TestComplete sends WebService call parameter with mantissa causing an error

Finally got the workaround from SmartBear:



Hi,



The problem with the web service method call in this case occurs because of difference between scripting and SOAP data types - there's no scripting analogue for the SOAP:Decimal type, and strings are used for data conversion.



As a workaround, you can try using the following function to pass values in the target method. Parameters of these function are:

Name: string - the parameter name as it is declared in the service.

Namespace: string - the namespace where the method is defined.

Value: the parameter value (e.g. 0.00003).



Here's the function's code (JScript):

function CreateParameterNode(Name, Namespace, Value)

{

  var Document = Sys.OleObject("Msxml2.DOMDocument");

  var Element = Document.createNode(1, "Name", "Namespace");

  Element.appendChild(Document.createTextNode(0.00003));

  return Element;

}

Hi Djordje,

 

I never met such a problem, but personally I would have try to double-check that web service under development reports correct problem and capture the request sent by TestComplete using Fiddler, WireShark or any other http-capturing tool.

Wouldn't you mind to try to capture the problematic request (and the good one, to have something to compare with) and either post it here (along with the WSDL file of the tested web service) or open support ticket (http://support.smartbear.com/message/?prod=TestComplete) and provide Support with the same details?

Hi Alex,

I spoke to the developers and asked them to execute the very same test case as a unit test in Visual Studio and WebService call was successful generating positive response. (I watched over their shoulder as they've executed a test).

I have even hardcoded parameter values  in a WebServices.ServiceName.Method(.....,0.00003,....) call and would still get an exception as above from the WebService.

This is all good, but nevertheless, personally I, would capture request sent to the wire by TestComplete. (As a tester you can never trust developers, especially in their environment... (to grin or not to grin is up to you ;) )

Hi Alex,

unfortunately, the developer is right this time. I have recorded traffic using Fiddler and indeed the XML TestComplete is sending across to WebService is using scientifica notation format with mantissa such as:

....><ns1:executionFee>3E-5</ns1:executionFee><......

This must be down to the TestComplete converting floats with 5 decimals or more into the scientific notation format.

Alex,

simple test on converting string to float in TestComplete shows that TC is forcing scientific notation in both 8.70 and 9.30 versions:



Log.Message(aqConvert.VarToFloat('0.00003'));

(or StrToFloat)

outputs in Log:



3E-5    11:30:39    Normal       

Hi Djordje,



> Log.Message(aqConvert.VarToFloat('0.00003'));



Well, I'll leave this for Support to comment, but actually, this line of code performs two conversions: first string->float when the VarToFloat() is called, and (implicitly) float->string when the Log.Message is called.

I can imagine, that, when working with floats, TestComplete uses their native representation for the calculations and scientific format for the output.

Considering, that XML is, basically, the plain text format and thus, the request to the web service contains plain text data and a description of how these data must be interpreted, I think that you may try to use the aqString.Format() function to format the required float parameter as you need and assign it to the field of the web request. I believe that this should work.

Hi Alex,



no that didn't work, either.

I've passed the web service parameter as:

aqString.Format("%.5f",'0.00003') and got back the same error message as reply..



Data type for this parameter in WebService's WSDL is defined as double.

No formatting will help me  if TestComplete than converts that string into double using scientific notation.

Hi Alex,

it's quite obvious that TestComplete does what it likes when it comes to representing Double data type.

Simple test is to create a variable of type Double and assign the Default value of 0.00003.

TestComplete "magically" converts it to 3E-5! Not what I want.

Can this be escalated to the dev team as I think all the options have been exhausted?



Regards,

Hi Djordje,



You can issue a Support ticket at http://support.smartbear.com/message/?prod=TestComplete. (Would appreciate if you let know the final result here.)



Also, could you post here the relevant line(s) where you assign the value to this parameter of double type? 

I tried this line (DelphiScript)

Log.Message(aqString.Format('%.5f', 0.00003));

and the output in the log was 0.00003 as expected.



For

Log.Message(aqString.Format('%.5f', 3.5e-7));

the output in the log was 0.00000. Also as expected.



But for

Log.Message(aqString.Format('%.5f', '0.00003'));

the output in the log was an error about incorrect parameter type (also as expected).



This is the reason why I am interested about actual code.