Software Test Engineering with IBM Rational Functional Tester
The Definitive Resource
Published on 5. November 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
696 pages
978-0-13-700066-1 (ISBN)
Description
<>Praise for Software Test Engineering with IBM Rational Functional Tester
"Finally, a manual for the Software Test Engineer! Many manuals on the market today are geared toward developers, and none exist for Rational Functional Tester. This is one of the first manuals geared toward the Automated Test Engineer acknowledging the depth of knowledge required for a very complex job. The manual will assist all levels of test engineering with very specific steps and hands-on advice. This manual is a reference book that no Automated Test Engineer using RFT should be without!"
-Penny Bowser, CTFL, CHE, QA Manager
"The authors succeed in walking a line between sharing a wealth of technical knowledge and providing enough context to ensure the readers understand what they need to do and why. Novices and skilled practitioners alike should find the work a good read and a solid reference. Automating functional testing tends to receive less investment than it should, to the detriment of organizations everywhere. If the reader is seeking to improve his knowledge of Rational Functional Tester and make an impact using that knowledge, there is no better reference than this excellent distillation of years of field-proven experience."
-David J. Trent, Market Manager of Process and Best Practices Segment for Rational Software, IBM
"As a former manager of the group that tested IBM's Rational Functional Tester, like a few others, I see clearly how this book can help teams multiply the benefits they derive from this product."
-Ted Rivera, Senior Agile Transformation Architect, IBM Software Group
"This book is a wonderful, in-depth resource for novice and expert users alike."
-Brian McCall, former IBM IT Specialist
"This collection of Rational Functional Tester information is a 'must have' for anyone using this solution. Everyone from beginners to advanced users will find this book very helpful."
-Lew Cote, IBM Technical Solution Architect
"This much-needed book effectively describes the value of Rational Functional Tester for functional testing needs. The book is well organized, thought through, and has all the latest information. The authors are no doubt subject matter experts."
-Kamala Parvathanathan, Senior Manager, IBM Rational
The Indispensable Resource for Automated Testing
Automated software testing has become a critical exercise, especially for developers utilizing iterative and agile methods. However, to achieve the full benefits of automated testing, teams need a deep understanding of both its principles and their testing tools. If you're among the thousands of developers using IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT), this book brings together all the insight, examples, and real-world solutions you need to succeed. Eight leading IBM testing experts thoroughly introduce this state-of-the-art product, covering issues ranging from building test environments through executing the most complex and powerful tests. Drawing on decades of experience with IBM Rational testing products, they address both technical and nontechnical challenges and present everything from best practices to reusable code.
Coverage Includes
Integrating IBM RFT into your development processes
Building highly efficient test environments, test harnesses, and test scripts
Using RFT Visual Editor to extend testing automation to novice users
Mastering basic scripting techniques, from data capture to script synchronization
Managing script data using RFT Datapools
Efficiently debugging scripts using Eclipse (TM) or Visual Studio (R)
Managing execution flow: playback settings, logic, error handling, and more
Handling domains that are not supported by RFT
Using advanced techniques, such as mouse delays and custom verification pointsTesting specialized software, including mainframe, SAP, Siebel, and Adobe (R) Flex (R) applications
Extending RFT with external libraries
Developing RFT support for third-party Java (TM) or .NET controls
Using RFT in both Linux (R) and Windows (R) environments
Configuring internationalized testing within the RFT framework
"Finally, a manual for the Software Test Engineer! Many manuals on the market today are geared toward developers, and none exist for Rational Functional Tester. This is one of the first manuals geared toward the Automated Test Engineer acknowledging the depth of knowledge required for a very complex job. The manual will assist all levels of test engineering with very specific steps and hands-on advice. This manual is a reference book that no Automated Test Engineer using RFT should be without!"
