Interview Questions Part 5

Q. What are test objects?
Test objects are objects created and maintained by QTP in its object repository. Each test objecthas a name and a set of properties to uniquely identify the actual object in the application.
 

Q. how does QTP identifies the objects during the script run?
During script run QuickTest searches for a run-time object that has the similar description of thetest object in the object repository.
 

Q. How can i check the properties of an object in an application without using checkpoints? For Example how will you check whether a button is enabled?
Answer: GetROProperty method is used to retrieve the properties of the object in an application.It is very useful method and can be used to retrieve almost any of the property that can be seenwhile spying the object with object spy. For Example‘To get whether button is enabled or not.

Val = Browser("QA Friends").Page("QA Friends"). WebButton("Login"). GetROProperty("disabled")

‘To get whether a checkbox is on or off.

Val =Browser("QA Friends").Page("QA Friends").WebCheckBox("Test").GetROProperty("Value")
 

Q. How can I modify the properties values of test objects in Object Repository during runtime?
A. You can use SetTOProperty method of test object.Object(description).SetTOProperty Property, ValueThe values of test object properties are used to identify the objects. Sometimes the properties ofthe object in the application change dynamically. For example text of a link in a webpage is theusername used to login to that page.Text property is used by test object to identify the link. So in order to identify the actual object wecan manipulate the value of “text” property of link using SetTOProperty.
 

Q. How do you synchronize your scripts in QTP?
A. For waiting until navigation of web page completes we can use Sync method. For waiting until an object appears we can use Exist method. For waiting until a property of object changes we can use WaitProperty method. You can set browser navigation timeout in: Click Test > Settings menuSelect web tab in Test Settings window. Enter the timeout in Browser Navigation Timeout text box. You can set global object sychrozization timeout in: Click Test > Settings menu Select Run tab in Test Settings window. Enter the timeout in Object Synchronization Timeout text box.
 

Q Where can you write user defined functions that are accessible by all scripts?
A. We can write user defined function in .vbs file. This file can be loaded by adding the file asfollows: Click Test > Settings menuSelect Resources tab in Test Settings window and add the file. Alternatively you can also load the file through script usingExecuteFile “absolute or relative path of file” For Example: ExecuteFile “C:\Test.vbs”

Q What are regular expressions?
A. Regular expressions used for identifying objects and text strings with varying values. You can use regular expressions for defining the property values of an object, creating checkpoints with varying values etc. Example: For example if the caption on the button in an application changes dynamically and can be anything which starts with “Hello” (It can be Hello XYZ, Hello AB13 and so on) You can go object repository and change the value of name property of the button object to” Hello.*”Here “.” means any single character and “*” means 0 or more occurrences of preceding character. So.* means 0 or more occurrences of any character. There are many other regular expression characters: For Example: Regular expression test[0-9] matches test0, test1, test2…… to test9.Regular expression abc[789] matches abc7, abc8, abc9Q. Different ways to parameterize tests? A. Test, action or component parameters – for using values from other action in your test. Data Table parameters – for creating data driven test based on values in data table. Environment variable parameters – For using values of environment variable. Random number parameters – For using random numbers as values in our test or component.
Q. What can you do if values of object properties in an application are changing constantly?
A. We can try using alternatives like regular expressions, Changing description of test objects in object repository during run time, using descriptive programming and so on.
Q. What can you do if objects are not identified by QTP?
A. 1) For standard windows environment you can try object mapping user defined classes to standard classes.2)You can find whether any addins are available for given environment.3) check if any other reliable alternatives are available like using keyboard shortcuts, using automation object model of application if available and so on.
Q. What is descriptive programming?
A. Descriptive programming allows you to work with objects that are not stored in objectrepository. two types of programmatic descriptions.1) listing the set of properties and values that describe the object directly in a teststatement.2) Add collection of properties and values to a Description object, and then enter the Description object name in the statement.
 

Q. How will you access database from QTP?
A. You can use ActiveX Data Object for accessing the content of database. You cancreate connection object, recordset object and then execute query. And access the valuesof query in recordset.

