual Basic, and ActiveX.
(Appropriate add-ins must also be loaded.)
For more information, see “Setting Windows
Applications Record and Run Options” on page 705.

In addition to these tabs, the Record and Run Settings dialog box may
contain other tabs corresponding to any external add-ins that are loaded.
For more information on external add-ins, refer to the relevant QuickTest

Note: If you define environment variables to specify the record and run
application details, those values override the values in the Record and Run
dialog box. For more information, see “Using Environment Variables to
Specify the Application Details for Your Test” on page 709.

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To set record and run options:
1 Click the Record button or choose Test > Record. If you are recording for the
first time in a test and have not yet set your recording preferences (by
opening the dialog box manually), the Record and Run Settings dialog box
opens. It is divided by environment into several tabbed pages.
2 To choose an environment, click a tab.
3 Set the required options, as described in the following sections.
4 To apply your changes and keep the Record and Run Settings dialog box
open, click Apply.
5 When you are finished, click OK to save your changes and start recording.

Note: Once you have set the record and run settings for a test, the Record
and Run settings dialog box will not open the next time you record
operations in that test. However, you can choose Test > Record and Run
Settings to open the Record and Run Settings dialog box. Use this option to
set or modify your record and run preferences in the following scenarios:

- You have already recorded one or more steps in the test and you want to
modify the settings before you continue recording.
- You want to run the test on a different application or browser than the one
you previously set in the Record and Run Settings dialog box.
If you change the record and run settings for additional recording sessions,
confirm that you return the settings to match the needs of the first step in
your test before you run it.

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Setting Web Record and Run Options
The Web tab defines your browser preferences for recording and running
your test.

Note: The Web tab is available only when the corresponding Web add-in is
installed and loaded.

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Option Description

Record and run test on Instructs QuickTest to use any open Web browser to
any open Web browser record and run the test.
Note: You must open your Web browser after you open
QuickTest.

Open the following Instructs QuickTest to open a new browser session to
browser when a record record and run the test using the specified URL
or run session begins address.
Note: This option can be used with supported versions
of Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape
Navigator. For other browser types, use the
Record and run tests on any open Web browser
option. For information on supported browser
versions, see “Working with Web Browsers” on
page 742 and refer to the QuickTest Professional
Readme file.

Browser details Instructs QuickTest regarding the use of the browser
during test recording and test runs.
• Type—Instructs QuickTest to open the specified
browser type (i.e. Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.).
Note that the Type list displays only those browsers
that are currently installed on your computer.
• Address—Instructs QuickTest to open the browser
to the specified URL.
Note: If you define a value for the browser type or
URL environment variables, that value
overrides the value in the Type or Address box
of the Web tab during a run session. For more
information, see “Using Environment Variables
to Specify the Application Details for Your Test”
on page 709.

Do not record and run Instructs QuickTest not to record or run tests on any
on browsers that are browsers that are already open prior to the start of the
already open record or run session.

Close the browser when Instructs QuickTest to close the browser window
the test closes specified in the Address box when the test closes.

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Note to AOL users and users of applications with embedded Web
browser controls:

To record and run tests on AOL or an application with embedded Web
browser controls, select Record and run tests on any open Web browser in
the Record and Run Settings dialog box, make sure AOL or the application is
opened after QuickTest, and start recording. For more information on
browser settings, see “Recording a Test or Component” on page 88. For
additional information on working with the AOL browser, refer to the
QuickTest Professional Readme file.

Setting Windows Applications Record and Run Options
The Windows Application tab defines your preferences for recording and
running tests on Windows applications including Standard Windows, Visual
Basic, and ActiveX applications.

The record and run options in this tab have a slightly different significance
than the corresponding options in the other tabs.

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Selecting Record and run test on any open Windows-based application
records all operations performed on any Windows-based application that is
open while recording your test (including on e-mail applications, file
management applications, etc.).

Selecting Record and run on these applications (opened on session start)
restricts recording operations to the Windows applications specified in the
list. Additionally, QuickTest opens these applications for you at the
beginning of a record or run session.
The Windows Applications tab includes the following options:

Option Description

Record and run Instructs QuickTest to use any open Windows-based
test on any open application to record and run the test.
Windows-based Note: Make sure that all the applications on which you
application want to record are currently closed. QuickTest can
record on the applications that you open manually
only after you select this option and click OK.
Instances of these applications that are already open
when the Record and Run Settings dialog box opens
may be ignored or may not be recorded correctly.

Record and run on Instructs QuickTest to restrict its recording on Windows
these applications applications to the specified applications and to open these
(opened on session applications when record or run sessions begin.
start) If you do not want to record on any standard Windows
application, select this option and leave the Application
details area blank (this is the default setting).
When working with standard Windows applications only,
you can manually add steps to your test and then run them,
even if you select this option and leave the Application
details area blank (or if the list does not contain the
application for which you want to add a step).
Note: Make sure that all the applications listed in the
Application details area are currently closed.
QuickTest can record only on the instances of the
specified applications that are opened after you select
this option and click OK. Instances of these
applications that are already open when the Record
and Run Settings dialog box opens may be ignored or
may not be recorded correctly.

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Option Description

Application details Lists the details of the applications on which to record and
run the test.

Add Opens the Application Details dialog box to enable you to
add an application to the application list. You can add up to
ten applications.
For more information, see “Adding or Editing Application
Details”, below.

Edit Opens the Application Details dialog box to enable you to
edit the application details for the selected application. For
more information, see “Adding or Editing Application
Details”, below.

Delete Deletes the selected application from the Applications
details list.

Adding or Editing Application Details
When you click Add or Edit in the Windows Applications tab of the Record
and Run dialog box, the Application Details dialog box opens.

You can add an application to the application list displayed in the Windows
Applications tab, and you can edit an existing application in the list. You can
specify up to ten applications in the list.

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You can specify the following details for the application in the Application
Details dialog box:

Option Description

Application Instructs QuickTest to record on and open the specified
executable file.
You can enter the executable file as a relative path. During the
run session, QuickTest searches for the file in the directory for
the current test, and then in the folders listed in the Folders
tab of the Options dialog box. For more information, see
“Setting Folder Testing Options” on page 616.
Note: The Application box should contain only the file name
and path for the application. If you want to add
command line arguments, use the Program arguments
box.
Tip: You can specify a document or other file associated with
the application, for example, c:tmpa.txt. QuickTest
opens the specified file in the associated application
(Notepad in this example). If you use this option,
QuickTest ignores the contents of the Program
arguments box.

Working folder Instructs QuickTest to open the application from the specified
folder.

Program Optional. Instructs QuickTest to open the application using
arguments the specified command line arguments.

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Using Environment Variables to Specify the Application
Details for Your Test
You can use special, predefined environment variables to specify the
applications you want to use for your test. This can be useful if you want to
test how your application works in different environments. For example,
you may want to test that your Web application works properly on identical
or similar Web sites with different Web addresses.

When you define an environment variable for one (or more) of the
application detail options and you select the option to open an application
when record and run sessions begin for a particular environment (the lower
radio button in each tab of the Record and Run Settings dialog box), the
environment variable value overrides the value specified in the Record and
Run Settings dialog box.

Note: If you select the option to Record and Run on any application from a
particular environment (the upper radio button in each tab of the Record
and Run Settings dialog box), QuickTest ignores the application details
environment variables.

You can define the environment variables as internal user-defined variables,
or you can add them to an external environment variable file and set your
test to load environment variables from that file.

You can set your Record and Run settings manually while recording your
test and then define the environment variables or load the environment
variable file only when you are ready to run the test (as described in the
procedure below).

Alternatively, you can define environment variables before you record your
test. In this case, QuickTest uses these values to determine which
applications to open when you begin recording—assuming that the option
to open an application when starting record and run sessions for the
particular environment is selected. (This option is the lower radio button in
each tab of the Record and Run Settings dialog box.)

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To use application details environment variables for your test:
1 Set your Record and Run Setting preferences normally to record your test.

Note: If you already have environment variables set for one or more
application details, and you select the option to open an application when
the record session begins, the environment variable values override the
record settings you enter in the dialog box.

2 Record and edit your test normally.
3 If you did not define environment variables prior to recording your test,
define an environment variable for each application detail you want to set
using the appropriate variable name.
For a list of available application details environment variables, see
“Defining Application Details Environment Variables,” below.
For more information on how to define a user-defined environment variable
and how to create environment variable files, see “Using Environment
4 Before running the test, confirm that the lower radio button is selected in
the tab(s) corresponding to the environment(s) for which you want to use
environment variables.
5 Run the test. QuickTest uses the environment values to determine which
application(s) to open at the beginning of the run session.

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Defining Application Details Environment Variables
In order to use environment variables to specify the applications you want
to use for your test run, you must use the appropriate variable names as
specified below.

Use the variable name listed in the table below to define the Web browser
and URL to open:

Option Variable Name Description

Type BROWSER_ENV The browser type to open.
Possible values: IE, NS, NS6

Address URL_ENV The Web address to display in the
browser.

Use the variable name listed in the table below to define the details for
Windows applications on which you want to record and run test:

Option Variable Names Description

Application 1_APP_ENV, The executable files on which
2_APP_ENV, QuickTest records operations and opens
... when record and run sessions begin.
10_APP_ENV You can specify up to ten application
names.

Working Folder 1_DIR_ENV The folder to which the corresponding
2_DIR_ENV executable file refers (for up to ten
... corresponding folder paths).
10_DIR_ENV

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27
Customizing the Expert View

You can customize the way your test or component is displayed when you
work in the Expert View.


➤ About Customizing the Expert View
➤ Customizing Expert View Behavior
➤ Customizing Script Element Appearance
➤ Personalizing Editing Commands

About Customizing the Expert View
QuickTest includes a powerful and customizable editor that enables you to
modify many aspects of the Expert View.

The Editor Options dialog box enables you to change the way scripts are
displayed in the Expert View. You can also change the font style and size of
text in your scripts, and change the color of different script elements,
including comments, strings, QuickTest reserved words, operators, and
numbers. For example, you can display all text strings in red.

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QuickTest includes a list of default keyboard shortcuts that let you move the
cursor, delete characters, cut, copy, and paste information to and from the
Clipboard. You can replace these shortcuts with shortcuts you prefer. For
example, you could change the Line start command from the default HOME
to ALT + HOME.

Note: You can modify the way your script is printed using options in the
Print dialog box. For more information, see “Printing a Test or Component”
on page 99.

For more information on using the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working
with the Expert View.”

Customizing Expert View Behavior
You can customize how scripts are displayed in the Expert View. For
example, you can show or hide character symbols, and choose to display
line numbers. For more information on using the Expert View, see

To customize Expert View behavior:
1 Choose Tools > Editor Options. The Editor Options dialog box opens.

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Chapter 27 • Customizing the Expert View

2 Click the General tab.

3 Choose from the following options:

Options Description

Show line numbers Displays a line number to the left of each line in the
script.

Auto-indent Causes lines following an indented line to
automatically begin at the same point as the
previous line. You can click the HOME key on your
keyboard to move the cursor back to the left
margin.

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Options Description

Indent selected text when Pressing the TAB key indents the selected text.
pressing Tab key When this option is not enabled, pressing the Tab
key replaces the selected text with a single Tab
character.

Statement completion When this option is selected, if you type:
• a dot after a test object—QuickTest displays a
list of available test objects and methods that
you can add after the object you typed.
• an open parenthesis ( after an object—
QuickTest displays a list of all test objects of this
type in the object repository. If there is only one
object of this type in the object repository,
QuickTest automatically enters its name in
quotes after the open parenthesis.
• a method—QuickTest displays the syntax for the
method, including its specific mandatory and
optional arguments.
• the Object property—if the object data is
currently available in the Active screen or the
open application, QuickTest displays native
methods and properties of any run-time object
in your application.
For more information on using the statement
completion (IntelliSense) feature, see “Generating
Statements in the Expert View” on page 858.

Draw box around current Displays a box around the line of the test or
line component in which the cursor is currently located.

Show all characters Displays all Tab, New Line and Space character
symbols. You can also select to display only some of
these characters by selecting or clearing the relevant
check boxes.

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Options Description

Auto-expand VBScript Automatically recognizes the first two characters of
syntax keywords and adds the relevant VBScript syntax or
blocks to the script, when you type the relevant
keyword.
For example, if you enter the letters if and then
enter a space at the beginning of a line in the Expert
View, QuickTest automatically enters:
If Then
End If
Use tab character Inserts a TAB character when the TAB key on the
keyboard is used. When this option is not enabled,
the appropriate number of space characters is
inserted, when you press the TAB key.

4 Click OK to save the changes and close the dialog box.

Customizing Script Element Appearance
QuickTest scripts contain many different elements, such as comments,
strings, QuickTest and VBScript reserved words, operators, and numbers.
Each element of a QuickTest script can be displayed in a different color. You
can also specify the font style and size to use for all elements in the Expert
View. You can create your own personalized color scheme for each script
element. For example, all comments in your scripts could be displayed as
blue letters on a yellow background (as shown below).

To set font and color preferences for script elements:

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2 Click the Fonts and Colors tab.

3 In the Fonts area, select the Font Name and Size that you want to use to
display all script elements. By default, the editor uses the Microsoft Sans
Serif font, which is a Unicode font.

Note: When testing in a Unicode environment, you must select a
Unicode-compatible font. Otherwise, elements in your test or component
may not be correctly displayed in the Expert View. However, the test or
component will still run in the same way, regardless of the font you choose.
If you are working in an environment that is not Unicode-compatible, you
may prefer to choose a fixed-width font, such as Courier, to ensure better
character alignment.

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4 Select a script element from the Element list.
5 Choose a foreground color and a background color.
6 Choose a font style for the element (Normal, Bold, Italic, or Underline).
An example of your change is displayed in the Preview pane at the bottom
of the dialog box.
7 Repeat steps 4 to 6 for each element you want to modify.
8 Click OK to apply the changes and close the dialog box.

Personalizing Editing Commands
You can personalize the default keyboard shortcuts you use for editing
scripts. QuickTest includes keyboard shortcuts that let you move the cursor,
delete characters, and cut, copy, or paste information to and from the
Clipboard. You can replace these shortcuts with your preferred shortcuts.
For example, you could change the Line end command from the default END
to ALT + END.

Note: The default QuickTest menu shortcut keys override any key bindings
that you may define. For example, if you define the Paste command key
binding to be CTRL+P, it will be overridden by the default QuickTest shortcut
key for opening the Print dialog box (corresponding to the File > Print
option). For a complete list of QuickTest menu shortcut keys, see “Executing
Commands Using Shortcut Keys” on page 22.

719


To personalize editing commands:
2 Click the Key Binding tab.

3 Select a command from the Command list.

720


4 Click in the Press new shortcut key box and then press the key(s) you want
to use for the selected command. For example, press and hold the CTRL key
while you press the number 4 key to enter CTRL+4.
5 Click Add.

Note: If the key combination you specify is not supported, or is already
defined for another command, a message to this effect is displayed below
the shortcut key box.

6 Repeat steps 3 - 5 for any additional commands as required.
7 If you want to delete a key sequence from the list, select the command in
the Command list, then highlight the key(s) in the Uses keys list, and click
Delete.
8 Click OK to apply the changes and close the dialog box.

721


722

28
Setting Testing Options During the Run
Session

You can control how QuickTest records and runs tests or components by
setting and retrieving testing options during a run session.


➤ About Setting Testing Options During the Run Session
➤ Setting Testing Options
➤ Retrieving Testing Options
➤ Controlling the Test Run
➤ Adding and Removing Run-Time Settings

About Setting Testing Options During the Run Session
QuickTest testing options affect how you record and run tests and
components. For example, you can set the maximum time that QuickTest
allows for finding an object in a page.

You can set and retrieve the values of testing options during a run session
using the Setting object in the Expert View. For more information on
working in the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert
View.”

By retrieving and setting testing options using the Setting object, you can
control how QuickTest runs a test or component.

723


You can also set many testing options using the Options dialog box (global
testing options), the Test Settings dialog box (test-specific settings), and the
Business Component Settings dialog box (component-specific settings). For
more information, see Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options” and
Chapter 25, “Setting Options for Individual Tests or Components.”

This chapter describes some of the QuickTest testing options that can be
used with the Setting object from within a test script. For detailed
information on all the available methods and properties for the Setting
object, refer to the Utility section of the QuickTest Professional Object Model
Reference.

Note: You can also control QuickTest options as well as most other
QuickTest operations from an external application using automation
programs. For more information, see “Automating QuickTest Operations”
on page 919, or refer to the QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference
(Help > QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference).

Setting Testing Options
You can use the Setting object to set the value of a testing option from
within the test script. To set the option, use the following syntax:

Setting (testing_option) = new_value

Some options are global and others are per-test settings.

Using the Setting object with a global testing option changes a testing
option globally, and this change is reflected in the Options dialog box.

For example, if you execute the following statement:

Setting("AutomaticLinkRun")=1

724

Chapter 28 • Setting Testing Options During the Run Session

QuickTest disables automatically created checkpoints in the test. The setting
remains in effect during your current QuickTest session until it is changed
again, either with another Setting statement, or by clearing the Ignore
automatic checkpoints while running tests check box in the Advanced Web
Options dialog box (Choose Tools > Options > Web tab, and click
Advanced).

Using the Setting object to set per-test options is also reflected in the Test
Settings dialog box. You can also use the Setting object to change a setting
for a specific part of a specific test. For more information see “Controlling
the Test Run” on page 726.

For example, if you execute the following statement:

Setting("WebTimeOut")=50000

QuickTest automatically changes the amount of time it waits for a Web page
to load before running a test step to 50000 milliseconds. The setting remains
in effect during your current QuickTest session until it is changed again,
either with another Setting statement, or by setting the Browser Navigation
Timeout option in the Web tab of the Test Settings dialog box.

Note: Although the changes you make using the Setting object are reflected
in the Options and Test Settings dialog boxes, these changes are not saved
when you close QuickTest, unless you make other changes in the same
dialog box manually and click Apply or OK (which saves all current settings
in that dialog box).

Retrieving Testing Options
You can also use the Setting object to retrieve the current value of a testing
option.

To store the value in a variable, use the syntax:

new_var = Setting ( testing_option )

725


To display the value in a message box, use the syntax:

MsgBox (Setting (testing_option) )

For example:

LinkCheckSet = Setting("AutomaticLinkRun")

assigns the current value of the AutomaticLinkRun setting to the user-defined
variable LinkCheckSet.

Other examples of testing options that you can use to retrieve a setting are
shown in “Setting Testing Options” on page 724.

Controlling the Test Run
You can use the retrieve and set capabilities of the Setting object together to
control a run session without changing global settings. For example, if you
want to change the DefaultTimeOut testing option to 5 seconds for objects
on one Web page only, insert the following statement after the Web page
opens in your test script:

‘Keep the original value of the DefaultTimeOut testing option
old_delay = Setting ("DefaultTimeOut")

‘Set temporary value for the DefaultTimeOut testing option
Setting("DefaultTimeOut")= 5000

To return the DefaultTimeOut testing option to its original value at the end
of the Web page, insert the following statement immediately before linking
to the next page in the script:

‘Change the DefaultTimeOut testing option back to its original value.
Setting("DefaultTimeOut")=old_delay

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Chapter 28 • Setting Testing Options During the Run Session

Adding and Removing Run-Time Settings
In addition to the global and specific settings, you can also add, modify, and
remove custom run-time settings. These settings are applicable during the
run session only.

To add a new run-time setting, use the syntax:

Setting.Add "testing_option", "value"

For example, you could create a setting that indicates the name of the
current tester and displays the name in a message box.

Setting.Add "Tester Name", "Mark Train"
MsgBox Setting(“Tester Name")

Note: When using a Setting.Add statement, an error occurs if you try to add
an existing key value. To avoid this error you should use a Setting.Exists
statement first. For more details about all the Setting methods, refer to the

To modify a run-time setting that has already been initialized, use the same
syntax you use for setting any standard setting option:

Setting ( testing_option ) = new_value

For example:

Setting("Tester Name")="Alice Wonderlin"

To delete a custom run-time setting, use the following syntax:

Setting.Remove ( testing_option )

For example:

Setting.Remove ("Tester Name")

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728

Part VI
Working with Supported Environments

29
Working with QuickTest Add-Ins

QuickTest Professional is provided with several core add-ins, including Web,
ActiveX, and Visual Basic. You can purchase additional add-ins separately.

When you work with these add-ins, you can use special checkpoints,
methods, and properties to create the best possible test or component for
your application.


➤ About Working with QuickTest Add-ins
➤ Loading QuickTest Add-ins
➤ Tips for Working with QuickTest Add-ins

About Working with QuickTest Add-ins
You can choose to install the core add-ins when you install QuickTest
Professional, or you can run the installation again at another time to install
the QuickTest add-ins. Add-ins that are installed separately from the
QuickTest Professional core installation are referred to as external add-ins.
You can install external QuickTest add-ins at any time after you install
QuickTest Professional.

When QuickTest opens, you can choose which of the installed add-ins you
want to load using the Add-In Manager dialog box.

If you choose to install and load an add-in, QuickTest recognizes the objects
in your application when you record on the corresponding environment
and enables you to work with the appropriate properties, methods,
checkpoints, and other specialized options.

731

Part VI • Working with Supported Environments

External add-ins require a separate seat or concurrent license code. For seat
licenses, you install the QuickTest Professional Add-in License using the
Add-in Manager dialog box. For concurrent licenses, you install the
QuickTest Professional Add-in License on the Mercury Functional Testing
Concurrent License Server computer.

Note: The QuickTest Professional Add-in License is valid for all QuickTest
Professional external add-ins. This means that after you have installed it for
one external add-in, you do not need to install it again if you install
additional external add-ins on the same computer.

For more information on installing add-ins, refer to the QuickTest
Professional Installation Guide.

Loading QuickTest Add-ins
If you have installed QuickTest add-ins, you can specify which add-ins to
load at the beginning of each QuickTest session.

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Chapter 29 • Working with QuickTest Add-Ins

When you start QuickTest, the Add-in Manager dialog box opens. It displays
a list of all installed add-ins for QuickTest. You can select which add-ins to
load for the current session of QuickTest.

If the add-in license has not yet been installed, any installed external
add-ins are displayed as (not licensed) in the Add-in Manager dialog box.
If the words (not licensed) are not displayed, then the add-in license has
already been installed, and you do not need to install it again.

If you have an old version of a QuickTest add-in installed, the Add-in
Manager displays the word outdated next to the add-in name. You cannot
load an outdated add-in.

733


Tip: You can use most QuickTest Professional external 6.5.x add-ins with
either a new installation or upgraded installation of QuickTest Professional
8.0 and the relevant Add-in Upgrade patch (provided on the QuickTest
Professional CD-ROM). The installation procedures to follow are different
for Web-based external 6.5.x add-ins (SAP solutions, .NET, PeopleSoft) and
external 6.5.x add-ins that are not Web-based (Terminal Emulator, Java,
Oracle), and also depend on whether you are installing QuickTest
Professional 8.0 from scratch or upgrading from QuickTest Professional 6.5.
For information and instructions, refer to the QuickTest Professional 8.0
Installation Guide.

Note: Note that the QuickTest Professional Multimedia Add-in is not
supported in QuickTest Professional 8.0. Therefore, if you are upgrading
from an earlier version of QuickTest Professional, you will see this outdated
add-in in the Add-in Manager dialog box.

The Add-in Manager includes the following options:

Option Description

Add-ins list Lists the installed add-ins that are available to load with
QuickTest. When you click OK, QuickTest loads the
selected add-ins.
By default, the ActiveX and Web add-ins are selected the
first time QuickTest is started. Each time you start
QuickTest, the currently selected add-ins are loaded.

Description Describes the add-in.

734


Option Description

Show on startup Displays the Add-in Manager dialog box each time you
open QuickTest.
When this check box is cleared, QuickTest opens without
displaying the Add-in Manager. To display it again,
choose Tools > Options > General and select Display Add-
in Manager on startup.
For information on working with the Options dialog
box, see Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options.”

Add-in License Opens the QuickTest Professional Software License
(displayed only when Installation - Welcome window, which enables you to
a QuickTest seat install the add-in license for external add-ins.
license is installed on The procedure for installing an add-in license is the same
your computer.) as the procedure for installing a QuickTest Professional
license. Refer to the QuickTest Professional Installation
Guide for additional information.

Notes:

If you install an old version of a QuickTest add-in over your current
installation of QuickTest, you must follow specific instructions to ensure
that QuickTest functions properly. For more information, refer to the
QuickTest Professional Installation Guide.
To maximize performance and object identification reliability, load only the
add-ins you need.

Matching Loaded Add-ins with Associated Add-ins
When you open a test or component, QuickTest compares the add-ins that
are currently loaded with the add-ins associated with your test or
component. If they do not match, QuickTest issues a warning message.

735


If there are add-ins associated with your test or component that are not
currently loaded, depending on your requirements, you can either:

➤ close and reopen QuickTest, and select the required add-ins in the Add-in
Manager dialog box, or
➤ remove the add-ins from the list of associated add-ins for your test or
component

If add-ins are loaded but not associated with your test or component, you
can either:

➤ close and reopen QuickTest, and clear the checkboxes for the add-ins in the
Add-in Manager dialog box, if they are not required, or
➤ add the add-ins to the list of associated add-ins for your test or component
To change the list of add-ins associated with your test or component, choose
Test > Settings or Component > Settings and use the Modify option in the
Properties tab. For more information on associating add-ins, see
“Associating Add-ins with Your Test or Component” on page 662.

Tips for Working with QuickTest Add-ins
QuickTest add-ins help you to create and run tests and components on
applications created in a variety of environments. Once you load an add-in,
you can record and run tests and components on applications in that
environment similar to the way you do with any other application.

To take full advantage of QuickTest add-in capabilities, keep the following in
mind when designing tests or components for using QuickTest add-ins:

➤ You must install and load an add-in to enable QuickTest to recognize objects
from the corresponding environment. To load an add-in, select the add-in
from the Add-in Manager dialog box that opens when you start QuickTest.
➤ If the Add-in Manager does not open when you start QuickTest, choose
Tools > Options and click the General tab. Select the Display Add-in
Manager on startup check box and click OK. Restart QuickTest.

736


➤ To maximize performance and object identification reliability, load only the
add-ins you need. For example, if you want to test a process that spans a
Web application and a .NET application, load only the Web and .NET Add-
ins. Do not load all add-ins unless you need to work with all add-ins.
➤ You can view the list of add-ins that are currently installed or loaded by
choosing Help > About QuickTest Professional. The dialog box displays a list
of all add-ins installed on your computer. A checked box indicates that the
add-in is currently loaded.
➤ When you record on objects in your application, QuickTest displays an
environment-specific icon in the step in the Keyword View and generates a
statement with the appropriate test object and method.
➤ QuickTest offers environment-specific checkpoints and output values that
you can use to enhance your test or component. For more information, see
Chapter 6, “Understanding Checkpoints.”
➤ You can also add additional steps to your test or component using the Step
Generator or manually in the Expert View. For more information on the
objects, methods, and properties available for your application’s
environment, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.
➤ For detailed information on testing an environment supported by a core
QuickTest add-in, select one of the following chapters:
➤ Chapter 30, “Testing Web Objects”
➤ Chapter 31, “Testing Visual Basic Applications”
➤ Chapter 32, “Testing ActiveX Controls”

For information about QuickTest external add-ins, purchased separately,
refer to the documentation included with the relevant QuickTest add-in.

737


738

30
Testing Web Objects

QuickTest supports testing Web objects. By adding Web object checkpoints
to your tests or components, you can compare Web objects in different
versions of your Web site. For information on supported browser versions,
refer to the Readme file.


➤ About Testing Web Objects
➤ Working with Web Browsers
➤ Checking Web Objects
➤ Checking Web Pages
➤ Checking Web Content Accessibility
➤ Accessing Password-Protected Resources in the Active Screen
➤ Activating Methods Associated with a Web Object
➤ Using Scripting Methods with Web Objects

About Testing Web Objects
You can use QuickTest’s Web Add-in to test your Web pages and
applications. You can test Web objects such as hyperlinks, images, image
maps, and Viewlink objects.

You can create Web object checkpoints to compare the expected values of
object properties captured during the recording of the test or component to
the object’s current values during a run session. You can perform checks on
Web page properties, text, and tables.

739


You can also perform checks on objects within your application or Web site,
such as images or form elements. In addition, 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. You can also
output property or text values from the objects in your Web site.

The following checkpoints and output values are supported when testing
Web objects:

Type Checkpoint Output For more information, see:

Standard Yes Yes “Checking Object Property Values,” on
page 123, and
“Outputting Property Values,” on
page 255.

Page Yes Yes “Checking Web Pages,” on page 747, and
page 255

Accessibility Yes No “Checking Web Content Accessibility”
on page 760

Text Yes Yes “Creating a Text Checkpoint,” on
page 153, and
“Outputting Text Values,” on page 268

Table Yes Yes “Checking Tables and Databases,” on
page 133, and
page 255

Bitmap Yes No “Checking Bitmaps” on page 169

XML Yes No “Checking XML” on page 181
(Application)

Before you begin recording on Web sites and applications, you should
ensure that you have installed and loaded the Web add-in. You can check
whether the Web add-in is installed by choosing Help > About QuickTest
Professional. Loaded add-ins are indicated by a check mark in the add-ins
list.

740

Chapter 30 • Testing Web Objects

You should also set your preferences in the Web tab of the Record and Run
dialog box (for tests only), the Web tab of the Test Settings dialog box or
Business Components dialog box, and the Web tab of the Options dialog
box. For more information, see Chapter 26, “Setting Record and Run
Options,” Chapter 25, “Setting Options for Individual Tests or
Components,” and Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options”
respectively.

you can also configure the events you want to record for each type of Web
object. For example, if you want to record events, such as a mouseover that
opens a sub-menu, you may need to modify the Web event configuration to
recognize such events. For more information, see Chapter 35, “Configuring
Web Event Recording.”

Note: If you are recording on a drop-down list in a Web page or application,
you must click on the drop-down list, scroll to an entry that was not
originally showing, and select it. If you want to select the item in the list
that is already displayed, you must first select another item in the list (click
it), then return to the originally displayed item and select it (click it). This is
because QuickTest only records a step if the value in the list changes.

741


Working with Web Browsers
You use a Web browser to record tests or components that check Web
objects. You select your browser in the Web tab of the Record and Run
Settings dialog box. For more information, see “Setting Web Record and Run

Note: By default, the name assigned to the Browser test object in the object
repository is always the name assigned to the first page recorded for the
browser object. The same test object is used each time you record on a
browser with the same ordinal ID in future recording sessions. Therefore,
the name used for the browser in the steps you record may not reflect the
actual browser name.

QuickTest supports recording and running tests or components on the
following Web browsers:

➤ Netscape
➤ Microsoft Internet Explorer
➤ AOL (America Online)
➤ Applications with embedded Web browser control

Note: QuickTest tests or components are generally cross-browser—you can
record a test or component on one browser and run it on any other browser.
For information on supported browser versions, refer to the Readme file.

742


Working with Internet Explorer
QuickTest Professional Web support behaves as a browser extension in
Internet Explorer. Therefore, you cannot use the Web Add-in on Internet
Explorer 6.x without enabling the Enable third-party browser extensions
option. To set the option, choose Tools > Internet Options > Advanced and
select the Enable third-party browser extensions option in Internet
Explorer 6.x.

Working with Netscape
Keep the following in mind when using Netscape as your Web browser:

➤ The Object property accesses DOM objects. These are not supported by
Netscape. For more information on the Object property, see “Accessing Run-
Time Object Properties and Methods” on page 899.
➤ Dialog boxes which opened while recording in Netscape are not displayed in
the Active Screen.
➤ You can record only the following objects on dialog boxes opened while
recording in Netscape:
➤ button
➤ check box
➤ edit—You cannot apply a checkpoint to or use the Object Spy on an edit
object recorded in a dialog box.

Working with AOL and Applications with Embedded Web Browser
Controls
To record and run tests or components on AOL or an application with
embedded Web browser controls:

➤ make sure the ActiveX Add-in is loaded
➤ select Record and run tests on any open Web browser in the Record
and Run Settings dialog box
➤ make sure AOL or the application is opened after QuickTest
➤ start recording
For more information on browser settings, see “Recording a Test or

743


For additional information on working with the AOL browser, refer to the
QuickTest Professional Readme file.

Checking Web Objects
You create a checkpoint on a Web object as you create a checkpoint on any
standard object. When you create a checkpoint on a Web object, QuickTest
captures the object’s properties and their values as it does for any standard
object. The properties you can check for a Web object depend on the
properties of the Web object.

You can create a checkpoint either while recording or editing your test or
component.

For example, you can create a checkpoint on your Web site to check the
value of an edit field (No. of Passengers, for example) on a specific Web page
(Find Flights page, for example).

To create a checkpoint on a Web object:
1 In the Keyword View, highlight the step for the page that has the object you
want to check. The Active Screen displays the HTML source corresponding
to the highlighted step.

744


2 In the Active Screen, right-click the object you want to check and choose
Insert Standard Checkpoint. The Object Selection - Checkpoint Properties
dialog box opens.
3 Confirm that the object you want to check is highlighted.

745


Click OK. The Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.

This dialog box displays the properties of the object:
➤ The Name is the name that QuickTest assigns to the test object.
➤ The Class is the type of object. WebEdit indicates that the object is an edit
field.
➤ The ABC icon indicates that the value of the property is a constant.

746


The table below describes the selected, default checks.

Property Value Explanation

html tag INPUT INPUT is the html tag as defined in the HTML
source code.

innertext In this case, the value of innertext is empty. The
checkpoint checks that the value is empty.

name numPassengers numPassengers is the name of the edit field.

type text text is the type of object as defined in the HTML
source code.

value 1 1 is the value 1 in the edit field.

For each object class, QuickTest recommends default property checks. Click
OK to accept the default properties for the object (html tag, innertext, name,
type, and value). QuickTest adds the object checkpoint to your test or
component. It is displayed in the Keyword View as a new step under the
Find Flights page.

For more information on creating checkpoints, see Chapter 6,

Checking Web Pages
You can check statistical information about your Web pages by adding page
checkpoints to your test or component. These checkpoints check the links
and the sources of the images on a Web page. You can also instruct page
checkpoints to include a check for broken links.

747


Automatic Page Checkpoints
You can instruct QuickTest to create automatic page checkpoints for every
page in all tests or components by selecting the Create a checkpoint for
each Web page while recording check box in the Advanced Web Options
dialog box (click the Advanced button in the Web tab of the Options dialog
box). By default, the automatic page checkpoint includes the checks that
you select from among the available options in the Advanced Web Options
dialog box.

You can also instruct QuickTest not to perform automatic page checkpoints
when you run your test or component by selecting the Ignore automatic
checkpoints while running tests check box in the Advanced Web Options
dialog box of the Web tab of the Options dialog box.

For more information, see Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options.”

Creating Individual Page Checkpoints
You can manually add a page checkpoint to your test or component to
check the links and the image sources on a selected Web page either while
recording or editing your test or component.

To add a page checkpoint while recording:
1 Navigate to a page where you want to add a checkpoint.
2 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Standard Checkpoint or click the Insert
Checkpoint button and click in the page. The Object Selection - Checkpoint
3 Select the Page item and click OK. The Page Checkpoint Properties dialog
box opens.
4 Modify the settings for the checkpoint in the Page Checkpoint Properties
dialog box, as described in “Understanding the Page Checkpoint Properties
Dialog Box” on page 750.
5 Click OK to close the dialog box. A checkpoint step is added in the Keyword
View.

748


To add a page checkpoint while editing your test or component:
2 Click a step in your test or component where you want to add a checkpoint.
The Active Screen displays the HTML source corresponding to the
highlighted step.
3 Right-click anywhere on the Active Screen and choose Insert Standard
Checkpoint. The Object Selection - Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
Select the Page item you want to check from the displayed object tree.
4 Click OK. The Page Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.

Note: You can also right-click a Page item in the Keyword View and choose
Insert Standard Checkpoint to open the Page Checkpoint Properties dialog
box.

“Understanding the Page Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box,” below.
View.

Note: You cannot select the HTML Verification options while creating a page
checkpoint from the Keyword View or Active Screen. You can select these
options only when creating a Page checkpoint while recording.

749


Understanding the Page Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box
The Page Checkpoint Properties dialog box enables you to choose which
properties to check.

The ABC icon
indicates that the
value of the
property to check
is a constant.

This icon indicates
that the value of
the property to
check is a Data
Table parameter.

The selected check
box indicates that
this property will
be checked.

750


The top part of the dialog box displays information about the object to
check:


Name The title of the Web page as defined in the HTML code.

Class The type of object. This is always Page.

Choosing Which Property to Check


Check box For each object class, QuickTest recommends default
property checks. You can accept the default checks or
modify them accordingly.
To check a property, select the corresponding check box.
To exclude a property check, clear the corresponding
check box.



Value The value of the property. Note that the value in the page
will be the expected value of the property when you run
your test or component unless you edit this value. For
information about editing the value of a property, see
Chapter 14, “Configuring Values.”

751


Note: By default, page checkpoints include a check on the page load time.
The load time displayed in the Page Checkpoint Properties dialog box is the
amount of time it took the page to load during recording. To add to the time
that QuickTest allows for pages to load without causing page checkpoints to
fail, increase the value of the Add seconds to page load time option in the
Web tab of the Options dialog. For more information, see “Setting Web
Testing Options” on page 639.

Configuring the Value of a Page Property
In the Configure value area, you can define the expected value of the
property to check as a Constant or Parameter. For information on
modifying property values, see “Setting Values in the Configure Value Area”
on page 286.

752


Checking the HTML Verification
In the HTML verification area, you can use the following options to check
the HTML source and tags of the page:

Option Description

HTML source Checks that the source in the Web page being tested
matches the expected HTML code (the source code of the
page at the time that the test or component is recorded).

Edit HTML Source Opens the HTML Source dialog box, which displays the
(enabled only when expected HTML code. Edit the expected HTML source
the HTML Source code and click OK. Note that you can also use regular
check box is expressions when editing the expected HTML source code
selected) if you click the regular expression check box at the
bottom of the page. For more information on regular
expressions, see “Understanding and Using Regular
You can search and replace text strings in the HTML
Source dialog box by right-clicking and choosing Find or
Replace. For more information on the Find dialog box, see
“Finding Text Strings” on page 867. For more information
on the Replace dialog box, see “Replacing Text Strings” on
page 869.

HTML tags Checks that the HTML tags in the Web page being tested
match the expected HTML tags (the HTML tags on the
page at the time that the test or component is recorded).

Edit HTML Tags Opens the dialog box that displays the expected HTML
(enabled only when tags. Edit the expected HTML tags and click OK. Note that
the HTML Tags you can also use regular expressions when editing the
check box is HTML tags if you click the regular expression check box at
selected) the bottom of the page. For more information on regular
expressions, see “Understanding and Using Regular
You can search and replace text strings in the Edit HTML
Tags dialog box by right-clicking and choosing Find or
Replace. For more information on the Find dialog box, see
“Finding Text Strings” on page 867. For more information
on the Replace dialog box, see “Replacing Text Strings” on
page 869.

753


Note: The HTML verification options are available only when creating a page
checkpoint while recording.

Checking All the Objects in a Page
In the All objects in page area, you can check all the links, images, and
broken links in a page. You can use the following options to check the
objects in a page:

Option Description

Links Checks the functionality of the links in the page
according to your selections in the Filter Link Check
dialog box.

Filter Link Check Opens the Filter Link Check dialog box, which enables
(enabled only when you to specify which hypertext links to check in the page.
the Links check box For additional information, see “Filtering Hypertext
is selected) Links” on page 756.

Images Checks that the images are displayed on the page
according to your selections in the Filter Images Check
dialog box.

Filter Image Check Opens the Filter Image Check dialog box, which enables
(enabled only when you to specify which image sources to check in the page.
the Images check For additional information, see “Filtering Image Sources”
box is selected) on page 757.

Broken links Instructs QuickTest to check for broken links.
Note that if you want to check only links that are targeted
to your current host, you should select the Broken links -
checks only links to current host option in the Web tab of
the Options dialog box. For more information, see
“Setting Web Testing Options” on page 639.

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Setting General Checkpoint Options
The bottom part of the Checkpoint Properties dialog box contains the
following options:

checkpoint fails.
make sure that the object has sufficient time to achieve that state and
therefore enables the checkpoint to pass before the maximum timeout is
reached.
window.
component. Choose Before current step if you want to check the value of
the object property before the highlighted step is performed. Choose After
current step if you want to check the value of the object property after the

Note: The Insert statement option is not available when adding a page
checkpoint during recording or when modifying an existing page
checkpoint. It is available only when adding a new page checkpoint to an
existing test or component while editing your test or component.

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Filtering Hypertext Links
You can filter which hypertext links to check in a page checkpoint using the
Filter Link Check dialog box. You open this dialog box by clicking Filter Link
Check in the Page Checkpoint Properties dialog box. If you select the Links
check box in the Page Checkpoints Properties dialog box, then by default all
the links on the page are selected. To instruct QuickTest not to check a
particular hypertext link, clear the link’s check box.

For additional information, see “Checking All the Objects in a Page” on
page 754.

756


Choosing Which Hypertext Links to Check
You can use the following options to choose which hypertext links to check
in a page checkpoint:


Check box Each link on the page has a corresponding check box.
To check a link, select the corresponding check box (by
default all links are selected).
To exclude a link from the page checkpoint, clear the
corresponding check box.

Type The icon indicates that the target URL is currently a
constant.

Link name The text in the hypertext link.

Link URL The target URL.

Configuring the Value of the Target URL
In the Configure value area, you can define the expected value of the target
URL to which the hypertext links as a Constant or Parameter. For
information on modifying values, see “Setting Values in the Configure Value
Area” on page 286.

Filtering Image Sources
You can filter which image sources to check in a page checkpoint using the
Filter Images Check dialog box. You open this dialog box by selecting Filter
Image Check in the Page Checkpoint Properties dialog box. If you select the
Images check box in the Page Checkpoints Properties dialog box, then, by
default, all image sources on the page are selected. To instruct QuickTest not
to check a particular image source, clear the image's check box.

757


For additional information, see “Checking All the Objects in a Page” on
page 754.

758


Choosing Which Image Sources to Check
You can use the following options to choose which image sources to check
in a page checkpoint:


Check box Each image source on the page has a corresponding check
box.
To check an image source, select the corresponding check
box (by default all image sources are selected).
To exclude an image source from the page checkpoint,
clear the corresponding check box.

Type The icon indicates that the image source is currently a
constant.

Image name The name of the image.

Image source The image source file and path.

Configuring the Value of the Path of the Image Source File
In the Configure value area, you can define the path of the image source file
as a Constant or Parameter. For information on modifying values, see
“Setting Values in the Configure Value Area” on page 286.

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Checking Web Content Accessibility
The Section 508 criteria for Web-based technology and information systems
are based on access guidelines developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative
of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). 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. You can add
automatic accessibility checkpoints to each page in your test or component,
or you can add individual accessibility checkpoints to individual pages or
frames.

Note: Accessibility Checkpoints are designed to help you easily locate the
areas of your Web site that require special attention according to the W3C
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. They do not necessarily indicate
whether or not your Web site conforms to the guidelines. For more
information, see “Reviewing Accessibility Checkpoint Results” on page 763.

Setting Accessibility Checkpoint Preferences
You can set accessibility checkpoint preferences in the Advanced Web
Options dialog box and view them in the Accessibility Checkpoint
Properties dialog box. All accessibility checkpoints in your test or
component use the options that are selected in the Advanced Web Options
dialog box at the time of the run session. For information about the
accessibility checkpoint options, see “Advanced Web Options” on page 644.

Automatic Accessibility Checkpoints
You can instruct QuickTest to create automatic accessibility checkpoints for
every page in all tests or components by selecting the Add Automatic
accessibility checkpoint to each Web page while recording check box in the
Advanced Web Options dialog box (click the Advanced button in the Web
tab of the Options dialog box). If you select this option, an accessibility
checkpoint is inserted for each page as you record.

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Creating Individual Accessibility Checkpoints
If you did not choose to add accessibility checkpoints automatically while
recording, you can add an accessibility checkpoint to help you quickly
identify areas of a particular Web page or frame that may not conform to the
W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. You can add accessibility
checkpoints either while recording or editing your test or component.

To add an accessibility checkpoint while recording:
1 Navigate to a page where you want to add an accessibility checkpoint.
2 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Accessibility Checkpoint, or click the Insert
Checkpoint button and click in the page or frame you want to check.
➤ If the page contains frames, the Object Selection - Accessibility
Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens. Select the Page or Frame item
you want to check and click OK. The Accessibility Checkpoint Properties
dialog box opens.
➤ If the page does not contain frames, the Accessibility Checkpoint
Properties dialog box opens. The dialog box displays the object’s name,
class (this is always Page or Frame), and the options that are currently
selected. You can modify the option settings in the Advanced Web
Options dialog box. For more information, see page 644.

761


View.

To add an accessibility checkpoint while editing your test or component:
2 Click a step in your test or component where you want to add a checkpoint.
The Active Screen displays the HTML source corresponding to the
highlighted step.
3 Right-click anywhere on the Active Screen, and choose Insert Accessibility
Checkpoint.
➤ If the page contains frames, the Object Selection - Accessibility
Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens. Select the Page or Frame item
and click OK. The Accessibility Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
➤ If the page does not contain frames, the Accessibility Checkpoint
Properties dialog box opens. The dialog box displays the options that are
currently selected. You can modify the option settings in the Advanced
Web Options dialog box. For more information, see page 644.

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Choose Before current step if you want to check the accessibility elements
before the highlighted step is performed. Choose After current step if you
want to check the accessibility elements after the highlighted step is
performed.

Note: The Insert statement option is not available when adding a page
checkpoint during recording or when modifying an existing page
checkpoint. It is available only when adding a new page checkpoint to an
existing test or component while editing your test or component.

View.

Reviewing Accessibility Checkpoint Results
When you include accessibility checkpoints in your test or component, the
Test Results window displays the results of each accessibility option that you
checked.

The Test Results window displays a separate step for each accessibility option
that was checked in each checkpoint. The results details provide
information that can help you pinpoint parts of your Web site or
application that may not conform to the W3C Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines. The information provided for each check is based on the W3C
requirements.

For more information on accessibility checkpoint results, see “Analyzing
Accessibility Checkpoint Results” on page 573.

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Accessing Password-Protected Resources in the Active
Screen
When QuickTest creates an Active Screen page for a Web-based application,
it stores the path to images and other resources on the page, rather than
downloading and storing the images with your test or component. This
ensures that the disk space used by the Active Screen pages captured with
your test or component are not affected by the file size of the resources
displayed on the page.

For this reason, a page in the Active Screen (or in your test or component
results) may require a user name and password to access certain images or
other resources within the page. If this is the case, a pop-up login window
may open when you select a step corresponding to the page, or you may
note that images or other resources are missing from the page.

For example, the formatting of your page may look very different than the
actual page on your Web site if the cascading style sheet (CSS) referenced in
the page is password-protected, and therefore could not be downloaded to
the Active Screen.

You may need to use one or both of the following methods to access your
password-protected resources, depending on the password-protection
mechanism used by your Web server:

➤ Standard Authentication—If your server uses a standard authentication
mechanism, you can enter the login information in the Web tab of the Test
Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings dialog box. QuickTest
saves this information with your test or component and automatically
enters the login information each time you select to display an Active
Screen page that requires the information.
➤ Advanced Authentication—If your server uses a more complex
authentication mechanism, you may need to log in to the Web site
manually using QuickTest’s Advanced Authentication dialog box. This gives
the Active Screen access to password-protected resources in your Active
Screen pages for the duration of your QuickTest session. When using this
method, you must log in to your Web site in the Advanced Authentication
dialog box each time you open the test or component in a new QuickTest
session.

764


In most cases, the automatic login is sufficient. In some cases, you must use
the manual login method. In rare cases, you may need to use both login
mechanisms to enable access to all resources in your Active Screen pages.

Note: If your Web site is not password-protected, but you are still unable to
view images or other resources on your Active Screen, you may not be
connected to the Internet, the Web server may be down, or the source path
that was captured with the Active Screen page may no longer be accurate.

Using the Standard Authentication Mechanism
If you select a step in your test or component or results, and an Active
Screen login window opens over the Active Screen or results details display,
then one or more images or other resources in the Active Screen may be
password-protected.

To prevent the pop-up login window from opening and to ensure that all
images and resources are displayed in the Active Screen and results each
time you open the test or component, you can use QuickTest’s automatic
Active Screen login mechanism.

To enable the mechanism, you can select Save the User Name and Password
in the pop-up login window the first time it opens. This adds the login
information to the Active Screen access area in the Web tab of the Test
Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings dialog box.

765


Alternatively, you can add the login information manually in the Web tab of
the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings dialog box.

To set Active Screen access information in the Test Settings dialog box or
Business Component Settings dialog box:
box or Business Component Settings dialog box opens.
2 Click the Web tab.

3 Enter the User name and Password for the Web site or Web page containing
the password-protected resources.
4 Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.
5 Refresh the Active Screen by selecting a new step in the Keyword View or
toggle the Active Screen button to redisplay the Active Screen. Confirm that
the page is displayed correctly.
If one or more resources are still missing or displayed incorrectly, you may
need to use the Advanced Authentication mechanism.
For more information on the Web tab of the Test Settings dialog box or
Business Component Settings dialog box, see “Defining Web Settings for
For more information on the Advanced Authentication mechanism, see
page 767.

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Using the Advanced Authentication Mechanism

Depending on the authentication mechanisms used to password-protect
resources on a Web site, QuickTest’s automatic Active Screen login
mechanism may not be sufficient.

To enable the Active Screen to access the resources on such a site, you must
log in to your site using the Advanced Authentication dialog box. When you
log in this way, you remain logged in to the site for the duration of the
QuickTest session. If you close and reopen QuickTest and then reopen your
test or component, you must log in again.

Note: If the site to which you log in has an inactivity timeout after which
you are automatically logged out of the Web site, you may need to log in
using the Advanced Authentication dialog box more than once while
editing your test or component to re-enable access to your Active Screen
pages.

767


To log in to your Web site using the advanced authentication mechanism:
box or Business Component Settings dialog box opens.
2 Click the Web tab.
3 Click the Advanced button. The Advanced Authentication dialog box opens.

768


The browser window in the dialog box displays the default Web page for the
test or component according to the following guidelines:
➤ The first time you open this dialog box for a given test, the browser
window displays the URL address set for the test in the Web tab of the
Record and Run Settings dialog box.
➤ The first time you open this dialog box for a given component, the
browser window displays the URL address of the Mercury Tours sample
Web site: http://newtours.mercuryinteractive.com.
➤ If you navigate to a new URL address using this dialog box, that address
becomes the default Advanced Authentication page for this test or
component.

4 If the displayed Web page is not the correct page for logging in to your site,
enter the correct URL address in the Address box and click Go. Otherwise,
proceed to step 5.
5 Enter your login information in the page displayed in the Advanced
Authentication browser window.
6 When the login process is complete, click Close. The Advanced
Authentication dialog box closes, but the login session remains open for the
remainder of your QuickTest session (or until the Web site’s inactivity
timeout is exceeded).
7 Refresh the Active Screen by selecting a new step in the Keyword View or
toggle the Active Screen button to redisplay the Active Screen. Confirm that
the pages are displayed correctly.
If you still cannot view images or other resources on your Active Screen, you
may not be connected to the Internet, the Web server may be down, or the
source path that was captured with the Active Screen page may no longer be
accurate.

769


Activating Methods Associated with a Web Object
In the Expert View, you can use the “Object” property to activate the
method for a Web object. Activating the method for a Web object has the
following syntax:

WebObjectName.Object.Method_to_activate( )

For example, suppose you have the following statement in your script:

document.MyForm.MyHiddenField.value = “My New Text”

The following example achieves the same thing by using the Object
property, where MyDoc is the DOM’s document:

Dim MyDoc
Set MyDoc = Browser(browser_name).page(page_name).Object
MyDoc.MyForm.MyHiddenField.value = “My New Text”

In this example, LinksCollecton is assigned to the link collection of the page
through the Object property. Then, a message box pops for each of the links,
with its innerHTML text.

Dim LinksCollection, link
Set LinksCollection = Browser(browser_name).Page(page_name).Object.links
For Each link in LinksCollection
MsgBox link.innerHTML
Next

For additional information about the Object property (.Object), see
“Retrieving and Setting Test Object Property Values” on page 898.

For a list of a Web object's internal properties and methods see:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=
/workshop/author/dhtml/reference/objects/obj_document.asp

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Using Scripting Methods with Web Objects
QuickTest provides several scripting methods that you can use with Web
objects. You can record some of these methods while recording on Web
objects. You can enter statements manually with the other methods in the
Expert View. For more information about programming in the Expert View,
see Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert View.”

For additional information on these methods, refer to the QuickTest

771


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31
Testing Visual Basic Applications

QuickTest supports the testing of Visual Basic 6.0 applications.

Note: To test Visual Basic applications, you must install and load the Visual
Basic Add-in. To test Visual Basic .NET Windows Forms applications, you
must install and load the .NET Add-in. Note that the .NET Add-in is not
included with your QuickTest installation. To obtain this add-in, contact
your QuickTest supplier or Mercury Interactive customer support.


➤ About Testing Visual Basic Applications
➤ Recording and Running on Visual Basic Applications
➤ Checking Visual Basic Objects
➤ Using Visual Basic Objects and Methods to Enhance Your Test or
Component

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About Testing Visual Basic Applications
QuickTest recognizes Visual Basic objects and generates Visual Basic-specific
statements when you record tests or components on a Visual Basic
application.

You check the properties of Visual Basic objects the same way you check the
properties of any other object. You can also output property or text values
from the objects in your Visual Basic application.

Visual Basic objects:


page 123, and
page 255

page 153, and “Outputting Text Values,”
on page 268

Text Area Yes Yes “Creating a Text Area Checkpoint,” on
page 156, and


In the Expert View or using the Insert > Step option, you can activate Visual
Basic methods, retrieve and set the values of properties (including run-time
properties), and check that objects exist.

Note that this chapter provides examples using both the Keyword View and
the Expert View. Some of the information provided and procedures
described require working in the Expert View. For information on working
in the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert View.”

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Chapter 31 • Testing Visual Basic Applications

Recording and Running on Visual Basic Applications
QuickTest records and runs steps on Visual Basic 6.0 applications as it does
on any other object. You can view the details of your run session in the Test
Results window. For more information on running tests and components,
see Chapter 21, “Running Tests and Components.” For more information
on viewing run results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test Results.”

It is recommended that you begin your recording session before opening the
Visual Basic application on which you want to record. You can choose one
of the following options:

➤ Select Record and run on these applications in the Windows Applications
tab of the Record and Run Settings dialog box and specify the name and full
path of the executable file of your Visual Basic application. QuickTest
automatically opens this application when the recording session begins.
➤ Select Record and run on any application in the Windows Applications tab
of the Record and Run Settings dialog box, and click OK to begin recording.
When QuickTest begins recording, open your Visual Basic application.
For more information on the Record and Run Settings dialog box, see
Chapter 26, “Setting Record and Run Options.”

Note: The Visual Basic application must be executed after setting the Record
and Run options.

QuickTest records Visual Basic-specific statements for the operations
performed on the Visual Basic objects. When you record on a Visual Basic
application, QuickTest displays a Visual Basic icon next to the step in the
Keyword View. For example, if you record typing a name in a Visual Basic
text field, the Keyword View may be displayed as follows:

775



VbWindow("Login").VbEdit("txtAgentsName").Set "John"

You run tests or components on Visual Basic objects just as you would with
any other QuickTest object. The results tree displays the same Visual Basic
object icon as that used in the Keyword View.

For more information on running tests or components, see Chapter 21,
“Running Tests and Components.” For information on viewing results, see
Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test Results.”

Checking Visual Basic Objects
You can check Visual Basic objects by inserting a standard checkpoint. For
information on standard checkpoints, see Chapter 7, “Checking Object
Property Values.” For information on the properties available for a given
Visual Basic object, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

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Chapter 31 • Testing Visual Basic Applications

For example, you can create a checkpoint to check the enabled property of a
Visual Basic combo box.

A Visual Basic checkpoint is similar in appearance to other checkpoint
statements. In the Keyword View, the statement may be displayed as
follows:

In the Expert View, the above checkpoint statement would appear as:

VbWindow("MainForm").VbComboBox("cbxDepartures").
Check CheckPoint("cbxDepartures")

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Using Visual Basic Objects and Methods to Enhance Your
Test or Component
QuickTest provides several methods that you can use with Visual Basic
objects. You can record some of these methods while recording on Visual
Basic objects. You can add additional functionality to your test or
component by entering statements manually in the Expert View or by using
the Step Generator. For more information about programming in the Expert
View, see Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert View.” For more
information about using the Step Generator, see “Inserting Steps Using the
Step Generator” on page 467.

In addition to the Visual Basic-specific objects and methods, you can use the
Object property to access the internal properties of any run-time object. The
Object property is available for all Visual Basic objects.

You can also use the Object property to directly access Visual Basic object
properties and activate their methods.

For example, you can set the focus and caption of a button using code
similar to the following:

Set theButton = VbWindow("frmMain").VbButton("OK").Object
theButton.SetFocus
theButton.Caption = "Yes"

The Object property is also useful for checking the value of properties that
are not available using a standard Visual Basic checkpoint.

For additional information on Visual Basic objects and methods, refer to the

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32
Testing ActiveX Controls

QuickTest supports testing on ActiveX controls in any application.


➤ About Testing ActiveX Controls
➤ Recording and Running on ActiveX Controls
➤ Checking ActiveX Controls
➤ Activating an ActiveX Control Method
➤ Using Scripting Methods with ActiveX Controls

About Testing ActiveX Controls
Many applications include ActiveX controls developed with third-party
vendors. QuickTest can record and run tests or components on these
controls as well as check their properties.

You can check the properties of an ActiveX control as you check the
properties of any other object. You can also output property or text values
from the objects in your ActiveX application.

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ActiveX objects:


page 123, and
page 255

page 153, and
Note: Text checkpoints and output
values are not supported for
windowless ActiveX controls.

Text Area Yes Yes “Creating a Text Area Checkpoint,” on
page 156, and
“Creating Text Area Output Values,” on
page 270

Table Yes Yes “Checking Tables and Databases,” on
page 133, and
page 255


In the Expert View, or using the Insert > Step option, you can activate
ActiveX control methods, retrieve and set the values of properties (including
run-time properties), and check that objects exist.

Note that this chapter provides examples using both the Keyword View and
the Expert View. Some of the information provided and procedures
described require working in the Expert View. For information on working
in the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert View.”

For information on supported controls and versions, refer to the QuickTest
Professional Readme.

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Chapter 32 • Testing ActiveX Controls

Recording and Running on ActiveX Controls
QuickTest records and runs steps on ActiveX controls as it does on any other
object. You can view the details of your run session in the Test Results
window. For more information on running tests and components, see
Chapter 21, “Running Tests and Components.” For more information on
viewing run results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test Results.”

It is recommended that you begin your recording session before opening the
application containing the ActiveX controls on which you want to record.
You can choose one of the following options:

➤ Select Record and run on these applications in the Windows Applications
tab of the Record and Run Settings dialog box and specify the name and full
path of the executable file of your application. QuickTest automatically
opens this application when the recording session begins.
➤ Select Record and run on any application in the Windows Applications tab
of the Record and Run Settings dialog box, and click OK to begin recording.
When QuickTest begins recording, open your application.
For more information on the Record and Run Settings dialog box, see
Chapter 26, “Setting Record and Run Options.”

Note: The application containing the ActiveX controls on which you want
to record must be executed after setting the Record and Run options.

QuickTest records clicks inside the ActiveX control. When you record on an
ActiveX control, QuickTest displays an ActiveX icon next to the step in the
Keyword View. For example, if you record clicking on a calendar that is an
ActiveX control, the Keyword View may be displayed as follows:

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Dialog("ActiveX Calendars").ActiveX("SMonth Control").Click 44,72

Recording on an ActiveX control has the following syntax in the Expert
View:

...ActiveX (ActiveX_control).Method (arguments)

QuickTest can record on standard controls within an ActiveX control. For
example, suppose your ActiveX control is a calendar that contains a drop-
down list from which you can choose the month. If you click in the list to
select the month of May, QuickTest records this in the Keyword View as
follows:


Dialog("ActiveX Calendars").ActiveX("SMonth Control").
WinComboBox("ComboBox").Select "May"

Note: If an ActiveX control contains another ActiveX control, then
QuickTest can record and run on this internal control as well.

You run tests or components on ActiveX controls just as you would with
any other QuickTest objects. The results tree displays the same ActiveX
control icon as that used in the Keyword View. The bottom right pane of the
Test Results window displays the ActiveX control that was captured during
the run session and highlights the ActiveX control for each step in the
results tree.

