Is there any problem in using scripts created on v6.0 to 6.5 or higher versions?

In some cases, it may happen that while trying to automate a java swing application using an early version of silk test such as the silk test 5.0.3. You found that the objects and controls in the application window of the application under test or AUT might not be recognizable by the silk test. 

This is just an example of problems of such category and at times you may wonder if the higher versions such as the silk test v 6.0 or silk test v 6.5 are suitable for automating your application or not? Or does the silk test comes with some extensions or add – ons as an alternate for overcoming such situations. 

The version 6.0 of the silk test is known to have some bugs in it, however, the Segue software has known to resolve these known issues. Actually, advancing form a lower version to a higher version of the silk test must not pose a problem. 

Though this is a general statement that we made on the basis of observation of several instances, it is not necessary that it should turn out to be true in all the cases. You may face some problems with the scripts that will work on an earlier but not on higher versions such as 6.0 and above because the object recognition patterns in both of them are not the same and vary from version to version. 

There are certain situations where the two paths of the script might be used for performing the same action but based up on the version. 

The silk test version 6.0 and silk test version 6.5 are somewhat similar and though no problems are experienced in advancing from version 6.0 to version 6.5 of the silk test. 

The various client forms of silk test are available such as those stated below:

1. Silk test classic: This client of the silk test makes use of the domain specific language called “4test” for scripting of the test automation scripts. This language just like the C++ language is an object oriented language. Just like C++ it also makes use of the Object Oriented concepts such as following:

a)   Inheritance

b)   Classes and

c)   objects

2. Silk 4J: This client of the silk test enables one to follow test automation by using java as the scripting language in eclipse.
3. Silk 4 net: This client of the silk test also enables one to follow test automation by using VBScript or sometimes using C# as the scripting language in the visual studio.
4. Silk test work bench: This client of the silk test enables the testers to carry out the automation testing using VB.net as the scripting language as well as on a visual level.

Below stated is the list of the silk test versions that have been released till now:

1. Borland silk test 13- june 2012
2. Micro focus silk test 2011 – November 2011
3. Micro focus silk test 2010 R2 WS 2 – may 2011
4. Micro focus silk test 2010 R2 – December 2010
5. Micro focus silk test 2010 – july 2010
6. Silk test 2009 – august 12, 2009
7. Silk test 2008 SP1 – jusly 2008
8. Silk test 2008 – april 2008
9. Silk test 2006 R2 service pack 2 – September 2007
10. Silk test 2006 R 2 service pack 1 – june 2007
11. Silk test 2006 R2 – January 2007
12. Silk test 2006 – September 2006
13. Silk test 8.0 – may 2006
14. Silk test 7.6 – September 2005
15. Silk test 7.5 – june 2005
16. Silk test 7.1 – October 2004
17. Silk test 6.5 – November 2003
18. Silk test 6.0 – November 2002
19. Silk test 5.0.1 – September 1999
20. QA partner 4.0 – November 1996

Explain the check points in QTP? In how many ways we can add check points to an application using QTP?

Check points in quick test professional have always proved to be an efficient tool. In this article, we discuss exclusively about the check points in quick test professional and the ways in which the check points can be added to an application with the help of quick test professional. 

What is Check Point? How it is added to an application?

- Check point can be thought of as a point to confirm or verify whether the application under test or AUT is working properly or not. 

- This is verified by making comparisons between the current value of some property and the expected value of the same property decided earlier. 

- Whenever a check point is added by the user, an equivalent check point is added by the quick test professional to the present row in the key word view as well as a “check check point” statement is added to the expert view. 

- The name of the test object also serves as a name for the check point that has been added to it. 

- The check points can be added via an active screen by placing the cursor on the desired location and clicking the insert standard check point option. 

Types of Check Points

It is on the basis of this expected value that the check points have been classified in to various types as described below:

1. Page check point: 

- This check point is the check point that is created exclusively for a web page. - This check point keeps a count of all the images and links present on that particular web page. 

- Another purpose for which page check point is used for checking the time taken by the web page to load fully i.e., the load time.

2. Bitmap check point: 

- This check point is the check point that helps in checking of the bitmap of either a full web page or an image. 

- Two images are provided to this check point, one the actual image and the other one expected image. 

- These two images are compared pixel by pixel by the bit map check point.

3. Image check point: 

- This check point is used for keeping a check on certain properties belonging to a web page such as the source file location of the image. 

- However, being a image check point, it cannot check pixels of an image like a bitmap check point does.

4. Text check point: 

- This check point is the check point that is employed in checking the expected text in a web application or web page. 

- This text may belong to a specific region of the text displayed or application under test.

5. Accessibility check point: 

- This check point verifies whether or not the accessibility standard of the application under test matches with the accessibility guidelines laid down by the W3C or world wide web consortium for information systems and technology which are web based.

6. Data base check point: 

- This check point performs the task of generating a query while the recording is in progress. 

- The values stored in the data base serve as expected values. 

- This query is executed during the run time to obtain the actual value which is then compared with the expected value.