Example Set objConn= CreateObject("ADODB.connection")

   Set objRecSet = CreateObject("ADODB.recordset")objConn.open strConString

'strConString is database connection string.objRecSet.open strQuery,objConn 'strQuery is SQL query to execute.

If you have any quarries/feed back send me on - knowthetesting@gmail.com

Thank you
Ram
 

Automation

What is Automation Automated testing is automating the manual testing process currently in use

Why Automate the Testing Process?

Today, rigorous application testing is a critical part of virtually all software development projects. As more organizations develop mission-critical systems to support their business activities, the need is greatly increased for testing methods that support business objectives. It is necessary to ensure that these systems are reliable, built according to specification, and have the ability to support business processes. Many internal and external factors are forcing organizations to ensure a high level of software quality and reliability.

In the past, most software tests were performed using manual methods. This required a large staff of test personnel to perform expensive, and time-consuming manual test procedures. Owing to the size and complexity of today’s advanced software applications, manual testing is no longer a viable option for most testing situations.

Every organization has unique reasons for automating software quality activities, but several reasons are common across industries.

Using Testing Effectively

By definition, testing is a repetitive activity. The very nature of application software development dictates that no matter which methods are employed to carry out testing (manual or automated), they remain repetitious throughout the development lifecycle. Automation of testing processes allows machines to complete the tedious, repetitive work while human personnel perform other tasks.

Automation allows the tester to reduce or eliminate the required “think time” or “read time” necessary for the manual interpretation of when or where to click the mouse or press the enter key.

An automated test executes the next operation in the test hierarchy at machine speed, allowing tests to be completed many times faster than the fastest individual. Furthermore, some types of testing, such as load/stress testing, are virtually impossible to perform manually.

Reducing Testing Costs

The cost of performing manual testing is prohibitive when compared to automated methods. The reason is that computers can execute instructions many times faster, and with fewer errors than individuals. Any automated testing tools can replicate the activity of a large number of users (and their associated transactions) using a single computer. Therefore, load/stress testing using automated methods requires only a fraction of the computer hardware that would be necessary to complete a manual test. Imagine performing a load test on a typical distributed client/server application on which 50 concurrent users were planned.

To do the testing manually, 50 application users employing 50 PCs with associated software, an available network, and a cadre of coordinators to relay instructions to the users would be required. With an automated scenario, the entire test operation could be created on a single machine having the ability to run and rerun the test as necessary, at night or on weekends without having to assemble an army of end users. As another example, imagine the same application used by hundreds or thousands of users. It is easy to see why a manual method for load/stress testing is an expensive and logistical nightmare.

Replicating Testing Across Different Platforms

Automation allows the testing organization to perform consistent and repeatable tests. When applications need to be deployed across different hardware or software platforms, standard or benchmark tests can be created and repeated on target platforms to ensure that new platforms operate consistently.

Repeatability and Control

By using automated techniques, the tester has a very high degree of control over which types of tests are being performed, and how the tests will be executed. Using automated tests enforces consistent procedures that allow developers to evaluate the effect of various application modifications as well as the effect of various user actions.

For example, automated tests can be built that extract variable data from external files or applications and then run a test using the data as an input value. Most importantly, automated tests can be executed as many times as necessary without requiring a user to recreate a test script each time the test is run.

Greater Application Coverage

The productivity gains delivered by automated testing allow and encourage organizations to test more often and more completely. Greater application test coverage also reduces the risk of exposing users to malfunctioning or non-compliant software. In some industries such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals, organizations are required to comply with strict quality regulations as well as being required to document their quality assurance efforts for all parts of their systems.

Descriptive programming in QTP

Introduction:

This document demonstrates the usage of Descriptive programming in QTP 8.20. It also discusses situations where Descriptive programming can be used. Using Descriptive Programming automation scripts can be created even if the application has not been developed.

