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Test Author Guide
This guide describes how to create test scripts and enhances them by applying different test elements such as dataset, variables, and verification points.
Testing in the Functional Test perspective
When you develop Java, HTML, or Terminal-based applications, you can use IBM® Rational® Functional Tester to create traditional functional tests for these applications. You must first record the tests and then use Rational Functional Tester to run the tests before you can view the test results.
Managing functional test projects
A functional test project stores application test assets such as scripts, object maps, verification point baseline files, and script templates. You must create a functional test project before you can record scripts.
Connecting to a Functional Test project
If you have an existing Functional Test project or another member of your team has a project you need to use, you can use this option to connect to the project.

Test Author Guide
This guide describes how to create test scripts and enhances them by applying different test elements such as dataset, variables, and verification points.
- Testing in the UI Test perspective
  When you develop web applications, Windows-based applications, or mobile applications, you can use IBM® Rational® Functional Tester to create functional tests for these applications. You must first record the tests and then use Rational Functional Tester to run the tests before you can view the test results.
- Testing in the Functional Test perspective
  When you develop Java, HTML, or Terminal-based applications, you can use IBM® Rational® Functional Tester to create traditional functional tests for these applications. You must first record the tests and then use Rational Functional Tester to run the tests before you can view the test results.
  - Preparing the functional test environment
    This section describes the tasks you must perform to configure the functional test environment.
  - Managing functional test projects
    A functional test project stores application test assets such as scripts, object maps, verification point baseline files, and script templates. You must create a functional test project before you can record scripts.
    - Creating a test project
      A test project stores application test assets such as scripts, object maps, verification point baseline files, and script templates. You must create a test project before you can record scripts. You must create a new test project or connect to an existing test project before you record a new script.
    - Connecting to a Functional Test project
      If you have an existing Functional Test project or another member of your team has a project you need to use, you can use this option to connect to the project.
    - Disconnecting a Functional Test project
      If you no longer need to work on a Functional Test project, you can remove it from the Projects view.
    - Deleting a Functional Test project
      There may be times that you want to delete a project that is no longer needed from the Functional Test Projects view.
    - Projects view
      The Functional Test Projects view, which is the left pane of the Functional Test Perspective, lists test assets for each project.
    - Creating a new functional test folder
      You can use folders to organize items in the Functional Test Projects view.
    - Exporting functional test project items
      You can export project items such as scripts, test object maps, Java™ files or Visual Basic files, datasets and application visuals to another functional test project.
    - Importing functional test project items
      You can import project items such as scripts, test object maps, Java™ files or Visual Basic files, and datasets into a Functional Test project.
  - Working with functional test scripts (Windows-only)
    This section describes the process of creating functional test scripts to test your applications.
  - Working with verification points
    Verification points verify that a certain action has taken place, or verify the state of a control or an object. When you create a verification point, you are capturing information about a control or an object in the application to establish this as baseline information for comparison during playback.
  - Driving functional tests with external data
    This section describes techniques you can use to data-drive functional tests with external data.
  - Managing functional test assets
    You can integrate Rational® Functional Tester with Rational Team Concert™ and manage functional test assets using any of these source control management tools.
  - Testing terminal-based applications
    Use the Rational® Functional Tester Terminal-based Applications feature to create test scripts and automate your host-application test cases. You can test host attributes, host field attributes, and screen-flow through a host application. It uses terminal verification points and properties, as well as synchronization code to identify the readiness of terminal for user input.
  - Troubleshooting issues
    You can find information about the issues or problems that you might encounter while you work in the Functional Test perspective of Rational® Functional Tester. You can also find the details about the causes and resolutions that you can apply to fix the issues.
- Extending the UI Test perspective with custom code
  You can use custom code to extend the default Web UI testing capabilities. You can write custom Java™ code and call the code from the test. You can also specify that results from the tests that are affected by your custom code to be included in reports.
- Extending the Functional Test perspective
  You can use custom code to extend the default functional testing capabilities. You can write custom code and call the code from the test. You can also specify that results from the tests that are affected by your custom code to be included in reports.
- Experimental Features
  Rational® Functional Tester contains a set of pre-releases that enable you to test various experimental features. These experimental features, while still in progress, are introduced early in the release to seek your feedback on its overall functionality and performance. You can play around with these capabilities before they are made available and supported as a general feature in an upcoming release.

Connecting to a Functional Test project

If you have an existing Functional Test project or another member of your team has a project you need to use, you can use this option to connect to the project.

Procedure

Go to the Functional Test perspective in .
Click File > Connect to a Functional Test project from the menu bar.
In the Project location path field, type the path for the Functional Test project or click Browse to select the path of an existing Functional Test project.
If you click Browse and select a path to an existing Functional Test project, Rational® Functional Tester automatically enters the project name from the project location path.
In the Project name field, type a name to represent the Functional Test project (a logical name).
The name must be unique.
Click Finish.
A dialog box prompting you to upgrade the project from the older version and connect again is displayed.
Click Yes to confirm. Click Cancel if you want to disconnect from the project.