-Penny Bowser, CTFL, CHE, QA Manager
"The authors succeed in walking a line between sharing a wealth of technical knowledge and providing enough context to ensure the readers understand what they need to do and why. Novices and skilled practitioners alike should find the work a good read and a solid reference. Automating functional testing tends to receive less investment than it should, to the detriment of organizations everywhere. If the reader is seeking to improve his knowledge of Rational Functional Tester and make an impact using that knowledge, there is no better reference than this excellent distillation of years of field-proven experience."
-David J. Trent, Market Manager of Process and Best Practices Segment for Rational Software, IBM
"As a former manager of the group that tested IBM's Rational Functional Tester, like a few others, I see clearly how this book can help teams multiply the benefits they derive from this product."
-Ted Rivera, Senior Agile Transformation Architect, IBM Software Group
"This book is a wonderful, in-depth resource for novice and expert users alike."
-Brian McCall, former IBM IT Specialist
"This collection of Rational Functional Tester information is a 'must have' for anyone using this solution. Everyone from beginners to advanced users will find this book very helpful."
-Lew Cote, IBM Technical Solution Architect
"This much-needed book effectively describes the value of Rational Functional Tester for functional testing needs. The book is well organized, thought through, and has all the latest information. The authors are no doubt subject matter experts."
-Kamala Parvathanathan, Senior Manager, IBM Rational
The Indispensable Resource for Automated Testing
Automated software testing has become a critical exercise, especially for developers utilizing iterative and agile methods. However, to achieve the full benefits of automated testing, teams need a deep understanding of both its principles and their testing tools. If you're among the thousands of developers using IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT), this book brings together all the insight, examples, and real-world solutions you need to succeed. Eight leading IBM testing experts thoroughly introduce this state-of-the-art product, covering issues ranging from building test environments through executing the most complex and powerful tests. Drawing on decades of experience with IBM Rational testing products, they address both technical and nontechnical challenges and present everything from best practices to reusable code.
Coverage Includes
Integrating IBM RFT into your development processes
Building highly efficient test environments, test harnesses, and test scripts
Using RFT Visual Editor to extend testing automation to novice users
Mastering basic scripting techniques, from data capture to script synchronization
Managing script data using RFT Datapools
Efficiently debugging scripts using Eclipse (TM) or Visual Studio (R)
Managing execution flow: playback settings, logic, error handling, and more
Handling domains that are not supported by RFT
Using advanced techniques, such as mouse delays and custom verification pointsTesting specialized software, including mainframe, SAP, Siebel, and Adobe (R) Flex (R) applications
Extending RFT with external libraries
Developing RFT support for third-party Java (TM) or .NET controls
Using RFT in both Linux (R) and Windows (R) environments
Configuring internationalized testing within the RFT framework
Reviews / Votes
Praise for Software Test Engineering with IBM Rational Functional Tester"Finally, a manual for the Software Test Engineer! Many manuals on the market today are geared toward developers, and none exist for Rational Functional Tester. This is one of the first manuals geared toward the Automated Test Engineer acknowledging the depth of knowledge required for a very complex job. The manual will assist all levels of test engineering with very specific steps and hands-on advice. This manual is a reference book that no Automated Test Engineer using RFT should be without!"
-Penny Bowser, CTFL, CHE, QA Manager
"The authors succeed in walking a line between sharing a wealth of technical knowledge and providing enough context to ensure the readers understand what they need to do and why. Novices and skilled practitioners alike should find the work a good read and a solid reference. Automating functional testing tends to receive less investment than it should, to the detriment of organizations everywhere. If the reader is seeking to improve his knowledge of Rational Functional Tester and make an impact using that knowledge, there is no better reference than this excellent distillation of years of field-proven experience."
-David J. Trent, Market Manager of Process and Best Practices Segment for Rational Software, IBM
"As a former manager of the group that tested IBM's Rational Functional Tester, like a few others, I see clearly how this book can help teams multiply the benefits they derive from this product."
-Ted Rivera, Senior Agile Transformation Architect, IBM Software Group
"This book is a wonderful, in-depth resource for novice and expert users alike."