Descriptive Programming:

Whenever QTP records any action on any object of an application, it adds some description on how to recognize that object to a repository of objects called object repository. QTP cannot take action on an object until unless its object description is in the Object Repository. But descriptive programming provides a way to perform action on objects which are not in Object repository

Object Identification:

To identify an object during the play back of the scripts QTP stores some properties which helps QTP to uniquely identify the object on a page. Below screen shots shows an example Object repository:

Now to recognize a radio button on a page QTP had added 2 properties the name of the radio button and the html tag for it. The name the left tree view is the logical name given by QTP for the object. This can be changed as per the convenience of the person writing the test case. QTP only allows UNIQUE logical name under same level of hierarchy. As we see in the snapshot the two objects in Browser->Page node are “WebTable” and “testPath”, they cannot have the same logical name. But an object under some other node can have the same name. Now with the current repository that we have, we can only write operation on objects which are in the repository. Some of the example operations are given below

Browser("Browser").Page("Page").WebRadioGroup ("testPath").Select "2"

cellData = Browser("Browser").Page("Page").WebTable ("WebTable").GetCellData (1,1)

Browser("Example2").Page("Page").WebEdit("testPath").Set "Test text"

When and Why to use Descriptive programming?

Below are some of the situations when Descriptive Programming can be considered useful:

1.      The objects in the application are dynamic in nature and need special handling to identify the object. The best example would be of clicking a link which changes according to the user of the application, Ex. “Logout <>”.

2.      When object repository is getting huge due to the no. of objects being added. If the size of Object repository increases too much then it decreases the performance of QTP while recognizing a object.

3.      When you don’t want to use object repository at all. Well the first question would be why not Object repository? Consider the following scenario which would help understand why not Object repository

Scenario 1: Suppose we have a web application that has not been developed yet. Now QTP for recording the script and adding the objects to repository needs the application to be up, that would mean waiting for the application to be deployed before we can start of with making QTP scripts. But if we know the descriptions of the objects that will be created then we can still start off with the script writing for testing

Scenario 2: Suppose an application has 3 navigation buttons on each and every page. Let the buttons be “Cancel”, “Back” and “Next”. Now recording action on these buttons would add 3 objects per page in the repository. For a 10 page flow this would mean 30 objects which could have been represented just by using 3 objects. So instead of adding these 30 objects to the repository we can just write 3 descriptions for the object and use it on any page.

4.      Modification to a test case is needed but the Object repository for the same is Read only or in shared mode i.e. changes may affect other scripts as well.

5.      When you want to take action on similar type of object i.e. suppose we have 20 textboxes on the page and there names are in the form txt_1, txt_2, txt_3 and so on. Now adding all 20 the Object repository would not be a good programming approach.

How to use Descriptive programming?

There are two ways in which descriptive programming can be used

1.      By creating properties collection object for the description.

2.      By giving the description in form of the string arguments.

1.      By creating properties collection object for the description.

To use this method you need first to create an empty description

Dim obj_Desc ‘Not necessary to declare

Set obj_Desc = Description.Create

Now we have a blank description in “obj_Desc”. Each description has 3 properties “Name”, “Value” and “Regular Expression”.

obj_Desc(“html tag”).value= “INPUT”

When you use a property name for the first time the property is added to the collection and when you use it again the property is modified. By default each property that is defined is a regular expression. Suppose if we have the following description

obj_Desc(“html tag”).value= “INPUT”

obj_Desc(“name”).value= “txt.*”

This would mean an object with html tag as INPUT and name starting with txt. Now actually that “.*” was considered as regular expression. So, if you want the property “name” not to be recognized as a regular expression then you need to set the “regularexpression” property as FALSE

obj_Desc(“html tag”).value= “INPUT”

obj_Desc(“name”).value= “txt.*”

obj_Desc(“name”).regularexpression= “txt.*”

This is how of we create a description. Now below is the way we can use it

Browser(“Browser”).Page(“Page”).WebEdit(obj_Desc).set “Test”

When we say .WebEdit(obj_Desc) we define one more property for our description that was not earlier defined that is it’s a text box (because QTPs WebEdit boxes map to text boxes in a web page).