For more information about running tests and components, see Chapter 21,
“Running Tests and Components.” For more information about results, see
Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test Results.”

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Checking ActiveX Controls
You create a checkpoint on an ActiveX control as you create a checkpoint on
any standard object. When you create a checkpoint on an ActiveX control,
QuickTest captures the ActiveX control properties and their values as it does
for any standard object. The properties you can check for an ActiveX control
depend on the properties of the ActiveX control. By default, when you
create a checkpoint on an ActiveX control, QuickTest captures all the
properties for an ActiveX control, but it does not select any properties to
check.

For example, you can create a checkpoint on an ActiveX control that is a
calendar to check the current date in the calendar.

Note: Unlike table objects in other environments, when you check an
ActiveX table, you can choose to check the table content and/or the table
object properties. For more information, see “Understanding the
Table/Database Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” on page 140.

To create a checkpoint on an ActiveX control:
1 Right-click the ActiveX control you want to check in the Active Screen and
select Insert Standard Checkpoint. The Object Selection - Checkpoint

783


2 Select the ActiveX control for which you want to create a checkpoint and
click OK. The Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens and displays all the
properties for the ActiveX control.

3 Select the properties you want to check in the check box column.
4 For each property, select the checkpoint options you want to apply.
Click OK. A checkpoint step is added in the Keyword View with an ActiveX
icon.
For more information on creating checkpoints, see Chapter 6,

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Activating an ActiveX Control Method
In the Expert View, you can use the Object property to activate the method
for an ActiveX control. The list of available methods depends on the
ActiveX control. Activating the method for an ActiveX control has the
following syntax:

...ActiveX (ActiveX_control).Object.Method_to_activate( )

For example, suppose the MakeObjVisible method is supported for your
ActiveX control. To activate the MakeObjVisible method, you insert the
following statement into your test or component script:

Browser("Home").Page("HomePage").ActiveX("Calendar")
.Object.MakeObjVisible()

For additional information about the Object property (.Object), see
“Retrieving and Setting Test Object Property Values” on page 898.

Using Scripting Methods with ActiveX Controls
QuickTest provides several scripting methods that you can use with ActiveX
controls. You can record some of these methods while recording on ActiveX
controls. You can enter statements manually with the other methods in the
Expert View or using the Step Generator. For more information about
programming in the Expert View, see Chapter 36, “Working with the Expert
View.” For more information on the Step Generator, see “Inserting Steps
Using the Step Generator” on page 467.

For additional information on these methods, refer to the QuickTest

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Note: When creating a programmatic description for an ActiveX test object
and the relevant run-time object is windowless (has no window handle
associated with it), you must add the windowless property to the
description and set its value to True.

For example:
Set ButDesc = Description.Create
ButDesc("ProgId").Value = "Forms.CommandButton.1"
ButDesc("Caption").Value = "OK"
ButDesc("Windowless").Value = True
Window("Form1").AcxButton(ButDesc).Click

For more information on using programmatic descriptions, see “Using

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33
Configuring Object Identification

When you record an operation on an object, QuickTest learns a set of
properties and values that uniquely describe the object within its parent
object. In most cases, this description is sufficient to enable QuickTest to
identify the object during the run session.

If you find that the description QuickTest uses for a certain object class is
not the most logical one for the objects in your application, or if you expect
that the values of the properties in the object description may change
frequently, you can configure the way that QuickTest learns and identifies
objects. You can also map user-defined objects to standard test object classes
and configure the way QuickTest learns objects from your user-defined
object classes.


➤ About Configuring Object Identification
➤ Understanding the Object Identification Dialog Box
➤ Configuring Smart Identification
➤ Mapping User-Defined Test Object Classes

About Configuring Object Identification
QuickTest has a predefined set of properties that it learns for each test
object. If these mandatory property values are not sufficient to uniquely
identify an object you record, QuickTest can add some assistive properties
and/or an ordinal identifier in order to create a unique description.

Mandatory properties are properties that QuickTest always learns for a
particular test object class.

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Part VII • Advanced Features

Assistive properties are properties that QuickTest learns only if the mandatory
properties that QuickTest learns for a particular object in your application
are not sufficient to create a unique description. If several assistive
properties are defined for an object class, then QuickTest learns one assistive
property at a time, and stops as soon as it creates a unique description for
the object. If QuickTest does learn assistive properties, those properties are
added to the test object description.

Note: If the combination of all defined mandatory and assistive properties is
not sufficient to create a unique test object description, QuickTest also
records the value for the selected ordinal identifier. For more information,
see “Selecting an Ordinal Identifier” on page 796.

When you run a test or component, QuickTest searches for the object that
matches the description it learned (without the ordinal identifier). If it
cannot find any object that matches the description, or if it finds more than
one object that matches, QuickTest uses the Smart Identification mechanism
(if enabled) to identify the object. In many cases, a Smart Identification
definition can help QuickTest identify an object, if it is present, even when
the recorded description fails due to changes in one or more property
values. The test object description is used together with the ordinal
identifier only in cases where the Smart Identification mechanism does not
succeed in narrowing down the object candidates to a single object.

You use the Object Identification dialog box (Tools > Object Identification)
to configure the mandatory, assistive, and ordinal identifier properties that
QuickTest uses to record descriptions of the objects in your application, and
to enable and configure the Smart Identification mechanism.

The Object Identification dialog box also enables you to configure new
user-defined classes and map them to an existing test object class so that
QuickTest can recognize objects from your user-defined classes when you
run your test or component.

790

Chapter 33 • Configuring Object Identification

Understanding the Object Identification Dialog Box
You use the main screen of the Object Identification dialog box to set
mandatory and assistive recording properties, to select the ordinal identifier,
and to specify whether you want to enable the Smart Identification
mechanism for each test object.

From the Object Identification dialog box, you can also define user-defined
object classes and map them to Standard Windows object classes, and you
can configure the smart identification mechanism for any object displayed
in the Test Object classes list for a selected environment.

Note: The recorded and smart identification properties of certain test objects
cannot be configured, for example, the WinMenu, VbLabel, VbObject, and
VbToolbar objects. These objects are therefore not included in the
Test Object classes list for the selected environment.

For more information, see:

➤ “Configuring Mandatory and Assistive Recording Properties” on page 792
➤ “Selecting an Ordinal Identifier” on page 796
➤ “Enabling and Disabling Smart Identification” on page 801
➤ “Restoring Default Object Identification Settings for all Test Objects” on
page 802
➤ “Generating Automation Scripts for Your Object Identification Settings” on
page 803
➤ “Configuring Smart Identification” on page 803
➤ “Mapping User-Defined Test Object Classes” on page 812

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Configuring Mandatory and Assistive Recording Properties
If you find that the description QuickTest uses for a certain object class is
not the most logical one for the objects in your application, or if you expect
that the values of the properties currently used in the object description
may change, you can modify the mandatory and assistive properties that
QuickTest learns when you record on an object of a given class.

During the run session, QuickTest looks for objects that match all properties
in the test object description - it does not distinguish between properties
that were learned as mandatory properties and those that were learned as
assistive properties.

For example, the default mandatory properties for a Web Image object are
the alt, html tag, and image type properties. There are no default assistive
properties defined. Suppose your Web site contains several space holders for
different collections of rotating advertisements. You want to record a test or
component that clicks on the images in each one of these space holders.
However, since each advertisement image has a different alt value, one alt
value would be recorded when you create the test or component, and most
likely another alt value will be captured when you run the test or
component, causing the run to fail. In this case, you could remove the alt
property from the Web Image mandatory properties list. Instead, since each
ad image displayed in a certain space holder in your site has the same value
for the image name property, you could add the name property to the
mandatory properties to enable QuickTest to uniquely identify the object.

Also, suppose that whenever a Web image is displayed more than once on a
page (like a logo displayed on the bottom and top of a page), the Web
designer adds a special ID property to the Image tag. Thus, the mandatory
properties are sufficient to create a unique description for images that are
only displayed once on the page, but you also want QuickTest to learn the
ID property for images that are displayed more than once on a page. To do
this, you add the ID property as an assistive property, so that QuickTest
learns the ID property only when it is necessary for creating a unique test
object description.

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To configure mandatory and assistive properties for a test object class:
1 Choose Tools > Object Identification. The Object Identification dialog box
opens.

2 Select the appropriate environment in the Environment list. The test object
classes associated with the selected environment are displayed in the Test
object classes list.

Note: The environments included in the Environment list correspond to the
loaded add-in environments. For more information on loading add-ins, see
Chapter 29, “Working with QuickTest Add-Ins.”

3 In the Test Object classes list, select the test object class you want to
configure.

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4 In the Mandatory Properties list, click Add/Remove. The Add/Remove
Properties dialog box for mandatory properties opens.

5 Select the properties you want to include in the Mandatory Properties list
and/or clear the properties you want to remove from the list.

Note: You cannot include the same property in both the mandatory and
assistive property lists.

You can specify a new property by clicking New and specifying a valid
property name in the displayed dialog box.

Tip: You can also add property names to the set of available properties for
Web objects using the attribute/<PropertyName> notation. To do this, click
New. The New Property dialog box opens. Enter a valid property in the
format attribute/<PropertyName> and click OK. The new property is added to
the Mandatory Properties list. For example, to add a property called
MyColor, enter attribute/MyColor.

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6 Click OK to close the Add/Remove Properties dialog box. The updated set of
mandatory properties is displayed in the Mandatory Properties list.
7 In the Assistive Properties list, click Add/Remove. The Add/Remove
Properties dialog box for assistive properties opens.

8 Select the properties you want to include in the assistive properties list

Note: You cannot include the same property in both the mandatory and
assistive property lists.


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the Assistive Properties list. For example, to add a property called MyColor,
enter attribute/MyColor.

9 Click OK to close the Add/Remove Properties dialog box. The properties are
displayed in the Assistive Properties list.

10 Use the up and down arrows to set your preferred order for the assistive
properties. When you record a test or component and assistive properties
are necessary to create a unique object description, QuickTest adds the
assistive properties to the description one at a time until it has enough
information to create a unique description, according to the order you set in
the Assistive Properties list.

Selecting an Ordinal Identifier
In addition to recording the mandatory and assistive properties specified in
the Object Identification dialog box, QuickTest can also record a backup
ordinal identifier for each test object. The ordinal identifier assigns the object
a numerical value that indicates its order relative to other objects with an
otherwise identical description (objects that have the same values for all
properties specified in the mandatory and assistive property lists). This
ordered value enables QuickTest to create a unique description when the
mandatory and assistive properties are not sufficient to do so.

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Because the assigned ordinal property value is a relative value and is
accurate only in relation to the other objects displayed when you record,
changes in the layout or composition of your application page or screen
could cause this value to change, even though the object itself has not
changed in any way. For this reason, QuickTest records a value for this
backup ordinal identifier only when it cannot create a unique description
using all available mandatory and assistive properties.

Further, even if QuickTest records an ordinal identifier, it does not use it to
identify the object during the run session, unless neither the recorded
description nor the Smart Identification mechanism are able to single out
the object in your application.

If the other test object properties are sufficient to identify the object during
a run session, the ordinal identifier is ignored.

There are three types of ordinal identifiers that QuickTest can use to identify
an object:

➤ Index—Indicates the order in which the object appears in the application
code relative to other objects with an otherwise identical description. For
more information, see “Identifying an Object Using the Index Property” on
page 798.
➤ Location—Indicates the order in which the object appears within the parent
window, frame, or dialog box relative to other objects with an otherwise
identical description. For more information, see “Identifying an Object
Using the Location Property” on page 799.
➤ CreationTime (Browser object only)—Indicates the order in which the
browser was opened relative to other open browsers with an otherwise
identical description. For more information, see “Identifying an Object
Using the CreationTime Property” on page 800.

An ordinal identifier is selected by default for each test object class. To
modify the selected ordinal identifier, select the desired type from the
Ordinal identifier box.

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Tip: If QuickTest successfully creates a unique test object description while
recording using the mandatory and assistive properties, it does not record
an ordinal identifier value. You can add an ordinal identifier to an object’s
test object properties at a later time using the Add/Remove option from the
Object Properties or Object Repository dialog box. For more information, see
Chapter 4, “Managing Test Objects.”

Identifying an Object Using the Index Property
During recording, QuickTest can assign a value to the Index test object
property of an object in order to uniquely identify the object. The value is
based on the order in which the object appears within the source code. The
first occurrence is 0.

Note that Index property values are object-specific. Thus, if you use Index:=3
to describe a WebEdit test object, QuickTest searches for the fourth WebEdit
object in the page.

If you use Index:=3 to describe a WebElement object, however, QuickTest
searches for the fourth Web object on the page regardless of the type,
because the WebElement object applies to all Web objects.

For example, suppose you have a page with the following objects:

➤ an image with the name Apple
➤ an image with the name UserName
➤ a WebEdit object with the name UserName
➤ an image with the name Password
➤ a WebEdit object with the name Password
The description below refers to the third item in the list above, as it is the
first WebEdit object on the page with the name UserName.

WebEdit("Name:=UserName", "Index:=0")

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The following description, however, refers to the second item in the list
above, as that is the first object of any type (WebElement) with the name
UserName.

WebElement("Name:=UserName", "Index:=0")

Identifying an Object Using the Location Property
During recording, QuickTest can assign a value to the Location test object
property of an object in order to uniquely identify the object. The value is
based on the order in which the object appears within the window, frame,
or dialog box, in relation to other objects with the same properties. The first
occurrence of the object is 0. Values are assigned in columns from top to
bottom, and left to right.

For example, the radio buttons in the dialog box below are numbered
according to their location property.

Note that Location property values are object-specific. Thus, if you use
Location:=3 to describe a WinButton test object, QuickTest searches from top
to bottom, and left to right for the fourth WinButton object in the page.

If you use Location:=3 to describe a WinObject object, however, QuickTest
searches from top to bottom, and left to right for the fourth standard object
on the page regardless of the type, because the WinObject object applies to
all standard objects.

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For example, suppose you have a dialog box with the following objects:

➤ a button object with the name OK
➤ a button object with the name Add/Remove
➤ a check box object with the name Add/Remove
➤ a button object with the name Help
➤ a check box object with the name Check spelling
first check box object on the page with the name Add/Remove.

WinCheckBox("Name:=Add/Remove", "Location:=0")

above, as that is the first object of any type (WinObject) with the name
Add/Remove.

WinObject("Name:=Add/Remove", "Location:=0")

Identifying an Object Using the CreationTime Property
During recording, if QuickTest is unable to uniquely identify a browser
object based solely on its test object description, it assigns a value to the
CreationTime test object property. This value indicates the order in which
the browser was opened relative to other open browsers with an otherwise
identical description.

During the run session, if QuickTest is unable to identify a browser object
based solely on its test object description, it examines the order in which the
browsers were opened, and then uses the CreationTime property to identify
the correct one.

For example, if you record a test or component on three otherwise identical
browsers, opened at 9:01 pm, 9:03 pm, and 9:05 pm, QuickTest assigns the
CreationTime values 0 to the 9:01 pm browser, 1 to the 9:03 pm browser,
and 2 to the 9:05 pm browser.

800


At 10:30 pm, when you rerun your test or component, suppose the browsers
are opened at 10:31 pm, 10:33 pm, and 10:34 pm. QuickTest identifies the
10:31 pm browser with the browser test object with CreationTime = 0, the
10:33 pm browser with the test object with CreationTime = 1, and the 10:34
pm browser with the test object with CreationTime = 2.

If you have several open browsers, the one with the highest CreationTime is
the last one that was opened, and the one with the lowest CreationTime is
the first one that was opened. For example, if you have three or more
browsers open, the one with CreationTime = 2 is the third browser that was
opened. If you have less than (or exactly) seven browsers, the one with
CreationTime = 6 is the last browser that was opened.

If a step was recorded on a browser with, for example, CreationTime = 6, and
there is no open browser with this CreationTime value, the step will run on
the browser that is currently open with the highest CreationTime value. For
example, if two browsers are currently open during the run session, with
CreationTime = 0 and CreationTime = 1, then the step does not fail because
it cannot find a browser with CreationTime = 6, but instead runs on the last
browser opened, in this case, the browser with CreationTime = 1.

Note: It is possible that at a particular time during a session, the available
CreationTime values may not be sequential. For example, if you open six
browsers during a record or run session, and then during that session, you
close the second and fourth browsers (CreationTime values 1 and 3), then at
the end of the session, the open browsers will be those with CreationTime
values 0, 2, 4, and 5).

Enabling and Disabling Smart Identification
Selecting the Enable Smart Identification check box for a particular test
object class instructs QuickTest to record the property values of all properties
specified as the object’s base filter or optional filter properties in the Smart
Identification Properties dialog box.

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By default, some test objects already have Smart Identification
configurations and others do not. Those with default configurations also
have the Enable Smart Identification check box selected by default.

You should enable the Smart Identification mechanism only for test object
classes with Smart Identification configuration defined. However, even if
you define a Smart Identification configuration for a test object class, you
may not always want to record the Smart Identification property values. If
you do not want to record the Smart Identification properties, clear the
Enable Smart Identification check box.

Note: Even if you choose to record Smart Identification properties for an
object, you can disable use of the Smart Identification mechanism for a
specific object in the Object Properties or Object Repository dialog box.
You can also disable use of the mechanism for an entire test in the Run
tab of the Test Settings dialog box. For more information, see Chapter 4,
“Managing Test Objects” and Chapter 25, “Defining Run Settings for Your
Test.”

However, if you do not record Smart Identification properties, you cannot
enable the Smart Identification mechanism for an object later.

For more information on the Smart Identification mechanism, see
“Configuring Smart Identification” on page 803.

Restoring Default Object Identification Settings for all Test
Objects
You can click the Reset to Default button to restore the default settings for
all elements of the Object Identification dialog box for all environments
listed in the Environment box (corresponding to the add-ins that are
currently loaded).

Note that the Reset to Default button applies to the main object
identification properties and the smart identification properties for all
QuickTest test object classes and currently available in the Object
Identification dialog box and to the user-defined test object classes that are
mapped in the Object Mapping dialog box.

802


Generating Automation Scripts for Your Object Identification
Settings
You can click the Generate Script button to generates an automation script
containing the current object identification settings. For more information,
see “Automating QuickTest Operations” on page 919, or refer to the
QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference (Help > QuickTest Automation
Object Model Reference).

Configuring Smart Identification
Configuring Smart Identification properties enables you to help QuickTest
identify objects in your application even if some of the properties in the
object’s recorded description have changed.

When QuickTest uses the recorded description to identify an object, it
searches for an object that matches every one of the property values in the
description. In most cases, this description is the simplest way to identify
the object and unless the main properties of the object change, this method
will work.

If QuickTest is unable to find any object that matches the recorded object
description, or if it finds more than one object that fits the description, then
QuickTest ignores the recorded description, and uses the Smart
Identification mechanism to try to identify the object.

While the Smart Identification mechanism is more complex, it is more
flexible, and thus, if configured logically, a Smart Identification definition
can probably help QuickTest identify an object, if it is present, even when
the recorded description fails.

The Smart Identification mechanism uses two types of properties:

➤ Base filter properties—The most fundamental properties of a particular test
object class; those whose values cannot be changed without changing the
essence of the original object. For example, if a Web link’s tag was changed
from <A> to any other value, you could no longer call it the same object.
➤ Optional filter properties—Other properties that can help identify objects
of a particular class as they are unlikely to change on a regular basis, but
which can be ignored if they are no longer applicable.

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Understanding the Smart Identification Process
If QuickTest activates the Smart Identification mechanism during a run
session (because it was unable to identify an object based on its recorded
description), it follows the following process to identify the object:

1 QuickTest “forgets” the recorded test object description and creates a new
object candidate list containing the objects (within the object’s parent object)
that match all of the properties defined in the base filter property list.
2 From that list of objects, QuickTest filters out any object that does not
match the first property listed in the Optional Filter Properties list. The
remaining objects become the new object candidate list.
3 QuickTest evaluates the new object candidate list:
If the new object candidate list still has more than one object, QuickTest
uses the new (smaller) object candidate list to repeat step 2 for the next
optional filter property in the list.
If the new object candidate list is empty, QuickTest ignores this optional
filter property, returns to the previous object candidate list, and repeats
step 2 for the next optional filter property in the list.
If the object candidate list contains exactly one object, then QuickTest
concludes that it has identified the object and performs the statement
containing the object.
4 QuickTest continues the process described in steps 2 and 3 until it either
identifies one object, or runs out of optional filter properties to use.
If, after completing the Smart Identification elimination process, QuickTest
still cannot identify the object, then QuickTest uses the recorded description
plus the ordinal identifier to identify the object.
If the combined recorded description and ordinal identifier are not
sufficient to identify the object, then QuickTest stops the run session and
displays a Run Error message.

804


Reviewing Smart Identification Information in the Test Results
If the recorded test or component does not enable QuickTest to identify a
specified object in a step, and a Smart Identification definition is defined
(and enabled) for the object, then QuickTest tries to identify the object using
the Smart Identification mechanism.

If QuickTest successfully uses Smart Identification to find an object after no
object matches the recorded description, the results receive a warning status
and indicate that the Smart Identification mechanism was used.

If the Smart Identification mechanism cannot successfully identify the
object, QuickTest uses the recorded description plus the ordinal identifier to
identify the object. If the object is still not identified, the test or component
fails and a normal failed step is displayed in the results.

For more information, see “Analyzing Smart Identification Information in
the Test Results” on page 587.

Walking Through a Smart Identification Example
The following example walks you through the object identification process
for an object.

Suppose you have the following statement in your test or component:

Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").Image("Login").Click 22,17

When you recorded your test or component, QuickTest recorded the
following object description for the Login image:

At some point after you recorded your test or component, however, a
second login button (for logging into a VIP section of the Web site) was
added to the page, so the Web designer changed the original Login button’s
alt tag to: basic login.

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The default description for Web Image objects (alt, html tag, image type)
works for most images in your site, but it no longer works for the Login
image, because that image’s alt property no longer matches the recorded
description. Thus, when you run your test or component, QuickTest is
unable to identify the Login button based on the recorded description.
However, QuickTest succeeds in identifying the Login button using its Smart
Identification definition.

The explanation below describes the process that QuickTest uses to find the
Login object using Smart Identification:

1 According to the Smart Identification definition for Web image objects,
QuickTest recorded the values of the following properties when you
recorded the click on the Login image:

The recorded values are as follows:
Base Filter Properties:

Property Value

html tag INPUT

image type Image Button

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Optional Filter Properties:

Property Value

alt Login

name login

file name login.gif

class <null>

visible 1

2 QuickTest begins the Smart Identification process by identifying the five
objects on the Mercury Tours page that match the base filter properties
definition (html tag = INPUT and image type = Image Button). QuickTest
considers these to be the object candidates and begins checking the object
candidates against the Optional Filter Properties list.
3 QuickTest checks the alt property of each of the object candidates, but none
have the alt value: Login, so QuickTest ignores this property and moves on
to the next one.
4 QuickTest checks the name property of each of the object candidates, and
finds that two of the objects (both the basic and VIP Login buttons) have
the name: login. QuickTest filters out the other three objects from the list,
and these two login buttons become the new object candidates.
5 QuickTest checks the file name property of the two remaining object
candidates. Only one of them has the file name login.gif, so QuickTest
correctly concludes that it has found the Login button and clicks it.

Step-by-step Instructions for Configuring a Smart Identification
Definition
You use the Smart Identification Properties dialog box, accessible from the
Object Identification dialog box, to configure the Smart Identification
definition for a test object class.

807


To configure Smart Identification properties:
opens.

2 Select the appropriate environment in the Environment list. The test object
classes associated with the selected environment are displayed in the Test
object classes list.

Note: The environments included in the Environment list are those that
correspond to the loaded add-in environments. For more information on
loading add-ins, see Chapter 29, “Working with QuickTest Add-Ins.”

3 Select the test object class you want to configure.

808


4 Click the Configure button next to the Enable Smart Identification check
box. The Configure button is enabled only when the Enable Smart
Identification option is selected. The Smart Identification Properties dialog
box opens:

5 In the Base Filter Properties list, click Add/Remove. The Add/Remove
Properties dialog box for base filter properties opens.

809


6 Select the properties you want to include in the Base Filter Properties list

Note: You cannot include the same property in both the base and optional
property lists.


the Base Filter Properties list. For example, to add a property called MyColor,

7 Click OK to close the Add/Remove Properties dialog box. The updated set of
base filter properties is displayed in the Base Filter Properties list.
8 In the Optional Filter Properties list, click Add/Remove. The Add/Remove
Properties dialog box for optional filter properties opens.

810


9 Select the properties you want to include in the Optional Filter Properties
list and/or clear the properties you want to remove from the list.

Note: You cannot include the same property in both the base and optional
property lists.


the Optional Filter Properties list. For example, to add a property called
MyColor, enter attribute/MyColor.

10 Click OK to close the Add/Remove Properties dialog box. The properties are
displayed in the Optional Filter Properties list.

11 Use the up and down arrows to set your preferred order for the optional
filter properties. When QuickTest uses the Smart Identification mechanism,
it checks the remaining object candidates against the optional properties
one-by-one according to the order you set in the Optional Properties list
until it filters the object candidates down to one object.

811


Mapping User-Defined Test Object Classes
The Object Mapping dialog box enables you to map an object of an
unidentified or custom class to a Standard Windows class. For example, if
your application has a button that cannot be identified, this button is
recorded as a generic WinObject. You can teach QuickTest to identify your
object as if it belonged to a standard Windows button class. Then, when you
click the button while recording, QuickTest records the operation in the
same way as a click on a standard Windows button. When you map an
unidentified or custom object to a standard object, your object is added to
the list of Standard Windows test object classes as a user-defined test object.
You can configure the object identification settings for a user defined object
class just as you would any other object class.

Note that an object that cannot be identified should be mapped only to a
standard Windows class with comparable behavior. For example, do not
map an object that behaves like a button to the edit class.

Note: You can define user-defined classes only when Standard Windows is
selected in the Environment box.

To map an unidentified or custom class to a standard Windows class:
opens.
2 Select Standard Windows in the Environment box. The User-Defined button
becomes enabled.

812


3 Click User-Defined. The Object Mapping dialog box opens.

4 Click the pointing hand and then click the object whose class you want to
add as a user-defined class. The name of the user-defined object is displayed
in the Class Name box.


5 In the Map to box, select the standard object class to which you want to
map your user-defined object class and click Add. The class name and
mapping is added to the object mapping list.
6 If you want to map additional objects to standard classes, repeat steps 4-5
for each object.
7 Click OK. The Object Mapping dialog box closes and your object is added to
the list of Standard Windows test object classes as a user-defined test object.

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Note that your object has an icon with a red U in the corner, identifying it as
a user-defined class.
8 Configure the object identification settings for your user defined object class
just as you would any other object class. For more information, see
“Configuring Mandatory and Assistive Recording Properties,” on page 792,
and “Configuring Smart Identification,” on page 803.

To modify an existing mapping:
1 In the Object Mapping dialog box, select the class you want to modify from
the object mapping list. The class name and current mapping are displayed
in the Class name and Map to boxes.
2 Select the standard object class to which you want to map the selected
user-defined class and click Update. The class name and mapping is updated
in the object mapping list.
3 Click OK to close the Object Mapping dialog box.

To delete an existing mapping:
1 In the Object Mapping dialog box, select the class you want to delete from
the object mapping list.
2 Click Delete. The class name and mapping is deleted from the object
mapping list in the Object Mapping dialog box.
3 Click OK. The Object Mapping dialog box closes and the class name is
deleted from the Standard Windows test object classes list in the Object
Identification dialog box.

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34
Choosing the Object Repository Mode

When you create a test or component, all the information about the objects
in your test or component is stored in an object repository. You can view
and modify this information in the Object Repository dialog box.

There are two types of object repositories—shared object repository and
per-action object repository.

Components use shared object repository files stored in Quality Center.

When working with tests, you can choose which type of object
repository you want to use as the default type for all new tests, and you can
change the object repository type as necessary for each new test.


➤ About Choosing the Object Repository Mode
➤ Deciding Which Object Repository Mode to Choose
➤ Setting the Object Repository Mode
➤ Choosing a Shared Object Repository File

About Choosing the Object Repository Mode
When QuickTest runs a test or component, it simulates a human user by
moving the mouse cursor over the application, clicking objects, and
entering keyboard input. Like a human user, QuickTest must learn the
interface of an application to be able to work with it. QuickTest does this by
learning the application’s objects and their corresponding property values
and storing these object descriptions in an object repository file.

815


When you plan and create tests, you must consider how you want to
store the objects in your test. You can have a separate object repository for
each action and store the objects for each action in its corresponding object
repository, or you can store all the objects in your test or component in a
common (shared) object repository file that can be used among multiple
tests.

QuickTest’s TestGuard technology enables you to maintain the reusability of
your tests or components by storing all the information regarding your test
objects in the shared object repository. When objects in your application
change, test object information can be updated in one central location for
multiple tests or components.

If you are new to using QuickTest, you may want to use the object
repository per-action mode. This is the default setting, and all tests created
in QuickTest 5.6 or earlier use this mode. In this mode, QuickTest
automatically creates an object repository file for each action in your test so
that you can record and run tests without creating, choosing, or modifying
object repository files. If you do make changes to an action object
repository, your changes do not have any effect on other actions or other
tests (except tests that call the action; for more information, see “Inserting
Calls to Existing Actions” on page 357).

If you are familiar with testing, it is probably most efficient to work in the
shared object repository mode. In this mode, you can use one object
repository file for multiple tests or components if the tests or components
include the same objects. Object information that applies to many tests or
components is kept in one central location. When the objects in your
application change, you can update them in one location for multiple tests
or components.

You do not have to use the same object repository mode for all tests. You
can select the per-action repository mode or a specific shared object
repository file as the default for new tests in the Resources tab of the Test
Settings dialog box. When you open a new test, the test is set to use the
default repository. If you want to use a different shared object repository or
set per-action mode for your new test, you can change the selection for that
test in the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog box before you begin
adding objects to the test.

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Chapter 34 • Choosing the Object Repository Mode

For example, suppose you set a shared object repository file as the default for
all tests. If you open a new test and want to use the per-action repository
mode for that particular test, select Per-action in the Test Settings dialog box
before you begin adding objects to the new test.

When you open and work with an existing test or component, the test
always uses the mode and file that are specified in the Resources tab of the
Test Settings dialog box or the Business Component Settings dialog box.

Notes:

You can change the object repository type for the test only if the test does
not include any steps or any objects and the test does not call any external
actions. However, if you are using a shared object repository, you can
modify the path of the shared object repository file and change the file the
test or component is using. For more information, see “Choosing a Shared
Object Repository File” on page 831.
There is no need to load object repository files from within your test or
component.
If you want to use a shared object repository from Quality Center, you
must save the shared object repository as an attachment in your Quality
Center project before you specify the object repository file in the Resources
tab of the Test Settings dialog box. For more information, see “Using Shared
Object Repository Files with Quality Center” on page 828.

Deciding Which Object Repository Mode to Choose
To choose the default object repository mode and the appropriate object
repository mode for each test, you need to understand the differences
between the two modes.

In general, the object repository per-action mode is easiest to use when you
are creating simple record and run tests, especially under the following
conditions:

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➤ You have only one, or very few, tests that correspond to a given application,
interface, or set of objects.
➤ You do not expect to frequently modify test object properties.
➤ You generally create single-action tests.

Conversely, the shared object repository mode is generally the preferred
mode when:

➤ You have several tests that test elements of the same application, interface,
or set of objects.
➤ You expect the object properties in your application to change from time to
time and/or you regularly need to update or modify test object properties.
➤ You often work with multi-action tests and regularly use the Insert Copy of
Action and Insert Call to Action options.

The sections below describe the effects and implications of using each mode
in conjunction with various QuickTest features.

Understanding the Object Repository Per-Action Mode
When working in object repository per-action mode:

➤ QuickTest creates a new (blank) object repository for each action.
➤ As you record operations on objects in your application, QuickTest
automatically stores the information about those objects in the
appropriate action object repository.
➤ When you create a new action, QuickTest creates another new object
repository and again begins adding test objects to the repository as you
record.
➤ When you record on the same object in your application in two different
actions, the object is stored as a separate test object in each object
repository.
➤ When you save your test, all of the action object repositories are
automatically saved with the test as part of each action within the test.
The action object repository is not accessible as a separate file (as is the
shared object repository).

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Updating Test Objects in Object Repository Per-Action Mode
Modifying the test object properties, values, or names in one object
repository does not affect the information stored for the same test object in
another object repository or in other tests.

If you parameterize objects in one action, the parameterization applies only
to the objects in that current action. For more information about
parameterizing tests, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”

If you want to update object properties, values, or names for the same object
in several actions, open the object repository for each action containing the
object (by selecting a step in the action you want to modify and choosing
Tools > Object Repository or clicking the Object Repository toolbar button)
and make the required change in each object repository.

Using the Object Repository Dialog Box in Object Repository
Per-Action Mode
You can view and modify the information about the objects in an action
in the Object Repository dialog box. You also can use the Export option to
save your object repository as a shared object repository file to use with
other tests.

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When working in the object repository per-action mode, the Object
Repository dialog box displays a hierarchy of all objects in the current
action, grouped at each level by test object class.

The Object Repository dialog box contains a variety of options for managing
the objects in your action. For more information, see Chapter 4, “Managing
Test Objects.”

Splitting and Copying Actions in Object Repository Per-Action
Mode
When you split an action in your test while using the object repository
per-action mode:

➤ QuickTest makes a copy of the action object repository.
➤ The two actions have identical object repositories containing all of the
objects that were in the original object repository.
➤ If you add objects to one of the split actions, the new objects are added
only to the corresponding action object repository.

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For more information, see “Splitting Actions” on page 362.

When you insert a copy of an action into your test:

➤ The copied action’s action object repository is copied along with the
action steps.
➤ You can edit the object repository of the copied action as you would any
other object repository in the test.

Note: You cannot insert a copy of an action that uses a shared object
repository file into a test that is using action object repositories. This is
because a test using action object repositories has a separate object
repository for each action. A copied action must use its own action object
repository and not one that is shared throughout a test or several tests.

For more information about copying actions, see “Inserting Calls to Existing

Inserting Action Calls in Object Repository Per-Action Mode
When you insert a call to an action into a test using the object repository
per-action mode:

➤ QuickTest refers to the called action’s object repository when running the
test.
➤ The called action’s object repository is read-only, as are all the steps in
the called action.

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Note: You cannot insert a call to an action that uses a shared object
repository file into a test using action object repositories. This is because a
test using action object repositories has a separate object repository for each
action and an action in a test using shared object repositories uses a
repository that is shared throughout a test or several tests. You also cannot
change a called action’s repository type within a test that uses per-action
object repositories.

For more information about calling actions, see “Inserting Calls to Existing
Actions,” on page 357, and “Setting Action Properties,” on page 366.

Understanding the Shared Object Repository Mode
When you use the shared object repository mode, QuickTest uses the object
repository file you specify for all the actions in your test, or for your
component. When you create a new test or component, you can specify an
existing object repository file, or you can create a new one, by specifying a
new file name.

Once you have begun creating your test or component, you can specify a
different object repository file or create a new one. Before running the test
or component, you must ensure that the object repository file being used by
the test or component contains all the objects in your test or component.
Otherwise, the test or component may fail. For more information, see

Tip: If you do not specify a file extension when creating a new object
repository file, then QuickTest automatically appends the default extension
name for shared object repositories: .tsr

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When working in shared object repository mode:

➤ QuickTest adds new objects to the object repository as you record steps on
the object.
➤ QuickTest uses the existing information and does not add the object to the
object repository if you record operations on an object that already exists in
the shared object repository (i.e. the object has the same test object
description).
➤ QuickTest uses the same test object from the shared object repository file
when you record on the same object in two different actions or in different
tests or components.
➤ QuickTest saves changes to the shared object repository file when you save
your open test or component or when you click Save in the Object
Repository dialog box if the shared object repository is not locked and/or
opened in read-only mode.

Note: A shared object repository file may have been locked by QuickTest. If
the file is locked, a message regarding locked resources opens. For more
information, see “Creating, Opening, and Saving Tests with Locked

Updating Test Objects in Shared Object Repository Mode
Shared object repository mode enables you to:

➤ easily maintain your tests or components when an object in your
application changes
➤ manage all the objects for a suite of tests or components in one central
location
When you modify the test object properties, names, parameterization
settings, and so forth, in your shared object repository for an open test or
component, QuickTest applies the change to all the tests or components
that use the same shared object repository file.

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Note: You save the changes you make to the shared object repository by
saving the open test or by clicking Save in the Object Repository dialog box.
You cannot save changes to the shared object repository if it has been locked
and/or opened in read-only mode.

Parameterizing Test Objects in Shared Object Repository Mode
When you parameterize an object property in a shared object repository,
there are several issues you should consider:

➤ When you parameterize an object property (with any type of parameter),
the change applies to all tests or components that already contain that
object.
➤ When you parameterize an object property that is part of an object’s
description, and then record on the object in your application again,
QuickTest creates a new test object in the shared object repository. This is
because the description of the object in the object repository is not
identical to the one in the application (one or more of the properties in
the test object description has a parameterized value rather than the
constant value of the corresponding object property in the application).
Additionally, when parameterizing using a Data Table parameter:

➤ You must use the global data sheet. The Current action sheet (local)
option in the Data Table Parameter Options dialog box is disabled.
➤ Your change to the object is saved in the shared object repository, but the
corresponding Data Table is saved only with the test or component in
which you are currently working.
➤ You must ensure that every other test or component containing the
parameterized object and using the same shared object repository also
has a corresponding column in the global Data Table. Otherwise the test
or component may fail.
➤ The column name in the global Data Table related to the parameterized
object must be the same for every test or component using the same
shared object repository.

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➤ The data within the global Data Table column can be different for each
test or component.

Using the Object Repository Dialog Box in Shared Object
Repository Mode
You can view and modify the information about the objects in your test or
component in the Object Repository dialog box.

When working in the shared object repository mode, the Object Repository
dialog box displays a hierarchy of all objects in the object repository file.
Objects in the Object Repository dialog box are grouped at each level by test
object class.

The Object Repository dialog box contains a variety of options for managing
the objects in your test or component. For more information, see Chapter 4,
“Managing Test Objects.”

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Renaming Objects in a Shared Object Repository
If you rename objects in a shared object repository in one test or component
and save the changes, when you open another test or component using the
same shared object repository, that test or component updates the object
name in all steps of the test or component. This process may take a few
moments. If you save the changes to the second test or component, the
renamed steps are saved. However, if you close the second test or
component without saving, then the next time you open the same test or
component, it will again take a few moments to update the object names in
the test or component steps.

Splitting and Copying Actions in Shared Object Repository
Mode
When using the shared object repository mode, splitting an action has
no effect on the object repository file. For more information, see “Splitting

When you insert a copy of an action into a test that uses a shared object
repository, keep in mind:

➤ Only the action itself is copied and not its corresponding object
repository.
➤ The copied action will use the same shared object repository as the test
into which it is being copied.
➤ When you insert copies of actions from tests using a different shared
object repository or per-action repository mode, you must ensure that all
the objects contained in the action are in the test’s shared object
repository. If the action uses objects that are not in the shared object
repository, the test may fail. For more information, see “Adding Objects
to the Object Repository” on page 73.

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Inserting Action Calls in Shared Object Repository Mode
When you insert a call to an external action while working in the shared
object repository mode, you can call actions from tests that use:

➤ the same shared object repository as the calling test
➤ the object repository per-action mode
➤ a different shared object repository than the one used by the calling test
When you insert a call to an action whose test uses the object repository per-
action mode, you can instruct the external action to refer to its own object
repository or to use the same shared object repository as the rest of the
current test. You do this in the External Action tab of the Action Properties
dialog box. For more information, see “Setting Action Properties” on
page 366.

Note: If the called action continues to use its own per-action object
repository, that object repository is read-only in the test calling the action,
as are all the called action’s steps.

When you insert a call to an external action using a different shared object
repository, the called action uses the current test’s shared object repository.
Before running the test, ensure that all the objects in the called action are in
the current test’s shared object repository file. If the called action contains
objects that are not in the current test’s shared object repository file, the test
may fail. For information on adding objects to the object repository, see

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Using Shared Object Repository Files with Quality Center
You can add a new or existing shared object repository to your Quality
Center project. Keep in mind:

➤ If you add an existing shared object repository file from the file system
to a Quality Center project, it will be a copy of the one used by tests not in
the Quality Center project.
➤ You must be connected to Quality Center to work with a shared object
repository in the file system.
➤ Once you save the file to the project, changes made to the Quality
Center repository file will not affect the file in the file system and vice versa.
➤ You can use the Save as option in the Object Repository dialog box to save
your shared object repository in Quality Center.

Setting the Object Repository Mode
You set the object repository mode for your tests in the Resources tab of
the Test Settings dialog box. You can change the object repository mode for
a test if the test does not call any external actions and if the test does not
contain any steps or any objects. You cannot change the object repository
mode for a component.

If you do not change your object repository, QuickTest uses the object
repository mode and/or file that was set as the default for new tests.

828


To set the object repository mode:
1 Choose Test > Settings > Resources tab.

2 In the Object repository type area, select Per-action or Shared.

829


3 If you selected Shared in step 2, specify the shared object repository file you
want to use as the object repository file. To specify a file, enter the object
repository file name or click the browse button and select a resource file
from the Open dialog box. To create a new shared object repository file,
enter a new file name in the Shared box.

Tip: The default file extension for object repository files is .tsr, but the file
may have any extension. When browsing for an existing object repository
file in the Open dialog box, select All Files in the Files of type box.

Notes:

You can enter an existing object repository file as a relative path. QuickTest
will search for the file in the current test’s directory, and then in the folders
listed in the Folders tab of the Options dialog box. For more information,
see “Setting Folder Testing Options” on page 616. When creating a new
shared object repository file, you must enter the full path.
Make sure that you have write permissions for the object repository file you
select. Otherwise, you will be able to save changes to your test, but new test
objects or any changes you make to object properties or parameterization
settings will not be saved in the object repository.

4 If you want to make your selection the default setting for new tests, click Set
as Default.
➤ If Per-action is the default setting, all new tests will be created with a
per-action object repository.
➤ If you set Shared as the default setting for new tests, the shared object
repository file listed will be the default shared object repository for all
new tests. If this file is in Quality Center, you must be connected to
Quality Center when you create a new test.
For guidelines and more information, see “Choosing a Shared Object
Repository File,” below.

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5 Click OK to save and close the Test Settings dialog box.

Note: Changes you make to the default object repository type apply only to
tests opened after you click OK to close the Test Settings dialog box. If a new
test is already open when you make changes to the default object repository
type, the changes are not applied to that test. To use the new settings, create
a new test by choosing File > New.

Choosing a Shared Object Repository File
When working with an existing test or component, the object repository
mode and/or file that is associated with the test or component is displayed
in the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog box or the Business
Component Settings dialog box. When you create a test, the default mode is
displayed.

If the test does not call any external actions and the test or component does
not contain any steps or any objects, you can change the repository mode or
the shared object repository file being used for that test or component.

Once objects or steps have been added to a test, the object repository mode
cannot be changed from per-action to shared or vice versa. If your existing
test or component uses a shared object repository file, you can change the
shared object repository file that the test or component uses.

Guidelines for Choosing a Shared Object Repository File
You can create a new shared object repository file or associate an existing
shared object repository file with your test or component:

➤ when creating a new test or component
➤ when working with an existing test or component that is in shared object
repository mode
➤ if your test does not call any external actions and if the test or
component does not contain any steps or any objects

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When creating a new shared object repository file or selecting an existing
shared object repository file for your test or component, consider the
following:

➤ You create a new shared object repository file by typing a new name in
the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component
Settings dialog box, or in the Object Repository dialog box of an existing
test or component after selecting the Save As option.
➤ You can select an existing shared object repository file by browsing to it
and selecting it in the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog box or
Business Component Settings dialog box.
➤ You cannot create a new shared object repository file with a relative path.
You must designate an absolute path for a new shared object repository
file.
➤ When changing the shared object repository file your test or component
uses, changes to the current shared object repository are not
automatically saved. If you do not want to lose your changes to the
current shared object repository, click Save in the Object Repository
dialog box before designating a different shared object repository file.
➤ If you select a file that has a relative path, QuickTest will search for
the file in the current test’s folder and then in the folders listed in the
Folders tab of the Options dialog box. For more information, see
Chapter 24, “Setting Folder Testing Options.”
➤ When associating your existing test or component with a new or existing
shared object repository file, you must ensure that all the objects
contained in the component or test and all its actions are in the
component or test’s shared object repository before running the test or
component. Otherwise, your test or component may fail. For more
information, see “Adding Objects to the Object Repository” on page 73.
➤ An existing shared object repository file you associate with your test or
component may be locked by QuickTest. When opening a test or
component with a locked shared object repository, QuickTest enables
you to open the test or component in read-only or read-write mode.
However, the object repository is locked and any modifications to it
cannot be saved. For more information, see “Creating, Opening, and
Saving Tests with Locked Resources” on page 109.

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Setting a Default Shared Object Repository File
You set a default shared object repository file for tests by clicking Set as
Default in the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog box with the Shared
option selected. The file listed will be the default shared object repository
file for all new tests.

You set a default shared object repository file for components in the
component template. For more information, “Working with Component
Templates” on page 987. The file listed will be the default shared object
repository file for all new components.

Consider the following when setting a default shared object repository file:

➤ Any existing or open tests or components will not be affected by setting a
different, default shared object repository file.
➤ All new tests or components will attempt to access your default shared
object repository.
➤ If the shared object repository file’s path is relative, QuickTest
searches for the shared object repository file in the current test’s folder
and then in the Folders tab of the Options dialog box.
➤ It is recommended that you ensure that the path for the shared object
repository is absolute or listed in the Folders tab of the Options dialog
box.
➤ If you choose to set a file with a relative path or one that is in the
current test’s folder as the default shared object repository, QuickTest
may not be able to locate the file when creating a new test.
➤ If the default shared object repository file is in Quality Center, you
must be connected to Quality Center when you create a new test.

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834

35
Configuring Web Event Recording

you can configure the events you want to record for each type of Web
object.


➤ About Configuring Web Event Recording
➤ Selecting a Standard Event Recording Configuration
➤ Customizing the Event Recording Configuration
➤ Saving and Loading Custom Event Configuration Files
➤ Resetting Event Recording Configuration Settings

About Configuring Web Event Recording
QuickTest creates your or component by recording the events you perform
on your Web-based application. An event is a notification that occurs in
response to an operation, such as a change in state, or as a result of the user
clicking the mouse or pressing a key while viewing the document. You may
find that you need to record more or fewer events than QuickTest
automatically records by default. You can modify the default event
recording settings by using the Web Event Recording Configuration dialog
box to select one of three standard configurations, or you can customize the
individual event recording configuration settings to meet your specific
needs.

835


For example, QuickTest does not generally record mouseover events on link
objects. If, however, you have a mouseover behavior connected to a link, it
may be important for you to record the mouseover event. In this case, you
could customize the configuration to record mouseover events on link
objects whenever they are connected to a behavior.

Notes: Event configuration is a global setting and therefore affects all tests
or components that are recorded after you change the settings.

Changing the event configuration settings does not affect tests or
components that have already been recorded. If you find that QuickTest
recorded more or less than you need, change the event recording
configuration and then re-record the part of your test or component that is
affected by the change.
Changes to the custom Web event recording configuration settings do not
take effect on open browsers. To apply your changes for an existing test or
component, make the changes you need in the Web Event Recording
Configuration dialog box, refresh any open browsers, and then start a new
recording session.

836

Chapter 35 • Configuring Web Event Recording

Selecting a Standard Event Recording Configuration
The Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box offers three standard
event-configuration levels. By default, QuickTest uses the Basic
recording-configuration level. If QuickTest does not record all the events
you need, you may require a higher event-configuration level.

Level Description

Basic Default
• Always records click events on standard Web
objects such as images, buttons, and radio
buttons.
• Always records the submit event within forms.
• Records click events on other objects with a
handler or behavior connected.
For more information on handlers and
behaviors, see “Listening Criteria” on page 845.
• Records the mouseover event on images and
image maps only if the event following the
mouseover is performed on the same object.

Medium Records click events on the <DIV>, <SPAN>, and
<TD> HTML tag objects, in addition to the objects
recorded in the basic level.

High Records mouseover, mousedown, and double-click
events on objects with handlers or behaviors
attached, in addition to the objects recorded in the
basic level.
For more information on handlers and behaviors,
see “Listening Criteria” on page 845.

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To set a standard event-recording configuration:
1 Choose Tools > Web Event Recording Configuration. The Web Event
Recording Configuration dialog box opens.

2 Use the slider to select your preferred standard event recording
configuration.

Tip: You can click the Custom Settings button to open the Custom Web
Event Recording dialog box where you can customize the event recording
configuration. For more information, see “Customizing the Event Recording
Configuration,” below.

You can click the Default Settings button to return the scale to the Basic
level.

3 Click OK.

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Customizing the Event Recording Configuration
If the standard event configuration levels do not exactly match your
recording needs, you can customize the event recording configuration using
the Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box.

The Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box enables you to
customize event recording in several ways. You can:

➤ add or delete objects to which QuickTest should apply special listening or
recording settings
➤ add or delete events for which QuickTest should listen
➤ modify the listening or recording settings for an event

To customize the event recording configuration:
2 Click the Custom Settings button. The Custom Web Event Recording
Configuration dialog box opens.

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3 Customize the event recording configuration using the following options:

Option Description

Objects pane Displays a list of Web test object classes and HTML tag
objects.
• To add an object, choose Object > Add.
• Only HTML Tag objects can be deleted. To delete an
HTML object from the list, choose Object > Delete.
For more information, see “Adding and Deleting Objects in
the Custom Configuration Object List” on page 841.

Events pane Displays a list of events associated with the object.
• To add an event to the Events pane, choose
Event > Add.
• To delete an event, choose Event > Delete.
For more information, see “Adding and Deleting Listening
Events for an Object” on page 843.

Event Name The name of the event.

Listen The criteria for when QuickTest listens to the event.
• Always—Always listens to the event.
• If Handler—Listens to the event if a handler is attached
to it. A handler is code in a Web page, typically a
function or routine written in a scripting language, that
receives control when the corresponding event occurs.
• If Behavior—Listens to the event if a DHTML behavior
is attached to it. A DHTML behavior is a simple,
lightweight component that encapsulates specific
functionality or behavior on a page. When applied to a
standard HTML element on a page, a behavior
enhances that element’s default behavior.
• If Handler or Behavior—Listens to the event if a
handler or behavior is attached to it.
• Never—Never listens to the event.
For more information, see “Modifying the Listening and
Recording Settings for an Event” on page 845.

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Option Description

Record Enables or disables recording of the event for the selected
object, or enables recording of the event only if the
subsequent event occurs on the same object.

Reset Enables you to reset your settings to a preconfigured level.

4 Click OK. The Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box
closes. The slider scale on the Web Event Recording Configuration dialog
box is hidden and the configuration description displays Custom.

Adding and Deleting Objects in the Custom Configuration
Object List
The Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box lists objects in
an object hierarchy. The top of the hierarchy is Any Web Object. The
settings for Any Web Object apply to any object on the Web page being
tested, for which there is no specific event recording configuration set.
Below this are the Web Objects and HTML Tag Objects categories, each of
which contains a list of objects.

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When working with the objects in the Custom Web Event Recording
Configuration dialog box, keep the following principles in mind:

➤ If an object is listed in the Custom Web Event Recording Configuration
dialog box, then the settings for that object override the settings for Any
Web Object.
➤ You cannot delete or add to the list of objects in the Web Objects category,
but you can modify the settings for any of these objects.
➤ You can add any HTML Tag object in your Web page to the HTML Tag
Objects category.

To add objects to the event configuration object list:
1 In the Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box, choose
Object > Add. A New Object object is displayed in the HTML Tag Objects
list.

2 Click New Object to rename it. Enter the exact HTML Tag name.
By default the new object is set to listen and record onclick events with
handlers attached.

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For more information on adding or deleting events, see “Adding and
Deleting Listening Events for an Object,” below. For more information on
listening and recording settings, see “Modifying the Listening and
Recording Settings for an Event” on page 845.

To delete objects from the HTML Tag Objects list:
1 From the Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box, select the
object in the HTML Tag Objects category that you want to delete.
2 Choose Object > Delete. The object is deleted from the list.

Note: You cannot delete objects from the Web Objects category.

Adding and Deleting Listening Events for an Object
You can modify the list of events that trigger QuickTest to listen to an
object.

To add listening events for an object:
1 In the Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box, select the
object to which you want to add an event, or select Any Web Object.

843


2 Choose Event > Add. A list of available events opens.

3 Select the event you want to add. The event is displayed in the Event Name
column in alphabetical order. By default, QuickTest listens to the event
when a handler is attached and always records the event (as long as it is
listened to at some level).
For more information on listening and recording settings, see “Modifying
the Listening and Recording Settings for an Event,” below.

To delete listening events for an object:
1 In the Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box, select the
object from which you want delete an event, or select Any Web Object.
2 Select the event you want to delete from the Event Name column.
3 Choose Event > Delete. The event is deleted from the Event Name column.

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Modifying the Listening and Recording Settings for an Event
You can select the listening criteria and set the recording status for each
event listed for each object.

Note: The listen and record settings are mutually independent. This means
that you can choose to listen to an event for particular object, but not record
it, or you can choose not to listen to an event for an object, but still record
the event. For more information, see “Tips for Working with Event Listening
and Recording” on page 847.

Listening Criteria
For each event, you can instruct QuickTest to listen every time the event
occurs on the object if an event handler is attached to the event, if a DHTML
behavior is attached to the event, if an event handler or DHTML behavior
are attached to the event, or to never listen to the event.

An event handler is code in a Web page, typically a function or routine
written in a scripting language, that receives control when the
corresponding event occurs.

A DHTML behavior is a simple, lightweight component that encapsulates
specific functionality or behavior on a page. When applied to a standard
HTML element on a page, a behavior enhances that element's default
behavior.

To specify the listening criterion for an event:
object for which you want to modify the listening criterion or select Any
Web Object.

845


2 In the row of the event you want to modify, select the listening criterion
you want from the Listen column.

You can select Always, If Handler, If Behavior, If Handler or Behavior, or
Never.

Recording Status
For each event, you can enable recording, disable recording, or enable
recording only if the next event is dependent on the selected event.

➤ Enabled—Records the event each time it occurs on the object as long as
QuickTest listens to the event on the selected object, or on another object to
which the event bubbles.
Bubbling is the process whereby, when an event occurs on a child object, the
event can travel up the chain of hierarchy within the HTML code until it
encounters an event handler to process the event.
➤ Disabled—Does not record the specified event and ignores event bubbling
where applicable.
➤ Enabled on next event—Same as Enabled, except that it records the event
only if the subsequent event occurs on the same object. For example,
suppose a mouseover behavior modifies an image link. You may not want to
record the mouseover event each time you happen to move the mouse over
this image. Because only the image that is displayed after the mouseover
event enables the link event, however, it is essential that the mouseover
event is recorded before a click event on the same object. This option applies
only to the Image and WebArea objects.

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To set the recording status for an event:
object for which you want to modify the recording status or select Any Web
Object.
2 In the row of the event you want to modify, select a recording status from
the Record column.

Tips for Working with Event Listening and Recording
It can sometimes be difficult to find the ideal listen and recording settings.
When defining these settings, keep in mind the following guidelines:

➤ If settings for different objects in the Objects Pane conflict, QuickTest gives
first priority to settings for specific HTML Tag Objects and second priority to
Web Objects settings. QuickTest only applies the settings for Any Web
Object to Web objects that were not defined in the HTML Tag Object or Web
Objects areas.
➤ To record an event on an object, you must instruct QuickTest to listen for
the event, and to record the event when it occurs. You can listen for an
event on a child object, even if a parent object contains the handler or
behavior, or you can listen for an event on a parent object, even if the child
object contains the handler or behavior. However, you must enable
recording for the event on the source object (the one on which the event
actually occurs, regardless of which parent object contains the handler or
behavior).

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For example, suppose a table cell with an onmouseover event handler
contains two images. When a user touches either of the images with the
mouse pointer, the event also bubbles up to the cell, and the bubbling
includes information on which image was actually touched. You can record
this mouseover event by:
➤ Setting Listen on the <TD> tag mouseover event to If Handler (so that
QuickTest “hears” the event when it occurs), while disabling recording
on it, and then setting Listen on the <IMG> tag mouseover event to
Never, while setting Record on the <IMG> tag to Enable (to record the
mouseover event on the image after it is listened to at the <TD> level).
➤ Setting Listen on the <IMG> tag mouseover event to Always (to listen for
the mouseover event even though the image tag does not contain a
behavior or handler), and setting Record on the <IMG> tag to Enabled
(to record the mouseover event on the image).
➤ Instructing QuickTest to listen for many events on many objects may lower
performance, so try to limit listening settings to the required objects.
➤ In rare situations, listening to the object on which the event occurs (the
source object) can interfere with the event.
If you find that your application works properly until you begin recording
on the application using QuickTest, your listen settings may be interfering.
If this problem occurs with a mouse event, try selecting the appropriate Use
standard Windows mouse events option(s) in the Advanced Web Options
dialog box. For more information, see “Advanced Web Options” on
page 644.
If this problem occurs with a keyboard or internal event, or the Use
standard Windows mouse events option does not solve your problem, set
the listen settings for the event to Never on the source object (but keep the
record setting enabled on the source object), and set the listen settings to
Always for a parent object.

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Saving and Loading Custom Event Configuration Files
You can save the changes you make in the Custom Web Event Recording
Configuration dialog box, and load them at any time.

To save a custom configuration:
1 Customize the event recording configuration as desired. For more
information on how to customize the configuration, see “Customizing the
Event Recording Configuration” on page 839.
2 In the Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box, Choose
File > Save Configuration As. The Save As dialog box opens.
3 Navigate to the folder in which you want to save your event configuration
file and enter a configuration file name. The extension for configuration
files is .xml.
4 Click Save to save the file and close the dialog box.

To load a custom configuration:
1 Choose Tools > Web Event Recording Configuration and then click Custom
Settings to open the Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog
box.
2 Choose File > Load Configuration. The Open dialog box opens.
3 Locate the event configuration file (.xml) that you want to load and click
Open. The dialog box closes and the selected configuration is loaded.

849


Resetting Event Recording Configuration Settings
You can restore standard settings after you set Custom settings by resetting
the event recording configuration settings to the basic level from the Web
Event Recording Configuration dialog box.

Note: When you choose to reset standard settings, your custom settings are
cleared completely. If you do not want to lose your changes, be sure to save
your settings in an event configuration file. For more information, see
“Saving and Loading Custom Event Configuration Files” on page 849.

To reset basic level configuration settings from the Web Event Recording
Configuration dialog box:
2 Click Default. The standard configuration slider is displayed again and all
event settings are restored to the Basic event recording configuration level.
3 If you want to select a different standard configuration level, see “Selecting a
Standard Event Recording Configuration” on page 837.

You can also restore the settings to a specific (base) custom configuration
from within the Custom Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box so
that you can begin customizing from that point.

To reset the settings to a custom level from the Custom Web Event
Recording Configuration dialog box:
2 Click the Custom Settings button. The Custom Web Event Recording
Configuration dialog box opens.
3 In the Reset to box, select the standard event recording level you want.
4 Click Reset. All event settings are restored to the defaults for the level you
selected.

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36
Working with the Expert View

In QuickTest, tests and components are composed of statements coded in
Microsoft’s VBScript programming language. The Expert View provides an
alternative to the Keyword View for testers who are familiar with VBScript.

This chapter explains how to work in the Expert View, provides a brief
introduction to VBScript, and shows you how to enhance your tests and
components using a few simple programming techniques.


➤ About Working with the Expert View
➤ Understanding and Using the Expert View
➤ Navigating in the Expert View
➤ Understanding Basic VBScript Syntax
➤ Using Programmatic Descriptions
➤ Running and Closing Applications Programmatically
➤ Using Comments, Control-Flow, and Other VBScript Statements
➤ Retrieving and Setting Test Object Property Values
➤ Accessing Run-Time Object Properties and Methods
➤ Running DOS Commands
➤ Enhancing Your Tests using the Windows API
➤ Choosing Which Steps to Report During the Run Session

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About Working with the Expert View
In the Expert View, you can view an action or component in VBScript. If you
are familiar with VBScript, you can add and update statements and enhance
your tests and components with programming.

When you record steps, the Expert View displays the steps as VBScript
statements. After you record your test or component, you can increase its
power and flexibility by adding recordable and non-recordable VBScript
statements.

To learn about working with VBScript, you can view the VBScript
documentation directly from the QuickTest Help menu (Help > QuickTest
Professional Help > VBScript Reference).

