Recording a Windows test

You can record a Windows test to capture the actions that you perform on Windows desktop applications and on the Add-ins in Microsoft Office applications. The actions are captured as test steps in Windows tests.

Before you begin

You must have completed the tasks mentioned in Prerequisites for testing Windows desktop applications.

About this task

Generally, when you record actions on the Windows desktop application, the controls on the application are identified by using one of the control properties which is a unique identifier for that control. For some of the controls on the Windows applications, when the Name property is also available the Label property is not generated. The Label property is generated only for the following controls when the Name property is not available:
  • Input field
  • List
  • Combo box

You can record actions on multiple windows including the dialog boxes of the Windows desktop application. You can also press Alt+Tab to navigate between the child and the main windows while recording the Windows test.

Tip:
  • When you record a test on the Windows application, you must wait when the cursor is busy, and then proceed when the cursor changes to the default state.
  • When the Add-in application response time is more than expected, you can press the left Shift key twice to synchronize the application state with Rational® Functional Tester. The cursor is then is restored to the default state.

    Before you can perform the next action on the Add-in application, you must click on the Add-in application once.

Procedure

  1. In the UI Test perspective, click New > Test From Recording.

    The Windows Test Recorder is displayed.

    Note: Alternatively, you can click the New Test From Recording icon on the toolbar and click Windows Test.
  2. Click Create a test from a new recording and then select Windows Test.
  3. Select a project under which you want to save the Windows test, and then enter a name for the test that you want to record.
  4. Click Next.

    The Select Windows application dialog box displays all the configured Windows applications.

    Note: An error message is displayed if the WinAppDriver is not running. You must run the WinAppDriver.
  5. Select a Windows application from the list, and then click Finish.

    The Windows application is displayed.

    Note: When you record a test on a Windows application, you must ensure that the Windows application does not overlap with the recording tool bar. Otherwise, the recording tool bar is also captured in the recording.
  6. Perform the necessary actions on the Windows application to record the test.
    Tip: To capture all the steps in the test result, you must be slow while performing actions on the Windows application.
  7. Stop the recording. To stop the recording, you must close the Windows application and then click the Stop icon in the Recording Control view.
    The Test Generation dialog box is displayed.

Results

You have successfully recorded a test on the Windows application.

What to do next

You can edit the generated Windows test in the test editor. For information, see Editing a Windows test.