Forum Discussion

kevingiles's avatar
kevingiles
Occasional Contributor
5 years ago

Dynamic Object Recognition and how to use FindChild in Keyword test

Hello, everybody. I am currently assessing TestComplete as a replacement for another Automated test tool which is becoming more and more cumbersome.  I have only a short time to complete my assessme...
  • kevingiles's avatar
    kevingiles
    5 years ago

    Hey - I have found a solution that I worked out with a suggestion from another Forum member.

    Sub ClickPopup(Category,ItemName )
      Dim MyDiagram
      Set MyDiagram= Aliases.ClientHost.HwndSource_ProcessEditor.ProcessEditor.tabControl.myDiagram
      Call MyDiagram.ClickR(223, 369) ' Will make this a parameter eventually
      Call MyDiagram.PopupMenu.Click("New|" + Category)
      Dim FoundEntry
      Set FoundEntry = NameMapping.Sys.ClientHost.FindChild("text",ItemName,100) ' ClientHost is the application main window
      FoundEntry.Click()


    End Sub

     

    Thanks for the hints and help from rushikesh.

Wamboo's avatar
Wamboo
Community Hero

Hello,

If I can suggest it, talk to your boss about creating automation scripts by writing code rather than recording elements on the screen.

 

There are a lot of questions about the choice of working method:


1. how big application do you plan to cover with tests?
When working with keywordTest, you are using a very strong functionality called "NameMapping". Only selected elements should be added to this repository, not everything. Too large a NameMapping file will cause optimization problems in the future.

 

2. Maintaining and modifying the tests.
If your test scenarios are modified frequently, choose the scripting method with no keyword. It will be easier to maintain and create common libraries.

 

3. working together on the project and storing files in the repository.
By choosing the scripting method, it will be easier to divide the work into individual team members.

 

Searching for dynamic elements:

In TestComplete you can choose between different methods .Findxxx(),

One of them is the FindChild() method you mentioned.

 

An example from Javascript:

 

// variable
var object = Aliases.program.object;

 

// in the object you have in the variable you can search for the elementvar searched forObject = object.FindChild("property name", "property value", nesting)

 

// to the above-mentioned variable I'll save the object to be searched.

 

Inside the keyword test, Yo can actually write a function to perform some action.

 

If you open a tab called "Object browser" in TestComplete you will see all the elements that you can potentially map to Aliases and search by .Findxxx()

On the forum, we have already talked many times about topics related to starting work with TestComplete. Please check it:

 

https://community.smartbear.com/t5/TestComplete-Desktop-Testing/NameMapping-Alias-and-find-function/td-p/187593

 

https://community.smartbear.com/t5/TestComplete-Desktop-Testing/NameMapping-Alias-and-find-function/td-p/187593

 

 

kevingiles's avatar
kevingiles
Occasional Contributor
5 years ago

Ok,

I have stated that my boss does not want user code. I understand your frustration that I don't just do it with a bit of script but I AM NOT PERMITTED TO and, believe me, I have argued my point frequently.

 

so what have I tried?

I have found that I can get a child item within a Keyword test into a variable of type object. (Can't prove this works yet due to the point below.)

How do I then click on the object which is now in the variable?

 

Note that I really want to find the object with the text "New" somewhere within the popup menu which appears after the ClickR on bpa Diagram but, by the time I get back to TestComplete the menu is gone.

If I do a recording it does say Popup menu is the Item/Object but this is not in the name mapper as far as I can see.

 

I have attached a screenshot of how far I have got but what do I select as the new operation in the keyword test in order to get a click? I have tried On-Screen Action but if I select the variable for it to act upon (which contains the object from the previous Set variable step) it then says that this has no operations.

 

Screenshot of the test attached.

 

I did also try to create a new mapping and, somehow, I go a tree down to the first level of menu. however, my menu could be multiple levels (3 currently) and I would like to find the child with a certain name at any point in the tree. SO I suppose I would use FindChild on the root level of the menu.

Also attached a picture of this.

 

Thanks to anyone who can help.

  • AlexKaras's avatar
    AlexKaras
    Champion Level 3
    5 years ago

    Hi,

     

    A lot of Keyword Test operations allow to use variables instead of hardcoded values for their parameters.

    You may consider also the Call Object Method operation.

    https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/keyword-testing/reference/test-actions/call-object-method.html

    https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/keyword-testing/basic/operation-parameters.html

    Does this help?

     

    P.S. As you are forced to use Keyword Tests as much as possible, you may consider to create a library of small basic reusable Keyword Tests and use them through out all other tests. I am doubting that such approach will be as effective as the script-based one, but there were messages here that it worked for some people.

    https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/keyword-testing/reference/test-actions/run-keyword-test.html

    Also you may consider to create a helper scripted functions and call them from within library reusable Keyword Tests. (So that unexperienced users are more or less isolated from script code on the one hand but you can get what you need on the other hand.)

    https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/keyword-testing/reference/test-actions/run-script-routine.html

    and

    https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/keyword-testing/reference/test-actions/run-code-snippet.html

     

    • kevingiles's avatar
      kevingiles
      Occasional Contributor
      5 years ago

      Ok, Thanks for your help so far.

      As I said - I am trying to avoid using script but I have decided to try this anyway.

      Let me explain the problem I have now. I have a three level menu. The first and second levels are fixed in structure, the third is not so sometimes what is now item 2 may be item 1 next time.

       

      So I have tried to implement the findchild but with no success. On the second CLick() I get "Object does not exist".

      Please can you indicate what I am doing wrong.

      Sub ClickPopup(ItemName,Category )

      Dim menuEntry

      set menuEntry = NameMapping.Sys.ClientHost.HwndSource_ProcessEditor.ProcessEditor.tabControl.myDiagram

      set FoundEntry = menuEntry.PopupMenu
      FoundEntry.Click("New|" + Category)
      set FoundEntry = NameMapping.Sys.ClientHost.HwndSource_PopupRoot.PopupRoot.FindChild("WPFControlText", ItemName,4,0)

      FoundEntry.Click()

      end sub

      I know the code is messy and uncommented but at this stage I am just trying things out as quickyly as possible.

       

      Thanks.

      • kevingiles's avatar
        kevingiles
        Occasional Contributor
        5 years ago

        Hey - I have found a solution that I worked out with a suggestion from another Forum member.

        Sub ClickPopup(Category,ItemName )
          Dim MyDiagram
          Set MyDiagram= Aliases.ClientHost.HwndSource_ProcessEditor.ProcessEditor.tabControl.myDiagram
          Call MyDiagram.ClickR(223, 369) ' Will make this a parameter eventually
          Call MyDiagram.PopupMenu.Click("New|" + Category)
          Dim FoundEntry
          Set FoundEntry = NameMapping.Sys.ClientHost.FindChild("text",ItemName,100) ' ClientHost is the application main window
          FoundEntry.Click()


        End Sub

         

        Thanks for the hints and help from rushikesh.