QTP 8.

2 FAQ, Tips & Tricks

Target readers: Test Automation Engineers

Keywords:

QTP, Quick Test, Quick Test Pro, QTP FAQ, QTP Tips

Introduction:

This document gives answer to some FAQ and also provides tips on certain aspects
of QTP.

Data Table

Two Types of data tables

 Global data sheet: Accessible to all the actions
 Local data sheet: Accessible to the associated action only

Usage:
 DataTable("Column Name",dtGlobalSheet) for Global data sheet
 DataTable("Column Name",dtLocalSheet) for Local data sheet

If we change any thing in the Data Table at Run-Time the data is changed only in the
run-time data table. The run-time data table is accessible only

through then test result. The run-time data table can also be exported using
DataTable.Export or DataTable.ExportSheet

How can i save the changes to my DataTable in the test itself?

 Well QTP does not allow anything for saving the run time changes to the
actual data sheet. The only work around is to share the

spreadsheet and then access it using the Excel COM Api's.

How can i check if a parameter exists in DataTable or not?

 The best way would be to use the below code:

code:

on error resume next

val=DataTable("ParamName",dtGlobalSheet)
if err.number<> 0 then
'Parameter does not exist
 else
'Parameter exists
end if

How can i make some rows colored in the data table?

 Well you can't do it normally but you can use Excel COM API's do the same.
Below code will explain some expects of Excel COM APIs

code:

Set xlApp=Createobject("Excel.Application")
set xlWorkBook=xlApp.workbooks.add
set xlWorkSheet=xlWorkbook.worksheets.add
xlWorkSheet.Range("A1:B10").interior.colorindex = 34 'Change the
color of the cells
xlWorkSheet.Range("A1:A10").value="text" 'Will set values of all
10 rows to "text"
xlWorkSheet.Cells(1,1).value="Text" 'Will set the value of first
row and first col

rowsCount=xlWorkSheet.Evaluate("COUNTA(A:A)") 'Will count the # of

rows which have non blank value in the column A
colsCount=xlWorkSheet.Evaluate("COUNTA(1:1)") 'Will count the # of
non blank columns in 1st row

xlWorkbook.SaveAs "C:\Test.xls"
xlWorkBook.Close
Set xlWorkSheet=Nothing
Set xlWorkBook=Nothing
set xlApp=Nothing

SMART Identification

Smart Identification is nothing but an algorithm used by QTP when it is not able to
recognize one of the object. A very generic example as per the

QTP manual would be, A photograph of a 8 year old girl and boy and QTP records
identification properties of that girl when she was 8, now when

both are 10 years old then QTP would not be able to recognize the girl. But there is
something that is still the same, that is there is only one girl in

the photograph. So it kind of PI (Programmed intelligence) not AI.

When should i use SMART Identification?

  Something that people don't think about too much. But the thing is that you
should disable SI while creating your test cases. So that you

are able to recognize the objects that are dynamic or inconsistent in their
properties. When the script has been created, the SI should be enabled,

so that the script does not fail in case of small changes. But the developer of
the script should always check for the test results to verify if the SI

feature was used to identify a object or not. Sometimes SI needs to be

disabled for particular objects in the OR, this is advisable when you use

SetTOProperty to change any of the TO properties of an object and especially

ordinal identifiers like index, location and creationtime.

Descriptive Programming
 Descriptive programming is nothing but a technique using which operations
can be performed on the AUT object which are not present in

C:\Tarun C backup\
Desktop\BOK\On Kshop\Descriptive Programming in QTP\Descriptiv
the OR. For more details refer to my BOK on DP

Recovery Scenarios

What is a Recovery Scenario?

 Recovery scenario gives you an option to take some action for recovering
from a fatal error in the test. The error could range in from

occasional to typical errors. Occasional error would be like "Out of paper"

popup error while printing something and typical errors would be like

"object is disabled" or "object not found". A test case have more then one
scenario associated with it and also have the priority or order in which it

should be checked.

What does a Recovery Scenario consists of?

 Trigger: Trigger is nothing but the cause for initiating the recovery scenario.
It could be any popup window, any test error, particular state

of an object or any application error.

 Action: Action defines what needs to be done if scenario has been triggered.
It can consist of a mouse/keyboard event, close application, call a

recovery function defined in library file or restart windows. You can have a
series of all the specified actions.
  Post-recovery operation: Basically defined what need to be done after the
recovery action has been taken. It could be to repeat the step, move

to next step etc....

When to use a Recovery Scenario and when to us on error resume next?