You can add statements that perform operations on objects or retrieve
information from your application. For example, you can add a step that
checks that an object exists, or you can retrieve the return value of a
method.

In the Expert View you can add steps to your test or component either
manually or using the Step Generator. For more information on using the
Step Generator, see “Inserting Steps Using the Step Generator” on page 467.

You can print the test or component displayed in the Expert View at any
time. You can also include additional information in the printout. For more
information on printing from the Expert View, see “Printing a Test or

Note: QuickTest Professional is Unicode compliant according to the
requirements of the Unicode standard, enabling you to add and update
VBScript statements for testing applications developed in many
international languages. Unicode represents the required characters using
8-bit or 16-bit code values. For more information on the Unicode standard,
refer to: http://www.unicode.org/standard/standard.html.

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Chapter 36 • Working with the Expert View

Understanding and Using the Expert View
If you prefer to work with VBScript statements, you can choose to work with
your tests and components in the Expert View, as an alternative to using the
Keyword View. You can move between the two views as you wish, by
selecting the Expert View or Keyword View tab at the bottom of the Test
pane in the QuickTest window.

The Expert View displays the same steps and objects as the Keyword View,
but in a different format:

➤ In the Keyword View, QuickTest displays information about each step and
shows the object hierarchy in an icon-based table. For more information, see
Chapter 15, “Working with the Keyword View.”
➤ In the Expert View, QuickTest displays each step as a VBScript line. In
object-based steps, the VBScript line defines the object hierarchy.
The following diagram shows how the same object hierarchy is displayed in
the Expert View and in the Keyword View:

Each line of VBScript in the Expert View represents a step in the test or
component. The example above represents a step in a test in which the user
inserts the name mercury into an edit box. The hierarchy of the step enables
you to see the name of the site, the name of the page, the type and name of
the object in the page, and the name of the method performed on the
object.

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The table below explains how the different parts of the same step are
represented in the Keyword View and the Expert View:

Keyword View Expert View Explanation

Browser The name of the browser
("Welcome: test object is Welcome:
Mercury Tours") Mercury Tours.

Page ("Welcome: The name of the current
Mercury Tours") page is Welcome: Mercury
Tours.

WebEdit The object type is WebEdit;
("userName") the name of the edit box on
which the operation is
performed is userName.

Set The method performed on
the edit box is Set.

"mercury" The value inserted into the
username edit box is
mercury.

In the Expert View, an object’s description is displayed in parentheses
following the object type. For all objects stored in the object repository, the
object name is a sufficient object description. In the following example, the
object type is Browser, and the object name is Welcome: Mercury Tours:

Browser ("Welcome: Mercury Tours")

Tip: Test object and method names are not case sensitive.

The objects in the object hierarchy are separated by a dot. In the following
example, Browser and Page are two separate objects in the same hierarchy:

Browser("Welcome: Mercury Tours").Page("Welcome: Mercury Tours")

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The operation (method) performed on the object is always displayed at the
end of the line of script, followed by any values associated with the
operation. In the following example, the word mercury is inserted in the
userName edit box using the Set method:


When you record your test, QuickTest records the operations you perform
on your application in terms of the objects in it.

The objects in QuickTest are divided by environment. QuickTest
environments include standard Windows objects, Visual Basic objects,
ActiveX objects, and Web objects, as well as objects from other
environments available as external add-ins.

Most objects have corresponding methods. For example, the Back method
is associated with the Browser object.

For a complete list of objects and their associated methods and properties,
choose Help > QuickTest Professional Help, and open the QuickTest Object
Model Reference from the Contents tab.

For more information about adding steps that use methods to perform
operations, see “Generating Statements in the Expert View” on page 858.

For more information about using VBScript, see “Understanding Basic

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Understanding Checkpoint and Output Statements
In QuickTest, you can create checkpoints and output values on pages, text
strings, tables, and other objects. When you create a checkpoint or output
value in the Keyword View, QuickTest creates a corresponding line in
VBScript in the Expert View. It uses the Check method to perform the
checkpoint, and the Output method to perform the output value step.

For example, in the following statement QuickTest performs a check on the
words New York:

Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Flight Confirmation").Check
Checkpoint("New York")

The corresponding step in the Keyword View is displayed as follows:

Notes:

The details about a checkpoint are set in the relevant Checkpoint Properties
dialog box and are stored with the object it checks. The details about an
output value step are set in the relevant Output Value Properties dialog box
and are stored with the object whose values it outputs. The statement
displayed in the Expert View is a reference to the stored information.
Therefore, you cannot insert a checkpoint or output value statement in the
Expert View manually and you cannot copy a Checkpoint or Output
statement from the Expert View to another test or component.
For more information on inserting and modifying checkpoints, see
Chapter 6, “Understanding Checkpoints.” For more information on
inserting and modifying output values, see Chapter 13, “Outputting
Values.”

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Understanding Parameter Indications
You can use QuickTest to enhance your tests and components by
parameterizing values. A parameter is a variable that is assigned a value from
an external data source or generator.

When you create a parameter in the Keyword View, QuickTest creates a
corresponding line in VBScript in the Expert View.

For example, if you define the value of a method argument as a Data Table
parameter, QuickTest retrieves the value from the Data Table using the
following syntax:

Object_Hierarchy.Method DataTable (parameterID, sheetID)

Item Description

Object_Hierarchy The hierarchical definition of the test object, consisting of
one or more objects separated by a dot.

Method The name of the method that QuickTest executes on the
parameterized object.

DataTable The reserved object representing the Data Table.

parameterID The name of the column in the Data Table from which to
take the value.

sheetID The name of the sheet in which the value is stored. If the
parameter is a global parameter, dtGlobalSheet is the sheet
ID.

For example, suppose you are recording a test on the Mercury Tours site, and
you select San Fransisco as your destination. The following statement is
inserted into your test in the Expert View:

Browser("Welcome: Mercury").Page("Find a Flight:").WebList("toPort").
Select "San Francisco"

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Now suppose you parameterize the destination value, and you create a
Destination column in the Data Table. The previous statement is modified
to the following:

Browser("Welcome: Mercury").Page("Find a Flight:").WebList("toPort").
Select DataTable("Destination",dtGlobalSheet)

In this example, Select is the method name, DataTable is the object that
represents the Data Table, Destination is the name of the column in the Data
Table, and dtGlobalSheet indicates the sheet in the Data Table.

In the Keyword View, this step is displayed as follows:

For more information on using and defining parameter values, see

Generating Statements in the Expert View
The Expert View helps you to generate statements in three ways:

➤ You can use the Step Generator to add steps that use methods and functions.
For more information, see “Inserting Steps Using the Step Generator” on
page 467.
➤ You can manually generate VBScript statements that use methods to
perform operations. QuickTest includes a statement completion
(Intellisense) feature that helps you select the test object or method for your
statement and to view the relevant syntax as you type in the Expert View.
For more information, see “Generating a Statement for an Object”, below.
➤ When you start to type a VBScript keyword in the Expert View, QuickTest
automatically adds the relevant syntax or blocks to your script, if the Auto-
expand VBScript syntax option is enabled. For more information, see
“Automatically Completing VBScript Syntax” on page 862.

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Generating a Statement for an Object
When you type in the Expert View, QuickTest’s statement completion
(Intellisense) feature lets you select the test object or method for your
statement from a drop-down list and view the relevant syntax.

The Statement Completion option is enabled by default. You can disable or
enable this option in the Editor Options dialog box. For additional
information, see Chapter 27, “Customizing the Expert View.”

When the Statement Completion option is enabled:

➤ When you type a dot after a test object in a statement, QuickTest displays a
list of available test objects and methods that you can add after the object
you typed.
➤ When you type an object followed by an open parenthesis ( , for example,
Browser(, QuickTest displays a list of all test objects of this type in the object
repository. If there is only one object of this type in the object repository,
QuickTest automatically enters its name in quotes after the open
parenthesis.
➤ When you type a method, QuickTest displays the syntax for the method,
including the mandatory and optional arguments for the specific method.
When you add a step that uses a method, you must define a value for each
mandatory argument associated with the method.
➤ When you use the Object property in your statement, if the object data is
currently available in the Active screen or the open application, QuickTest
displays native methods and properties of any run-time object in your
application. For more information on the Object property, see “Accessing
Run-Time Object Properties and Methods” on page 899.

859


To generate a statement using statement completion in the Expert View:
1 Confirm that the Statement Completion option is selected (Tools > Editor
Options > General tab).
2 In the Expert View, type an object followed by an open parenthesis (.

If there is only one object of this type in the object repository, QuickTest
automatically enters its name in quotes after the open parenthesis. If more
than one object of this type exists in the object repository, QuickTest
displays them in a list.

3 Double-click an object in the list or use the arrow keys to choose an object
and press ENTER. QuickTest inserts the object into the line of script.
4 Type a period (.) after the object on which you want to perform the method.

860


Alternatively, you can press CTRL+SPACE or choose Edit > Complete Word after
a period, or after you have begun to type a method name. QuickTest displays
a list of the available methods for the object.

5 Double-click a method in the list or use the arrow keys to choose a method
and press ENTER. QuickTest inserts the method into the line of script.
If you begin typing a method name before opening the list, and only one
method matches the text you typed, the word is completed automatically. If
more than one word matches the text you typed, the list of available
methods is displayed, and the first method (alphabetically) that matches the
text you typed is highlighted.
If the method contains arguments, QuickTest displays the syntax of the
method in a tooltip.

Statement completion tooltip

In the above example, the Select method has one argument, called Item.
The argument name represents the item to select in the list.
You can also place the cursor on any object or method and press
CTRL+SHIFT+SPACE or choose Edit > Argument Info to display the statement
completion tooltip for that item.

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6 Enter the method arguments after the method as per the displayed syntax.

Note: After you have added a step in the Expert View, you can view the new
step in the Keyword View. If the statement that you added in the Expert
View contains syntax errors, QuickTest displays the errors when you select
the Keyword View tab. For more information, see “Handling VBScript
Syntax Errors” on page 877.

For more details and examples of any QuickTest method, refer to the

For more information about VBScript syntax, see “Understanding Basic

Automatically Completing VBScript Syntax
When the Auto-expand VBScript syntax option is enabled and you start to
type a VBScript keyword in the Expert View, QuickTest automatically
recognizes the first two characters of the keyword and adds the relevant
VBScript syntax or blocks to the script. For example, if you enter the letters if
and then enter a space at the beginning of a line in the Expert View,
QuickTest automatically enters:

If Then
End If

The Auto-expand VBScript syntax option is enabled by default. You can
disable or enable this option in the Editor Options dialog box. For more
information, see “Customizing Expert View Behavior” on page 714.

862


If you enter two characters that are the initial characters of multiple
keywords, the Select a Keyword dialog box is displayed and you can select
the keyword you want. For example, if you enter the letters pr and then
enter a space, the Select a Keyword dialog box opens containing the
keywords private and property.

You can then select the required keyword and QuickTest automatically
enters the relevant VBScript block in the script. For more information, see
“Selecting a VBScript Keyword”, below.

For more information on VBScript syntax, see “Understanding Basic

Selecting a VBScript Keyword
When you enter the first two characters of a keyword and then a space at
the beginning of a line in the Expert View, and the initial characters exist in
multiple VBScript keywords, the Select a Keyword dialog box opens. You can
then select a keyword from the list and click OK. QuickTest automatically
enters the relevant VBScript syntax or block in the script.

For example, if you enter the letters pr and then enter a space, the Select a
Keyword dialog box opens containing the private and property keywords.

This dialog box is displayed only when the Auto-expand VBScript syntax
option is selected in the General tab of the Editor Options dialog box.

863


Navigating in the Expert View
You can use the Go To dialog box or bookmarks to jump to a specific line in
the Expert View. You can also find specific text strings in the Expert View,
and, if desired, replace them with different strings. These options make it
easier to navigate through sections of a long action or component.

Note: When working with tests, the Expert View displays only one
action. The navigation features described in this section are available only
for the currently selected action and not for the entire test.

Using the Go To Dialog Box
You can use the Go To dialog box to navigate in the Expert View to a
specified line in the action or component.

Tip: You can configure the Expert View to display line numbers, by selecting
the Show line numbers option in the Tools > Editor Options > General tab.
For more information on the Editor options, see Chapter 27, “Customizing
the Expert View.”

To navigate to a line in the Expert View using the Go To dialog box:
1 Click the Expert View tab.
2 Choose Edit > Go To. The Go To dialog box opens.

864


3 Enter the line of script to which you want to navigate in the Goto line
number box. The cursor moves to the script line you specify.

Working with Bookmarks
You can use bookmarks to mark important sections in your action or
component so that you can easily navigate between the various parts.
Bookmarks apply only within a specific action or component; they are not
preserved when you navigate between actions and are not saved with the
test or component.

When you assign a bookmark, an icon is added to the left of the selected
line in the Expert View. You can then use the Go To button in the
Bookmarks dialog box to jump to the bookmarked rows.

In the following example, two bookmarks have been added to an action.

Bookmarked lines

865


To set bookmarks:
2 Click in the line in your action or component where you want to assign a
bookmark.
3 Choose Edit > Bookmarks. The Bookmark dialog box opens.

4 In the Bookmark Name field, enter a unique name for the bookmark and
click Add. The bookmark is added to the Bookmark dialog box, together
with the line number at which it is located and the textual content of the
line. In addition, a bookmark icon is added to the left of the selected line
in the Expert View.
5 To delete a bookmark, select it in the list and click Delete.

866


To navigate to a specific bookmark:
2 Choose Edit > Bookmarks. The Bookmark dialog box opens.
3 Select a bookmark from the list and click the Go To button. QuickTest jumps
to the appropriate line in the current action or component.

Tip: You can configure the Expert View to display line numbers, by selecting
the Show line numbers option in the Tools > Editor Options > General tab.
For more information on the Editor options, see Chapter 27, “Customizing
the Expert View.”

Finding Text Strings
You can specify text strings to locate in the current action in the Expert
View. You can also search for strings in the Edit HTML Source and Edit
HTML Tags dialog boxes, and in the “With” Generation Results dialog box.
You can either search for literal text or use regular expressions for a more
advanced search. You can also use other options to further fine-tune your
search results.

To find a text string:
1 Click the Expert View tab and choose Edit > Find,
or
click the Expert View tab and choose Edit > Apply “With” to Script, and then
press CTRL+F,
or
in the Page Checkpoint Properties dialog box, click Edit HTML Source or Edit
HTML Tags, and then right-click and choose Find in the displayed dialog
box.

867


The Find dialog box opens.

2 In the Find what box, enter the text string you want to locate.
3 If you want to use regular expressions in the string you specify, click the
arrow button and select a regular expression. When you select a regular
expression from the list, it is automatically inserted in the Find what box at
the cursor location. For more information, see “Using Regular Expressions in
the Find and Replace Dialog Boxes” on page 871.
4 Select any of the following options to help fine-tune your search:
➤ Match case—Distinguishes between upper-case and lower-case characters
in the search. When Match case is selected, QuickTest finds only those
occurrences in which the capitalization exactly matches the text you
entered in the Find what box.
➤ Match whole word—Searches for occurrences that are whole words only
and not part of larger words.
➤ Regular expression—Treats the specified text string as a regular
expression. This option is automatically selected when you select a
regular expression from the list.
➤ Wrap at beginning/end—Continues the search from the beginning or
end of the action, component, or dialog box text when either the
beginning or end is reached, depending on the selected search direction.
➤ Restrict to selection—Searches only within the selected part of the
action, component, or dialog box text.
➤ Place cursor at end—Places the cursor at the end of the highlighted
occurrence when the search string is located.

868


5 Specify the direction in which you want to search, from the current cursor
location in the Expert View: Up or Down.
6 Click Find Next to highlight the next occurrence of the specified string in
the current action or component in the Expert View or in the current dialog
box.

Replacing Text Strings
You can specify text strings to locate in the current action or component in
the Expert View, and specify the text strings you want to use to replace
them. You can also search and replace strings in the Edit HTML Source and
Edit HTML Tags dialog boxes. You can either find and replace literal text or
use regular expressions for a more advanced process. You can also use other
options to further fine-tune your find and replace process.

To replace a text string:
1 Click the Expert View tab and choose Edit > Replace,
or
in the Page Checkpoint Properties dialog box, click Edit HTML Source or Edit
HTML Tags, and then right-click and choose Replace in the displayed dialog
box.
The Replace dialog box opens.

2 In the Find what box, enter the text string you want to locate.

869


3 In the Replace with box, enter the text string you want to use to replace the
found text.
4 If you want to use regular expressions in the Find what or Replace with
string, click the arrow button and select a regular expression. When you
select a regular expression from the list, it is automatically inserted in the
Find what or Replace with box at the cursor location. For more information,
see “Using Regular Expressions in the Find and Replace Dialog Boxes” on
page 871.
5 Select any of the following options to help fine-tune your search:
➤ Match case—Distinguishes between upper-case and lower-case characters
in the search. When Match case is selected, QuickTest finds only those
occurrences in which the capitalization exactly matches the text you
entered in the Find what box.
➤ Preserve case—Checks each occurrence of the Find what string for all
lowercase, all uppercase, sentence caps or mixed case. The Replace with
string is converted to the same case as the occurrence found, except
when the occurrence found is mixed case. In this case, the Replace with
string is used without modification.
➤ Match whole word—Searches for occurrences that are whole words only
and not part of larger words.
➤ Regular expression—Treats the specified text string as a regular
expression. This option is automatically selected when you select a
regular expression from the list.
➤ Wrap at beginning/end—Continues the search from the beginning or
end of the action, component, or dialog box text when either the
beginning or end is reached, depending on the selected search direction.
➤ Restrict to selection—Searches only within the selected part of the
action, component, or dialog box text.
➤ Place cursor at end—Places the cursor at the end of the highlighted
occurrence when the search string is located.

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6 Click Find Next to highlight the next occurrence of the specified text string
in the current action or component in the Expert View.
7 Click Replace to replace the highlighted text with the text in the Replace
with box, or click Replace All to replace all occurrences specified in the Find
what box with the text in the Replace with box in the current action,
component, or dialog box.

Using Regular Expressions in the Find and Replace Dialog Boxes
You can use regular expressions in the Find what and Replace with strings to
enhance your search. For a general understanding of regular expressions, see
“Understanding and Using Regular Expressions” on page 290. Note,
however, that there are differences in the expressions supported by the Find
and Replace dialog boxes and the expressions supported in other parts of
QuickTest.

You display the regular expressions available for selection by clicking the
arrow button in the Find or Replace dialog boxes.

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You can select from a predefined list of regular expressions, and you can also
use tagged expressions. When you use regular expressions to search for a
string, you may want the string to change depending on what was already
found.

For example, you can search for (save:n)1, which will find any occurrence
of save followed by any number, immediately followed by save and the
same number that was already found (meaning that it will find save6save6
but not save6save7.

You can also use tagged expressions to insert parts of what is found into the
replace string. For example, you can search for save(:n) and replace it with
open(:n). This will find save followed by any number, and replace it with
open and the number that was found.

Select Tag an Expression from the regular expressions list to insert
parentheses "()" to indicate a tagged expression in the search string. Select
Match Tagged Expression and then select the specific tag group number to
specify the tagged expression you want to use, in the format ’’ followed by
a tag group number 1-9. (Count the left parentheses ’(’ in the search string
to determine a tagged expression number. The first (left-most) tagged
expression is "1" and the last is "9".)

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Understanding Basic VBScript Syntax
VBScript is an easy-to-learn, yet powerful scripting language. You can use
VBScript to develop scripts to perform both simple and complex
object-based tasks, even if you have no previous programming experience.

This section provides some basic guidelines to help you use VBScript
statements to enhance your QuickTest test or component. For more detailed
information about using VBScript, you can view the VBScript
documentation from the QuickTest Help menu (Help > QuickTest
Professional Help > VBScript Reference).

Each VBScript statement has its own specific syntax rules. If you do not
follow these rules, errors will be generated when you run the problematic
step. Additionally, if you try to move to the Keyword View from the Expert
View, QuickTest lists any syntax errors found. You cannot switch to the
Keyword View without fixing or eliminating the syntax errors. For more
information, see “Handling VBScript Syntax Errors” on page 877.

When working in the Expert View, you should bear in mind the following
general VBScript syntax rules and guidelines:

➤ Case-sensitivity—By default, VBScript is not case sensitive and does not
differentiate between upper-case and lower-case spelling of words, for
example, in variables, object and method names, or constants.
For example, the two statements below are identical in VBScript:
Browser("Mercury").Page("Find a Flight:").WebList("toDay").Select "31"
browser("mercury").page("find a flight:").weblist("today").select "31"
➤ Text strings—When you enter a value as a text string, you must add
quotation marks before and after the string. For example, in the above
segment of script, the names of the Web site, Web page, and edit box are all
text strings surrounded by quotation marks. Note that the value 31 is also
surrounded by quotation marks, because it is a text string that represents a
number and not a numeric value.
In the following example, only the property name (first argument) is a text
string and is in quotation marks. The second argument (the value of the
property) is a variable and therefore does not have quotation marks. The
third argument (specifying the timeout) is a numeric value, which also does
not need quotation marks.

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Browser("Mercury").Page("Find a Flight:").WaitProperty("items count",
Total_Items, 2000)
➤ Variables—You can specify variables to store strings, integers, arrays and
objects. Using variables helps to make your script more readable and
flexible. For more information, see “Using Variables,” below.
➤ Parentheses—To achieve the desired result and to avoid errors, it is
important that you use parentheses () correctly in your statements. For more
information, see “Using Parentheses” on page 875.
➤ Comments—You can add comments to your statements using an
apostrophe ('), either at the beginning of a separate line, or at the end of a
statement. It is recommended that you add comments wherever possible, to
make your scripts easier to understand and maintain. For more information,
see “Inserting Comments” on page 889.
➤ Spaces—You can add extra blank spaces to your script to improve clarity.
These spaces are ignored by VBScript.

For more information on using specific VBScript statements to enhance
your tests and components, see “Using Comments, Control-Flow, and Other
VBScript Statements” on page 888.

Using Variables
You can specify variables to store test objects or simple values in your test or
component. When using a variable for a test object, you can use the variable
instead of the entire object hierarchy in other statements. Using variables in
this way makes your statements easier to read and to maintain.

To specify a variable to store an object, use the Set statement, with the
following syntax:

Set ObjectVar = ObjectHierarchy

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In the example below, the Set statement specifies the variable UserEditBox
to store the full Browser > Page > WebEdit object hierarchy for the username
edit box. The Set method then enters the value John into the username edit
box, using the UserEditBox variable:

Set UserEditBox = Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").
WebEdit("username")
UserEditBox.Set "John"

Note: Do not use the Set statement to specify a variable containing a simple
value (such as a string or a number). The example below shows how to
define a variable for a simple value:

MyVar = Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").
WebEdit("username").GetTOProperty("type")

You can also use the Dim statement to declare variables of other types,
including strings, integers, and arrays. This statement is not mandatory, but
you can use it to improve the structure of your test or component. In the
following example, the Dim statement is used to declare the passengers
variable, which can then be used in different statements within the current
action.

Dim passengers
passengers = Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Find Flights").
WebEdit("numpassengers").GetROProperty("value")

Using Parentheses
When programming in VBScript, it is important that you follow the rules for
using or not using parentheses () in your statements.

You must use parentheses around method arguments if you are calling a
method that returns a value and you are using the return value.

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For example, use parentheses around method arguments if you are
returning a value to a variable, if you are using the method in an If
statement, or if you are using the Call keyword to call an action. You also
need to add parentheses around the name of a checkpoint if you want to
retrieve its return value.

Tip: If you receive an Expected end of statement error message when
running a step in your test, it may indicate that you need to add parentheses
around the arguments of the step’s method.

Following are several examples showing when to use or not use parentheses.

The following example requires parentheses around the method arguments
for the ChildItem method, since it returns a value to a variable.

Set WebEditObj = Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Method of Payment").
WebTable("FirstName").ChildItem (8, 2, "WebEdit", 0)
WebEditObj.Set "Example"

The following example requires parentheses around the method arguments,
since Call is being used.

Call RunAction("BookFlight", oneIteration)

The following example requires parentheses around the WaitProperty
method arguments, since the method is used in an If statement.

If Browser("index").Page("index").Link("All kind of").
WaitProperty("attribute/readyState", "complete", 4) Then
Browser("index").Page("index").Link("All kind of").Click
End If

The following example requires parentheses around the Check method
arguments, since it returns the value of the checkpoint.

a = Browser("MyBrowser").Page("MyPage").Check (CheckPoint("MyProperty"))

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The following example does not require parentheses around the Click
method arguments, since it does not return a value.

Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Method of Payment").WebTable("FirstName").
Click 3,4

Handling VBScript Syntax Errors
When you select the Keyword View tab from the Expert View, QuickTest
attempts to display the updated information in the Keyword View. If a new
or updated VBScript statement contains syntax errors, QuickTest is unable to
display the step in the Keyword View.

Tip: Microsoft’s Language Reference defines VBScript syntax errors as:
“errors that result when the structure of one of your VBScript statements
violates one or more of the grammatical rules of the VBScript scripting
language”. To learn about working with VBScript, you can view the VBScript
Reference from the QuickTest Help menu (Help > QuickTest Professional
Help > VBScript Reference).

The Syntax Errors dialog box lists the syntax errors found in your test or
component and enables you to locate each error so that you can correct it.

877


The summary at the top of the Syntax Errors dialog box shows the total
number of syntax errors found in statements in your test or component.

The error list pane shows the details of each error:


Action Name The action containing the problematic step.

Line The line containing the error. Lines are numbered from the
beginning of the action or component.

Error The description of the error. For example, if you opened a
Description conditional block with an If statement but did not close it with
an End If statement, the description is Expected ’End If’.
Note: In certain cases, QuickTest is unable to identify the exact
error and displays a number of possible error conditions, for
example: Expected 'End Sub', or 'End Function', or 'End Property’.
Check the statement at the specified line to clarify which error is
relevant in your case.

The Current line box displays the syntax of the currently selected line.

Go to Error—Jumps to the selected line in the Expert View, positions the
cursor at the point in the line where the error occurs, and closes the Syntax
Errors dialog box. Alternatively, you can double-click the selected line in the
error list pane.

Using Programmatic Descriptions
When you record an operation on an object, QuickTest adds the appropriate
test object to the object repository. Once the object exists in the object
repository, you can add statements in the Expert View to perform additional
methods on that object. To add these statements, you usually enter the
name (not case sensitive) of each of the objects in the object’s hierarchy as
the object description, and then add the appropriate method.

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For example, in the statement below, username is the name of an edit field.
The edit field is located on a page with the name Mercury Tours and the page
was recorded in a browser with the name Mercury Tours.

Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").WebEdit("username")

Because each object in the object repository has a unique name, the object
name is all you need to specify. During the test run, QuickTest finds the
object in the object repository based on its name and parent objects, and
uses the stored test object description for that test object to identify the
object in your Web site or application.

You can also instruct QuickTest to perform methods on objects without
referring to the object repository or to the object’s name. To do this, you
provide QuickTest with a list of properties and values that QuickTest can use
to identify the object or objects on which you want to perform a method.

Such a programmatic description can be very useful if you want to perform an
operation on an object that is not stored in the object repository. You can
also use programmatic descriptions in order to perform the same operation
on several objects with certain identical properties, or in order to perform an
operation on an object whose properties match a description that you
determine dynamically during the run session.

For example, suppose you are testing a Web site that generates a list of
potential employers based on biographical information you provide, and
offers to send your resume to the employer names you select from the list.
You want your test to select all the employers displayed in the list, but when
you design your test, you do not know how many check boxes will be
displayed on the page, and you cannot, of course, know the exact object
description of each check box. In this situation, you can use a programmatic
description to instruct QuickTest to perform a Set "ON" method for all
objects that fit the description: HTML TAG = input, TYPE = check box.

There are two types of programmatic descriptions. You can either list the set
of properties and values that describe the object directly in a test statement,
or you can add a collection of properties and values to a Description object,
and then enter the Description object name in the statement.

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Entering programmatic descriptions directly into your statements may be
the easier method for basic object-description needs. However, in most
cases, the Description object method is more powerful and more efficient.

Entering Programmatic Descriptions Directly into Statements
You can describe an object directly in a statement by specifying
property:=value pairs describing the object instead of specifying an object’s
name.

The general syntax is:

TestObject("PropertyName1:=PropertyValue1", "..." ,
"PropertyNameX:=PropertyValueX")

TestObject—the test object class.

PropertyName:=PropertyValue—the test object property and its value.
Each property:=value pair should be separated by commas and quotation
marks.

Note that you can enter a variable name as the property value if you want to
find an object based on property values you retrieve during a run session.

Note: QuickTest evaluates all property values in programmatic descriptions
as regular expressions. Therefore, if you want to enter a value that contains a
special regular expression character (such as *, ?, +), use the (backslash)
character to instruct QuickTest to treat the special characters as literal
characters. For more information about regular expressions, see
“Understanding and Using Regular Expressions” on page 290.

The statement below specifies a WebEdit test object in the Mercury Tours
page with the Name author and an index of 3. When the test runs, QuickTest
finds the WebEdit object with matching property values and enters the text
Mark Twain.

Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").WebEdit("Name:=Author",
"Index:=3").Set "Mark Twain"

880


Note: When using programmatic descriptions from a specific point within a
test object hierarchy, you must continue to use programmatic descriptions
from that point onward within the same statement. If you specify a test
object by its object repository name after other objects in the hierarchy have
been specified using programmatic descriptions, QuickTest cannot identify
the object.

For example, you can use the following statement since it uses
programmatic descriptions throughout the entire test object hierarchy:
Browser("Title:=Mercury Tours").Page("Title:=Mercury Tours").
WebEdit("Name:=Author", "Index:=3").Set "Mark Twain"

You can also use the statement below, since it uses programmatic
descriptions from a certain point in the description (starting from the Page
object description).

Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Title:=Mercury Tours").
WebEdit("Name:=Author", "Index:=3").Set "Mark Twain"

However, you cannot use the following statement, since it uses
programmatic descriptions for the Browser and Page objects but then
attempts to use an object repository name for the WebEdit test object.
Browser("Title:=Mercury Tours").Page("Title:=Mercury Tours").
WebEdit("Author").Set "Mark Twain"
QuickTest tries to locate the WebEdit object based on its name, but cannot
locate it in the repository because the parent objects were specified using
programmatic descriptions.

For more information about working with test objects, see Chapter 4,
“Managing Test Objects.”

881


If you want to use the same programmatic description several times in one
test or component, you may want to assign the object you create to a
variable.

For example, instead of entering:

Window("Text:=Myfile.txt - Notepad").Move 50, 50
Window("Text:=Myfile.txt - Notepad").WinEdit("AttachedText:=Find what:").
Set "hello"
Window("Text:=Myfile.txt - Notepad").WinButton("Caption:=Find next").Click

You can enter:

Set MyWin = Window("Text:=Myfile.txt - Notepad")
MyWin.Move 50, 50
MyWin.WinEdit("AttachedText:=Find what:").Set "hello"
MyWin.WinButton("Caption:=Find next").Click

Alternatively, you can use a With statement:

With Window("Text:=Myfile.txt - Notepad")
.Move 50, 50
.WinEdit("AttachedText:=Find what:").Set "hello"
.WinButton("Caption:=Find next").Click
End With

For more information about the With statement, see “With Statement” on
page 896.

882


Using Description Objects for Programmatic Descriptions
You can use the Description object to return a Properties collection object
containing a set of Property objects. A Property object consists of a
property name and value. You can then specify the returned Properties
collection in place of an object name in a statement. (Each property object
contains a property name and value pair.)

Note: By default, the value of all Property objects added to a Properties
collection are treated as regular expressions. Therefore, if you want to enter
a value that contains a special regular expression character (such as *, ?, +),
use the (backslash) character to instruct QuickTest to treat the special
characters as literal characters. For more information about regular
expressions, see “Understanding and Using Regular Expressions” on
page 290.

You can set the RegularExpression property to False in order to specify a
value as a literal value for a specific Property object in the collection. For
more information, refer to the Utility section of the QuickTest Professional
Object Model Reference.

To create the Properties collection, you enter a Description.Create
statement using the following syntax:

Set MyDescription = Description.Create()

Once you have created a Properties object (such as MyDescription in the
example above), you can enter statements to add, edit, remove, and retrieve
properties and values to or from the Properties object during the run
session. This enables you to determine which, and how many properties to
include in the object description in a dynamic way during the run session.

Once you have filled the Properties collection with a set of Property objects
(properties and values), you can specify the Properties object in place of an
object name in a test statement.

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Window("Error").WinButton("text:=OK", "width:=50").Click

you can enter:

MyDescription("text").Value = "OK"
MyDescription("width").Value = 50
Window("Error").WinButton(MyDescription).Click

Note: When using programmatic descriptions from a specific point within a
test object hierarchy, you must continue to use programmatic descriptions
from that point onward within the same statement. If you specify a test
object by its object repository name after other objects in the hierarchy have
been described using programmatic descriptions, QuickTest cannot identify
the object.

For example, you can use Browser(Desc1).Page(Desc1).Link(desc3), since it
uses programmatic descriptions throughout the entire test object hierarchy.
You can also use Browser("Index").Page(Desc1).Link(desc3), since it uses
programmatic descriptions from a certain point in the description (starting
from the Page object description).
However, you cannot use Browser(Desc1).Page(Desc1).Link("Example1"),
since it uses programmatic descriptions for the Browser and Page objects but
then attempts to use an object repository name for the Link test object
(QuickTest tries to locate the Link object based on its name, but cannot
locate it in the repository because the parent objects were specified using
programmatic descriptions).

When working with Properties objects, you can use variable names for the
properties or values in order to generate the object description based on
properties and values you retrieve during a run session.

You can create several Properties objects in your test or component if you
want to use programmatic descriptions for several objects.

884


For more information on the Description and Properties objects and their
associated methods, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

Retrieving ChildObjects
You can use the ChildObjects method to retrieve all objects located inside a
specified parent object, or only those child objects that fit a certain
programmatic description. In order to retrieve this subset of child objects,
you first create a description object and add the set of properties and values
that you want your child object collection to match using the Description
object.

Note: You must use the Description object to create the programmatic
description for the ChildObjects description argument. You cannot enter
the programmatic description directly into the argument using the
property:=value syntax.

Once you have “built” a description in your description object, use the
following syntax to retrieve child objects that match the description:

Set MySubSet=TestObject.ChildObjects(MyDescription)

For example, the statements below instruct QuickTest to select all of the
check boxes on the Itinerary Web page:

MyDescription("html tag").Value = "INPUT"
MyDescription("type").Value = "checkbox"
Set Checkboxes =
Browser("Itinerary").Page("Itinerary").ChildObjects(MyDescription)
NoOfChildObjs = Checkboxes.Count
For Counter=0 to NoOfChildObjs-1
Checkboxes(Counter).Set "ON"
Next

For more information about the ChildObjects method, refer to the

885


Using Programmatic Descriptions for the WebElement Object

The WebElement object enables you to perform methods on Web objects
that may not fit into any other Mercury test object class. The WebElement
test object is never recorded, but you can use a programmatic description
with the WebElement object to perform methods on any Web object in
your Web site.

For example, when you run the statement below:

Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").
WebElement("Name:=UserName", "Index:=0").Click

or

set WebObjDesc = Description.Create()
WebObjDesc("Name").Value = "UserName"
WebObjDesc("Index").Value = "0"
Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").WebElement(WebObjDesc).
Click

QuickTest clicks on the first Web object in the Mercury Tours page with the
name UserName.

For more information about the WebElement object, refer to the QuickTest

Using the Index Property in Programmatic Descriptions
The index property can sometimes be a useful test object property for
uniquely identifying an object. The index test object property identifies an
object based on the order in which it appears within the source code, where
the first occurrence is 0.

Index property values are object-specific. Thus, if you use an index value of
3 to describe a WebEdit test object, QuickTest searches for the fourth
WebEdit object in the page

If you use an index value of 3 to describe a WebElement object, however,
QuickTest searches for the fourth Web object on the page regardless of the
type, because the WebElement object applies to all Web objects.

886



➤ an image with the name Apple
➤ an image with the name UserName
➤ a WebEdit object with the name UserName
➤ an image with the name Password
➤ a WebEdit object with the name Password

first WebEdit object on the page with the name UserName.


above, as that is the first object of any type (WebElement) with the name
UserName.


Note: If there is only one object, using index=0 will not retrieve it. You
should not include the index property in the object description.

Running and Closing Applications Programmatically
In addition to using the Record and Run dialog box to instruct QuickTest to
open a new browser or application when a test run begins, and/or opening
the application you want to test manually, you can also insert statements
into your test that open and close the applications you want to test.

You can run any application from a specified location using a
SystemUtil.Run statement. This is most useful when your test includes
more than one application and you have selected Record and run test on
any application in the Record and Run Settings dialog box. You can specify
an application and pass any supported parameters, or you can specify a file
name and the associated application starts with the specified file open.

887


You can close most applications using the Close method.

For example, you could use the following statements to open a file named
type.txt in the default text application (Notepad), type happy days, save the
file using shortcut keys, and then close the application:

SystemUtil.Run "C:type.txt", ""","",""
Window("Text:=type.txt - Notepad").Type "happy days"
Window("Text:=type.txt - Notepad").Type micAltDwn & "F" & micAltUp
Window("Text:=type.txt - Notepad").Type micLShiftDwn & "S" & micLShiftUp
Window("Text:=type.txt - Notepad").Close

Notes:

When you specify an application to open using the Record and Run Settings
dialog box, QuickTest does not add a SystemUtil.Run statement to your
test.
The InvokeApplication method can open only executable files and is used
primarily for backward compatibility.

For more information, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model
Reference.

Using Comments, Control-Flow, and Other VBScript
Statements
QuickTest enables you to incorporate decision-making into your test by
adding conditional statements that control the logical flow of your test. In
addition, you can define messages in your test that QuickTest sends to your
test results. To improve the readability of your tests, you can also add
comments to your test.

888


For information on how to use these programming concepts in the Keyword
View, see Chapter 20, “Adding Steps Containing Programming Logic.”

Note: The VBScript Reference (available from Help > QuickTest Professional
Help) contains Microsoft VBScript documentation, including VBScript,
Script Runtime, and Windows Script Host.

Inserting Comments
A comment is a line or part of a line in a script that is preceded by an
apostrophe ('). When you run a test, QuickTest does not process comments.
Use comments to explain sections of a script in order to improve readability
and to make tests easier to update.

The following example shows how a comment describes the purpose of the
statement below it:

‘Sets the word "mercury" into the "username" edit field.
Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").WebEdit("username").
Set "mercury"

By default, comments are displayed in green in the Expert View. You can
customize the appearance of comments in the Editor Options dialog box.
For more information, see “Customizing Script Element Appearance” on
page 717.

Note: You can also add a comment line using VBScript’s Rem statement. For
additional information, refer to the Microsoft VBScript Language Reference
(choose Help > QuickTest Professional Help > VBScript Reference >
VBScript).

889


Performing Calculations
You can write statements that perform simple calculations using
mathematical operators. For example, you can use a multiplication operator
to multiply the values displayed in two text boxes in your site. VBScript
supports the following mathematical operators:

Operator Description

+ addition

– subtraction

– negation (a negative number—unary operator)

* multiplication

/ division

^ exponent

In the following example, the multiplication operator is used to calculate
the maximum luggage weight of the passengers at 100 pounds each.

‘Retrieves the number of passengers from the edit box using the GetROProperty
method
passenger = Browser ("Mercury_Tours"). Page ("Find_Flights").
WebEdit("numPassengers"). GetROProperty("value")
‘Multiplies the number of passengers by 100
weight = passenger * 100
‘Inserts the maximum weight into a message box.
msgbox("The maximum weight for the party is "& weight &"pounds.")

890


For...Next Statement
A For...Next loop instructs QuickTest to execute one or more statements a
specified number of times. It has the following syntax:

For counter = start to end [Step step]
statement
Next

Item Description

counter The variable used as a counter for the number of
iterations.

start The start number of the counter.

end The last number of the counter.

step The number to increment at the end of each loop.
Default = 1.
Optional.

statement A statement, or series of statements, to be executed
during the loop.

In the following example, QuickTest calculates the factorial value of the
number of passengers using the For statement.

WebEdit("numPassengers").GetROProperty("value")
total = 1
For i=1 To passengers
total = total * i
Next
MsgBox "!" & passengers & "=" & total

891


For...Each Statement
A For...Each loop instructs QuickTest to execute one or more statements for
each element in an array or an object collection. It has the following syntax:

For Each item In array
statement
Next

Item Description

item A variable representing the element in the array.

array The name of the array.

statement A statement, or series of statements, to be executed during
the loop.

The following example uses a For...Each loop to display each of the values
in an array.

MyArray = Array("one","two","three","four","five")
For Each element In MyArray
msgbox element
Next

892


Do...Loop Statement
The Do...Loop statement instructs QuickTest to execute a statement or series
of statements while a condition is true or until a condition becomes true. It
has the following syntax:

Do [{while} {until} condition]
statement
Loop

Item Description

condition A condition to be fulfilled.

statement A statement or series of statements to be executed during
the loop.

In the following example, QuickTest calculates the factorial value of the
number of passengers using the Do...Loop.

WebEdit("numPassengers").GetROProperty("value")
total = 1
i=1
Do while i <= passengers
total = total * i
i=i+1
Loop
MsgBox "!" & passengers & "=" & total

893


While Statement
A While statement instructs QuickTest to execute a statement or series of
statements while a condition is true. It has the following syntax:

While condition
statement
Wend

Item Description

condition A condition to be fulfilled.

statement A statement or series of statements to be executed during
the loop.

In the following example, QuickTest performs a loop using the While
statement while the number of passengers is fewer than ten. Within each
loop, QuickTest increments the number of passengers by one.

While passengers < 10
passengers = passengers + 1
Wend
msgbox("The number of passengers in the party is " & passengers)

894


If...Then...Else Statement
The If...Then...Else statement instructs QuickTest to execute a statement or
a series of statements based on specified conditions. If a condition is not
fulfilled, the next Elseif condition or Else statement is examined. It has the
following syntax:

If condition Then
statement
ElseIf condition2 Then
statement
Else
statement
End If

Item Description

condition Condition to be fulfilled.

statement Statement to be executed.

In the following example, if the number of passengers is fewer than four,
QuickTest closes the browser.

If (passengers < 4) Then
Browser("Mercury Tours").Close
Else
Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Find Flights").Image("continue").Click 69,5
End If

895


The following example, uses If, ElseIf, and Else statements to check
whether a value is equal to 1, 2, or 3.

value = 2
If value = 1 Then
msgbox "one"
Elseif value = 2 Then
msgbox "two"
Else
msgbox "three"
End If

With Statement
With statements make your script more concise and easier to read and write
or edit by grouping consecutive statements with the same parent hierarchy.

Note: Applying With statements to your script has no effect on the run
session itself, only on the way your script appears in the Expert View.

The With statement has the following syntax.

With object
statements
End With

Item Description

object An object or a function that returns an object.

statements One or more statements to be executed on an object.

896


For example, you could replace this script:

Window("Flight Reservation").WinComboBox("Fly From:").Select "London"
Window("Flight Reservation").WinComboBox("Fly To:").Select "Los Angeles"
Window("Flight Reservation").WinButton("FLIGHT").Click
Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").WinList("From").
Select "19097 LON "
Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").WinButton("OK").Click

with the following:

With Window("Flight Reservation")
.WinComboBox("Fly From:").Select "London"
.WinComboBox("Fly To:").Select "Los Angeles"
.WinButton("FLIGHT").Click
With .Dialog("Flights Table")
.WinList("From").Select "19097 LON "
.WinButton("OK").Click
End With ’Dialog("Flights Table")
End With ’Window("Flight Reservation")

Note that entering With statements in the Expert View does not affect the
Keyword View in any way.

Note: In addition to entering With statements manually, you can also
instruct QuickTest to automatically generate With statements as you record
or to generate With statements for an existing test. For more information,
see “Generating ”With” Statements for Your Test or Component” on
page 491

897


Retrieving and Setting Test Object Property Values
Test object properties are the set of properties defined by QuickTest for each
object. You can set and retrieve a test object’s property values, and you can
retrieve the values of test object properties from a run-time object.

When you run your test, QuickTest creates a temporary version of the test
object that is stored in the test object repository. You use the
GetTOProperty, GetTOProperties, and SetTOProperty methods to set and
retrieve the test object property values of the test object.

The GetTOProperty and GetTOProperties methods enable you to retrieve a
specific property value or all the properties and values that QuickTest uses to
identify an object.

The SetTOProperty method enables you to modify a property value that
QuickTest uses to identify an object.

Note: Because QuickTest refers to the temporary version of the test object
during the test run, any changes you make using the SetTOProperty
method apply only during the course of the test run, and do not affect the
values stored in the test object repository.

For example, the following statements would set the Submit button’s name
value to my button, and then retrieve the value my button to the ButtonName
variable:

Browser("QA Home Page").Page("QA Home Page").
WebButton("Submit").SetTOProperty "Name", "my button"
ButtonName=Browser("QA Home Page").Page("QA Home Page").
WebButton("Submit").GetTOProperty("Name")

You use the GetROProperty method to retrieve the current value of a test
object property from a run-time object in your application.

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For example, you can retrieve the target value of a link during the test run as
follows:

link_href = Browser("Mercury Technologies").Page("Mercury Technologies").
Link("Jobs").GetROProperty("href")

Tip: If you do not know the test object properties of objects in your Web site
or application, you can view them using the Object Spy. For information on
the Object Spy, see Chapter 3, “Understanding the Test Object Model.”

For a list and description of test object properties supported by each object,
and for additional information about the GetROProperty, GetTOProperty,
GetTOProperties, and SetTOProperty methods, refer to the QuickTest

Accessing Run-Time Object Properties and Methods
If the test object methods and properties available for a particular test object
do not provide the functionality you need, you can access the native
methods and properties of any run-time object in your application using the
Object property.

You can use QuickTest’s statement completion feature with object properties
to view a list of the available native methods and properties of an object. For
more information about the statement completion option, see “Generating
Statements in the Expert View” on page 858.

Tip: If the object is a Web object, you can also reference its native properties
in programmatic descriptions using the attribute/property notation. For
more information, see “Accessing User-Defined Properties of Web Objects”
on page 900.

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Retrieving Run-Time Object Properties
You can use the Object property to access the native properties of any
run-time object. For example, you can retrieve the current value of the
ActiveX calendar’s internal Day property as follows:

Dim MyDay
Set MyDay=
Browser("index").Page("Untitled").ActiveX("MSCAL.Calendar.7").Object.Day

For additional information about the Object property, refer to the QuickTest

Activating Run-Time Object Methods
You can use the Object property to activate the internal methods of any
run-time object. For example, you can activate the native focus method of
the edit box as follows:

Dim MyWebEdit
Set MyWebEdit=Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").
WebEdit("username").Object
MyWebEdit.focus

For additional information about the Object property, refer to the QuickTest

Accessing User-Defined Properties of Web Objects
You can use the attribute/<property name> notation to access native
properties of Web objects and use these properties to identify such objects
with programmatic descriptions.

For example, suppose a Web page has the same company logo image in two
places on the page:

<IMG src="logo.gif" LogoID="122">
<IMG src="logo.gif" LogoID="123">

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You could identify the image that you want to click using a programmatic
description by including the user-defined property LogoID in the
description as follows:

Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Find Flights").Image("src:=logo.gif",
"attribute/LogoID:=123").Click 68, 12

Note: The attribute/<property name> notation is not supported in
Netscape 4.x.

For more information about programmatic descriptions, see “Using

Running DOS Commands
You can run standard DOS commands in your QuickTest test using the
VBScript Windows Scripting Host Shell object (WSCript.shell). For example,
you can open a DOS command window, change the path to C:, and
execute the DIR command using the following statements:

Dim oShell
Set oShell = CreateObject ("WSCript.shell")
oShell.run "cmd /K CD C: & Dir"
Set oShell = Nothing

For more information, refer to the Microsoft VBScript Language Reference
(choose Help > QuickTest Professional Help > VBScript Reference >
VBScript).

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Enhancing Your Tests using the Windows API
Using the Windows API, you can extend testing abilities and add usability
and flexibility to your tests. The Windows operating system provides a large
number of functions to help you control and manage Windows operations.
You can use these functions within your tests in order to obtain additional
functionality.

The Windows API is documented in the Microsoft MSDN Web site and is
accessible at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-
us/winprog/winprog/windows_api_start_page.asp?frame=true

A reference to specific API functions can be found at:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-
us/winprog/winprog/windows_api_reference.asp?frame=true

To use Windows API functions:
1 In MSDN, locate the function want to use in your test.
2 Read its documentation and understand all required parameters and return
value(s).
3 Note the location of the API function. API functions are located inside
Windows DLLs. The name of the DLL in which the requested function is
located is usually identical to the Import Library section in the function’s
documentation. For example, if the documentation refers to User32.lib, the
function is located in a DLL named User32.dll, typically located in your
System32 library.
4 Use the QuickTest Extern object to declare an external function. For more
The following example declares a call to a function called
GetForegroundWindow, located in user32.dll:
extern.declare micHwnd, "GetForegroundWindow", "user32.dll",
"GetForegroundWindow"
5 Call the declared function, passing any required arguments, for example,
hwnd = extern.GetForegroundWindow().

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In the example above, the foreground window’s handle is retrieved. You can
enhance your test if the foreground window is not in the object repository
or can not be determined beforehand (for example, a window with a
dynamic title). You may want to use this handle as part of a programmatic
description of the window, for example, Window("HWND:="&hWnd).Close.

In some cases, you may have to use predefined constant values as function
arguments. Since these constants are not defined in the context of your test,
you need to find their numerical value in order to pass them to the called
function. The numerical values of these constants are usually declared in the
function’s header file. A reference to header files can also be found in each
function’s documentation under the Header section. If you have Microsoft
Visual Studio installed on your computer, you can typically find header files
under X:Program FilesMicrosoft Visual StudioVC98Include.

For example, the GetWindow API function expects to receive a numerical
value that represents the relationship between the specified window and the
window whose handle is to be retrieved. In the MSDN documentation, you
can find the constants: GW_CHILD, GW_ENABLEDPOPUP,
GW_HWNDFIRST, GW_HWNDLAST, GW_HWNDNEXT, GW_HWNDPREV
and GW_HWNDPREV. If you open the WINUSER.H file, mentioned in the
GetWindow documentation, you will find the following flag values:

/*
* GetWindow() Constants
*/
#define GW_HWNDFIRST0
#define GW_HWNDLAST 1
#define GW_HWNDNEXT2
#define GW_HWNDPREV 3
#define GW_OWNER 4
#define GW_CHILD 5
#define GW_ENABLEDPOPUP 6
#define GW_MAX 6

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Example
The following example retrieves a specific menu item’s value in the Notepad
application.

’ Constant Values:
const MF_BYPOSITION = 1024
’ API Functions Declarations
Extern.Declare micHwnd,"GetMenu","user32.dll","GetMenu",micHwnd
Extern.Declare
micInteger,"GetMenuItemCount","user32.dll","GetMenuItemCount",micHwnd
Extern.Declare
micHwnd,"GetSubMenu","user32.dll","GetSubMenu",micHwnd,micInteger
Extern.Declare
micInteger,"GetMenuString","user32.dll","GetMenuString",micHwnd,micInteger,
micString+micByRef,micInteger,micInteger
’ Notepad.exe
hwin = Window("Notepad").GetROProperty ("hwnd")’ Get Window’s handle
MsgBox hwin
men_hwnd = Extern.GetMenu(hwin)’ Get window’s main menu’s handle
MsgBox men_hwnd
’ Use API Functions
item_cnt = Extern.GetMenuItemCount(men_hwnd)
MsgBox item_cnt
hSubm = Extern.GetSubMenu(men_hwnd,0)
MsgBox hSubm
rc = Extern.GetMenuString(hSubm,0,value,64 ,MF_BYPOSITION)
MsgBox value

Choosing Which Steps to Report During the Run Session
You can use the Report.Filter method to determine which steps or types of
steps are included in the Test Results. You can completely disable or enable
reporting of steps following the statement, or you can indicate that you
only want subsequent failed or failed and warning steps to be included in
the report. You can also use the Report.Filter method to retrieve the current
report mode.

904


The following report modes are available:

Mode Description

0 or rfEnableAll All events are displayed in the Test Results.
Default.

1 or Only events with a warning or fail status are
rfEnableErrorsAndWarnings displayed in the Test Results.

2 or rfEnableErrorsOnly Only events with a fail status are displayed in
the Test Results.

3 or rfDisableAll No events are displayed in the Test Results.

To disable reporting of subsequent steps, enter the following statement:

Reporter.Filter = rfDisableAll

To re-enable reporting of subsequent steps, enter:

Reporter.Filter = rfEnableAll

To instruct QuickTest to include only subsequent failed steps in the Test
Results, enter:

Reporter.Filter = rfEnableErrorsOnly

To instruct QuickTest to include only subsequent failed or warning steps in
the Test Results, enter:

Reporter.Filter = rfEnableErrorsAndWarnings

To retrieve the current report mode, enter:

MyVar=Reporter.Filter

For more information, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model
Reference.

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37
Working with User-Defined Functions

In addition to the test objects, methods, and functions supported by the
QuickTest Test Object Model, you can define your own VBScript functions
subroutines, classes, modules, and so forth, and then call them from your
test or component.


➤ About Working with User-Defined Functions
➤ Working with Associated Library Files
➤ Executing Externally-Defined Functions from Your Test or Component
➤ Using User-Defined Test Object Methods

About Working with User-Defined Functions
If you have large segments of code that you need to use several times in one
test or component or in several different tests or components, you may
want to create a user-defined function in order to make your tests or
components easier to design and to read.

You can define these functions within an individual test or component, or
you can create one or more external VBScript library files containing your
functions, so that you can access them from any test or component.

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You can also register your functions as methods for QuickTest test objects.
Your registered methods can override the functionality of an existing test
object method for the duration of a run session, or you can register a new
method for a test object class.

Note: If you define a function directly in an action, the function can be
called only in that action. If you want the function to be available for the
entire test, save it in a .vbs file and specify it as an associated library file in
the Test > Settings > Resources tab. For more information about specifying
associated library files, see “Associating Add-ins with Your Test or

Working with Associated Library Files
You can create VBScript library files containing VBScript functions,
subroutines, classes, modules, etc., and then associate the files with your test
or component. You can call any VBScript function, subroutine, and so forth,
contained within any library file that is associated with your test or
component.

Any text file written in standard VBScript syntax can act as a library file.
Note that the functions within library files can call QuickTest reserved objects,
the objects that QuickTest supplies for enhancement purposes, such as
utility objects.

Note: In addition to the functions available in the associated library files,
you can also call a function contained in a VBScript file directly from any
action or component using the ExecuteFile function. You can also insert
ExecuteFile statements within an associated library file. For more
information, see “Executing Externally-Defined Functions from Your Test or
Component,” below.

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Chapter 37 • Working with User-Defined Functions

You can specify the default library files for all new tests in the Test Settings
dialog box (Test > Settings > Resources tab). You can specify the default
library files for all new components in the component template (File >
Business Component > Edit Template). You can edit the list of associated
library files for an existing test or component in the Test Settings dialog box
or the Business Component Settings dialog box respectively. For more
information, see “Defining Resource Settings for Your Test” on page 674 or
“Defining Resource Settings for Your Component” on page 680.

Note: After a test is created, the list of files specified in the Test Settings
dialog box is independent of the files set as default in the Test Settings
dialog box. Changes to the default library files list in the Test Settings dialog
box do not affect existing tests.

Using Associated Library Files with Quality Center
When working with Quality Center and associated library files, you must
save the associated library file as an attachment in your Quality Center
project before you specify the associated file in the Resources tab of the Test
Settings dialog box. You can add a new or existing library file to your
Quality Center project.

Note: If you add an existing library file from the file system to a Quality
Center project, it will be a copy of the one used by tests not in the Quality
Center project, and thus once you save the file to the project, changes made
to the Quality Center file do not affect the file in the file system and vice
versa.

To use an associated library file with Quality Center:
1 If you want to add a new library file, create a new file in your file system
with a .vbs extension.
2 In Quality Center, add the library file to the project as an attachment.

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3 In the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings dialog box,
click the Resources tab.
4 To add a new file to the associated library files list, when connected to
Quality Center, click the Add button . QuickTest adds [QualityCenter], and
displays a browse button so that you can locate the Quality Center path.
If you are not connected to Quality Center, hold the SHIFT key and click the
Add button. QuickTest adds [QualityCenter], and you enter the path. You can
also type the entire Quality Center path manually. If you do, you must add a
space after [QualityCenter]. For example: [QualityCenter] SubjectTests.
Note that QuickTest searches Quality Center project folders only when you
are connected to the corresponding Quality Center project.

Executing Externally-Defined Functions from Your Test or
Component
You can create a VBScript file and call its functions, subroutines, classes, and
so forth, from an action in your test, from a component, or from an
associated library file, by inserting an ExecuteFile statement in your action,
component, or library file.

When you run your test or component, the ExecuteFile statement executes
all global code in the specified file in order to make all definitions in the file
available from the global scope of the action’s, component’s, or library file’s
script.

Tip: If you want to include a certain ExecuteFile statement in every action
you create, or every component created in a specific Quality Center project,
you can add the statement to an action template or to the project’s business
component template. For more information, see “Creating an Action
Template” on page 391, or “Working with Component Templates” on
page 987.

910


To execute an externally-defined function:
1 Create a VBScript file using standard VBScript syntax. For more information,
refer to the Microsoft VBScript Language Reference (Help > QuickTest
Professional Help > VBScript Reference > VBScript).
2 Store the file in any folder that you can access from the machine running
your test or component.
3 Add an ExecuteFile statement to a component, to an action in your test, or
in an associated library file using the following syntax:
ExecuteFile FileName
where FileName is the absolute or relative path of your VBScript file.
4 Use the functions, subroutines, classes, and so forth, from the specified
VBScript file as necessary in your action or component, or within other
functions in an associated library file.

Notes:
The ExecuteFile statement utilizes the VBScript ExecuteGlobal statement.
For more information, see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/
script56/html/vsstmExecuteGlobal.asp.
When you run an ExecuteFile statement within an action, you can call
the functions in the file only from the current action. To make the functions
in a VBScript file available to your entire test, add the file name to the
associated library files list in the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog box
or the Business Component Settings dialog box. For more information, see
“Working with Associated Library Files” on page 908.

911


Using User-Defined Test Object Methods
You can use the RegisterUserFunc method to add new methods to test
objects or to change the behavior of an existing test object method during a
run session.

You use the UnregisterUserFunc statements to disable new methods or to
return existing methods to their original QuickTest behavior.

To register a method, you first define a function in your test, component, or
in an associated library file. You then enter a RegisterUserFunc statement in
your test or component that specifies the test object class, the function to
use, and the method name that calls your function. You can register a new
method for a test object class, or you can use an existing method name in
order to (temporarily) override the existing functionality of the specified
method.

Note that your registered method applies only to the test or component in
which you register it and that QuickTest clears all function registrations at
the beginning of each run session.

Preparing the User-Defined Function
You can write your user-defined function directly into your test or
component if you want to limit its use only to the local action or
component, or you can store the function in an associated library file in
order to make it available to many actions and tests or components
(recommended). Note that if the same function name exists within your
action or component and within an associated library file, QuickTest uses
the function defined in the action or component.

When you run a statement containing a registered method, it sends the test
object as the first argument. Thus, your user-defined function must have at
least one argument. Your user-defined function can have any number of
arguments, or it can have only the test object argument. Note that if the
function overrides an existing method, it should have the exact syntax of
the method it is replacing. This means that its first argument is the test
object and the rest of the arguments match all the original method
arguments.

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Tip: You can use the parent test object property to retrieve the parent of the
object represented by the first argument in your function. For example:
ParentObj = obj.GetROProperty("parent")

When writing your function, you can use standard VBScript statements as
well as any QuickTest reserved objects, methods, or functions, and any
method associated with the test object specified in the first argument of the
function.

For example, suppose you want to report the current value of an edit box to
the Test Results before you set a new value for it. You can override the
standard QuickTest Set method with a function that retrieves the current
value of an edit box, reports that value to the Test Results, and then sets the
new value of the edit box. The function would look something like this:

Function MyFuncWithParam (obj, x)
dim y
y = obj.GetROProperty("value")
Reporter.ReportEvent micDone, "previous value", y
MyFuncWithParam=obj.Set (x)
End Function

Note: The function defines a return value, so that each time it is called from
a test or component, the function returns the Set method argument value.

You can also use RegisterUserFunc statements within your user-defined
function in order to call additional registered methods. See “Registering
User-Defined Test Object Methods,” below, for information on how to write
a RegisterUserFunc statement.

