Explain SlimDog - Web Functional/Regression Test Tool

About SlimDog

- SlimDog is a web application testing tool that is based on simple script i.e., the httpunit. 

- The tool comes with a range of commands that help you to work with forms, navigating between the web pages and checking the table contents. 

- The hard task of writing lengthy xml files and JUnit test cases, the slimdog allows the users to create simple text scripts. 

- Each command is a test node that is contained in every line of the script.

- As such all commands contained in a file are treated as a test case and processed as the same. 

- Every command has a syntax that is quite simple as well as easy to learn. 

- If you want, you can form a test suite by combining several test scripts. 

- The results of the tests executed are written as an html page or file to the console. 

How to use SlimDog?

- To use slimdog, firstly you need to download its latest version from its web site. 

- The application will be in zipped form. 

- You need to extract the files to a directory of your choice. 

- Next step is to create a test directory. 

- After this you can start creating tests and save them in the test directory you just created. 

- After you have created the test, your next step is to get the html content. 

- You can run the tests from the command line. 

- After obtaining the results save them to a file. 

- Be careful that the file in which you are saving the result should be defined using the –o argument. 

- You can even navigate from one page to another. 

- All files in the test directory can be run as a test suite. 

- Every test case file must end with .test extension so that it becomes recognizable.

- You can even use a proxy. 

- The slimdog commands can even be used with the JUnit test cases.

- However, running a test case is the easiest way. 

- Firstly, the web tester needs to be instantiated and all commands need to be added through the parse line method.

- You do not have to worry about the syntax since it is the same as that of the script files. 

- After this runtest() method can be called and web test results can be obtained. 

General SlimDog Commands

Below we shall mention some general slimdog commands:

1. Get_html: This command is for establishing a connection with the given URL and thus reading its content. The read content then can be used later. The parameter to this command is the URL itself and it supports variables.
2. Check_title: Parameter for this command is the required title and it is of the type test. The title of the page that you specify is checked against the given title. There is one thing about this test which is that if it fails, the entire test will fail.
3. Set_proxy: The parameters for this command are the proxy port and host. It is of the type command.
4. Check_link (missing): The parameter for this command is the text within the tag and this one is also of the type test.
5. Check_text: The text to be found is passed as a parameter to this command and it is of the type test.
6. Click_link: The argument for this is the text within the tag. It is of the type command.
7. Seturlprefix: The parameter here is the URL prefix. This URL prefix is used as the base URL for other tests. It is of the type command.
8. Enable java_script: Parameter is either true or false. This command disables and enables the JavaScript based on the argument passed.

Explain Rapise - Web Functional/Regression Test Tool

In this world of web–based applications, every application is unique and therefore its testing needs are also different from the other applications. To satisfy all those different testing requirements, environments, specifications, scenarios and so on we require many different testing tools. So a number of web functional/ regression testing tools have been developed and all of them possess some unique features that suit to needs of the different testers. 

In this article we discuss about one such web functional/ regression tool called Rapise that has been developed by the Inflectra inc. 

About Rapise

- This tool provides a platform for functional test automation. 

- The architecture of this tool is quite open and can be extended if required. 

- These two qualities make it very flexible for testing the applications.

- Rapise has built–in cross–browser testing capabilities that support several versions of the following web browsers:

1. Microsoft internet explorer
2. Mozilla firefox and
3. Google chrome

- It supports the following applications:

1. Ajax
2. GWT
3. YUI
4. Flash/ flex
5. AIR
6. Silverlight and so on.

- Microsoft excel spreadsheets can be used for following approaches such as keyword driven testing and data driven testing.

- Rapise identifies the objects based up on CSS and Xpath. 

- Rapise comes with a built–in OCR i.e., optical character recognition.

- It relies on JavaScript for scripting purpose. 

- An open format is used for storing the scripts as well as the identified objects unlike other tools that store them in a database or a proprietary binary file. 

- The JavaScript editor included with Rapise is full function edition and has a feature called the automatic code completion. 

- An active JavaScript debugger that is plug-gable plus has watches and break points, is also included in Rapise tool. 

- Rapise has made cross browser testing much easier than before. 