-Brian McCall, former IBM IT Specialist
"This collection of Rational Functional Tester information is a 'must have' for anyone using this solution. Everyone from beginners to advanced users will find this book very helpful."
-Lew Cote, IBM Technical Solution Architect
"This much needed book describes effectively the value of Rational Functional Tester for functional testing needs. The book is well organized, thought through, and has all the latest information. The authors are no doubt subject matter experts."
-Kamala Parvathanathan, Senior Manager, IBM Rational
More details
Other editions
Additional editions
Chip Davis | Daniel Chirillo | Daniel Gouveia
Software Test Engineering with IBM Rational Functional Tester
The Definitive Resource
E-Book
11/2009
1st Edition
Pearson
€25.82
Available for download
Persons
Chip Davis, member of IBM Rational Brand Services, has been deploying solutions for clients across North America since 1999.
Daniel Chirillo, Senior Consulting IT Specialist with IBM Rational Brand Services, helps customers deploy Rational tools, with a focus on testing and change management.
Daniel Gouveia, Certified Consulting IT Specialist with IBM Rational Technical Sales, has mentored and trained customers on RFT tools and processes since 2000.
Fariz Saracevic, member of Automated Software Quality Product Management, focuses on advancing capabilities and defining customer inputs into RFT requirements.
Jeff Bocarsly is VP and Division Manager for functional testing services at RTTS, a leader in software quality engineering services.
Larry Quesada, Amazon Web Services sales rep, drives technical sales and delivers consulting services.
Lee Thomas, Open Group Master-Certified IT Specialist with IBM Rational Brand Services, tests software, helps clients in various industries, and is a leader in the automated functional testing community.
Marc van Lint, technical professional with IBM Rational Brand Services, focuses on the software-delivery process.
Daniel Chirillo, Senior Consulting IT Specialist with IBM Rational Brand Services, helps customers deploy Rational tools, with a focus on testing and change management.
Daniel Gouveia, Certified Consulting IT Specialist with IBM Rational Technical Sales, has mentored and trained customers on RFT tools and processes since 2000.
Fariz Saracevic, member of Automated Software Quality Product Management, focuses on advancing capabilities and defining customer inputs into RFT requirements.
Jeff Bocarsly is VP and Division Manager for functional testing services at RTTS, a leader in software quality engineering services.
Larry Quesada, Amazon Web Services sales rep, drives technical sales and delivers consulting services.
Lee Thomas, Open Group Master-Certified IT Specialist with IBM Rational Brand Services, tests software, helps clients in various industries, and is a leader in the automated functional testing community.
Marc van Lint, technical professional with IBM Rational Brand Services, focuses on the software-delivery process.
Content
Foreword . . . xi
Preface . . . xiii
Acknowledgments . . . xix
About the Authors . . . xxi
Chapter 1 Overview of Rational Functional Tester . . . 1
Architecture of Rational Functional Tester . . . 1
Installation and Licensing . . . 4
Enabling the Environment for Testing . . . 8
Configuring Applications for Testing . . . 11
Configuring Object Recognition Properties . . . 12
Recording a First Script . . . 12
Playing Back a Script and Viewing Results . . . 20
Script Editing and Augmentation . . . 22
ScriptAssure . . . 37
Playback Settings . . . 49
Chapter 2 Storyboard Testing . . . 54
Overview of Storyboard Testing . . . 54
Similarities and Differences to Chapter 1 . . . 55
Enabling Storyboard Testing . . . 56
Recording a First Script . . . 57
Playing Back a Script and Viewing Results . . . 72
Script Editing and Augmentation . . . 77
Setting Preferences for Storyboard Testing . . . 83
