Forum Discussion

sgoulet's avatar
sgoulet
Contributor
2 years ago

objects previously recognized on desktop app

When beginning this project, I went through the exercise of getting objects to be recognized by test complete. I have a number of objects whose class is reported as WindowsForms10.Window.8.app.0.198698e_r8_ad1 or some variation. I was able to get recognitions with:

 

adding appropriate the class names to Project/Properties/Open Applications/MSAA. I then began happily writing my test and enjoying every happy minute.

 

What changed, you asked? I don't know. I make no changes to code or project properties. Immediately before observing this behavior, I had accepted the TestComplete dialog to update to the new version. Of course that is it, thought I. So I downgraded to TC 15.54.3.7 (which is the only version I have around. Waiting on SmartBear to tell me why my TC licenses are not showing up in the license manager.) I am experiencing the same problem in this previous version of TC.

 

The only other thing I can think of that changed is that the AUT's database was restored. But the behavior that I am seeing in TC began before this. And in no way did this change the user interface.

 

I looked at installed extensions, they are all installed except HP something something which I don't have.

 

Any ideas from anyone on what might be going on? Thanks

Desktop Testing
Object Recognition
  • sgoulet's avatar
    sgoulet
    2 years ago

    I have found the issue. At one point, I changed the user logged in to the application under test (AUT). To do so, I needed to run TestComplete as administrator. When I performed the upgrade, the shortcut which I had set to run as administrator was overwritten. I had no knowledge that object recognition required this as I had changed it for a different reason. I also had no visual indication that the shortcut was changed. Admittedly I did not notice the absence of the dialog box I was accustomed to seeing when opening TestComplete for administrator priveledges. When I updated the shortcut to tun TC as administrator, the recognition appears to have resumed.

  • sgoulet's avatar
    sgoulet
    Contributor
    2 years ago

    I have found the issue. At one point, I changed the user logged in to the application under test (AUT). To do so, I needed to run TestComplete as administrator. When I performed the upgrade, the shortcut which I had set to run as administrator was overwritten. I had no knowledge that object recognition required this as I had changed it for a different reason. I also had no visual indication that the shortcut was changed. Admittedly I did not notice the absence of the dialog box I was accustomed to seeing when opening TestComplete for administrator priveledges. When I updated the shortcut to tun TC as administrator, the recognition appears to have resumed.

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

      sgoulet :

       

      Hi,

       

      Thank you for the update in the thread.

      Out of curiosity: is your tested application is running with elevated (admin) privileges or not?

      If it does, then TestComplete must be running with the same level of privileges to be able to get access to application's internals.

      If it does not, then... hm-m-m... some applications indeed require elevated permissions for TestComplete for some reason...

       

  • Marsha_R's avatar
    Marsha_R
    Moderator
    2 years ago

    If you map one of those objects now, how do they show up? 

  • sgoulet's avatar
    sgoulet
    Contributor
    2 years ago

    This is the weirdest behavior I have ever seen. In order to answer the question you posted, Marsha, I used the object spy this morning (after letting it lie for the weekend). When spied, the object showed the mapped names. I checked again a couple of times. Thought weird weird weird. Ran a test. And the object not found again. 

     

    A few things to note. One, I speak about this one object which is the object that first caught my attention. MANY (all?) objects are not identified. The object I am referring to is a menu item within a tree. A data grid which I could formerly identify individual rows no longer shows these individual rows, columns, etc..

     

    When I say that the spy cannot identify, when I point the spy at an object, only the container object is highlighted. No longer are the items within the container individually accessible.

     

    Upon further research, the object that I first observed this behavior (an item within a tree) is within a "home window" object that previously could be identified with WinFormsControlName. This object is not found in this manner anymore. When I attempt to map it, it's auto mapped property is WndClass = WindowsForms10.Window.8.app.0.198698e_r8_ad1. When I map the object that contains the desired menu item (example object as I say all objects are not working) It also maps with WndClass WindowsForms10.Window.8.app.0.198698e_r8_ad1.

     

    In the object browser window, objects that were previously uniquely identified with different icons are now showing as just window:

     

     

     

  • sgoulet's avatar
    sgoulet
    Contributor
    2 years ago

    In theory, our AUT does not require elevated permissions. Because I am opening the AUT under a different user, which uses windows auth, I needed this. Which ... I honestly do not know why. 

     

    When I test manually, I do not open my AUT with elevated permissions.

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

      > I am opening the AUT under a different user

      This might explain things.

      It is my guess, that initially, when you were creating NameMapping, you started application using your credentials. If my guess is correct, then TestComplete was executed in the same context (yours) and did not require elevated privileges to access application's internals.

      When application was started using different user credentials (i.e. it was started like 'Run As...', not by just logging-in as some user), then TestComplete and application appeared to be in different contexts and thus TestComplete required elevated privileges to get access to the application's context.

      https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/testing-with/tested-apps/desktop/run-modes/run-as/index.html and related articles might provide additional information.