Determining parameters in Test Complete record mode

[bistritapcv]

I ran a quick record of interactibg with a java program started via windows and Citrix.  I have several lines of the form:

Item                                                  Operation                  Value            Description

wndTransparentWindowsClient2     Click                                                 Clicks at point (95, 142) of the 'wndTransparent2'

in all the instances, "Value" is null.  I see the location in Description (e.g., (95, 142)) but isn't this just a human-readable description?  Where does it get the value (95, 142) from, as Value is empty?

ANother question if I may.  Don't they windows have more specific names?  That sounds like a generic name that whatever window comes up first could have.  And the click clicks in a login box, as later text will be sent.  Is it wise to use a cartesian coordinate for the box (or button or anything)?  Couldn't that change depending on how the screen looks?

[tristaanogre]

Because the application is served up by Citrix, that's the best that you're going to get.  The actual application is not on the machine that you're running TestComplete on so, therefore, the only thing it can interact with is the Citrix wrapper that is presented hence why everything is basically the same window with pixel location for the interaction.

[Marsha_R]

You were recording so TC gets all its values from you.  

Click doesn't take a value parameter.  It is clicking the object named in Item.  Description is just a report of what happened.

Yes, you are correct.  Clicking only on coordinates doesn't make for a portable test.  This is why recording is just the beginning of test development.  You'll find places where you need to adject the test manually in order to make it robust for your application and your system. 

TC is very good at generic tests and getting you started.  It is not possible for the TC software to know all apps and all systems, so it will get you very close and then you have to make changes in the parts where you are the expert.

For testing across Citrix, you are going to need to put a copy of TC on the Citrix side.  Otherwise you are stuck with what @tristaanogre explained above.

[bistritapcv]

OK, but it still clicks at different locations in the same window depending on which step it is.  What accounts for the differences?

[tristaanogre]

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@bistritapcv wrote:

OK, but it still clicks at different locations in the same window depending on which step it is.  What accounts for the differences?

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If you double click on the recorded line and look at the parameters on the Click action, you will see an X and a Y numeric.  These are pixel locations that determine where the click occurs on the window.  It is the ONLY way, in your current set up, that the test is working.  Change the resolution on the system, resize the window, and the test will fail.

[Marsha_R]

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@bistritapcv wrote:

OK, but it still clicks at different locations in the same window depending on which step it is.  What accounts for the differences?

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The object is being clicked and there is no guarantee of the coordinates.  Description is reporting what happened.  When you manually click a button, I'm sure you don't click it in exactly the same place every time and there's nothing wrong with that.  

As @tristaanogre have both said, you need to get away from the coordinates. 

[bistritapcv]

I understand that, but the button takes up only a small portion of the window.  If the window goes from like (0,0) to (100,100) but the button may only be (30,30) - (50,50), so if you just have it click the window, it may miss the button.

[tristaanogre]

Refer up thread... this is the danger that you run operating against an application that is being served up by Citrix.  TestComplete has no visibility for the buttons, all it can do is work with co-ordinates, unless you want to use Text Recognition or OCR.

https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/testing-with/object-identification/text-recognition/...

https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/testing-with/object-identification/ocr/index.html