Forum Discussion

RUDOLF_BOTHMA's avatar
RUDOLF_BOTHMA
Community Hero
8 years ago

Is it possible to create a temporary Alias/Name Mapping?

Good Day folks,   I'm trying to achieve something I am not sure can be done in a Web application.  The question is:   "Can I take an object I found by ID, Name, etc. and Alias it, then remove the...
  • cunderw's avatar
    cunderw
    8 years ago

    If I understand you correctly, you would just like to be able to dynamically change a search value for a mapped object?

     

    Namemapping values can be tied to a Project Variable which you could then set the value of at run time. Does this accomplish what you need?

cunderw's avatar
cunderw
Community Hero

If I understand you correctly, you would just like to be able to dynamically change a search value for a mapped object?

 

Namemapping values can be tied to a Project Variable which you could then set the value of at run time. Does this accomplish what you need?

RUDOLF_BOTHMA's avatar
RUDOLF_BOTHMA
Community Hero
8 years ago

I'm not familiar enough about how it works yet to give you anything more than a "Maybe".
 
Here's how I understand what you are saying:
 
I have a pseudo script
function SetText(AliasedObjectParent,AliasedObjectChild,Text)
{
 AliasedObjectParent.WaitAliasChild(AliasedObjectChild.MappedName,1); //Want to know it's there first
 AliasedObjectChild.SetText(Text);
}
 
I have a panel with two labels/textboxes/comboboxes on.
 
The panel is Aliased as, say, Browser.LoginPage
I then add the first label mapped as Browser.LoginPage.TopTextBox
 
Now if I want to set the text of Browser.LoginPage.TopTextBox I go
SetText(Browser.LoginPage,Browser.LoginPage.TopTextBox,"Some Text");
 
If I understand you correctly I can go something like
Aliases.Browser.LoginPage.TopTextBox.ID = [bottomtextbox's ID] (unclear on this part, but basically change the ID to the ID of the bottom textbox)
 
Now if I call
SetText(Browser.LoginPage,Browser.LoginPage.TopTextBox,"Some Text");
it will actually set the bottom textbox because I have now changed the mapping and all the properties are going to come from the bottom text box?  Not entirely sure why the project variable would come into play.  I recall reading something to that effect in help files, but it's a bit fuzzy still.

  • cunderw's avatar
    cunderw
    Community Hero
    8 years ago

    So, the ID property of the mapped object cannot be set like that (it's read only), which is why I was mentioning using a project variable.

     

    What you would want to do is create a project variable called something like, textBoxID.

     

    Then in the name mapping for that object add the ID property and for the value change the Mode from 'Constant' to 'Project Variable' and select the newly created textBoxID.

     

    Then for your script when you want to change which object you're point to, you would do Project.Variables.texBoxID = <newID> and then call your set text.

     

     

    • RUDOLF_BOTHMA's avatar
      RUDOLF_BOTHMA
      Community Hero
      8 years ago

      OK, I'm starting to get the general idea. I don't see how I can get to a point where I can call WaitAliasChild though, which is the main reason for all this faf..  I'm trying to work with Aliases.  I'll go tinker and test some and get back to you.

      • tristaanogre's avatar
        tristaanogre
        Esteemed Contributor
        8 years ago

        You might also want to consider, for your more variable component identifications, to utilize a different set of properties or figure out what portion of the id is variable and use wildcards (*) to mark those.

         

        Additionally, "FindChild" and "FindAllChildren" are good methods to learn as these will allow you to dynamically find objects in code and utilize them rather than having to rely always on static mapping.  In my implementations of the TestComplete tool, I tend to use a hybrid of mapped objects and calls to "FindChild", depending upon the situation.  Those things that I can reliably map statically I map... those things that are too variable to make that easy I use FindChild.  Perhaps this is a way forward... FindChild is, almost, what you're looking for with a "temporary alias".