QuickTest Professional (QTP) Questions and Answers Part 2

Written by Raj

HP Mercury QTP

Table and DB Checkpoints:

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

There are two ways to define a database query:
(a) Use Microsoft Query. You can install Microsoft Query from the custom installation of Microsoft Office.
(b) Manually define an SQL statement.
The Checkpoint timeout option is available only when creating a table checkpoint. It is not available when creating a database checkpoint

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.
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.

Text/Text Area Checkpoint :

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.
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

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.
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.

What are the Features & Benefits of Quick Test Pro(QTP)..?

1. Key word driven testing
2. Suitable for both client server and web based application
3. Vb script as the scriot language
4. Better error handling mechanism
5. Excellent data driven testing features

What are the Features & Benefits of Quick Test Pro (QTP 8.0)?

Operates stand-alone, or integrated into Mercury Business Process Testing and Mercury Quality Center. Introduces next-generation zero-configuration Keyword Driven testing technology in Quick Test Professional 8.0 allowing for fast test creation, easier maintenance, and more powerful data-driving capability. Identifies objects with Unique Smart Object Recognition, even if they change from build to build, enabling reliable unattended script execution. Collapses test documentation and test creation to a single step with Auto-documentation technology. Enables thorough validation of applications through a full complement of checkpoints.

How to handle the exceptions using recovery secnario manager in Qtp?

You can instruct QTP to recover unexpected events or errors that occured in your testing environment during test run. Recovery scenario manager provides a wizard that guides you through the defining recovery scenario. Recovery scenario has three steps
1. Triggered Events
2. Recovery steps
3. Post Recovery Test-Run

what is the use of Text output value in Qtp?

Output values enable to view the values that the application talkes during run time.When paramaterised, the values change for each iteration.Thus by creating output values, we can capture the values that the application takes for each run and output them to the data table.

What information do the columns in the Keyword View show for each step?

As you recorded your test, QuickTest generated steps in the Keyword View representing each operation you performed in the Web browser.
The columns in the Keyword View show different information for each step, as follows:

. Item—Displays the item for the step (test object, utility object, function call, or statement) in a hierarchical icon-based tree.
. Operation—The operation to be performed on the item, for example, Click or Select.
. Value—The argument values for the selected operation, for example, the mouse button to use when clicking the image.
. Assignment—The assignment of a value to or from a variable so you can use the value later in the test.
. Comment—Any textual information you want to add regarding the step, for example, Return to page used in first step of the test.
. Documentation—Auto-documentation of what the step does, in an easy-to-understand sentence, for example, Click the “findFlights” image.

Why use Regular Expressions?

you created a text checkpoint that searched for a specific text string. You can use regular expressions to increase the flexibility and adaptability of your tests.
Regular expressions enable QuickTest to identify objects and text strings with varying values. You can use regular expressions when defining the properties of an object, the methods of an argument, when parameterizing a step, and when creating checkpoints with varying values

Explain QTP Testing process ?

The QuickTest testing process consists of 6 main phases:

1. Create your test plan
Prior to automating there should be a detailed description of the test including the exact steps to follow, data to be input, and all items to be verified by the test. The verification information should include both data validations and existence or state verifications of objects in the application.

2. Recording a session on your application
As you navigate through your application, QuickTest graphically displays each step you perform in the form of a collapsible icon-based test tree. A step is any user action that causes or makes a change in your site, such as clicking a link or image, or entering data in a form.

2. Enhancing your test
o Inserting checkpoints into your test lets you search for a specific value of a page, object or text string, which helps you identify whether or not your application is functioning correctly.
NOTE: Checkpoints can be added to a test as you record it or after the fact via the Active Screen. It is much easier and faster to add the checkpoints during the recording process.
o Broadening the scope of your test by replacing fixed values with parameters lets you check how your application performs the same operations with multiple sets of data.
o Adding logic and conditional statements to your test enables you to add sophisticated checks to your test.

3. Debugging your test
If changes were made to the script, you need to debug it to check that it operates smoothly and without interruption.