- This is all because of the cross – browser testing capabilities that are of the best standard and multiple browser versions as mentioned earlier in the article. 

- You have the choice of recording and creating one test script and executing the same in all the major browsers without making any modifications to it. 

- Rapise claims to have the most flexible as well as the powerful test automation features ever available in the market. 

Features of Rapise Testing Tool

Below we mention some features of Rapise testing tool:

1. Learn and go functionality: This lets you create test scripts rapidly. This works in a more efficient manner than what traditional recording and playback methods we have. The editing of the object takes place during the learning process.
2. Keyword driven testing and data driven testing
3. Windows and web application testing
4. Can be extended using Javascript
5. Adobe AIR and Flash support
6. Supports DevExpress, Infragistics and telerik controls.
7. Support for Qt framework
8. Integrated reporting capabilities that are very powerful.
9. Integration with SpiraTest for effective test management.

- This tool has leveraged the power of extensible architecture by a great measure. 

- For user, the JavaScript source code has been made available for library recognition as well as execution. 

- All these features let you automate the test where other testing tools are bound to fail. 

- With such advanced features, Rapise can be called as the most customizable, extensible and flexible test automation tool. 

- Key functions can be modified by the users as per their requirement and the recording aspects can be customized with the help of custom plug – in libraries. - Since Rapise is using Javascript, a broad range of users can access it.  

What are Selenium components?

Selenium is a portable testing frame work developed by Jason Huggins for automated testing of the web applications. It is specifically a recording and play back tool which eliminates the user’s task of learning a test scripting language. This tool makes use of its own development language popularly known as selenese.

There are 3 major platforms for selenese namely linux, windows and macintosh.

Components of Selenium

The selenium software testing frame work is composed of certain components about which we shall discuss in this article. Following are the components:

1. Selenium IDE: This the selenium’s own integrated development environment dedicated to the creation of the selenium’s tests. This component needs to be implemented as an extension to firefox. Using this IDE, the scripts can either be automatically recorded or edited manually with the help of the IDE’s auto-completion support. It also possesses the ability to quickly move the commands around. However the scripts recorded are in selenese language. This language provides commands basically for two purposes:

a)   For retrieving data from commands to know what actions are to be performed on the web browser such as clicking, linking, selecting an option and so on.

b)   For retrieving data from the result of the actions performed by the commands.

       Its features are:

     a)   Recording and playback tool

     b)   Intelligent field selection

     c)   Autocompletion

     d)   Walk through tests

     e)   Debugging and setting break points

     f)    Saving tests in a number of formats

     g)   Selenium user extension

     h)   Automatic assertion of the page title.

2. Selenium client API: It is not necessary for the tester to develop tests in selenese  only rather he can write tests in any other programming language. The tests thus written will be communicated to selenium through the calling methods provided by selenium client API. Selenium provides this client for the following languages:

   a)   Java

   b)   C#

   c)   Python and

   d)   Ruby

3. Selenium remote control or selenium RC: This component is actually a server implemented in java which retrieves commands via HTTP for a particular browser. With this selenium component it has been made possible to write automated tests regardless of the the programming language for a web application and integrating it with the unit test frame works which already exist. Selenium project comes with client drivers for the following languages in order to make writing tests and easier task:

     a)   PHP

     b)   Python

     c)   Ruby

     d)   .net

     e)   Java and

     f)    Perl

The java driver provides support for the java script also through the rhino   engine. Nowadays a new selenium remote control server is required for launching the HTML test cases which requires for a different port for each of the parallel run. This is in contrast with the PHP and java test case since these require only one continuously running selenium remote control. The selenium B and driven selenium were re-factored by Paul Hammant to develop selenium RC. This also saw the re – implantation of the wire protocol in each of the language ports. After re-factoring, an intermediate daemon processing was done between the browser and the driving test script. As a result driving remote browsers and reducing the need of porting every code statement became possible. Thus the driven selenium was completely taken over by the selenium remote control. 

How does an IBM Rational Functional Tester work?

Rational functional tester is an IBM product developed exclusively for carrying out automated functional testing as well as regression testing. Thus, it can also be very well considered to be a regression testing and automated functional testing tool. It provides the testers with the extended abilities for carrying out the following tests:

1.   Automated functional testing

2.   Regression testing

3.   GUI testing and

4.   DDT or data driven testing

- It sounds like a wonderful tool which provides facilities to carry out four types of distinct tests. 