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Registering User-Defined Test Object Methods
You can use the RegisterUserFunc statement to instruct QuickTest to use
your user-defined function as a method of a specified test object class for the
duration of a test or component, or until you unregister the method.

Note: If you call an external action that registers a method (and does not
unregister it at the end of the action), the method registration also takes
effect for the remainder of the test that called the action.

To register a user-defined function as a test object method, use the
following syntax:
RegisterUserFunc TOClass, MethodName, FunctionName

Item Description

TOClass Any test object class.

MethodName The method you want to register. If you enter the name of
a method already associated with the specified test object
class, your user-defined function overrides the existing
method. If you enter a new name, it is added to the list of
methods that the object supports.

FunctionName The name of your user-defined function. The function can
be located in your test or component, or in any library file
associated with your test or component.

Note: You cannot register a method for a QuickTest reserved object (such as
DataTable, Environment, Reporter, and so forth).

914


For example, suppose that the Find Flights Web page contains a Country
edit box, and by default, the box contains the value USA. The following
example registers the Set method to use the MySet function in order to
retrieve the default value of the edit box before the new value is entered.

Function MySet (obj, x)
dim y
MySet=obj.Set(x)
End Function
RegisterUserFunc "WebEdit", "Set", "MySet"
Browser("MercuryTours").Page("FindFlights").WebEdit("Country").Set "Canada"

For more information and examples, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object
Model Reference.

Unregistering User-Defined Test Object Methods
When you register a method using a RegisterUserFunc statement, your
method becomes a recognized method of the specified test object for the
remainder of the test or component, or until you unregister the method. If
your method overrides a QuickTest method, unregistering the method resets
the method to its normal behavior. Unregistering other methods removes
them from the list of methods supported by the test object.

Unregistering methods is especially important when a reusable action
contains registered methods that override QuickTest methods. For example,
if you do not unregister a method that uses a function defined directly
within a called action, then the calling test will fail if the registered method
is called again in a later action, because it will not be able to find the
function definition.

If the registered function was defined in a library file, then the calling test
may succeed (assuming the library file is associated with the calling test).
However, unexpected results may be produced as the author of the calling
test may not realize that the called action contained a registered function,
and therefore, may use the registered method in later actions, expecting
normal QuickTest behavior.

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To unregister a user-defined method, use the following syntax:
UnRegisterUserFunc TOClass, MethodName

Item Description

TOClass The test object class for which your method is registered.

MethodName The method you want to unregister.

For example, suppose that the Find Flights Web page contains a Country
edit box, and by default, the box contains the value USA. The following
example registers the Set method to use the MySet function in order to
retrieve the default value of the edit box before the new value is entered.
After using the registered method in a WebEdit.Set statement for the
Country edit box, the UnRegisterUserFunc statement is used to return the
Set method to its standard functionality.

Function MySet (obj, x)
dim y
MySet=obj.Set(x)
End Function
RegisterUserFunc "WebEdit", "Set", "MySet"
Browser("MercuryTours").Page("FindFlights").WebEdit("Country").Set "Canada"
UnRegisterUserFunc "WebEdit", "Set"

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Guidelines for Registering User-Defined Test Object Methods
When registering user-defined methods, consider the following tips and
guidelines:

➤ You can re-register the same method to use different user-defined functions
without first unregistering the method. However, note that when you do
unregister the method, it resets to its original QuickTest functionality (or is
cleared completely if it was a new method), and not to the previous
registration.
For example, suppose you enter the following statements:
RegisterUserFunc "Link", "Click", "MyClick"
RegisterUserFunc "Link", "Click", "MyClick2"
UnRegisterUserFunc "Link", "Click"

After running the UnRegisterUserFunc statement, the Click method stops
using the functionality defined in the MyClick2 function, and returns to
the original QuickTest Click functionality, and not to the functionality
defined in the MyClick function.

➤ QuickTest clears all method registrations at the beginning of each run
session. Thus, if you use the begin running the test or component from a
point after a method registration (using the Run from step option),
QuickTest does not recognize the registration.
➤ You cannot register a method for a specific test object or test object instance.
Method registrations apply to an entire test object class.
➤ If you register a method in a reusable action, it is strongly recommended
to unregister the method at the end of the action (and then re-register it at
the beginning of the next action if necessary), so that tests calling your
action will not be affected by the method registration.

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38
Automating QuickTest Operations

Just as you use QuickTest to automate the testing of your applications, you
can use the QuickTest Professional automation object model to automate
your QuickTest operations. Using the objects, methods, and properties
exposed by QuickTest’s automation object model, you can write programs
that configure QuickTest options and run tests or business components
instead of performing these operations manually using the QuickTest
interface.

Automation programs are especially useful for performing the same tasks
multiple times or on multiple tests or components, or quickly configuring
QuickTest according to your needs for a particular environment or
application.


➤ About Automating QuickTest Operations
➤ Deciding When to Use QuickTest Automation Programs
➤ Choosing a Language and Development Environment for Designing and
Running Automation Programs
➤ Learning the Basic Elements of a QuickTest Automation Program
➤ Generating Automation Scripts
➤ Using the QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference

919


About Automating QuickTest Operations
You can use the QuickTest Professional automation object model to write
programs that automate your QuickTest operations. The QuickTest
automation object model provides objects, methods, and properties that
enable you to control QuickTest from another application.

What is Automation?
Automation is a Microsoft technology that makes it possible to access
software objects inside one application from other applications. These
objects can be easily created and manipulated using a scripting or
programming language such as VBScript or VC++. Automation enables you
to control the functionality of an application programmatically.

An object model is a structural representation of software objects (classes) that
comprise the implementation of a system or application. An object model
defines a set of classes and interfaces, together with their properties,
methods and events, and their relationships.

What is the QuickTest Automation Object Model?
Essentially all configuration and run functionality provided via the
QuickTest interface is in some way represented in the QuickTest automation
object model via objects, methods, and properties. Although a one-on-one
comparison cannot always be made, most dialog boxes in QuickTest have a
corresponding automation object, most options in dialog boxes can be set
and/or retrieved using the corresponding object property, and most menu
commands and other operations have corresponding automation methods.

You can use the objects, methods, and properties exposed by the QuickTest
automation object model, along with standard programming elements such
as loops and conditional statements to design your program.

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Chapter 38 • Automating QuickTest Operations

Automation programs are especially useful for performing the same tasks
multiple times or on multiple tests or components, or quickly configuring
QuickTest according to your needs for a particular environment or
application.

For example, you can create and run an automation program from Microsoft
Visual Basic that loads the required add-ins for a test, starts QuickTest in
visible mode, opens the test, configures settings that correspond to those in
the Options, Test Settings or Business Component Settings, and Record and
Run Settings dialog boxes, runs the test, and saves the test.

You can then add a simple loop to your program so that your single program
can perform the operations described above for a number of tests.

You can also create an initialization program that opens QuickTest with
specific configuration settings. You can then instruct all of your testers to
open QuickTest using this automation program to ensure that all of your
testers are always working with the same configuration.

Deciding When to Use QuickTest Automation Programs
Like the tests and business components you design using QuickTest,
creating a useful QuickTest automation program requires planning, design
time, and testing. You must always weigh the initial investment with the
time and human-resource savings you gain from automating potentially
long or tedious tasks.

Any QuickTest operation that you must perform many times in a row or
must perform on a regular basis is a good candidate for a QuickTest
automation program.

921


The following are just a few examples of useful QuickTest automation
programs:

➤ Initialization programs—You can write a program that automatically starts
QuickTest and configures the options and the settings required for recording
on a specific environment.
➤ Maintaining your test or component database—You can write a program
that iterates over your entire test or component database to accomplish a
certain goal. For example:
➤ Updating values—opening each test or component with the proper
add-ins, running it in update run mode against an updated application,
and saving it in order to update the values in all of your tests or
components to match the updated values in your application.
➤ Applying new options to existing test or components—When you
upgrade to a new version of QuickTest, you may find that the new
version offers certain options that you want to apply to your existing test
or components. You can write a program that opens each existing test or
component, sets values for the new options, then saves and closes it.
➤ Calling QuickTest from other applications—You can design your own
applications with options or controls that run QuickTest automation
programs. For example, you could create a Web form or simple Windows
interface from which a product manager could schedule QuickTest runs,
even if the manager is not familiar with QuickTest.

922


Choosing a Language and Development Environment for
Designing and Running Automation Programs
You can choose from a number of object-oriented programming languages
for your automation programs. For each language, there are a number of
development environments available for designing and running your
automation programs.

Writing Your Automation Program
You can write your QuickTest automation programs in any language and
development environment that supports automation. For example, you can
use: VBScript, JavaScript, Visual Basic, Visual C++, or Visual Studio.NET.

Some development environments support referencing a type library. A type
library is a binary file containing the description of the objects, interfaces,
and other definitions of an object model.

If you choose a development environment that supports referencing a type
library, you can take advantage of features like Microsoft IntelliSense,
automatic statement completion, and status bar help tips while writing your
program. The QuickTest automation object model supplies a type library file
named QTObjectModel.dll. This file is stored in <QuickTest installation
folder>bin.

923


If you choose an environment that supports it, be sure to reference the
QuickTest type library before you begin writing or running your automation
program. For example, if you are working in Microsoft Visual Basic, choose
Project > References to open the References dialog box for your project.
Then select QuickTest Professional <Version> Object Library (where <Version>
is the current installed version of the QuickTest automation type library).

Running Your Automation Program
There are several applications available for running automation programs.
You can also run automation programs from command line using
Microsoft’s Windows Script Host.

For example, you could use the following command line to run your
automation program:

WScript.exe /E:VBSCRIPT myScript.vbs

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Learning the Basic Elements of a QuickTest Automation
Program
Like most automation object models, the root object of the QuickTest
automation object model is the Application object. The Application object
represents the application level of QuickTest. You can use this object to
return other elements of QuickTest such as the Test object (which represents
a test or business component document), Options object (which represents
the Options dialog box), or Addins collection (which represents a set of
add-ins from the Add-in Manager dialog box), and to perform operations
like loading add-ins, starting QuickTest, opening and saving tests or
components, and closing QuickTest.

Each object returned by the Application object can return other objects,
perform operations related to the object and retrieve and/or set properties
associated with that object.

Every automation program begins with the creation of the QuickTest
Application object. Creating this object does not start QuickTest. It simply
provides an object from which you can access all other objects, methods
and properties of the QuickTest automation object model.

Note: You can also optionally specify a remote QuickTest computer on
which to create the object (the computer on which to run the program). For
more information, refer to the “Running Automation Programs on a Remote
Computer” section of the online QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference.

The structure for the rest of your program depends on the goals of the
program.You may perform a few operations before you start QuickTest such
as retrieving the associated add-ins for a test or component, loading add-ins,
and instructing QuickTest to open in visible mode.After you perform these
preparatory steps, if QuickTest is not already open on the computer, you can
open QuickTest using the Application.Launch method. Most operations in
your automation program are performed after the Launch method.

925


For information on the operations you can perform in an automation
program, refer to the online QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference. For
more information on this Help file, see “Using the QuickTest Automation
Object Model Reference” on page 927.

When you finish performing the necessary operations, or you want to
perform operations that require closing and restarting QuickTest, such as
changing the set of loaded add-ins, use the Application.Quit method.

Generating Automation Scripts
The Properties tab of the Test Settings dialog box, the General tab of the
Options dialog box, and the Object Identification dialog box each contain a
Generate Script button. Clicking this button generates an automation script
file (.vbs) containing the current settings from the corresponding dialog
box.

You can run the generated script as is to open QuickTest with the exact
configuration of the QuickTest application that generated the script, or you
can copy and paste selected lines from the generated files into your own
automation script.

For example, the generated script for the Options dialog box may look

Dim App ’As Application
Set App = CreateObject("QuickTest.Application")
App.Launch
App.Visible = True
App.Options.DisableVORecognition = False
App.Options.AutoGenerateWith = False
App.Options.WithGenerationLevel = 2
App.Options.TimeToActivateWinAfterPoint = 500
..
..
App.Options.WindowsApps.NonUniqueListItemRecordMode = "ByName"
App.Options.WindowsApps.RecordOwnerDrawnButtonAs = "PushButtons"
App.Folders.RemoveAll

926


For more information on the Generate Script button and for information
on the options available in the Options, Object Identification, Test Settings,
and Business Component Settings dialog boxes, see Chapter 24, “Setting
Global Testing Options,” Chapter 33, “Configuring Object Identification,”,
and Chapter 25, “Setting Options for Individual Tests or Components”
respectively.

Using the QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference
The QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference is a help file that
provides detailed descriptions, syntax information, and examples for the
objects, methods, and properties in the QuickTest automation object model.

You can open the QuickTest Automation Object Model Reference from the:

➤ QuickTest program folder (Start > Programs > QuickTest Professional >
Documentation > QuickTest Automation Reference)
➤ QuickTest Help menu (Help > QuickTest Automation Object Model
Reference)

927


928

Part VIII
Working with Other Mercury Products

39
Working with WinRunner

When you work with QuickTest, you can also run WinRunner tests and call
TSL or user-defined functions in compiled modules.


➤ About Working with WinRunner
➤ Calling WinRunner Tests
➤ Calling WinRunner Functions

About Working with WinRunner
If you have WinRunner 7.5 or later installed on your computer, you can
include calls to WinRunner tests and functions in your QuickTest test or
component.

Note: For WinRunner versions earlier than 7.6, you cannot run WinRunner
tests on Web pages (using WinRunner’s WebTest Add-in) from QuickTest if
the QuickTest Web Add-in is loaded. For WinRunner 7.6, you can enable this
functionality by installing patch WR76P10 - Support WR/QTP integration
from the patch database on the Mercury Interactive Customer Support site
(http://support.mercury.com). For future versions of WinRunner, this
functionality will be provided built-in.

931

Part VIII • Working with Other Mercury Products

Once you create a call to a WinRunner test or function, you can modify
parameter values in existing call statements by editing them in the Expert
View. For information on working in the Expert View, see Chapter 36,

When QuickTest is connected to a Quality Center project that contains
WinRunner tests or compiled modules, you can call a WinRunner test or
function that is stored in that Quality Center project.

Calling WinRunner Tests
When QuickTest links to WinRunner to run a test, it starts WinRunner,
opens the test, and runs it. Information about the WinRunner test run is
displayed in the QuickTest Test Results window.

You can insert a call to a WinRunner test using the Call to WinRunner Test
dialog box or by entering a TSLTest.RunTestEx statement in the Expert View.

Note: You cannot call a WinRunner test that includes calls to QuickTest
tests.

932

Chapter 39 • Working with WinRunner

To insert a call to a WinRunner test using the Call to WinRunner Test dialog
box:
1 Choose Insert > Call to WinRunner > Test.
The Call to WinRunner Test dialog box opens.

2 In the Test path box, enter the path of the WinRunner test or browse to it.
If you are connected to Quality Center when you click the browse button,
the Open WinRunner Test from Quality Center project dialog box opens so
that you can select the module from the Quality Center project. For more
information on this dialog box, see “Opening Tests from a Quality Center
Project” on page 952.

933


3 The Parameters box lists any test parameters required for the WinRunner
test. To enter values for the parameters:
➤ Highlight the parameter in the Test Parameters list. The selected
parameter is displayed in the Name box below the list
➤ Enter the new value in the Value box.

Note: You can also use the parameter values from a QuickTest random
environment parameter or from the QuickTest Data Table as the parameters
for your WinRunner test. You do this by entering the parameter information
manually in the TSLTest.RunTestEx statement. For more information, see
“Passing QuickTest Parameterized Values to a WinRunner Test” on page 935.

4 Select Run WinRunner minimized if you do not want to view the WinRunner
window while the test runs. (This option is supported only for
WinRunner 7.6 and later.)
5 Select Close WinRunner after running the test if you want the WinRunner
application to close when the step calling the WinRunner test is complete.
(This option is supported only for WinRunner 7.6 and later.)
For information on WinRunner test parameters, refer to the WinRunner
User’s Guide.

In QuickTest, the call to the WinRunner test is displayed as:
➤ a WinRunner RunTestEx step in the Keyword View. For example:

934


➤ a TSLTest.RunTestEx statement in VBScript in the Expert View. For
example:
TSLTest.RunTestEx "C:WinRunnerTestsbasic_flight",TRUE, 0, "MyValue"
The RunTestEx method has the following syntax:
TSLTest.RunTestEx TestPath , RunMinimized, CloseApp [ , Parameters ]

Note: Tests created in QuickTest 6.0 may contain calls to WinRunner tests
using the RunTest method, which has slightly different syntax. Your tests
will continue to run successfully with this method. However, if you are
working with WinRunner 7.6 or later, it is recommended to update your
tests to the RunTestEx method (and corresponding argument syntax). For
more information on these methods, refer to the QuickTest Professional

For additional information on the RunTestEx method and an example of
usage, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

Passing QuickTest Parameterized Values to a WinRunner Test
Rather than setting fixed values for the parameters required for a
WinRunner test, you can pass WinRunner parameter values defined in a
QuickTest Data Table, random or environment parameter. You specify these
parameterized values by entering the appropriate statement as the
Parameters argument in the TSLTest.RunTestEx statement.

For example, suppose you want to run a WinRunner test on a Windows-
based Flight Reservation application, and that the test includes
parameterized statements for the number of passengers on the flight and the
seat class. You can pass the WinRunner test the value for its first parameter
from a QuickTest random parameter (that generates a random number
between 1 and 100), and pass it the value for the seat class from a QuickTest
Data Table column labeled Class. Your TSLTest.RunTestEx statement in
QuickTest might look something like this:

TSLTest.RunTestEx "D:test1", TRUE, FALSE, RandomNumber(1, 100) ,
DataTable("Class", dtGlobalSheet)

935


For more information on the syntax and usage of the RandomNumber,
Environment, and DataTable methods, refer to the Utility section of the

Viewing the Results
When you run a call to a WinRunner test, and WinRunner 7.6 or later is
installed on your computer, your QuickTest results include a node for each
event that would normally be included in the WinRunner results. When
you select a node corresponding to a WinRunner step, the right pane
displays a summary of the WinRunner test and details about the selected
step.

Note: You can also view the results of the called WinRunner test from the
results folder of the WinRunner test. For WinRunner tests stored in Quality
Center, you can also view the WinRunner test results from Quality Center.

For more information, see “Viewing WinRunner Test Steps in the Test
Results” on page 603.

For more information on designing and running WinRunner tests, refer to
your WinRunner documentation.

936


Calling WinRunner Functions
When QuickTest links to WinRunner to call a function, it starts WinRunner,
loads the compiled module, and calls the function. This is useful when you
want to use a user-defined function from WinRunner in QuickTest.

You call a WinRunner function from QuickTest by specifying the function
and the compiled module containing the function.

Note: You cannot retrieve the values returned by the WinRunner function
in your QuickTest test or business component. However, you can view the
returned value in the results.

To call a user-defined function from a WinRunner compiled module:
1 Choose Insert > Call to WinRunner > Function.
The Call to WinRunner Function dialog box opens.

937


2 In the Module box, enter the path of the compiled module containing the
function or browse to it.
If you are connected to Quality Center when you click the browse button,
the Open WinRunner Test from Quality Center project dialog box opens so
that you can select the compiled module from the Quality Center project.
To call a WinRunner TSL function, enter the path of any compiled module.

3 In the Function name box, enter the name of a function defined in the
specified compiled module, or enter any WinRunner TSL function.
4 Click inside the Arguments box. If WinRunner is currently open on your
computer, the Arguments box displays the argument names as defined for
the selected function. If WinRunner is not open, the Arguments box lists
p1-p15, representing a maximum of fifteen (15) possible arguments for the
function.
5 Enter values for in or inout arguments as follows:
➤ Highlight the argument in the Arguments box. The argument name is
displayed in the Name box.
➤ In the Type box, select the correct argument type (in/out/inout).
➤ If the argument type is “in” or “inout,” enter the value in the Value box.

Note: You can also use the parameter values from a QuickTest random or
environment parameter or from the QuickTest Data Table as the in or inout
arguments for your function. You do this by entering the argument
information manually in the TSLTest.CallFuncEx statement. For more
information, see “Passing QuickTest Parameters to a WinRunner Function,”
below.

For more information on function parameters, refer to the WinRunner User’s
Guide.
6 Select Run WinRunner minimized if you do not want to view the WinRunner
window while the function runs. (This option is supported only for
WinRunner 7.6 and later.)

938


7 Select Close WinRunner after running the test if you want the WinRunner
application to close when the step calling the WinRunner function is
complete. (This option is supported only for WinRunner 7.6 and later.)


In QuickTest, the call to the TSL function is displayed as:
➤ a WinRunner CallFuncEx step in the Keyword View. For example:

➤ a TSLTest.CallFuncEx statement in VBScript in the Expert View. For
example:
CallFuncEx "C:WinRunnerTestsTlStep","TlStep1",TRUE, 0, "MyArg1"

The CallFuncEx function has the following syntax:
TSLTest.CallFuncEx ModulePath, Function, RunMinimized, CloseApp [ ,
Arguments ]

Note: Tests created in QuickTest 6.0 may contain calls to WinRunner tests
using the CallFunc method, which has slightly different syntax. Your tests
will continue to run successfully with this method. However, if you are
working with WinRunner 7.6 or later, it is recommended to update your
tests to the CallFuncEx method (and corresponding argument syntax). For
more information on these methods, refer to the QuickTest Professional

For additional information on the CallFuncEx method and an example of
usage, refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

For information on WinRunner functions, function arguments, and
WinRunner compiled modules, refer to the WinRunner User’s Guide and the
WinRunner TSL Reference Guide.

939


Passing QuickTest Parameters to a WinRunner Function
Rather than setting fixed values for the in and inout arguments in a
WinRunner function, you can instruct QuickTest to have WinRunner use
the parameter values defined in a QuickTest random or environment
parameter, or in a QuickTest Data Table. You specify these parameters by
entering the appropriate statement as the Parameters argument in the
TSLTest.CallFuncEx statement.

For example, suppose you created a user-defined function in WinRunner
that runs an application and enters the user name and password for the
application.

You can instruct QuickTest to have WinRunner take the value for the user
name and password from QuickTest Data Table columns labeled
FlightUserName and FlightPwd. Your TSLTest.CallFuncEx statement in
QuickTest might look something like this:

TSLTest.CallFuncEx "D:flightfuncs", "run_flight", TRUE, FALSE,
DataTable("FlightUserName", dtGlobalSheet), DataTable("FlightPwd",
dtGlobalSheet)

For more information on the syntax and usage of the RandomNumber,
Environment and DataTable methods, refer to the Utility section of the

Viewing the Results
After you run a WinRunner function in WinRunner 7.6 or later from
QuickTest, you can view the results of your function call. The QuickTest Test
Results window shows the start of the WinRunner function and the
WinRunner function results. If the called function included events such as
report_msg or tl_step, information about the results of these events are also
included.

Note: If you have WinRunner version 7.5 installed on your computer, you
can view basic information about the WinRunner function run in the
QuickTest Test Results window.

940


Highlight the WinRunner Function Results item in the results tree to display
the function return value and additional information about the call to the
function.

For more information on working with WinRunner functions and compiled
modules, refer to your WinRunner documentation.

941


942

40
Working with Quality Center

To ensure comprehensive testing of your application or applications, you
typically must create and run many tests. Mercury Quality Center, the
centralized quality solution (formerly TestDirector), can help you organize
and control the testing process.

Note: References to Quality Center features and options in this chapter
apply to all currently supported versions of both Quality Center and
TestDirector. Refer to the QuickTest Professional Readme for a list of the
supported versions of Quality Center and TestDirector.


➤ About Working with Quality Center
➤ Connecting to and Disconnecting from Quality Center
➤ Saving Tests to a Quality Center Project
➤ Opening Tests from a Quality Center Project
➤ Running a Test Stored in a Quality Center Project
➤ Managing Test Versions in QuickTest
➤ Setting Preferences for Quality Center Test Runs

943


About Working with Quality Center
QuickTest integrates with Quality Center, the Mercury centralized quality
solution. Quality Center helps you maintain a project of all kinds of tests
(such as QuickTest tests, business process tests, manual tests, tests created
using other Mercury products, and so on) that cover all aspects of your
application’s functionality. Each test in your project is designed to fulfill a
specified testing requirement of your application. To meet the goals of a
project, you organize the tests in your project into unique groups.

Quality Center provides an intuitive and efficient method for scheduling
and running tests, collecting results, analyzing the results, and managing
test versions. It also features a system for tracking defects, enabling you to
monitor defects closely from initial detection until resolution.

A Quality Center project is a database for collecting and storing data
relevant to a testing process. For QuickTest to access a Quality Center
project, you must connect to the local or remote Web server where Quality
Center is installed. When QuickTest is connected to Quality Center, you can
create tests and components and save them in your Quality Center project.
After you run your tests, you can view the results in Quality Center.

Note that when working with Quality Center, you can associate tests
with external files attached to a Quality Center project. You can associate
external files for all tests or for a single test. For example, suppose you set
the shared object repository mode as the default mode for new tests. You
can instruct QuickTest to use a specific object repository file stored in
Quality Center.

For more information on specifying external files for all tests, see
Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options.” For more information on
specifying external files for a single test, see Chapter 25, “Setting Options for
Individual Tests or Components.”

944

Chapter 40 • Working with Quality Center

You can report defects to a Quality Center project either automatically as
they occur, or manually directly from QuickTest’s Test Results window. For
information on manually or automatically reporting defects to a Quality
Center project, see “Submitting Defects Detected During a Run Session” on
page 597.

You can use Quality Center with Business Process Testing support to create
components and use them to build business process tests. For more
information on components, see Chapter 41, “Working with Business
Process Testing.” For more information on Quality Center with Business
Process Testing support, refer to the Business Process Testing User’s Guide.

You can run QuickTest tests or components from Quality Center and then
use Quality Center to review and manage the results. You can also use
Quality Center with Business Process Testing support to create business
process tests, comprised of the components you create in either QuickTest or
Quality Center with Business Process Testing support. For more information,
see Chapter 41, “Working with Business Process Testing.”

For more information on working with Quality Center, refer to the Mercury
Quality Center User’s Guide. For the latest information and tips regarding
QuickTest and Quality Center integration, refer to the QuickTest Professional
Readme (available from Start > Programs > QuickTest Professional >
Readme).

945


Connecting to and Disconnecting from Quality Center
If you are working with both QuickTest and Quality Center, QuickTest can
communicate with your Quality Center project.

You can connect or disconnect QuickTest to or from a Quality Center
project at any time during the testing process. However, do not disconnect
QuickTest from Quality Center while a QuickTest test or component is
opened from Quality Center or while QuickTest is using a shared resource
from Quality Center (such as a shared object repository or Data Table file).

Note: You can connect to any currently supported version of Quality Center
or TestDirector. Refer to the QuickTest Professional Readme for a list of the
supported versions of Quality Center and TestDirector.

To work with TestDirector 7.6 or earlier, you must install the TestDirector
Connectivity Add-in on your QuickTest computer. For more information,
see “Working with the Quality Center Connectivity Add-in” on page 950.

Connecting QuickTest to Quality Center
The connection process has two stages. First, you connect QuickTest to a
local or remote Quality Center Web server. This server handles the
connections between QuickTest and the Quality Center project.

Next, you choose the project you want QuickTest to access. The project
stores tests or components and run session information for the Web site or
application you are testing. Note that Quality Center projects are password
protected, so you must provide a user name and a password.

946


To connect QuickTest to Quality Center:
Connection toolbar button. The Quality Center Connection dialog box
opens.

2 In the Server box, type the URL address of the Web server where Quality
Center is installed.

Note: You can choose a Web server accessible via a Local Area Network
(LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN).

3 In the Server connection area, click Connect.
Once the connection to the server is established, the server’s name is
displayed in read-only format in the Server box.
4 If you are connecting to a project in TestDirector 7.6 or later or Mercury
Quality Center 8.0 or later, in the Domain box, select the domain that
contains the Quality Center project.

947


5 In the Project box, select the project with which you want to work.
6 In the User name box, type a user name for opening the selected project.
7 In the Password box, type the password for the selected project.
8 In the Project connection area, click Connect to connect QuickTest to the
selected project.
Once the connection to the selected project is established, the fields in the
Project connection area are displayed in read-only format.
9 To automatically reconnect to the Quality Center server and the selected
project the next time you open QuickTest, select the Reconnect on startup
check box.
10 If the Reconnect on startup check box is selected, then the Save password
for reconnection on startup check box is enabled. To save your password for
reconnection on startup, select the Save password for reconnection on
startup check box.
If you do not save your password, you will be prompted to enter it when
QuickTest connects to Quality Center on startup.
11 Click Close to close the Quality Center Connection dialog box. The Quality
Center icon is displayed on the status bar to indicate that QuickTest is
currently connected to a Quality Center project.

Tip: To view the current Quality Center connection, point to the Quality
Center icon. To open the Quality Center Connection dialog box,
double-click the Quality Center icon.

948


Disconnecting QuickTest from Quality Center
You can disconnect from a Quality Center project or a Web server. Note that
if you disconnect QuickTest from a Web server without first disconnecting
from a project, QuickTest’s connection to that project database is
automatically disconnected.

Note: If a Quality Center test, component, or shared file (such as a shared
object repository or Data Table file) is open when you disconnect from
Quality Center, then QuickTest closes it.

To disconnect QuickTest from Quality Center:
Connection toolbar button. The Quality Center Connection dialog box
opens.

2 To disconnect QuickTest from the selected project, in the Project connection
area, click Disconnect.

949


3 To disconnect QuickTest from the selected Web server, in the Server
connection area, click Disconnect.
4 Click Close to close the Quality Center Connection dialog box.

Working with the Quality Center Connectivity Add-in
Connecting to Quality Center requires the Quality Center Connectivity
Add-in.

If you are working with Quality Center 8.0, this add-in is installed
automatically when you connect to Quality Center in the Quality Center
Connection dialog box.

To work with TestDirector 7.6 or earlier, you must manually install the
TestDirector Connectivity Add-in that corresponds to your TestDirector
version on your QuickTest computer.

To view the version of the Quality Center Connectivity Add-in that is
currently installed on your computer, go to <QuickTest Professional
installation folder>TDAPIClient. Right-click the tdclient.dll file and click
Properties.

To install the Quality Center Connectivity Add-in, choose Quality Center
Connectivity from the Quality Center Add-ins page (available from the
Quality Center main screen).

Note: The Quality Center Connectivity Add-in also enables access to TDOTA
functionality (i.e. via an automation program), even if Quality Center is not
installed on your computer. For more information on accessing TDOTA
using automation programs, refer to the QuickTest Automation Object Model
Reference.

950


Saving Tests to a Quality Center Project
When QuickTest is connected to a Quality Center project, you can create
new tests in QuickTest and save them directly to your project. To save a test,
you give it a descriptive name and associate it with the relevant subject in
the test plan tree. This helps you to keep track of the tests created for each
subject and to quickly view the progress of test planning and creation.

Note: You also save components to a Quality Center project. For more
information, see “Saving Components” on page 985.

To save a test to a Quality Center project:
1 Connect to a Quality Center server and project. For more information, see
“Connecting QuickTest to Quality Center” on page 946.
2 In QuickTest, click Save or choose File > Save to save the test. The Save Test
to Quality Center dialog box opens and displays the test plan tree.

951


Note that the Save Test to Quality Center dialog box opens only when
QuickTest is connected to a Quality Center project.
To save a test directly in the file system, click the File System button to open
the Save QuickTest Test dialog box. (From the Save QuickTest Test dialog
box, you can return to the Save Test to Quality Center project dialog box by
clicking the Quality Center button.)
3 Select the relevant subject in the test plan tree. To expand the tree and view
a sublevel, double-click a closed folder. To collapse a sublevel, double-click
an open folder.
4 In the Test Name box, enter a name for the test. Use a descriptive name that
will help you easily identify the test. You cannot use the following
characters in a test name: / : " ? < > | * % ’
5 Confirm that the Save Active Screen files is selected if you want to save the
Active Screen files with your test. Note that if you clear this box, your Active
Screen files will be deleted, and you will not be able to edit your test using
Active Screen options. For more information, see “Saving a Test” on page 96.
6 Click OK to save the test and close the dialog box. Note that the text in the
status bar changes while QuickTest saves the test.
The next time you start Quality Center, the new test will be included in
Quality Center’s test plan tree. For more information, refer to the Mercury
Quality Center User’s Guide.

Opening Tests from a Quality Center Project
When QuickTest is connected to a Quality Center project, you can open
QuickTest tests that are a part of your Quality Center project. You locate
tests according to their position in the test plan tree, rather than by their
actual location in the file system. You can also open tests from the recent
tests list in the File menu.

952


When you open a test in a Quality Center project with version control
support, icons indicate the test’s version control status. Quality Center
version control support is not available for components.

Note: You also open components from a Quality Center project. For
more information, see “Opening Existing Components” on page 983

To open a test from a Quality Center project:
1 Connect to a Quality Center server and project. For more information, see
“Connecting QuickTest to Quality Center” on page 946.
2 In QuickTest, click Open Test or choose File > Open Test to open the test.
The Open Test from Quality Center dialog box opens and displays the test
plan tree.

953


Note that the Open Test from Quality Center Project dialog box opens only
when QuickTest is connected to a Quality Center project.

Note: To open a test directly from the file system while you are connected to
Quality Center, click the File System button to open the Open Test dialog
box. (From the Open Test dialog box, you can click the Quality Center
button to return to the Open Test from Quality Center Project dialog box.)

3 Click the relevant subject in the test plan tree. To expand the tree and view
sublevels, double-click closed folders. To collapse the tree, double-click open
folders.
Note that when you select a subject, the tests that belong to the subject are
displayed in the right pane of the Open Test from Quality Center Project
dialog box.
➤ If the test is stored in a Quality Center project with version control
support, icons next to the Test Name indicate the test’s version control
status. For more information, see “Opening Tests from a Quality Center
Project with Version Control Support” on page 956.
➤ The Test Name column lists the names of the tests that belong to the
selected subject.
➤ The Status column indicates whether each test is in Design stage or is
Ready for test runs. Note that by default, tests saved to a Quality Center
project from QuickTest are labeled as Design. The status can be changed
only from the Quality Center client.
➤ The Created column indicates the date on which each test was created.
4 Select a test in the Test Name list. The test is displayed in the read-only Test
Name box.
5 If you want to open the test in read-only mode, select the Open in read-only
mode check box.
6 Click OK to open the test.
As QuickTest downloads and opens the test, the operations it performs are
displayed in the status bar.

954


When the test opens, the QuickTest title bar displays [Quality Center], the full
subject path and the test name. For example:
[Quality Center] SubjectSystemqa_test1
The test opens in read-only mode if:
➤ You selected Open in read-only mode
➤ You opened a test that is locked by another user, or whose attachments
are currently locked by another user
➤ You opened a test that is currently checked in to the Quality Center
version control database (for projects that support version control)
➤ You opened a test that is currently checked out to another user (for
projects that support version control)
For more information, see “Opening Tests from a Quality Center Project
with Version Control Support” on page 956 and “Creating, Opening, and
Saving Tests with Locked Resources” on page 109.

Opening Tests and Components from the Recent Files List
You can open Quality Center tests and components from the recent files list
in the File menu. If you select a test or component located in a Quality
Center project, but QuickTest is currently not connected to Quality Center
or to the correct project for the test or component, the Connect to Quality
Center Project dialog box opens and displays the correct server, project, and
the name of the user who most recently opened the test or component on
this computer.

Log in to the project, and click OK.

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The Connect to Quality Center Project dialog box also opens if you choose
to open a test or component that was last edited on your computer using a
different Quality Center user name. You can either log in using the
displayed name or you can click Cancel to stay logged in with your current
user name.

Opening Tests from a Quality Center Project with Version
Control Support
When you click the Open toolbar button or choose File > Open to open
a test from a Quality Center project with version control support, the Open
QuickTest Test from Quality Center Project dialog box displays icons that
indicate the version control status of each test in the selected subject.

When you open a test from a Quality Center project with version control
support, the test opens in read-write or read-only mode depending on the
current version control status of the test.

Note: Quality Center version control support is not available for
components.

The table below summarizes the version control status icons and the open
mode for each status:

Icon Description Open Mode

<None> The test is currently checked in to the Read-only
version control database.

The test is currently checked out to you. Read-write

The test is currently checked out to Read-only
another user.

An old version of the test is currently open As is
on your computer.

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For more information about working with tests stored in a Quality Center
project with version control, see “Managing Test Versions in QuickTest” on
page 959.

Running a Test Stored in a Quality Center Project
QuickTest can run a test from a Quality Center project and save the run
results in the project. To save the run results, you specify a name for the run
session and a test set in which to store the results.

Note: Although components are saved in Quality Center, they are run in the
same way as tests that are not stored in Quality Center. For more
information, see Chapter 21, “Running Tests and Components.”

To save run results to a Quality Center project:
1 In QuickTest, click the Run button or choose Test > Run. The Run dialog box
opens.

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2 The Project name box displays the Quality Center project to which you are
currently connected.
To save the run results in the Quality Center project, accept the default Run
name, or type a different one in the box.
3 Accept the default Test set, or browse to select another one.
4 If there is more than one instance of the test in the test set, specify the
instance of the test for which you want to save the results in the Instance
box.

Note: A test set is a group of tests selected to achieve specific testing goals.
For example, you can create a test set that tests the user interface of the
application or the application’s performance under stress. You define test
sets when working in Quality Center’s test run mode. For more information,
refer to your Quality Center documentation.

To run the test, overwriting the previous test run results, select the
Temporary run results folder (not saved in the project) option.

Note: QuickTest stores temporary test run results for all tests in <System
Drive:TempTempResults>. The path in the text box of the Temporary run
results folder (not saved in the project) option is read-only and cannot be
changed.

5 Click OK. The Run dialog box closes and QuickTest begins running the test.
As QuickTest runs the test, it highlights each step in the Keyword View.
When the test stops running, the Test Results window opens unless you
have cleared the View results when test run ends check box in the Run tab
of the Options dialog box. For more information about the Options dialog
box, see Chapter 24, “Setting Global Testing Options.”

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When the test stops running, Uploading is displayed in the status bar. The
Test Results window opens when the uploading process is completed.

Note: You can report defects to a Quality Center project either automatically
as they occur, or manually directly from QuickTest’s Test Results window.
For more information, see “Submitting Defects Detected During a Run
Session” on page 597.

Managing Test Versions in QuickTest
When QuickTest is connected to a Quality Center project with version
control support, you can update and revise your automated test scripts
while maintaining old versions of each test. This helps you keep track of the
changes made to each test script, see what was modified from one version of
a script to another, or return to a previous version of the test script.

You add a test to the version control data base by saving it in a project with
version control support. You manage test versions by checking tests in and
out of the version control database.

The test with the latest version is the test that is located in the Quality
Center test repository and is used by Quality Center for all test runs.

Notes:

A Quality Center project with version control support requires the
installation of version control software as well as Quality Center’s Version
Control Add-in. For more information, refer to your Quality Center
documentation.
The Quality Center Version Control options in the File menu are available
only when you are connected to a Quality Center project database with
version control support and you have a Quality Center test open. Quality
Center version control support is not available for components.

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Adding Tests to the Version Control Database
When you use Save As to save a new test in a Quality Center project
with version control support, QuickTest automatically saves the test in the
project, checks the test into the version control database with version
number 1.1.1 and then checks it out so that you can continue working.

The QuickTest status bar indicates each of these operations as they occur.
Note, however, that saving your changes to an existing test does not check
them in. Even if you save and close the test, the test remains checked out
until you choose to check it in. For more information, see “Checking Tests
into the Version Control Database” on page 962.

Checking Tests Out of the Version Control Database
When you choose File > Open to open a test that is currently checked in
to the version control database, it is opened in read-only mode.

Note: The Open Test from Quality Center Project dialog box displays icons
that indicate the version control status of each test in your project. For more
information, see “Opening Tests from a Quality Center Project” on
page 952.

You can review the checked-in test. You can also run the test and view the
results.

To modify the test, you must check it out. When you check out a test,
Quality Center copies the test to your unique check-out directory
(automatically created the first time you check out a test), and locks the test
in the project database. This prevents other users of the Quality Center
project from overwriting any changes you make to the test. However, other
users can still run the version that was last checked in to the database.

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You can save and close the test, but it remains locked until you return the
test to the Quality Center database. You can release the test either check the
test in, or undo the check out operation. For more information on checking
tests in, see “Checking Tests into the Version Control Database” on
page 962. For more information on undoing the check-out, see “Cancelling
a Check-Out Operation” on page 967.

By default, the check out option accesses the latest version of the test. You
can also check out older versions of the test. For more information, see
“Using the Version History Dialog Box” on page 964.

To check out the latest version of a test:
1 Open the test you want to check out. For more information, see “Opening
Tests from a Quality Center Project” on page 952.

Note: Make sure the test you open is currently checked in. If you open a test
that is checked out to you, the Check Out option is disabled. If you open a
test that is checked out to another user, all Quality Center Version Control
options, except the Version History option, are disabled.

2 Choose File > Quality Center Version Control > Check Out. The Check Out
dialog box opens and displays the test version to be checked out.

3 You can enter a description of the changes you plan to make in the
Comments box.
4 Click OK. The read-only test closes and automatically reopens as a writable
test.

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5 View or edit your test as necessary.

Note: You can save changes and close the test without checking the test in,
but your changes will not be available to other Quality Center users until
you check it in. If you do not want to check your changes in, you can undo
the check-out. For more information on checking tests in, see “Checking
Tests into the Version Control Database” on page 962. For more information
on undoing the check-out, see “Cancelling a Check-Out Operation” on
page 967.

Checking Tests into the Version Control Database
While a test is checked out, Quality Center users can run the previously
checked-in version of your test. For example, suppose you check out
version 1.2.3 of a test and make a number of changes to it and save the test.
Until you check the test back in to the version control database as version
1.2.4 (or another number that you assign), Quality Center users can
continue to run version 1.2.3.
When you have finished making changes to a test and you are ready for
Quality Center users to use your new version, you check it in to the version
control database.

Note: If you do not want to check your changes into the Quality Center
database, you can undo the check-out operation. For more information, see
“Cancelling a Check-Out Operation” on page 967.

When you check a test back into the version control database, Quality
Center deletes the test copy from your checkout directory and unlocks the
test in the database so that the test version will be available to other users of
the Quality Center project.

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To check in the currently open test:
1 Confirm that the currently open test is checked out to you. For more
information, see “Viewing Version Information For a Test” on page 964.

Note: If the open test is currently checked in, the Check In option is
disabled. If you open a test that is checked out to another user, all Quality
Center Version Control options, except the Version History option, are
disabled.

2 Choose File > Quality Center Version Control > Check In. The Check In
dialog box opens.

3 Accept the default new version number and proceed to step 7, or click the
browse button to specify a custom version number. If you click the browse
button, The Edit Check In Version Number dialog box opens.

4 Modify the version number manually or using the up and down arrows next
to each element of the version number. You can enter numbers 1-900 in the
first element. You can enter numbers 1-999 in the second and third
elements. You cannot enter a version number lower than the most recent
version of this test in the version control database.

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5 Click OK to save the version number and close the Edit Check In Version
Number dialog box.
6 If you entered a description of your change when you checked out the test,
the description is displayed in the Comments box. You can enter or modify
the comments in the box.
7 Click OK to check in the test. The test closes and automatically reopens as a
read-only test.

Using the Version History Dialog Box
You can use the Version History dialog box to view version information
about the currently open test and to view or retrieve an older version of the
test.

Viewing Version Information For a Test
You can view version information for any open test that has been stored in
the Quality Center version control database, regardless of its current status.

To open the Version History dialog box for a test, open the test and choose
File > Quality Center Version Control > Version History.

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The Version History dialog box provides the following information:

Test name—The name of the currently open test.

Test status—The status of the test. The test can be:

➤ Checked-in—The test is currently checked in to the version control
database. It is currently open in read-only format. You can check out the
test to edit it.
➤ Checked-out—The test is checked out by you. It is currently open in read-
write format.
➤ Checked-out by <another user>—The test is currently checked out by
another user. It is currently open in read-only format. You cannot check
out or edit the test until the specified user checks in the test.
My open version—The test version that is currently open on your QuickTest
computer.

Version details

➤ Version—A list of all versions of the test.
➤ User—The user who checked in each listed version.
➤ Date and Time—The date and time that each version was checked in.
Version comments—The comments that were entered when the selected test
version was checked in.

Working with Previous Test Versions
You can view an old version of a test in read-only mode or you can check
out an old version and then check it in as the latest version of the test.

To view an old version of a test:
1 Open the Quality Center test. The latest version of the test opens. For more
page 952.
2 Choose File > Quality Center Version Control > Version History. The Version
History dialog box opens.
3 Select the test version you want to view in the Version details list.

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4 Click the Get Version button. QuickTest reminds you that the test will open
in read-only mode because it is not checked out.
5 Click OK to close the QuickTest message. The selected version opens in read-
only mode.

Tips: To confirm the version number that you now have open in QuickTest,
look at the My open version value in the Version History dialog box.

After using the Get Version option to open an old version in read-only
mode, you can check-out the open test by choosing File > Quality Center
Version Control > Check Out. This is equivalent to using the Check Out
button in the Version History dialog box.

To check out an old version of a test:
1 Open the Quality Center test. The latest version of the test opens. For more
page 952.
2 Choose File > Quality Center Version Control > Version History. The Version
History dialog box opens.
3 Select the test version you want to view in the Version details list.
4 Click the Check Out button. A confirmation message opens.
5 Confirm that you want to check out an older version of the test. The Check
Out dialog box opens and displays the test version to be checked out.

6 You can enter a description of the changes you plan to make in the
Comments box.

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7 Click OK. The open test closes and the selected version opens as a writable
test.
8 View or edit the test as necessary.
9 If you want to check in your test as the new, latest version in the Quality
Center database, choose File > Quality Center Version Control > Check In. If
you do not want to upload the modified test to Quality Center, choose File >
Quality Center Version Control > Undo Check out.
For more information on checking tests in, see “Checking Tests into the
Version Control Database” on page 962. For more information on undoing
the check-out, see “Cancelling a Check-Out Operation” on page 967.

Cancelling a Check-Out Operation
If you check out a test and then decide that you do not want to upload
the modified test to Quality Center you should cancel the check-out
operation so that the test will be available for check out by other Quality
Center users.

To cancel a check-out operation:
1 If it is not already open, open the checked-out test.
2 Choose File > Quality Center Version Control > Undo Check out.
3 Click Yes to confirm the cancellation of your check-out operation. The
check-out operation is cancelled. The checked-out test closes and the
previously checked-in version reopens in read-only mode.

Setting Preferences for Quality Center Test Runs
You can run QuickTest tests that are stored in a Quality Center database
via QuickTest, via a Quality Center client that is installed on your computer,
or via a remote Quality Center client. Note that when a Quality Center
client runs your QuickTest test, it uses the associated add-ins list to load the
proper add-ins for your test. For more information, see “Modifying
Associated Add-Ins” on page 663.

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You can instruct QuickTest to report a defect for each failed step when
Quality Center test runs on your QuickTest computer. You can also submit
defects to Quality Center manually from the QuickTest Test Results window.
For more information, see “Submitting Defects Detected During a Run
Session” on page 597.

Before you instruct a remote Quality Center client to run QuickTest tests on
your computer, you must give Quality Center permission to use your
QuickTest application. You can also view or modify the QuickTest Remote
Agent Settings.

Enabling Quality Center to Run Tests on a QuickTest Computer
For security reasons, remote access to your QuickTest application is not
enabled. If you want to allow Quality Center (or other remote access clients)
to open and run QuickTest tests, you must select the Allow other Mercury
products to run tests and components option.

To enable remote Quality Center clients to run tests on your QuickTest
computer:
1 Open QuickTest.
dialog box opens.
3 Click the Run tab.
4 Select the Allow other Mercury products to run tests and components check
box.

For more information on this option, see “Setting Run Testing Options” on
page 625.

Tip: To access QuickTest tests from Quality Center, you must also have the
QuickTest Add-in for Quality Center installed on the Quality Center
computer. For additional information on this add-in, refer to the QuickTest
Professional Add-in screen (accessible from the main Quality Center screen).

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Setting QuickTest Remote Agent Preferences
When you run a QuickTest test from Quality Center, the QuickTest
Remote Agent opens on the QuickTest computer. The QuickTest Remote
Agent determines how QuickTest behaves when a test is run by a remote
application such as Quality Center.

You can open the Remote Agent Settings dialog box at any time to view or
modify the settings that your QuickTest application uses when Quality
Center runs a QuickTest test on your computer.

To open the Remote Agent Settings dialog box:
1 Choose Start > Programs > QuickTest Professional > Tools > Remote Agent.
The Remote Agent opens and the Remote Agent icon is displayed in the task
bar tray.
2 Right-click the Remote Agent icon and choose Settings. The Remote Agent
Settings dialog box opens.

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3 View or modify the settings in the dialog box. For more information, see
“Understanding the Remote Agent Settings Dialog Box,” below.
4 Click OK to save your settings and close the dialog box.
5 Right-click the Remote Agent icon and choose Exit to end the Remote Agent
session.

Understanding the Remote Agent Settings Dialog Box
The Remote Agent Settings dialog box enables you to view or modify the
settings that your QuickTest application uses when Quality Center runs a
QuickTest test on your computer.

The Remote Agent Settings dialog box contains the following options:

Option Description

Level The level of detail to include in the log that is
created when Quality Center runs a QuickTest
test.
None (default)—No log is created.
Low—The log lists any Quality Center-QuickTest
communication errors.
Medium—The log includes Quality Center-
QuickTest communication errors and information
on other major operations that result in Quality
Center-QuickTest communication.
High—The log includes all available information
related to Quality Center-QuickTest
communications.

Log folder The folder path for storing the log file. Required if a
log type is specified in the Level option.

Restart testing tool after Restarts the QuickTest application after the Quality
__ runs Center completes the specified number of test runs.
When QuickTest restarts, it continues with the next
test in the test set.
You may want to use this option to maximize
available memory.
If you do not want QuickTest to restart during a test
set, enter 0 (default).

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Option Description

Save the open, modified If an existing (named) test is open in QuickTest
test before the test run when the Remote Agent begins running a test, this
option ensures that any modifications to the test
are saved.

Save the open, new test If a new (untitled) test is open in QuickTest when
before the test run the Remote Agent begins running a test, this option
saves the test in:
<QuickTest installation folder>TestsQuality
Center with a sequential test name.
Open a new test after the By default, the last test run by the remote agent
test run stays open in QuickTest when it finishes running all
tests. However, if any shared resources (such as a
shared object repository or Data Table file) are
associated with the open test, those resources are
locked to other users until the test is closed. You can
select this option to ensure that the last test that
Quality Center runs is closed, and a blank test is
open instead.

Run QuickTest in Hidden Specifies whether to run QuickTest in hidden
Mode (silent) mode.

Restart testing tool after Restarts QuickTest if there is no response after the
specified number of seconds for:
Operations—QuickTest operations such as Open or
Run.
Queries—Standard status queries that remote
applications perform to confirm that the
application is responding (such as Quality
Center’s get_status query).
The default value for both options is 2700 seconds
(45 minutes). However, while QuickTest operations
may take a long time between responses, queries
usually take only several seconds. Therefore, you
may want to set different values for each of these
options.

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41
Working with Business Process Testing

When you are connected to a Quality Center project with Business
Process Testing support, QuickTest enables you to create and/or implement
the steps for the components that are used in Quality Center business
process tests.


➤ About Working with Business Process Testing
➤ Understanding Components
➤ Creating Components
➤ Opening Existing Components
➤ Working with Component Templates
➤ Recording Components
➤ Running Components

About Working with Business Process Testing
Business Process Testing enables subject matter experts to create tests using a
new methodology for testing as well as an improved automated testing
environment.

Business Process Testing is combined with Quality Center and can be
enabled by purchasing a specific Business Process Testing license. In order to
work with Business Process Testing from within QuickTest, you must
connect to a Quality Center project with Business Process Testing support.

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This section provides an overview of the Business Process Testing model. For
more information, refer to the Business Process Testing User’s Guide.

The remaining sections in this chapter describe options and features that are
unique to working with components in QuickTest. QuickTest options and
features that are common or similar for both components and tests are
described in the relevant chapters throughout this user’s guide.

Understanding Business Process Testing Roles
The Business Process Testing model is role-based, allowing non-technical
subject matter experts to define and document business processes, business
components, and business process tests, while Testing Tool Engineers record
and program the individual steps of business components, and QA testers
can concentrate on running and debugging individual components.

Note: The role structure and the tasks performed by various roles in your
organization may differ from those described here according to the
methodology adopted by your organization. For example, the tasks of the
Business Component Expert and the Business Process Expert may be
performed by the same person.

The following four basic user roles are identified in the Business Process
Testing model:

➤ Business Component Expert—The Business Component Expert is a subject
matter expert who has a detailed understanding of the individual elements
and tasks that are fundamental to an application. This also enables the
Business Component Expert to identify the key business activities that are
common to more than one business process. Using the Business
Components module, the Business Component Expert creates business
components that describe the specific tasks that can be performed in the
application, and the condition or state of the application before and after
those tasks.

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Chapter 41 • Working with Business Process Testing

For example, most applications require users to log in before they can access
any of the application functionality. The Business Component Expert could
create one business component that represents this login procedure. These
component procedures can also be reused in other business process tests,
resulting in easier and more cost-efficient maintenance, updating, and test
management.

The Business Component Expert also determines whether there is a need to
implement any new business components requested by the Business Process
Expert, and if so, where in the component tree that the new components
should be located.
➤ Business Process Expert—The Business Process Expert is a subject matter
expert who has specific knowledge of the application logic, and has a high-
level understanding of the entire system. This enables the Business Process
Expert to determine the operating scenarios or business processes that must
be tested. Using the Test Plan module, the Business Process Expert combines
the business components created by the Business Component Expert into
business process tests, composed of a serial flow of the business
components.
The Business Process Expert also generates requests for new business
components if he or she thinks that no existing component answers the
needs of a business process test.
➤ Testing Tool Engineer—The Testing Tool Engineer is an expert for an
automated testing tool, such as QuickTest Professional. The Testing Tool
Engineer implements and maintains the testing steps for each of the
individual business components initiated by the Business Component
Expert.
➤ QA Tester—The QA Tester is a Quality Center user who configures the
values used for business process tests, runs them in test sets, and reviews the
results.

One of the great advantages of the Business Process Testing model is that the
work of the subject matter expert is not dependent on the completion of
business components by the testing tool specialist. Hence, using Business
Process Testing, the testing process can start before the application to be
tested is at a level at which automated business components can be
recorded.

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Understanding the Business Process Testing Workflow
The Business Process Testing workflow may differ according to your testing
needs. Following is an example of a common workflow:

Understanding Business Process Testing Methodology
Each scenario that the subject matter expert creates is a business process test.
A business process test is composed of a serial flow of components. Each
component performs a specific task. A component can pass data to a
subsequent component.

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Understanding Components
A component is a reusable script that is easily maintained. The component
creation process can be divided into two elements: the component shell and
the component implementation.

➤ The component shell is the component’s outer layer. The information in the
shell is visible or available at the test level. The Business Component Expert
defines the component shell information. Once the Business Component
Expert creates a component shell, it can be used to build business process
tests even if the implementation has not yet begun.
➤ The component implementation is the component’s inner layer. It includes the
actual script and specific settings for the component. The information can
be seen only at the component level. You create the component
implementation using QuickTest Professional.

Creating Components in the Quality Center Components Module
The Business Component Expert can create a new component and define its
shell in the Quality Center Components module.
Menu Bar Business Components Module Tabs

Toolbar

Components
Tree

Sidebar

Component
Requests Pane

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The component shell includes the following elements:

➤ Details—A general summary of the component’s purpose or contents, plus
more detailed instructions that define the preconditions, for example, the
application’s state at the start of the component, the steps the component
should perform, and the post conditions for the component, for example,
the state in which the application should finish and whether the
component should finish in such a way that multiple component iterations
are possible.
➤ Snapshot—An image that provides a visual cue or description of the
component’s purpose or operations.
➤ Input parameters—The name, default value, and description of the data the
component can receive.
➤ Output parameters—The name and description of the values that the
component can return to the business process test.
➤ Status—The current status of the component, for example, whether the
component is fully implemented and ready to be run, or whether it has
errors that need to be fixed. The highest severity component status defines
the overall status of the business process test.

The component shell is exposed to other components that are used in the
same business process test. Using output and input parameters, you can
transfer data from one component to a later component in the business
process test.

Implementing Components in QuickTest Professional
You implement the component in QuickTest Professional. In most cases,
you open and implement an existing component whose shell was defined
by the Business Component Expert.

From QuickTest, you implement components by recording steps on any
supported environment, adding checkpoints and output values,
parameterizing selected items, and enhancing your test with flow
statements, user-defined functions, and other VBScript statements.

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From QuickTest you can also view and set options specific to components.
For example, you can view the component description, modify the
component screenshot, and you can determine whether component
iterations are applicable for the component.

Once a component has been implemented, the Business Component Expert
can open the component in the Quality Center Components module to
view a summary of a component’s steps in understandable sentences in the
Summary tab.

Creating Business Process Tests in the Quality Center Test Plan
Module
To create a business process test, the subject matter expert selects (drags and
drops) the components that apply to the business process test and
configures their run settings.

Each component can be used differently by different business process tests.
For example, in each test the component can be configured to use different
input parameter values or run a different number of iterations.

If, while creating a business process test, the subject matter expert realizes
that a component has not been defined for an element that is necessary for
the business process test, the subject matter expert can submit a component
request from the Test Plan module.

Running Business Process Tests and Analyzing the Results
You can use the run and debug options in QuickTest to run and debug an
individual component.

You can debug a business process test by running the test from the Test Plan
module. When you choose to run from this module, you can choose which
components to run in debug mode. (This pauses the run at the beginning of
a component.)

When the business process test has been debugged and is ready for regular
test runs, the Quality Center tester runs it from the Test Lab module similar
to the way any other test is run in Quality Center. Before running the test,
Quality Center tester can define run-time parameter values and iterations
using the Iterations column in the Test Lab module grid.

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From the Test Lab module, you can view the results of the entire business
process test run. The results include the value of each parameter, and the
results of individual steps reported by QuickTest.

You can click the Open Report link to open the complete QuickTest report.
The hierarchical report contains all the different iterations and components
within the business process test run.

Understanding Components
Components are easily-maintained reusable scripts that perform a specific
task, and are the building blocks from which an effective business process
testing structure can be produced. Components are parts of a business
process that has been broken down into smaller parts. For example, in most
applications users need to log in before they can do anything else. A subject
matter expert can create one component that represents the login procedure
for an application. Each component can then be reused in different business
process tests, resulting in easier maintenance, updating, and test
management.

Components are comprised of steps. For example, the login component’s
first step may be to open the application. Its second step could be entering a
user name. Its third step could be entering a password, and its fourth step
could be clicking the Enter button.

You create and edit components in QuickTest by recording steps on any
supported environment, adding checkpoints and output values,
parameterizing selected items, and enhancing the component with flow
statements, user-defined functions, and other VBScript programming
statements. A subject matter expert combines components into business
process tests, which are used to check that the Web site or application
behaves as expected.

980


Understanding the Differences Between Components and Tests
If you are already familiar with using QuickTest to create action-based tests,
you will find that the procedures for creating and editing components are
quite similar. However, due to the design and purpose of the component
model, there are certain differences in the way you record, edit, and run
components. The guidelines in the sections below provide an overview of
these differences.

General Differences Between Components and Tests
Following are guidelines and information regarding differences between
components and tests:

➤ A component is a single entity. It cannot contain multiple actions or have
calls to other actions or to other components.
➤ When working with components, all external files are stored in the Quality
Center project to which you are currently connected.
➤ There is no per-action (or per-component) object repository option. All
components must use a shared object repository file (stored in Quality
Center).
➤ The name of the component node in the Keyword View is the same as the
saved component. You cannot rename the node.
➤ Specific menu options are used to create and edit components (under File >
Business Component). If a component is currently open, you can use the
New and Open toolbar buttons to create or edit additional components.

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Differences When Using the Data Table with Components
Following are guidelines and information you should consider when using
the Data Table with components. For more information on Data Tables, see

➤ A component has only one (local) data sheet. It does not have a global data
sheet. You can refer to the data sheet in a statement by specifying the name
of the sheet (same as the name of the component) in quotes or by using the
constant, dtlocalsheet (without quotes). You can also refer to the data sheet
using the DataTable.LocalSheet method.
➤ You can use only the first row in the Data Table for Data Table parameter
and output values. This is because component iterations are defined in
Quality Center (based on the number of component parameter iterations
you define).
Other rows in the Data Table can still be used for calculating formulas, and
so forth.
➤ The component always uses the Data Table file that is saved with the
component. You cannot associate an external Data Table file with a
component.

