GUI Test Automation Example

The article shows how to create and use GUI (Graphical User Interface) automation test with iTestBot. In this example we will create a test for Balanced Scorecard Designer application, which will test the ability of application to use new values for indicators, ability to change these values and ability to re-calculate performance values once the input values were changed.

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GUI Test Automation

• Check if values of indicator can be changed;
• Check if the changes of values have effect on total performance value;
• Test method: automated GUI test;

Requirements:

• Generating resulted test file. Results of tests should be "PASSED" if the test was passed and "FAILED" if the test failed;
• Input values: gui_test.bsc file with 4 categories and 12 indicators; the default values of tested indicators are 50;

GUI Test Automation Script

1. First, we need to create test file according to requirements and put it into separate folder. In our case this is gui_test.bsc
2. Now, it is time to run iTestBot and start creating GUI test script. I go to the "Script" tab and click "Add action" button. The action to be added is "Execute", I select bsc_designer.exe as a program name and gui_test.bsc as a parameter. I'm using full paths to these files. I'm clicking "Run Script" button to make sure that everything is fine. I'm saving the iTestBot script into the test folder.
3. The good idea is to add "Hide" command in the first line of the script. This will prevent debug script window from opening. Also, in the end of the script I'm adding KillProcess command, so now I don't have to think about how to close the application. Check the list of all possible command in iTestBot.
4. Now, it is necessary to manage iTestBot to do necessary clicks and changes. I select "Select Sample" tab, run gui_test.bsc project, the select and crop image pattern of "New goal 4 indicator" in Balanced Scorecard Designer. Then I need to click "Save sample" button and save the pattern under new_goal_4.bmp name. Finally, I click "Select action" button and use action which is selected by default, it is "MouseFocuse". Then I go to the "Script" tab and add another action - MouseClick. When selecting image patterns it is good idea to take in mind possible test flexibility issues.
5. Then using the GUI script I will try to change indicator's weight and check if the performance was changed accordingly. I'm focusing on "Weight" text and then move mouse relatively down, so the mouse pointer would point on the weight text box. Then I do emulate "Control + A" key press to select all text in the text box. And then enter new weight with EnterKeys command. The new weight should be "2".
6. The new "Total performance" value should be 32.36%. I use "MouseFocuse" command and try to find the appropriate image on the BSC Designer screen. If it was found the script will continue with OK status, if the image was not found, the script will continue with FAILED status.
7. OK, now we will try to change indicators' weight with another method. We focus on the indicator and change its' value by clicking two times "UP" key on keyboard (use EnterKeys('{UP 2}'); command for this).
8. The total performance must be 33,5%. I use MouseFocuse to make sure the performance was changed.

Integrating GUI test script into software test batch file

Now it is time to integrate GUI test script that we created into the set of software scripts.

• First, I will generate .bat file using iTestBot. There is a "prepare bat file" command in Tools menu.
• The bat file should be modified a little for our needs. For "-MessagesFile" key I will use the text file located in the folder where the other test files are. The name of the "-MessagesFile" is gui_res.txt. It will contain "PASSED" text if the script will be executed successfully.
• Now, the task is to run this script file from the software batch test file and to output there necessary results. For this purpose I use two commands:
  • call gui_test_g1\gui_test_01.bat
  • type gui_test_g1\gui_res.txt

GUI test files

GUI test script full text. The script was created with a help of iTestBot:

Other samples

• Get started with iTestBot
• Test Automation Script Sample