Help with a dataloop within a dataloop

Question

Good afternoon…First let me preface this by stating that I am not a developer. That being said, I am writing a web-based Keyword test that basically tests an automated ordering application.&nbsp;&nbsp;The way this application works is the user access a screen where they input the Vendor # and Warehouse (vend_num) &amp; (whse_name) into a screen and click a next button.&nbsp;A second screen displays where the user enters the items they want to order (item_num).&nbsp; My data is an Excel file with variables set up in TC to correspond to the spreadsheet.&nbsp;Here is a very basic example of my datamstr_deptsub_deptdept_namevend_numitem_numitem_namewhse_name11FROZEN BAKERY&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1111100000Frozen RollsFrozen Warehouse11FROZEN BAKERY&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1111100001Frozen BagelsFrozen Warehouse11FROZEN BAKERY&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1111100002Frozen DoughnutsFrozen Warehouse21Meat2222200000SteakMeat Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;21Meat2222200001HamburgerMeat Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;21Meat2222200002ChickenMeat Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31DAIRY PRE-PACK&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3333300000Packaged HamDairy Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31DAIRY PRE-PACK&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3333300001Packaged TurkeyDairy Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31DAIRY PRE-PACK&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3333300002Packaged BolognaDairy Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32CULTURED DAIRY&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4444400000Strawberry YogurtDairy Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32CULTURED DAIRY&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4444400001Blueberry YogurtDairy Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32CULTURED DAIRY&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4444400002Raspberry YogurtDairy Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33DAIRY BEVERAGES5555500000Whole Milk GallonDairy Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33DAIRY BEVERAGES55555000012% Milk GallonDairy Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33DAIRY BEVERAGES5555500002Skim Milk GallonDairy Warehouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So for example, the first dataloop will tell the automation to enter vend_num 1111 and whse_name Frozen Warehouse in the first screen and click a ‘Next’ button and a second screen will appear.&nbsp;In the second screen, the nested data loop will begin, telling the automation to enter item_num 100000 and a random qty, 100001 and a random qty, 100002 and a random qty, create the Purchase Order, and return to screen#1 to input the next vendor and warehouse.&nbsp;It is at this point I am having trouble getting loop#2 to end, and telling loop #1 to go on to the next vendor – in this case vend_num 2222 and whse_name Meat Warehouse and the whole process repeats again with the next set of items. &nbsp;&nbsp;So my questions are:Is this possible with the way my data is laid out?I’m thinking I need to tell loop2 that if the next row has a different vend_num than the current one, thent it needs to end. Any suggestions on how to do this?Thank you for your time!Dave.

marsha_r · Accepted Answer

Depends.&nbsp;If you will always have three entries for each vendor, then loop2 can just have an index from 1 to 3 and quit. &nbsp;&nbsp;If the number of entries will vary, then you can keep track of CurrentVendor and LastVendor. &nbsp;When you go through and the CurrentVendor is different, then you need to process a purchase order before you continue.&nbsp;Seems like it would be easier to have just one loop though. &nbsp;Read a row, if it's a new vendor, process the purchase order and clear the totals before you continue. &nbsp;Then process the row you have and loop again.&nbsp;If you need more detail let me know.

dcat1223 · Answer

Hi Marsha_R&nbsp;Thank you for the reply.&nbsp; You are correct.&nbsp; The number of items per vendor will indeed vary.&nbsp; I am loving one loop.&nbsp; I don't know why I thought it had to be two.&nbsp;Regarding CurrentVendor and LastVendor - That sounds ideal.&nbsp; I'm going to play around with that and see if i can figure out how to assign those variables.&nbsp; I may be hitting you up again for some guidence if that's ok.&nbsp;Thank you so much!

dcat1223 · Answer

Hi Marsha_R&nbsp;I'm still struggling with this.&nbsp; I'm still not quite understanding how this can be done with one loop.&nbsp;&nbsp;The PO Create process relies on 2 screens...&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- The first screen is where the user enters the Vendor# and the Warehouse the product is to ship to.&nbsp; Once the Vendor and Warehouse are entered the user&nbsp;navigates to the next screen in the workflow via a NEXT button.&nbsp;&nbsp;- The second screen is where the item# and quantity&nbsp;are entered.&nbsp; The user remains on this screen and enters items and quantities unlil they have completed the item entry process for the current vendor, (no more items for this Vendor# on the datasheet) at which&nbsp;time they create the PO (PO CREATE Button).&nbsp;Once the PO has been created, the User returns to the first screen (Create Another PO Button) and start this process all over again, returning to the first screen and entering&nbsp;the next Vendor# and Warehouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;With one loop, wouldn't this force the application to return to the first screen after each item and quantity is entered?&nbsp; If so this will not work.&nbsp; The application does not behave this way.&nbsp; This is why&nbsp;I am thinking a second loop is required where if CurrentVendor&nbsp;=&nbsp;LastVendor, the second loop repeats until CurrentVendor&nbsp;&lt; &gt; LastVendor, then loop2 ends, the PO is created, and loop1 iterates to the&nbsp;next Vendor# and Warehouse.&nbsp;The sedcond part of my question is regardless of one or two loops, how do&nbsp;I go about setting the values of CurrentVendor and LastVendor?&nbsp; I'm familiar with the Set Variable Value statement in the Keyword test, but not sure what the syntax for those variables should look like.&nbsp;Thank you again for your help!&nbsp;DC.&nbsp;

