How does QTP recognize Objects in AUT?

The quick test professional comes with two types of object identification mechanisms unlike winrunner as mentioned below:

1. Usual or the normal object identification mechanism and
2. The smart identification mechanism

What is Usual or Normal Object Identification Mechanism

- In the usual object identification routine, the first step of the quick test professional is to learn the description of the object as provided by the user before the starting of the test. 

- The description of the object provided by the user consists of the properties of the object. 

- All the objects present in the software system or AUT (application under test) are matched one by one with this physical description.

- It is checked that how many properties of the object are matching with the properties mentioned in the description. 

- This method is the easiest  of the two above mentioned object identification routines. 

Now what if this usual object identification mechanism fails to identify the object? 

The alternative here is the second object identification mechanism i.e., the smart identification mechanism. 

Why does a the normal method fails?

- The normal method fails because the value of the object properties starts changing dynamically which makes it difficult for the quick test professional to track the object. 

- Another situation in which the normal identification mechanism can fail is when the quick test professional finds not one but more than one objects in the application under test matching with the properties mentioned in the description. 

- In such a case the quick test professional erases from its memory the learnt description of the object and calls up on the smart identification mechanism for the identification of that particular object. 

Let us see a comparison between the smart identification mechanism and the normal identification mechanism:

1. Smart identification is more complex then the usual one.
2. Smart identification is more flexible then the usual one.

What is Smart Identification Mechanism

- Smart identification mechanism is so reliable that it can work even if the currently provided description of the object fails.

- To get the best out of the smart identification mechanism, one needs to configure it properly in a logical way. 

- Smart identification mechanism is driven by two different sets of properties as described below:

1. Base filter properties: As the name suggests these are the base or the fundamental properties belonging to a particular test object class. The value of these fundamental properties cannot be changed until and unless you make changes in the properties of the original object.
2. Optional filter properties: The leftover properties i.e., all the properties leaving out the base filter properties are grouped under this category i.e., the optional filter properties. These properties unlike the other base filter properties do not change frequently. These properties can some times be ignored i.e., when they do not hold to be applicable and therefore have been named as optional filter properties.

How the smart identification process follows?

- The description given by the user is erased from the memory of the quick test professional and a list of objects called candidate list is created.

- Objects or candidates in this list match at least one property in the property list. 

- Now, the base filter properties are used for cutting down on the list of the object candidates. 

- The list is narrowed down to only one object which has most number of properties matching in the list of properties. 

- Some times it may happen even after reaching this stage the quick test professional may not find a matching object. 

- In such a case the quick test pro makes use of an ordinal identifier in addition with the learnt description.