Create Automated Tests that are Resistant to Changes in the UI

Object 1 was changed to Object 2 and my script fails now. The article below describes this scenario; how do I provide unique names so that my script will always run?

1). Aliases.MyApplication.frmCustomerLookup.grpPhoneSearch.pbPhoneNumber.RegExTextBox

2).Aliases.MyApplication.wndWindowsForms10Window8app033c0d9d.WindowsForms10Window8app033c0d9d.Item.Item2

"Automated tests created with scripts or keyword tests are dependent on the application under test. The user interface of the application may change between builds, especially in the early stages. These changes may affect the test results, or your automated tests may no longer work with future versions of the application. The problem is automated testing tools use a series of properties to identify and locate an object. Sometimes a testing tool relies on location coordinates to find the object. For instance, if the control caption or its location has changed, the automated test will no longer be able to find the object when it runs and will fail. To run the automated test successfully, you may need to replace old names with new ones in the entire project, before running the test against the new version of the application. However, if you provide unique names for your controls, it makes your automated tests resistant to these UI changes and ensures that your automated tests work without having to make changes to the test itself. This also eliminates the automated testing tool from relying on location coordinates to find the control, which is less stable and breaks easily."

17 Replies

tristaanogre
Esteemed Contributor
15 years ago
The "magic" for this comes into not letting TestComplete remap the new item right away. Instead of mapping the new item, I'd edit the existing NameMapping that is pointing to object 1 to match the new hierarchy of your application.

Your test automation would always use the Alias while the NameMapping that goes on behind the scenes may change and flow with the application.

Take a look at the following article.

http://smartbear.com/support/viewarticle/12465/
AlexanderM
Staff
15 years ago

Hello Mario,

In general, Robert's suggestion is just what you need - the Aliases tree is what you need to keep your tests unchanged when the objects hierarchy changes.

However, based on the names in the second case, I can say that your tested .NET application stopped being Open for TestComplete. That is, for some reason, TestComplete stopped recognizing the application as Open, and this is the root cause of the problem that need to be investigated.

Run your application and switch to the Object Browser panel. Do you see TestComplete's icon to the right of your application's process in the Objects tree?

Expand the process node, make a screen shot, and post it here or send to Support.

Also, let me know the exact version of TestComplete you are using (Help | About...).
Mario_Alberts
New Contributor
15 years ago
@Robert, Thanks for your reply.

@Alex, Thanks for your reply. I have sent the screenshot you requested via the support page.

Mario
miguel_domingos
Contributor
15 years ago
I have a similar problem. all the objects were with the right names and now some objects are not recognised during the run of the tests because in object browser they have srange names like Aliases["FarmaPro"]["wndWindowsForms10Window8app033c0d9d1"]

testcomplete enterprise 8.20.538.7
tristaanogre
Esteemed Contributor
15 years ago
The answer is going to be pretty much the same. You're going to need to modify your NameMapping criteria for the objects so that they are recognized by your tests again. There's no need, if done properly, to remap everything so long as you spend the due diligence to update your existing mapping.
miguel_domingos
Contributor
15 years ago
I don't understand what you mean by editing the NameMappings file can you give me an example?
tristaanogre
Esteemed Contributor
15 years ago
Basically, what is described here. http://smartbear.com/support/viewarticle/12451/

You need to go to where the object is defined in your NameMapping node and update/modify the existing criteria so the object is identified correctly once again.
miguel_domingos
Contributor
15 years ago
I'm not getting it. Before I had this object Aliases["FarmaPro"]["FarmaProForm"] and now it is considered as Aliases["FarmaPro"]["wndWindowsForms10Window8app033c0d9d1"]. What do I have to change? Do I have to do it every time testcomplete remembers to invent a new name for a window?
tristaanogre
Esteemed Contributor
15 years ago
What you need to do is edit the item that is mapped as Aliases["FarmaPro"]["FarmaProForm"] to apply either new criteria (if they have changed) or modify the existing criteria to be more resistant to changes. The articles posted in this thread should give instruction in how to do so.

Two things cause a component to change identification.

1) The application itself has changed fundamentally to require remapping

2) The component has certain dynamic properties (ID, name, etc) that need to be accounted for in the mapping. I suspect that this is the case with your situation. You'll need to either use a different set of criteria to be able to uniquely identify FarmaProForm so that it does not have to be changed frequently, or you'll need to modify your existing criteria (with wildcards, conditional mode, required children, etc), to make it more flexible.

A good video tutorial on this can be found at http://smartbear.com/support/screencasts/testcomplete/reliable-tests-for-dynamic-objects/

Without knowing the specifics of your component, what properties are being used, which properties have changed, etc, I cannot be any more detailed.

If you can post a screenshot of the Object Spy for the form in question and a screen shot of the mapping criteria for FarmaProForm, I can give some advice but, right now, all I or anyone can do is generalize.
miguel_domingos
Contributor
15 years ago
Nothing has changed in the application.

Sometimes TestCompletes remebers to generate a WindowBlablabla name and some others after trying 23 times to run the tests the correct window name is recognized.