7. Table check point: 

This check point is the one that is used for checking various table properties such as cell width, row width and so on.

8. XML check point: 

This check point is the one that is used to verify the following:

a)     XML schema

b)     XML data etc.

What is the difference between check point and output value in QTP?

Check point value and output value are two very familiar terms in the field of quick test professional. In this article we will be discussing about output value and check point value and also about the differences between them. But before we discuss the differences let us know about what the check points and output values really mean. 

What is a Check Point?

- Whether a web site or web application that is currently under test is working as expected or not, is known with the help of a check point.

- This is done so by making comparison between the expected values of the properties and current values for the same properties.  

- Whenever a check point is added by the user, a similar check point is added by the quick test professional to the current row displayed in the key word view.

- In the expert view, an equivalent check checkpoint statement is added. 

- All this is default process and the name of the test object on which the check point is added is supplied as a name to that particular check point also by default. 

- The name of the check point can be changed as per the needs. 

- Below mentioned are the types of check points:

1. Image check point
2. Standard check point
3. Table check point
4. Bit map check point
5. Text check point
6. Accessibility check point
7. Data base check point
8. Page check point
9. Xml check point

- Return value of a check point in quick test professional is always of Boolean type i.e., it is either true or false. 

- If the return value of the check point is found to be zero then the statement following it, is executed otherwise the further execution is cancelled. 

- The check points of the quick test professional have a very limited scope therefore the best option is to use self created check points wherever possible. 

- Check point is one of the key functional testing features among others provided by the quick test professional. 

- “Check” method is used by quick test professional for working up on the check points.

- If the return value of a check point has to be retrieved than it is compulsory that you add parenthesis around the name of the check point present in the check point.

What is a Output Value?

- Output value step captures a value of a property of an object which is then termed as an output value. 

- This value is captured at a specific point and can be stored at any desired location. 

- These output values then can be used to serve as inputs at several different points of the test script.

- As required the user can select and output multiple properties of an object. 

- There are 4 typical types of output values:

1. Text output value: Text content present in the bitmap can be retrieved.
2. Text area output value: It is used for outputting text strings with a defined area of the screen.
3. Standard output value: Number of properties pertaining to an object can be retrieved.
4. Xml output value: It is obtained from resources and applications containing xml content stored in some specific column although the run session.
5. Data base out put value: This output value facilitates the checking of the content present in the data table and has been stored in a particular column during the run session.

- The output values are stored only till the duration of the run session ends and are obtained from AUT.

- Output values are suppose to have a dynamic nature.

What is meant by code coverage? What are different types of code coverage?

Code coverage is one of the important measures that comes across while carrying out the software testing. 

What is Code Coverage?

- Code coverage is the measure that gives the degree up to which the source of a software system or application has been tested. 

- Code coverage earlier was recognized as one of the methods that were developed for carrying out a systematic software testing. 

- The term code coverage was first referenced under the “communications of the ACM” in the year of 1963 by Maloney and miller.

- Code coverage is measured using a specialized tool called code coverage analyzer for instrumenting the binaries in order to add all the tracing calls and run all the automated test cases against the software system or application under question. 

- A good code coverage analyzer will not only give you the degree of the coverage but will also allow you to dig deeper in to the data and check out for the lines of the code that are executed during a particular test. 

- Today we have a large number of code coverage criteria that amount to the total code coverage. 

Types of Code Coverage

- The software system or application that is under testing is adorned with certain options that run under a particular environment. 

- Each and every function of the program that is executed is traced back to the function calls in the source code which allows the easy checking of the rarely accessed, never accessed parts of the program under normal conditions. 

- This gives the software testers an assurance that the most important conditions of the source code have been tested. 

- The outcome is then subjected to analyzation for sorting out of the code that has been analyzed. 

- The process is a combination of several code coverage methods that aim to provide a manageable and rigorous set of regression tests. 

- The output of the code coverage analyzation can be used by the engineers for devising the test cases and configuration sets that in turn will increase the code coverage relating to the vital functions. 

- Mostly two common forms of the code coverage are used by the software testers namely:

1. Line coverage or statement coverage: 

- This type of the code coverage reports regarding the execution foot print of the software testing in terms of the lines of code which are executed for the completion of the test.

- The statement coverage provides you with the benefit of the identification of the bugs that arise in the constructs of the control flow of the source code like consecutive switch labels and compound conditions. 

- The major setback of this code coverage type is that even though it seems like you have achieved 100 percent of the code coverage, there might be 100s of wicked and uncaught bugs.

- This disadvantage of the statement or line coverage is over-comed by a more advance form of code coverage called the branch coverage.

2. Edge or branch coverage: 

This type of code coverage reports regarding the branches or the code decisions that like statements are executed for the completion of the tests.

- Both of the above mentioned types of the code coverage provide the result in the form of code coverage metric in terms of percentages. 

- Out of the two, the branch code coverage is considered to be quite comprehensive that the equivalent percentage of the statement code coverage.

- It is also very easy to determine the number of branches that have to be tested since the Boolean decisions have only two outcomes i.e., either true or false.