Extending the test editor

The performance testing software provides application programming interface (API) classes for extending the test and performance tools platform (TPTP) to write new editors and protocol extensions.

About this task

The editors in performance testing are extensions of the defined editor framework in TPTP. The editors are loaded by TPTP based on the file type, for example schedule, test, or data pool.

The performance testing editor is built of several layers: the common framework, the editor, and the protocol layers.
  • The common framework layer consists mainly of abstract classes and interfaces, and some utility libraries. The common framework is initialized by TPTP editor architecture.
  • The editor layer extends classes from the common framework layer to provide specific implementations for their models.
  • The protocol layers can be basic and dependent. The basic layers do not depend on other protocols such as HTTP. The dependent layers are built on top of other protocols, for example Siebel on top of HTTP. The protocol layers are implemented on top of the single editor layer.

When the editor needs to be opened in a model file, TPTP determines which editor is capable of handling this particular model and loads, and initializes the specific extension. The common framework layer provides its implementation of the handler class, the com.ibm.rational.common.test.editor.framework.extensions.CommonEditorExtension class. The editor layer creates an instance of the com.ibm.rational.common.test.editor.framework.TestEditor class that must be extended by the editor layer. After the TestEditor object is created, the user interface (UI) widgets and components are created to display the model data.

The TestEditor class provides the bridge between TPTP (through the CommonEditorExtension), the model (through the CBTest member variable), Eclipse, and the concrete protocol code. When the editor is closed by the user or reloaded, the first instance of the TestEditor class is destroyed and a new one is created.

The editors support only data that comes out of the corresponding models. The editor layer of the performance testing editor is called the Load Test class. The Load Test class extends the TestEditor class by creating concrete LoadTestEditor and CommonEditorExtension classes through the LoadTestEditorExtension extension point.

For the recorder extension sample, see the plug-in com.ibm.rational.test.lt.sdksamples.editor.socket.

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