When do you use Break Points? What is Toggle Break Points? How it differ from Break points?

What you got to do when you are in need of pausing a test run in between its execution? 

- Break points are used to mark such points in the test script where you want the test to be paused. 

- Break points have proved to be a very useful tool in the discovery of the flaws that might be present in a test script. 

- A break point marker marks the break point present in the test script. 

- This break point marker resides in the left margin of the test scripts.

- The test run is paused by the winrunner whenever it encounters a break point. 

- On a particular break point following tasks can be carried out:

1. The effects of the test run can be examined.
2. The current value of the variables can be viewed.
3. Any necessary changes can be made.
4. Test can be continued to further execution.

How to use Break Points?

- To continue the execution of the test after completing the task to be carried out on the break point the “run from arrow” command can be given and the test will restart from the break point. 

- Once, it gets in to the execution process again it will continue to execute until and unless it encounters another break point or till the test is complete. 

- One thing that should always be taken care of is to make sure that the winrunner is out of batch mode otherwise it won’t pause. 

- For winrunner to pause on break points, it is mandatory that it comes out of the batch mode. 

- If it is not, it is sure to ignore the break points. 

- There are 3 main uses of the break points:

1. They are used to suspend the test run at a particular point so that the state of your software system or application can be inspected.
2. They are used for monitoring the entries that are there in the watch list.
3. They are used to mark certain points throughout the test script for the stepping purpose by using the step commands.

Types of Break Points

We have two types of break points as mentioned below:

1. Break at location point: This break point makes the test to stop at some line number specified by the user in a test script and
2. Break in function point: This break point makes the test to stop whenever a functioned specified by the user is called in a loaded compiled module.

The break points that you define in a session remain active for that particular winrunner session only. Once you terminate that particular winrunner then you must redefine the break points to continue the debugging of the test script in the successive session.

Toggle Break Point and how they differ from normal break point

- Toggle break point command is used whenever you have to set a break at the location break point. 

- For doing this, you just need to move the point of insertion to that line of the test script where according to your desire the test must stop executing. 

- Now go to the debug menu and click on the option “toggle break point” or you can simply go for the button entitled toggle break point. 

- Once you have clicked on this you can observe a symbol of break point towards the left margin of the current window of the winrunner. 

- This break like other break points is also listed in the break points list.

- There is just one simple difference which is that the toggle break points automatically make use of the pass count of 0 and if some other pass count is required these break points can be easily modified.