Creating Components
When QuickTest is connected to a Quality Center project with Business
Process Testing support, you can create a new component in that project.

New components are based on the component template for the Quality
Center project in which you intend to save the component. For information
on component templates, see “Working with Component Templates” on
page 987.

Tip: You can also create a new component in Quality Center, as described in
the Business Process Testing User’s Guide.

982


To create a component:
1 Connect to a Quality Center project with Business Process Testing support.
For information on connecting to Quality Center, see “Connecting
QuickTest to Quality Center” on page 946.
2 Choose File > Business Component > New. A new component opens, based
on the project component template.

Tip: If a component is already open, you can also click the New toolbar
button to open a new component.

Notes: If your component template associates new components with a
locked shared object repository, a message regarding locked resources opens
when you create a new component. For more information, see “Creating,
Opening, and Saving Tests with Locked Resources” on page 109.

If the shared object repository with which new components are associated
by default cannot be found, QuickTest creates a new, blank shared object
repository with the original shared object repository name.

Opening Existing Components
Process Testing support, you can open a component that is stored in the
project to view, modify, or run it. You find components according to their
location in the component tree.

To open an existing component:
1 Connect to the Quality Center project in which your component is saved.
For information on connecting to Quality Center, see “Connecting
QuickTest to Quality Center” on page 946.

983


2 Choose File > Business Component > Open. The Open Business Component
dialog box opens showing all of the components in the current Quality
Center project.

The status of each component is indicated by its icon. For information on
component statuses and their icons, refer to the Business Process Testing
User’s Guide.

Tip: You can open a recently used component by selecting it from the
Recent Files list in the File menu. If a component is already open, you can
also click the Open toolbar button to open another component.

3 Click the relevant folder in the component tree. To expand the tree and
view the components, double-click closed folders. To collapse the tree,
double-click open folders.
4 Select a component. The component name is displayed in the read-only
Component Name box.
5 Click OK to open the component.

984


As QuickTest downloads and opens the component, the operations it
performs are displayed in the status bar.
When the component opens, the QuickTest title bar displays [Component]
[Quality Center], the full path and the component name. For example, the
title bar for a flight_login component may be:
[Component] [Quality Center] ComponentsFlightflight_login

Notes: If the component you are opening is associated with a shared object
repository that cannot be found, a message opens enabling you to create a
new, blank shared object repository for the component, to select a different
shared object repository file for the component, or to open a new blank test
with a per-action object repository.

If the component you are opening is associated with a locked shared object
repository, a message opens instructing you how to open the component.
For more information, see “Creating, Opening, and Saving Tests with
Locked Resources” on page 109.

Saving Components
Process Testing support, you can save components to your project. To save a
component, you give it a descriptive name and associate it with the relevant
folder in the component tree. This helps you to keep track of the
components created for each subject and to quickly view the progress of
component planning and creation.

To save a component to a Quality Center project:
1 Connect to a Quality Center server and project with Business Process Testing
support. For more information, see “Connecting QuickTest to Quality
Center” on page 946.
2 In QuickTest, click Save or choose File > Save to save the component.

985


The Save Business Component dialog box opens and displays the
component tree.

3 Select the component folder in the component tree. To expand the tree and
view a sublevel, double-click a closed folder. To collapse a sublevel, double-
click an open folder.
You can either save the component in an existing folder in your Quality
Center project or click the New Folder button to create a new folder in
which to save it.
4 In the Component Name box, enter a name for the component. Use a
descriptive name that will help you easily identify the component. You
cannot use the following characters in a component name:
/:"?<>|*%’
5 Click OK to save the component and close the dialog box. Note that the text
in the status bar changes while QuickTest saves the component.
The next time you start Quality Center, the new component will be
included in Quality Center’s Component module. For more information,
refer to the Quality Center User’s Guide.

986


Working with Component Templates
The component template enables you to specify default component-specific
settings that apply to all new components created in a specific Quality
Center project. For example, you may want to specify that all new
components use the same recovery scenarios.

You can also specify one or more statements to include in each new
component you create in a specific Quality Center project, by adding these
statements to the component template. For example, you may want to add a
comment with project information at the start of each component, such as
‘ActiveX Project for AutoTesting Version 8.1.11. You may also want to add a
line that specifies that all components should call a specific function, such
as InitApplication(“serverADomainXXX”,”UserName”,”Password”).

Although this is not its main purpose, when working with the component
template you can also perform other standard testing operations, such as
recording steps on objects.

Each project has its own component template that is used as the base for all
new components created in that project. You can modify the information in
the component template to suit your needs. For information on the default
component settings included with the component template, see “Guidelines
for Specifying Component Template Settings” on page 988.

To modify the component template:
1 Connect to the Quality Center project whose component template you
want to modify. For information on connecting to Quality Center, see
“Connecting to and Disconnecting from Quality Center” on page 946.
2 Choose File > Business Component > Edit Template. The component
template opens.

Note: If the component template is associated with a shared object
repository that cannot be found, a message opens enabling you to create a
new, blank shared object repository for the component template, or to select
a different shared object repository file for the component template.

987


3 Modify the default component settings in the various tabs of the Business
Component Settings dialog box (Component > Settings). For more
information, see “Guidelines for Specifying Component Template Settings”
on page 988.
4 If you wish, add or modify default statements. For example, comments,
function calls, steps, or statements that open necessary applications or close
specific applications.
5 Click Save or choose File > Save to save the component template. All new
components created in this Quality Center project will use the settings and
component information you defined. Existing components in the project,
or components in other projects, are not affected by the changes you make
to the component template.

Guidelines for Specifying Component Template Settings
You can choose Component > Settings to open the Business Component
Settings dialog box and specify the settings to be used by default for all new
components in a Quality Center project.

Since some options cannot be specified as default settings or are not relevant
for the component template, the Business Component Settings dialog box
for the component template has fewer options than the Business
Component Settings dialog box for a regular component.

For general information on component settings and how to define them, see
Chapter 25, “Setting Options for Individual Tests or Components.”

Note: Settings made previously in the Test Settings dialog box, including
those that were specified as default settings for tests, do not apply to
components or to the component template.

988


Following are the settings that can be defined in the component template as
default settings for all new components. Any tabs or options not mentioned
below are either not available for component templates, or do not have any
effect on the default component settings.

➤ In the Properties tab, you can specify the default set of add-ins that are
associated with new components. Note that the specified add-ins may be
different than the add-ins that are loaded when a new component is
created.
➤ The default component template specifies the Web Add-in and the
ActiveX Add-in as the associated add-ins for all new components.
➤ In the Resources tab, you can specify the default library files and shared
object repository file for all new components.
The default component template does not specify any library files and
specifies the shared object repository file for all new components as
[QualityCenter] SubjectDefault.tsr.
➤ In the Applications tab, you can specify the Windows-based applications
on which new components can record and run by default, and you can
view other environments on which you can currently record and run
(based on the currently loaded add-ins).
The default component template does not specify any Windows-based
applications.
➤ In the Recovery tab, you can specify the default recovery files to use with
new components.
The default component template does not specify any recovery scenarios.
➤ If you currently have add-ins loaded that have corresponding settings
tabs (such as Web), you can specify the default settings for those
environments.

989


Guidelines for Working with Component Template Scripts
When working with the component template, there are several testing
operations that are either not available or not relevant, as described below:

➤ You cannot insert checkpoints and output values on steps in the
component template.
➤ The Active Screen context (right-click) menu is not available.
➤ Active Screen files captured and saved with the template are not applied
to new components.
➤ Values entered into the template Data Table are not applied to new
components based on the template.
➤ Although the parameterization options are available, these options are
not relevant for component templates and should not be used.

990


Recording Components
You record a component by performing and recording the typical processes
that users perform.

To record a component:
1 Open QuickTest. For more information, see “Starting QuickTest” on page 12.
2 Open a new or existing component.
For more information, see “Creating Components” on page 982 and
“Opening Existing Components” on page 983.
3 Click the Record button or choose Component > Record.
If you are recording a new component and have not yet set your application
settings in the Applications tab of the Business Component Settings dialog
box (Component > Settings), the Applications dialog box opens.

991


The Applications dialog box serves the following purposes:
➤ Informs you on which environments you can currently record (based on
the currently loaded add-ins).
➤ Enables you to define on which Windows-based applications you want to
record and run steps. You can record and run steps only on the specified
applications.

Notes: Web applications are automatically recorded on when the Web
Add-in is loaded, so there is no need to add them to the list.

To record on an application, you must open it manually or include
statements in your component that open the applications you need. The
Applications dialog box does not include settings for automatically opening
applications.

The Applications dialog box will not open the next time you start a session
in the same component. However, you can choose Component > Settings to
open the Business Component Settings dialog box and use the Applications
tab to set or modify your application preferences in the following scenarios:
➤ You have already recorded one or more steps in the component and you
want to modify the settings before you continue recording.
➤ You want to run the component on a different application than the one
you previously used.
4 Specify the Windows-based applications on which you want to record and
run this component. The options in the Applications dialog box are
identical to the options in the Applications tab of the Business Component
Settings dialog box. For more information, see “Defining Application
Settings for Your Component” on page 670.
5 Click OK to close the Applications dialog box and begin recording your
component.
6 Navigate through your application or Web site. QuickTest records each step
you perform and displays it in the Keyword View and Expert View.

992


7 To determine whether your Web site or application is functioning correctly,
you can insert a variety of checkpoints. For more information, see
Chapter 6, “Understanding Checkpoints.”
8 You can parameterize your component to check how it performs the same
operations with multiple sets of data, or with data from an external source.
For more information, see Chapter 12, “Parameterizing Values.”
9 When you complete your recording session, click the Stop button or choose
Component > Stop.
10 To save your component, click the Save button or choose File > Save. In the
Save Business Component dialog box, assign a name to the component.

Note: You cannot use the following characters in a component name:
/:"?<>|*%’

You can either save the component in an existing folder in your Quality
Center project or click the New Folder button to create a new folder in
which to save it.

For additional information on recording sessions, see “Recording a Test or

Running Components
When you run a component, QuickTest performs the steps you recorded on
your application or Web site. When the run session is complete, QuickTest
displays a report detailing the results. For general information on run
sessions, see Chapter 21, “Running Tests and Components.”

QuickTest does not open any applications automatically at the beginning of
a component run. You must record the opening of necessary applications,
open them manually, or insert SystemUtil.Run statements into your
component to instruct QuickTest to open the applications during the run
session. For more information on the SystemUtil.Run method, refer to the

993


The run session preference options that are available in the Run tab of the
Test Settings dialog box are not available for components, for the following
reasons:

➤ The Data Table options that can be defined for tests are not relevant for
components, since iterations for individual components and business
process tests are defined in Quality Center.
➤ When running a test, the On Error behavior is determined by the run mode
specified for the component. When running a component from QuickTest
or when running from Quality Center in debug mode, message boxes open
when errors occur. When running a component from Quality Center in
normal mode, QuickTest proceeds to the next step after an error occurs.
➤ The object synchronization timeout for a component is always 20 seconds
(20000 milliseconds).
➤ Smart identification can be disabled for tests but not for components.

When you run a component from QuickTest, the results are stored locally
on your computer. By default, QuickTest saves the results in the Quality
Center cache path on your computer. You can modify this path to any other
file system path or choose to save the results in the temporary results folder.
For general information on viewing results, see Chapter 23, “Analyzing Test
Results.”

Note: Results are stored in Quality Center only when the component is run
as part of a business process test from Quality Center (not in Debug mode).
For information on running business process tests, refer to the Business
Process Testing User’s Guide.

994

42
Working with Mercury Performance
Testing and Application Management
Products

Once you have used QuickTest to create and run a suite of tests that test
the functional capabilities of your application, you may want to test how
much load your application can handle or to monitor your application as it
runs.

Mercury LoadRunner tests the performance of applications under controlled
and peak load conditions. To generate load, LoadRunner runs hundreds or
thousands of virtual users. These virtual users provide consistent, repeatable,
and measurable load to exercise your application just as real users would.

Mercury Application Management enables real-time monitoring of the end
user experience. The Business Process Monitor runs virtual users to perform
typical activities on the monitored application.

If you have already created and perfected a test in QuickTest that is a good
representation of your users’ actions, you may be able to use your QuickTest
test as the basis for performance testing and application management
activities.


➤ About Working with Mercury Performance Testing and Application
Management Products
➤ Using QuickTest’s Performance Testing and Application Management
Features

995


➤ Designing QuickTest Tests for Use with LoadRunner or the Business Process
Monitor
➤ Inserting and Running Tests in LoadRunner or Mercury Application
Management

About Working with Mercury Performance Testing and
Application Management Products
QuickTest enables you to create complex tests that examine the full
spectrum of your application’s functionality to confirm that every element
of your application works as expected in all situations.

The recording mechanisms used in all Mercury Performance Testing and
Application Management products are the same. This means that you can
create tests that are compatible with Mercury LoadRunner and Mercury
Application Management, enabling you to take advantage of tests or test
segments that have already been designed and debugged in QuickTest, and
use them as the basis for your work in other Mercury Performance Testing
and Application Management products.

For example, you can add QuickTest tests to specific points in a LoadRunner
scenario to confirm that the application’s functionality is not affected by the
extra load at those sensitive points.

QuickTest also offers several features that are designed specifically for
integration with LoadRunner and the Business Process Monitor. However,
since LoadRunner and the Business Process Monitor are designed to run
tests using virtual users representing many users simultaneously performing
standard user operations, some QuickTest features may not be available
when integrating these products with QuickTest.

If you do plan to use a single test in both QuickTest and LoadRunner and/or
Mercury Application Management, you should take into account the
different options supported in each product as you design your test.

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Chapter 42 • Working with Mercury Performance Testing and Application Management Products

Using QuickTest’s Performance Testing and Application
Management Features
QuickTest includes an option for saving integration data with your test. This
data makes it possible to run tests designed in QuickTest using Mercury
Application Management or LoadRunner. You can also take advantage of
other QuickTest features that were designed primarily for LoadRunner and
Mercury Application Management users.

Saving Integration Data with Your Tests
To enable integration with LoadRunner and Mercury Application
Management Virtual User technology, QuickTest must generate special
integration files. By default, the option to generate this data is enabled.
However, you, or someone else working on your QuickTest tests may have
disabled the option in order to preserve disk space. Before you begin
creating tests for use with LoadRunner or Mercury Application
Management, enable this option as follows:

1 In QuickTest, choose Tools > Options or click the Options toolbar button.
The Options dialog box opens and displays the General tab.
2 In the General tab, confirm that Save data for integrating with Mercury
performance testing and application management products is selected.
3 If you want to integrate a test with LoadRunner or Mercury Application
Management that was saved without this option, open and save the test
again after selecting this option.
For more information on the Options dialog box, see Chapter 24, “Setting
Global Testing Options.”

Tip: To check whether a test was saved with integration data, look for a
<testname>.usr file in your test folder with the same modified date as the
test.

997


Adding Statements for Checking Performance Testing and
Application Management
You can use the Services object and its associated methods to insert
statements that are specifically relevant to Performance Testing and
Application Management. These include Abort, GetEnvironmentAttribute,
LogMessage, Rendezvous, SetTransactionStatus, ThinkTime,
UserDataPoint, StartTransaction and EndTransaction. For more
information on these methods, refer to your LoadRunner or Mercury
Application Management documentation.

You can also insert StartTransaction and EndTransaction statements using
the Insert > Start Transaction and Insert > End Transaction menu options or
toolbar buttons to insert the statement. For more information on these
options, see “Measuring Transactions” on page 504.

Note: Your test must include transactions to be used by LoadRunner or the
Business Process Monitor. LoadRunner and the Business Process Monitor use
only the data that is included within a transaction, and ignore any data in a
test outside of a transaction.

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Chapter 42 • Working with Mercury Performance Testing and Application Management Products

Designing QuickTest Tests for Use with LoadRunner or the
Business Process Monitor
The QuickTest tests you use with LoadRunner or the Business Process
Monitor should be simple, designed to pinpoint specific operations, and
should avoid using external actions and references to other external files.

Designing Tests for LoadRunner
Consider the following guidelines when designing tests for use with
LoadRunner:

➤ LoadRunner cannot run nested action iterations.
➤ Do not include references to external actions or other external resources,
such as an external Data Table file, environment variable file, shared object
repositories, and so on.

Designing Tests for the Business Process Monitor
Consider the following guidelines when designing tests for use with the
Business Process Monitor:

➤ Corresponding StartTransaction and EndTransaction statements must be
contained within the same action.
➤ The Business Process Monitor does not use the iteration settings from the
Run tab of the QuickTest Options dialog box. Instead, it uses the number of
lines in the Data Table file.

999


Inserting and Running Tests in LoadRunner or Mercury
Application Management
In addition to designing your test appropriately for use with LoadRunner or
Mercury Application Management, there are a few issues you should be
aware of when using your QuickTest test in LoadRunner or Mercury
Application Management.

Inserting and Running Tests in a LoadRunner Scenario
When inserting and running tests in a LoadRunner scenario, consider the
following guidelines:

➤ You can run only one GUI VUser concurrently per machine.
➤ To insert a QuickTest test in a LoadRunner scenario, browse to the test folder
in the Controller Open Test dialog box and select Astra Tests in the Files of
type box in order to view QuickTest tests in the folder.
➤ Ensure that QuickTest is closed on the QuickTest computer before running a
QuickTest test from LoadRunner.
➤ In the Run-time Settings for script dialog box, only the General categories
and sub-categories (General, Iterations, Miscellaneous, Think Time) are
relevant for QuickTest tests. The Replay options are not relevant.

For more information on working with LoadRunner, refer to your
LoadRunner documentation.

Inserting and Running Tests in the Business Process Monitor
When inserting and running tests in the Business Process Monitor, consider
the following guidelines:

➤ The Business Process Monitor can run only one QuickTest test (transaction
file) at a time.
➤ Transaction Breakdown is not supported for tests (transaction files) recorded
with QuickTest.

For more information on working with Mercury Application Management,
refer to your Mercury Application Management documentation.

1000

A
Working with QuickTest—Frequently
Asked Questions

This chapter answers some of the questions that are asked most frequently
by advanced users of QuickTest. The questions and answers are divided into
the following sections:

➤ Recording and Running Tests
➤ Programming in the Expert View
➤ Working with Dynamic Content
➤ Advanced Web Issues
➤ Test Maintenance
➤ Testing Localized Applications
➤ Improving QuickTest Performance

Recording and Running Tests
➤ How does QuickTest capture user processes in Web pages?
QuickTest hooks the browser (Netscape, Microsoft Internet Explorer, or
AOL). As the user navigates the Web-based application, QuickTest records
the user actions. (For information about modifying which user actions are
recorded, see Chapter 35, “Configuring Web Event Recording.”) QuickTest
can then run the test by running the steps as they originally occurred.

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Part IX • Appendix

➤ How can I record on objects or environments not supported by
QuickTest?
You can do this in a number of ways:

➤ In addition to the core environments supported by QuickTest, many
external add-ins are available for QuickTest Professional to support the
environments you use in your application, such as Java, Oracle, .NET,
SAP Solutions, Siebel, PeopleSoft, terminal emulators, and Web services.
➤ You can map objects of an unidentified or custom class to standard
Windows classes. For more information on object mapping, see
“Mapping User-Defined Test Object Classes” on page 812.
➤ You can define virtual objects for objects that behave like test objects and
then record in the normal recording mode. For more information on
defining virtual objects, see Chapter 16, “Learning Virtual Objects.”
➤ You can record your clicks and keyboard input based on coordinates in
the low-level recording or analog modes. For more information on low-
level and analog recording, see “Choosing the Recording Mode” on
page 101.

Programming in the Expert View
➤ Can I store functions and subroutines in a function library?
You can define functions within an individual test, or you can create one or
more external VBScript library files containing your functions, and then call
them from any test.

You can also register your functions as methods for QuickTest test objects.
Your registered methods can override the functionality of an existing test
object method for the duration of a test run, or you can register a new
method for a test object class.

For more information, see Chapter 37, “Working with User-Defined
Functions.”

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Chapter • Working with QuickTest—Frequently Asked Questions

Working with Dynamic Content
➤ How can I record and run tests on objects that change dynamically
from viewing to viewing?
Sometimes the content of objects in a Web page or application changes due
to dynamic content. You can create dynamic descriptions of these objects so
that QuickTest will recognize them when it runs the test. For more
information, see Chapter 4, “Managing Test Objects.”

➤ How can I check that a child window exists (or does not exist)?
Sometimes a link in one window creates another window.

You can use the Exist method to check whether or not a window exists. For
example:

Browser("Window_logical_name").Exist

You can also use the ChildObjects method to retrieve all child objects (or
the subset of child objects that match a certain description) on the Desktop
or within any other parent object.

For additional information about the Exist and ChildObjects methods,
refer to the QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference.

➤ How does QuickTest record on dynamically generated URLs and Web
pages?
QuickTest actually clicks on links as they are displayed on the page.
Therefore, QuickTest records how to find a particular object, such as a link
on the page, rather than the object itself. For example, if the link to a
dynamically generated URL is an image, then QuickTest records the “IMG”
HTML tag, and the name of the image. This enables QuickTest to find this
image in the future and click on it.

1005


Advanced Web Issues
➤ How does QuickTest handle cookies?
Server side connections, such as CGI scripts, can use cookies both to store
and retrieve information on the client side of the connection.

QuickTest stores cookies in the memory for each user, and the browser
handles them as it normally would.

➤ How does QuickTest handle session IDs?
The server, not the browser, handles session IDs, usually by a cookie or by
embedding the session ID in all links. This does not affect QuickTest.

➤ How does QuickTest handle server redirections?
When the server redirects the client, the client generally does not notice the
redirection, and misdirections generally do not occur. In most cases, the
client is redirected to another script on the server. This additional script
produces the HTML code for the subsequent page to be viewed. This has no
effect on QuickTest or the browser.

➤ How does QuickTest handle meta tags?
Meta tags do not affect how the page is displayed. Generally, they contain
information only about who created the page, how often it is updated, what
the page is about, and which keywords represent the page’s content.
Therefore, QuickTest has no problem handling meta tags.

➤ Does QuickTest work with .asp?
Dynamically created Web pages utilizing Active Server Page technology have
an .asp extension. This technology is completely server-side and has no
bearing on QuickTest.

➤ Does QuickTest work with COM?
QuickTest complies with the COM standard.

QuickTest supports COM objects embedded in Web pages (which are
currently accessible only using Microsoft Internet Explorer) and you can
drive COM objects in VBScript.

1006


➤ Does QuickTest work with XML?
XML is eXtensible Markup Language, a pared-down version of SGML for
Web documents, that enables Web designers to create their own customized
tags. QuickTest supports XML and recognizes XML tags as objects.

You can also create XML checkpoints to check the content of XML
documents in Web pages, frames or files. QuickTest also supports XML
output and schema validation.

For more information, see Chapter 11, “Checking XML.”

Test Maintenance
➤ How do I maintain my test when my application changes?
The way to maintain a test when your application changes depends on how
much your application changes. This is one of the main reasons you should
create a small group of tests rather than one large test for your entire
application. When your application changes, you can rerecord part of a test.
If the change is not significant, you can manually edit a test to update it.

You can also use QuickTest’s action feature to design more modular and
efficient tests. While recording, you divide your test into several actions,
based on functionality. When your application changes, you can rerecord a
specific action, without changing the rest of the test. Whenever possible,
insert calls to reusable actions rather than creating identical pieces of script
in several tests. This way, changes to your original reusable action are
automatically applied to all tests calling that action. For additional
information, see Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.”

If you have many tests and actions that contain the same test objects, it is
recommended to work with shared object repositories so that you can
update object information in a centralized location. For more information,
see Chapter 34, “Choosing the Object Repository Mode.”

1007


To update the information in your checkpoints, the Active Screen, or about
your test object properties when object properties change, or to add new
objects or steps on an Active Screen image without rerecording steps, use the
Update Run option. For more information, see “Updating a Test or

➤ Can I increase or decrease Active Screen information after I finish
recording a test?
If you find that the information saved in the Active Screen after recording is
not sufficient for your test editing needs, or if you no longer need Active
Screen information, and you want to decrease the size of your test, there are
several methods of changing the amount of Active Screen information saved
with your test.

➤ To decrease the disk space used by your test, you can delete Active Screen
information by selecting Save As, and clearing the Save Active Screen
files check box. For more information, see “Saving a Test” on page 96.
➤ If you chose not to save all information in the Active Screen when testing
a Windows application, you can use one of several methods to increase
the information stored in the Active Screen.
Confirm that the Active Screen capture preference in the Active Screen
tab of the Options dialog box is set to capture the amount of information
you need and then:
➤ Perform an Update Run operation to save the required amount of
information in the Active Screen for all existing steps.
➤ Re-record the step(s) containing the object(s) you want to add to the
Active Screen.
To re-record the step, select the step after which you want to record
your step, position your application to match the selected location in
your test, and then begin recording. Alternatively, place a breakpoint
in your test at the step before which you want to add a step and run
your test to the breakpoint. This will bring your application to the
correct place in order to record the step.

1008


For more information on changing the amount of information saved in
the Active Screen for Windows applications, see “Setting Active Screen
Options,” on page 618.
For more information on the Update Run options, see “Updating a Test
For more information on setting breakpoints, see “Setting Breakpoints”
on page 533.

Testing Localized Applications
➤ I am testing localized versions of a single application, each with
localized user interface strings. How do I create efficient tests in
QuickTest?
You can parameterize these user interface strings using parameters from the
global Environment variable list. This is a list of variables and corresponding
values that can be accessed from any test. For additional information, see

➤ I am testing localized versions of a single application. How can I
efficiently input different data in my tests, depending on the language
of the application?
If you are running a single iteration of your test, or if you want values to
remain constant for all iterations of an action or test, use environment
variables, and then change the active environment variable file for each test
run.

If you are running multiple iterations of your test or action, and you want
the input data to change in each iteration, you can create an external Data
Table for each localized version of your application. When you change the
localized version of the application you are testing, you simply switch the
Data Table file for your test in the Resources tab of the Test Settings dialog
box.

For more information on working with Data Tables, see Chapter 18,
“Working with Data Tables.” For more information on selecting the Data
Table file for your test, see “Defining Resource Settings for Your Test” on
page 674.

1009


Improving QuickTest Performance
➤ How can I improve the working speed of QuickTest?
You can improve the working speed of QuickTest by doing any of the
following:

➤ Do not load unnecessary add-ins in the Add-in Manager when QuickTest
starts. This will improve both recording time and test run performance.
For more information about loading add-ins, see “Loading QuickTest
Add-ins” on page 732.
➤ Run your tests in “Fast mode.” From the Run tab in the Options dialog
box, select the Fast option. This instructs QuickTest to run your test
without displaying the execution arrow for each step, enabling the test to
run faster. For more information on the Run tab of the Options dialog
box, see “Setting Run Testing Options” on page 625.
➤ If you are not using the Active Screen while editing your test, hide the
Active Screen while editing your test to improve editing response time.
Choose View > Active Screen, or toggle the Active Screen toolbar button
to hide the Active Screen. For more information, see Chapter 2,
“QuickTest at a Glance.”
➤ Decide if and how much information you want to capture and save in
the Active Screen. The more information you capture, the easier it is to
add steps to your test using the many Active Screen options, but more
captured information also leads to slower recording and editing times.
You can choose from the following Active Screen options to improve
performance:
➤ If you are testing Windows applications, you can choose to save all
Active Screen information in every step, save information only in
certain steps, or to disable Active Screen captures entirely. You set this
preference in the Active Screen tab of the Options dialog box. For
more information, see “Setting Active Screen Options” on page 618.

1010


➤ If you are testing Web applications, you can disable screen capture of
all steps in the Active Screen. From the Active Screen tab of the
Options dialog box, click Custom Level to open the Custom Active
Screen Capture Settings dialog box. Select the Disable Active Screen
Capture option. This will improve recording time. For more
information on the Active Screen tab of the Options dialog box, see
➤ When you save a new test, or when you save a test with a new name
using Save As, you can choose not to save the captured Active Screen
files with the test by clearing the Save Active Screen files option in the
Save or Save As dialog box. This is especially useful when you have
finished designing your test and you plan to use your test only for test
runs. Tests without Active Screen files open more quickly and use
significantly less disk space.
➤ Decide when you want to capture and save images of the application for
the test results. From the Run tab in the Options dialog box, select an
option from the Save step screen capture to test results box. You can
improve test run time and reduce disk space by saving screen captures
only in certain situations or by not saving the images at all. For more

Tip: If you need to recover Active Screen files after you save a test
without Active Screen files, re-record the necessary steps or use the
Update Run option to recapture screens for all steps in your test. For
more information, see “Updating a Test or Component” on page 519.

1011


➤ How can I decrease the disk space used by QuickTest?
You can decrease the disk space used by QuickTest by doing any of the
following:

➤ Decide when you want to capture and save images of the application for
the test results. From the Run tab in the Options dialog box, select an
option from the Save step screen capture to test results box. You can
reduce disk space and improve test run time by saving screen captures
only in certain situations or not saving images at all. For more
➤ Decide if and how much information you want to capture and save in
the Active Screen. The more information you capture, the easier it is to
add steps to your test using the many Active Screen options, but more
captured information also leads to slower recording and editing times.
You can choose from the following Active Screen options to improve
performance:
➤ If you are testing Windows applications, you can choose to Save all
Active Screen information in every step, save information only in
certain steps, or to disable Active Screen captures entirely. You set this
preference in the Active Screen tab of the Options dialog box. For
more information, see “Setting Active Screen Options” on page 618.
➤ If you are testing Web applications, you can disable screen capture of
all steps in the Active Screen. From the Active Screen tab, click Custom
Level to open the Custom Active Screen Capture Settings dialog box.
Select the Disable Active Screen Capture option. This will improve
recording time. For more information on the Active Screen tab of the
Options dialog box, see “Setting Active Screen Options” on page 618.

1012


➤ When you save a new test, or when you save a test with a new name
using Save As, you can choose not to save the captured Active Screen
files with the test by clearing the Save Active Screen files option in the
Save or Save As dialog box. This is especially useful when you have
finished designing your test and you plan to use your test only for test
runs. Tests without Active Screen files use significantly less disk space.

Tip: If you need to recover Active Screen files after you save a test without
Active Screen files, re-record the necessary steps or use the Update Run
option to recapture screens for all steps in your test. For more information,
see “Updating a Test or Component” on page 519.

➤ Is there a recommended length for tests?
Although there is no formal limit regarding test length, it is recommended
that you divide your tests into actions and that you use reusable actions in
tests, whenever possible. An action should contain no more than a few
hundreds steps and, ideally, no more than a few dozen.

For more information, see Chapter 17, “Working with Actions.”

1013

Index
Numerics actions (continued)
nesting 360
1_APP_ENV variable 711
non-reusable 344
1_DIR_ENV variable 711
overview 342–344
parameterization data, storage
A location 374
accessibility. See Web content accessibility removing 385
action call renaming 389
iterations 377 reusable 344
parameter values 379 running from a step 517–518
properties 375 setting parameters 370
run properties 377 setting properties 366
setting run properties 377 sharing values 382
action data sheets 345, 398 using Dictionary objects 383
action Data Table parameters 221 splitting 362
Action List 21, 347 syntax 350
action parameters 204, 211–214, 364 template 391
guidelines 394 Active Screen
setting options 213 access, Test Settings dialog box
storing output values 252, 262 Web tab 766
Action tab, Data Table 345 advanced authentication 767
Action toolbar 21, 347 changing 108
ActionIteration, environment variable 228 defining capture settings 620
actions 341–394 defining Web settings 623
adding to Keyword View 310 increasing/decreasing saved
creating 348 information 1008
diagram 342, 353 saving and deleting files 96
dragging and dropping in hierarchy Active Screen button 20
321 Active Screen dialog box 765, 767
external 344 Active Server Page technology 1006
guidelines for working with 392 ActiveX controls
inserting activating, syntax 785
call to 357 checking 783–784
copy of 354 checkpoints and output values
existing 352 supported 780
moving in hierarchy 321 recording and running tests on
multiple, in tests 344–345 781–782

1015

Index

ActiveX controls (continued) applications
scripting methods 785 adding 707
testing 779–785 closing 887
Add Schema dialog box, XML checkpoint editing 707
200 running 887
Add Synchronization Point dialog box 500 specifying for a component 670
Add/Remove dialog box, object testing localized versions 1009
identification 793, 808 Applications dialog box
Add/Remove Properties dialog box 68, 70 environment variables 672
Add-in License 732, 735 ASCII 400
Add-in Manager dialog box 732 asp files 1006
adding tests to version control 960 Assignment column, Keyword View 308
add-ins assistive properties, configuring 792
associated and loaded 736 associated and loaded add-ins 736
associating with a test or component associated library files 908
662–664 with Quality Center 909
loading 732 associating add-ins with a test or component
tips 736 662–664
using 731–737 attribute property 900
advanced authentication authentication
Active Screen 767 for Active Screen 767
Advanced Web Options dialog box 644 auto-expand VBScript syntax 717
Advanced Windows Applications Options automation
dialog box 631 Application object 925
Agent, Remote 969 definition 920
Allow other Mercury tools to run tests 968 development environment 923
America Online (AOL) browser 743 language 923
analog recording 101, 103 object model 919
analyzing test results 541 type library 923
checkpoints 557 automation script, generating for a test 660
filtering results 549
output values 580
B
parameterized values 578
previewing results 556 Back button 21
printing results 555 backslash () 295
run-time Data Table 581 Basic event recording configuration level 837
Test Results window 542 behavior, DHTML 845
API Bitmap Checkpoint Properties dialog box
using Windows 902 170
Application crash trigger 428 bitmap checkpoints
Application Details dialog box 707 analyzing results 562
application, sample xvi, 9 creating 170–177
modifying 177–179

1016

Index

bitmaps, checking 169–179 Checkpoint Properties dialog box
bookmarks 865 Expected Data tab 145
breakpoints 529–539 for checking databases 140–149
deleting 534 for checking objects 126
setting 533 for checking tables 140–149
using in Keyword View 328 checkpoints
BROWSER_ENV variable 711 accessibility options 620, 631, 632,
browsers, supported 742 637, 644
bubbling 846 adding 116
built-in environment variables 227–229 definition 93, 115
business analyst for ActiveX controls 780
role in Business Process Testing 974 for bitmaps 169–179
Business Component Settings dialog box for databases 133–149
Applications tab 670 for images 130–132
Environment tab 685–692 for objects 124–129
Parameters tab 682 for pages 747
Properties tab 660 for tables 133–135, 140–149
Recovery tab 694 for text 151–168
Resources tab 680 in Expert View 856
Snapshot tab 669 modifying 130, 132
Web tab 692 parameterizing 238
business components. See components standard, for checking text 155
Business Process Expert 975 supported for Web objects 740
Business Process Testing 973 text area 156
roles 974 types 117
workflow 976 understanding 115
business process tests 976 using formulas 414
capturing a snapshot for a component Web content accessibility 760–763
669 XML 181–202
running 979 Close application process operation 438
Close method 887
CMDLINE_ENV variable 711
C
collection, properties. See programmatic
calculations, in the Expert View 890 descriptions
Call to WinRunner Function dialog box 937 collections, of virtual objects 329
Call to WinRunner Test dialog box 933 columns, displaying in Keyword View 323
calling TSL functions from QuickTest COM 1006
937–941 command line options, deleting test results
CGI scripts 1006 using 592
character set support, Unicode 3, 86, 852 Comment column, Keyword View 308
Check In command 960, 962 comments
Check Out command 960 in the Expert View 889
checking tests out of version control 960 in the Keyword View 498

1017

Index

Completing the Recovery Scenario Wizard ControllerHostName, environment variable
screen 449 228
complex value 288 conventions. See typographical conventions
component iterations, specifying 661 cookies 1006
component parameters 204, 211–214 creating
setting options 213 a new test 95
storing output values 252, 262 test objects during a test run 66
using 685 tests 85–114
component settings. See Business tests with locked resources 111
Component Settings dialog box creation time identifier. See ordinal identifier
components CreationTime property, understanding 800
application details environment currencies, setting custom format 407
variables 672 Custom Active Screen Capture Settings
creating 982 dialog box 620
debugging 529–539 custom event-recording configuration
guidelines 981 839–847
guidelines for templates 990 adding listening events 843
opening 983 adding objects to the list 842
pausing runs 532 deleting objects from the list 843
programming 465 procedure 839
recording 991 specifying listening criteria 845
running 511–528, 993 custom number format, setting 407
running from a step 517–518 custom objects, mapping 812
running using optional steps 525–526 custom web event configuration files
saving 985 loading 849
template guidelines 988 saving 849
templates 987 Custom Web Event Recording Configuration
updating 519 dialog box 839
using Data Table with 982 customer support, online xvi
conditional statements 484 customizing scripts 713
using in Keyword View 327 general options 714
configuration levels highlighting script elements 717
customizing 839–847 script window customization 715
standard 837–838
Configure Text Selection dialog box 161
D
Configure value area 286
configuring values 285 Data Driver 241
connecting to Quality Center 598, 946–950 Data menu commands, Data Table 406
connection string, specifying for database data sheets
checkpoints 138 action 398
Constant Value Options button 288 activating next/previous, shortcut key
Constant Value Options dialog box 288 22
constant value, defining 285 global 398
content property check, on databases global/action, choosing 345
135–139 local 398
context menu, shortcut key 22

1018

Index

Data Table 14, 19, 395–417 Database Query wizard 136
action data sheets 398 database values, outputting 277
Action tab 345 databases
changing focus, shortcut key 22 checking 133–149
Data menu commands 406 connection string 138
data sheets 398 creating a query in ODBC / Microsoft
design-time 395 Query 412
Edit menu commands 404 creating a query with Microsoft Query
editing tables 400–407 / SQL statement 139
File menu commands 403 creating checkpoints for 135–139
Format menu commands 407 manually defining an SQL statement
Global tab 345 136–139
importing data, in various formats result set 135
400 Specify SQL statement screen 138
iteration options for individual tests data-driven test 204, 253
666 dates, setting custom format 407
local data sheets 398 Debug toolbar, QuickTest window 14, 21
location 399 Debug Viewer 535–537
menu commands, for editing tables changing focus, shortcut key 22
403 pane 19
parameters 215–221 Debug Viewer button 20
run-time 396 debugging tests and components 529–539
saving 399–400 deleting breakpoints 534
scripting functions, using 417 example 538
Sheet menu commands 404 pausing runs 532
specifications 402 setting breakpoints 533
storing output values 253, 264 decreasing Active Screen information 1008
table columns 216 default object identification settings 802
table rows 216 default optional steps 526
using formulas 412–416 default parameter definition 287, 290
using with components 982 default properties, modifying 33–48, 49–81
viewing results 581 defects, reporting 597
with Quality Center 408 automatically during test 602
worksheet functions 412 from Test Results 598
Data Table button 20 deleting
Data Table parameters actions 385
setting options 218 breakpoints 534
database checkpoints objects from list 843
analyzing results 560 objects from the object repository 80
modifying 149 test results 590
specifying cell identification settings description, test objects 37
147–148 modifying 67–71
specifying cells 144 See also objects
specifying expected data 145–146 descriptive programming. See programmatic
specifying value type 146–147 descriptions
database output values 250, 278 design-time Data Table 395

1019

Index

Dictionary object 383 environment variables (continued)
Dim statement, in the Expert View 875 user-defined, modifying 689
disconnecting from Quality Center 949 user-defined, viewing 689
disk space, saving 1010 environments, specifying for a component
Display selected action button 21 671
Do...Loop statement, in the Expert View 893 error behavior options for tests 666
documentation errors in VBScript syntax 877
online xv event-recording configuration 835–850
printed xv customizing levels 839
updates xvii resetting 850
documentation, printed standard levels 837
Installation Guide xv Excel formulas
Shortcut Key Reference Card xv for parameterizing values 413
Tutorial xv in checkpoints 414
Domain command line option 593 in the Data Table 412–416
DOS commands, run within tests 901 Excel. See Microsoft Excel
dynamic Web content 1005 ExecuteFile function 910
dynamically generated URLs and Web pages EXEPATH_ENV variable 711
1005 Exist function 1005
Exist statement 503
existing actions, inserting 352
E
Expert View 17, 851–905, 1004
Edit menu commands, Data Table 404 checkpoints 856
Edit Schema dialog box, XML checkpoint closing applications 887
200 customizing appearance of 713
Element Value dialog box, XML checkpoint finding text 867
196 replacing text 869
embedded Web browser controls 743 running applications 887
encoding passwords 416 understanding 853
End Transaction button 21 understanding parameters 857
End Transaction dialog box 508 expressions, using in the Expert View 871
ending transactions 508 eXtensible Markup Language (XML) 1007
environment variables 222–232, 685–692 external action
application details data location 374
predefined variable names 711 definition 344
understanding 709 external functions, executing from script 910
application details for components external user-defined environment variables
672 224
built-in 227–229
files, with Quality Center 226
storing output values 254, 266 F
types 222 FAQs 1003–1013
user-defined external 224 File menu commands, Data Table 403
user-defined internal 222 File toolbar, QuickTest window 14, 20
user-defined, exporting 691 Filter Images Check dialog box 754, 757
Filter Links Check dialog box 754, 756

1020

Index

filter properties 803 HTML Source dialog box 753
filtering HTML Tags dialog box 753
hypertext links 756 HTML verification 753–754
image sources 757 hypertext links, filtering 756
finding text in Expert View 867
For...Each statement, in the Expert View 892
I
For...Next statement, in the Expert View 891
Format menu commands, Data Table 407 identifying test objects 33–48
formulas If...Then...Else statement, in Expert View 895
for parameterizing values 413 Image Checkpoint Properties dialog box 130
in checkpoints 414 image checkpoints
in the Data Table 412–416 comparing image contents 131
frequently asked questions 1003–1013 editing the property value 131
FromDate command line option 593 image sources, filtering, for page checkpoints
function arguments, passing parameters 757
from QuickTest to WinRunner 940 image, capturing for a component 669
Function call operation 438 images, checking 130–132
function libraries. See associated library files increasing Active Screen information 1008
functions, user-defined 907–917 index identifier. See ordinal identifier
Index property, programmatic descriptions
886
G Index property, understanding 798
general options 714 initialization scripts 921
Generate Script option 926 Insert Checkpoint button 21
GetROProperty method 898 Insert New Action dialog box 349
global data sheet 345, 398 Insert Report dialog box
global Data Table parameter 220 inserting transactions 507
global/action data sheets, choosing 345 Installation Guide, QuickTest Professional xv
Go To dialog box 864 IntelliSense 716, 858
GroupName, environment variable 228 internal user-defined environment variables
guidelines 222
for business component templates Internet Explorer 743
990 Item column, Keyword View 307
for component templates 988 iterations 215, 377
for components 981 options for individual tests 666
specifying for components 661
H
handler 845 K
Help, online, from within QuickTest key assignments, in Expert View 719
Professional xv key column 148
hierarchy keyboard keys, in Keyword View 308
moving actions and steps 321 Keyboard or mouse operation 438
High event recording configuration level 837 keyboard shortcuts
in Expert View 719

1021

Index

Keyword View 16, 303 managing tests (continued)
adding steps after block 313 unzipping 98
adding steps to 310 zipping 98
columns 306 mandatory properties, configuring 792
deleting steps from 322 mapping custom objects 812
modifying steps 314 mathematical formulas, in the Data Table
setting display options 323 412–416
using keyboard keys in 308 measuring transactions 504
keywords, selecting 863 Medium event recording configuration level
837
menu bar, QuickTest window 14
L
Mercury Quality Center. See Quality Center
language support, Unicode 3, 86, 852 Mercury Tours, sample application xvi, 9
library files meta tags 1006
associated 908 methods
specifying for a component 680 adding new or changing behavior of
specifying for a test 674 912
license information 9 run-time objects 899
loaded and associated add-ins 736 user-defined 912
loading QuickTest add-ins 732 viewing test objects 33–48
local data sheet. See action data sheets Microsoft Excel 400, 412
local test 344 Microsoft Internet Explorer 742
LocalHostName, environment variable 228 Microsoft Query
localization 222, 399 choosing a database for a database
localized applications, testing 1009 checkpoint 139, 412
location identifier. See ordinal identifier database check 136–139
Location property, understanding 799 Microsoft Visual Basic scripting language 8
locked resources 109 MinSize command line option 594
creating tests 111 modifying
opening tests 112 default properties 33–48, 49–81
saving tests 114 test object descriptions 67–71
Log command line option 593 test object properties during a run 66
loop statements 488 your license 9
using in Keyword View 327 multiple actions in tests 344–345
low-level recording 101, 107, 1004
Low-Level Recording button 21
N
Name and Description screen 448
M
Name command line option 594
managing test objects 49–81 nesting actions 360
managing tests 95–99 Netscape 743
creating new 95 New Action button 21
opening 95 New button 20
printing 99 non-reusable action 344
saving 96
testing process 8, 943

1022

Index

O Open Test from Quality Center Project dialog
box 953, 956
object identification
opening tests 95
generating automation scripts 803
in a Quality Center project 952
restoring defaults 802
with locked resources 112
Object Identification dialog box 791
Operation column, Keyword View 308
Object Mapping dialog box 812
optional steps 525–526
object model
default 526
automation 919
setting 525
definition 920
Options button 20
object names, modifying 65
Options dialog box 612
Object Properties dialog box 57, 60
Active Screen tab 618
Object property, run-time methods 900
Folders tab 616
object repository
General tab 614
adding an object 73
Generate Script option 926
deleting an object 80
generating automation scripts 614
finding an object property or value 63
Run tab 625
replacing an object property value 64
Web tab 639
Object Repository button 20
Windows Applications tab 628
Object Repository dialog box 51
ordinal identifier 796
object repository mode
OS, environment variable 228
choosing 815–833
OSVersion, environment variable 228
per-action 818
output types 261
setting for tests 674, 828
action parameters 262
setting the default 828
component parameters 262
shared 822
Data Table 264
with Quality Center 828
environment variables 266
Object Spy 46
test parameters 262
Object Spy button 20
output value categories
Object state trigger 428
database output values 250
objects
standard output values 249
checking 124–129
text area output values 249
descriptions, modifying 67–71
text output values 249
identification 789–814
XML output values 250
identifying 33–48
Output Value Properties dialog box 258
methods,run-time 899
output values
names, modifying 65
ActiveX controls 780
properties
creating for object properties 255
adding 71
creating for text 270
run-time 899
database 277, 279
viewing methods 33–48
definition 247
ODBC, choosing a database for a database
editing 254
checkpoint 412
for database cells, creating 277
Open button 20
for tables and databases 278
Open dialog box 95, 983
for XML elements/attributes, creating
Open QuickTest Test dialog box 90, 95, 983
280

1023

Index

output values (continued) parameter values for action calls 379
standard 255 parameterization example 235
storing in action, component, or test parameterization icon 209, 289
parameters 252 parameterized values, viewing in test results
storing in Data Table 253 578
storing in environment variables 254 parameterizing
text 268–276 methods 205
text area 270 tests, example 235
viewing 254 using the Data Driver 241
viewing results 580 values 203–240
XML, specifying 280 parameters
outputting action 364
database values 277 action guidelines 394
property values 255 environment variables, user-defined
text values 270 687–692
values 247–284 in the Expert View 857
XML values 280 setting for actions 370
specifying for tests and components
682
P
passing data between actions 345
Page and Frame Options dialog box 641 passing parameters
Page Checkpoint Properties dialog box 748, to a WinRunner function 940
750 to a WinRunner test 935
page checkpoints Password command line option 595
editing page property values 752 Password Encoder dialog box 416
filtering hypertext links 756–757 password, encoding 416
filtering image sources 757–759 PathFinder.Locate, statement 617
HTML verification 753–754 pausing run sessions 532
pages, checking 747 percentages, setting custom format 407
panes performance, improving 1010
changing focus, shortcut key 22 planning tests 87–88
Debug Viewer 19 Pop-up window trigger 428
Test 16 post-recovery test run options 419
parameter definition, default 287, 290 Post-Recovery Test Run Options screen 445
Parameter Options button 288 power users, advanced features for
Parameter Options dialog box 213 1003–1013
Parameter reserved object 685 previewing test results 556
parameter types Print button 20
action parameters 204 printing
component parameters 204 test results 555
Data Table parameters 215–221 tests and components 99
environment variable parameters priority
222–232 setting for recovery scenarios 459
random number parameters 233–234 ProductDir, environment variable 228
test parameters 204 ProductName, environment variable 228
parameter value, defining 285 ProductVer, environment variable 228

1024

Index

programmatic descriptions 66, 878–887 Q
for description objects 883
QA engineer
for WebElement objects 886
role in Business Process Testing 974
in statement 880
QA Tester 975
using the With statement 882
role in Business Process Testing 974
using the Index property 886
Quality Center 943–971
using variables 880
associated library files 909
programming 1004
capturing a snapshot for a component
adding steps 465
669
comments 498
connecting to project 598, 946–950
conditional statements 484
Connectivity Add-in 950
in Expert View 851–905
Data Table 408
in Keyword View 465
disconnecting from 949
in VBScript 873
environment variable files 226
loop statements 488
managing the testing process 8
sending messages to test results 496
opening tests in 952
Step Generator 466, 467–484
reporting defaults 597
project (Quality Center)
reporting defaults automatically 602
connecting to 946–950
reporting defaults manually 598
disconnecting from 949
running QuickTest tests remotely 968
opening tests in 952
saving tests to a project 951–952
saving tests to 951–952
shared object repository 828
Project command line option 595
using QuickTest with 8
properties
version control for 959
adding test object properties 71
Quality Center Connection button 20
CreationTime 800
Quality Center Connection dialog box 599,
default 33–48, 49–81
947
Index 798
query file, for a database checkpoint
Location 799
creating 139, 412
run-time objects 899
working with ODBC / Microsoft
setting for action calls 375
Query 412
setting for actions 366
QuickTest
viewing for recovery scenarios 452,
automation object model 919
459
introduction 3–8
viewing for steps in Keyword View
overview 11–30
326
window 14
property collection. See programmatic
Action toolbar 14, 21
descriptions
Data Table 14
property output values, specifying ??–260
Debug toolbar 14, 21
property values
File toolbar 14, 20
outputting 255–??, 255
menu bar 14
waiting for 499
status bar 14
Test pane 14
Testing toolbar 14, 21
title bar 14

1025

Index

QuickTest Automation Object Model Recovery Operations screen 437
Reference 927 Recovery Scenario Manager Dialog Box 423
Recovery Scenario Wizard 426
Click Button or Press Key screen 440
R
Close Processes screen 442
random number parameters 233–234 Completing the Recovery Scenario
Readme xv Wizard screen 449
Readme, QuickTest Professional xv Function screen 443
Record and Run Settings dialog box 700 Name and Description screen 448
environment variables 709 Post-Recovery Test Run Options
Web tab 703 screen 445
Windows Applications tab 705 Recovery Operation screen 438
Record button 21 Recovery Operations screen 437
recording Select Object screen 431
analog 101 Select Processes screen 435
components 991 Select Test Run Error screen 434
low-level 101, 1004 Select Trigger Event screen 428
on Web sites 739 Set Object Properties and Values
status, options 846 screen 433
tests 88–92, 699–711 Specify Pop-up Window Conditions
time, improving 1010 screen 430
recovery Recursive command line option 595
associating scenarios with tests 457 redirection of server 1006
copying scenarios 455 registering methods 912
deleting scenarios 454 guidelines for 917
disabling scenarios 460 using the RegisterUserFunc statement
files 423 914
modifying scenarios 454 RegisterUserFunc statement 912
operations 419 regular expressions 290–301
removing scenarios from tests 460 backslash () 295
saving scenarios 450 defining 293
scenarios 419 for constants 287
setting default scenarios 462 for property values 291
setting scenario priority 459 in checkpoints 292
viewing scenario properties 452, 459 using in the Expert View 871
recovery operation remote access to QuickTest 968
Close application process 438 Remote Agent 969
Function call 438 removing actions 385
Keyboard or mouse operation 438 renaming actions 389
Restart Microsoft Windows 438 replacing text in Expert View 869
Recovery Operation - Click Button or Press report. See Test Results window
Key screen 440 reporting defects
Recovery Operation - Close Processes screen automatically 597
442 manually 598
Recovery Operation - Function screen 443 reports, filter 904
Recovery Operation screen 438 reserved objects 908

1026

Index

Restart Microsoft Windows operation 438 saving
result set 135 recovery scenarios 450
ResultDir, environment variable 228 tests 96
results to a Quality Center project 951–952
viewing 541 tests with locked resources 114
results display, customizing 606 ScenarioId, environment variable 228
Results Remover Utility scenarios
running from the command line 592 associating with tests 457
results schema 606 copying recovery 455
reusable actions 344 deleting recovery 454
roles in Business Process Testing 974 disabling recovery 460
Run button 21 modifying recovery 454
Run dialog box 513 recovery 419
run options, in the Options dialog box 625 removing recovery from tests 460
run properties, setting for action calls 377 saving recovery 450
running setting default recovery 462
components 993 setting recovery priority 459
single actions 343 viewing recovery properties 452, 459
running tests 699–711 Schema Validation dialog box, XML
from a Quality Center project 957 checkpoint 197
on Web sites 739 schema, for results 606
viewing results 546 screen shot. See snapshot
WinRunner tests 932–936 scripts
running tests and components 511–528 customizing 713
from a step 517–518 general options 714
Run dialog box 513 highlighting script elements 717
to update expected results 519 script window customization 715
Update Run dialog box 521 Section 508, Web Content Accessibility
using optional steps 525–526 Guidelines 86, 760
run-time Select a Keyword dialog box 863
Data Table 396 Select Action dialog box 355, 358
viewing results 581 Select Object screen 431
objects 899 Select Processes screen 435
settings, adding and removing 727 Select Test Run Error screen 434
Select Trigger Event screen 428
server
S
Quality Center, disconnecting from
sample application, Mercury Tours xvi, 9 949
Save button 20 redirections 1006
Save dialog box 96 server-side connections 1006
Save QuickTest Test dialog box 92, 96 Server command line option 595
Save Test to Quality Center Project dialog session IDs 1006
box 951 Set Object Properties and Values screen 433
Set statement, in the Expert View 874

1027

Index

Setting object 724 standard output values 249
SetTOProperty method 66 creating 255
SGML 1007 specifying 258
shared object repository 815, 822 Start Transaction button 21
choosing a file 831 Start Transaction dialog box 507
shared object repository mode starting QuickTest 12
with Quality Center 828 statement completion 716, 858
sharing action values statements, using in Keyword View 314
using Dictionary objects 383 status bar, QuickTest window 14
using environment variables 383 Step commands 530
via the global Data Table 382 Step Generator 466, 467–484
Sheet menu commands, Data Table 404 steps
Shortcut Key Reference Card xv adding after block 313
Shortcut Key Reference Card, QuickTest adding to Keyword View 310
Professional xv deleting from Keyword View 322
shortcut keys, in Keyword View 308 dragging and dropping in hierarchy
shortcuts 321
for menu items 22 inserting 467–484
in Expert View 719 modifying in Keyword View 314
Silent command line option 596 moving in hierarchy 321
Smart Identification viewing properties in Keyword View
analyzing information 587 326
configuring 803 steps, optional 525–526
disabling during test runs 667 Stop button 21
enabling from the Object Subject Matter Expert (SME) 974
Identification dialog box 801, 803 Summary column, Keyword View 308
Smart Identification Properties dialog box support, online xvi
808 synchronization points
snapshot, capturing for a component 669 creating 499
Specifications for Data Table 402 inserting 500
Specify Pop-up Window Conditions screen synchronization timeout
430 setting 666
Specify SQL statement screen, for creating synchronizing tests 499
database checkpoints 138 modifying timeout values 503
Split Action button 21 synchronization point 499
Split Action dialog box 363 waiting for objects to appear 503
splitting actions 362 waiting for specified property values
Spy. See Object Spy 499
standard checkpoints syntax errors, VBScript 877
analyzing results 559 SystemTempDir, environment variable 228
specifying timeout 129, 755 SystemUtil.Run method 887
standard event-recording configuration
837–838

1028

Index

T test results (continued)
reporting defects 597
table checkpoints
reporting defects automatically 602
analyzing results 560
reporting defects manually 598
modifying 149
run-time Data Table 581
specifying cell identification settings
sending messages to 496
147–148
viewing 541
specifying cells 144
viewing for any test 551–553
specifying expected data 145–146
viewing WinRunner steps 603
specifying value type 146–147
Test Results button 20
Table Output Value Properties dialog box
Test Results Deletion Tool 590
278
test results display, customizing 606
tables, checking 133–135, 140–149
Test Results toolbar, Test Results window 546
technical support. See customer support
Test Results tree 545
templates
Test Results window 542
for actions 391
Test Results toolbar 546
for components 987
test results tree 545
guidelines for business components
Test run error trigger 428
990
test run time, improving 1010
guidelines for components 988
test scripts. See scripts
test batches, running 527–528
test set 958
Test command line option 596
Test Settings button 20
test database, maintaining 921
Test Settings dialog box 654
test flow 347
Environment tab 685–692
test objects
Generate Script option 926
identifying 33–48
Parameters tab 682
managing 49–81
Properties tab 659
modifying names of 65
Recovery tab 694
property values, retrieving and setting
Resources tab 674
898
Run tab 665
Test pane 14, 16
Web tab 692
changing focus, shortcut key 22
Test toolbar, QuickTest window 14, 21
Expert View tab 17
test versions in QuickTest 959
Keyword View tab 16
TestDir, environment variable 228
test parameters 204, 211–214
TestDirector. See Quality Center
setting options 213
testing in Expert View 851–905
storing output values 252, 262
testing options
using 685
restoring 726
test results
retrieving 725
deleting with command line options
run-time 727
592
setting 724
deleting with Test Results Deletion
setting for all tests 611–650
Tool 590
setting for an individual test or
enabling and filtering 904
component 651
output values 580
within a test script 723–727
parameterized values 578

1029

Index

testing process 5 text area checkpoints, analyzing results 563
analyzing test results 7 Text Area Output Value Properties dialog box
creating tests 5 272
running tests 7 text area output values 249
Testing Tool Specialist 975 creating 270
TestIteration, environment variable 228 specifying 272
TestName, environment variable 228 Text Checkpoint Properties dialog box 159
tests text checkpoints
associating recovery scenarios with analyzing results 563
457 configuring the text selection 161
checking databases 133–139 modifying 168
debugging 529–539 specifying the checked text 163
deleting results 590 specifying the text after 166–167
diagram 342, 353 specifying the text before 164–165
disabling recovery scenarios 460 specifying timeout 167
enhancing 93 types 151
local 344 TEXT function in Data Table worksheet 412
managing 95–99 Text Output Value Properties dialog box 272
opening 95 text output values 249
parameterizing, example 235 specifying 272
pausing runs 532 text values, outputting 270
planning 87–88 text, checking 151–168
previewing results 556 using standard checkpoints 155
printing 99 using text area checkpoints 156
printing results 555 using text checkpoints 153
programming 465 See also text checkpoints
recording 88–92, 699–711 timeout
removing recovery scenarios from 460 setting 666
running 511–528, 699–711 specifying for standard checkpoint
running from a step 517–518 129, 755
running using optional steps 525–526 specifying for text checkpoints 167
saving 96 times, setting custom format 407
saving to a Quality Center project timing transactions 504
951–952 title bar, QuickTest window 14
setting default recovery scenarios for toolbars, QuickTest window
462 Action 21
test results 541 Debug 14, 21
unzipping 98 File 14, 20
updating 519 Testing 14, 21
zipping 98 transactions 504
text defining 504
finding in Expert View 867 ending 508
replacing in Expert View 869 inserting 507
Text Area Checkpoint Properties dialog box measuring 504
159 Tree View. See Keyword View

1030

Index

trigger values
Application crash 428 configuring 285
events 419 outputting 247–284
Object state 428 parameterizing 203–240
Pop-up window 428 variables
test run error 428 environment 685–692
TSL functions, calling from QuickTest See also environment variables, user-
937–941 defined
Tutorial xv VBScript
Tutorial, QuickTest Professional xv auto-expand syntax 717
typographical conventions xviii documentation 889
library files 908
syntax 873
U
syntax errors 877
Unicode 3, 86, 852 version control 959
unregistering methods, using the adding tests to 960
UnregisterUserFunc statement 915 checking tests in to 960, 962
UnregisterUserFunc statement 912 checking tests out of 960
UntilDate command line option 597 version manager 959
unzipping tests 98 viewing test results 541
Update Run dialog box 521 checkpoints 557
updates, documentation xvii filtering results 549
updating tests and components 519 for any test 551–553
UpdatingActiveScreen, environment previewing test results 556
variable 228 printing test results 555
UpdatingCheckpoints, environment variable Test Results window 542
229 Viewlink objects 739
URL_ENV variable 711 Virtual Object Manager 338
User command line option 597 Virtual Object wizard 334–337
User’s Guide xv virtual objects 329–339
user-defined defining 333–337
functions 907–917 removing 338–339
methods 912 Visual Basic objects 773–778
properties, accessing 900 checking 776
test objects, mapping 812 recording and running tests on 775
UserName, environment variable 229 using objects and methods 778
VuserId, environment variable 229
V
Value column, Keyword View 308 W
Value Configuration Options dialog box W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
209, 289 86, 760
VALUE function in Data Table worksheet Wait statement 503
412 waiting for objects 499

1031

Index

WaitProperty statement 499 WinRunner
Web browsers, supported 739 calling tests from QuickTest 932–936
Web content accessibility 86, 760 calling TSL functions from QuickTest
checkpoints 937–941
automatically adding 760 function arguments, passing
in test results 763 parameters from QuickTest 940
manually adding 761–763 tests, passing parameters from
setting preferences 760 QuickTest 935
checkpoints in test results 573 viewing WinRunner steps in test
Web content, dynamic 1005 results 603
Web Event Recording Configuration dialog working with 931–941
box 838 With Generation Results window 494
Web Page Appearance dialog box 623 With statements 491–496
web page/frame XML checkpoint 183 "With" Generation Results window
Web settings 494
Advanced Web Options dialog box entering manually 896
644 generating automatically, while
Options dialog box 639 recording 492
Page and Frame Options dialog box generating for existing actions 494
641 in the Expert View 491
Web site, Mercury xvii removing 495
Web sites, recording and running tests 739 WORKDIR_ENV variable 711
Web tab, Record and Run Settings dialog box workflow in Business Process Testing 976
703 working test 960
WebElement objects, programmatic worksheet functions in the Data Table 412
descriptions 886
Web-event-recording configuration
X
835–850
customizing 839–847 XML
standard 837–838 checking 181–202
What’s New in QuickTest Professional xv checkpoint results, attribute details
While statement, in the Expert View 894 567
Windows API 902 checkpoint results, checkpoint
Windows applications summary 566
adding 707 checkpoints
editing 707 Add Schema dialog box 200
settings 628 analyzing results 201, 564
Windows Applications settings, Advanced Edit Schema dialog box 200
Web Options dialog box 631 Element Value dialog box 196
Windows Applications tab, Record and Run elements 193
Settings dialog box 705 for files 187
Windows command line options 592 for web page/frame 183
modifying 201
Schema Validation dialog box 197
values 194

1032

Index

XML (continued)
objects and methods 202
output value results, analyzing 582
output value results, attribute details
585
XML Checkpoint from File dialog box 187
XML Checkpoint Properties dialog box 190
XML Checkpoint Results window 565
XML Output Value Properties dialog box 282
XML Output Value Results window 584
XML output values 250
XML values, outputting 280

Z
zipping tests 98

1033

Introduction to QuickTest Professional 8.0
Student Handbook

Introduction to QuickTest Professional 8.0 Self-Paced Training

© Copyright 1994 - 2004 by Mercury Corporation.