Chapter 3 General Script Enhancements . . . 85
Test Script Synchronization . . . 85
Placing a Generic Delay in Your Script . . . 86
Waiting for Test Objects to Come into Existence . . . 88
Timing How Long Something Takes to Execute in a Script . . . 93
Working with Test Objects . . . 98
Working with the Clipboard Object . . . 98
Viewing an Object's Properties . . . 105
Retrieving All Properties of a Test Object . . . 110
Retrieving the Value of a Single Property . . . 112
Programmatically Retrieving Data from an Object in My Application . . . 113
Determining a Test Object's Valid Test Data Type Arguments to getTestData(). . . 116
Using getTestData to Extract Data from a Text Field . . . 117
Using getTestData to Extract Data from a List . . . 118
Using getTestData() to Read Data in a Table . . . 121
Using getTestData() to Extract Data from a Tree . . . 126
Obtaining Data from a Test Object That the Rational Functional Tester Verification Point Wizard Does Not Capture . . . 130
Creating a Custom Verification Point . . . 131
Changing the Value of a Test Object's Property . . . 135
Evolving Custom Scripting into Reusable Methods . . . 136
Chapter 4 XML and Rational Functional Tester . . . 144
Handling XML in Rational Functional Tester . . . 144
Using the XML DOM with Rational Functional Tester . . . 146
Processing XML with SAX in Rational Functional Tester . . . 167
Chapter 5 Managing Script Data . . . 176
Accessing Rational Functional Tester Datapools . . . 176
Database Access from Java and .NET . . . 184
Handling User-Specific Runtime Variables . . . 197
Chapter 6 Debugging Scripts . . . 207
Common Debugging Concepts . . . 207
Debugging in Eclipse . . . 210
Debugging in Visual Studio . . . 216
Chapter 7 Managing Script Execution . . . 221
Setting Execution Options Within Your Scripts . . . 221
Manipulating Playback Options Within Scripts . . . 222
Flow Control . . . 224
Returning Values from My Scripts . . . 263
Developing Regression Scripts . . . 267
Executing a Functional Tester Script from the Command Line . . . 281
Scheduling Script Execution . . . 288
Executing a Functional Tester Script from a Plain Java Class . . . 288
Chapter 8 Handling Unsupported Domain Objects . . . 290
Rational Functional Tester and Unsupported Objects . . . 290
Using Rational Functional Tester with Unsupported Objects . . . 291
Unsupported Objects on Windows and Linux . . . 300
Chapter 9 Advanced Rational Functional Tester Object Map Topics . . . 301
Rational Functional Tester Object Map . . . 301
Rational Functional Tester Object Recognition Framework . . . 307
Customizing Recognition Properties and Weights . . . 318
Renaming Test Objects (ScriptHelper Methods) . . . 320
Searching the Object Map . . . 322
Sharing Test Objects Between Multiple Scripts . . . 326
Chapter 10 Advanced Scripting with Rational Functional Tester TestObjects . . . 330
Mapped TestObjects and Unmapped TestObjects . . . 331
Unregistering TestObjects . . . 331
Finding Objects Dynamically . . . 332
Handling Third-Party Controls . . . 342
How Many Different Ways Are There to Capture Data from a Control in Rational Functional Tester? . . . 359
Chapter 11 Testing Specialized Applications . . . 362
Why Rational Functional Tester Won't Test Every Application . . . 362
Extension for Terminal-Based Applications . . . 363
Recording the Test Script . . . 365
SAP . . . 368
Siebel . . . 379
Recording the Test Script (Siebel) . . . 382
Adobe Flex . . . 384
Recording the Test Script (Flex) . . . 391
Chapter 12 Extending Rational Functional Tester with External Libraries . . . 396
Testing PDF Files . . . 396
Writing to a Custom Log File with Log4j and Log4net . . . 419
Interfacing with COM Scriptable Components . . . 449
Chapter 13 Building Support for New Objects with the Proxy SDK . . . 477
Figuring Out Which Proxy to Extend . . . 478
Creating a Proxy Project . . . 483
Adding Object Recognition . . . 490
