Core layout was changed to my web app. Over 60 keyword test associated with this app. Most of these test no longer work. Seems like the DOM changed a little.For Example:OriginalAliases.browser.pageMymome.panelUiDialogUiWidgetUiWidgetCon.formForm0.tableModalformwrapper.textboxQuestions0AnswerAnswertexNowAliases.browser.pageMymome.panelUiDialogUiWidgetUiWidgetCon2.formForm0.textboxQuestions0AnswerAnswertex Ideas?

OK, now I see, you really took your time to study name mapping in order to use it the right way...Congrats to you, I never had the patience to do it...Ok, so now @Tez A just needs to pick wich one he likes the best :DNice discussion Colin ;)

Indeed.Object Identification is always an interesting subject if you're doing automation.I made HUGE numbers of mistakes when setting up GUI maps in QTPro in the past. We thought about it and improved the way we did it. QTPro did not use Aliases, but did update all your scripts when you changed an object in the GUI map. Which was really helpful.TC does not auto update object references in scripts. And Aliases were new to me when I started using it. But with a bit of experimentation, I *think* I've got a method that works well and allows for easy maintenance. It took a bit of trial and error, and figuring out best use of Aliases, but it seems to be working well now.Fingers crossed! :)

Leave name mapping and start using scripts to find the objects searching all the DOM elements.Check out my gist on helper functions to see if it helps.This is not smartbear's opinion, it is mine and mine alone, maybe someone with more experience on name mapping can give you a hand in order not to lose all the tests you have.

Updating the objects doesn't look like it would be too hard.But updating all the scripts that use them might be.To me, it looks like you have a lot of unnecessary layers in your alias objects? I use the Alias object to massively reduce the complexity of the object map. So if an intermediate layer changes, I can correct it and leave the lower level components alone in the Alias file. Correct the map file and the alias file sorts itself out.Obviously, there are times where the Alias is also affected, but as long as your application is relatively stable, these should be minimal. They are for me.I can't see what exactly your alias represents, but I would try and reduce the number of components it uses. Do you actually need all those intermediate components?Jose - I know you and a few others on here use helper/search functions. If I'm working on something with a lot of dynamic components, I do the same. But in a non-dynamic site, are you not taking a big performance hit searching the whole DOM like that all the time?Main point with name maps is not to bother with them until you are confident the site is relatively stable. Unfortunately, you do still have to take a hit occasionally. But with smart use of identification properties and aliases, you can really reduce the impact.Updating all the alias references in the test scripts is far more of a problem. I've already seem someone ask for auto-updates to scripts when name map or alias changes happen. +1 to that from me! (QTPro does this from what I remember ...)

I don't use name mapping or aliases anymore, losing all my work twice tought me a lesson or 2.... I don't understand when you say "But updating all the scripts that use them might be."... When I talk about scripts I leave everything name mapping related on the side...If his application was stable, do you think he would be complaining about changes?The time it takes to search for the object is minimal once you find the right parent and give it to the function. If it takes more than 1 second searching for the object from the page object, I just search for the most reliable parent and go from there, quite faster but not always needed.I fully understand your point and as I said, it is just how I work, if you undestand name mapping there is probably a good way to work with it, I just couldn't find one that would fit my needs.

Core layout change effected DOM most items are coming up with Object not found

14 Replies

tandrews
Occasional Contributor
12 years ago
Great Dailog!

Colin I love your approach of simplifying the alias. However, how can I do that on a mass scale. I have over a hundred objects under ".tableModalformwrapper.". The name editor does not seem to let me move all of these objects at one time under ".pageMymome.".

Is there a way to move multiple objects at once?
Colin_McCrae
Community Hero
12 years ago
You may have a point there.

It doesn't seem to let you drag down multiple objects. You select multiples, but when you then try and drag them down to the Alias area, it only take one.

I tend to map out an area of the application very carefully before I start working on it. I create the name maps initially, modify the identification properties and names so they are easy to identify and robust and then move the key parts into the Alias area.

So I tend never to be in a position where I'm copying huge lumps of name map in one go.

One thing I've learned after years of using GUI maps is to be VERY through in creating it in the first place. Make names meaningful (I seldom use the automatic ones) and ID properties robust. And in TC's case, make the Aliases as simple to work with as possible.

Maybe something to raise as an enhancement with SmartBear?

But for the moment, it looks like you'd have to do them one at a time. :(
Colin_McCrae
Community Hero
12 years ago
Further thought ....

Maybe you can move the parent object to the alias file, and take all it's child items at the same time.

Then you can try:

1. Delete the parent. I think it may move all the child objects up the tree if you say not to delete those in the popup that comes up?

2. Move all the child objects to the same level as the parent in the Alias map, then delete the parent?

I don't want to play about with my own name map/aliases too much to test the above!
tandrews
Occasional Contributor
12 years ago
Still struggling with re-mapping all the items inmy project. Deleting the parent only notified me that it would delete all of the children. It did not give me the option to delete parent only. To review I have had core layout changed that has effected all aspects of my automated regression/ testing. Example:

Aliases.browser.pageMymome.panelUiDialogUiWidgetUiWidgetCon.formForm0.tableModalformwrapper.selectDdlmissionarytype

Aliases.browser.pageMymome.panelUiDialogUiWidgetUiWidgetCon2.formForm0.selectDdlmissionarytype

No more "tableMotableModalformwrapper."

Change from panelUiDialogUiWidgetUiWidgetCon to panelUiDialogUiWidgetUiWidgetCon2.

I need to move multiple elements out of "tableMotableModalformwrapper"

I need to rename panelUiDialogUiWidgetUiWidgetCon.

How can I safely do this? I tried ctrl H and performing a search and replace but it did not seem to do anything.

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Core layout change effected DOM most items are coming up with Object not found

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