IBM Rational Functional Tester is available in two integrated development environments. It records user actions to create simplified test scripts that are easy to understand in Rational Software Delivery Platform. It also supports two scripting languages for advanced users. Functional Tester Java scripting uses the Java language and the Functional Tester VB.NET 2003 and VB.NET 2005 scripting uses the VB.NET language and the Microsoft® Visual Studio .NET development environment.
Rational Functional Tester Extension for Terminal-based Applications supports functional testing of zSeries (Mainframe such as TN3270, TN3270E), iSeries (AS/400® such as TN5250) and pSeries (Virtual Terminals such as VT default, VT100, VT420-7, VT420-8, VT UTF-8). IBM Rational Functional Tester Extension for Terminal-based Applications tool helps you create test scripts to automate the host application test cases. It provides a rich set of capabilities to test host attributes, host field attributes and screen flow. It uses terminal verification points and properties, as well as synchronization code to identify the readiness of terminal for user input.
With Rational Functional Tester proxy software development kit (SDK) you can extend automated functional testing support for your application's user interface controls (GUI test objects), beyond what is provided by Functional Tester by default.
The object-oriented recording technology in IBM Rational Functional Tester lets you generate scripts quickly by recording against the application-under-test. Rational Functional Tester uses object-oriented technology to identify controls or objects by their internal properties and not by screen coordinates. If the location or text of a control or the object changes, Rational Functional Tester can still find it during playback.
The object testing technology in Rational Functional Testerenables you to test any controls or object in the application-under-test, including the control properties and data.
In Rational Software Delivery Platform, you have the option to capture snapshots of the application controls while recording the simplified test script. The captured application visuals are displayed in the Application View. You can use the application visuals to modify the simplified scripts and insert or edit verification points without opening the test application.
While working with the Java scripting or .NET scripting, the test object maps are used and the application visuals are not available. When you record a script, Rational Functional Testerautomatically creates a test object map for the application-under-test. The Functional Tester test object map lists the test objects available in the application, whether they are currently displayed or not. The object map provides a quick way to add objects to a script. Since the test object map contains recognition properties for each object, you can easily update the recognition information in one central location. Any scripts that use this test object map also share the updated information.
During recording you can insert verification points into the script to confirm the state of a control or an object across builds of the application-under-test. The verification point captures object information (based on the type of verification point) and stores it in a baseline data file. The information in this file becomes the baseline of the expected state of the object during subsequent builds. Functional Tester has an object properties verification point and five data verification points (menu hierarchy, table, text, tree hierarchy, and list). You can use the Verification Point Comparator to analyze differences across builds and update the baseline file.
Rational Functional Tester features platform-independent and browser-independent test playback. For example, you can record a script on Windows and play it back on Linux. You can record a script using Firefox or Internet Explorer. Because the script contains no references to the browser used during recording, you can play back the script using any of the supported versions of Firefox or Internet Explorer.
IBM Rational Functional Tester supports integration with various Rational products such as Clear Case, Test Manager, ClearQuest® Test Manager, Rational Quality Manager, Rational Team Concert™.
TestManager integration:Rational Functional Tester is integrated with Rational TestManager, which enables you to record and play back a functional tester script from TestManager and make use of TestManager features, such as the Log. If you have TestManager installed, you can use these integrated features.
ClearQuest Test Manager integration: Rational Functional Testeris also integrated with IBM® Rational ClearQuest Test Manager, which enables you to play back a functional test script from ClearQuest TestManager, generate logs, and track defects. If you have ClearQuest Test Manager installed, you can use these integrated features.
Rational Clear Case and Rational Team Concert integration: You can integrate Rational Functional Tester with Rational Clear Case or Rational Team Concert and manage functional test assets using any of these source control management tools.
Rational Quality Manager integration: Rational Functional Tester can be integrated with IBM Rational Quality Manager by configuring the adapter and execute the functional test scripts from Rational Quality Manager.