 Recovery scenarios are used when you cannot predict at what step the error
can occur or when you know that error won't occur in your

QTP script but could occur in the world outside QTP, again the example would
be "out of paper", as this error is caused by printer device driver. "On

error resume next" should be used when you know if an error is expected and
don’t want to raise it, you may want to have different actions

depending upon the error that occurred. Use err.number & err.description to
get more details about the error.

Library Files or VBScript Files

How do we associate a library file with a test?

 Library files are files containing normal VBScript code. The file can contain
function, sub procedure, classes etc.... You can also use executefile

function to include a file at run-time also. To associate a library file with your
script go to Test->Settings... and add your library file to resources

tab.

When to associate a library file with a test and when to use execute file?
 When we associate a library file with the test, then all the functions within
that library are available to all the actions present in the test. But

when we use Executefile function to load a library file, then the function are
available in the action that called executefile. By associated a library to

a test we share variables across action (global variables basically), using

association also makes it possible to execute code as soon as the script

runs because while loading the script on startup QTP executes all the code on
the global scope. We can use executefile in a library file associated

with the test to load dynamic files and they will be available to all the actions
in the test.

Test and Run-time Object

What is the difference between Test Objects and Run Time Objects ?
  Test objects are basic and generic objects that QTP recognize. Run time
object means the actual object to which a test object maps.

Can i change properties of a test object

 Yes. You can use SetTOProperty to change the test object properties. It is
recommended that you switch off the Smart Identification for the

object on which you use SetTOProperty function.

Can i change properties of a run time object?

 No (but Yes also). You can use GetROProperty("outerText") to get the
outerText of a object but there is no function like SetROProperty to

change this property. But you can use

WebElement().object.outerText="Something" to change the property.

Action & Functions

What is the difference between an Action and a function?

 Action is a thing specific to QTP while functions are a generic thing which is a
feature of VB Scripting. Action can have a object repository

associated with it while a function can't. A function is just lines of code with
some/none parameters and a single return value while an action can

have more than one output parameters.

Where to use function or action?

 Well answer depends on the scenario. If you want to use the OR feature then
you have to go for Action only. If the functionality is not about any

automation script i.e. a function like getting a string between to specific

characters, now this is something not specific to QTP and can be done on

pure VB Script, so this should be done in a function and not an action. Code
specific to QTP can also be put into an function using DP. Decision of

using function/action depends on what any one would be comfortable using in

a given situation.

Checkpoint & Output value

What is checkpoint?
 Checkpoint is basically a point in the test which validates for truthfulness of a
specific things in the AUT. There are different types of

checkpoints depending on the type of data that needs to be tested in the AUT.
It can be text, image/bitmap, attributes, XML etc....
What's the difference between a checkpoint and output value?
 Checkpoint only checks for the specific attribute of an object in AUT while
Output value can output those attributes value to a column in data

table.

How can i check if a checkpoint passes or not?

code:

chk_PassFail = Browser(...).Page(...).WebEdit(...).Check
(Checkpoint("Check1"))
if chk_PassFail then
MsgBox "Check Point passed"
else
MsgBox "Check Point failed"
end if

My test fails due to checkpoint failing, Can i validate a checkpoint without

my test failing due to checpoint failure?
code:

Reporter.Filter = rfDisableAll 'Disables all the reporting stuff

chk_PassFail = Browser(...).Page(...).WebEdit(...).Check
(Checkpoint("Check1"))
Reporter.Filter = rfEnableAll 'Enable all the reporting stuff
if chk_PassFail then
MsgBox "Check Point passed"
else
MsgBox "Check Point failed"
end if

Environment

How can i import environment from a file on disk

 Environment.LoadFromFile "C:\Env.xml"

How can i check if a environment variable exist or not?

 When we use Environment("Param1").value then QTP expects the
environment variable to be already defined. But when we use

Environment.value("Param1") then QTP will create a new internal

environment variable if it does not exists already. So to be sure that variable
exist

in the environment try using Environment("Param1").value.

How to connect to a database?

code:

Const adOpenStatic = 3
Const adLockOptimistic = 3
Const adUseClient = 3
Set objConnection = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
Set objRecordset = CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")
objConnection.Open "DRIVER={Microsoft ODBC for
Oracle};UID=<UID>;PWD=<PWD>"
objRecordset.CursorLocation = adUseClient
objRecordset.CursorType = adopenstatic
objRecordset.LockType = adlockoptimistic
ObjRecordset.Source="select field1,field2 from testTable"
ObjRecordset.ActiveConnection=ObjConnection
ObjRecordset.Open 'This will execute your Query
If ObjRecordset.recordcount>0 then
Field1 = ObjRecordset("Field1").Value
Field2 = ObjRecordset("Field2").Value
End if