Automate NameMapping of objects?

I'm currently looking into pairing TestComplete with another desktop automation testing tool which will pull the active processes from the target application and inherently start mapping its children. This would theoretically reduce the need to map every object manually. Then again, it wouldn't account for an extra index or any other properties that are custom to the user's needs. Thus, the user would still need to polish the NameMapping tree, but it would already be there!

Has anyone tested this before? Automating a section of another automation tool?

And, does this actually sounds feasible?

Thanks!

AlexKaras
6 years ago
Hi,

Isn't batch-mapping (https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/testing-with/object-identification/name-mapping/add/from-gui.html#to-batch-map-child-objects) the thing you are looking for?

Maybe, combined with custom templates (https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/testing-with/object-identification/name-mapping/templates.html)...

Marsha_R
Moderator
6 years ago
TestComplete will map your objects automatically for you. What is the other tool going to add?
- automTest
  Occasional Contributor
  6 years ago
  You're absolutely right. TestComplete indeed does map the objects automatically. The current platform that I'm testing contains a "looooot" of objects that are eventually needed for testing purposes, hence going through the process of choosing to map all of its children automatically or manually.
  
  I'm trying to get rid of the repetitiveness of accepting the configuration for each object. And, I'm looking for a tool that will be able to accomplish such.
  
  Thanks!
  - tristaanogre
    Esteemed Contributor
    6 years ago
    automTest wrote:
    
    You're absolutely right. TestComplete indeed does map the objects automatically. The current platform that I'm testing contains a "looooot" of objects that are eventually needed for testing purposes, hence going through the process of choosing to map all of its children automatically or manually.
    
    I'm trying to get rid of the repetitiveness of accepting the configuration for each object. And, I'm looking for a tool that will be able to accomplish such.
    
    Thanks!
    
    While that "repetitiveness" may be inconvenient and/or annoying, it is necessary. In many modern developed applications, both web and desktop, there are dynamic factors in identifying objects. So, sometimes, using the "defaults" in the mapping are not always the best ones to use.
    
    Easy example: When using the Notepad application in Windows, the main window has a caption that contains the name of the text file you are editing. This MAY not always be the name of the file each time you open an instance of notepad. So, if you want to identify a SPECIFIC instance, you need to make sure you have that proper filename in the caption if you're using the caption as an idemtifying factor. HOWEVER, if you want to use ANY Notepad instance in your tests, you need to either EXCLUDE the caption from your identifying attributes or somehow modify those properties to wildcard the caption appropriately.
    
    So... most of the time, when you're using automatic mapping, regardless of the tool, you're going to want to review how the tool mapped the object to make sure that such dynamic factors are accounted for.