Tutorial #18 – Test Automation Frameworks Part-2

7/28/2019 Tutorial #18 – Test Automation Frameworks Part-2

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QTP Tutorial #18 – Data Driven and

Hybrid Frameworks Explained with QTP

Examples Posted In | Automation Testing, QTP Tutorials

We are working our way through figuring out how to derive at an automation framework

that works best for a certain testing project and also are defining certain frameworks that

already exist.

The example that we were using in the previous QTP framework article was creating a new

Gmail account.

To start with, we coded the creating of a new account scenario just by recording and play back in a linear fashion. Seeing how it lacked in modularity, readability and reusability we

broke it down into functions that would be referenced as keywords moving forward.

We did achieve modularity, readability and reusability through this method but we needed to

make the program even more robust so that it can take different sets of values without having

to modify the script itself.

That is exactly what we are going to achieve by data driving the tests.

Data Driven automation framework using QTP

Creating multiple Google user accounts is the task we will try to accomplish using this

framework.

In the example earlier, we hard coded the first name, last name, user id details etc. into our

code while trying to create an account. We will have to separate the code from the data if we

have to achieve data driving aspect for this script.

The data should come from a source that is not the program itself.

Typically the data input can be anything:

1. MS Excel files

2. Data base

3. Text files

4. XML files….etc.

Excel files are the ones that get used most often. The very fact that each action in QTP comes

integrated with a data sheet of its own explains why that’s so.

You can use one or more data sources for a single script. The excel sheet that comes with the

action can be used or you can use an external excel sheet too. Basically a data sheet can beany relevant external file.

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For example:

This is the code that we need to data drive:

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Browser("Gmail: Email fromGoogle").Page("GoogleAccounts").WebEdit("FirstName").Set "swati" Browser("Gmail: Email from Google").Page("Google

Accounts").WebEdit("LastName").Set "s" Browser("Gmail: Email from Google").Page("GoogleAccounts").WebEdit("GmailAddress").Set "test"

All the data right now is hardcoded. Let us now see how we can take these values from the

datasheet.

Go to the expert view for the statement in QTP and click on the value column for a step. The

following window open up:

Select the parameter option, choose a name for the parameter (this will be the column name

in the data sheet) and choose whether you are going to use the global sheet or local sheet

(global sheet is available for all the actions in a test, but local sheet is specific to the current

action).

For the ‘Name’ field in the screen, QTP provides a default value. The user has an option to

keep it the same or change it.

http://cdn2.softwaretestinghelp.com/wp-content/qa/uploads/2013/05/Data-driven-framework.jpg



On clicking OK, a new column gets created in the datatable.

This is how the data sheet that contains 3 sets of firstname, last name and account id looks

like:

http://cdn.softwaretestinghelp.com/wp-content/qa/uploads/2013/05/Data-driven-framework-2.jpg

http://cdn2.softwaretestinghelp.com/wp-content/qa/uploads/2013/05/Data-driven-framework-1.jpg





Once parameterized, the code looks li ke:

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Browser("Gmail: Email from Google").Page("GoogleAccounts").WebEdit("FirstName").Set DataTable("G_First_Name",dtGlobalSheet) Browser("Gmail: Email from Google").Page("GoogleAccounts").WebEdit("LastName").Set DataTable("G_Last_Name", dtGlobalSheet) Browser("Gmail: Email from Google").Page("GoogleAccounts").WebEdit("GmailAddress").Set DataTable("gmail_address",dtGlobalSheet)

If we have to create these 3 user IDs with the data in the sheets, we need to have 3 iterations.

Iteration is nothing but a test run.

Once the data is set up we will have to instruct QTP on how many times this code needs torun, or how many iterations.

This is how we do it: Go to File->Settings and Run (click on image to enlarge)




In the above screen set the iteration properties as required.

Alternately, you can instruct QTP about the iterations programmatically. As always, this

allows more control and also more programming skills. So it is really up to the comfort level

of the tester to choose either of these methods.

The components in a data driven framework are:

1. Test script

2. Data files

3. Shared Functional library(if exists or could be a linear program)

4. Object repository (Again, this component will not exist if descriptive programming

was used to create objects)

The test results will show a “Passed’ or ‘Failed’ status for each test run.

Apart from the data table that comes by default, we can use any external excel file as an input

sheet.

Hybrid framework

In the example above you used keywords (names of the functions that the user has created)

and have data driven the test to make sure that different users are created at the same time.

This is nothing but a hybrid framework.

The combination of any two or more frameworks that we have discussed so far is a hybridframework.




In my experience, no one framework works effectively for a certain project. Hybrid

framework is what gets used most often.

Few important points about frameworks:

1. Framework is just a solution that worked best in a certain situation but should not beconstrued as a set of rules to be definitely followed. It should be seen more like

guidelines.

2. There might be many other frameworks in use, we have only listed and explained the

common ones

3. Nomenclature – Different people address their frameworks with different names. So if

the names are slightly different from one application to another, it is normal.

4. Most of the frameworks can be used in conjunction with one another when any one of

them cannot provide an all round solution to your testing goals.

Conclusion:

For the sake of easy understanding we have reall y simpli f ied the concepts of fr amework

here. I f you have any f ramework related issues that you are facing that i s not covered in

these articles, do let us know. We wil l most defini tely try to answer your questions. Please

feel free to post your questions.

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Tutorial #18 – Test Automation Frameworks Part-2