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Rational® Functional Tester
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 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.
Custom code examples
Custom code enables you to perform such tasks as managing loops, retrieving virtual user information, running external programs from tests, and customizing data correlation.
Retrieving the IP address of a virtual user
This example shows how to retrieve the local IP address of a virtual user. Retrieving IP addresses is particularly useful when virtual users are using IP aliases.

Rational® Functional Tester
- Release Notes
  This document contains information about what's new, installation instructions, known problems in and contact information of IBM Customer Support.
- System Requirements
  This document includes information about hardware and software requirements for IBM® Rational® Functional Tester.
- Getting Started Guide
  This guide provides an overview of Rational® Functional Tester. You can find the task flows to get you started with Rational Functional Tester. This guide is intended for new users.
- Tutorials
  You can learn to start using Rational® Functional Tester by reviewing the information in the Tutorials for the UI Test perspective and Functional Test perspective.
- Samples
  This section describes about the sample project which can be used with Rational® Functional Tester to test the functionality of an application.
- Administrator Guide
  This guide describes how to install IBM® Rational® Functional Tester software. After you install the software, you can perform administration tasks such as license configuration and integration with other products. This guide is intended for administrators.
- 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.
    - Creating custom Java™ code
      Custom code uses references in the test as input and returns modified values to the test. Use the ICustomCode2 interface to create custom code and the ITestExecutionServices interface to extend test execution. These interfaces are contained in the com.ibm.rational.test.lt.kernel.services package.
    - Test execution services interfaces and classes
      You use the test execution services interfaces and classes to customize how you run tests. These interfaces and classes are located in the com.ibm.rational.test.lt.kernel package. Each interface and class is described briefly in this topic and in detail in the Javadoc information.
    - Reducing the performance impact of custom code
      If custom code runs inside a page, it can affect that page's response time.
    - Custom code examples
      Custom code enables you to perform such tasks as managing loops, retrieving virtual user information, running external programs from tests, and customizing data correlation.
      - Controlling loops
        This example demonstrates extending test execution by using custom code to control loops. It provides sample code that shows how you can manipulate the behavior of loops within a test to better analyze and verify test results.
      - Retrieving the IP address of a virtual user
        This example shows how to retrieve the local IP address of a virtual user. Retrieving IP addresses is particularly useful when virtual users are using IP aliases.
      - Printing input arguments to a file
        The PrintArgs class prints its input arguments to the file C:\arguments.out. This class could be used, for example, to print a response returned by the server.
      - Counting the number of times that code is executed
        The CountAllIterations class counts the number of times code is executed by all virtual users. The CountUserIterations class counts the number of times code is executed by an individual virtual user.
      - Setting and clearing cookies for a virtual user
        The SetCookieFixedValue class sets a Cookie for a virtual user, and the ClearCookies class clears all cookies for a virtual user.
      - Determining where a test is running
        The ComputerSpecific class determines where a test is running
      - Storing and retrieving variable values
        You can use the getValue() and setValue() methods to store and retrieve values in variables. Depending on the storage location that you specify, variables can be shared among tests, or stored locally in the current test.
      - Extracting a string or token from its input argument
        The ParseResponse class extracts a string from its input argument. The ExtractToken class extracts a particular token (string) from its input argument. Both classes can be useful for handling certain types of dynamic data correlation.
      - Retrieving the maximum JVM heap size
        The JVM_Info class retrieves the maximum heap size of the JVM.
      - Running an external program from a test
        The ExecTest class runs a program, defined in the execName variable, on the system where the test is running.
      - Adding custom counters to reports
        When you want to monitor the specific requirement, you can add custom counters to performance report by using the custom code. After running tests, the results from the custom counters are automatically aggregated in the same way that the default performance testing counters.
      - Using transactions and statistics
        You can use custom code to start transactions, gather additional statistics during a transaction, and stop a transaction.
      - Reporting custom verification point failures
        You can use custom code to report a custom verification point failure.
      - Debugging custom code
        This example demonstrates debugging custom code by adding a breakpoint. It provides sample code to add a breakpoint. This way of debugging custom code is applicable only for a schedule.
      - Reading and writing data from a dataset
        When a test is associated with a dataset, you can extend the test either by reading or writing the dataset values from the custom code.
      - Migrating custom code from previous versions
        You can run scripts that contain custom code from previous releases and edit tests to make new calls to old or new custom code classes.
  - 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.
- Test Execution Specialist Guide
  This guide describes how to automate the playback of the tests by using different methods such as Docker, IBM® Cloud Private, Jenkins and so on. The test results can be pushed to Rational® Test Control Panel.
- Test Manager Guide
  This guide describes how to keep track of the performance of the application by evaluating the test results. Following topics cover how you can work with the test results.
- Troubleshooting
  This guide describes how to analyze and resolve some of the common problems that you might encounter while you work with Rational® Functional Tester.
- Reference Guide
  This guide describes the additional topics to gain more knowledge about Rational® Functional Tester.
- All Guides (PDF)
  You can find the link to view or download the content of the release notes, system requirements, and persona guides of IBM® Rational® Functional Tester as a PDF file.
- Security Considerations
  You can take certain actions to ensure that your installation is secure, customize your security settings, and set up user access controls.
- Notices
  This document provides information about copyright, trademarks, terms and conditions for the product documentation.

Retrieving the IP address of a virtual user

This example shows how to retrieve the local IP address of a virtual user. Retrieving IP addresses is particularly useful when virtual users are using IP aliases.

The Javadoc for the test execution services interfaces and classes can be accessed from the product by clicking Help > Help Contents > Rational Functional Tester API Reference.

The following custom code retrieves the IP address that was assigned to a virtual user:

import java.net.InetAddress;
import com.ibm.rational.test.lt.kernel.IDataArea;
import com.ibm.rational.test.lt.kernel.services.ITestLogManager;
import com.ibm.rational.test.lt.kernel.services.IVirtualUserInfo;

public String exec(ITestExecutionServices tes, String[] args) {
	IVirtualUserInfo vui = (IVirtualUserInfo) tes.findDataArea(IDataArea.VIRTUALUSER).get(IVirtualUserInfo.KEY);
	ITestLogManager tlm = tes.getTestLogManager();

	if (vui != null) {
		String localAddr = null;
		InetAddress ipAddr = vui.getIPAddress();
		if (ipAddr != null)
			localAddr = ipAddr.toString();
		tlm.reportMessage("IPAlias address is " + (localAddr != null ? localAddr : "not set"));
		return localAddr;
	}
else
		return ("Virtual User Info not found");
}

Note:

IP aliasing must be enabled. If not, vui.getIPAddress() returns null.
IP aliases must be configured at the remote location.
The Log Level must be set to a value granular enough to include the IP address, so that the tlm.reportMessage() method can retrieve it. If you insert custom code at the page level, keep Log Level at the default value, Primary Test Actions. If you insert custom code at the request level, set Log Level to Secondary Test Actions, a more granular value.