If we know that we have more than 1 element with same description on the page then we must define “index” property for the that description

Consider the HTML code given below

INPUT type=”textbox” name=”txt_Name”>

INPUT type=”radio” name=”txt_Name”>

Now the html code has two objects with same description. So distinguish between these 2 objects we will use the “index” property. Here is the description for both the object

 For 1^st textbox:

      obj_Desc(“html tag”).value= “INPUT”

obj_Desc(“name”).value= “txt_Name”

obj_Desc(“index”).value= “0”

For 2^nd textbox:

      obj_Desc(“html tag”).value= “INPUT”

obj_Desc(“name”).value= “txt_Name”

obj_Desc(“index”).value= “1”

Consider the HTML Code given below:

INPUT type=”textbox” name=”txt_Name”>

INPUT type=”radio” name=”txt_Name”>

We can use the same description for both the objects and still distinguish between both of them

obj_Desc(“html tag”).value= “INPUT”

obj_Desc(“name”).value= “txt_Name”

 When I want to refer to the textbox then I will use the inside a WebEdit object and to refer to the radio button I will use the description object with the WebRadioGroup object.

Browser(“Browser”).Page(“Page”).WebEdit(obj_Desc).set “Test” ‘Refers to the text box

Browser(“Browser”).Page(“Page”).WebRadioGroup(obj_Desc).set “Test” ‘Refers to the radio button

But if we use WebElement object for the description then we must define the “index” property because for a webelement the current description would return two objects.

Hierarchy of test description:

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).

Getting Child Object:

We can use description object to get all the objects on the page that matches that specific description. Suppose we have to check all the checkboxes present on a web page. So we will first create an object description for a checkboxe and then get all the checkboxes from the page

Dim obj_ChkDesc

Set obj_ChkDesc=Description.Create

obj_ChkDesc(“html tag”).value = “INPUT”

obj_ChkDesc(“type”).value = “checkbox”

Dim allCheckboxes, singleCheckBox

Set  allCheckboxes = Browse(“Browser”).Page(“Page”).ChildObjects(obj_ChkDesc)

For each singleCheckBox in allCheckboxes

      singleCheckBox.Set “ON”

Next

The above code will check all the check boxes present on the page. To get all the child objects we need to specify an object description i.e. we can’t use the string arguments that will be discussed later in the 2nd way of using the programming description.

Possible Operation on Description Object

Consider the below code for all the solutions

Dim obj_ChkDesc

Set obj_ChkDesc=Description.Create

obj_ChkDesc(“html tag”).value = “INPUT”

obj_ChkDesc(“type”).value = “checkbox”

Q: How to get the no. of description defined in a collection

A: obj_ChkDesc.Count ‘Will return 2 in our case

Q: How to remove a description from the collection

A: obj_ChkDesc.remove “html tag” ‘would delete the html tag property from the collection

Q: How do I check if property exists or not in the collection?

A: The answer is that it’s not possible. Because whenever we try to access a property which is not defined its automatically added to the collection. The only    way to determine is to check its value that is use a if statement “if obj_ChkDesc(“html tag”).value = empty then”.

Q: How to browse through all the properties of a properties collection?

A: Two ways

      1^st:       For each desc in obj_ChkDesc

                              Name=desc.Name

                              Value=desc.Value

                              RE = desc.regularexpression

                  Next

      2^nd:      For i=0 to obj_ChkDesc.count - 1

                              Name= obj_ChkDesc(i).Name

                              Value= obj_ChkDesc(i).Value

                              RE = obj_ChkDesc(i).regularexpression

                  Next

2.      By giving the description in form of the string arguments.

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 could be WebEdit, WebRadioGroup etc….

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.

Consider the HTML Code given below:

INPUT type=”textbox” name=”txt_Name”>

INPUT type=”radio” name=”txt_Name”>

Now to refer to the textbox the statement would be as given below

Browser(“Browser”).Page(“Page”).WebEdit(“Name:=txt_Name”,”html tag:=INPUT”).set “Test”

And to refer to the radio button the statement would be as given below

Browser(“Browser”).Page(“Page”).WebRadioGroup(“Name:=txt_Name”,”html tag:=INPUT”).set “Test”

If we refer to them as a web element then we will have to distinguish between the 2 using the index property

Browser(“Browser”).Page(“Page”).WebElement(“Name:=txt_Name”,”html tag:=INPUT”,”Index:=0”).set “Test” ‘ Refers to the textbox

Browser(“Browser”).Page(“Page”).WebElement(“Name:=txt_Name”,”html tag:=INPUT”,”Index:=1”).set “Test” ‘ Refers to the radio button