Monday, March 12, 2007

Data-Driven Testing Tips

• You can parameterize only part of your test script or a loop within it, and a single data-driven test can contain more than one parameterized loop.
• You can open and save data tables other than the default.xls data table. This enables you to use several different data tables in one test script.
• You can parameterize statements containing GUI checkpoints, bitmap checkpoints, and bitmap synchronization points, and constants.
• You can use the data table in the same way as an Excel spreadsheet, including inserting formulas into cells.
• Before you run a data-driven test, you should look through it to see if there are any elements that may cause a conflict in a data-driven test. There are two ways to solve most of these conflicts:
• Use a regular expression to enable WinRunner to recognize objects based on a portion of its physical description. For more information on regular expressions, refer to the "Using Regular Expressions" chapter in the WinRunner User’s Guide.
• Use the GUI Map Configuration dialog box to change the physical properties that WinRunner uses to recognize the problematic object.
• You can change the active row, or read from a non-active row during the test run by using TSL statements. For more information, refer to the "Using TSL Functions with Data-Driven Tests" chapter in the WinRunner User’s Guide.
• It is not necessary for the data table viewer to be open when you run a test.