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nastester's avatar
nastester
Regular Contributor
2 years ago
Solved

Change browser used in all tests

Is there a way to globally change the browser used in keyword tests rather than having to update each Navigate statement to use a different browser?   
Keyword Tests
Script Tests
Test Run
Web Testing
  • eykxas's avatar
    eykxas
    2 years ago

    I don't know what else to tell you.

     

    This is the code (javascript) :

    function startBrowser(){
  var localBrowser;
    
  switch (Project.Variables.browser){
    case "chrome":
    localBrowser = TestedApps.chrome;
    break;
      
    case "msedge":
    localBrowser = TestedApps.msedge;
    break;
      
    default:
    localBrowser = TestedApps.msedge;
  }
 
  localBrowser.Params.SimpleParams.CommandLineParameters = Project.Variables.url;
  localBrowser.Run();

  if(!browser.Exists) {
    return false;
  } else {
    return true;
  }
}


    And I store the value of the browser as a simple string.

     

    In the name mapping I have just this : 


    I make sure only one tested browser is running at a time (otherwise, there may be a conflict).
    And that's it. Anytime I want to call the browser or one of its childs objects I use : Aliases.browser.something.

tristaanogre's avatar
tristaanogre
Esteemed Contributor
2 years ago

I have my NameMapping set up so that the automation is browser agnostic.  Then, when I build my tests, I use the "Run Browser" activity and specify the browser based upon a parameter that I pass in.  Every action after that is recognized as occurring on that browser.  In otherwords, considering reworking your test case and mapping to be browser agnostic.  That way, if you want to run the test on a different browser, simply pass in a different value for the browser parameter.  -3 is Chrome, -6 is Edge, and so forth. see Run Browser and my screen shots below

 

 




  • nastester's avatar
    nastester
    Regular Contributor
    2 years ago

    Thanks for the quick reply! 

    Interesting solution. Wouldn't you have to change the parameter values for browser in each test every time you wanted to switch though? 
    It doesn't seem like you can set that at the project level, just on the test case itself, unless I'm missing something.

    Or do you have some way, like a script, that updates all the parameters in every test?

    • tristaanogre's avatar
      tristaanogre
      Esteemed Contributor
      2 years ago

      The tests are called from a custom framework that we use that build an in-memory object list to indicate which test cases to execute.  We set a project variable at the start of things that is then passed through to all projects.

      But... this is by no means the only way of doing things.  I would say that the NameMapping change is vital no matter how you do it.  But how you determine what browser runs... that can be done any number of ways.  There's a "loop" option to run test cases on multiple browsers that will actually loop through all installed browsers on a machine and run the same test.  You can leverage that to make your tests more dynamic.  But generally, there are two principles that I suggest you take away:

      1) Make your mapping of your browser object generic
      2) Parameterize your "Run Browser" operation in some way to globally change your browser.