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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.
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.
Customizing a script template
Rational® Functional Tester uses its default script templates to format and provide basic information when you create a script. You can customize the information and format by customizing the script templates.

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.
- 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.
  - Rational® Functional Tester proxy SDK
    Extend automated functional testing support for your application's user interface controls.
  - Customizing a script template
    Rational® Functional Tester uses its default script templates to format and provide basic information when you create a script. You can customize the information and format by customizing the script templates.
    - Customizing script templates
      You can customize the default script templates that Rational® Functional Tester uses to format and provide basic information when you create a script.
    - Default placeholders
      You can use default placeholders to customize the systemwide placeholders such as properties, date, and time of any script template.
    - Object map property placeholders
      The object map property placeholders resolve object map placeholder values into property values. They also resolve default placeholder values.
    - Script placeholders
      Script placeholders resolve script-level placeholder values into script values. As the values are resolved, several lines of information can be cached, depending on the placeholder.
    - VP placeholders
      VP placeholders resolve Test Object and verification point (VP) placeholder values into property strings. Default placeholders values are also resolved.
    - Script helper superclass placeholders
      You can use the script helper superclass placeholders to customize the Script Helper Parent, the Header of the file template.
  - Using the API to edit functional test scripts
    These topics describe how you can take advantage of the Rational® Functional Tester application programming interface (API) or the scripting framework to make changes to functional test scripts. As a general rule, the modifications that you make with the scripting SDK, should emulate as closely as possible, the user interactions to test with the application-under-test.
- 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.

Customizing a script template

Rational® Functional Tester uses its default script templates to format and provide basic information when you create a script. You can customize the information and format by customizing the script templates.

About this task

To customize a script template, use the Rational® Functional Tester Script Templates Property Page. In Rational® Functional Tester, Eclipse Integration, you can also use the Java™ editor, which provides simple formatting of the template and help with the Java™ syntax. In Rational® Functional Tester, Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Integration, you can use the Code editor.

Procedure

Right-click a functional test project in the Projects view, click Properties > Rational Functional Tester from the pop-up menu.
The Rational® Functional Tester Script Templates Property page is displayed.
In the Select template type list, click the script template to customize.
Edit the script template from the Functional Test Script Templates Property page:
1. Edit the script template using the appropriate placeholder. For information about placeholders, see Customizing Script Templates related topic.
2. Optionally, click Apply to save your edits as you work or when you finish changes to one script template.
3. Click OK to save all edits to all script templates.
You can also edit a script template with the Java™ editor in Rational® Functional Tester, Eclipse Integration or the Code Editor in Rational® Functional Tester, Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Integration. Click Open current template in Editor to open the template in the appropriate editor.
Tip: To omit associated punctuation for any null properties, enclose the placeholder in a pair of carets (^). For example:
```
^%map:contextComment%^
```