Test logs

When you start a run of a test asset, IBM® Rational® Test Automation Server starts to log information about the test run in a test log. You can view the test log while the test runs and after the run is completed from the Test Log page.

Overview

Rational® Test Automation Server captures the test log for the supported tests that you can run on Rational® Test Automation Server. For the list of supported tests, see Suites and tests that are supported on Rational Test Automation Server.

Rational® Test Automation Server uses an in-built PostgreSQL database to store information about the test while the test runs on the server. Rational® Test Automation Server captures and displays the test log as the default configuration and you do not have to configure other settings during or after installation of the server.

Supported formats of test logs

The formats in which you can view the test logs are as follows:

Table 1. Supported formats for test log display
Log format	Description	Action
Default format	Displays the test log in the in-built format on the Test log page. For example, the test log can be as follows:	You do not have to set any Program argument while you configure the test run.
Text format	Displays the test log in a plain text format and is displayed in a different browser tab or window than the one that displays the Test log page. For example, the test log can be as follows:	You must set the -history testlog Program Argument in the Advanced settings dialog while you configure the test run.
Jaeger trace	Displays the test log as Jaeger traces and is displayed in a different browser tab or window than the one that displays the Test log page. For example, the test log can be as follows:	Before you can configure the server to display the test log as a Jaeger trace, you must ensure that you have installed Jaeger in the cluster. See Considerations for using Jaeger traces in reports. You must set the -history jaeger Program Argument in the Advanced settings dialog while you configure the test run.

Activities and events

The information about the tests that is collated by Rational® Test Automation Server can be classified into the following types:

Table 2. Types of information collated for test logs
Information type	Description
Activity	Specifies the events that are performed when the test runs as part of a test step. An activity comprises different events and is represented as a collection of events that were performed over time. For example, opening a specific web page by using a web browser in the test can be an activity that comprises the different events such as connecting to the web site, sending of a request, and receiving a reply. Each of these events might take a specific amount of time, which are captured in the test log.
Event	Specifies an action performed as part of a test step. For example, start connection can be an event in a test that requires a specific web page to be opened in a web browser, as detailed in the example for an activity. The exact time at which this event occurred when the test ran is captured in the test log.

Test log tasks

You can find information about the tasks that you can perform on the the test logs in the Test log page. The test logs for the tests that you ran on Rational® Test Automation Server are displayed in the Test log page.

The tasks that you can perform on the test logs are summarized in the following table:

Table 3. Test log tasks
Task	More information
Viewing test logs after you start a test run on the Execution page.	Viewing test logs after you start a test run
Viewing test logs after the test run is completed.	Viewing test logs after the test run is completed
Viewing details about the test log.	Test log details