- Also, it would not be wrong if you call it a ‘automated functional regression testing tool’. 

- Using this IBM tool, capturing and creating automated tests becomes so easy since it ensures that the basic purpose of the tests.

- IBM’s rational functional tester becomes a more useful tool if it used by an individual of a software delivery team which continually updates the application or the software system and requires a mean using which it can keep executing a batch of core tests.

- With other tools you have to go through all the actions before you perform them which makes the testing even more difficult. 

- On the other hand if you are IBM rational functional tester, only once you need to capture the tester and then you can have the tool does the play back for you any number of times. 

- In other words, you can say that a whole series of tests can be grouped to form a test suite which can be run whole day and all night long to make sure that the software system or application is free of any regressions. 

- Before you start using the rational functional tester, it is advisable that you first go through the demo of the product and read the data sheet and then go for using it. 

- This tool developed by IBM is fully object oriented and can tester the following applications:

1. Windows applications
2. .NET
3. Java
4. HTML
5. Siebel
6. SAP
7. AJAX
8. Power builder
9. Flex
10. Dojo
11. Visual basic
12. GEF etc.

- In addition to all these things mentioned below can also be tested:

1. Adobe PDF documents
2. Zseries applications
3. Iseries applications
4. Pseries applications

- With rational functional tester, you get a reliability and robustness in the scripts that are recorded using it. 

- These scripts later can be used for play back in order to carry out the validation of the test applications. 

- However, one thing to know about rational functional tester is that it supports only two platforms namely windows and Linux.

- Two integrated development environments are supported by the rational functional tester. 

- Firstly, user actions can be recorded for the creation of the scripts in the simplest form that can be understood easily on the platform of rational software delivery. 

- In order to provide an extra helping hand to the advanced users it comes with the support for two scripting languages as mentioned below:

1. Java language: for functional tester java scripting
2. VB.NET language: for the functional tester VB.NET 2003 as well as 2005.

- The development environment is of the Microsoft visual studio .NET. 

- It comes with an extension for the terminal based applications as mentioned above so as to provide support for the functional testing of the following:

1. zSeries applications such as TN3270E, TN3270 and so on.
2. iSeries applications such as TN5250.
3. pSeries applications such as VT default, VT 420 – 7, VT 100, VT UTF – 8, VT 420 – 8 etc which are all virtual terminals.

- With this extension you can create test scripts for the automation of the test cases of the host applications. 

- It becomes easy for you to test the following:

1. host attributes
2. host field attributes and
3. screen flow

- For testing all these, it makes use of the terminal verification properties and points and synchronization code for the identification of the readiness of the terminal to take input from the user. 

What is Data Driven Testing technology in IBM Rational Functional Tester?

- DATA DRIVEN TESTING or DDT involves testing the software systems or applications using a number of sets of input data and output data stored in a data table.
- The testing process is carried out in an environment where the controls as well as the settings are not hard coded i.e., where the controls and settings are modifiable.
- The input data values from the rows and columns of the table are supplied to the program by the tester and the output obtained is compared with the expected output of the corresponding row and column.
- The values stored in the table are related to the partition input spaces and boundary.
- However, when the control methodology is applied, the configuration for the test is read from the data base.
- Today several methodologies have been developed for implementing the data driven testing.
- All such methodologies are known to co – exist since there is a difference in the effort they demand for the creation and subsequent maintenance.
- The main advantage of applying data driven testing is the ease with which the inputs can be added to the data table on the discovery of new partitions and there addition to the system under test or product.
- Another thing about the data driven testing is that it costs more to implement it manually rather than automated implementation which is comparatively cheaper.
- Data driven testing involves creation of the test scripts together with the related data sets present in the frame work.
- The re – usable test logic is obtained from this frame work only and is used for the reduction of the maintenance and improvement of the test coverage.
- The input as well as the result is stored in either one or more than one central data sources which we commonly called as data bases though the organization of the data and actual data depends up on the implementation.
- The data that is used for driving the tests consists of both the input values and the expected output values or the verified output values.
- The data is got via a sniffer (or a purpose – built custom tool) from a running system.
- The data driven testing then performs a play back of the harvested data thus acting as a powerful automated tool for regression testing.
- The following things are coded in the test script:
1. Navigation through the application
2. Reading data sources
3. Logging test status
4. Information

