The proposed solution is to create an automated testing tool based on the fourth generation framework that is hybrid-driven framework. Both technical and non-technical users will be able to use the tool easily. One of the main concepts behind this is to identify objects on a web page by combining the power of HTMLDocument and XPath. The identified objects will be stored in separate columns in an excel sheet. The tool will be able to identify the information such as object type, object name, and form action. After identify the object properties on the web page, the testing tool will allow user to manually type data or to generate data randomly on the excel sheet. The testing tool will also be able to identify different types (php, jsp, aspx) of action page found within a web page. When testing is carried out on a webpage it will include different test cases found in excel, therefore each test case will consist of a Test Step found on another excel sheet. This test Step Spreadsheet is what drives the whole keyword and data drives framework. It will serve to document all the test cases step by step and will post test data to the website. The system tool will also have the aptitude to create screenshots of any excel sheets, thus report generation will be an easy task to accomplish.
3.7 Choice of final tool
This section will jot down all the potential tools that we have selected to build up our automation testing tool.
3.6.1 Choice of Programming Language
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The software that will be used to help us in developing the automation testing tool is Microsoft Visual Studio which is an integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft. The programming languages that we will be using with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 will be C-Sharp(C#) and ASP.NET. C-Sharp will be used for coding behind the applications. The ASP.NET will be used for designing the Graphical User Interface.
3.6.1 Proposed system architecture
The proposed suitable architecture for our automation testing tool will be web based architecture.
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4.0 Design
The design chapter consists of the architectural design, detailed design, algorithm design, database design and finally the interface design.
4.1 Architectural design
The automation testing tool consists of four main components, namely Object Finder, Poster, Report Generator and Test Data Generator. The figure below illustrates these components.
Poster
Object Finder
Test Data Generator
HTMLDocument
First Name
XPath
Last Name
Display
Excel Generator
Report generator
Password
Figure 14: Architectural Design
4.2 Detailed design
The detailed design consists of the description of the components in the architectural design and how they actually behave.
4.2.1 Object finder
The Object Finder component is composed of four elements namely, HTMLDocument, XPath, Display and Excel Generator. This component consists of identifying objects of type input on web pages.
Object Finder
HTMLDocument
XPath
Display
`
Excel Generator
Figure 15: Object Finder component
4.2.2 Poster
The Poster component is responsible for initiating new connection to a URL. The component fetches data from the Excel Data Generator component and passes it as a post request. Then, the poster retrieves the status for each entry to know whether the data has been sent to the form. Ultimately, the status of the post is retrieved (Pass or Fail).
Poster
HTMLDocument
XPath
Display
Figure 16: HTMLDocument component
4.2.3 HTMLDocument
The HTMLDocument structures the source code of a web page logically for better manipulation. It helps the automation testing tool to navigate through the structures of the document.
Finder
Poster
HTMLDocument
Figure 17: HTMLDocument component
4.2.4 XPath
The XPath locates places where the user needs to make entries and grabs information such as object name, object type on specific web pages. Note that object of type “hidden†is not taken into consideration. XPath also helps to determine the different buttons on a web page and determines the form present on the page.
Poster
Finder
HTMLDocument
XPath
Figure 18: XPath component
4.2.5 Display
Poster
FinderThe Display is responsible for displaying the information found by the XPath component which are:
HTMLDocument1) Text boxes
2) Radio buttons
3) Dropdown boxes
XPath4) Check boxes
5) Form names
Display
Figure 19: Display component
4.2.6 Excel generator
The Excel Generator generates a Microsoft Excel Sheet each time objects are identified on a web page. Details about object identified are recorded in the sheet. In this way, testers are able to view the file easily and fill in test data when required.
Excel Generator
XPath
HTMLDocument
Poster
Finder
Display
Figure 20: Excel Generator component
4.2.7 Test data generator
The Test data generator consists of Excel sheets which contain test data. The user will be able to generate random values of different types to be used as test data. These test data are used by the poster component to post data to web pages.
Test Data Generator
First Name
Last Name
Password
Figure 21: Test Data Generator component
4.2.8 Report generator
The report generator component consists of generating report to evaluate whether the Object finder has correctly identify all the input objects on a web page and whether the Poster component has successfully post data or not.
Report generator
Figure 22: Report generator component
