Run functional test scripts

This section describes the test execution phase of functional testing.

Before you begin

What to do next

• Restoring the test environment before playback
  The state of both the environment and the application-under-test can affect script playback. If the recorded environment and the playback environment are different, playback problems can occur.

• Run a script from Functional Tester
  When you run a script from Functional Tester, it plays back all of your recorded actions, such as starting an application, the actions you perform in the application, verification points, and stopping the application.

• Run a script from TestManager
  When you run a script, TestManager creates a temporary suite, runs the suite, and removes the suite after the run is completed. You can run a script either from the TestManager Test Scripts window or from the TestManager File menu.

• Pausing or stopping script playback
  Playback of a script can be paused or stopped.

• Debugging scripts
  You can use the same process to debug a Functional Tester script as you would to debug other Visual Basic or Java applications. If you prefer, in Functional Test, Java Scripting, you can debug your script in the Functional Tester Debug Perspective which makes it easier to start the debugger that comes with the Java Development Toolkit.

• Run scripts
  When you play back a script, Functional Tester replays your recorded actions, which automates the software testing cycle.

• Test development phase
  In the Test Development Phase, you play back scripts to verify that they work as intended, using the same version of the application-under-test that you used to record. This phase validates the expected behavior of the application.

• Regression testing phase
  When you have a baseline of expected behavior for your application-under-test, you can automate regression testing for subsequent builds.

• Playback Monitor
  During playback you can view the script name, the number of the line that is executing, status icons, and a description of the action in progress from the Playback Monitor.

• Local and agent computers
  When you associate a Functional Tester project with a Rational project, you can use TestManager to run your Functional Tester scripts on computers that you designate as Agent computers from a single Windows computer, called the Local computer.

• TestManager and script execution
  You need to do some preliminary set up before you run a Functional Tester script from TestManager.

• Use ScriptAssure
  Using ScriptAssure®, you can play back scripts successfully even when the application-under-test has been updated.

• Ambiguous object recognition in functional testing
  Ambiguous recognition occurs when Functional Tester can not uniquely identify an object in the system-under-test. This commonly happens when Functional Tester cannot differentiate between an instance of the application-under-test started by a script playback and an instance of the same application inadvertently left open previous to script playback. This also applies to identical windows from one application and identical HTML documents. Ambiguous recognition will cause script playback failure unless the duplicate application is closed.

• Screen snapshot on playback failure of functional tests
  If playback of a script causes a RFT exception to be thrown, Functional Tester takes a screen snapshot at the time of the failure. The screen snapshot is accessible through the log.