- Any variability which has a potential to make a change is taken out from the test logic or the scripts and move to the set of external assets.
- Such set is called a test data set or a configuration.
- Data driven testing is one of the key technologies that is implemented by the IBM’s rational functional tester.
- The hard coded scripts have got a few limitations.
- Whenever a test script is recorded using some literal values, the data gets hard coded in that script.
- This script then can be executed only with one test case or with one set of valid inputs.
- Also, such scripts are difficult to be put in to reuse and maintenance is cumbersome.
- The rational functional tester separates the data from the script so that it can be modified without having any effect on the test scripts and new test cases can be added through the modification of the data rather than modifying the test script.
- Three scenarios have been defined for the implementation of the data driven testing in the rational functional tester:
1. Creation of a data pool while the recording of a data driven script is n progress within the functional tester. Modification of the data pool:
2. Importing a data pool that was created externally in to functional tester and associating it with a test script.
3. Creation of data pool while the recording of a script is going on within functional tester. Exporting the data pool and editing it externally. Importing this data pool for driving a test script.

What is script assure technology in IBM rational functional tester?

Script assure technology is another key technology used by the IBM’s rational functional tester which is an automated tool developed for functional testing by the IBM’s rational software division. 

- Rational functional tester is usually employed by quality assurance people in order to carry out the regression testing. 

- The test scripts are created with the help of a sophisticated test recorder which includes capturing the actions of the users against the AUT or application under test. 

- From these captured actions, a test script is created by the recording mechanism which is based on .net or java applications. 

- When the version 8.1 of the rational functional tester was released, the scripts started to be represented as a series of the screen shots from a story board that is of a visual nature. 

- The created script is further enhanced using the syntax and standard commands of the language.

- These scripts are then run for the validation of the software system’s or application’s functionality. 

- To say the test scripts are executed in the batch mode so that the test scripts can be grouped together and executed unattended. 

- During the phase of recording, the verification points are introduced by the user for capturing the system with its expected state. 

- Any information regarding the bugs is stored in the logs of the rational functional tester. 

- While the play back process is in progress, an object map is used by the rational functional tester for finding and acting against the interface of the application. 

- However, it is possible that during the development phase the objects might be changed between the time that was taken for the recording of the script and for executing the script. 

- The script assure technology allows the rational functional tester to ignore the discrepancies between the definitions of the objects that were captured during the recording as well as the playback in order to ensure that there is an interrupted execution of the test scripts. 

- This is a factor called the script assure sensitivity which determines the size of the object map discrepancy that is acceptable and this factor can be set by the user. 

- It has been found that developing automated scripts for carrying out the regression testing of the dynamic content of the web pages such as GUI applications is difficult for the testers who are used to IBM rational functional tester.

- Testers tend to develop scripts that are quite re-silient and can be used for testing the values of the dynamic object properties which are not known to have sufficient unique properties even though having sufficient properties lead to problems in the recognition and thus leading to several failures and errors. 

If you understand properly that how the IBM rational functional tester works, its advantages, and how the objects can be recognized during the run time, you can very well develop the scripts that can be used to cope up with the changes and provide results of the regression testing that are informative enough. 

Many of the testers who are freshly introduced to the rational functional tester find the difficulties in the creation of the resilient scripts while simultaneously automating the web based applications. 

With the help of the script assure technology, the scripts can be subjected to play back in the rational functional tester by using the script assure feature which will also help in controlling the object matching sensitivity. 

Object matching sensitivity is a function that relies on a number of factors for the recognition of the objects present in that application. It is important that the properties that were recorded in the object map must match with the object properties so that the properties could be recognized by the rational functional tester.

It is by default that the rational functional tester might recognize an object even if some properties do not match. If a match is not found between the two properties, the object in the application cannot be recognized by the rational functional tester. 

How does story board testing in IBM Rational Functional Tester work?

