Forum Discussion

cbeltran's avatar
cbeltran
New Contributor
6 years ago

How to use null values in a datadriven approach (xsi:nil="true") from an Excel datasource?

We have a request that needs to pass a null value in a particular scenario. Our requests have an Excel datasource that we use for parameters.

 

The issue we have, is that we are unable to parametize the null value in excel, it simply does not work., we get the error: "cvc-type.3.1.3: The value 'xsi:nil="true"' of element 'AccountNumber' is not valid"

 

When we use the notation below, it works properly, but in this case we are not using the datasource

 

   <AccountNumber xsi:nil="true"/>

 

When we use the datasource, the notation changes to;

 

   <AccountNumber>${DataSourceTestCases#LOI_ACC_AccountNumber0}</AccountNumber>

 

Using the datasource causes the error already mentioned

"cvc-type.3.1.3: The value 'xsi:nil="true"' of element 'AccountNumber' is not valid"

 

How can we parametize the null value from an excel datasource? 

 

We are using ReadyAPI 2.5.0

 

Clemente

Data-Driven Testing
SOAP
  • cbeltran's avatar
    cbeltran
    6 years ago

    Hi richi and everyone else;

     

    I have to thank you all for you suggestions I appreciate them.  Your ideas guided me towards the solution that I needed. Now it is working. I ended up using the “RequestFilter.filterRequest” as I had to change the request values before submitting it. (not the response, sorry if I did not explained this properly earlier)

     

    Our request data is read from a datasource, sometimes we need to use null values to test different scenarios.

    The idea is to replace a null string representation fed through a data source for the actual null that ready api uses. This needs to be done for every node that needs it before submitting the request

    .

    So, if we have a request has two or five or more nodes that need to send a null value equivalent then, this solution applies no matter the node name, it should work also at any level in the hierarchy, but I have not tested this yet

     

    The objective if to search for the string representing null, in my case it is “>xsi:nil="true"</TagName> using regular expression to target any tagname

     

    The solution consist in creating a RequestFilter.filterRequest and add the following code:

     

    def reqContent = context.requestContent
    def content

    log.info(reqContent)

    content = reqContent.replaceAll(">xsi:nil=\"true\"</[A-Za-z]+>", " xsi:nil=\"true\" />")

    context.requestContent = content

    log.info(content)

     

    Cheers!!!

  • richie's avatar
    richie
    Community Hero
    6 years ago
    Hey Clemente,

    Im just trying to get it straight in my head, can you clarify the following?

    You are using excel as the datasource....what is the content of the fields in the .xls....is this the source of the the tag values for the xml?

    Or is the whole xml payload in there?

    If i understand you correctly you are trying to insert a null value, but what do you actually mean by this? Xml doesnt really display blanks as null...depending on the rules typically defined in a schema, instead of displaying the element with null as the value, this would be represented by an empty element....do you mean you want to generate an empty element?

    Empty elements are represented as either of the follows:

    <Tagname></Tagname>
    Or
    <Tagname />

    However, if your schema defines the element as nillable (e.g. <Tagname xsi:nill="true">), this means the tag can be empty but its still displayed in the xml instance.

    Can you see why i'm a little confused?

    Can you add a bit more detail?

    Cheers

    richie

    • cbeltran's avatar
      cbeltran
      New Contributor
      6 years ago

      Hi Richie,

       

      Thanks for your reply, I will try to explain myself better. The field we are using is nillable in the schema, and it works fine when the request has the element represented in this format in the request <Tagname xsi:nill="true"/> 

      There are no problems when the request is like mentioned above.

       

      The representation above, is not using a datasource, it is hardcoded in the request.

       

      However, when we try to use a datasource for the same request that is when we have the problem. We create a property that points to a cell in excel, in this cell we have our properties/parameters, for one scenario, we have to use a null value. So, in the cell we are entering the value xsi:nil="true"  Expecting that this will be process as a null value in the request, but it does not work

       

      When we look at the request that fails, the element in the request is represented as;

      <Tagname>xsi:nil="true"</Tagname>  which is different to the one that works that is <Tagname xsi:nill="true"/>  

       

      The question is, how can we use a datasource to pass a null value or xsi:nil="true" for the scenarios that needed

      Or do we need to have a request with the hardcoded property as <Tagname xsi:nill="true"/>  for it to work

       

       

      Clemente

       

       

      • asseldonk01's avatar
        asseldonk01
        Contributor
        6 years ago

        Hi, you may be able to use groovy to get the generated xml and replace alle instances of <Tagname>xsi:nil="true"</Tagname> to the required <Tagname xsi:nill="true"/>.