Verifying Object Properties . . . 497
Verifying Object Data . . . 505
Executing a Click Using Object Information . . . 514
Building the Proxy . . . 523
Mapping the Proxy . . . 528
Taking an Easier Path . . . 533
Debugging a Proxy . . . 539
Chapter 14 Developing Scripts in the VB.NET Environment . . . 543
Installing Rational Functional Tester into Visual Studio .NET . . . 543
Locating Projects on Network Shares . . . 543
Reusing Code . . . 545
Chapter 15 Using Rational Functional Tester in a Linux Environment . . . 548
Installation . . . 548
Using Rational Functional Tester . . . 553
Chapter 16 Internationalized Testing with Rational Functional Tester . . . 569
Unicode and Rational Functional Tester . . . 569
Handling Internationalized Data in Rational Functional Tester . . . 572
Setting Up an Internationalized Test in Rational Functional Tester . . . 574
Modifying a Language-Specific Object Map . . . 592
Modifying Language-Specific Verification Points . . . 596
Modifying Language-Specific Datapools . . . 598
A Fully Internationalized Driver Script . . . 600
A Target Script for the Internationalized Driver Script . . . 602
The Real World . . . 604
Appendix A Advanced Logging Techniques . . . 606
Sending Test Results Via Email . . . 606
Transforming the XML Log by Using XSL . . . 612
Creating Your Own RSS Log Type . . . 622
Appendix B Regular Expressions in Rational Functional Tester . . . 632
Using Regular Expressions in Rational Functional Tester Scripts . . . 633
Writing Regular Expressions . . . 634
Index . . . 650
Preface . . . xiii
Acknowledgments . . . xix
About the Authors . . . xxi
Chapter 1 Overview of Rational Functional Tester . . . 1
Architecture of Rational Functional Tester . . . 1
Installation and Licensing . . . 4
Enabling the Environment for Testing . . . 8
Configuring Applications for Testing . . . 11
Configuring Object Recognition Properties . . . 12
Recording a First Script . . . 12
Playing Back a Script and Viewing Results . . . 20
Script Editing and Augmentation . . . 22
ScriptAssure . . . 37
Playback Settings . . . 49
Chapter 2 Storyboard Testing . . . 54
Overview of Storyboard Testing . . . 54
Similarities and Differences to Chapter 1 . . . 55
Enabling Storyboard Testing . . . 56
Recording a First Script . . . 57
Playing Back a Script and Viewing Results . . . 72
Script Editing and Augmentation . . . 77
Setting Preferences for Storyboard Testing . . . 83
Chapter 3 General Script Enhancements . . . 85
Test Script Synchronization . . . 85
Placing a Generic Delay in Your Script . . . 86
Waiting for Test Objects to Come into Existence . . . 88
Timing How Long Something Takes to Execute in a Script . . . 93
Working with Test Objects . . . 98
Working with the Clipboard Object . . . 98
Viewing an Object's Properties . . . 105
Retrieving All Properties of a Test Object . . . 110
Retrieving the Value of a Single Property . . . 112
Programmatically Retrieving Data from an Object in My Application . . . 113
Determining a Test Object's Valid Test Data Type Arguments to getTestData(). . . 116
Using getTestData to Extract Data from a Text Field . . . 117
Using getTestData to Extract Data from a List . . . 118
Using getTestData() to Read Data in a Table . . . 121
Using getTestData() to Extract Data from a Tree . . . 126
Obtaining Data from a Test Object That the Rational Functional Tester Verification Point Wizard Does Not Capture . . . 130
Creating a Custom Verification Point . . . 131
Changing the Value of a Test Object's Property . . . 135
Evolving Custom Scripting into Reusable Methods . . . 136
Chapter 4 XML and Rational Functional Tester . . . 144
Handling XML in Rational Functional Tester . . . 144
Using the XML DOM with Rational Functional Tester . . . 146
Processing XML with SAX in Rational Functional Tester . . . 167
Chapter 5 Managing Script Data . . . 176
Accessing Rational Functional Tester Datapools . . . 176
Database Access from Java and .NET . . . 184