IBM’s rational functional tester is counted among the best functional testing tools available till date. The functional testing capabilities can further be extended with the help of the SDK proxy. This can be done either manually or with the assistance of the Proxy SDK wizards. 

Introduction of the rational functional tester in the field of software testing has given a new significant direction to the functional testing. The following are the updates that were made then:

1. The visual test representation for the creation of no code test was enhanced via the following two ways:

a)   Dragging and dropping the controls in to the test scripts.

b)   Story board test representation.

2. The integration with the following was updated:

a)   IBM rational quality manager express edition and

b)  IBM rational quality manager standard edition v2.0 and v1.0.1.

Support for multiple project area was extended in the execution adapter and IBM rational quality manager was provided with the support for keywords.

3. New integration were made with the IBM rational team concert:

a)   Assets were bound to be managed within the SCM.

b)   IBM rational team concert V2.0 was added as an optional feature to the rational functional tester.

4. Packaged applications as well as environment support were expanded.

What is Story board testing in IBM Rational Functional Tester?

- Story board testing has been introduced as a completely new and visual approach to the automation of the actions performed by the test scripts.

- The story board testing comes with a three pane view which provides the following:

1. Description of the test actions in a natural language.
2. Screenshots of the screen that is currently being tested. Also if the control is to be used further then it is highlighted.
3. Script flow is displayed in the story board view which shows all the thumbnails of the all the screens that were accessed during the course of the test in an order of sequence.

- This testing approach gives a significant simplification of the test script editing and authoring. 

- The natural language is used all along the testing process along with the screen shots so as to provide the testers an easy way for understanding the flow of the test. 

- The test can be edited from this view as well. 

- You can carry out the following things in the story board testing:

1. Insert verification
2. Execute data driven commands
3. Insert java code

- The feature of story board testing in IBM rational functional testing does not come at the expense of the traditional testing approaches. 

- This testing approach can be considered to be a mere overlay of the java test script like it has always been known to have existed.  

- Users who are very well familiar and understand the IBM rational functional tester can go on with the story board testing as they used to do directly with the test script. 

- Story board testing approach has been accelerating the test creation by keeping it quite simple to read and edit the tests and open the test automation. 

- The story board testing approach was first introduced in the version 8.1 of the IBM rational functional tester.

- This approach did play a big role in enabling the testers in editing the test scripts by playing against the screen shots of the application captured by the rational functional tester. 

- Before this feature was included in the rational functional tester, the scripts were edited by the testers just by modifying it.

What is object map technology in IBM rational functional tester work?

IBM rational functional tester was developed in the league of automated functional testing tools which could assist the users in the creation of the tests that could mimic the assessments as well as the actions of the human testers. However, till date the rational function tester has found its primary use in the field of software quality assurance for performing the automated regression testing. 

About Rational Functional Tester

- This functional testing tool is used in the process of quality assurance for carrying out the regression testing. 

- The test scripts are created with the help of a test recorder whose function is to capture the actions of users against the AUT or application under testing. 

- This recording mechanism assists in the creation of the test scripts from the actions. 

- The test scripts that are produced using the rational functional tester are either based up on visual basic. NET application or a java application. 

- Eventually, the test scripts came to be represented as a series of screen shots with the release of the version 8.1 of the rational functional tester and formed a visual story board. 

- Using the standard commands as well as the syntax of these languages, they could be edited by the testers. 

- This could also be done by carrying out an act against the screen shots available in the story board. 

- Then the test scripts are ready to be executed by the rational functional tester in order to validate the functionality of the application.

- Usually, the test scripts are executed in the batch mode where there several test scripts have been grouped together and have been executed unattended. 

- The user needs to introduce several verification points while the recording phase is in progress. 

Verification points are introduced so that the expected state of the system can be captured such as the following:

1. A specific value in a particular field.
2. A given property of an object whether enabled or disabled.

- A baseline is captured during recording which is compared with the actual result and if any discrepancy is found between the two, it is noted down by the rational functional tester in its logs. 

- The log then can be reviewed by the tester in order to determine whether the actual software bug or error has been discovered or not.  

What is Object Mapping Technology?

- Object mapping technology or OMT is counted among the key technologies of the rational functional tester. 

