Using the PTF Test Recorder

You use the PTF Test Recorder to record the steps in a test. When you record a test, PTF monitors each action you perform in the target application and creates a corresponding step in the test. As you are recording, you can also add additional steps, such as Verify, Log, and Conditional, that do not directly correspond to actions performed in the target application.

This section discusses:

  • The Test Recorder toolbar.

  • Recording action tools.

  • Step insert tools.

  • Step modification tools.

  • Step utility tools.

To access the Test Recorder toolbar, select Test, Open Test Recorder or click the Show Test Recorder icon.

Image: Test RecorderToolbar

This example illustrates the tools and controls on the Test Recorder toolbar. You can find definitions for the tools and controls later on in this section.

Test Recorder Toolbar

Note: To move the Test Recorder toolbar, click in the title bar to the left of the close icon and drag to the new location.

The Test Recorder toolbar elements can be categorized into these functional areas:

  • Recording action tools.

  • Step insert tools.

  • Step modification tools.

  • Recorder utility tools.

  • Tool hints bar.

  • Status bar.

Use these tools to control recording actions: start the web client; select the browser; and start, stop, or pause recording.

This list describes the recording action tools that are available in the Recorder Toolbar.

Field or Control

Definition
Select browser to use

Hook a browser. Drag and drop this icon onto an active PeopleSoft browser session to hook the recorder to that browser. PTF will only hook a browser that was originally launched by PTF. You can drag the hook icon to any portion of the PIA application. No page objects will be highlighted.

Start web client and go to the default URL

Launch a PeopleSoft application in a browser window using the URL of the default execution option and hook the recorder to that browser.

See Configuring Execution Options in PeopleSoft Internet Architecture and Configuring Execution Options in PTF Client.
Start recording

Begin recording or resume recording. When you begin recording, the recorder adds or inserts steps following the current step. When you resume recording after pausing you are prompted to choose from the following options:

  • Insert new steps at the current step (do not delete subsequent steps in the test)

  • Insert new steps at the current step (delete subsequent steps in the test)

  • Insert new rows at the end of the test
Stop recording

Stop recording and write recorded steps to the test.
Pause recording

Pause recording.

Use the items in the <Select Action> list box to insert action steps while recording. These items are grouped into these categories:

  • Drag and drop actions.

  • Step insert actions.

  • Usage monitor actions.

Image: Select Actions list box

You can add an action manually from the select actions drop down.

PTF Test Recorder Select Actions drop down

<Select Action> - Drag and Drop Actions

These recording action tools capture page element recognition data using a method called “drag and drop”, which refers to using the mouse to click an item and drag it then drop it to another location. To use these options while recording:

  1. Select a drag and drop option from the <Select Action> list.

    This activates the Target icon, making it available to use.

  2. Click and drag the Target icon to the desired page element.

    Notice that the mouse cursor changes to a bold question mark.

  3. Highlight the page element, then release the mouse button to drop the icon over it.

    As you hover over a page element, the page element becomes highlighted. The element that you intend to reference must be highlighted when you drop the icon over it. If the field is not highlighted, PTF will not recognize it.

Drag and drop actions are not applicable to all HTML objects.

This list describes the drag and drop action options that are available in the Recorder Toolbar <Select Action> list:

Field or Control

Definition
ComboBox.ValueExists

Adds a ComboBox.ValueExists step. Drag and drop over a combobox element. You are prompted to select the value, and the variable to store the return value, and to select an expected value. Valid values are True, False, or Ignore.
Div.ScrollIt

Adds a Div.ScrollIt step. Drag and drop over a horizontal/vertical scrollbar element.
Field Exists

Adds an Exists step. Drag and drop over a page element. You are prompted to enter a variable name or select an existing variable and to select an expected value. Valid values are True, False, or Ignore.

See Exists.
Get Label

Adds a Field.GetLabel step. You are prompted for the return variable that will contain the label.

See GetLabel
Get Property

Adds a GetProperty step. Drag and drop over a page element. You are prompted with a list of properties for the selected page element. Enter a variable name or select an existing variable name for one or more properties. The recorder adds a GetProperty step for each property you identify.

See Get_Property.
Get Style

Adds a GetStyle step. Drag and drop over a page element. You are prompted with a list of style definitions for the selected page element. Enter a variable name or select an existing variable name for one or more style definitions. The recorder adds a GetStyle step for each style you identify.
HTMLCell Get Index

Returns the index value for an HTML table cell. Drag and drop over the HTML table cell. You are prompted for the return variable that will contain the HTML index.

See CellGetIndex
HTMLCell Get Value

Returns the value for an HTML table cell. Drag and drop over the HTML table cell. You are prompted for the return variable that will contain the HTML cell value.

See CellGetValue
Set Scroll Key

Adds a Scroll.Key_Set step. Drag and drop over a key field in a scroll. Enter a Scroll ID in the Step Modification area and click the Confirm icon.

See Incorporating Scroll Handling.
Set Scroll Definition

Drag and drop the target icon on the component page to define the scroll button or the parent grid. The Step:Scroll Definition dialog box appears where you can select the definition type and other details.