This workbook, and the accompanying software and other documentation, is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws,
and may be used only in accordance with the accompanying license agreement. Features of the software, and of other products
and services of Mercury Corporation, may be covered by one or more of the following patents: U.S. Patent Nos. 5,701,139;
5,657,438; 5,511,185; 5,870,559; 5,958,008; 5,974,572; 6,138,157; 6,144,962; 6,205,122; 6,237,006; 6,341,310; 6,360,332;
6,470,383; 6,449,739; 6,477,483; 6,549,944; 6,560,564; 6,564,342 and 6,587,969. Other patents pending. All rights reserved.

Mercury Interactive, the Mercury Interactive logo, WinRunner, XRunner, FastTrack, LoadRunner, LoadRunner TestCenter, Test-
Director, TestSuite, WebTest, Astra, Astra SiteManager, Astra SiteTest, Astra QuickTest, QuickTest, Open Test Architecture, POPs
on Demand, TestRunner, Topaz, Topaz ActiveAgent, Topaz Delta, Topaz Observer, Topaz Prism, Twinlook, ActiveTest, Active-
Watch, SiteRunner, Freshwater Software, SiteScope, SiteSeer and Global SiteReliance are registered trademarks of Mercury Inter-
active Corporation or its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Freshwater Software, Inc. and Mercury Interactive (Israel) Ltd. in the United
States and/or other countries.

ActionTracker, ActiveScreen, ActiveTune, ActiveTest SecureCheck, Astra FastTrack, Astra LoadTest, Change Viewer, Conduct,
ContentCheck, Dynamic Scan, FastScan, LinkDoctor, ProTune, RapidTest, SiteReliance, TestCenter, Topaz AIMS, Topaz Con-
sole, Topaz Diagnostics, Topaz Open DataSource, Topaz Rent-a-POP, Topaz WeatherMap, TurboLoad, Visual Testing, Visual Web
Display and WebTrace are trademarks of Mercury Interactive Corporation or its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Freshwater Software,
Inc. and Mercury Interactive (Israel) Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. The absence of a trademark from this list does
not constitute a waiver of Mercury Interactive’s intellectual property rights concerning that trademark.

All other company, brand and product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders. Mercury Interac-
tive Corporation disclaims any responsibility for specifying which marks are owned by which companies or which organizations.

Mercury

379 N. Whisman Avenue Mountain View, CA 94089 USA
Tel: (650) 603-4300
© 1994 - 2004 Mercury, All rights reserved

QTP80INT-CBT-STUDENT-01A

OVERVIEW
The Introduction to QuickTest Professional 8.0
Self-Paced Training focuses on the basic features
and functions used in creating automated tests
using QuickTest Professional.

This course is intended for all new users of
QuickTest Professional, those who have had lim-
ited use of the tool from tutorials and testers who
have no programming background.

Upon completion of this training you should be
able to demonstrate a basic level of product pro-
ficiency.

QUICKTEST PROFESSIONAL Self-Paced Training

Intended Audience: Non-technical and new users of QuickTest, who need to automate manual
testing and verification in a short amount of time.

Prerequisites: - Knowledge of HTML
- Working knowledge of Windows applications, Web sites, browsers and
testing

Software Prerequisites:
■ QuickTest Professional

Planning Your Test .................................................................................... Chapter 2
Exercise: Evaluating a Test Case..................................................................................... 2-2
Test Case 1 Review.......................................................................................................... 2-3
Test Case 1 Review Answers........................................................................................... 2-4
Exercise: Learning the AUT ............................................................................................ 2-5

Recording and Running a Test................................................................. Chapter 3
Exercise: Record and Playback........................................................................................ 3-2
Test Results Review......................................................................................................... 3-8
Test Results Review Answers.......................................................................................... 3-9

Understanding Objects
in QuickTest ............................................................................................... Chapter 4
Understanding Objects Review ....................................................................................... 4-2
Understanding Objects Review Answers ........................................................................ 4-3
Exercise: Identifying Objects........................................................................................... 4-4
Test Objects Review ........................................................................................................ 4-7
Test Objects Review Answers ......................................................................................... 4-8
Exercise: Changing the Object Name .............................................................................. 4-9

Creating Synchronization
Steps ........................................................................................................... Chapter 5
Synchronization Review .................................................................................................. 5-2
Synchronization Review Answers ................................................................................... 5-4
Exercise: Analyzing a Failed Test ................................................................................... 5-5
Exercise: Inserting a Synchronization Point .................................................................... 5-7

Using Standard
Checkpoints ............................................................................................... Chapter 6
Checkpoints Review ........................................................................................................ 6-2
Checkpoints Review Answers ......................................................................................... 6-3
Exercise: Add a Standard Checkpoint ............................................................................. 6-4
Test Results Review......................................................................................................... 6-6
Test Results Review Answers.......................................................................................... 6-7

Adding Parameters .................................................................................... Chapter 7
Parameter Types Review ................................................................................................. 7-2

1

Parameter Types Review Answers .................................................................................. 7-4
Exercise: Create and Run a Test ...................................................................................... 7-5
Exercise: Create an Output Parameter ............................................................................. 7-9

Recovery Manager ..................................................................................... Chapter 8
Recovery Manager Review.............................................................................................. 8-2
Recovery Manager Review Answers............................................................................... 8-3
Exercise: Parameterized Test........................................................................................... 8-4
Exercise: Recovery Scenario ........................................................................................... 8-6

2

Planning Your Test

Planning Your Test
1
Objectives
This chapter contains two exercises:

• Evaluating a Test Case

• Learning the Application Under Test

1-1

Planning Your Test

Exercise: Evaluating a Test Case

In this exercise you will test your understanding of a useful test case. First, read Test
Case 1, then answer the questions in Test Case 1 Review.

Test Case 1

Test Name: InsertOrder
Test Objective: Create a new order with the Flight Reservation application.
Description: Test the functionality of the process to create a new flight reservation.
Application: QTPsamplesflightappflight4a.exe
Windows Versions: Windows 2000 or Windows NT
Test Requirements:
1. Verify that “Insert Done...” appears in the status bar of the Flight Reservation window.
2. Verify that an order number is displayed in the Order No box of the Flight Reservation
window.
3. Verify that the application accepts different combinations of from and to cities.
4. Verify the state of the check boxes in the Open Order window.
■ Initial conditions: all enabled.
■ When Customer Name or Flight Date is checked: Order No. is disabled; the other
2 are enabled.
■ When Order No. is checked: Order No. is enable; the other 2 are disabled.
5. Verify that “10” is the maximum number of tickets accepted for a flight reservation.
6. After clearing the window of all data, verify that the order just created can be opened and
displayed in the Flight Reservation window.

1-2 Exercise: Evaluating a Test Case

Planning Your Test

Test Case 1 Review
1. These are some characteristics of a useful test case. Are these characteristics
included in Test Case 1? If yes, fill in the answers; if no, write “not included”.

Purpose ____________________________________________
Navigation __________________________________________
Verification __________________________________________
Sample Data _________________________________________

2. List one example of a test objective and two examples of a test requirement.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

3. What is the importance of learning the application under test before creating
automated test scripts?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Test Case 1 Review 1-3

Planning Your Test

Test Case 1 Review Answers

1. Are these characteristics included in the sample Test Case?

Purpose: Test objective stated.

Navigation: User actions are not included.

Verification: Test requirements listed.

Sample Data: Sample data was not included.

2. List one example of a test objective and two examples of a test requirement.

Objective: Create a new order with the flight reservation application.

Requirement: Verify that insert done appears in the status bar of the flight
reservation window.

Requirement: Verify that an order number is displayed in the order number box on
the flight reservation window.

3. You can record a basic test with the correct user actions in a short amount of time.

1-4 Test Case 1 Review Answers

Planning Your Test

Exercise: Learning the AUT
Before you can create an effective automated test, you need to learn the application
under test: Mercury Flight Reservations.

In this exercise, you will launch Mercury Flight Reservations and perform a simple
exercise. Taking the time to do this now will help you feel comfortable creating
automated tests in subsequent chapters.

Part 1: Create a New Order
1. From the START menu, select PROGRAMS > QUICKTEST PROFESSIONAL >
SAMPLE APPLICATIONS > FLIGHT. The login screen appears.

2. Log in using the AGENT NAME: jojo with a PASSWORD: mercury.

3. Click OK. The application will launch the FLIGHT RESERVATION window as show
in Figure 1-1.

Figure 1-1

Exercise: Learning the AUT 1-5

Planning Your Test

4. Enter the following data in the flight reservation fields: date of travel 11/01/10,
flying from Paris to San Francisco.

5. Click the FLIGHTS button to display the flight schedule.

6. The first flight on the schedule is highlighted. Click OK to accept this flight and
close the flight schedule window.

7. In the NAME field, type your name.

8. In the Class field, choose BUSINESS.

9. Click INSERT ORDER. Notice how the application processes your reservation and
displays an INSERT DONE message when the function is completed.

10. Your order number should appear in the bottom right corner of the FLIGHT
RESERVATION window. Write the order number assigned to your reservation in this
space:_______________.

1-6 Exercise: Learning the AUT

Planning Your Test

Part 2: Retrieve an Order
1. From the FILE menu, select OPEN > ORDER. The OPEN ORDER screen appears.

2. Put a check in the ORDER NO. field then type your order number.

3. Click OK. Your order appears on your screen.

4. Change the date of travel to tomorrow’s date.

5. Click UPDATE ORDER.

Notice how the application processes your update and displays an UPDATE DONE
message when the function is completed This is illustrated in Figure 1-2.

Figure 1-2

Exercise: Learning the AUT 1-7

Planning Your Test

Part 3: Delete an Order
1. If your flight reservation order is not displayed on your screen, reopen it from the
FILE menu, enter your order number and click OK. Your order will appear on your
screen.

2. Click the DELETE ORDER button.

3. When the delete confirmation message appears, (Figure 1-3) click YES. Your order
is now removed from the database.

Figure 1-3

1-8 Exercise: Learning the AUT

Recording and Running a Test

2
Objectives
This chapter contains one exercise with four parts:

• Record and Playback

– Set-up the test environment.

– Record a test.

– Run a test.

– Review the test results.

Recording and Running a Test 2-1


Exercise: Record and Playback
In this exercise, you will create a basic test by recording user actions specified in the
Mercury Flight Reservation test case. The test should run without any errors.

Remember that QuickTest must be opened before you launch the Mercury Flight
Reservation application. This allows QuickTest to establish internal hooks that will
capture user actions from the application under test.

Part 1: Set-up the Test Environment
1. Open QuickTest Professional from the START menu. The ADD-IN MANAGER
appears.

2. Deselect any add-ins that appear in the ADD-IN MANAGER. There are no add-ins
required for creating test cases during these training exercises.

3. Click OK. QuickTest Professional launch windows open on your screen.

Note: If the QuickTest WELCOME window appears, deselect the option to ALWAYS
SHOW ON START UP.

4. Open the Mercury Flight Reservation application. The login window appears.

5. In the AGENT NAME field type: jojo. In the PASSWORD field type: mercury. The
Mercury Flight Reservation launch windows open on your screen.

6. Re-open QuickTest Professional then click FILE > NEW TEST from the QuickTest
menubar.

2-2 Exercise: Record and Playback


7. Click RECORD. The RECORD AND RUN SETTINGS window opens (Figure 2-1).

8. Note: Additional environment tabs will appear in this dialog depending on which
Add-ins you have loaded. In the example below the Web tab is available because
the Web Add-in has been loaded.

Figure 2-1

9. From the WINDOWS APPLICATIONS tab select RECORD AND RUN TEST ON ANY
OPEN WINDOWS APPLICATION.

10. Click OK to return to the main QuickTest window.



Part 2: Record the Test
1. Begin recording user actions by re-displaying the flight reservation screen. (You
may need to click the Flight icon on your windows taskbar). Notice that the word
RECORDING flashes in red at the bottom right side of the screen as shown in
Figure 2-2.

Figure 2-2

2. Record the user actions that will create a new flight reservation. Make up your own
data or use the following information: date of travel 12/12/09, flying from Frankfurt
to London.



3. Click the FLIGHTS button and accept the first flight on the schedule. Click OK.

4. Type your name in the NAME field and choose FIRST class.

5. Click INSERT ORDER. Watch to ensure that the message INSERT DONE...appears in
the progress bar on the flight reservation screen.

6. Click NEW ORDER button.

Note: Clicking the NEW ORDER button at this step ensures that the screen appears
exactly as it did at the start of the test. This is referred to as resetting the end condition to
match the initial condition of the test.

7. From the QuickTest menu, click STOP to end the test.

8. Click FILE > SAVE to store your test as <your initials>_CreateOrder.



Part 3: Run the Test
1. If the test created in Part 2: Record the Test is not already displayed on your screen,
find and open it by clicking FILE > OPEN TEST from the QuickTest menu bar.

2. Click RUN. In the RUN RESULTS location tab, (Figure 3.) choose the option to save
your test results to a temporary file. Click OK to close the window.

.

Figure 2-3

3. Open the Mercury Flight Reservations application. The test should automatically
begin repeating the actions you recorded earlier.



4. When the test run is complete, the test results will appear on your screen
(Figure 2-4).

Figure 2-4

Note: If the RESULTS SUMMARY window is not automatically displayed when the test
run ends, click TEST > RESULTS from the menu bar.



Test Results Review
Click TEST > RESULTS to see a summary of your test run.

1. How many times did your test run?

_______________________________________________________________

2. Did your test succeed or fail?

_______________________________________________________________

3. Write the command to display all of the steps in the icon view of the test results.

_______________________________________________________________

Close the TEST RESULTS window. The main QuickTest window appears.

4. Click once on the AGENT NAME step in the KEYWORD VIEW. What field is
highlighted in the ACTIVE SCREEN view?

_______________________________________________________________

5. Click once on the FLY TO: step in the KEYWORD VIEW. What happened in the
ACTIVE SCREEN when you selected this step?

_______________________________________________________________

2-8 Test Results Review


Test Results Review Answers
1. How many times did your test run?

The test ran one time as indicated by the number of iterations in the summary.

2. Did your test succeed or fail?

The test was designed to succeed. If your test failed, try repeating the steps listed in
the lab exercise. __________________________________________________

3. Write the command to display all of the steps in the icon view of the test results.

VIEW > EXPAND ALL _____________________________________________

Close the TEST RESULTS window. The main QuickTest window appears.

4. Click once on the AGENT NAME step in the KEYWORD VIEW. What field is
highlighted in the ACTIVE SCREEN view?

The Agent Name field is highlighted. _________________________________

5. Click once on the PASSWORD step in the KEYWORD VIEW. What happened in the
ACTIVE SCREEN when you selected this step?

The same screen appears but the Password field is now highlighted. _________



2-10 Test Results Review Answers

Understanding Objects in QuickTest

Understanding Objects
3
in QuickTest

Objectives
This chapter contains three exercises:

• Understanding objects

• Identifying objects

– Create a new reservation

– Investigate the objects that are recorded by QuickTest.

• Using the Object Repository

– Use the object repository to change the default logical name given to an object.

3-1


Understanding Objects Review
Answer the following questions to test your understanding of the ways that QuickTest
uses objects to record and playback automated tests.

1. Circle each item on this list that represents an object class.

a) Test

b) Data entry

c) Drop-down List

d) Error message

2. The only way to distinguish one object from the other of the same class is by the
difference in object characteristics.

TRUE FALSE

3. After learning the class and properties of an object, QTP assigns a name to the
object that is referred to as the:

a) logical name

b) object class

c) object property

d) value

4. QuickTest Professional stores recorded object properties in the:

a) Object Spy

b) Object Repository

c) Property Value

d) Test Results

3-2 Understanding Objects Review


Understanding Objects Review Answers
1. The correct answer is Drop-down list. An object is a graphic user element in an
application, such as a button or a list or an edit box.

2. The correct answer is True. Specific characteristics of an object within QuickTest
are called object properties.

3. After learning the class and properties of an object, QTP assigns a name to the
object. This is known as the object’s logical name.

4. Recorded object properties are stored in QTP’s Object Repository.

Understanding Objects Review Answers 3-3


Exercise: Identifying Objects
In this exercise, you will create a new test and then investigate the objects that are
recorded by QuickTest.

Part 1: Create a new test
1. Open QuickTest Professional.

2. Open the Mercury Flight application. START→ PROGRAMS→ QUICKTEST
PROFESSIONAL→ SAMPLE APPLICATION→ FLIGHT

3. Login using the following information: Agent Name: jojo Password: mercury. The
Flight Reservation window should appear on your screen.

4. From the QuickTest toolbar, click the Record button . The RECORD
AND RUN SETTINGS window should open. If it does not open automatically, select
TEST→ RECORD AND RUN SETTINGS.

5. Choose RECORD ON ANY OPEN WINDOWS-BASED APPLICATION then click OK.
RECORDING appears in red in the lower right of the QuickTest window.

6. Re-display the Flight Reservation window (minimized in your taskbar) and enter
the following flight data: Date: 11-11-09, Flying from Denver to Seattle.

7. Click on the FLIGHT button then click OK to accept the first flight schedule.

8. Enter the following personal data: Name: Sam Smith, No. of Tickets: 2, Seating:
First Class.

9. Click INSERT ORDER.

10. When INSERT DONE...appears in the progress bar, click the NEW ORDER button
to clear the data from the flight reservations window. This action also resets
the original test conditions.

11. Click STOP to end the test.

3-4 Exercise: Identifying Objects


Part 2: Save the Test
1. Choose FILE >SAVE.

2. Save the test as <your initials>_ObjectReview.

3. Click SAVE. As shown in Figure 3-1, the name of the test now appears in the title of
the QuickTest window.

Figure 3-1

Exercise: Identifying Objects 3-5

Part 3: Run the Test
1. From the QuickTest menu bar, click .

2. Click OK to use the TEMPORARY TEST RESULTS directory for this test run.

3. Observe playback of the test.

4. This test was designed to succeed. If your test fails, open the TEST RESULTS to
analyze and resolve the problem.

Figure 3-2

Exercise: Identifying Objects 3-6


Test Objects Review
Open the object repository from the main QuickTest window by selecting TOOLS→
OBJECT REPOSITORY and answer the following questions:

1. How many objects can you identify?

_______________________________________________________________

2. How many different classes of objects can you identify?

_______________________________________________________________

3. How many objects of the class BUTTON are shown?

_______________________________________________________________

Test Objects Review 3-7


Test Objects Review Answers
How many objects can you identify?

10 - Flight reservation, date of flight, tickets, name, flyfrom, flyto, insert order,
flight, button, flights table.

4. How many different classes of objects can you identify?

7 - window, winbutton, winobject, winedit, winobject, wincombobox, and dialog.

5. How many objects of the class BUTTON are shown?

4 - insert order, flight, button, and OK.

3-8 Test Objects Review Answers


Exercise: Changing the Object Name
In this exercise, you will change the logical name that QuickTest assigned to an object in
your test. Although this concept was not specifically covered in the CBT, you should be
able to follow the detailed steps in this exercise for a successful result.

Begin by opening the test you created in “Part 1: Create a new test” on page 4.

1. In the KEYWORD VIEW, use your mouse to highlight the last step in the test as
shown in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-3

2. Notice that the name of the object is BUTTON and the documentation column
describes the action as CLICK THE “BUTTON” BUTTON. To assign a more descriptive
name, right-click to open the step menu.

3. Select OBJECT PROPERTIES from the step menu.

4. Click the REPOSITORY button on the OBJECT PROPERTIES window.

Exercise: Changing the Object Name 3-9


5. Right-click on the BUTTON object to open the menu (Figure 3-4).

Figure 3-4

6. Type a new name that describes the button such as “New Order”.

7. Click ENTER or click OK twice to save the change and close the object repository
window.

The new button name should appear in the ITEM column and the DOCUMENTATION
column in the KEYWORD VIEW as shown in Figure 3-5.

Figure 3-5

3-10 Exercise: Changing the Object Name

Creating Synchronization Steps

Creating Synchronization
4
Steps

Objectives

• Synchronization Review

• Analyzing a Failed Test

• Inserting a Synchronization Point

4-1


Synchronization Review
Answer the following questions to test your understanding of the ways that QuickTest
uses synchronization steps for automated tests.

1. Circle each function that synchronization performs in a test.

– Updates test data.

– Provides time for an object to process before moving on to the next step.

– Provides time for an environment variable to run.

– Sets an environment variable for an object.

2. Synchronization is enabled only during recording.

TRUE FALSE

3. Write the command to insert a synchronization point in a test.

_______________________________________________________________

4-2 Synchronization Review


4. Circle each application object that might require synchronization.

– Window frame

– Edit box

– Insert button

– Popup message

5. Open the test called “SYNCH_EXAMPLE” from the directory “Ch04_synch_example”
in “C:MTesting”. Note: You created the “C:MTesting” directory when following
the steps in the SetupInstructions document. Review the test and write the name of
the step that represents the synchronization point.

_______________________________________________________________

Synchronization Review 4-3


Synchronization Review Answers
1. Circle each function that synchronization performs in a test.

The correct answer is: Provides time for an object to process before moving on to
the next step.

2. Synchronization is enabled only during recording.

The correct answer is - TRUE.

3. Write the command to insert a synchronization point in a test.

Insert > Step > Synchronization Point _________________________________

4. Circle each application object that might require synchronization.

The correct answer is: Insert Button and Popup Message.

5. The synchronization point in the SYNCH_EXAMPLE test is named INSERT DONE
TEXT (Figure 4-1).

Figure 4-1

4-4 Synchronization Review Answers


Exercise: Analyzing a Failed Test
In this exercise you will observe a failed test by changing the default time-out setting.

1. From QuickTest Professional, open the test called Create_Order.

2. Launch the Flight Reservation application but do not log in. This test begins with a
log in script.

3. Click RUN to playback the test.

4. Save the test results to a temporary directory.

5. Review the test summary by clicking TEST > RESULTS. The test should have
succeeded without any errors.

6. Close the TEST RESULTS window. The Create_Order test should be displayed on
your screen.

7. Click TEST > SETTINGS to open the TEST SETTINGS window.

8. Click the RUN tab and change the OBJECT SYNCHRONIZATION TIMEOUT value from
20000 to 5000 milliseconds as shown in Figure 4-2. This tells QuickTest to wait
just 5 seconds before continuing to the next step in the test.

Figure 4-2

Exercise: Analyzing a Failed Test 4-5

9. Run the test again. The test should have failed because the objects in the application
were not ready when QuickTest arrived at that point. For example, Figure 4-3
illustrates the error message that was generated when QuickTest tried to execute the
File > Exit command before the Insert Order command was completed.

Figure 4-3

What would you do to correct this problem? One solution would be to reset the timeout
value to 20000. However, if you know that your application has points that will require
synchronization, you can record this in the basic test by inserting a synchronization
point.

Exercise: Analyzing a Failed Test 4-6


Exercise: Inserting a Synchronization Point
In this exercise you will create a new test with a synchronization requirement by
recording user actions from the Mercury Flights application.


2. Open the Mercury Flight Reservation application.

3. Log in to the Flight Reservation application as Agent Name: jojo Password:
mercury. The Flight Reservation window should be displayed with no data entered.

4. Click RECORD to start the test. Record user actions to create a new flight
reservation. Make up your own data or use the following information: date of travel
02/12/10, flying from Denver to Los Angeles.

5. Click the FLIGHTS button and accept the first flight on the schedule. Click OK.


7. Click INSERT ORDER. At this point, you want to make sure QuickTest waits for the
order to process completely before moving to the next step in the test. The visual
cue that the order has processed completely appears in the progress bar
(Figure 4-4).

Figure 4-4

Exercise: Inserting a Synchronization Point 4-7


8. From the QTP menu bar, select INSERT >STEP > SYNCHRONIZATION POINT. The
cursor becomes a pointed finger.

9. Click on the words “INSERT DONE...” in the progress bar with the pointed finger.

10. In the OBJECT SELECTION-SYNCHRONIZATION POINT window, click OK. The ADD
SYNCHRONIZATION POINT window opens (Figure 4-5).

Figure 4-5

11. Type the word: text in the PROPERTY VALUE field. Keep the default timeout of
10000 milliseconds.

12. Click OK to close the synchronization window.

13. Finish the test by selecting FILE > NEW ORDER to reset the initial condition.

14. Click RUN to replay your test.

15. View the test results to ensure that your test was executed successfully.

4-8 Exercise: Inserting a Synchronization Point

Using Standard Checkpoints

Using Standard
5
Checkpoints

Objectives

• Checkpoint Review

• Add a Standard Checkpoint

• Analyze Test Results

5-1


Checkpoints Review
1. What is the function of a checkpoint in QuickTest?

_______________________________________________________________

2. Where is the status of a checkpoint (passed or failed) located?

_______________________________________________________________

3. What causes a checkpoint to fail?

_______________________________________________________________

5-2 Checkpoints Review


Checkpoints Review Answers
1. A checkpoint is a specialized step in QuickTest that compares two values and
reports the result.

2. The status of a checkpoint (passed or failed) is located in the Test Results
Summary.

3. If the two values match, the checkpoint passes; if not, the checkpoint fails.

Checkpoints Review Answers 5-3


Exercise: Add a Standard Checkpoint
In this exercise you will create a basic test with one exception - in this test you will insert
a standard checkpoint during the recording phase.

Part 1: Create a New Test and Checkpoint


Flight Reservation window should appear on your screen with no data entered.

02/09/09, flying from Zurich to Portland.

5. Click the FLIGHTS button then click OK to accept the first flight schedule.


7. Click INSERT ORDER. Your verification that the order has been inserted correctly is
when the text INSERT DONE...appears in the progress bar; QuickTest’s verification
will be a standard checkpoint at this step in the test.

Figure 5-1

5-4 Exercise: Add a Standard Checkpoint


8. From the QTP menu bar, select INSERT >CHECKPOINT > STANDARD
CHECKPOINT. The cursor becomes a pointed finger.

9. Click on the words “INSERT DONE...” in the progress bar with the pointed finger.

10. In the OBJECT SELECTION-CHECKPOINT PROPERTIES window, click OK. The
CHECKPOINT PROPERTIES window opens (Figure 5-2).

Figure 5-2

11. The property you want to use as a verification is the text INSERT DONE...Deselect all
other checkboxes and select the text property. INSERT DONE...should appear in the
CONSTANT field as shown in Figure 5-2.

12. Click OK to close the CHECKPOINT PROPERTIES window.

13. In the Flight Reservation application, click FILE > NEW ORDER to set the end
condition of the test to match the conditions that existed when the test began.

14. Stop the test.

15. Save the test.

Exercise: Add a Standard Checkpoint 5-5

Test Results Review
Run the test. Review the results of the test (TEST > RESULTS) to answer the following
questions.

1. Did your test pass or fail? Where did you locate this information?

_______________________________________________________________

2. Did your checkpoint pass or fail? Where did you locate this information?

_______________________________________________________________

3. Display the details of your checkpoint step. What command did you use to perform
this task?

_______________________________________________________________

Test Results Review 5-6


Test Results Review Answers
1. This test was designed to run successfully. The word PASSED should appear in
green text in the ITERATION RESULTS table as shown in Figure 5-3

Figure 5-3

Test Results Review Answers 5-7


2. This checkpoint was designed to run successfully. Double-click the checkpoint step
to display the details as shown in Figure 5-4

Figure 5-4

5-8 Test Results Review Answers

Adding Parameters

Adding Parameters
6
Objectives

• Parameter Types Review

• Create and Run a Test

– Create a new test

– Analyze the test results

• Add an Output Parameter

6-1

Adding Parameters

Parameter Types Review

1. Draw a line to connect the parameter type in the left column to the appropriate
usage in the right column.

Parameter Type Usage
Random Number Insert a number generated earlier in the test run
into the ORDER NUMBER field each time the test
runs.
Data Table - Input Insert a different department code into the
DEPARTMENT NUMBER field each time the test
runs.
Environment Insert an action from a business process test in
Mercury Quality Center.
Data Table - Output Insert a number from 1-10 into the NUMBER OF
ORDERS field each time the test runs.
Component Insert the server name into the HOST ID field
each time the test is run.
Table 6-1.

2. A data-driven test performs the following functions: (circle all that apply).

a) Runs multiple test iterations using different input values.

b) Uses a database to create a new test.

c) Connects multiple test runs.

d) Reports new data for a test.

6-2 Parameter Types Review

Adding Parameters

3. List the differences between the Design-Time data table and the Run-Time data
table.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Parameter Types Review 6-3

Adding Parameters

Parameter Types Review Answers
1.

Parameter Type Usage
Random Number Insert a number from 1-10 into the NUMBER OF
ORDERS field each time the test runs.
Data Table - Input Insert a different department code into the
DEPARTMENT NUMBER field each time the test
runs.
Environment Insert the server name into the HOST ID field
each time the test is run.
Data Table - Output Insert a number generated earlier in the test run
into the ORDER NUMBER field each time the test
runs.
Component Insert an action from a business process test in
Mercury Quality Center.

2. A data-driven test runs multiple test iterations using different input values.

3. Some differences include:

Design-Time Data Table: Run Time Data Table:
Viewed in the main Viewed in the Test Results window
QuickTest window
Created prior to the Generated after a test is executed.
execution of the test.
Represents data from an Represents a “live” version of the Design-Time
external source. table after the test run.

6-4 Parameter Types Review Answers

Adding Parameters

Exercise: Create and Run a Test
In this exercise you will create a basic test that requires parameterization to run
successfully.

Part 1: Create a New Test and Checkpoint



05/25/11, flying from Frankfurt to Los Angeles.

5. Click the FLIGHTS button then click OK to accept the first flight schedule.


7. Click INSERT ORDER. Wait until INSERT DONE...appears in the progress bar as
illustrated in Figure 6-1.

Figure 6-1

Exercise: Create and Run a Test 6-5

8. In QuickTest Pro insert a synchronization point on the INSERT ORDER step:

a) In QuickTest Pro select INSERT > STEP > SYNCHRONIZATION POINT. Your
cursor changes to a pointing hand and the Flights window is redisplayed.

b) Single-click on the INSERT DONE...text in the progress bar on the Flights
window. The OBJECT SELECTION window opens.

c) Verify that WINOBJECT: INSERT DONE is selected, then click OK. The ADD
SYNCHRONIZATION POINT window opens.

d) In the PROPERTY TYPE field, choose TEXT.

e) In the PROPERTY VALUE field, type “Insert Done...” including the quotation
marks and the dots.

f) Click OK. The INSERT DONE step now appears as a synchronization point in
your test (Figure 6-2).

Figure 6-2


Adding Parameters

9. Insert a checkpoint to validate the ORDER NUMBER number field:

a) Click INSERT > CHECKPOINT > STANDARD CHECKPOINT. The cursor
changes to a pointing hand.

b) Single-click on the ORDER NUMBER field on the FLIGHTS window.

c) Make sure that WINEDIT: ORDER NO. is highlighted in the OBJECT
SELECTION window, then click OK. The Checkpoint properties window opens.

d) Make sure that only the ENABLED field has a checkmark, then click OK. The
Checkpoint is inserted into the text.

10. In the Windows Mercury Flight Application click FILE > OPEN ORDER.

11. Check the box next to the ORDER NO. field.

12. Type the order number of the reservation you just created. The order should
reappear on your screen. Click OK.

13. Change the number of tickets from 1 to 2.

14. Click UPDATE ORDER.

15. Click FILE > NEW ORDER to reset the original conditions of the test.

16. Click STOP to end the recording.


Adding Parameters

Part 2: Run the Test and Analyze the Error
1. Click RUN. Your test should encounter an error as illustrated in Figure 6-3.

Figure 6-3

In order to perform the open order step, the test is searching for an ORDER NO. that was
deleted when you recorded the test. This order was assigned to the previous reservation
and does not appear in this test iteration. Instead of searching for a constant order
number, your test should be using whatever order number is generated and inserted into
the test iteration.

What should you do to make your test run successfully?

One solution is to create an output parameter that instructs QuickTest to use the order
number generated by the application under test.

6-8 Exercise: Create and Run a Test

Adding Parameters

Exercise: Create an Output Parameter
Part 1: Capture an Output Value
1. Highlight the step ORDER NUMBER step in the Keyword View. This is the step that
was created during the checkpoint part of the previous exercise.

2. Move your cursor to the Active Screen (lower right) and right-click on the ORDER
NO. field

3. Choose INSERT OUTPUT VALUE from the ORDER NO. field menu. The OBJECT
SELECTION -OUTPUT VALUE PROPERTIES window opens.

4. Make sure that WINEDIT: ORDER NO. is highlighted then click OK. The OUTPUT
VALUE PROPERTIES window opens.

5. Check the box next to TEXT.

6. Select the radio button for AFTER CURRENT STEP located at the bottom of the
OUTPUT VALUE PROPERTIES window.

7. Click OK to close the properties window. A column called ORDER_NO_TEXT_OUT
should appear in the lower left portion of the QuickTest window (Figure 6-5).

Figure 6-4

Exercise: Create an Output Parameter 6-9

Adding Parameters

Part 2: Run the Test and Analyze the Error
1. Click RUN. Your test should encounter an error and fail.

2. Can you determine why your test is continuing to fail?

The test continues to fail because the ORDER NO. window has no value (input). How
could you fix the problem? The solution is to modify the ORDER NO. field to accept the
value that was generated and stored in the output parameter data table. This is described
in “Part 3: Create an Input Parameter” .

6-10 Exercise: Create an Output Parameter

Adding Parameters

Part 3: Create an Input Parameter
1. Highlight the EDIT step under the parent step titled OPEN ORDER then click once in
the VALUE column.

2. Click the parameter icon <#> to open the VALUE CONFIGURATION OPTIONS
window.

3. Click the PARAMETER radio button and select DATA TABLE from the drop-down
list. Make sure that the output parameter data table called ORDER NUMBER TEXT
OUT appears in the NAME field (Figure 6-5).

.

Figure 6-5

4. Click OK.

5. Save the test as <your initials>_parameter_example.

Part 4: Run the Test and Celebrate your Success
1. Click RUN. Your test should succeed.

Exercise: Create an Output Parameter 6-11

Adding Parameters

6-12 Exercise: Create an Output Parameter

Recovery Manager

Recovery Manager
7
Objectives

• Recovery Manager Review

• Create a New Test

– Add an input parameter for multiple test iterations

– Analyze the failed test results

• Create a Recovery Scenario

– Add two recovery operations to the test

– Analyze the successful test results

7-1

Recovery Manager

Recovery Manager Review

1. List four types of trigger events that would interrupt your test run.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

2. Define the term Recovery Operation.

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. List one example of a Post-Recovery Test Run option.

_______________________________________________________________

7-2 Recovery Manager Review

Recovery Manager

Recovery Manager Review Answers
1. A checkpoint is a specialized step in QuickTest that compares two values and
reports the result.

2. The status of a checkpoint (passed or failed) is located in the TEST RESULTS
SUMMARY.

3. A post-recovery test run option is how QuickTest should proceed once the recovery
operations have been performed, and from which point in the test QuickTest should
continue, if at all. Examples are: restart a test from the beginning, skip the test step
entirely and continue with the next step in the test, restart the test, repeat the step
again.

Recovery Manager Review Answers 7-3

Recovery Manager

Exercise: Parameterized Test
In this exercise you will create a test to validate multiple login names using a data table
as a parameter for multiple test iterations.

Part 1: Create a New Test

2. Click RECORD on the QuickTest Professional menu bar.The RECORD AND RUN
SETTINGS window opens. Choose to record on any open windows application.

PROFESSIONAL→ SAMPLE APPLICATION→ FLIGHT.


5. Click FILE > EXIT to close the Flight application.

6. Click STOP on the QuickTest Professional menu bar.

Save the test as <your initials> login_check. Your test should look like the example in
Figure 7-1.

Figure 7-1

7-4 Exercise: Parameterized Test

Recovery Manager

Part 2: Add a Data Table Parameter
1. Highlight the AGENT NAME step then click once in the VALUE column.

2. Click the parameter icon <#> to open the VALUE CONFIGURATION OPTIONS
window.

3. Click the PARAMETER radio button and select DATA TABLE from the drop-down
list.

4. Type a description for the input parameters, such as Login_Names, in the NAME
field.

5. Click OK. The heading you created should appear in the first data table column.

6. Add the following 5 names to your data table: bob32, bob0404, bob, bobsmith,
bsmith. A similar table is shown in Figure 7-2.

Figure 7-2

7. Click the SAVE icon to retain the changes to your test.

Exercise: Parameterized Test 7-5

Recovery Manager

Exercise: Recovery Scenario
Part 1: Create a Recovery Scenario
1. If the test you created is not already displayed on your screen, find and open it by
clicking FILE > OPEN TEST from the QuickTest menu bar.

2. Click RUN. In the RUN RESULTS location tab, choose the option to save your test
results to a temporary file. Click OK to close the window.

3. Your test should fail during the third iteration. What error message appeared that
stopped the test from continuing?

_______________________________________________________________

4. To anticipate and correct this error, click TOOLS > RECOVERY SCENARIO from the
QuickTest menu bar. The Recovery Manager window opens.

5. Click the NEW SCENARIO WIZARD icon as shown in FIGURE 7-3. The RECOVERY
SCENARIO WIZARD opens.

.

Figure 7-3

6. Review the information on the WELCOME screen then click NEXT.

7-6 Exercise: Recovery Scenario

Recovery Manager

7. Select the trigger event that caused the error (Pop-up window), then click NEXT.

8. To identify the name of the window where the error message appears, click the
POINTING HAND icon. The application popup window appears on the screen.

9. Move the POINTING HAND to the application popup error window then click once.
The name of the window appears in the WINDOW TITLE: field in the Recovery
Scenario Wizard (Figure 7-4.)

Figure 7-4

10. Click NEXT to continue.The RECOVERY screen appears.

11. You do not need to make any additions to this screen. Click NEXT. The RECOVERY
OPERATION screen appears.

12. Choose the operation type: KEYBOARD OR MOUSE OPERATION. Click NEXT.

13. Choose the radio button: CLICK BUTTON WITH LABEL:.

14. Click on the pointing hand to activate it.

15. With the pointing hand click on the OK button in the application popup error
window.

Exercise: Recovery Scenario 7-7

Recovery Manager

16. Click NEXT. The RECOVERY OPERATIONS screen opens.

17. De-select the option to ADD ANOTHER RECOVERY SCENARIO then click NEXT.

18. In the TEST OPTIONS list, choose the PROCEED TO NEXT STEP radio button. This
enables the test to move to the next step after taking action to resolve the popup
window error. Click NEXT.

19. Type a name for your scenario. Click NEXT. The FINISH screen opens.

20. Check the box to ADD SCENARIO TO CURRENT TEST. Click FINISH. The name of
your scenario should now appear in the Recovery Manager window, as shown in
Figure 7-5.

Figure 7-5

21. Click the SAVE icon on the Recovery Manager window to store the scenario you
created as a .qrs file.

22. Click CLOSE.

23. Stop the test run.


Recovery Manager

Part 2: Run the Test and Analyze the Results
If you analyzed the application error thoroughly, you may already know that a second
recovery scenario is required to make the test run successfully.

If you haven’t found the second problem that needs to be resolved, run the test again.
Even if the test calls the recovery scenario to resolve the popup window, the test still
fails.

The second recovery scenario you need to create is the operation to click the CANCEL
button on the login window. Try this on your own, or use the steps provided in Part 3:
Create a Second Recovery Scenario


Recovery Manager

Part 3: Create a Second Recovery Scenario
1. If the test you created is not already displayed on your screen, find and open it by
clicking FILE > OPEN TEST from the QuickTest menu bar.

2. Click RUN. In the RUN RESULTS location tab, choose the option to save your test
results to a temporary file. Click OK to close the window.

3. Your test should fail during the third iteration. What error message appeared that
stopped the test from continuing?

_______________________________________________________________

4. To anticipate and correct this error, click TOOLS > RECOVERY SCENARIO from the
QuickTest menu bar. The Recovery Manager window opens.

5. Click the NEW SCENARIO WIZARD icon. Review the information on the WELCOME
screen then click NEXT.

6. Select the trigger event that caused the error (Popup window), then click NEXT.

7. To identify the name of the window where the error message appears, click the
POINTING HAND icon. The application popup window appears on the screen.

1. Move the POINTING HAND to the application login window then click once. The
name of the window appears in the WINDOW TITLE field in the Recovery Scenario
Wizard.

2. Click NEXT to continue.The RECOVERY screen appears.


Recovery Manager

3. You do not need to make any additions to this screen. Click NEXT. The second
recovery scenario screen appears.

4. Define the action that QuickTest should take if this error occurs during a test run by
clicking the POINTING HAND icon. The application window appears on the screen.

5. Move the POINTING HAND to the application window then click once on the
CANCEL button. The name of the button appears in the CLICK BUTTON WITH LABEL
field in the Recovery Scenario Wizard.

6. Click NEXT. The RECOVERY OPERATIONS screen opens.

7. De-select the option to add another recovery scenario then click NEXT.

8. In the TEST OPTIONS list, choose PROCEED TO THE NEXT STEP. This enables the
test to move to the next step after taking action to resolve the popup window error.
Click NEXT.

9. Type a new name for this second scenario. Click NEXT. The FINISH screen opens.

10. Check the box to ADD SCENARIO TO CURRENT TEST. Click FINISH.

The name of your scenario should now appear in the Recovery Manager window.


Recovery Manager

Part 4: Check the Test Settings and Run the Test
1. To make sure that both scenarios are linked to your test, click TEST > SETTINGS
from the QuickTest menu bar. The TEST SETTINGS window opens.

2. Click the RECOVERY tab.

3. Check to make sure that two scenarios appear in the Recovery tab as shown in
Figure 7-6. Use the + or X icons to add or delete a scenario.

Figure 7-6

4. Click OK.

5. Click RUN to playback the test. The test should succeed.


QUICKTEST Pro 8.0

V 1.0

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction to QuickTest ....................................................................... 1
1.1 Over view of Quick Test Pro 8.0 ............................................................................1
1.1.1 QuickTest Pro 8.0 Environment Support ..................................................1
1.1.2 QuickTest Pro 8.0 Configurations .............................................................2
2.0 Record and Playback .............................................................................. 3
2.1 Create and Execute Basic Scripts .........................................................................3
2.1.1 Recording Tests ........................................................................................3
2.1.2 Running a Test..........................................................................................5
2.2 Understand Recording Levels................................................................................5
2.2.1 Standard Recording ..................................................................................6
2.2.2 Analog Recording .....................................................................................6
2.2.3 Low Level Recording ................................................................................6
2.3 Understand QuickTest Results ..............................................................................6
3.0 How QuickTest identifies objects ........................................................ 10
3.1 Object Identification..............................................................................................10
3.1.1 Object Identification While Recording.....................................................10
3.1.2 Object Identification During Test Run .....................................................10
3.2 Object Repository Introduction.............................................................................10
3.2.1 Identifying the Object ..............................................................................11
3.2.2 Viewing the Object’s Properties ..............................................................11
3.3 Use the Object Spy ..............................................................................................12
3.3.1 To view object properties: .......................................................................12
3.3.2 To view object methods: .........................................................................13
4.0 Synchronization..................................................................................... 15
4.1 Synchronizing Your Tests ....................................................................................15
4.2 Options to Synchronize Tests ..............................................................................15
4.1.1 4.2.1 Inserting Synchronization Point ....................................................15
4.1.2 4.2.2 Adding Exist and Wait Statements ...............................................16
4.1.3 Global synchronization Settings..............................................................16
4.3 Transactions.........................................................................................................16
4.3.1 Inserting Transactions.............................................................................16
4.3.2 Ending Transactions ..............................................................................17
5.0 Checkpoints ........................................................................................... 18
5.1 About Checkpoints ...............................................................................................18
5.2 Adding Checkpoints to a test ...............................................................................18
5.2.1 To add checkpoints while recording: ......................................................18
From Menu bar.....................................................................................................18
5.2.2 To add a checkpoint while editing your test:...........................................18
5.3 Types of Checkpoints .........................................................................................18
5.3.1 QuickTest Professional Checkpoint Types ............................................18
5.3.2 Creating a Standard Checkpoint.............................................................19
5.3.3 Creating a Text Checkpoint ....................................................................19
5.4 Use regular expressions ......................................................................................19
5.4.1 To define a constant property value as a regular expression:...............20
5.4.2 To parameterize a property value using regular expressions:................20
5.4.3 To define a regular expression in an object checkpoint: ........................20
5.4.4 Common options to create regular expressions. ....................................20
6.0 Creating Tests with Multiple Actions ................................................... 22
6.1 Benefits of Test Modularity ..................................................................................22

6.2 Creating Tests with Multiple Actions ....................................................................22
6.2.1 Creating New Actions ............................................................................22
6.2.2 Inserting Existing Actions........................................................................23
6.2.3 Nesting Actions .......................................................................................23
6.2.4 Splitting Actions.......................................................................................24
6.3 Miscellaneous .....................................................................................................24
6.3.1 Setting Action Properties .......................................................................24
6.3.2 Sharing Action Information.....................................................................24
6.3.3 Exiting an Action .....................................................................................24
6.3.4 Removing Actions from a Test................................................................24
6.3.5 Renaming Actions ..................................................................................24
6.3.6 Action Template .....................................................................................24
7.0 Data Driving a Test ................................................................................ 26
7.1 Parameterize tests ..............................................................................................26
7.1.1 Parameterize test Manually ...................................................................26
7.1.2 DataTable Parameters...........................................................................26
7.1.3 Using Environment Variable Parameters................................................26
7.2 Create data-driven tests.......................................................................................27
7.3 Local and Global Data Tables..............................................................................27
7.3.1 Using the Data Driver to Parameterize Your Test ..................................28
8.0 Working with Data Tables ..................................................................... 30
8.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................30
8.2 Working with Global and Action Sheets......................................................................30
8.3 Editing and Saving Data Table ...................................................................................30
8.4 Importing Data from a Database.................................................................................31
8.5 Using Formulas in the Data Table ..............................................................................31
8.6 Using Data Table Scripting Methods ..........................................................................32
9.0 Output and Correlation .............................................................................. 33
9.1 About Outputting Values .............................................................................................33
7.1.1 9.1.1 Creating Page Output Values ........................................................33
7.1.2 9.1.2 Creating Text Output Values..........................................................33
7.1.3 9.1.3 Creating Standard Output Values ..................................................33
7.1.4 9.1.4 Creating Image Output Values.......................................................34
7.1.5 9.1.5 Creating XML Output Values .........................................................34
7.1.6 9.1.6 Creating Table Output Values........................................................34
7.1.7 9.1.7 Creating Database Output Values .................................................34
9.2 Capture and Reuse Run Time data ............................................................................34
7.1.8 9.2.1 Adding a Standard Output Value ...................................................34
7.1.9 9.2.2 Creating Image Output Values.......................................................34
7.1.10 9.2.3 Creating Table Output Values........................................................35
10.0 Alternatives to Standard Recording ....................................................... 36
10.1 Analog Recording......................................................................................................36
7.1.11 10.1.1 Analog Recording ........................................................................36
7.1.12 10.1.2 Recording in Analog Mode...........................................................36
10.2 Low-Level Recording ................................................................................................37
7.1.13 10.2.1 Recording in Low-Level mode .....................................................37
10.3 Configuring Web Event Recording............................................................................38
7.1.14 10.3.1 To set Web Event Recording Configuration: ...............................38
10.4 Define a Virtual Object ..............................................................................................38
7.1.15 10.4.1 To define a virtual object:.............................................................38
11.0 Introduction to the Expert View .............................................................. 41
11.1 Object Model in the Expert View...............................................................................41
11.2 Using QuickTest Professional’s online books...........................................................41

12.0 Working in the Expert View ..................................................................... 43
12.1 VBScript Language Overview ...................................................................................43
7.1.16 12.1.1 VBScript Data Types....................................................................43
7.1.17 12.1.2 VBScript Variables .......................................................................43
7.1.18 12.1.3 VBScript Constants......................................................................44
7.1.19 12.1.4 VBScript Operators ......................................................................44
7.1.20 12.1.5 Using Conditional Statements .....................................................45
7.1.21 12.1.6 Looping Through Code ................................................................46
7.1.22 12.1.7 VBScript Procedures....................................................................47
12.2 Working with the Data Table Object .........................................................................48
7.1.23 12.2.1 AddSheet Method ........................................................................48
7.1.24 12.2.2 DeleteSheet Method ....................................................................48
7.1.25 12.2.3 Export Method.............................................................................48
7.1.26 12.2.4 ExportSheet Method ....................................................................48
7.1.27 12.2.5 GetCurrentRow Method ...............................................................48
7.1.28 12.2.6 GetRowCount Method .................................................................48
7.1.29 12.2.7 GetSheet Method.........................................................................49
7.1.30 12.2.8 GetSheetCount Method ...............................................................49
7.1.31 12.2.9 Import Method ..............................................................................49
7.1.32 12.2.10 ImportSheet Method ..................................................................49
7.1.33 12.2.11 SetCurrentRow Method .............................................................49
7.1.34 12.2.12 SetNextRow Method ..................................................................49
7.1.35 12.2.13 SetPrevRow Method ..................................................................49
7.1.36 12.2.14 GlobalSheet Property.................................................................49
7.1.37 12.2.15 LocalSheet Property ..................................................................49
7.1.38 12.2.17 RawValue Property ....................................................................49
7.1.39 12.2.18 Value Property ...........................................................................50
12.3 Working with TextUtil Object.....................................................................................50
7.1.40 12.3.1 GetText Method ...........................................................................50
7.1.41 12.3.2 GetTextLocation Method..............................................................50
12.4 Working with Reporter Objects .................................................................................50
7.1.42 12.4.1 ReportEvent Method ....................................................................50
7.1.43 12.4.2 Filter Property ..............................................................................50
7.1.44 12.4.3 ReportPath Property ....................................................................50
13.0 Object Recognition and Smart Identification ...................................... 51
13.1 Object Repository Custom Configuration ............................................................51
13.2 Introduction to Smart Identification ......................................................................51
13.2.1 13.2.1 Base filter properties ....................................................................52
13.2.2 13.2.2 Optional filter properties...............................................................52
13.3 Understanding the Smart Identification Process..................................................52
13.4 Smart Identification Configuration........................................................................52
14.0 Enhance Test Cases with Descriptive Programming ......................... 54
14.1 Interact with Test Objects not stored in the Object Repository............................54
14.1.1 14.1.1 Entering Programmatic Description Directly into Test Statements54
14.1.2 14.1.2 Using Description Objects for Programmatic Descriptions..........55
14.1.3 14.1.3 Retrieving ChildObjects ...............................................................55
14.1.4 14.1.4 Using Programmatic Descriptions for the WebElement Object ...56
14.1.5 14.1.5 Using the Index Property in Programmatic Descriptions .............56
14.2 Access Dynamic Objects during run-time ............................................................56
14.2.1 14.2.1 Retrieving Run-Time Object Properties .......................................56
14.2.2 14.2.2 Activating Run-Time Object Methods ..........................................57
15.0 Enhance Test Cases with User-Defined Functions ............................ 58
15.1 Utilize external Windows API functions in Test Cases ........................................58
15.1.1 15.1.1 Extern Object ...............................................................................58
15.2 Create QuickTest user-defined functions ............................................................60

16.0 Database Verification ............................................................................ 62
16.1 Review of database concepts ..............................................................................62
16.1.1 Understanding relational tables ..............................................................62
16.1.2 About SQL...............................................................................................63
16.1.3 Using SQL to interact with a database ...................................................63
16.1.4 Connection String....................................................................................63
16.2 How to add a database checkpoint in QuickTest.................................................64
17.0 Recovery Manager and Scenarios ....................................................... 70

18.0 Scripting in Real Time Environments .................................................. 96
18.1 QuickTest Pro Coding Standards & Best Practices.............................................96
18.1.1 Introduction:.......................................................................................96
18.2 Naming Conventions............................................................................................96
18.2.1 Local scope variables .............................................................................96
18.2.2 Global scope variables............................................................................96
18.2.3 Constants ................................................................................................97
18.2.4 Functions/Actions....................................................................................97
18.2.5 Reusable Actions ....................................................................................97
18.2.6 Scripts .....................................................................................................97
18.2.7 Function Libraries....................................................................................97
18.2.8 Object Repository Files ...........................................................................98
18.3 Coding Rules........................................................................................................98
18.3.1 Commenting Code ..................................................................................98
18.3.2 Formatting Code ...................................................................................100
18.3.3 Using Shared Object Repository...........................................................101
18.3.4 Using Relative paths .............................................................................101
18.3.5 Using Global Variables .........................................................................101

Jagan Mohan Julooru

1.0 Introduction to QuickTest

1.1 Over view of Quick Test Pro 8.0
QuickTest Pro is Mercury Imperative’s functional enterprise testing tool.

QuickTest Professional is a fresh approach to automated software and application testing .It is
designed to provide a robust application verification solution without the need for advanced technical
or programming

QuickTest Pro is similar to Astra QuickTest. The key difference lies in the number of environments
that QuickTest Professional supports (e.g. ERP/CRM, Java applets and applications, multiple
multimedia environments, etc.).

QuickTest Professional enables you to test standard Windows applications, Web objects, ActiveX
controls, Visual Basic applications, and multimedia objects on Web pages.

We Can Use QuickTest add-ins for a number of special environments (such as Java, Oracle, SAP
solutions, .NET Windows and Web Forms, Siebel, PeopleSoft, Web services, and terminal emulator
applications).

1.1.1 QuickTest Pro 8.0 Environment Support

Windows Applications Enterprise Applications
Web Technologies
(MFC) • SAP
HTML
• Visual Basic • Oracle
• DHTML
• Java • PeopleSoft
• JavaScript
• ActiveX • Siebel
Emerging Technologies
Browsers Terminal Emulators
• .Net Winforms,
IE • 3270
Webforms, Web services
• Netscape • 5250
• J2EE Web services
• AOL • VT100
• XML, WSDL, UDDI
Server Technologies
Languages
• Oracle Multimedia
• Microsoft • RealAudio/RealVideo • European

• IBM • Windows Media Player • Japanese

• BEA • Flash • Chinese (traditional and

• ODBC simplified)

• COM/COM+ • Korean

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1.1.2 QuickTest Pro 8.0 Configurations

QuickTest Pro QuickTest Pro Add-ins

Web Environments .Net Add-in
Winforms, Webforms, Net Controls
IE NS AOL
ActiveX
Java Add-in
XML DHTML HTML
JDK 1.1-1.4.2

Client/Server
Terminal Emulator Add-in
Windows
3270,5250,vt100
Win32/MFC
Visual Basic
MySAP Add-in
SAP GUI, Web, Portals 6.2
Operating Systems
Windows 98, 2000, NT, ME, XP
Oracle Add-in
11i

PeopleSoft Add-in
8.0-8.8

Siebel Add-in
7.0 & 7.5

Webservices Add-in
WSDL,.Net,J2EE

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2.0 Record and Playback

2.1 Create and Execute Basic Scripts

2.1.1 Recording Tests
1. Start QuickTest and open a new test.
• If QuickTest is not currently open, choose Start > Programs > QuickTest Professional >

In the Add-in Manager, confirm that the Web Add-in is selected, and clear all other add-
ins. Click OK to close the Add-in Manager and open QuickTest.

Note: While QuickTest loads your selected add-ins, the QuickTest splash screen is
displayed. This may take a few seconds. If the Welcome window opens, click Blank Test.

Otherwise, choose File > New, or click the New button .
A blank test opens.

• If QuickTest is already open, check which add-ins are loaded by selecting Help > About
QuickTest Professional. If the Web Add-in is not loaded, you must exit and restart
QuickTest. When the Add-in Manager opens, select the Web Add-in, and clear all other
add-ins.

Choose File > New, or click the New button .
A blank test opens.

Note: If the Add-in Manager does not open when starting QuickTest, choose Tools >
Options. In the General tab, select Display Add-in Manager on startup. When you exit and
restart QuickTest, the Add-in Manager opens.

2. Start recording.
• Choose Test > Record or click the Record button The Record and Run Settings dialog
box opens.

In the Web tab, select Open the following browser when a record or run session begins.

• Choose a browser from the Type list and confirm that the URL in the Address box is for
example . http://newtours.mercuryinteractive.com.

• Confirm that Close the browser when the test is closed is selected.
• In the Windows Applications tab, confirm that Record and run on these applications is
selected, and that there are no applications listed.

This setting prevents you from inadvertently recording operations performed on various
Windows applications (such as e-mail) during a recording session.

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• Click OK.

QuickTest begins recording, and your browser opens to the Mercury Tours Web site.

3. Login to the Mercury Tours Web site.
In the User Name and Password boxes, type the name and password you registered with
Mercury Tours.

Click Sign-In.

The Flight Finder page opens.

4. Enter flight details.

Change the following selections:
Departing From: New York
On: Dec 29
Arriving In: San Francisco
Returning: Dec 31
Service Class: Business class

Click CONTINUE to accept the other default selections. The Select Flight page opens.

Note: When entering dates while recording this test, do not click the View Calendar button,
which opens a Java-based calendar. Your test will not record the date selected using this
calendar because you did not load the Java Add-in for this tutorial.
To check which add-ins have been loaded, click Help > About QuickTest Professional. To
change the available add-ins for your tests, you must close and reopen QuickTest
Professional.

5. Select a flight.
Click CONTINUE to accept the default flight selections. The Book a Flight page opens.

6. Enter required passenger and purchase information.
Enter the required information (fields with red text labels) in the Passengers and Credit Card
sections. (You may enter fictitious information.)
In the Billing Address section, select Ticketless Travel.
At the bottom of the page, click SECURE PURCHASE. The Flight Confirmation page opens.

