How do you define Test Sets in Test Director? How do you add tests to a Test Set?

One can begin with the creation of test sets and choosing which all tests are required to be added to the test sets. 

What is a test set?

- A test set is a collection of tests in the test director’s terminology. 

- The concept of test set was developed so that specific testing goals could be achieved. 

- The execution of the tests in a test set can be controlled by scheduling the data and time for the execution and setting some testing conditions. 

- After the test sets have been defined, the time comes to execute them. 

- In the manual execution of the test sets the test steps defined earlier are executed. 

- The success or failure of test step depends on the one who is executing the tests based up on whether the expected and actual results match.

- In the automated execution of the tests, the selected testing tool is opened up by the test director, the test is run and the test results are exported to the test director. 

In this article we shall see how the test sets are defined and how tests are added to the test sets. 

- Once the tests have been designed in the test plan module, a test sets tree is created which makes it easy for the tester to organize the whole testing process by making groups of the test sets in a folder. 

- The test sets are organized at different hierarchical levels in the test lab module. 

- It is possible for the tester to include both the automated as well as manual tests in the test sets. 

- Also, there occurs no problem if at all the same tests are included in a number of test sets. 

- For the creation of an exact test set it is important that you keep your testing goals clear and concise from the beginning of the testing process itself. 

- Also the issues such as following need to be considered:

1. Current state of the application and
2. Addition of new features
3. Modification of new features.

Test director offers you some categories of test sets that can be created:

1. Sanity
2. Normal
3. Advanced
4. Regression
5. Function

Follow the steps:

1. Open the project.
2. Click on the test lab to display the test lab module.
3. Now you need to add a new folder to the test sets tree. Go in the left pane of the test sets tree and select the root folder. Create a new folder in it by specifying a name for it and click ok.
4. Now add the test set to the test sets list by clicking on the new test set button. In the new test set dialog box enter the name of the test set and its description.
5. Next you need to define the details of the test set by clicking on the test set properties and then details link. Select the status of the test set, it opening date and closing date.
6. In case there is an event failure you need to set the rules for automated tests in the test set.

How to add tests to a test set?

For adding the tests to a test set follow the below mentioned steps:

1. Display the test lab module by clicking on the test lab tab.
2. From the test sets tree select the test set to be added and then click execution grid tab.
3. Go to the select tests button and you can see the test plan tree. If any filters have been applied they need to be cleared using the set filter option.
4. Select the folder containing the tests that you want to add and then click ‘add tests to test set’ button. For confirmation click yes. Parameters of test dialog box will pop up since the tests that are being added contain unassigned parameters.
5. When you are done close the test plan tree by clicking on the close button.  

What are major activities in database testing?

Before going to the main topic i.e., the major activities that are carried out in data base testing, we will first have an insight on what is data base testing actually.

WHAT IS DATABASE TESTING?

- Data base testing as it suggests itself, it is the testing of the data or values retrieved from the data base of that software system or application under testing.

- The retrieved data should match exactly with the data mentioned in the records of the data base.

- Data base testing is not an easy thing to carry out.

- It calls for a great need of expertise in reading the data base record tables, writing procedures and queries for the data base.

- Data base testing works well with all sorts of application softwares be it any application written either in SQL or Oracle languages.

- But normally, data base testing finds it way in the testing of applications that work with all sorts of sensitive data like finance, banking or health insurances etc.

- Such applications require extensive data base testing since any error in the retrieved data can cause the users lot to suffer.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF DATABASE TESTING
Now we are going to discuss about the working of the data base testing or what all are the major activities taking place in a data base testing.

- A lot of understanding and knowledge of the software system or application under the testing is required i.e., the tester needs to know all about the type of data base being used by the software system or application.

- All the existing data tables in the application data base are figured out.

- All the possible queries are written for the figured out tables to be executed.

- All the tables are tested individually for the verification and validation of the data contained in them.

- For complex data bases the queries are obtained from the developer and the functionalities are tested.

- The data base of a software system or application is indeed its back bone and needs to be tested thoroughly.

- In a data base testing not only the data base undergoes testing, but also the features and functionality of the software system or application.

- As if this is not enough, all the actions taking place like deletion or addition are also tested.

- The added values or data are checked against the records of the data base i.e., whether or not they are exactly same.

- The deleted is checked for whether or not it has been really deleted from the data base.

- Every action being performed is tested for its efficiency as it will affect the overall well being of the data base.

- These days with the introduction of the business logic, the data bases have become more complex.

- Though the business logic makes the whole data base complex in nature, it cannot be neglected since it plays a very crucial role in the implementation of the applications.

- After the implementation of the business rules or logic, the data base values are again checked for their correctness.

- The coupling of the data bases to the libraries also poses a problem for the data base testing besides the following:

1. Data base schemas
2. Data base tables
3. Verification of the data base after every execution of test cases.
4. Cleaning up of the data base for every new test case execution.
5. Carrying out the whole data base testing manually is absolutely impossible or perhaps a nightmare.
6. Writing short test codes that are easy to understand.

One needs to carry out data base testing very carefully and with understanding since any faltering can disrupt the whole testing process.