4. Running your test on a new version of your application
You run a test to check the behavior of your application. While running, QuickTest connects to your application and performs each step in your test.

5. Analyzing the test results
You examine the test results to pinpoint defects in your application.

6. Reporting defects
As you encounter failures in the application when analyzing test results, you will create defect reports in Defect Reporting Tool.

What is Parameterizing Tests?

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 can create a parameterized test that runs ten times: each time the test runs, it uses a different set of data.

What is test object model in QTP ?

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.
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")

How to analyzing Test Results using QTP?

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 results tree, an icon-based view of the steps that were performed while the test was running. The results tree 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.
1 View the test results for a specific step.
In the results tree, expand (+) Test Recording Summary > Recording Iteration 1 (Row 1) > Action1 Summary > your application > your test name .
The Test Results window now contains three panes, displaying:
. the 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 results tree, QuickTest displays the corresponding page in the application view. When you click a step (an operation performed on an object) in the results tree, the corresponding object is highlighted in the application view. In this case, the Departing From text box is highlighted.

Explain the check points in QTP?

A checkpoint verifies that expected information is displayed in a Application while the test is running. You can add eight types of checkpoints to your test for standard web objects using QTP.

• A page checkpoint checks the characteristics of a Application
• A text checkpoint checks that a text string is displayed in the appropriate place on a Application.
• An object checkpoint (Standard) checks the values of an object on a Application.
• An image checkpoint checks the values of an image on a Application.
• A table checkpoint checks information within a table on a Application
• An Accessiblity checkpoint checks the web page for Section 508 compliance.
• An XML checkpoint checks the contents of individual XML data files or XML documents that are part of your Web application.
• A database checkpoint checks the contents of databases accessed by your web site

In how many ways we can add check points to an application using QTP.

We can add checkpoints while recording the application or we can add after recording is completed using Active screen (Note : To perform the second one The Active screen must be enabled while recording).

Explain in brief about the QTP 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.

Discuss QTP Environment.

QuickTest Pro environment using the graphical interface and ActiveScreen technologies - A testing process for creating test scripts, relating manual test requirements to automated verification features - Data driving to use several sets of data using one test script.

Explain the concept of how QTP identifies object.

During recording qtp looks at the object and stores it as test object.For each test object QT learns a set of default properties called mandatory properties,and look at the rest of the objects to check whether this properties are enough to uniquely identify the object. During test run,QT searches for the run time obkects that matches with the test object it learned while recording.

Object Repositories types, Which & when to use?

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:

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.

Can we Script any test case with out having Object repository? or Using Object Repository is a must?

No. U can script with out Object repository by knowing the Window Handlers, spying and recognizing the objects logical names and properties available.

How to execute a WinRunner Script in QTP?

(a) TSLTest.RunTest TestPath, TestSet [, Parameters ] --> Used in QTP 6.0 used for backward compatibility Parameters : The test set within Quality Center, in which test runs are stored. Note that this argument is relevant only when working with a test in a Quality Center project. When the test is not saved in Quality Center, this parameter is ignored.
e.g : TSLTest.RunTest "D:\test1", ""
(b)TSLTest.RunTestEx TestPath, RunMinimized, CloseApp [, Parameters ] TSLTest.RunTestEx "C:\WinRunner\Tests\basic_flight", TRUE, FALSE, "MyValue" CloseApp : Indicates whether to close the WinRunner application when the WinRunner test run ends. Parameters : Up to 15 WinRunner function argument

Why divide a test into three action calls?

When you create a new test, it contains a call to one action. By dividing your tests into calls to multiple actions, you can design more modular and efficient tests.

How To clear the AutoComplete?

1 In your Internet Explorer’s menu bar, choose Tools > Internet Options > Content tab.
2 Click AutoComplete in the Personal information area. The AutoComplete Settings dialog box opens.
3 In the Use AutoComplete for area, clear the User names and passwords on forms option.
4 Click OK to save your changes and close the AutoComplete Settings dialog box, then click OK again to close the Internet Options dialog box.

What is Object Spy in QTP?

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.