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Nformation's avatar
Nformation
Contributor
11 years ago
Solved

Trouble with Using the Windows Explorer UI in TestComplete

The application we develop adds a context menu option in Windows explorer.  Therefore, I need to be able to find a file in Windows Explorer, open its context menu, and select our function.  However, TestComplete is not playing nicely with Windows Explorer so far.



For example, I tried recording these steps:

1) In an Explorer window, click in the address bar.

2) Enter the path I want to go to.

3) Press Enter.



The steps I get in Testcomplete are:





Okay, then I just clean up the redundant steps and try to play back... but on playback, TestComplete is always "Waiting for" the objects: toolbarAddressComputer, toolwindow, editAddress, etc.  



I've tried using On-screen Actions vs recording and I'm getting nowhere.  My MSAA settings have all options selected.  Suggestions?



UPDATE:

I tried checking the option "Work with MSAA objects in mode compatible with TestComplete 6 and earlier."  Now recording and playback work. However, my object names seem a lot more basic... everything's just an "item", like so.  







Here is the same object clicked with compatibility mode on and then turned off.  The latter is a much nicer name.







ALSO, this means tests that I recorded before outside of Windows Explorer aren't all working.  I have a test that opens a blank Excel file and now the playback can't find the object to click to open a blank document.



What do you advise?  Can I get things working without compatibility mode? I really don't want to go back and re-record tests...




  • Hi,


     


    One note: enabling all MSAA options may slow down the test execution. I suggest that you add the DirectUIHWND class to MSAA and enable it. This allows TestComplete to recognize objects inside Windows Explorer.


     

2 Replies

  • It is working now.  I don't now why because I didn't consciously change anything, but it is working. All MSAA options are checked and "Work with MSAA objects in mode compatible with Testcomplete 6 and earlier" is not checked. Where I was just getting "Item" objects, I'm now getting "FormTemp", "toolwindow", "editAddress", etc.  (Temp is the name of my folder).  I'm going to leave my settings and not touch them :)
  • TanyaYatskovska's avatar
    TanyaYatskovska
    SmartBear Alumni (Retired)

    Hi,


     


    One note: enabling all MSAA options may slow down the test execution. I suggest that you add the DirectUIHWND class to MSAA and enable it. This allows TestComplete to recognize objects inside Windows Explorer.