This section describes techniques
you can use to data-drive functional tests with external data.
Data-driving tests overview
When you data-drive a test,
the script uses variables for key application input fields and programs
instead of literal values so that you can use external data as you
data-drive the application you are testing.
Data-driven functional tests
To data-drive a test script,
you need to select the controls or objects in the application-under-test
using either the Object Finder Tool method or the Test Object Browser
method.
Working with datapools
A datapool is a test dataset,
a collection of related data records which supplies data values to
the variables in a test script during test script playback.
Creating a datapool
A datapool is a test dataset,
a collection of related data records which supplies realistic data
values to the variables in a test script during test script playback.
You can create data from scratch or import existing data into a new
datapool from another Functional Tester datapool or a .csv file.
Associating a datapool with a group in a simplified script
You can associate a datapool with a group in a simplified
script. With this capability, you can create multiple datapools for
a script and associate the datapools with the groups in a script.
Editing datapools
After you data-drive a test
to create a datapool or create an empty datapool, you can edit the
records and variables in the datapool.
Replacing literals with datapool references
If you have an existing test
script, you can replace literal values in the script with datapool
references to add realistic data to the script. You can find and replace
all literals, or just the number, string, or boolean literals with
a datapool reference.
Exporting datapools
You can export a private
or public Functional Tester datapool to a .csv file.
Field separators for datapools
When you export a datapool to a .csv file, you need to specify
a field separator to use in the .csv file. A field separator can consist of
one to three single-byte ASCII characters or one multi-byte character.
Changing the datapool record selection order
The test datapool record
selection order determines how a test script accesses records in the
test script's associated datapool when you play back the test script.
Associating a datapool with a test script
You can associate a test
script with a datapool to use external data to drive the application
instead of using a literal value.
Associating a test script with a datapool
You can associate a test
script with a datapool to use external data to drive the application
instead of using a literal value.