Forum Discussion

vondie's avatar
vondie
Contributor
9 years ago

Wildcard Not Recognized in URL within an Email

Currently using TC 11.20 and writing scripts using Python. I am working on a script that checks the body content of my last email in my inbox (Outlook).  My end goal is to click a URL within an email...
  • vondie's avatar
    vondie
    9 years ago

    Thank you both for your input! I decided to follow a little of both pieces of advice and developed the solution below. 

     

    def check_email():
  msOutlook = Sys.OleObject["Outlook.Application"]
  
  mapi = msOutlook.GetNamespace("MAPI")
  
  inbox = mapi.Folders("test@test.com").Folders("Inbox")
  
  messages = inbox.Items
  message = messages.getLast()
  body_content = str(message.body)

  s = 'http://qaapps.test.com:12345/test/admin/password-reset/'
  
  time.sleep(10)

  if s in body_content:
   url = body_content[237:347] 
 
   Browsers.Item[btFirefox].Run(url)
   
   Log.Message("Test passed!") 
      
  else:
     Log.Message("Email not received. Please open bug in JIRA.")

     

vondie's avatar
vondie
Contributor

Thank you both for your input! I decided to follow a little of both pieces of advice and developed the solution below. 

 

def check_email():
  msOutlook = Sys.OleObject["Outlook.Application"]
  
  mapi = msOutlook.GetNamespace("MAPI")
  
  inbox = mapi.Folders("test@test.com").Folders("Inbox")
  
  messages = inbox.Items
  message = messages.getLast()
  body_content = str(message.body)

  s = 'http://qaapps.test.com:12345/test/admin/password-reset/'
  
  time.sleep(10)

  if s in body_content:
   url = body_content[237:347] 
 
   Browsers.Item[btFirefox].Run(url)
   
   Log.Message("Test passed!") 
      
  else:
     Log.Message("Email not received. Please open bug in JIRA.")

 

Colin_McCrae's avatar
Colin_McCrae
Community Hero
9 years ago

I see how you've done it.

 

And as long as the URL part always remains in EXACTLY the same position, and stays EXACTLY the same length, it will work. (aka - you've used magic numbers .... which is not recommended)

 

Personally, I would recommend calculating the start and end points of the capture area at runtime, so if it moves, it won't break.

 

But you're moving in the right direction .... :smileyhappy:

  • vondie's avatar
    vondie
    Contributor
    9 years ago

    Appreciate the feedback. Yes, I am aware it could fail if the email changes, but that's exactly what we want to happen in regression testing. Thank you!

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

      And one more note :) :

       

      > Browsers.Item[btFirefox].Run(url)
      > Log.Message("Test passed!")

      The first line of code tries to navigate to the provided url with no verification of success been performed. But instead the code just reports about success without any evidence of it. This might appear to be misleading and incorrect (e.g. url is provided but pointing to the wrong location).

      • Colin_McCrae's avatar
        Colin_McCrae
        Community Hero
        9 years ago

        I'll echo Alex here.

         

        You won't know it's changed or failed with the current test. It captures a pre-defined string (based on hard coded numbers) and tries to navigate to it but doesn't check it works. As long as it finds the first part of the URL in the e-mail, it will pass in it's current state regardless.

         

        But if all you want to verify is that you got an e-mail with a password reset URL in it, then take out the navigation part and it's fine.

         

        If you want to verify that the link is actually valid and works, you need to do a little more work.