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vthomeschoolmom's avatar
vthomeschoolmom
Super Contributor
11 years ago
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object recognition for WinForms objects

I am doing research on functional test automation tools. I confess that I did not look at TestComplete due to some past unhappy experiences with technical support. I am now at a new position, and we are looking at tools. I am doing a tool comparison analysis.



The biggest item on my mind is object recognition. The application under test was architected many moons ago with winforms within a web browser. There are web elements on screen as well as winform.



I have download a free trial of TestComplete to do a proof of concept. It does support some of the troublesome controls that other tools we are interested in don't support. But the WinForm controls are troublesome. I am very experienced with various techniques of accessing ActiveX controls including using their native properties and methods. I have some experience with Object Mapping and MSAA properies. So I am hoping these controls are accessible with these similar techniques or others.



I use the object spy to look at a tab control. It's Name property is WinFormsObject("twTabCGTemplate"). It's class is reporting WindowsForms10.Window.8.app.0.202c666. When I record a tab click I get  .......WinFormsObject("twTabCGTemplate").Click(31, 14)



Not a fan.



When attempting to access a combo box, only the parent is found.



WinFormsObject("_ToolPanel_Toolbars_Dock_Area_Top")



I cannot get into the combo that is within the dock bar.



Can anyone point me to information on accessing winform objects please?









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  • TanyaYatskovska's avatar
    TanyaYatskovska
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    11 years ago
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    Hi Lane,

     


    You can try adding PagePopup's class name to MSAA or UI Automation to make TestComplete recognize more objects. If this doesn't help, please post here at least a screenshot of this PagePopup window.


     


    As for supported controls, you can find the entire list of the controls here. Even if you don't find the controls used in your app on this list, it doesn't mean that you cannot test them. Read the What If My Control Is Not Supported? section of the article I mentioned earlier to learn more about the suggested approaches.


     

  • vthomeschoolmom's avatar
    vthomeschoolmom
    Super Contributor
    11 years ago
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    It turns out it is one of the not supported Infragistics controls. I am wondering how the supported control survey works. I have been trying to find a tool to recommend to management that can handle all of our on screen objects. I have had good luck with TestComplete in the past (except for the support issue mentioned before but there were extenuating circumstances). If I could get these issues resolved, I could do a proof of concept and evaluate whether this is the tool for us.



    There are 2 issues that I face at the moment:



    1. A web page img click dispays a pop up menu that TestComplete recognizes as a PagePopup object. On record, when I click on an item in the presented menu, coordinates are clicked - browser.PagePopup(0).Click(38, 26). What I need to understand is what the PagePopup object is and how to get to the items within it by name? When I use the object spy, it reports as one big object. But when in use by the AUT, the hovered item is highlighted making it look like independant items. All I know about the object is that it is rendered by JavaScript. That may not be enough information.



    2. How does the supported control survey work? How would one know what is on deck to support? If I were to make a list of controls that the AUT uses (all Infragistics pretty sure) is there any way to know if they are slotted?



    Thanks for your help.
  • vthomeschoolmom's avatar
    vthomeschoolmom
    Super Contributor
    11 years ago
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    Wow. Alrighty. Back to full proof of concept with Test Complete. You just got me access to a bunch of controls. Thanks for your help.