Working in TestComplete while an NetworkSuite-Job is running

[ml]

I got one license for TestComplete and one license for TestExecute on a remote machine. When i´m executing in TestComplete a NetworkSuite-Job on the remote TestExecute i can´t work on my KeywordTest/Scripts/ect. while its executing. (The strange thing is: i can open KeywordTests, i can add other tests to it but i can´t delete these - so why?).

So my idea is just an call-for-action: Please make TestComplete workable, while it´s executing remote things!

[mfoster711]

I agree. We previously used Rational TestManager and Rational Robot and it supported this feature. I could still udpate and run scripts using Rational Robot while TestManger was remotely executing scripts on other PCs.

[jhgreen]

I would agree also. This would be a great feature to have. Especially if I have to run tests remotely and I can still be

productive by working on new features at the same time.

[anonymous_67424]

I agree

[Dmitry_Nikolaev]

Hello,

The main reason for the Network Suite functionality to exist is running synchronized tests. It provides means to make sure that tests that are running on several remote machines are synchronized and can execute actions simultaneously or in a specific order one after another.

Side effect of this functionality is a possibility to manage execution of tests on several machines from a single place, this is not definitely what it was designed for. Test management is a separate task and it should be solved with a specific tool that provides more features than Network Suite in TestComplete. I suggest you taking a look at the following test management tools that can nicely work with TestComplete tests:

SmartBear QAComplete

Jenkins - see TestComplete documentation

So, we recommend using special tools for test management instead of trying to utilize the Network Suite functionality that is not targeted for this task.

[mfoster711]

Dmitry - I am not sure your answer applies to the suggestion above. Did you possibly post the answer on the wrong forum topic? 

[Dmitry_Nikolaev]

Hi,

I did not missed the topic, but seemed to be not very clear. Sorry.

The functionality requested in this thread is a possibility to run tests on a remote machine from TestComplete and then continue working with the tool on the local machine at the same time. However, the master TestComplete project is not just sitting on the local machine, it handles the synchronization between slave projects on remote machines.

The functionality to just trigger test execution on a remote machine - is clearly the test management tool's function and neither TestComplete nor its Network Suite feature are intended to do this. I tried to clarify this misunderstanding and suggested using a test management tool to resolve the subject task.

At the same time, I will be happy to continue this interesting discussion and pass its results to the TestComplete PO.

Dmitry Nikolaev

TestComplete Customer Care Team Lead

[mfoster711]

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@Dmitry wrote:

The functionality requested in this thread is a possibility to run tests on a remote machine from TestComplete and then continue working with the tool on the local machine at the same time.

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 Agreed, this is what I am asking for.

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@Dmitry wrote:

The functionality to just trigger test execution on a remote machine - is clearly the test management tool's function and neither TestComplete nor its Network Suite feature are intended to do this.

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This is where you lost me. I thought TestComplete's network suite feature was specifically designed to execute tests on a remote machine. The documentation for TestComplete says "TestComplete's network suites are intended to manage the runs of several test projects or project suites on different computers".

[Dmitry_Nikolaev]

Hello,

You are right, the text in the Help file is not very clear in this point. However, it tells that NS is intended to manage test runs and that is what I was talking about. Possibility to synchronize test execution on remote machines is not the only task for the master machine. It also gathers remote test logs, controls the state of the remote execution and it is able to handle special events using scripts. For example, the OnNetVarChange event. To perform all these tasks, TestComplete goes to the Running state which automatically blocks any modification of the opened project. If we make such modification possible, try to imagine what can happen if a script handler of an event is fired while we are editing this script.

So, since the Network Suite feature was initially designed in this way and never intended to be a pure test management tool, we even do not have a technical possibility to implement your feature request without significant redesign of this functionality. And since there are special tools that perform this task very good (QAComplete, Jenkins and some other), we do not see any good reason to seriously change the Network Suite functionality or implement new functionality for test management within TestComplete.

I am very glad that we are discussing this topic as this discussion can help everyone understand the Network Suite feature better and find a better way to manage test execution on several machines. Thank you for your feature request! 🙂

Dmitry Nikolaev
TestComplete Customer Care Team Lead

[ml]

Maybe its possible to develop a standalone networksuite execution tool (like testexecute). Than test can run from master & users can work while its running seperatly in textcomplete normaly.