Keith Zambelich's Test Plan Driven Testing Framework for Mercury Interactive Users

Zambelich describes his ToolKit for WinRunner, available at www.auto-sqa.com/toolkit.html, as being

basically composed of User-Defined Functions and Utility scripts which give the tester more control of the WinRunner® test tool. These functions and utilities facilitate the tester's ability to use the tool in whatever method or manner is dictated by specific testing requirements, rather than being subjected to the inherent limitations of the test tool.(3)

This tool kit contains functions that are the basic infrastructure of Zambelich's “Test Plan Driven (Key Word Driven)” automated testing methodology. His approach uses the test case documentation that testers have developed in a spreadsheet containing special “Key-Words.” To quote Zambelich, “In this method, the entire process is data-driven, including functionality. The Key Words control the processing.”(4)

Zambelich's tool kit currently contains the following categories of utility scripts (4):

• “Generic” Windows utilities: used for testing any object-oriented application

• “Language-Specific” utilities: used for testing object-oriented applications developed under a specific language

• “Terminal Emulator” utilities: used for testing AS400, ACP/TPF, and other mainframe applications via terminal emulation

• “Application-Specific” or “customized” utilities: may also need to be developed for the specific Application Under Test

The WinRunner® ToolKit allows the tester and the script developer to accomplish the following (4):

• Quickly generate Automated Tests without an extensive knowledge of WinRunner or TSL (Test Script Language).

• Develop scripts that are “robust,” in that they will not stop running due to an application error, a WinRunner error, or a test script error (allows “unattended testing”).

• Develop Automated Test Scripts for more than one application (tests can be developed for any number of applications of different types without having to “reinvent” the script development process).

• Easily develop “customized” functions and utilities using the ToolKit as a framework (if familiar with using the TSL Test Script Language).

• Create customized “Test Reports” for each test and “Summary Reports” for each scenario or series of tests.

• Assume total control of the test tool and essentially make it do whatever is required to test an application.