Handling User-Specific Runtime Variables . . . 197
Chapter 6 Debugging Scripts . . . 207
Common Debugging Concepts . . . 207
Debugging in Eclipse . . . 210
Debugging in Visual Studio . . . 216
Chapter 7 Managing Script Execution . . . 221
Setting Execution Options Within Your Scripts . . . 221
Manipulating Playback Options Within Scripts . . . 222
Flow Control . . . 224
Returning Values from My Scripts . . . 263
Developing Regression Scripts . . . 267
Executing a Functional Tester Script from the Command Line . . . 281
Scheduling Script Execution . . . 288
Executing a Functional Tester Script from a Plain Java Class . . . 288
Chapter 8 Handling Unsupported Domain Objects . . . 290
Rational Functional Tester and Unsupported Objects . . . 290
Using Rational Functional Tester with Unsupported Objects . . . 291
Unsupported Objects on Windows and Linux . . . 300
Chapter 9 Advanced Rational Functional Tester Object Map Topics . . . 301
Rational Functional Tester Object Map . . . 301
Rational Functional Tester Object Recognition Framework . . . 307
Customizing Recognition Properties and Weights . . . 318
Renaming Test Objects (ScriptHelper Methods) . . . 320
Searching the Object Map . . . 322
Sharing Test Objects Between Multiple Scripts . . . 326
Chapter 10 Advanced Scripting with Rational Functional Tester TestObjects . . . 330
Mapped TestObjects and Unmapped TestObjects . . . 331
Unregistering TestObjects . . . 331
Finding Objects Dynamically . . . 332
Handling Third-Party Controls . . . 342
How Many Different Ways Are There to Capture Data from a Control in Rational Functional Tester? . . . 359
Chapter 11 Testing Specialized Applications . . . 362
Why Rational Functional Tester Won't Test Every Application . . . 362
Extension for Terminal-Based Applications . . . 363
Recording the Test Script . . . 365
SAP . . . 368
Siebel . . . 379
Recording the Test Script (Siebel) . . . 382
Adobe Flex . . . 384
Recording the Test Script (Flex) . . . 391
Chapter 12 Extending Rational Functional Tester with External Libraries . . . 396
Testing PDF Files . . . 396
Writing to a Custom Log File with Log4j and Log4net . . . 419
Interfacing with COM Scriptable Components . . . 449
Chapter 13 Building Support for New Objects with the Proxy SDK . . . 477
Figuring Out Which Proxy to Extend . . . 478
Creating a Proxy Project . . . 483
Adding Object Recognition . . . 490
Verifying Object Properties . . . 497
Verifying Object Data . . . 505
Executing a Click Using Object Information . . . 514
Building the Proxy . . . 523
Mapping the Proxy . . . 528
Taking an Easier Path . . . 533
Debugging a Proxy . . . 539
Chapter 14 Developing Scripts in the VB.NET Environment . . . 543
Installing Rational Functional Tester into Visual Studio .NET . . . 543
Locating Projects on Network Shares . . . 543
Reusing Code . . . 545
Chapter 15 Using Rational Functional Tester in a Linux Environment . . . 548
Installation . . . 548
Using Rational Functional Tester . . . 553
Chapter 16 Internationalized Testing with Rational Functional Tester . . . 569
Unicode and Rational Functional Tester . . . 569
Handling Internationalized Data in Rational Functional Tester . . . 572
Setting Up an Internationalized Test in Rational Functional Tester . . . 574
Modifying a Language-Specific Object Map . . . 592
Modifying Language-Specific Verification Points . . . 596
Modifying Language-Specific Datapools . . . 598
A Fully Internationalized Driver Script . . . 600
A Target Script for the Internationalized Driver Script . . . 602
The Real World . . . 604
Appendix A Advanced Logging Techniques . . . 606
Sending Test Results Via Email . . . 606
Transforming the XML Log by Using XSL . . . 612
Creating Your Own RSS Log Type . . . 622
Appendix B Regular Expressions in Rational Functional Tester . . . 632
Using Regular Expressions in Rational Functional Tester Scripts . . . 633
Writing Regular Expressions . . . 634
Index . . . 650