MonkeyRunner Testing Tool for Android Applications
Ernest Holston and Brandi AmstutzMobile Testing Using
MonkeyRunnerREU Program at ECU "Software Testing - Foundations,
Tools, and Applications1Mobile DevelopmentSet of processes and
procedures involved in writing software for a small, wireless
computing device such as smartphones or tablets1
Software development kits (SDKs) are available for most mobile
platforms (Android, BlackBerry, Apple, etc.) and provide a range of
developer tools necessary to create mobile applications
Android SDKTools to build, test, and debug Android appsOpen
source/no costSDK download available here1:
http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/definition/Mobile-application-development
Mobile testingCrucial element of software developmentApplication
should function on devices with different:Operating SystemsDevice
manufacturersMemoryScreen resolutionScreen sizeSensor hardwareTypes
(smartphone or tablet)Data Connection Automation toolsAutomation
tools save time and money by using test scripts to repeat a test
procedure multiple timesIncrease the speed of regression tests
Examples:RobotiumSupports Android OSAutomatic black box test
casesFree to downloadTestdroid CloudSupports Android OS Fully
Automated testing on a cloud of devicesCalabashSupports Android and
iOSOpen source/free to download Android SDKMonkeyRunner
What is MonkeyRunner?MonkeyRunner is a tool that provides an
Application Programming Interface (API) for writing programs that
control an Android device.2
Interactive through command prompt using JythonUse commands to
write a script2:
http://developer.android.com/tools/help/monkeyrunner_concepts.html5MonkeyRunner
ModulesMonkeyRunnerClass of utility methodsProvides methods that
MonkeyDeviceRepresents a device or emulatorProvides methods that
simulate interactionsMonkeyImageRepresents a screen capture
imageProvides methods related to screen capturesCommand
Examplestouch(integer x, integer y, string type)type represents a
key event (DOWN, UP, DOWN_AND_UP)type(string
message)wake()writeToFile(string fileName, string
format)sameAs(MonkeyImage otherImage, float percent)Percent
indicates the percentage of pixels that need to be the same for the
method to return trueTechnical componentsEclipse IDEPyDev Extension
for EclipseJythonAndroid SDKAndroid Debug BridgeCommand line tool
that allows interaction with a connected deviceAndroid Package
(APK) for the application to be testedFile format used to install
applications on Android OSAndroid device connected through USB (or
emulator)Android drivers for specific device installed on
computer
testScript.py.apk fileAndroid device connected via USB
Screenshots are saved to file
Console
script
programming languages:python and jythonPythonClear and powerful
object-oriented programming language, comparable to Perl, Ruby,
Scheme, or Java3Open source/free to downloadPython provides a
Beginner's GuideCode examples from this basic
tutorialJythonImplementation of the high-level, dynamic,
object-oriented language Python seamlessly integrated with the Java
platform4Allows you to run Python on Java platformFree to
downloadIBMs tutorialUsing Jython with MonkeyRunner interactive
command line tool:3: http://wiki.python.org4:
http://www.jython.org/archive/21/docs/whatis.html
Executing Test script from command prompt
Use the following command format:monkeyrunner v ALL Executing
test script from from eclipse
screenshot feature
MonkeyRunner allows scripts to write screen captures to a file
for analysisScreenshot analysisECU Mobile application provides
access to mobile versions of BlackboardOneStopJoyner LibraryECU
transitand more!Compare the user interface on a smartphone and a
tablet:SmartphoneTabletDevice ManufacturerMotorolaSamsungModelRAZR
MGalaxy Tab 2 7.0OSAndroid 4.1.2Android 4.1.1Screen
Size4.37.0Screen Resolution960 x 540 qHD1024 x 600Memory1 GB
RAM/8GB ROM8 GBConnection TypeWi-FiWi-FiMotorola RAZR MSamsung
Galaxy Tab 2 App homepageOneStop Mobile log in
*Labels for credentials are not lined up correctly on
smartphone*
Motorola RAZR MSamsung Galaxy Tab 2 Navigation to transit home
page was delayed for smartphone by more than 2 minutes
Referenceshttp://developer.android.com/tools/help/monkeyrunner_concepts.html#APIClasseshttp://developer.android.com/sdk/index.htmlhttps://code.google.com/p/robotium/https://cloud.testdroid.com/web/homeOleksii
Starov, Sergiy Vilkomir, and Vyacheslav Kharchenko, "Cloud Testing
for Mobile Software Systems: Concept and Prototyping", Proceedings
of the 8th International Conference on Software Engineering and
Applications (ICSOFT-EA 2013), Reykjavik, Iceland, July 29-31,
2013.