See Scroll.
Show Popup

Opens field pop-ups or organization chart menu items.

See MouseOver.
Verify

Adds a Verify step. Drag and drop over a page element. The step is automatically populated with the object ID and value of the field.

See Verify.

<Select Action> - Step Insert Actions

These recording action tools insert test steps that provide logic constructs, manage scroll actions, and add variables and logs.

This list describes the step insert action options that are available in the Recorder Toolbar <Select Action> list:

Field or Control

Definition
Add Log

Adds a Log step.

You are prompted to select a Log action and enter text for the Message and Details.
Add Variable

Adds a Variable.Set_Value step. You are prompted for Variable Name and Value. User-defined variables and PTF test variables appear in the <Select Variable> drop down list.

See Variable, System Variables.
End-If

Adds a Conditional.End_If step.
If-Then

Adds a Conditional If_Then construct. You are prompted for an expression, such as &Exists=True. The Recorder inserts a Conditional.If_Then step. Record additional steps, then select End-If to add a Conditional.End_If step.

See Conditional.
Scroll Action

Adds a Scroll.Action step. You are prompted to enter a Scroll ID, return variable, and action. Click the Confirm icon.
Scroll Reset

Select to delete all rows with the specified scroll ID

<Select Action> - Usage Monitor Actions

These recording action tools insert test steps that control usage monitor actions.

This list describes the usage monitor action options that are available in the Recorder Toolbar <Select Action> list:

Field or Control

Definition
Start

Adds a UsageMonitor.Start step.
Stop

Adds a UsageMonitor.Stop step.

As you are recording, you can modify steps recorded during the current session without stopping the recording and exiting the Test Recorder.

This list describes the step modification tools that are available on the Test Recorder toolbar:

Field or Control

Definition
Move to the previous step

Move to the previous step in the recording. When you move to the previous step or the next step, recording is paused. You must click the Start Recording icon to continue recording.
Move to the next step icon

Move to the next step in the recording. When you move to the previous step or the next step, recording is paused. You must click the Start Recording icon to continue recording.
Mark step as Active/Inactive

Specify whether the step is active or inactive.
Target icon

Drag and drop to capture page element information. This icon is used in conjunction with the drag and drop items in the <Select Action> list.
<Select Scroll Variable>

Select a variable to insert.

This list is used in conjunction with items in the <Select Action> list that utilize variables.

Confirm value modifications icon

Accept step modifications. If you move to another step or continue recording without accepting modifications, the modifications are lost.
Cancel value modifications icon

Cancel modifications.
Edit step icon

Modify the step.
Add Prefix icon

Insert a #PREFIX# keyword at the beginning of the text in the Value field.
Edit test step comments

Edit test step comments.

This list describes the recorder utility tools that are available on the Test Recorder toolbar:

Field or Control

Definition
Copy recording to clipboard icon

Copy the recording to the clipboard.

Configure recording settings icon

Configure recording settings.

  • Use Page Prompt

    If you select the Use Page Prompt check box, the Test Recorder will replace menu navigation steps with a Page.Prompt step and Page.PromptOK step. The Test Recorder records menu navigation steps, but they are set to inactive.

    Note: When recording a search page with facets, PTF does not automatically insert Page.Prompt constructs because all user actions with facets must be recorded.

    When using Page Prompt mode, explicitly enter the values for the key fields. Do not perform a partial search and pick from the list. If you must click a dropdown list, search, or take any other action on a search page, do not use Page Prompt mode, use explicit menu navigation.

    Note: Page Prompt uses advanced search mode on search pages. In certain cases, objects that are available in basic search mode are not available in advanced search mode. If you record in Page Prompt mode on a search page that uses basic search mode, you may encounter ‘Object not found’ errors. If that occurs, you can either delete the extra steps or inactivate the Page.Prompt steps and activate the navigation steps.

    See Page.

  • Message Recognition

    Select the Message Recognition check box to automatically configure message recognition for any messages, such as error, warning, or information messages, that the application generates during recording. When the Test Recorder adds a new message it also sets Use Message Recognition to True.

    See Handling Application Messages.

  • Run Control Recognition

    If you select the Run Control Recognition check box, the Test Recorder will replace all recorded actions on a PsRun Control (Process Scheduler page) with the Process.Run Step.

    Note: Similar to the Page Prompt with facet, this option is only applicable to a conventional Process Scheduler page.

    See Run

  • Ignore Login Steps

    If you select the Ignore Login Steps check box, the Test Recorder will ignore all actions on the login page.

  • File Download Prompt

    Select the File Download Prompt check box to prompt for the file path when recording a step that does a file download.

    See Download

  • Use Scroll Variables

    If you select the Use Scroll Variables check box, when recording activity in scrolls and grids, the Test Recorder will replace the row number suffix $n by the selected PTF variable. For example if the field is FIELDNAME$0, and the scroll variable is &scr1, PTF will record FIELDNAME&scr1.

    See Scroll

  • Use Page Expand

    If you select the Use Page Expand check box, when you click an image to expand a page section or scroll area, instead of recording the image click, PTF will record the page.expand action.

    See Page