If you launch tests remotely via Remote Desktop connectivity to your computer, you should follow two important rules:
- Do not minimize the Remote Desktop window
- Do not close the Remote Desktop window
If any of the above mentioned rules are not followed, the system ceases redrawing GUI elements on the remote computer and TestComplete will not be able to continue working with the controls elements (this is not the TestComplete-specific problem, it is OS-related and will reproduce for all automation tools that work with applications via GUI). This does not mean that it is necessary to incessantly keep the window open over the whole screen upfront. It is possible to change the sizing of the Remote Desktop window down to its minimum (which will make the screen of the remote computer invisible) and place it onto the back burner against the background to keep it out of your way for the work at hand. At this time, you can simultaneously run any actions on the local computer, which will not cramp up the tests on the remote computer. If even this doesn't work then you can customize the system so that the Remote Desktop window can be minimized out of view.
To be able to minimize the Remote Desktop window, the following steps should be performed on a local computer which is used to connect to the remote PC:
- Click on Start, in the Search box, write in
regedit, and press Enter. The Registry Editor window will open up. - In the left-hand side part of the window, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER | Software | Microsoft | Terminal Server Client.
- Select the Edit | New | DWORD (32-bit) Value option. In the right-hand side part of the window, new value will be assigned.
- Rename it to
RemoteDesktop_SuppressWhenMinimized. - Double-click on the newly created element and in the Value data field, input the value
2. - Repeat the steps 3 to 5 by navigating to the following element: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE | SOFTWARE | Microsoft | Terminal Server Client.
- Now you can go ahead and safely minimize the Remote Desktop window, however, it should not be closed anyways.