CUITe Might be the Next Step Forward in Functional Automation
Coded UI is a highly powerful module in Visual Studio which simplifies coding in terms of UI and Functional Testing. However, Coded UI, in spite of its advantages has one major flaw – it typically generates a code which is based on recordings of manual tasks performed in the UI! The recordings are done as per the pixels of the system and therefore difficult to decipher. A solution to this is Coded UI Test Enhanced (CUITe) framework. This framework involves an open source Microsoft Tool called CUITe, which instead of recording the actions performed on a given UI, records the UI elements by Object ID. How CUITE works CUITe focuses on the PageObject Model of Automation which involves having an in-house repository for all the objects recorded from the HTML page, as below: Advantages of CODED UI framework: Easier code maintenance. Zero need to change code to match UI changes (only the elements changed in UI need to be re-recorded). Auto generates code with namespaces, avoiding confusion regarding which namespaces are to be included. Code can be run on any system. (Please Note: As record and playback functions involve recording by pixel values, UI elements may not be rendered at the same pixel location on all the systems) Keyword and data driven testing becomes simpler as a result of automation and users can write their own custom code instead of customizing a system generated code. With CODED UI’s growing popularity among the development community, it is likely that CUITe might be the next step forward in Functional Automation.
5 Reasons Why Coded UI is the Right Step Forward in QA Automation
The robust capabilities of Visual Studio and TFS (Team Foundation Server) have made them hot favourites for building business applications. The combined usage of TFS, Visual Studio and their test tools, augment the process of agile development efficiently (through different phases of development including continuous integration). In the recent past, I have noticed a growing trend in the usage of TFS as an integrated solution for project management, application life cycle management and source control. In this blog, I provide a glimpse into the major factors which drive test experts and architects to evangelize Coded UI (a part of Visual Studio) as a standard automation framework from a software test catalyst standpoint. Testing engineers and developers can work using the same tools/language, enabling them to collaborate effectively. Coded UI tests are compatible with both Web and Windows projects and C# is known for its robustness. Of course, there are many popular feature enriched test tools available in the market, but most of them only support testing of Web applications. When we review the supported configurations and platforms of coded UI tests, we can see its extensive support across multiple levels Incorporating the built-in features of Coded UI into parent class wrappers extends test capabilities and enables testers to leverage the use of APIs by inheriting them into their own frameworks as they evolve. Extended features available in the test controller and test agents provide for: Developing an extensive test suite and testing in local environment The ability to regularly run the test suite remotely in a Lab environment providing for increased efficiency and productivity with comprehensive regression. Using Coded UI with layered framework offers high flexibility to develop sophisticated tests. For example, CUITe Framework (Coded UI Test enhanced) is a Codeplex project, a thin layer over Coded UI. This breed of tools, by its mature features, make tests readable, maintainable, resilient & robust – a testimony to the fact that our claims about the framework are accurate. To conclude, I agree with technical COE’s who recommend the above combination of tools and promise several new and incredible features in the near future. Yes! Selecting Coded UI will be the right step forward in the world of QA Automation. While Coded UI tests are not new, it is only in the recent past that test architects are accepting the fact that Coded UI is a great way to resolve issues present in general test tools. If you started off reading this blog with reservations about the possibility of using Coded UI to automate applications and enhance efficiency, the 5 reasons listed above should establish a strong case for Coded UI in QA Automation.
Automate. Accelerate. Proliferate.
Test automation has emerged as a buzz word in the last few years and software testing teams are scampering to find high ROI tools that can automate the various levels of test automation. Though manual testing is comparatively straightforward, advanced script-based testing requires experience and skill that are difficult to come-by. So the world moves towards test automation. The idea is to automate testing and reduce costs and time-to-market for software. However, the nuances of test automation are still evolving and most users are overwhelmed by complex tools and long learning curves. Unfortunately this cannot be evaded. After all – quality assurance is all about assuring quality. High license fees, poor access to automation engineers, cost of delivery are preventing testers from providing competitive advantages to their applications. Delayed launches, under-tested products, non-optimized functionalities, etc. can become financially demanding for your business. Add to this a competitive market place and there’s almost no room for error. Thankfully, some of us at Tavant found simple solutions to these complex problems. By creating a unified and platform agnostic solution called Tavant Watir Automation Framework (TWAF), manual testers can now build and execute complex code-based test cases by simply using language based commands. TWAF leverages the open source framework WATIR and follows scripting based on Ruby. Unlike complicated Java scripting, Ruby is less complex and significantly reduces the learning time for a manual tester. Developed over the WATIR framework is Tavant’s customizable engine that allows simplified English based test cases. The layer has a validation engine that prompts users for incorrectly spelled objects. The simple English language based query system allows manual test engineers to build advanced test cases which can then be automated. Current releases can be quickly tested and screened to ensure optimum performance. One of the best aspects of TWAF is that it is platform independent. This means that manual testers can use any operating system and still enjoy flawless test automation – even for the code.