william_roe · Answer

DCat1223 wrote:&nbsp;The PO Create process relies on 2 screens...&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- The first screen is where the user enters the Vendor# and the Warehouse the product is to ship to.&nbsp; Once the Vendor and Warehouse are entered the user&nbsp;navigates to the next screen in the workflow via a NEXT button.&nbsp;&nbsp;- The second screen is where the item# and quantity&nbsp;are entered.&nbsp; The user remains on this screen and enters items and quantities unlil they have completed the item entry process for the current vendor, (no more items for this Vendor# on the datasheet) at which&nbsp;time they create the PO (PO CREATE Button).&nbsp;Once the PO has been created, the User returns to the first screen (Create Another PO Button) and start this process all over again, returning to the first screen and entering&nbsp;the next Vendor# and Warehouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;With one loop, wouldn't this force the application to return to the first screen after each item and quantity is entered?&nbsp; If so this will not work.&nbsp; The application does not behave this way.&nbsp; This is why&nbsp;I am thinking a second loop is required where if CurrentVendor&nbsp;=&nbsp;LastVendor, the second loop repeats until CurrentVendor&nbsp;&lt; &gt; LastVendor, then loop2 ends, the PO is created, and loop1 iterates to the&nbsp;next Vendor# and Warehouse.&nbsp;The sedcond part of my question is regardless of one or two loops, how do&nbsp;I go about setting the values of CurrentVendor and LastVendor?&nbsp; I'm familiar with the Set Variable Value statement in the Keyword test, but not sure what the syntax for those variables should look like.&nbsp;Thank you again for your help!&nbsp;DC.&nbsp;There's no reason a single pass through the loop won't work. Don't close the second screen until the Vendor # changes. Then open the first / second screen again and repeat.You could even leave the dept_name / vendor number blank and use this != null logic instead of tracking whether Vendor #&nbsp;changed. We store the one-to-many relationship as comma separated values to reduce the redundant data in the spreadsheet. This works best for a single value (i.e. item serial s1,s2,s3). There are places where multiple values are stored and use a second delinator i.e.&nbsp;(serial, quantity;serial, quantity). If your not a technical person the nested loops will be confusing.&nbsp;Variables don't have a sytax - they are of a specific type (i.e. string, integer etc). Unless calculations are performed strings are fine - even if the value is a number.

dcat1223 · Answer

Hi william_roe...&nbsp;Thank you for the input.&nbsp; I'm not a technical person and this is all pretty new to me so please forgive my ignorance.&nbsp; I'm still muddling my way through all of this.&nbsp;Humor me if you will, as&nbsp;I&nbsp;reiterate what I think you are suggesting - I'm probably going to get this worng but here it goes...&nbsp;1) I replace any duplicate instance of Vendor# with NULL, or ""&nbsp;in my datasheet.2) When Vendor# changes, I execute the portion of the test that creates the PO, and start the loop over with the next vendor.&nbsp;Am I close?&nbsp;If so,&nbsp;how do I tell the test that if the Vendor# changes to run the lines of the script that create the PO and restart the loop using the next vendor?&nbsp;&nbsp;Thank you for your time.&nbsp;DC.&nbsp;&nbsp;

dcat1223 · Answer

Thank you william_roe.&nbsp; This was great.&nbsp; It took me a bit of trial and error and tinkering with the logic but this test script is now doing exactly what I was hoping it would do.&nbsp;&nbsp;I really appreciate your patience and willingness to share your knowledge.&nbsp; This Smartbear User Community is outstanding and I have learned so much from all of you.&nbsp; There is still much to learn but one step at a time I guess.&nbsp;Thanks again!&nbsp;&nbsp;DC.

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Help with a dataloop within a dataloop

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mstr_dept	sub_dept	dept_name	vend_num	item_num	item_name	whse_name
1	1	FROZEN BAKERY	1111	100000	Frozen Rolls	Frozen Warehouse
1	1	FROZEN BAKERY	1111	100001	Frozen Bagels	Frozen Warehouse
1	1	FROZEN BAKERY	1111	100002	Frozen Doughnuts	Frozen Warehouse
2	1	Meat	2222	200000	Steak	Meat Warehouse
2	1	Meat	2222	200001	Hamburger	Meat Warehouse
2	1	Meat	2222	200002	Chicken	Meat Warehouse
3	1	DAIRY PRE-PACK	3333	300000	Packaged Ham	Dairy Warehouse
3	1	DAIRY PRE-PACK	3333	300001	Packaged Turkey	Dairy Warehouse
3	1	DAIRY PRE-PACK	3333	300002	Packaged Bologna	Dairy Warehouse
3	2	CULTURED DAIRY	4444	400000	Strawberry Yogurt	Dairy Warehouse
3	2	CULTURED DAIRY	4444	400001	Blueberry Yogurt	Dairy Warehouse
3	2	CULTURED DAIRY	4444	400002	Raspberry Yogurt	Dairy Warehouse
3	3	DAIRY BEVERAGES	5555	500000	Whole Milk Gallon	Dairy Warehouse
3	3	DAIRY BEVERAGES	5555	500001	2% Milk Gallon	Dairy Warehouse
3	3	DAIRY BEVERAGES	5555	500002	Skim Milk Gallon	Dairy Warehouse