- This is actually an underlying technology whose purpose is to find objects within a software system or application and act against them. 

- The test recorder creates automatically the object map by itself whenever some tests are created containing a list of properties that can be used for the identification of the objects during the play back progress. 

- For the rational functional tester to interact with a particular object in a software system or application it should be able to understand the interface of that object. 

- This usually does not pose any problem for the standard objects such as list boxes, buttons and edit fields etc.

- But, in some cases it does pose problems when the application developers try to create their own customs objects in order to meet a certain requirement of the software system or application. 

- Application developers can overcome this problem by creating an object proxy using which they can identify the interfaces to a custom objects in the code. 

- This mechanism is termed as the SDK or software development kit interface. 

- Using it, the users can develop programs in .net or java in order to add the functional testing support for .Net as well as java custom controls. 

What issues should be considered when deciding whether to automate a test? How to generate an automated test script?est Scripts, Scripts

Execution of the test sets lies at the center of any testing process. As the software system or application encounters changes, the defects are located by running both manual as well as automated tests in the project. Also, the quality of the tests is assessed by running the tests itself. 

Issues considered when deciding to go for automation?

- Deciding which all tests have to be automated is a part of the test planning process. 

- Two options namely manual and automated are available for the execution of the tests. 

- If you go with the manual execution of the tests, you can begin with the execution just after you finish defining the test steps. 

- If you go for automating the tests, the test scripts need to be generated and completed. 

- Below we state the issues that should be considered when deciding to go for automation:

1. Do Automate: Only the tests which are data driven or which make use of multiple data values for the same operation, which run with every new version of the application as a measure to check its functionality i.e., regression testing, which are for stress testing i.e., run many times and tests that facilitate the checking of a server system or multi-user client system (load testing) must always be automated.
2. Do not automate: The tests which are meant for a single execution, need to be executed immediately, check for the usability of the tests and whose result cannot be predicted should not be automated.

Steps for generating Automated Test Scripts

Below mentioned steps can be followed for the generation of the automated test scripts:

1. First, click on the test plan tab in order to enable the display of the test plan module.
2. Locate the manual test that you want to automate by selecting the subject folder available at the root of the test plan tree. There click on the find button and the find folder/ test dialog box will open up.
3. Type the name of the test to be searched for in the ‘value to find’ field of the box. Check the ‘include tests’ check box so that the test director can be instructed to look for folders and tests. Finally click on find option. ‘Search results’ dialog box will pop up thus displaying all the possible matches. Click on go to button and the test will be highlighted in the test plan tree. Close this dialog box.
4. Click on the design steps tab in order to display the design steps tab.
5. For generating a test script click on the generate script button. You can choose either of the following options:

a) QUICKTEST_ TEST: For generating an astra quicktest test or quick test professional test.

b)   WR – AUTOMATED: For generating a winrunner test.

The above two options will be available if the corresponding add ins have been installed. Once the test has been automated, the manual test symbol ‘M’ will be replaced by automated test icon.

6. For viewing the test script click on the test script lab. Click on the launch button for displaying and modifying the test script in the testing tool where it was created.

Whenever an automated test is run, the testing tool selected by the tester is opened by the test director automatically and the test is run on either the remote hosts or local machines. The tests can be run either from the execution flow tab or the execution grid tab.

How to design and copy test cases in test director?

Application testing process is not the one that can be completed in a jiffy. It demands constant input in form of efforts, organization and maintenance. Well, all this becomes easy when you are assisted by mercury interactive’s test management tool.
Test director saves you a great deal of efforts for tasks such as requirements analysis, test planning, test execution, defect tracking etc. here in this article we are going to tell you how you can design as well as copy the test cases in test director. After the tests created for all the subjects have been added to the test plan tree and the basic test information has been defined, the test cases or the test steps are defined.
By defining them we mean that more details or step by step instructions are provided for how that particular test case is to be executed. Each step of a test case consists of two things namely:
1. Actions to be performed on the application under testing or AUT and
2. The expected results.