7. Review and complete your booking.
Click BACK TO HOME. The Mercury Tours home page opens.

8. Stop recording.

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In QuickTest, click Stop on the test toolbar to stop the recording process.
You have now reserved an imaginary business class ticket from New York to San Francisco.
QuickTest recorded your Web browser operations from the time you clicked the Record
button until you clicked the Stop button.
Save your test.
Select File > Save or click the Save button. The Save dialog box opens to the Tests folder.
Create a folder named Tutorial, select it, and click Open.
Type Recording in the File name field.
Confirm that Save Active Screen files is selected.
Click Save. The test name (Recording) is displayed in the title bar of the main QuickTest
window.

2.1.2 Running a Test
Here you will run the test you recorded.
1) Start QuickTest and open the Recording test.
If QuickTest is not already open, choose Start > Programs > QuickTest Professional >
• If the Welcome window opens, click Open Existing.
• If QuickTest opens without displaying the Welcome window, choose File > Open
or click the Open button.
In the Open Test dialog box, locate and select the Recording test, then click Open.

2) Confirm that all images are saved to the test results.
QuickTest allows you to determine when to save images to the test results. In this lesson, all
images should be saved to the test results.

Choose Tools > Options and select the Run tab. In the Save step screen capture to test
results option, select always.

Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

3) Start running your test.
Click Run or choose Test > Run. The Run dialog box opens.
Select New run results folder. Accept the default results folder name.
Click OK to close the Run dialog box.

Watch carefully as QuickTest opens your browser and starts running the test. In the browser,
you can see QuickTest perform each step you recorded; a yellow arrow in the left margin of
the test tree indicates the step that QuickTest is running.

2.2 Understand Recording Levels

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2.2.1 Standard Recording
Records the test in terms of GUI objects

2.2.2 Analog Recording
enables you to record the exact mouse and keyboard operations you perform in relation to either the
screen or the application window.

2.2.3 Low Level Recording
This mode records at the object level and records all run-time objects as Window or WinObject test
objects.

2.3 Understand QuickTest Results
When QuickTest finishes running the test, the Test Results window opens.

Initially, the Test Results window contains two panes for displaying the key elements of your test run.
• The left pane displays the test results tree, an icon-based view of the steps that were
performed while the test was running. Similar to the test tree in QuickTest main screen, it is
organized according to the Web pages visited during the test run and can be expanded (+) to
view each step. The steps performed during the test run are represented by icons in the tree.
You can instruct QuickTest to run a test or action more than once using different sets of data
in each run. Each test run is called an iteration and each iteration is numbered. (The test you
ran had only one iteration.)
• The right pane displays the test results details. The iteration summary table indicates which
iterations passed and which failed. The status summary table indicates the number of
checkpoints or reports that passed, failed, and raised warnings during the test.
Your test run succeeded because QuickTest was able to navigate the Mercury Tours site just
as the test was originally recorded. In this section, you will inspect the steps QuickTest
performed when running your test, and how the application window appeared when a step
was performed.

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1. View the test results for a specific step.

In the test results tree, expand (+) Test Recording Summary >
Recording Iteration 1 (Row 1) > Action1 Summary > Welcome Mercury > Find a Flight.
Highlight "fromPort":Select "New York" in the test results
tree.

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The Test Results window now contains three panes, displaying:
• the test results tree, with one step highlighted
• the test results details of the highlighted step
• the Active Screen, showing a screen capture of the Web page on which the step was
performed.
When you click a page in the test results tree, QuickTest displays the corresponding
page in the application view. When you click a step (an operation performed on an
object) in the test results tree, the corresponding object is highlighted in the
application view. In this case, the Departing From text box is highlighted.

2. Close the Test Results window.
Choose File > Exit.

Test Results Tree Symbols
indicates a step that succeeded.

indicates a step that failed.

indicates a warning, meaning that the step did not succeed, but it did not cause the action or test to
fail.

indicates a step that failed unexpectedly, such as when an object is not found for a checkpoint.
indicates an optional step that failed and therefore was ignored. Note that this does not cause the test
to fail.

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indicates that the Smart Identification mechanism successfully found the object.

indicates that a recovery scenario was activated.

indicates that the test run was stopped before it ended.

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3.0 How QuickTest identifies objects

3.1 Object Identification

3.1.1 Object Identification While Recording
Stores Object as Test Object, Determining the class it fits.
For each test object class, QuickTest always learns a list of mandatory properties. Checks whether
this description is enough to uniquely identify the object. If it is not, QuickTest adds assistive
properties, one by one, to the description, until it has a unique description.

3.1.2 Object Identification During Test Run
Searches for a run-time object that exactly matches the description of the test object
It expects to find a perfect match for both the mandatory and any assistive properties of test object
Uses Smart Identification mechanism to identify an object, even when the recorded description is no
longer accurate.

3.2 Object Repository Introduction
The Object Repository dialog box displays a test tree of all objects in the current action or the entire
test.

Jagan Mohan Julooru

You can use the Object Repository dialog box to view or modify the properties of any test object in the
repository or to add new objects to your repository.

3.2.1 Identifying the Object


Logical
The name that QuickTest assigns to the object.
name


Opens the Find dialog box, where you can find a property or value that occurs
Find
several times in the same action.

Opens the Replace dialog box, where you can modify a property or value that
Replace
occurs several times in the same action.

3.2.2 Viewing the Object’s Properties

The default properties for the object are listed in the Properties pane of the dialog box. The pane
includes the properties, their values, and their types:


The icon indicates that the value of the property is currently a constant.

The icon indicates that the value of the property is currently a Data
Table parameter.
Type
The icon indicates that the value of the property is currently an
environment variable parameter.

The icon indicates that the value of the property is currently a random
number parameter.



Indicates whether or not QuickTest uses Smart Identification to identify this
object during the test run if it is not able to identify the object using the test
Enable Smart object description. Note that this option is available only if Smart
Identification Identification properties are defined for the object’s class in the Object
Identification dialog box.
Note: When you select Disable Smart Identification during the test run in the

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Run tab of the Test Settings dialog box, this option is disabled, although the
setting is saved. When you clear the Disable Smart Identification during the
test run check box, this option returns to its previous on or off setting after
the test run.

Opens the Add/Remove Properties dialog box which lists the properties that
Add/Remove
can be used to identify the object.

3.3 Use the Object Spy
Using the Object Spy, you can view the properties of any object in an open application. In addition to
viewing object properties, the Object Spy also enables you to view both the run-time object methods
and the test object methods associated with an object and to view the syntax for a selected method.

3.3.1 To view object properties:
Open your browser or application to the page containing the object on which you want to spy.

Choose Tools > Object Spy to open the Object Spy dialog box and display the Properties tab.
Alternatively, click the Object Spy button from the Object Repository dialog box.

In the Object Spy dialog box, click the pointing hand. Both QuickTest and the Object Spy are
minimized so that you can point to and click on any object in the open application.

Note: If the window on which you want to spy is partially hidden by another window, hold the pointing
hand over the partially hidden window for a few seconds. The window comes into the foreground. You
can now point and click on the object you want. You can configure the length of time required to bring
a window into the foreground in the General tab of the Options dialog box.

If the object on which you want to spy can only be displayed by performing an event (such as a right-
click or a mouse-over to display a context menu), hold the Ctrl key. The pointing hand temporarily
turns into a standard arrow and you can perform the event. When the object on which you want to spy
is displayed, release the Ctrl key. The arrow becomes a pointing hand again.

Click the object for which you want to view properties. The Object Spy returns to focus and displays
the object hierarchy tree and the properties of the object that is selected within the tree.

To view the properties of the test object, click the Test Object Properties radio button. To view the
properties of the run-time object, click the Run-Time Object Properties radio button.

Tip: You can use the Object property to retrieve the values of the run-time properties displayed in the
Object Spy.

You can use the GetTOProperty and SetTOProperty methods to retrieve and set the value of test
object properties for test objects in your test. You can use the GetROProperty to retrieve the current
property value of the objects in your application during the test run.

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If you want to view properties for another object within the displayed tree, click the object in the tree.

If you want to copy an object property or value to the clipboard, click the property or value. The value
is displayed in the selected property/value box. Highlight the text in the selected property/value box
and use Ctrl + C to copy the text to the clipboard or right-click the highlighted text and choose Copy
from the menu.
Note: If the value of a property contains more than one line, the Values cell of the object properties list
indicates multi-line value. To view the value, click the Values cell. The selected property/value box
displays the value with delimiters indicating the line breaks.

3.3.2 To view object methods:
Open your browser or application to the page containing the object on which you want to spy.

Choose Tools > Object Spy to open the Object Spy dialog box. Alternatively, click the Object Spy
button from the Object Repository dialog box.

Click the Methods tab.

Click the pointing hand. Both QuickTest and the Object Spy are minimized so that you can point to
any object on the open application.

Note: If the object you want is partially hidden by another window, hold the pointing hand over the
partially hidden window for a few seconds. The window comes into the foreground. You can now point
and click on the object you want. You can configure this option in the Options dialog box.

If the object on which you want to spy can only be displayed by performing an event (such as a right-
click or a mouse-over to display a context menu), hold the Ctrl key. The pointing hand temporarily
turns into a standard arrow and you can perform the event. When the object on which you want to spy
is displayed, release the Ctrl key. The arrow becomes a pointing hand again.

Click the object for which you want to view the associated methods. The Object Spy returns to focus
and displays the object hierarchy tree and the run-time object or test object methods associated with
the object that is selected within the tree.

To view the methods of the test object, click the Test Object Methods radio button. To view the
methods of the run-time object, click the Run-Time Object Methods radio button.

Tip: You can use the Object property to activate the run-time object methods displayed in the Object
Spy.

If you want to view methods for another object within the displayed tree, click the object on the tree.

If you want to copy the syntax of a method to the clipboard, click the method in the list. The syntax is
displayed in the selected method syntax box. Highlight the text in the selected method syntax box and

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use Ctrl + C to copy the text to the clipboard, or right-click the highlighted text and choose Copy from
the menu.

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4.0 Synchronization

4.1 Synchronizing Your Tests

When you run tests, your application may not always respond with the same speed. For example,
it might take a few seconds:

• For a progress bar to reach 100%
• For a button to become enabled
• For a button to become enabled
• For a window or pop-up message to open

You can handle these anticipated timing problems by synchronizing your test to ensure that
QuickTest waits until your application is ready before performing a certain step

4.2 Options to Synchronize Tests
There are several options that you can use to synchronize your test:

• You can insert a synchronization point, which instructs QuickTest to pause the test until an
object property achieves the value you specify.
• You can insert Exist or Wait statements that instruct QuickTest to wait until an object exists or
to wait a specified amount of time before continuing the test.
• You can also increase the default timeout settings in the Test Settings and Options dialog
boxes in order to instruct QuickTest to allow more time for certain events to occur.

4.1.1 4.2.1 Inserting Synchronization Point
• Begin recording your test.
• 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.
If the location you click is associated with more than one object in your application, the Object
Selection – Synchronization Point dialog box opens.

Select the object for which you want to insert a synchronization point, and click OK.
The Add Synchronization Point dialog box opens.

• The Property name list contains the test object properties associated with the object. Select
the Property name you want to use for the synchronization point.

• Enter the property value for which QuickTest should wait before continuing to the next step in
the test.

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• Enter the synchronization point timeout (in milliseconds) after which QuickTest should
continue to the next step, even if the specified property value was not achieved.

• Click OK. A WaitProperty step is added to your test.

For example, if you insert a synchronization point for the Update Order button, it may look

Window("Flights").WinButton("Update Order").WaitProperty "enabled", 1, 3000

4.1.2 4.2.2 Adding Exist and Wait Statements

You can use Exist and/or Wait statements in the Expert View to instruct QuickTest 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.
Example following statement returns whether Flights Table is displayed:
y=Window("Flight Reservation").Dialog("Flights Table").Exist

Wait statements instruct QuickTest to wait a specified amount of time before proceeding to
the next.

Example following statement waits for 10 seconds:
Wait (10)

4.1.3 Global synchronization Settings

Modifying Timeout Values

• To modify the maximum amount of time that QuickTest waits for an object to appear, change
the Object Synchronization Timeout (Test > Settings > Run tab).
• To modify the amount of time that QuickTest waits for a Web page to load, change the
Browser Navigation Timeout (Test > Settings > Web tab).

4.3 Transactions
The time taken by a section of the test to run can be measured by defining Transaction.
A transaction represents the business process that you are interested in measuring. You define
transactions within your test by enclosing the appropriate sections of the test with start and end
transaction statements.

4.3.1 Inserting Transactions

You define the beginning of a transaction in the Start Transaction dialog box.

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To insert a transaction:

• In the test tree, click the step where you want the transaction timing to
begin. The page is displayed in the Active Screen tab.
• Click the Start Transaction button or choose Insert > Start Transaction. The
Start Transaction dialog box opens.

• Enter a meaningful name in the Name box.
• Decide where you want the transaction timing to begin:
To insert a transaction before the current step, select Before current step.
To insert a transaction after the current step, select After current step.
• Click OK. A tree item with the Start Transaction icon is added to the test tree.

4.3.2 Ending Transactions
You define the end of a transaction in the End Transaction dialog box.
To end a transaction:
• In the test tree, click the step where you want the transaction timing to end. The page opens
in the Active Screen.
• Click the End Transaction button or choose Insert > End Transaction. The End Transaction
dialog box opens.

• The Name box contains a list of the transaction names you defined in the
current test. Select the name of the transaction you want to end.
• Decide where to insert the end of the transaction:
To insert a transaction before the current step, select Before current step.
To insert a transaction after the current step, select After current step.
• Click OK. A tree item with the End Transaction icon is added to the test tree.

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5.0 Checkpoints

5.1 About Checkpoints
A checkpoint is a verification point that compares a current value for a specified property with the
expected value for that property. This enables you to identify whether your Web site or application is
functioning correctly.

5.2 Adding Checkpoints to a test
There are several ways to add checkpoints to your tests.

5.2.1 To add checkpoints while recording:
We can add checkpoints while recording the test. Use the commands on the Insert menu, or click the
arrow beside the Insert Checkpoint button on the Test toolbar. This displays a menu of checkpoint
options that are relevant to the selected step in the test tree.

From Menu bar
Use the commands on the Insert menu, or click the arrow beside the Insert Checkpoint button on the
Test toolbar. This displays a menu of checkpoint options that are relevant to the selected step in the
test tree.

5.1.2 To add a checkpoint while editing your test:

5.2.2.1 From Test Tree

Right-click the step in the test tree where you want to add the checkpoint and choose Insert Standard
Checkpoint.

5.2.2.2 From the Active Screen

Right-click any object in the Active Screen and choose Insert Standard Checkpoint. This option can
be used to create checkpoints for any object in the Active Screen (even if the object is not part of any
step in your test tree).

5.3 Types of Checkpoints
A checkpoint is a verification point that compares a current value for a specified property with the
expected value for that property. This enables you to identify whether your Web site or application is
functioning correctly.

5.3.1 QuickTest Professional Checkpoint Types

Checkpoint Type Description
Standard Checkpoint Checks values of an object’s properties
Image Checkpoint Checks the property values of an image
Table Checkpoint Checks information in a table
Page checkpoint Checks the characteristics of a Web page

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Text / Text Area Checks that a text string is displayed in the appropriate place in a
Checkpoint Web page or application window
Bitmap Checkpoint Checks an area of a Web page or application after capturing it as a
bitmap
Database Checkpoint Checks the contents of databases accessed by an application or Web
site
Accessibility Checkpoint Identifies areas of a Web site to check for Section 508 compliancy
XML Checkpoint Checks the data content of XML documents

5.3.2 Creating a Standard Checkpoint

• Click the Insert Checkpoint toolbar button or choose Insert > Checkpoint > Standard
Checkpoint.
• Click the object you want to check. The Select an Object dialog box opens.
• Select the item you want to check from the displayed object tree.
• Click OK. The Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
• Specify the settings for the checkpoint.
• Click OK to close the dialog box.

5.3.3 Creating a Text Checkpoint
• Display the page, window, or screen containing the text you want to check.
• Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Text Checkpoint, or click the arrow next to the Insert
Checkpoint button and Choose Text Checkpoint.
• The QuickTest window is minimized and the mouse pointer turns into a pointing hand.
• Click the text string for which you want to create the checkpoint. If the area you defined is
associated with more than one object, the Object Selection–Text Checkpoint
Properties dialog box opens. Select the required object
• The Text Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens.
• Specify the checkpoint settings.
• Click OK to close the dialog box.

5.4 Use regular expressions

Regular expressions enable QuickTest to identify objects and text strings with varying values.

You can use regular expressions when:
• Defining the property values of an object
• Parameterize a step
• Creating checkpoints with varying values

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For example, if a window titlebar's name changes according to a file name, you can use a
regular expression to identify a window whose titlebar has the specified product name,
followed by a hyphen, and then any other text.
A regular expression is a string that specifies a complex search phrase. By using special characters
such as a period (.), asterisk (*), caret (^), and brackets ([ ]), you can define the conditions of a
search. When one of these special characters is preceded by a backslash (), QuickTest searches for
the literal character.

5.4.1 To define a constant property value as a regular expression:
• Open the Object Properties dialog box for the object either form test tree or from Active
Screen or from Object Repository
• In the Property column, select the property you want to set as a regular expression.
• In the Edit value section, click Constant.
• Click the Edit Constant Value Options button. The Constant Value Options dialog box pens.
• Select the Regular Expression check box.
• In the Value box, enter the regular expression syntax for the string.
• Click OK to close the Constant Value Options dialog box.
• Click OK to save and close the Object Properties

5.4.2 To parameterize a property value using regular expressions:
Covered in Data Driving a Test

5.4.3 To define a regular expression in an object checkpoint:
• Display the page, window, or screen containing the text you want to check.
• Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Text Checkpoint, or click the arrow next to the Insert
Checkpoint button and choose Text Checkpoint.
• Click the text string for which you want to create the checkpoint.
• Select the object for which you are creating the checkpoint. The Text Checkpoint Properties
dialog box opens.
• In the Edit value section, click Constant.
• Click the Edit Constant Value Options button. The Constant Value Options dialog box opens.
• Select the Regular Expression check box.
• In the Value box, enter the regular expression syntax for the string.
• Click OK to close the Constant Value Options dialog box.
• Click OK to save and close Text Checkpoint Properties dialog box.

5.4.4 Common options to create regular expressions.

. 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

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* 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 AlphaNumeric Character Including the Underscore
W Matching Any Non-AlphaNumeric Character

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

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6.0 Creating Tests with Multiple Actions

6.1 Benefits of Test Modularity
• Makes code reusable.
• Scripts are easy to maintain.
• Scripts are efficient.
• Saves development time.

6.2 Creating Tests with Multiple Actions

You can divide your test into multiple actions by creating new actions or by inserting existing actions.
There are three kinds of actions:
• Non-reusable action—an action that can be used only in the test in which it
was created, and only once.

• Reusable action—an action that can be called multiple times by the test in
which it was created (the local test) as well as by other tests.

• External action—a reusable action created in another test. External actions
are read-only in the calling test. They can be modified only in the test in
which they were created.

6.2.1 Creating New Actions

You can add new actions to your test during a recording session or while designing your test.
You can add the action as a top-level action, or you can add the action as a sub-action (or nested
action) of an existing action in your test.

To create a new action in your test:
If you want to insert the action within an existing action, click the step after which you want to insert
the new action.
• Choose Insert > New Action or click the New Action button. The Insert New Action dialog box
opens.
• Type a new action name or accept the default name.
• If you wish, add a description of the action. You can also add an action description at a later
time in the Action Properties dialog box.
• Select Reusable Action if you want to make the action reusable. You can also set or modify
this setting at a later time in the Action Properties dialog box.
• Decide where to insert the action and select At the end of the test or After the current step.
• Click OK.

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A new action is added to your test and is displayed at the bottom of the test tree or after the current
step. You can move your action to another location in your test by dragging it to the desired location.

6.2.2 Inserting Existing Actions
You can insert an existing action by inserting a copy of the action into your test, or by inserting a call
to the original action.

6.2.2.1 Inserting Copies Actions

When you insert a copy of an action into a test, the action is copied in its entirety, including
checkpoints, parameterization, and the corresponding action tab in the Data Table. The action is
inserted into the test as an independent, non-reusable action

Once the action is copied into your test, you can add to, delete from, or modify the action just as you
would with any other recorded action. Any changes you make to this action after you insert it affect
only this action, and changes you make to the original action do not affect the inserted action. You
can insert copies of both reusable and non-reusable actions.

Steps to insert a copy of an action:
• Choose Insert > Copy of Action, right-click the action and select Insert Copy of Action, or
right-click any step and select Action > Insert Copy. The Insert Copy of Action dialog box
opens.
• Type a meaningful name for the action in the New action name box and give action
description
• Specify where to insert the action : At the end of the test or After the current step.
• Click OK. The action is inserted into the test as an independent, nonreusable action.

6.2.2.2 Inserting Call to Actions

You can insert a call (link) to a reusable action that resides in your current test (local action), or in any
other test (external action).

When you insert a call to an external action, the action is inserted in read-only format. You can view
the components of the action in the action tree, but you cannot modify them.
Steps to insert a call to an action:
• Choose Insert > Call to Action, right-click the action and select Insert Call to Action, or right-
click any step and select Action > Insert Call. The Insert Call to Action dialog box opens.
• In the Select an action box, select the action you want to insert from the list.
• Specify where to insert the action : At the end of the test or After the current step.
• Click OK. The action is inserted into the test as a call to the original action

6.2.3 Nesting Actions
Sometimes you may want to run an action within an action. This is called nesting.

Nesting actions Help you maintain the modularity of your test. Enable you to run one action or another
based on the results of a conditional statement.

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6.2.4 Splitting Actions
You can split an existing action into two sibling actions or into parent-child nested actions.
You cannot split an action and the option is disabled
• When an external action is selected
• When the first line of the action is selected
• While recording a test
• While running a test
• When you are working with a read-only test

6.3 Miscellaneous

6.3.1 Setting Action Properties
The Action Properties dialog box enables you to modify an action name, add or modify an action
description, and set an action as reusable.

6.3.2 Sharing Action Information
There are several ways to share or pass values from one action to other actions:
• Store values from one action in the global Data Table and use these values as Data Table
parameters in other actions.
• Set a value from one action as a user-defined environment variable and then use the
environment variable in other actions.
• Add values to a Dictionary object in one action and retrieve the values in other actions.

6.3.3 Exiting an Action
You can add a line in your script in the Expert View to exit an action before it runs in its entirety.
There are four types of exit action statements you can use:
• ExitAction - Exits the current action, regardless of its iteration attributes.
• ExitActionIteration - Exits the current iteration of the action.
• ExitRun - Exits the test, regardless of its iteration attributes.
• ExitGlobalIteration - Exits the current global iteration.

6.3.4 Removing Actions from a Test
We can temove Non-reusable actions, External Actions, Reusable Actions, or Calls to External or
Reusable actions.

6.3.5 Renaming Actions
You can rename actions from the Tree View or from the Expert View.

6.3.6 Action Template
If you want to include one or more statements in every new action in your test, you can create an
action template.

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Steps to create an action template:
• Create a text file containing the comments, function calls, and other statements that you want
to include in your action template.
• Save the text file as ActionTemplate.mst in your <QuickTest Installation Folder>dat folder.

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7.0 Data Driving a Test

7.1 Parameterize
Parameterize tests
You can use the parameter feature in QuickTest to enhance your tests by parameterizing values in
the test. A parameter is a variable that is assigned a value from various data sources or generators.

Two different groups of parameters
• Data Table parameters - parameter is taken from data table.
• Other parameter types - parameter values are taken from random number, external user-
defined file or enviorment variables etc.

7.1.1 Parameterize test Manually

• You can parameterize a step recorded in your test or a checkpoint added to your test.
• You can parameterize steps and checkpoints manually by opening the appropriate dialog
box.
• You can parameterize a step in your test tree while recording or editing your test.
When you parameterize a step, you can parameterize an object property, a method argument, or
both.

7.1.2 DataTable Parameters
You can supply the list of possible values for a parameter by creating a Data Table parameter.

Data Table parameters enable you to create a data-driven test that runs several times using the data
you supply. In each iteration, QuickTest substitutes the constant value with a different value from the
Data Table.

7.1.3 Using Environment Variable Parameters
QuickTest can insert a value from the Environment variable list, which is a list of variables and
corresponding values that can be accessed from your test. Throughout the test run, the value of an
environment variable remains the same, regardless of the number of iterations,

There are three types of environment variables:

7.1.3.1 User-Defined Internal

User defined internal variables are the variables that you define within the test. They are saved
with the test and accessible only within the test in which they were defined.
Steps to add or modify environment variable parameters:

• In the Edit value section of the Object Properties, Object Repository, Method
Arguments, or Checkpoint Properties dialog box, click Other as the type of parameter
you want to use.
• Click the Edit Parameter Options button next to the parameter type box. The Parameter
Options dialog box opens.

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• Select Environment in the Parameter Types box.
• Accept the default name or enter a new name to add a new user-definedinternal
environment parameter, or select an existing environment variable name from the Name
box. If you select an existing internal parameter, you can modify the value.
• If you created a new parameter or selected an existing user-defined-internal parameter,
enter the value for the parameter in the Value box.
• Select the Regular Expression check box if needed and Enter the regular expression
• Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.

7.1.3.2 User-Defined External
User defined external variables are the variable that you pre-defined in the active external
environment variables file. You can create as many files as you want and select an appropriate
file for each test. Note that external environment variable values are designated as read-only
within the test.

To define these variables create an external environment variables file

To select the active external environment-variables file:
• Choose Test > Settings to open the Test Settings dialog box.
• Click the Environment tab.
• Select the Load variables and values from external file (reloaded each test run) check box.
• Use the browse button or enter the full path of the external environment- variables file you
want to use with your test.

7.1.3.2 Build-in

Built-in variables, such as Test path and Operating system. They are accessible from all tests,
and are designated as read-only.

7.2 data-
Create data-driven tests
QuickTest Pro enables you to create and run tests, which are driven by data stored in table.
When you test your application, you may want to check how it performs the same operations with
multiple sets of data. For example, suppose you want to check how your application responds to ten
separate sets of data. You could record ten separate tests, each with its own set of data. Alternatively,
you could create a data-driven test with a loop that runs ten times. In each of the ten iterations, the
test is driven by a different set of data.

7.3 Local and Global Data Tables
Each action also has its own sheet in the Data Table so that you can insert data that applies only to
that action. When there are parameters in the current action’s sheet, you can set QuickTest to run one
or more iterations on that action before continuing with the current global iteration of the test.
The Global sheet contains the data that replaces parameters in each iteration of the test. When you
run your test, QuickTest inserts or outputs a value from or to the current row of the global data sheet
during each global iteration.

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7.3.1 Using the Data Driver to Parameterize Your Test

The Data Driver enables you to quickly parameterize several (or all) objects, methods, and/or
checkpoints containing the same constant value within a given action. Similar to a ‘Find and Replace
All’ operation versus a step-by-step ‘Find and Replace’ process, you can choose to replace all
occurrences of a selected constant value with a parameter. QuickTest can also show you each
occurrence of the constant so that you can decide whether or not to parameterize the value.
To parameterize a value using the Data Driver:
• Display the action you want to parameterize.
• Choose Tools > Data Driver. The Data Driver scans the test for constants (this may take a
few moments) and then the Data Driver opens.
The Data Driver displays the Constants list for the action. For each constant value, it displays
the number of times the constant value appears in the action.
By default, the list displays only the following constants:
The argument value of each Set method
The argument value of each Select method
The value of the second argument (Value) of each SetTOProperty method
• If you want to parameterize a value that is not currently displayed in the list (such as an object
property value), click Add Value. The Add Value dialog box opens.

Enter a constant value in the dialog box and click OK. The constant is added to the list.
• Select the type of parameterization you want to perform:
Step-by-step parameterization—Enables you to view the current values of each step
containing the selected value. For each step, you can choose whether or not to parameterize
the value and if so, which parameterization options you want to use.
Parameterize all—Enables you to parameterize all occurrences of the selected value
throughout the action. You set your parameterization preferences one time and the same
options are applied to all occurrences of the value.
If you selected Step-by-step parameterization, click Next. The Parameterize the Selected
Step screen opens.
If you selected Parameterize all, the Parameter details area is enabled in the Data Driver
main screen. Select your parameterization preferences the same way that you would for an
individual step.
• In the Step to parameterize area, the first step with an object property, method argument, or
checkpoint value containing the selected value is displayed in the test tree on the left. The
parameterization options for the step are displayed on the right.
By default, the value is parameterized as a Data Table variable. Accept the default
parameterization settings or set the parameterization options you want to apply to this step.
Click Next to parameterize the selected step and view the next step
containing the selected value.
Click Skip if you do not want to parameterize the selected step.
Click Finish to apply the parameterization settings of the current step to all
remaining steps containing the selected value.

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• If you clicked Next in the previous step, and steps remain that contain the selected value, the
Parameterize the Selected Step screen opens displaying the next relevant step. Repeat step
previous for each relevant step.
If there are no remaining steps containing the selected value, the Finished screen opens.
• Click Finish. The Data Driver Wizard closes and the Data Driver main screen shows how
many occurrences you selected to parameterize and how many remain as constants.

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8.0 Working with Data Tables

8.1 Introduction
Purpose: Insert data table parameters into the test to run it several times on different sets of data.
Iteration: Run the test on one set of data
Design-Time Data Table: This is the sheet used to store the data for the test, which is displayed at
the bottom of the screen while creating and editing the test. It has the same characteristics of
Microsoft excel spreadsheet that means can insert formulas within the cells.
Run-Time Data Table: This is the sheet created by quick test to hold live version of data table when
you run your test. It is displayed in the Test Results window.

8.2 Working with Global and Action Sheets
There are two types of sheets within the Data Table—Global and Action. You can access
the different sheets by clicking the appropriate tabs below the Data Table.

• Global Sheet data is available to all actions in your test, which is mainly used to pass
parameters from one action to another.

• Action Sheet data available to only one action in your test.
For example, suppose you are creating a test on the sample Mercury Tours Web site. You
might create one action for logging in, another for booking flights, and a third for logging out.
You may want to create a test in which the user logs onto the site once, and then books
flights for five passengers. The data about the passengers is relevant only to the second
action, so it should be stored in the action tab corresponding to that action.

8.3 Editing and Saving Data Table
By default, QuickTest automatically saves the test’s Data Table as an .xls file in the test
folder. You can save the Data Table in another location and instruct the test to use this Data
Table when running a test.

Attach External Data Table: Specify a name and location for the data table in the resources
tab of the test setting dialog box.

Usage:

1. Run the same test with different sets of input values
For example, you can test the localization capabilities of your application by running your test
with a different Data Table file for each language you want to test.
2. The same input information for different tests
For example, you can test a Web version and a standard Windows version of the same
application using different tests, but the same Data Table.
Note: The column names in the external Data Table match the parameter names in the test
and that the sheets in the external Data Table match the actions in the test.
Edit information in the table by typing directly into the table.
Import data into Data Table from Microsoft Excel 95, Excel 97, Excel 2000, tabbed text files
(.txt), or ASCII format by using File Import from File Option.
Note: Microsoft Excel 2002 is not supported.

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8.4 Importing Data from a Database
You can import data from a database by selecting a query from Microsoft Query or by
manually specifying an SQL statement.

To import data from a database:

1. Right-click on the Data Table sheet to which you want to import the data and select Sheet
> Import > from Database. The Database Query Wizard opens.

2. Select your database selection preferences and click Next. You can choose from the
following options:

o Create query using Microsoft Query—Opens Microsoft Query, enabling you to
create a new query. Once you finish defining your query, you exit back to QuickTest.
This option is only available if you have Microsoft Query installed on your computer.

o Specify SQL statement manually—Opens the Specify SQL statement screen in
the wizard, which enables you to specify the connection string and an SQL statement.

o Maximum number of rows—Select this check box and enter the maximum number
of database rows to import. You can specify a maximum of 32,000 rows.

o Show me how to use Microsoft Query—displays an instruction screen before
opening Microsoft Query when you click next. (Enabled only when Create query
using Microsoft Query is selected).

3. If you chose Create query using Microsoft Query in the previous step, Microsoft Query
opens. Choose a data source and define a query.
Specify the connection string and the SQL statement and click Finish.
o Connection string—Enter the connection string or click Create to open the ODBC
Select Data Source dialog box. You can select a .dsn file in the ODBC Select Data
Source dialog box or create a new .dsn file to have it insert the connection string in
the box for you.

o SQL statement—Enter the SQL statement.

4. QuickTest takes several seconds to capture the database query and restore the
QuickTest window. The resulting data from the database query is displayed in the Data
Table.

Note: Contrary to importing an Excel file (File > Import From File), existing data in the Data
Table is not replaced when you import data from a database. If the database you import
contains a column with the same name as an existing column, the database column is added
as a new column with the column name followed by a sequential number. For example, if your
Data Table already contains a column called departures, a database column by the same
name would be inserted into the Data Table as departures1.

Formulas
8.5 Using Formulas in the Data Table
This enables to create contextually relevant data during the test run.

Also formulas can be used as part of a checkpoint to check that objects created on-the-fly
(dynamically generated) or other variable objects in the Web page or application have the
values expected for a given context.

Note: When ever you compare the values, must be of the same type, i.e. integers, strings,
etc.

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To do this, you can use the TEXT and VALUE functions to convert values from one type to
another as follows:

• TEXT(value) returns the textual equivalent of a numeric value, so that, for example,
TEXT(8.2)="8.2".

• VALUE(string) returns the numeric value of a string, so that, for example,
VALUE("8.2")=8.2.

8.6 Using Data Table Scripting Methods
QuickTest provides several Data Table methods that enable you to retrieve information about
the run-time Data Table and to set the value of cells in the run-time Data Table.

From a programming perspective, the Data Table is made up of three types of objects—
DataTable, Sheet (sheet), and Parameter (column). Each object has several methods and
properties that you can use to retrieve or set values.

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9.0 Output and Correlation
9.1 About Outputting Values
An output value is a step in which one or more values are captured at a specific point in your test or
component and stored for the duration of the run session. The values can later be used as input at a
different point in the run session.
You can output the property values of any object. You can also output values from text strings, table
cells, databases, and XML documents.
When you create output value steps, you can determine where the values are stored during the run
session and how they can be used. During the run session, QuickTest retrieves each value at the
specified point and stores it in the specified location. When the value is needed later in the run
session, QuickTest retrieves it from this location and uses it as required.
Output values are stored only for the duration of the run session. When the run session is repeated,
the output values are reset.
Note: You can insert an output value by using commands on the Insert menu or by clicking
the arrow beside the Insert Checkpoint button on the Test toolbar. This displays a
menu of options that are relevant to the selected step in the test tree.

7.1.1 9.1.1 Creating Page Output Values
You can create a page output value from a Web page property value. When you run the test,
QuickTest retrieves the current value of the property and stores it in the run-time Data Table
as an output value.
For example, the number of links on a Web page may vary based on the selections a user
makes on a form on the previous page. You could make an output value to store the number
of links on the page during each test run or iteration.

7.1.2 9.1.2 Creating Text Output Values
You can create a text output value from a text string. When you run the test, QuickTest
retrieves the current value of the text string and enters it in the run-time Data Table as an
output value.
QuickTest allows you to create text output values by adding one of the following to your test:
o Text Output Value—enables you to output the text displayed in a screen or Web page,
according to specified criteria. It is supported for all environments.
o Standard Output Value—enables you to output an object’s text property. This is the
preferred way of outputting the text displayed in many Windows applications.
o Text Area Output Value—enables you to output the text string displayed within a defined
area of a Windows-application screen, according to specified criteria. It is supported for
Standard Windows, Visual Basic, and ActiveX environments.
Note: Text Area output values are only supported by the following operating systems:
Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP.

7.1.3 9.1.3 Creating Standard Output Values
You can create a standard output value from an object property value. When you run the test,
QuickTest retrieves the current value of the property and enters it in the run-time Data Table
as an output value.

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7.1.4 9.1.4 Creating Image Output Values
You can create an image output value from the property value of a Web image. When you run
the test, QuickTest retrieves the current value of the property and enters it in the run-time
Data Table as an output value.

7.1.5 9.1.5 Creating XML Output Values
You can create an XML output value from an element value or attribute of an XML file or Web
page/frame. When you run the test, QuickTest retrieves the current value of the element or
attribute and enters it in the run-time Data Table as an output value.
When you run your test, you can view summary results of the XML output value in the Test
Results window. You can also view detailed results by opening the XML Output Value Results
window.

7.1.6 9.1.6 Creating Table Output Values
You can create a table output value from the contents of a table cell. When you run the test,
QuickTest retrieves the current value of a table cell and enters it in the run-time Data Table as
an output value.

7.1.7 9.1.7 Creating Database Output Values
You can create a database output value from the contents of a database cell. When you run
the test, QuickTest retrieves the current value of a database cell and enters it in the run-time
Data Table as an output value.

9.2 Capture and Reuse Run Time data

7.1.8 9.2.1 Adding a Standard Output Value
You can create a standard output value from an object property value. When you run the test,
QuickTest retrieves the current value of the property and enters it in the run-time Data Table as an
output value.
To create a standard output value while recording:

• Choose Insert > Output Value > Standard Output Value .
The mouse pointer turns into a pointing hand.
• Click the object in your application.
If the location you clicked is associated with more than one object, the Select an Object dialog
box opens.
• Select the object for which you want to specify an output value.
• Click OK.
The Output Value Properties dialog box opens.
• Specify the settings for the output value.
• Click OK to close the Output Value Properties dialog box.
• An output value step is added to your test tree.

7.1.9 9.2.2 Creating Image Output Values
You can create an image output value from the property value of a Web image. When you run the
test, QuickTest retrieves the current value of the property and enters it in the run-time Data Table as
an output value.

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To create an image output value while recording:

• Choose Insert > Output Value > Standard Output Value .
The mouse pointer turns into a pointing hand.
• Click the image.
• If the location you clicked is associated with more than one object, the Select an Object dialog
box opens.
• Select the Image item you want to specify for an output value.
• Click OK.
The Image Output Value Properties dialog box opens.
• Click OK to close the Image Output Value Properties dialog box.
• An output value step is added to your test.

7.1.10 9.2.3 Creating Table Output Values
You can create a table output value from the contents of a table cell. When you run the test,
QuickTest retrieves the current value of a table cell and enters it in the run-time Data Table as an
output value.

To create a table output value while recording:
• Choose Insert > Output Value > Standard Output Value. The mouse pointer turns into a
pointing hand.
• Click the table. If the location you clicked is associated with more than one object, the Select
an Object dialog box opens.
Select a Table item and click OK.
• The Output Value Properties dialog box opens.
• Click OK to close the Output Value Properties dialog box.
• An output value step is added to your test tree.

Example: Consider the following problem for flight reservation application:
Create a new reservation and verify the reservation details.
Hint: you need order number to verify the reservation details.

Steps to solve the problem:
1. Create two actions Create New Order and Open Order.
2. Create an output value for the order number field in Create New Order Action.
3. Parameterize Order Number in Open Order Action.

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10.0 Alternatives to Standard Recording

10.1 Analog Recording

7.1.11 10.1.1 Analog Recording
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, QuickTest 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 produced by dragging the mouse.

7.1.12 10.1.2 Recording in Analog Mode

• Click the Record button to begin recording.

• Click the Analog Recording button or choose Test > Analog Recording. The Analog
Recording Settings dialog box opens.

• Select from the following options:
Record relative to the screen—records mouse movement or keyboard input relative to the
coordinates of your screen, regardless of which application(s) are open.

Record relative to the following window—QuickTest records any mouse movement or
keyboard input relative to the coordinates of the specified window.

• If you choose to Record relative to the following window, click the pointing hand and click
anywhere in the window on which you want to record in analog mode.

• Click Start Analog Record. Perform the operations you want to record in analog mode.

• When you are finished and want to return to normal recording mode, click the Analog
Recording button or choose Test > Analog Recording to turn off the option.

Notes:
When you record in analog mode relative to the screen, the test run will fail if your screen resolution or
the screen location on which you recorded your analog steps has changed from the time you
recorded.
All of your keyboard input, mouse movements, and clicks are recorded and saved in an external file.
When QuickTest runs the test, the external data file is called. It tracks every movement and click of
the mouse to replicate exactly the operations you recorded.

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If you chose to Record relative to the screen, QuickTest inserts the RunAnalog step under a Desktop
parent item.
For example: Desktop.RunAnalog "Track9"

If you chose to Record relative to the following window, QuickTest inserts the RunAnalog step under a
Window parent item. For example:
Window("Microsoft Internet").RunAnalog "Track8"

The track file called by the RunAnalog method contains all your analog data and is stored with the
action.

Tip: To stop an analog step in the middle of a test run, click Ctrl + Esc, then click Stop in the test
toolbar.

Low-
10.2 Low-Level Recording

Enables you to record on any object in your application whether or not QuickTest 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 tests in an environment or on an object not recognized by
QuickTest or if the exact coordinates of the object are important for your test

7.1.13 10.2.1 Recording in Low-Level mode

• Click the Record button to begin a recording session.

• Click the Low Level Recording button or choose Test > Low Level Recording.

• When you are finished and want to return to normal recording mode, click the Low Level
Recording button or choose Test > Low Level Recording to turn off the option.
Notes:
In low-level recording and your entire keyboard input and mouse clicks are recorded based on mouse
coordinates. When test is run, the cursor retraces the recorded clicks.
Suppose you type the word mercury into a user name edit box and then click the Tab key while in
normal recording mode. Your script are displayed as follows:

Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours") .WebEdit("username").Set "mercury"

If you perform the same action while in low-level recording mode, the script is recorded as follows

Window("Microsoft Internet").WinObject("Internet Explorer_Se").Click 29,297
Window("Microsoft Internet").WinObject("Internet Explorer_Se").Type "mercury" + micTab

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10.3 Configuring Web Event Recording
The Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box offers three standard event-configuration levels.
By default, Quick Test uses the Basic recording -configuration level.
If Quick Test does not record all the events you need, you may require a higher event-configuration
level.

Level Description
•Always records click events on standard Web objects such as images, buttons,
Basic and radio buttons.
( Default ) •Always records the submit event within forms.
•Records click events on other objects with a handler or behavior connected.
Records the mouse over event on images and image maps only if the event
following the mouse over is performed on the same object and is dependent on
the mouse over event.
Records click events on the <DIV>, <SPAN>, and <TD> HTML tag objects, in
Medium addition to the objects recorded in the basic level.
Records mouse over, mouse down, and double-click events on objects with
High handlers or behaviors attached, in addition to the objects recorded in the basic
level.

7.1.14 10.3.1 To set Web Event Recording Configuration:

• Choose Tools > Web Event Recording Configuration.
The Web Event Recording Configuration dialog box opens. Use the slider to select your
preferred standard event-recording configuration.

• Click OK.

10.4 Define a Virtual Object
You can teach Quick Test to recognize any area of your application as an object by defining it as a
virtual object.
Virtual objects enable you to record and run tests on objects that are not normally recognized by
Quick Test.
Using the Virtual Object Wizard, you can map a virtual object to a standard object class, specify the
boundaries and the parent of the virtual object, and assign it a logical name.

7.1.15 10.4.1 To define a virtual object:
• With Quick Test open (but not in record mode), open your Web site or application and display
the object containing the area you want to define as a virtual object.

• In Quick Test, choose Tools > Virtual Objects > New Virtual Object. The Virtual Object Wizard
opens. Click Next.

• Select a standard class to which you want to map your virtual object.

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• Click Mark Object.
The Quick Test window and the Virtual Object Wizard are minimized. Use the crosshairs
pointer to mark the area of the virtual object. You can use the arrow keys while holding down
the left mouse button to make precise adjustments to the area you define with the crosshairs.
Click Next.

• Click an object in the object tree to assign it as the parent of the virtual object.

• In the Identify object-using box, select how you want Quick Test to identify and map the virtual
object.

If you want Quick Test to identify all occurrences of the virtual object, select parent only.
Quick Test identifies the virtual object using its direct parent only, regardless of the entire
parent hierarchy.

If you want Quick Test to identify the virtual object in one occurrence only, select entire parent
hierarchy. Quick Test identifies the virtual object only if it has the exact parent hierarchy. Click
Next.

• Specify a name and a collection for the virtual object. Choose from the list of collections or
create a new one by entering a new name in the Collection name box.

• To add the virtual object to the Virtual Object Manager and close the wizard, select No and
then click Finish.

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11.0 Introduction to the Expert View

11.1 Object Model in the Expert View
The Expert View provides an alternative to the Tree View for testers who are familiar with
VBScript. In the Expert View, you can view the recorded test in VBScript and enhance it with
programming.
The Expert View displays the steps you executed while recording your test in VBScript. After you
record your test, you can increase its power and flexibility by adding recordable and non-recordable
VBScript statements. You can add statements that perform operations on objects or retrieve
information from your site. For example, you can add a step that checks that an object exists, or you
can retrieve the return value of a method.

The objects in QuickTest are divided by environment. QuickTest environments include standard
Windows objects, Visual Basic objects, ActiveX objects, Web objects, Multimedia objects, as well as
objects from other environments available as external add-ins.

Most objects have corresponding methods. For example, the Back method is associated with the
Browser object.

In the following example, the user enters mercury in the User Name edit box while recording. The
following line is recorded in the Expert View:

Browser ("Mercury_Tours"). Page ("Mercury_Tours"). WebEdit ("username").Set "mercury"

When running the test, the Set method inserts the mercury text into the WebEdit object.
In the following example, the user selects Paris from the Departure City list box while recording. The
following line is recorded in the Expert View:
Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Find Flights").WebList("depart").Select "Paris"
When the test runs, the Select method selects Paris in the WebList object.

11.2 Using QuickTest Professional’s online books
QuickTest Professional documentation helps you take full advantage of he capabilities of this
powerful, easy-to-use, testing tool.

• QuickTest Professional User’s Guide—provides step-by-step instructions on how to
use QuickTest to test your applications. It describes many useful features, options,
and testing procedures with guidelines and helpful examples.

• QuickTest Professional Installation Guide—explains how to install QuickTest
Professional.

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• QuickTest Professional Tutorial—teaches you basic QuickTest skills and shows you
how to start testing your applications.

• QuickTest Professional Object Model Reference—provides access to the QuickTest
Professional VBScript methods, including a description of each object, a list of the
methods associated with each object, description syntax, and an example of usage
for each object and method.

• QuickTest Professional Shortcut Key Reference Card—provides a list of commands
that you can execute using shortcut keys.

• QuickTest Professional Automation Object Model Reference — (available from the QuickTest
Professional Start menu program folder and from the QuickTest Professional Help menu)
provides syntax, descriptive information, and examples for the automation objects,
methods, and properties. It also contains a detailed overview to help you get started writing
QuickTest automation scripts.

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12.0 Working in the Expert View

12.1 VBScript Language Overview

7.1.16 12.1.1 VBScript Data Types
VBScript has only one data type called a Variant. A Variant is a special kind of data type that can
contain different kinds of information, depending on how it is used.

Subtype Description
Empty Variant is uninitialized. Value is 0 for numeric variables or a zero-length string
("") for string variables.
Null Variant intentionally contains no valid data.
Boolean Contains either True or False.
Byte Contains integer in the range 0 to 255.
Integer Contains integer in the range -32,768 to 32,767.
Currency -922,337,203,685,477.5808 to 922,337,203,685,477.5807.
Long Contains integer in the range -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647.
Single Contains a single-precision, floating-point number in the range -3.402823E38
to -1.401298E-45 for negative values; 1.401298E-45 to 3.402823E38 for
positive values.
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 (Time) Contains a number that represents a date between January 1, 100 to
December 31, 9999.
String Contains a variable-length string that can be up to approximately 2 billion
characters in length.
Object Contains an object.
Error Contains an error number.

7.1.17 12.1.2 VBScript Variables

12.1.2.1 Declaring Variables

You declare variables explicitly in your script using the Dim statement, the Public statement, and the
Private statement.
Variables declared with Dim at the script level are available to all procedures within the script. At the
procedure level, variables are available only within the procedure.
Public statement variables are available to all procedures in all scripts.
Private statement variables are available only to the script in which they are declared.

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12.1.2.2 Variable Naming Restrictions
Variable names follow the standard rules for naming anything in VBScript. A variable name:
Must begin with an alphabetic character.
Cannot contain an embedded period.
Must not exceed 255 characters.
Must be unique in the scope in which it is declared.

12.1.2.3 Scope and Lifetime of Variables
A variable's scope is determined by where you declare it. When you declare a variable within a
procedure, only code within that procedure can access or change the value of that variable. It has
local scope and is a procedure-level variable. If you declare a variable outside a procedure, you make
it recognizable to all the procedures in your script. This is a script-level variable, and it has script-level
scope.
The lifetime of a variable depends on how long it exists. The lifetime of a script-level variable extends
from the time it is declared until the time the script is finished running. At procedure level, a variable
exists only as long as you are in the procedure. When the procedure exits, the variable is destroyed.
Local variables are ideal as temporary storage space when a procedure is executing. You can have
local variables of the same name in several different procedures because each is recognized only by
the procedure in which it is declared.

7.1.18 12.1.3 VBScript Constants
You create user-defined constants in VBScript using the Const statement. Using the Const statement,
you can create string or numeric constants with meaningful names and assign them literal values. For
example:
Const MyString = "This is my string."
Const MyAge = 49

7.1.19 12.1.4 VBScript Operators

12.1.4.1 Arithmetic Operators
Description Symbol
Exponentiation ^
Unary negation -
Multiplication *
Division /
Integer division
Modulus arithmetic Mod
Addition +
Subtraction -
String concatenation &

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12.1.4.2 Comparison Operators
Description Symbol
Equality =
Inequality <>
Less than <
Greater than >
Less than or equal to <=
Greater than or equal to >=
Object equivalence Is

12.1.4.3 Logical Operators
Description Symbol
Logical negation Not
Logical conjunction And
Logical disjunction Or
Logical exclusion Xor
Logical equivalence Eqv
Logical implication Imp

7.1.20 12.1.5 Using Conditional Statements
The following conditional statements are available in VBScript:

12.1.5.1 If...Then...Else statement.
Example:
If value = 0 Then
AlertLabel.ForeColor = vbRed
Else
AlertLabel.Forecolor = vbBlack
End If

12.1.5.2 Select Case statement.
Example:
Select Case strMyText
Case "MasterCard"
DisplayMCLogo
ValidateMCAccount
Case "Visa"
DisplayVisaLogo

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ValidateVisaAccount
Case Else
DisplayUnknownImage
PromptAgain
End Select

7.1.21 12.1.6 Looping Through Code
The following looping statements are available in VBScript:

12.1.6.1 Do...Loop:
Loops while or until a condition is True.
Repeats a block of statements while a condition is True or until a condition becomes True.
Do [{While | Until} condition]
[statements]
[Exit Do]
[statements]
Loop
Or, you can use this syntax:
Do
[statements]
[Exit Do]
[statements]
Loop [{While | Until} condition]

12.1.6.2 While...Wend:
Loops while a condition is True.
Executes a series of statements as long as a given condition is True.
While condition
Version [statements]
Wend

12.1.6.3 For...Next:
Uses a counter to run statements a specified number of times.
Repeats a group of statements a specified number of times.
For counter = start To end [Step step]
[statements]
[Exit For]
[statements]
Next

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For Each...Next: Repeats a group of statements for each item in a collection or each element of an
array.
Repeats a group of statements for each element in an array or collection.
For Each element In group
[statements]
[Exit For]
[statements]
Next [element]

7.1.22 12.1.7 VBScript Procedures

12.1.7.1 Sub Procedures
A Sub procedure is a series of VBScript statements (enclosed by Sub and End Sub statements) that
perform actions but don't return a value.
Example:

Sub ConvertTemp()
temp = InputBox("Please enter the temperature in degrees F.", 1)
MsgBox "The temperature is " & Celsius(temp) & " degrees C."
End Sub

12.1.7.2 Function Procedures
A Function procedure is a series of VBScript statements enclosed by the Function and End Function
statements.
Example:
Function Celsius(fDegrees)
Celsius = (fDegrees - 32) * 5 / 9
End Function
The easiest way to create a test is to begin by recording typical business processes that you
perform on your application or Web site. Then, to increase your test’s power and flexibility,
you can add programming statements to the recorded framework. Programming statements
can contain:

• recordable test object methods: operations that a user can perform on an application
or Web site.

• non-recordable test object methods: operations that users cannot perform on an
application or Web site. You use these methods to retrieve or set information, or to
perform operations triggered by an event.

• run-time methods of the object being tested.

• various VBScript programming commands that affect the way the test runs, such as
conditions and loops. These are often used to control the logical flow of a test.

• supplemental statements, such as comments, to make your test easier to read, and
messages that appear in the test results, to alert you to a specified condition

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Note: Test object methods are defined in QuickTest; run-time methods are
defined within the object you are testing, and therefore are retrieved from them.
You can incorporate decision-making into your test and define messages for the test results
by using the appropriate dialog boxes.

In addition, you can improve the readability of your test using With statements. You can
instruct QuickTest to automatically generate With statements as you record. But even after
your basic test is recorded, you can convert its statements, in the Expert View, to With
statements—by selecting a menu command.

12.2 Working with the Data Table Object

7.1.23 12.2.1 AddSheet Method
Adds the specified sheet to the run-time Data Table

Syntax: DataTable.AddSheet(SheetName)
Example:
Variable=DataTable.AddSheet ("MySheet").AddParameter("Time", "8:00")

7.1.24 12.2.2 DeleteSheet Method
Deletes the specified sheet from the run-time Data Table.
Syntax: DataTable.DeleteSheet SheetID
Example: DataTable.DeleteSheet "MySheet“

7.1.25 12.2.3 Export Method
Saves a copy of the run-time Data Table in the specified location.
Syntax: DataTable.Export(FileName)

Example: DataTable.Export ("C:flights.xls")

7.1.26 12.2.4 ExportSheet Method
Exports a specified sheet of the run-time Data Table to the specified file.
Syntax: DataTable.ExportSheet(FileName, DTSheet)
Example: DataTable.ExportSheet "C:name.xls" ,1

7.1.27 12.2.5 GetCurrentRow Method
Returns the current (active) row in the run-time global data sheet.

7.1.28 12.2.6 GetRowCount Method
Returns the total number of rows in the longest column in the global data sheet or in the specified
data sheet of the run-time Data Table.
Example:
rowcount = DataTable.GetSheet("MySheet").GetRowCount

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7.1.29 12.2.7 GetSheet Method
Returns the specified sheet from the run-time Data Table.

Example:MyParam=DataTable.GetSheet ("MySheet").AddParameter("Time", "8:00")

7.1.30 12.2.8 GetSheetCount Method
Returns the total number of sheets in the run-time Data Table.

7.1.31 12.2.9 Import Method
Imports the specified Microsoft Excel file to the run-time Data Table.
Syntax: DataTable.Import(FileName)
Example: DataTable.Import ("C:flights.xls")

7.1.32 12.2.10 ImportSheet Method
Imports a sheet of a specified file to a specified sheet in the run-time Data Table.
Syntax: DataTable.ImportSheet(FileName, SheetSource,SheetDest)
Example: DataTable.ImportSheet "C:name.xls" ,1 ,"name"

7.1.33 12.2.11 SetCurrentRow Method
Sets the specified row as the current (active) row in the run-time Data Table.
Example: DataTable.SetCurrentRow (2)

7.1.34 12.2.12 SetNextRow Method
Sets the row after the current (active) row as the new current row in the run-time Data
Table.

7.1.35 12.2.13 SetPrevRow Method
Sets the row above the current (active) row as the new current (active) row in the run-time
Data Table.

7.1.36 12.2.14 GlobalSheet Property
Returns the Global sheet of the run-time Data Table.
Example:
DataTable.GlobalSheet.AddParameter "Time", "5:45"

7.1.37 12.2.15 LocalSheet Property
Returns the current (active) local sheet of the run-time Data Table.
Example:
MyParam=DataTable.LocalSheet.AddParameter("Time", "5:45")

7.1.38 12.2.17 RawValue Property
Retrieves the raw value of the cell in the specified parameter and the current row of the run-time
Data Table.

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Syntax: DataTable.RawValue ParameterID [, SheetID]
SheetID can be the sheet name, index or dtLocalSheet, or
dtGlobalSheet.

7.1.39 12.2.18 Value Property
Retrieves or sets the value of the cell in the specified parameter and the current row of the run-time
Data Table.
Syntax:DataTable.Value(ParameterID [, SheetID])

12.3 Working with TextUtil Object.
TextUtil

7.1.40 12.3.1 GetText Method
Returns the text from the specified window handle area.
Syntax
TextUtil.GetText(hWnd [, Left, Top, Right, Bottom])

7.1.41 12.3.2 GetTextLocation Method
Checks whether a specified text string is contained in a specified window area.
Syntax
TextUtil.GetTextLocation(TextToFind, hWnd, Left, Top, Right, Bottom[, MatchWholeWordOnly])

12.4 Working with Reporter Objects

7.1.42 12.4.1 ReportEvent Method
Reports an event to the Test Report.
Syntax
Reporter.ReportEvent EventStatus, ReportStepName, Details [, in]
EventStatus – micPass, micFail, micDone, micWarning

7.1.43 12.4.2 Filter Property
Retrieves or sets the current mode for displaying events in the Test Results.
Syntax
To retrieve mode setting: CurrentMode = Reporter.Filter
To set the mode: Reporter.Filter = NewMode
Mode - 0 or rfEnableAll, 1 or rfEnableErrorsAndWarnings,
2 or rfEnableErrorsOnly, 3 or rfDisableAll

7.1.44 12.4.3 ReportPath Property
Retrieves the folder path in which the current test’s Test Results are stored.
Syntax Path = Reporter.ReportPath

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13.0 Object Recognition and Smart
Identification

13.
13.1 Object Repository Custom Configuration
You use the main screen of the Object Identification dialog box to set mandatory and assistive
recording properties, to select the ordinal identifier, and to specify whether you want to enable the
Smart Identification mechanism for each test object. From the Object Identification dialog box, you
can also define user-defined object classes and map them to Standard Windows object classes, and
you can configure the smart identification mechanism for any object.
To configure mandatory and assistive properties for a test object class:
• Choose Tools > Object Identification. The Object Identification dialog box opens.
• Select the appropriate environment in the Environment list. The test object classes
associated with the selected environment are displayed in the Test object classes list.
• Select the properties you want to include in the Mandatory Properties list and/or clear the
properties you want to remove from the list.
• Enter a valid property in the format attribute/<PropertyName> and click OK. The new property
is added to the Mandatory Properties list. For example, to add a property called MyColor,
• Click OK to close the Add/Remove Properties dialog box. The updated set of mandatory
properties is displayed in the Mandatory Properties list.
• In the Assistive Properties list, click Add/Remove. The Add/Remove Properties dialog box
for assistive properties opens.
• Select the properties you want to include in the assistive properties list and/or clear the
properties you want to remove from the list.
• Enter a valid property in the format attribute/<PropertyName> and click OK. The new property
is added to the Mandatory Properties list. For example, to add a property called MyColor,
• Click OK to close the Add/Remove Properties dialog box. The properties are displayed in the
Assistive Properties list.
• Use the up and down arrows to set your preferred order for the assistive properties. When
you record a test and assistive properties are necessary to create a unique object description,
QuickTest adds the assistive properties to the description one at a time until it has enough
information to create a unique description, according to the order you set in the Assistive
Properties list.

13.
13.2 Introduction to Smart Identification
When QuickTest uses the recorded description to identify an object, it searches for an object that
matches every one of the property values in the description. In most cases, this description is the
simplest way to identify the object and unless the main properties of the object change, this method
will work.
If QuickTest is unable to find any object that matches the recorded object description, or if it finds
more than one object that fits the description, then QuickTest ignores the recorded description, and
uses the Smart Identification mechanism to try to identify the object.
While the Smart Identification mechanism is more complex, it is more flexible, and thus, if configured
logically, a Smart Identification definition can probably help QuickTest identify an object, if it is
present, even when the recorded description fails.

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The Smart Identification mechanism uses two types of properties:

13.2.1 13.2.1 Base filter properties
The most fundamental properties of a particular test object class; those whose values cannot be
changed without changing the essence of the original object. For example, if a Web link’s tag was
changed from <A to any other value, you could no longer call it the same object.

13.2.2 13.2.2 Optional filter properties
Other properties that can help identify objects of a particular class as they are unlikely to change on a
regular basis, but which can be ignored if they are no longer applicable.