Test steps can be created either for manual tests or automated tests using test director. For manual testing it is said to be complete when you are done with the designing of the tests.
Then, the test execution can be straightaway be started by using the test plan tree. But in the case of the automated testing, an addition step is to create automated test scripts using any other mercury interactive tool such as Winrunner or some other third party tool.

Steps for designing test cases

Below mentioned are the steps that one can follow for designing a test case:
1. It has to be made sure that the test plan module is on display and if it is not click on the test plan tab to turn it on.
2. The test case for which you are about to design the test steps also needs to be displayed. You can do this by simply clicking on the name of that particular test.
3. Next you need to launch the design step editor by clicking on the ‘design steps lab’.
4. In the design step editor dialog box clicking on the new step button you will get a new step dialog box which will ask you enter a step name which is by default a sequential number.
5. Now for defining that step you require to fill up the following fields and click OK:
         a) Step name
         b) Description
         c) Expected result
6. Last step is to click OK which will close the design step editor and display the design steps.

How to copy the test cases?

In test director you get the option of copying the test cases either from the same project or from some other. Follow the below mentioned steps:
1. You need to turn on the design steps tab and select that particular test case from the test plan tree which you want to be copied.
2. Next step involves selecting the steps of the test cases which you want to be copied. You will observe a gray sidebar, position the mouse pointer there and you will see that the pointer changes to  ->. Now hold down the shift and select the steps you want to be copied.
3. By using the copy steps copy down all the selected steps.
4. Next paste the steps where you want them to be copied in the test plan tree by using the paste steps button in the design steps tab.

What is a Silk Test Test plan? What are the types of text lines in a test plan file?

A silk test plan consists of large amounts of data as well as information based on which are the details of the plan which in turn will be used in the organization and the development of the software system or application. 

It has three basic qualities as mentioned below:

1. Well structured
2. Hierarchical
3. Ideal model

A silk test test plan constitutes of two parts which are entirely different:

1. First part consists of an outline which gives a detailed description of the all the requirements of the testing process.
2. Second part consists of a statement which establishes a relationship between the outline of the first part and 4test scripts as well as test cases which are bound to implement the requirements defined above.

What is a Silk Test Plan?

- Test plan helps in achieving a guided way for the creation as well as execution of the test cases. 

- A new test plan can be created by following the below mentioned steps:

1. Go to the file menu and then click on new option.
2. From the drop down list that follows select test plan and hit OK. You will get a test plan window. Fill in the required fields and click OK.

- This is a known fact that silk test specializes in the field of functionality as well as regression testing and has been a known product when it comes to web, java or windows based applications. 

- Silk test provides you with two ways for defining or creating the automated tests:

1. By using the record test case command for recording the actions and the verification of steps.
2. Using visual 4test scripting language by writing the test cases manually.

- Test plans in silk test are stored as ‘test plan (.pln)’ file type. 

- This file type is sometimes used for making combinations of the test scripts. 

- The basic purpose of a silk test test plan is to provide a frame work for the testing process and also for the organization and maintenance of the testing requirements. 

Benefits of using a Test Plan

Using a test plan has following benefits:

1. With test plan you have a chance to implement top down approach for defining the testing requirements, developing thoughts and refining the requirements.
2. Attributes can be assigned to individual tests or group of tests.
3. Redundancy is reduced single only actually implementing statements are allowed.
4. Can be used as a comprehensive inventory of requirements consisting of most general as well as specific requirements.

What kind of text lines are there in a test plan file?

Test plan file consists of 5 types of text lines that we have described below:

1. First type of text lines are the comments which are usually marked in green color.These types of text lines provide commentary type of information regarding the test code.
2. Group Description: This type of text lines are represented in bold black color. Furthermore, they are included so as to provide a description of a group of tests rather than describing individual tests. Usually, a test plan consists of many tests which are then grouped in to multiple levels of various groups.
3. Test Description: This type of text lines are written in blue color and are meant for showcasing the description of the individual tests only.
4. Test plan statement: This type of text lines in a test plan file provide information regarding the relations to the following elements:

a)   Test cases

b)   Link scripts

c)   Test data

d)   Closed sub test plans

e)   Include files to a test plan.

These are marked in red color.

5. Open sub plan file marker: These text lines are marked in magenta color and thus providing info regarding relations to link sub test plans with the master plan.