13.
13.3 Understanding
Understanding the Smart Identification Process
If QuickTest activates the Smart Identification mechanism during a test run (because it was unable to
identify an object based on its recorded description), it follows the following process to identify the
object:
1. QuickTest “forgets” the recorded test object description and creates a new object candidate
list containing the objects (within the object’s parent object) that match all of the properties
defined in the base filter property list.
2. From that list of objects, QuickTest filters out any object that does not match the first property
listed in the Optional Filter Properties list. The remaining objects become the new object
candidate list.
3. QuickTest evaluates the new object candidate list:
If the new object candidate list still has more than one object, QuickTest uses the new
(smaller) object candidate list to repeat step 2 for the next optional filter property in the list. If
the new object candidate list is empty, QuickTest ignores this optional filter property, returns
to the previous object candidate list, and repeats step 2 for the next optional filter property in
the list. If the object candidate list contains exactly one object, then QuickTest concludes that
it has identified the object and performs the statement containing the object.

4. QuickTest continues the process described in steps 2 and 3 until it either identifies one object,
or runs out of optional filter properties to use.
If, after completing the Smart Identification elimination process, QuickTest still cannot identify
the object, then QuickTest uses the recorded description plus the ordinal identifier to identify
the object

13.
13.4 Smart Identification Configuration
1. Choose Tools > Object Identification. The Object Identification dialog box opens.
2. Select the appropriate environment in the Environment list. The test object classes
associated with the selected environment are displayed in the Test object classes list.
3. Select the test object class you want to configure.

4. Click the Configure button next to the Enable Smart Identification check box. The
Configure button is enabled only when the Enable Smart Identification option is
selected. The Smart Identification Properties dialog box opens.

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5. In the Base Filter Properties list, click Add/Remove. The Add/Remove Properties
dialog box for base filter properties opens.

6. Select the properties you want to include in the Base Filter Properties list and/or
clear the properties you want to remove from the list.

7. Click OK to close the Add/Remove Properties dialog box. The updated set of base
filter properties is displayed in the Base Filter Properties list.

8. In the Optional Filter Properties list, click Add/Remove. The Add/Remove
Properties dialog box for optional filter properties opens.

9. Select the properties you want to include in the Optional Filter Properties list and/or
clear the properties you want to remove from the list.

10. Click OK to close the Add/Remove Properties dialog box. The properties are
displayed in the Optional Filter Properties list.

11. Use the up and down arrows to set your preferred order for the optional filter
properties. When QuickTest uses the Smart Identification mechanism, it checks the
remaining object candidates against the optional properties one-by-one according to
the order you set in the Optional Properties list until it filters the object candidates
down to one object.

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14.0 Enhance Test Cases with Descriptive
Programming

14.
14.1 Interact with Test Objects not stored in the Object
Repository

You can also instruct QuickTest to perform methods on objects without referring to the Object
Repository, without referring to the object’s logical name. To do this, you provide QuickTest with a list
of properties and values that QuickTest can use to identify the object or objects on which you want to
perform a method.
Such a programmatic description can be very useful if you want to perform an operation on an
object that is not stored in the object repository. You can also use programmatic descriptions in order
to perform the same operation on several objects with certain identical properties, or in order to
perform an operation on an object whose properties match a description that you determine
dynamically during the test run.
There are two types of programmatic descriptions.

• You can either list the set of properties and values that describe the object directly in
a test statement,

• or you can add a collection of properties and values to a description object, and then
enter the description object name in the statement.

14.1.1 14.1.1 Entering Programmatic Description Directly into Test
Statements
You can describe an object directly in a test statement by specifying property:=value pairs describing
the object instead of specifying an object’s logical name.
The general syntax is:
TestObject("PropertyName1:=ProperyValue1", "..." , "PropertyNameX:=ProperyValueX")
TestObject—the test object class.
PropertyName:=PropertyValue—the test object property and its value. Each property:=value pair
should be separated by commas and quotation marks.
For Example: Window("Text:=Myfile.txt - Notepad").Move 50, 50
If you want to use the same programmatic description several times in one test, you may want to
assign the object you create to a variable.

For Example:

Set MyWin = Window("Text:=Myfile.txt - Notepad")
MyWin.Move 50, 50

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14.1.2 14.1.2 Using Description Objects for Programmatic
Descriptions
You can use the Description object to return a Properties collection object containing a set of
Property objects. A Property object consists of a property name and value. You can then specify the
returned Properties object in place of a logical name in a test statement.
To create the Properties collection, you enter a Description.Create statement using the following
syntax:
Once you have created a Properties object (such as MyDescription in the example above), you can
enter statements to add, edit, remove, and retrieve properties and values to or from the Properties
object during the test run. This enables you to determine which, and how many properties to include
in the object description in a dynamic way during the test run.
Once you have filled the Properties collection with a set of Property objects (properties and values),
you can specify the Properties object in place of a logical name in a test statement.
Window("Error"). WinButton("text:=OK", "width:=50").Click
You can enter:
MyDescription("text").Value = "OK"
MyDescription("width").Value = 50
Window("Error").WinButton(MyDescription).Click

14.1.3 14.1.3 Retrieving ChildObjects
You can use the ChildObjects method to retrieve all objects located inside a specified parent object,
or only those child objects that fit a certain programmatic description. In order to retrieve this subset of
child objects, you first create a description object and add the set of properties and values that you
want your child object collection to match using the Description object.
Note: You must use the Description object to create the programmatic description for the
ChildObjects description argument. You cannot enter the programmatic description directly into the
argument using the property:=value syntax.
Once you have “built” a description in your description object, use the following syntax to retrieve child
objects that match the description:
Set MySubSet=TestObject.ChildObjects(MyDescription)
For example, the statements below instruct QuickTest to select all of the check boxes on the Itinerary
Web page:
MyDescription("html tag").Value = "INPUT"
MyDescription("type").Value = "checkbox"
Set Checkboxes = Browser("Itinerary").Page("Itinerary").ChildObjects(MyDescription)
NoOfChildObjs = Checkboxes.Count
For Counter=0 to NoOfChildObjs-1
Checkboxes(Counter).Set "ON"
Next

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14.1.4 14.1.4 Using Programmatic Descriptions for the WebElement
Object
The WebElement object enables you to perform methods on Web objects that may not fit into any
other Mercury test object class. The WebElement test object is never recorded, but you can use a
programmatic description with the WebElement object to perform methods on any Web object in your
Web site.
For example, when you run the statement below:
Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").WebElement("Name:=UserName",
"Index:=0").Click
or
set WebObjDesc = Description.Create()
WebObjDesc("Name").Value = "UserName"
WebObjDesc("Index").Value = "0"
Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").WebElement(WebObjDesc).Click
QuickTest clicks on the first Web object in the Mercury Tours page with the name UserName.

14.1.5 14.1.5 Using the Index Property in Programmatic Descriptions
The index property can sometimes be a useful test object property for uniquely identifying an object.
The index test object property identifies an object based on the order in which it appears within the
source code, where the first occurrence is 0.
Note that index property values are object-specific. Thus, if you use an index value of 3 to describe a
WebEdit test object, QuickTest searches for the fourth WebEdit object in the page.
If you use an index value of 3 to describe a WebElement object, however, QuickTest searches for the
fourth Web object on the page regardless of the type, because the WebElement object applies to all
Web objects.
an image with the name “Apple”
an image with the name “UserName”
a WebEdit object with the name “UserName”
an image with the name “Password”
a WebEdit object with the name “Password”
The description below refers to the third item in the list above, as it is the first WebEdit object on the
page with the name UserName.
The following description, however, refers to the second item in the list above, as that is the first
object of any type (WebElement) with the name UserName.

14.
14.2 run-
Access Dynamic Objects during run-time

14.2.1 14.2.1 Retrieving Run-Time Object Properties
You can use the Object property to access the native properties of any run-time object. For example,
you can retrieve the current value of the ActiveX calendar’s internal Day property as follows:
Dim MyDay

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Set MyDay=Browser("index").Page("Untitled").ActiveX("MSCAL.Calendar.7").Object.Day

14.2.2 14.2.2 Activating Run-Time Object Methods
You can use the Object property to activate the internal methods of any run-time object. For example,
you can activate the edit box’s native focus method as follows:

Dim MyWebEdit
Set MyWebEdit=Browser("Mercury Tours").Page("Mercury Tours").WebEdit("username").Object
MyWebEdit.focus

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15.
15.0 User-
Enhance Test Cases with User-Defined
Functions

15.
15.1 Utilize external Windows API functions in Test Cases

15.1.1 15.1.1 Extern Object
Enables you to declare calls to external procedures from an external dynamic-link library(DLL)

Associated Methods

• Declare Method : Declares references to external procedures in a dynamic-link
library (DLL).

Once you use the Declare method for a method, you can use the Extern object to call
the declared method.
Syntax
Extern.Declare(RetType, MethodName, LibName, Alias [, ArgType(s)])

RetType String Data type of the value returned by the method.

MethodName String Any valid procedure name.

Name of the DLL or code resource that contains the declared
LibName String
procedure.

Name of the procedure in the DLL or code resource.
Alias String Note: DLL entry points are case sensitive.
Note: If Alias is an empty string, MethodName is used as the Alias.

A list of data types representing the data types of the arguments that
ArgType(s) String are passed to the procedure when it is called. Note: For out
arguments, use the micByRef flag.

Declare Data Types
The following data types can be used for the Extern.Declare RetType and ArgType(s)
arguments.

Type Description

micVoid =0 ; void (RetType only)

micInteger =2 ; int

micLong =3 ; long

micFloat =4 ; float

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micDouble =5 ; double

micString =8 ; CHAR*

micDispatch =9 ; IDispatch*

micWideString =18 ; WChar*

micChar =19 ; char

micUnknown =20 ; IUnknown

micHwnd =21 ; HWND

micVPtr =22 ; void*

micShort =23 ; short

micWord =24 ; WORD

micDWord =25; DWORD

micByte =26 ; BYTE

micWParam =27 ; WPARAM

micLParam =28 ; LPARAM

micLResult =29 ; LRESULT

micByRef =0X4000 ; out

micUnsigned =0X8000 ; unsigned

micUChar =micChar|micUnsigned ; unsigned char

micULong =micLong|micUnsigned ; ; unsigned long

micUShort =micShort|micUnsigned ; ; unsigned short

micUInteger =micInteger|micUnsigned ; ; unsigned int

Example
The following example uses the Extern.Declare and Extern.<declared method>methods to change the
title of the Notepad window.

'Declare FindWindow method
Extern.Declare micHwnd, "FindWindow", "user32.dll", "FindWindowA", micString, micString

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'Declare SetWindowText method
Extern.Declare micLong, "SetWindowText", "user32.dll", "SetWindowTextA", micHwnd, micString

'Get HWND of the Notepad window
hwnd = Extern.FindWindow("Notepad", vbNullString)

if hwnd = 0 then
MsgBox "Notepad window not found"
end if

'Change the title of the notepad window
res = Extern.SetWindowText(hwnd, "Textpad")

15.
15.2 user-
Create QuickTest user-defined functions
In addition to the test objects, methods, and functions supported by the QuickTest Test Object
Model, you can define your own VBScript functions subroutines, classes, modules, etc., and
then call them from your test.

Vbscript function libraries can be wriiten in any text editor. We have to save the file with .vbs
extension.Syntax for writing vbscript function in vbscript file is as follows.
[Public [Default] | Private] Function name [(arglist)]
[statements]
[name = expression]
[Exit Function]
[statements]
[name = expression]
End Function

Arguments

Public Indicates that the Function procedure is accessible to all other procedures in all scripts.

Default Used only with the Public keyword in a Class block to indicate that the Function
procedure is the default method for the class. An error occurs if more than one Default
procedure is specified in a class.

Private Indicates that the Function procedure is accessible only to other procedures in the script
where it is declared or if the function is a member of a class, and that the Function
procedure is accessible only to other procedures in that class.

name Name of the Function; follows standard variable naming conventions.

arglist List of variables representing arguments that are passed to the Function procedure
when it is called. Commas separate multiple variables.

statements Any group of statements to be executed within the body of the Function procedure.

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expression Return value of the Function.

The arglist argument has the following syntax and parts:
[ByVal | ByRef] varname[( )]

Arguments

ByVal Indicates that the argument is passed by value.

ByRef Indicates that the argument is passed by reference.

varname Name of the variable representing the argument; follows standard variable naming
conventions.

You can call these user defined functions from QuickTest as follows:
• Specify the default library files for all new tests in the Test Settings dialog box (Test >
Settings > Resources tab).
• call a function contained in a VBScript file directly from any action using the ExecuteFile
function.

To execute an externally-defined function:
• Create a VBScript file using standard VBScript syntax
• Store the file in any folder that you can access from the machine running your test.
• Add an ExecuteFile statement to an action in your test or in an associated library file using
the following syntax:
ExecuteFile FileName
where FileName is the absolute or relative path of your VBScript file.
• Use the functions, subroutines, classes, etc., from the specified VBScript file as necessary in
your action or within other functions in an associated library file.

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16.
16.0 Database Verification

16.
16.1 Review of database concepts

A relational database is a structured collection of information that is related to a particular subject or
purpose, such as an inventory database or a human resources database. You use databases to
manage information. Information, such as product name, cost, and on-hand inventory, is stored in a
database.

Within the database, you organize the data into storage containers called tables. Tables are made up
of columns and rows. Columns represent individual fields in a table. Rows represent records of data in
a table.
Each field in the table contains one piece of information. In an employee table, for example, one
column contains the employee name, another contains the employee phone number, and the
address, city, state, zip, and salary are all stored in their own columns. Each record represents one
set of related information. For example, an employee table might store information about one
employee per row. The number of rows in a table represents the total number of table records.

16.1.1 Understanding relational tables
In a database, you can organize data in multiple tables. For example, if you manage a database for
the Human Resource department, you might have one table that lists all the employees information
and another table that lists all the departments:

Because you have multiple departments for employees, but you would not store the information
about the departments in every employee row for several reasons:

• The department information is the same for each employee in a given department, however,
repeating the department information for each employee is redundant. Storing redundant data
takes up more disk space.

• If the department information changes, you can update one occurrence. All references to that
department are updated automatically.

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Storing multiple occurrences of the same data is rarely a good thing. Good relational database
design separates application entities into their own tables. Key values from one table are often
stored in a related table rather than repeating the information. The key value is used to join the data
between the tables to return the complete set of data required.

16.1.2 About SQL
SQL (Structured Query Language) is a language that lets you communicate with databases. For
example, you can use SQL to retrieve data from a database, add data to a database, delete or
update records in a database, change columns in multiple rows, add columns to tables, and add and
delete tables.

16.1.3 Using SQL to interact with a database
Unlike other computer languages, SQL is made up of a small number of language elements that let
you interact efficiently with a database. Some of the more frequently used elements include these
SQL commands:

Command Description

SELECT Use to retrieve (query) information in a database.

INSERT Use to add records to a database.

UPDATE Use to update information in a database.

DELETE Use to delete information in a database.

16.1.4 Connection String
For connecting to database we must provide the information to connect to the database. There are
two ways to provide this information.

The first way is through the use of a System DSN. A System DSN is a file containing
information about a particular database. This information includes the physical location of the
database on the computer, what type of database it is (SQL, Access, etc.), and other
pertinent information. (DSN stands for Data Source Name)

the other way is to use what is called a DSN-less connection. This approach uglies up your
connection string a bit, because you need to supply all of the important information in the
connection string, since there isn't a DSN which holds that information. Access databases are
the ones that typically use DSN-less connections.

Here is an example of a DSN-less connection string.

objConn.ConnectionString = "DBQ=C:WebShareMyDatabase.mdb;DRIVER={MS
Access (*.mdb)}"

In QuickTest proYou can use database checkpoints in your test to check databases accessed by your
Web site or application and to detect defects. You define a query on your database, and then you
create a database checkpoint that checks the results of the query.

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There are two ways to define a database query:

Use Microsoft Query. You can install Microsoft Query from the custom installation of Microsoft Office.

Manually define an SQL statement.
In QuickTest, you create a database checkpoint based on the results of the query you defined on a
database. QuickTest captures the current information about the database and saves this information
as expected data. A database checkpoint is inserted into the test script. This checkpoint is displayed
in your test script as a DbTable.Check CheckPoint statement .

When you run the test, the database checkpoint compares the current state of the database to the
expected data defined in the Checkpoint Properties dialog box. If the expected data and the current
results do not match, the database checkpoint fails.

16.
16.2 How to add a database checkpoint in QuickTest

You can define the query for your checkpoint using Microsoft Query or by manually entering a
database connection and SQL statement.

To create a database checkpoint:

1 Choose Insert > Checkpoint > Database Checkpoint. The Database Query Wizard opens.

2 Select your database selection preferences and click Next. You can choose from the following
options:

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Create query using Microsoft Query—Opens Microsoft Query, enabling you to create a
new query. Once you finish defining your query, you return to QuickTest. This option is
available only if you have Microsoft Query installed on your computer.

Specify SQL statement manually—Opens the Specify SQL statement screen in the
wizard, which enables you to specify the connection string and an SQL statement. For
additional information, see step 3.

Maximum number of rows—Select this check box if you would like to limit the number of
rows and enter the maximum number of database rows to check. You can specify a maximum
of 32,000 rows.

Show me how to use Microsoft Query—Displays an instruction screen when you click Next
before opening Microsoft Query. (Enabled only when Create query using Microsoft Query
is selected).

3 If you chose Create query using Microsoft Query in the previous step, Microsoft Query opens.
Choose a data source and define a query. If you chose Specify SQL statement in the previous step,
the Specify SQL statement screen opens. Specify the connection string and the SQL statement, and
click Finish.

4 The Checkpoint Properties dialog box opens. Select the checks to perform on the result set. You
can also modify the expected data in the result set.

5 Click OK to close the dialog box. A checkpoint statement is added for the selected object in the
Keyword View and Expert View.

1.3 Specifying SQL Statements

You can manually specify the database connection string and the SQL statement.

1.3.1 To specify SQL statements:

1 Choose Specify SQL statement in the Database Query Wizard screen. The following screen
opens:

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2 Specify the connection string and the SQL statement, and click Finish.

Connection string—Enter the connection string, or click Create to open the ODBC Select
Data Source dialog box. You can select a .dsn file in the ODBC Select Data Source dialog
box or create a new .dsn file to have the Database Query Wizard insert the connection string
in the box for you.

SQL statement—Enter the SQL statement. QuickTest takes several seconds to capture the
database query and restore the QuickTest window.

3 Return to step 4 in the previous procedure to continue creating your database checkpoint in
QuickTest.

1.4 Creating a Query in Microsoft Query

You can use Microsoft Query to choose a data source and define a query within the data source.

1.4.1 To choose a data source and define a query in Microsoft Query:

1 When Microsoft Query opens during the insert database checkpoint process, choose a new or an
existing data source.

2 Define a query.

3 When you are done, in the Finish screen of the Query Wizard, select Exit and return to QuickTest
Professional and click Finish to exit Microsoft Query. Alternatively, click View data or edit query in
Microsoft Query and click Finish. After viewing or editing the data, choose

File > Exit and return to QuickTest Professional to close Microsoft Query and return to QuickTest.

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4 Return to step 4 on above page to continue creating your database checkpoint in QuickTest.

1.5 Understanding the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box

The Table/Database Checkpoint Properties dialog box enables you to specify which cell contents of
your table or database to check and which verification method and type to use. You can also edit or
parameterize the expected data for the cells included in the check.

The top part of the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties dialog box displays the data that was
captured for the checkpoint. You use this area to specify which cells you want to check.

Below the expected data, the Database Checkpoint dialog box contains the following three tabs:

Expected Data—Enables you to set each checked cell as a constant or parameterized value.
For example, you can instruct QuickTest to use a value from the Data Table as the expected
value for a particular cell.

Settings—Enables you to set the criteria for a successful match between the expected and
actual values. For example, you can instruct QuickTest to treat the value as a number so that
45 or 45.00 are treated as the same value, or you can instruct QuickTest to ignore spaces
when comparing the values.

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Cell Identification—Enables you to instruct QuickTest how to locate the cells to be checked.
For example, suppose you want to check the data that is displayed in the first row and second
column in the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties dialog box. However, you know that
each time you run your test or component, it is possible that the rows may be in a different
order, depending on the sorting that was performed in a previous step. Therefore, rather than
finding the data based on row and column numbers, you may want QuickTest to identify the
cell based on the column name and the row containing a known value in a key column.

The bottom part of the Table/Database Checkpoint Properties dialog box contains the following
options:

Checkpoint timeout—Specifies the time interval (in seconds) during which QuickTest
attempts to perform the checkpoint successfully. QuickTest continues to perform the
checkpoint until it passes or until the timeout occurs. If the checkpoint does not pass before
the timeout occurs, the checkpoint fails.

For example, suppose it takes some time for data to load in a table. Increasing the checkpoint timeout
value in this case can ensure that the data has sufficient time to load and therefore enables the
checkpoint to pass before the end of the timeout period is reached.

You can see information about the checkpoint timeout, including the time interval used by QuickTest
to perform the checkpoint, in the Test Results window.

Note: The Checkpoint timeout option is available only when creating a table checkpoint. It is not
available when creating a database checkpoint.

Insert statement—Specifies when to perform the checkpoint in the test or component.
Choose Before current step if you want to check the table or database content before the
highlighted step is performed. Choose After current step if you want to check the table or
database content after the highlighted step is performed.

Note: The Insert statement option is not available when adding a checkpoint during recording or
when modifying an existing checkpoint. It is available when adding a new checkpoint to an existing
test or component.

1.6 Modifying a Database Checkpoint

You can make the following changes to an existing database checkpoint:

Modify the SQL query definition.
Modify the expected data, verification type, or method.

1.6.1 To modify the SQL query definition:

1 In the Keyword View, right-click the database object that you want to
modify.

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2 Select Object Properties.

3 Modify the SQL and connection string properties as necessary and click OK.

1.6.2 To modify the expected data in a database checkpoint:

1 In the Keyword View or Expert View, right-click the database checkpoint

Modify the settings as described “Understanding the Table/Database
Checkpoint Properties Dialog Box” above.

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17.
17.0 Recovery Manager and Scenarios

You can instruct QuickTest to recover from unexpected events and errors that occur in your testing
environment during a run session.

This section describes:

About Defining and Using Recovery Scenarios
Deciding When to Use Recovery Scenarios
Defining Recovery Scenarios
Understanding the Recovery Scenario Wizard
Setting the Recovery Scenarios List for Your Tests or Components

2.1 About Defining and Using Recovery Scenarios

Unexpected events, errors, and application crashes during a run session can disrupt your run session
and distort results. This is a problem particularly when running tests or components unattended—the
test or component is suspended until you perform the operation needed to recover.

The Recovery Scenario Manager provides a wizard that guides you through the process of defining a
recovery scenario—a definition of an unexpected event and the operation(s) necessary to recover the
run session. For example, you can instruct QuickTest to detect a Printer out of paper message and
recover the run session by clicking the OK button to close the
message an continue the test or component.

A recovery scenario consists of the following:

Trigger Event—The event that interrupts your run session. For example, a window that may
pop up on screen, or a QuickTest run error.
Recovery Operation(s)—The operation(s) that need to be performed in order to continue
running the test or component. For example, clicking an OK button in a pop-up window, or
restarting Microsoft Windows.
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. For example, you may want to restart a test or component
from the beginning, or skip a step entirely and continue with the next step in the test or
component.

Recovery scenarios are saved in recovery scenario files. A recovery scenario file is a logical collection
of recovery scenarios, grouped according to your own specific requirements.
To instruct QuickTest to perform a recovery scenario during a run session, you must first associate it
with that test or component. A test or component can have any number of recovery scenarios

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associated with it. You can prioritize the scenarios associated with your test or component to ensure
that trigger events are recognized and handled in the required order.
When you run a test or component for which you have defined recovery scenarios and an error
occurs, QuickTest looks for the defined trigger event(s) that caused the error. If a trigger event has
occurred, QuickTest performs the corresponding recovery and post-recovery operations.

You can also control and activate your recovery scenarios during the run session by inserting
Recovery statements into your test or component.

Note: If you choose On error in the Activate recovery scenarios box in the Recovery tab of the Test
Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings dialog box, the recovery mechanism does not
handle triggers that occur in the last step of a test or component. If you chose this option and need to
recover from an unexpected event or error that may occur in the last step of
a test or component, you can do this by adding an extra step to the end of your test or component.

2.2 Deciding When to Use Recovery Scenarios

If you can predict that a certain event may happen at a specific point in your test or component, it is
highly recommended to handle that event directly within your test or component by adding steps such
as If statements or optional steps, rather than depending on a recovery scenario. For
example, if you know that an Overwrite File message box may open when a Save button is clicked
during a run session, you can handle this event with an If statement that clicks OK if the message box
opens or by adding an optional step that clicks OK in the message box. Handling an event directly
within your test enables you to handle errors more specifically than
recovery scenarios, which by nature are designed to handle a more generic set of unpredictable
events. It also enables you to control the timing of the corrective operation with minimal resource
usage and maximum performance. By default, recovery operations are activated only occur after a
step returns an error, which can potentially occur several steps after the one that actually caused the
error. The alternative, checking for trigger events after every step, may slow performance.

You should use recovery scenarios only for unpredictable events, or events that you cannot
synchronize with a specific step in your test or component. For example, a recovery scenario can
handle a printer error by clicking the default button in the Printer Error message box. You cannot
handle this error directly in your test or component, since you cannot know at what point the network
will return the printer error. You could try to handle this event in your test or component by adding an
If statement immediately after the step that sent a file to the printer, but if the network takes time to
return the printer error, your test or component may have progressed several steps before the error is
displayed. Therefore, for this type of event, only a
recovery scenario can handle it.

2.3 Defining Recovery Scenarios

The Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box enables you to create recovery scenarios and save them
in recovery files. You create recovery scenarios using the Recovery Scenario Wizard, which leads you
through the process of defining each of the stages of the recovery scenario. You then save the
recovery scenarios in a recovery file, and associate them with specific tests or
components.

2.3.1 Creating a Recovery File

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You save your recovery scenarios in a recovery file. A recovery file is a convenient way to organize
and store multiple recovery scenarios together. You can create a new recovery file or edit an existing
one.

To create a recovery file:

1 Choose Tools > Recovery Scenario Manager. The Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box opens.

2 By default, the Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box opens with a new recovery file. You can
either use this new file, or click the Open button to choose an existing recovery file. Alternatively, you
can click the arrow next to the Open button to select a recently-used recovery file from the list. You
can now create recovery scenarios using the Recovery Scenario Wizard and save them in your
recovery file, as described in the following sections.

2.3.2 Understanding the Recovery Scenario Manager Dialog Box

The Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box enables you to create and edit recovery files, and create
and manage recovery scenarios. The Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box displays the name of
the currently open recovery file, a list of the scenario(s) saved in the recovery file, and a description of
each scenario.

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2.4 Understanding the Recovery Scenario Wizard

The Recovery Scenario Wizard leads you, step-by-step, through the process of creating a recovery
scenario. The Recovery Scenario Wizard contains five main steps:

defining the trigger event that interrupts the run session
specifying the recovery operation(s) required to continue
choosing a post-recovery test run operation
specifying a name and description for the recovery scenario
specifying whether to associate the recovery scenario to the current test and/or to all new
tests

You open the Recovery Scenario Wizard by clicking the New Scenario button in the Recovery
Scenario Manager dialog box. Welcome to the Recovery Scenario Wizard Screen The
Welcome to the Recovery Scenario Wizard screen provides general information about the different
options in the Recovery Scenario Wizard, and provides an overview of the stages involved in defining
a recovery scenario.

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Click Next to continue to the Select Trigger Event screen.

2.4.1 Select Trigger Event Screen

The Select Trigger Event screen enables you to define the event type that triggers the recovery
scenario, and the way in which QuickTest recognizes the event.

Select a type of trigger and click Next. The next screen displayed in the wizard depends on which of
the following trigger types you select:

Pop-up window—QuickTest detects a pop-up window and identifies it according to the
window title and textual content. For example, a message box may open during a run
session, indicating that the printer is out of paper. QuickTest can detect this window and
activate a defined recovery scenario in order to continue the run session. Select this option
and click Next to continue to the Specify Pop-up Window Conditions screen.

Object state—QuickTest detects a specific test object state and identifies it according to its
property values and the property values of all its ancestors. Part III • Creating Tests 418 Note
that an object is identified only by its property values, and not by its class. For example, a

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specific button in a dialog box may be disabled when a specific process is open. QuickTest
can detect the object property state of the button that occurs when this problematic process is
open and activate a defined recovery scenario to close the process and continue the run
session. Select this option and click Next to continue to the Select Object screen.

Test run error—QuickTest detects a run error and identifies it by a failed return value from a
method. For example, QuickTest may not be able to identify a menu item specified in the
method argument, due to the fact that the menu item is not available at a specific point during
the run session. QuickTest can detect this run error and activate a defined recovery scenario
in order to continue the run session. Select this option and click Next to continue to the Select
Test Run Error screen.

Application crash—QuickTest detects an application crash and identifies it according to a
predefined list of applications. For example, a secondary application may crash when a
certain step is performed in the run session. You want to be sure that the run session does
not fail because of this crash, which may indicate a different problem with your application.
QuickTest can detect this applicaion crash and activate a defined recovery scenario to
continue the run session. Select this option and click Next to continue to the Recovery
Operations screen.

Notes: The set of recovery operations is performed for each occurrence of the trigger event criteria.
For example, suppose you define a specific object state, and two objects match this state, the set of
replay operations is performed two times, once for each object that matches the specified state. The
recovery mechanism does not handle triggers that occur in the last step
of a test or component. If you need to recover from an unexpected event or error that may occur in the
last step of a test or component, you can do this by adding an extra step to the end of your test or
component.

2.4.1.1 Specify Pop-up Window Conditions Screen

If you chose a Pop-up window trigger in the Select Trigger Event screen, the Specify Pop-up
Window Conditions screen opens.

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Click the pointing hand and then click the pop-up window to capture the window title and textual
content of the window.

Tip: Hold the CTRL key to change the window focus or perform operations such as a right-click or
mouseover to display a context menu. Note that pressing the CTRL key does not enable you to select
an application from the Windows taskbar, therefore you must make sure that the window you want to
access is not minimized. You can choose whether you want to identify the pop-up window according
to its Window title and/or Window text. You can also use regular expressions
in the window title or textual content by selecting the relevant Regular expression check box and
then entering the regular expression in the relevant location. Click Next to continue to the Recovery
Operations screen.

2.4.1.2 Select Object Screen

If you chose an Object state trigger in the Select Trigger Event screen, the Select Object screen
opens.

Click the pointing hand and then click the object whose properties you
want to specify.

access is not minimized.

If the location you click is associated with more than one object, the Object Selection–Object State
Trigger dialog box opens.

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Select the object whose properties you want to specify and click OK. The selected object and its
parents are displayed in the Select Object screen.

Note: The hierarchical object selection tree also enables you to select an object that QuickTest would
not ordinarily record (a non-parent object), such as a web table. Click Next to continue to the Set
Object Propertie s and Values screen.

2.4.1.3 Set Object Properties and Values Screen

After you select the object whose properties you want to specify in the Select Object screen, the Set
Object Properties and Values screen opens.

For each object in the hierarchy, in the Edit property value box, you can modify the property values
used to identify the object. You can also click the Add/Remove button to add or remove object
properties from the list of property values to check. Note that an object is identified only by its property
values, and not by its class.

Select the Regular expression check box if you want to use regular expressions in the property
value. Click Next to continue to the Recovery Operations screen.

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2.4.1.4 Select Test Run Error Screen

If you chose a Test run error trigger in the Select Trigger Event screen, the Select Test Run Error
screen opens.

In the Error list, choose the run error that you want to use as the trigger
event:
Any error—Any error code that is returned by a step.
Item in list or menu is not unique—Occurs when more than one item in the list, menu, or
tree has the name specified in the method argument.
Item in list or menu not found—Occurs when QuickTest cannot identify the list, menu, or
tree item specified in the method argument. This may be due to the fact that the item is not
currently available or that its name has changed.
More than one object responds to the physical description—Occurs when more than one
object in your application has the same property values as those specified in the test object
description for the object specified in the step.
Object is disabled—Occurs when QuickTest cannot perform the step because the object
specified in the step is currently disabled.
Object not found—Occurs when no object within the specified parent object matches the
test object description for the object.
Object not visible—Occurs when QuickTest cannot perform the step because the object
specified in the step is not currently visible on the screen. Click Next to continue to the
Recovery Operations screen.

2.4.1.5 Select Processes Screen

If you chose an Application crash trigger in the Select Trigger Event screen, the Select Processes
screen opens.

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The Running processes list displays all application processes that are currently running. The
Processes list displays the application processes that will trigger the recovery scenario if they crash.

You can add application processes to the Processes list by typing them in the Processes list or by
selecting them from the Running processes list.

To add a process from the Running processes list, double-click a process in the Running
processes list or select it and click the Add button. You can select multiple processes using standard
Windows multiple selection techniques (CTRL and SHIFT keys).

To add a process directly to the Processes list, click the Add New Process button to enter the name
of any process you want to add to the list. To remove a process from the Processes list, select it and
click the Remove Process button.

Tip: You can modify the name of a process by selecting it in the Processes list and clicking the
process name to edit it.


2.4.2 Recovery Operations Screen

The Recovery Operations screen enables you to manage the collection of recovery operations in the
recovery scenario. Recovery operations are operations that QuickTest performs sequentially when it
recognizes the trigger event.

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You must define at least one recovery operation. To define a recovery operation and add it to the
Recovery operations list, click Next to continue to the Recovery Operation screen.

If you define two or more recovery operations, you can select a recovery operation and use the Move
Up or Move Down buttons to change the order in which QuickTest performs the recovery operations.
You can also select a recovery operation and click the Remove button to delete a recovery
operation from the recovery scenario.

Note: If you define a Restart Microsoft Windows recovery operation, it is always inserted as the last
recovery operation, and you cannot change its position in the list.

After you have defined at least one recovery operation, the Add another recovery operation check
box is displayed.

Select the check box and click Next to define another recovery operation.
Clear the check box and click Next to continue to the Post-Recovery Test Run Options
screen.

2.4.2.1 Recovery Operation Screen

The Recovery Operation screen enables you to specify the operation(s) QuickTest performs after it
detects the trigger event.

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Select a type of recovery operation and click Next. The next screen displayed in the wizard depends
on which recovery operation type you select.

You can define the following types of recovery operations:

Keyboard or mouse operation—QuickTest simulates a click on a button in a window or a
press of a keyboard key. Select this option and click Next to continue to the Recovery
Operation – Click Button or Press Key screen.
Close application process—QuickTest closes specified processes. Select this option and
click Next to continue to the Recovery Operation – Close Processes screen.
Function call—QuickTest calls a VBScript function. Select this option and click Next to
continue to the Recovery Operation – Function screen.
Restart Microsoft Windows—QuickTest restarts Microsoft Windows. Select this option and
click Next to continue to the Recovery Operations screen.

Note: If you use the Restart Microsoft Windows recovery operation, you must ensure that any test or
component associated with this recovery scenario is saved before you run it. You must also configure
the computer on which the test or component is run to auto login on restart.

2.4.2.2 Recovery Operation – Click Button or Press Key Screen

If you chose a Keyboard or mouse operation recovery operation in the Recovery Operation screen,
the Recovery Operation – Click Button or Press Key screen opens.

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Specify the keyboard or mouse operation that you want QuickTest to perform when it detects the
trigger event:
Click Default button / Press the ENTER key—Instructs QuickTest to click the default button
or press the ENTER key in the displayed window when the trigger occurs.
Click Cancel button / Press the ESCAPE key—Instructs QuickTest to click the Cancel
button or press the ESCAPE key in the displayed window when the trigger occurs.
Click button with label—Instructs QuickTest to click the button with the specified label in the
displayed window when the trigger occurs. If you select this option, click the pointing hand
and then click anywhere in the trigger window.

access is not minimized.

All button labels in the selected window are displayed in the list box. Select the required button from
the list.
Press key or key combination—Instructs QuickTest to press the specified keyboard key or
key combination in the displayed window when the trigger occurs. If you select this option,
click in the edit box and then press the key or key combination on your keyboard that you
want to specify. Click Next. The Recovery Operations screen reopens, showing the keyboard
or mouse recovery operation that you defined.

2.4.2.3 Recovery Operation – Close Processes Screen

If you chose a Close application process recovery operation in the Recovery Operation screen, the
Recovery Operation – Close Processes screen opens.

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The Running processes list displays all application processes that are currently running. The
Processes to close list displays the application processes that will be closed when the trigger is
activated. You can add application processes to the Processes to close list by typing them in the
Processes to close list or by selecting them from the Running
processes list.

To add a process from the Running processes list, double-click a process in the Running
processes list or select it and click the Add button. You can select multiple processes using standard
Windows multiple selection techniques (CTRL and SHIFT keys).

To add a process directly to the Processes to close list, click the Add New Process button to enter
the name of any process you want to add to the list. To remove a process from the Processes to
close list, select it and click the Remove Process button.

Tip: You can modify the name of a process by selecting it in the Processes to close list and clicking
the process name to edit it. Click Next. The Recovery Operations screen reopens, showing the close
processes recovery operation that you defined.

2.4.2.4 Recovery Operation – Function Call Screen

If you chose a Function call recovery operation in the Recovery Operation screen, the Recovery
Operation – Function Call screen opens. Select a recently specified library file in the Library file box.
Alternatively, click the browse button to navigate to an existing library file.

Note: QuickTest automatically associates the library file you select with your test or component.
Therefore, you do not need to associate the library file with your test or component in the Resources
tab of the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings dialog box, respectively.

After you select a library file, choose one of the following options:

Select function—Choose an existing function from the library file you selected.

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Note: Only functions that match the prototype syntax for the trigger type selected in the Select Trigger
Event screen are displayed.

Following is the prototype for each trigger type:

Test run error trigger

OnRunStep
(
[in] Object as Object: The object of the current step.
[in] Method as String: The method of the current step.
[in] Arguments as Array: The actual method’s arguments.
[in] Result as Integer: The actual method’s result.
)
Pop-up window and Object state triggers
OnObject
(
[in] Object as Object: The detected object.
)
Application crash trigger
OnProcess
(
[in] ProcessName as String: The detected process’s Name.
[in] ProcessId as Integer: The detected process’ ID.
)

Define new function—Create a new function by specifying a unique name for it, and defining
the function in the Function Name box according to the displayed function prototype. The
new function is added to the library file you selected.

Note: If more than one scenario use a function with the same name from different library files, the
recovery process may fail. In this case, information regarding the recovery failure is displayed during
the run session.

Click Next. The Recovery Operations screen reopens, showing the function operation that you
defined.

2.4.3 Post-Recovery Test Run Options Screen

When you clear the Add another recovery operation check box in the Recovery Operations screen
and click Next, the Post-Recovery Test Run Options screen opens.

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Post-recovery test run options specify how to continue the run session after QuickTest has identified
the event and performed all of the specified recovery operations.

QuickTest can perform one of the following run session options after it performs the recovery
operations you defined:

Repeat current step and continue
The current step is the step that QuickTest was running when the recovery scenario was
triggered. 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. Keep in
mind that skipping a step that performs operations on your application may cause subsequent
steps to fail.

Proceed to next action iteration
Stops performing steps in the current action iteration and begins the next action iteration from
the beginning (or the next action if no additional iterations of the current action are required).

Proceed to next test iteration
Stops performing steps in the current action and begins the next test iteration from the
beginning (or stops running the test if no additional iterations of the current action are
required).

Restart current test run
Stops performing steps and re-runs the test or component from the beginning.

Stop the test run
Stops running the test or component.

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

Select a test run option and click Next to continue to the Name and Description screen.

2.4.4 Name and Description Screen

After you specify a test run option in the Post-Recovery Test Run Options screen, and click Next, the
Name and Description screen opens.

In the Name and Description screen, you specify a name by which to identify your recovery scenario.
You can also add descriptive information regarding the scenario.

Enter a name and a textual description for your recovery scenario, and click Next to continue to the
Completing the Recovery Scenario Wizard screen.

2.4.5 Completing the Recovery Scenario Wizard Screen

After you specify a recovery scenario name and description in the Name and Description screen and
click Next, the Completing the Recovery Scenario Wizard screen opens.

In the Completing the Recovery Scenario Wizard screen, you can review a summary of the scenario
settings you defined. You can also specify whether to automatically associate the recovery scenario
with the current test or component, and/or to add it to the default settings for all new tests.

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Select the Add scenario to current test check box to associate this recovery scenario with the
current te st or component. When you click Finish, QuickTest adds the recovery scenario to the
Scenarios list in the Recovery tab of the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings
dialog box, respectively.

Select the Add scenario to default test settings check box to make this recovery scenario a default
scenario for all new tests. The next time you create a test, this scenario will be listed in the Scenarios
list in the Recovery tab of the Test Settings dialog box.

Note: You can remove scenarios from the default scenarios list.

Note: You define the default recovery scenarios for all new components in the component template.

Click Finish to complete the recovery scenario definition.

Saving the Recovery Scenario in a Recovery File

After you create or modify a recovery scenario in a recovery file using the Recovery Scenario Wizard,
you need to save the recovery file.

To save a new or modified recovery file:

1 Click the Save button. If you added or modified scenarios in an existing recovery file, the recovery
file and its scenarios are saved. If you are using a new recovery file, the Save Attachment dialog box
opens.

Tip: You can also click the arrow to the right of the Save button and select Save As to save the
recovery file under a different name.

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2 Choose the folder in which you want to save the file.

3 Type a name for the file in the File name box. The recovery file is saved in the specified location
with the file extension .qrs.

Tip: If you have not yet saved the recovery file, and you click the Close button in the Recovery
Scenario Manager dialog box, QuickTest prompts you to save the recovery file. Click Yes, and
proceed with step 2 above. If you added or modified scenarios in an existing recovery file, and you
click Yes to the message prompt, the recovery file and its scenarios are saved.


Once you have created recovery scenarios, you can use the Recovery Scenario Manager to manage
them.

The Recovery Scenario Manager contains the following recovery scenario
icons:

Icon Description

The Recovery Scenario Manager enables you to manage existing scenarios by:

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You can view properties for any defined recovery scenario.


1 In the Scenarios box, select the recovery scenario whose properties you want to view.
2 Click the Properties button. Alternatively, you can double-click a scenario in the Scenarios box.
The Recovery Scenario Properties dialog box opens.

The Recovery Scenario Properties dialog box displays the following read-only information about the
selected scenario:

General tab—Displays the name and description defined for the recovery scenario, plus the
name and path of the recovery file in which the scenario is saved.
Trigger Event tab—Displays the settings for the trigger event defined for the recovery
scenario.
Recovery operation tab—Displays the recovery operation(s) defined for the recovery
scenario.
Post-Recovery Operation tab—Displays the post-recovery operation defined for the
recovery scenario.


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You can modify the settings for an existing recovery scenario.

To modify a recovery scenario:

1 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario that you want to modify.
2 Click the Edit button. The Recovery Scenario Wizard opens, with the settings you defined for the
selected recovery scenario.
3 Navigate through the Recovery Scenario Wizard and modify the details as needed.

Note: Modifications you make are not saved until you click Save in the Recovery Scenario Manager
dialog box. If you have not yet saved your modifications, and you click the Close button in the
Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box, QuickTest prompts you to save the recovery file. Click Yes to
save your changes.


You can delete an existing recovery scenario if you no longer need it. When you delete a recovery
scenario from the Recovery Scenario Manager, the corresponding information is deleted from the
recovery scenario file.

Note: If a deleted recovery scenario is associated with a test or component, QuickTest ignores it
during the run session.

To delete a recovery scenario:

1 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario that you want to delete.
2 Click the Delete button. The recovery scenario is deleted from the Recovery Scenario Manager
dialog box.

Note: The scenario is not actually deleted until you click Save in the Recovery Scenario Manager
dialog box. If you have not yet saved the deletion, and you click the Close button in the Recovery
Scenario Manager dialog box, QuickTest prompts you to save the recovery file. Click Yes to
save the recovery scenario file and delete the scenarios.


You can copy recovery scenarios from one recovery scenario file to another.

To copy a recovery scenario from one recovery scenario file to another:

1 In the Scenarios box, select the recovery scenario that you want to copy.
2 Click the Copy button. The scenario is copied to the Clipboard.

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3 Click the Open button and select the recovery scenario file to which you want to copy the scenario,
or click the New button to create a new recovery scenario file in which to copy the scenario.
4 Click the Paste button. The scenario is copied to the new recovery scenario file.

Notes: If a scenario with the same name already exists in the recovery scenario file, you can choose
whether you want to replace it with the new scenario you have just copied. Modifications you make
are not saved until you click Save in the Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box. If you have not yet
saved your modifications, and you click the Close button in the Recovery Scenario Manager dialog
box, QuickTest prompts you to save the recovery file. Click Yes to save your
changes.

Setting the Recovery Scenarios List for Your Tests or Components

After you have created recovery scenarios, you associate them with selected tests or components so
that QuickTest will perform the appropriate scenario(s) during the run sessions if a trigger event
occurs. You can prioritize the scenarios and set the order in which QuickTest applies the scenarios
during the run session. You can also choose to disable specific scenarios, or all scenarios, that are
associated with a test or component. You can also define which recovery scenarios will be used as
the default scenarios for all new tests.
Note: You define the default recovery scenarios for all new components in the component template.

Adding Recovery Scenarios to Your Test or Component

After you have created recovery scenarios, you can associate one or more scenarios with a test or
component in order to instruct QuickTest to perform the recovery scenario(s) during the run session if
a trigger event occurs. The Recovery tab of the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component
Settings dialog box lists all the recovery scenarios associated with the current test or
component.

Tip: When a trigger event occurs, QuickTest checks for applicable recovery scenarios in the order in
which they are displayed in the Recovery tab.

To add a recovery scenario to a test or component:

1 Choose Test > Settings or Component > Settings. The Test Settings dialog box or Business
Component Settings dialog box opens. Select the Recovery tab.

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2 Click the Add button. The Add Recovery Scenario dialog box opens.

3 In the Recovery file box, select the recovery file containing the recovery scenario(s) you want to
associate with the test or component. Alternatively, click the browse button to navigate to the recovery
file you want to select. The Scenarios box displays the names of the scenarios saved in the selected
file.

4 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario(s) that you want to associate with the test or component
and click Add Scenario. The Add Recovery Scenario dialog box closes and the selected scenarios
are added to the Scenarios list in the Recovery tab.

Tip: You can edit a recovery scenario file path by clicking the path once to highlight it, and then
clicking it again to enter edit mode. For example, you may want to modify an absolute file path to be a
relative file path. If you modify a recovery scenario file path, you must ensure that the recovery
scenario is defined in the new path location before running your test or component.


You can view properties for any recovery scenario associated with your test or component.

Note: You modify recovery scenario settings from the Recovery Scenario Manager dialog box.


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1 In the Scenarios box, select the recovery scenario whose properties you want to view.
2 Click the Properties button. Alternatively, you can double-click a scenario in the Scenarios box.
The Recovery Scenario Properties dialog box opens, displaying read-only information regarding the
settings for the selected scenario.

Setting Recovery Scenario Priorities

You can specify the order in which QuickTest performs associated scenarios during a run session.
When a trigger event occurs, QuickTest checks for applicable recovery scenarios in the order in which
they are displayed in the Recovery tab of the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component

To set recovery scenario priorities:

1 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario whose priority you want to change.

2 Click the Up or Down button. The selected scenario’s priority changes according to your selection.

3 Repeat steps 1-2 for each scenario whose priority you want to change.

Removing Recovery Scenarios from Your Test or Component

You can remove the association between a specific scenario and a test or component using the
Recovery tab of the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component Settings dialog box. After you
remove a scenario from a test or component, the scenario itself still exists, but QuickTest will no
longer perform the scenario during a run session.

To remove a recovery scenario from your test or component:

1 In the Scenarios box, select the scenario you want to remove.

2 Click the Remove button. The selected scenario is no longer associated with the test or component.

Enabling and Disabling Recovery Scenarios

You can enable or disable specific scenarios and determine when QuickTest activates the recovery
scenario mechanism in the Recovery tab of the Test Settings dialog box or Business Component
Settings dialog box. When you disable a specific scenario, it remains associated with the test or
component, but is not performed by QuickTest during the run session. You can enable
the scenario at a later time.

To enable/disable specific recovery scenarios:

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Select the check box to the left of one or more individual scenarios to enable them.
Clear the check box to the left of one or more individual scenarios to disable them.

To define when the recovery mechanism is activated:

Select one of the following options in the Activate recovery scenarios box:
On every step—The recovery mechanism is activated after every step.
On error—The recovery mechanism is activated only after steps that return an error return
value. Note that the step that returns an error is often not the same as the step that causes
the exception event to occur.

For example, a step that selects a check box may cause a pop-up dialog box to open. Although the
pop-up dialog box is defined as a trigger event, QuickTest moves to the next step because it
successfully performed the check box selection step. The next several steps could potentially perform
checkpoints, functions or other conditional or looping statements that do not require performing
operations on your application. It may only be ten statements later that a step instructs
QuickTest to perform an operation on the application that it cannot perform due to the pop-up dialog
box. In this case, it is this tenth step that returns an error and triggers the recovery mechanism to
close the dialog box. After the recovery operation is completed, the current step is
this tenth step, and not the step that caused the trigger event.

Never—The recovery mechanism is disabled.

Note: Choosing On every step may result in slower performance during the run session.

Tip: You can also enable or disable specific scenarios or all scenarios associated with a test or
component programmatically during the run session.

Setting Default Recovery Scenario Settings for All New Tests

You can click the Set as Default button in the Recovery tab of the Test Settings dialog box to set the
current list of recovery scenarios to be the default scenarios for all new tests. Any future changes you
make to the current recovery scenario list only affect the current test, and do not change the default
list that you defined. You define the default recovery scenarios for all new components in the
component template.


You can use the Recovery object to control the recovery mechanism programmatically during the run
session. For example, you can enable or disable the entire recovery mechanism or specific recovery
scenarios for certain parts of a run session, retrieve status information about specific
recovery scenarios, and explicitly activate the recovery mechanism at a certain point in the run
session.

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By default, QuickTest checks for recovery triggers when an error is returned during the run session.
You can use the Recovery object’s Activate method to force QuickTest to check for triggers after a
specific step in the run session. For example, suppose you know that an object property checkpoint
will fail if certain processes are open when the checkpoint is performed. You
want to be sure that the pass or fail of the checkpoint is not affected by these open processes, which
may indicate a different problem with your application.

However, a failed checkpoint does not result in a run error. So by default, the recovery mechanism
would not be activated by the object state. You can define a recovery scenario that looks for and
closes specified open processes when an object’s properties have a certain state. This state shows
the object’s property values as they would be if the problematic processes were open. You can
instruct QuickTest to activate the recovery mechanism if the checkpoint fails so that QuickTest will
check for and close any problematic open processes and then try to perform the checkpoint again.
This ensures that when the checkpoint is performed the second time it is not affected by the open
processes.

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18.
18.0 Scripting in Real Time Environments

18.
18.1 QuickTest Pro Coding Standards & Best Practices

18.1.1 Introduction:

These standards are for testers who are using QuickTest Pro to develop their automated test scripts.
The purpose of this document is to provide testers with general guidelines and rules for building
repeatable, accurate, maintainable, and portable test scripts. This standard document covers areas
such as Variable Naming, Commenting Code, Formatting of Code etc.

18.
18.2 Naming Conventions

18.2.1 Local scope variables
Variables represent values that can be changed within a procedure or function. Local scope variables
are placeholders that reside within a function- or a script-body.

Prefixes for Variable Data Types

Data Type Prefix Example

Boolean bln BlnLoggedIn

Date d dTomorrow

Variant v vTblValue

Integer int IntAge

Object o oUserTable

String str strName

Arrays a Used in another prefix, as in astrEmployee

18.2.2 Global scope variables
The values of global variables can be used and changed all over the project within all scripts and
libraries.

Syntax
"g" + [Prefix]+[ShortDescription]

Jagan Mohan Julooru

Letter “g” indicates that the scope of the variable is global. [Prefix] is a lowercase letter that represents
the type of the global variable. The rules for [Prefix] are the same as for “Local scope variables”.
Examples
gintNumOfPersons
gstrPersonLastname

18.2.3 Constants
Constants are “variables” that cannot be changed within a function- or script-body. The value will
always be the same during script-execution. Constant names should be descriptive and not
ambiguous. Constant names should be in upper case, with proper words separated by the underscore
character.

Examples
ID_OS_VERSION
MY_TEMP_URL

18.2.4 Functions/Actions
The Function/Action name should be descriptive of its primary purpose. The Function/Action name
must always correspond to what the Function/Action is actually doing. If name of the function is
"OpenLogFile("log file name") then it is expected that the function only opens log file.

Examples
CountItemInString()

18.2.5 Reusable Actions
Quick Test Pro reusable actions names should start with an “r” to reflect that the action is reusable.

18.2.6 Scripts
must capitalize the first letter of each word in the test script name . The exception being the product
name, which should always be capitalized.

Examples
IB_Auditlog_Save

18.2.7 Function Libraries
Functional library names should reflect the product name, underscore, functionality that is being
tested, underscore and the words “lib” at the end.
Example:
IB_Log_Lib

Jagan Mohan Julooru

IB = Intranet Browser product
Log = log functionality in the application
Lib = Functional Library

18.2.8 Object Repository Files
Object GUI files names should reflect the product name being tested.
Example:
IB_GUI.tsr
IB = Intranet Browser product

18.3
18. Coding Rules

18.3.1 Commenting Code

Headers - Every test script, functional library, or actions should contain a header comment that
displays the name, creator, date, description, assumptions, preconditions, and post conditions.

Test Script Header Comment.
'*******************************************************************************************************************
*********
' SCRIPT NAME : CL11_FeatureAuditAnnotateSDOC
' CREATED BY : Applabs
' DATE CREATED : 16/Mar/2001
' DESCRIPTION : This Script Checks That Feature Audit for Annotate is not
' transferred to the auditlog file when a sealed Word document
' is annotated by inserting comment
' Modification Log :
' ID Date Name Purpose
' ---- ------- ---------- --------------
'*******************************************************************************************************************
*********
Function Header Comment.
'*******************************************************************************************************************
*********
' FUNCTION NAME : CheckClientFeatureAudited
' CREATED BY : Applabs
' DATE CREATED : 09/March/2001

Jagan Mohan Julooru

' DESCRIPTION : This Function checks that required client feature audit is transferred to
auditlog file.
' Parameters : strFilePath - Path of decrypted auditlog file.
' strFeature - Expected feature to be audited.
' strPublisherID - Publisher ID of sealed content.
' Return Values : Returns the number of times the client feature is audited in the auditlog file.
‘ Preconditions : Audit log files exist
’ Postcondition: : Feature audit transfer to audit log file
' Modification Log :
' ID Date Name Purpose
' ---- ------- ---------- --------------
'*******************************************************************************************************************
**********
Commenting single lines / paragraphs – The need to comment an individual line of code is rare.
Two possible reasons for commenting a single line of code are:
The line is complicated enough to need an explanation.
The single line once had an error and you want to record the change. When modifying a single line of
code, the original line should be commented out using the author’s initials and date in brackets,
separated by a single dash.

For example (in VBScript), the following shows a code change by SMB (initials):
‘[SMB-03/09/01]Browser("e.POWER").Page("Worklist").WebRadioGroup("item_select").Select
"122|0|23"
Browser("e.POWER").Page("Worklist").WebRadioGroup("item_select").Select strItemID ‘[SMB-
03/09/01]

Use end of line comments to annotate data declarations.
Example:
Dim intEmpAge ‘Stores Employee Age.
Dim strEmpName ‘Stores Employee Name.

Such data annotations include: units of numeric data, range of allowable values, limitations on input
data, and the meaning of enumerated or constant codes.
Focus paragraph comments on the why rather than the how. Simply put, a reader should be able to
discern from quality code how an operation is performed. Why that operation is performed will be less
apparent.
When commenting individual lines or paragraphs, indent the comment and align it with its
corresponding code. Also, precede the comment line by a single blank line.

Commenting Control Structures
Place a comment before each block of statements, if, case, or loop. Use the comment to clarify the
purpose of the control structure.
Example:

‘Loop through the each row in the data table.

Jagan Mohan Julooru

For intCount=1 to datatable.GetRowCount
‘Check whether content in both columns are equal.
If datatable("Name1", dtGlobalSheet)= datatable("Name2", dtGlobalSheet) then
reporter.ReportEvent micPass,”content of both column are equal in row” & intCount
End If
Next

For long code blocks, comment the end of each control structure. This makes script code which
spans many lines easier to follow.
Example:
For intCount=1 to datatable.GetRowCount
‘Check whether content in both columns are equal.
If datatable("Name1", dtGlobalSheet)= datatable("Name2", dtGlobalSheet) then
reporter.ReportEvent micPass,”content of both column are equal in row” & intCount
End If
Next ‘Loop through the each row in the data table.

18.3.2 Formatting Code

The following are the directives that must be complied with while formatting the code
• Do not place multiple statements on a single line.
Placing multiple statements in a single line increase complexity. Do not do it.
• Do not exceed 90 Characters on a line
• Make sure that not more than 90 characters are placed on a single line.
• Use Indentation to show organizational structure
• Do proper indentation through out your coding. Flow control statements should be indented
one tab length for easier readability.

Example:

For intCount = 0 to 10
MyVar = MyVar + 1
If MyVar = 20
MyVar =0
End If
Next

Jagan Mohan Julooru

18.3.3 Using Shared Object Repository

Use shared Object Repository instead of Object Repository per Action. This will an easy way for
handling changes in the object repository.

18.3.4 Using Relative paths

Use relative paths while calling Shared object repository files, VbScript function library files and
Reusable actions.

18.3.5 Using Global Variables

Declare and Assign, all the variables that can be used in many scripts (For example: Username,
Password, PrinterName etc) in a Reusable Action or VBScript file and use these variables in Other
Actions. Using this method we can modify the value of variable in single global file instead of making
modification in many script files.

Mercury QuickTest Professional 8.0 Shortcut Key Reference Card

Command Press Command Press

New Test CTRL + N Record F3

Component Menu
Open Test CTRL + SHIFT + N Run F5

Test or
Business Component > New CTRL + SHIFT + O Stop F4

Business Component > Open CTRL + SHIFT + E Analog Recording CTRL + SHIFT + F4
File Menu

Business Component > Edit CTRL + O Low Level Recording CTRL + SHIFT + F3
Template
Object Properties CTRL + ENTER

Menu
Step
Save CTRL + S
Value Configuration Options CTRL + F11 on a value (KV only)
Export to Zip File CTRL + ALT + S
Pause PAUSE
Import from Zip File CTRL + ALT + O
Step Into F11

Debug Menu
Print CTRL + P
Step Over F10
Cut CTRL + X (EV only)
Step Out SHIFT + F11
Copy CTRL + C
Insert/Remove Breakpoint F9
Paste CTRL + V
Clear All Breakpoints CTRL + SHIFT + F9
Delete DEL
Edit > Cut CTRL + X
Undo Ctrl + Z (EV only)
Edit > Copy CTRL + C
Redo CTRL + Y (EV only)
Edit > Paste CTRL + V
Rename Action F2
Edit Menu

Edit > Clear > Contents CTRL + DEL
Find CTRL + F (EV only)
Edit > Insert CTRL + I
Data Table Options

Replace CTRL + H (EV only)
Edit > Delete CTRL + K
Go To CTRL + G (EV only)
Edit > Fill Right CTRL + R
Bookmarks CTRL + B (EV only)
Edit > Fill Down CTRL + D
Complete Word CTRL + SPACE (EV only)
Edit > Find CTRL + F
Argument Info CTRL + SHIFT + SPACE (EV only)
Edit > Replace CTRL + H
Apply “With” To Script CTRL + W (EV only)
Data > Recalc F9
Remove “With” Statements CTRL + SHIFT + W (EV only)
Insert Multi-line Value CTRL + F2 while editing cell
Checkpoint > Standard F12
Checkpoint Activate next/previous sheet CTRL + PAGEUP/
CTRL + PAGEDOWN
Insert Menu

Output Value > Standard Output CTRL + F12
Value View Keyword View/Expert View CTRL + TAB
General Options

Step > Step Generator F7 Open context menu for step or SHIFT + F10
Data Table cell or Application key ( )
New Step F8 (KV only)
Expand all branches * [on numeric keypad] (KV only)
New Step After Block SHIFT + F8 (KV only)
Expand branch + [on numeric keypad] (KV only)
Key: KV = Keyword View
EV = Expert View Collapse branch - [on numeric keypad] (KV only)

Mercury Interactive Corporation
379 North Whisman Road
Mountain View, CA 94043
Main Telephone: (650) 603-5200
Sales & Information: (800) TEST-911
Customer Support: (877) TEST-HLP
Fax: (650) 603-5300
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Customer Support: support.mercury.com * QTPS KRC8 . 0 / 0 1 *

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