Coded UI Object Identification Mechanism

This blog tells about How Object Identification Mechanism work for Coded UI.In Coded Ui each object has some properties associated with it, basically it has two types of properties associated, Search Properties and Filter Properties. If the object’s Technology is Web then it also has both Search and Filter properties associated with it.

Coded UI uses these properties to identify the objects at runtime:

·         Search Properties and Filter Properties of Coded UI

Object’s Properties in CodedUI Test Editor

When some object is added using the Coded UI Test Builder and then generating the code using Generate Code button[right most in the below screenshot], Coded UI adds these objects in a file called UIMap(UIMap.uitest), Coded UI adds the exposed properties of the object as Search and Filter properties.

·         Coded UI Test Builder

                                                           

    

· UI Map

·         Select the ‘Properties’ from context menu and you will see ‘Search Properties’ and ‘Filter Properties’ of the selected object in the Property Editor.

·         Search Properties:

·         Filter Properties:

·         You can edit the object’s properties based on your requirements. E.g. if you know that object can be uniquely identified by its ‘Id’, you can remove all other Search and Filter properties. This will improve the performance of the CodedUI.

 Search Properties:

·         In case of Filter properties, the properties get checked one by one in the sequential order.

·         If object cannot be identified based on one filter property, then that property is ignored and Coded       UI starts identifying the object based on the next filter property.

Object Identification Mechanism

During the Playback, Coded UI first searches for the object having all the specified Search Properties using ‘AND’ and then one by one it searches with Filter Properties using ‘OR’ and returns the resultant UI Object.

Search, then the first object satisfying the search would be returned.

·  Unique property can be made as the ‘Search property’ of the object, and other Search and Filter properties can be removed.

·  If there are some properties in ‘Filter Property’ which can help in identifying the object uniquely, make that property as a ‘Search Property’.

·   Coded UI uses Search and Filter properties of an object for identifying it during the Playback.

·    Coded UI performance can be improved by the use of these properties and it makes the test automation stable for future.

·  Exceptions when property is not found.

    In case of, Search Property not found:

   For Web Technology:

   ‘UITestControlNotFoundException’ will be thrown

   For MSAA/UIA Technology:

  ‘System.ArgumentException’ will be thrown

     In case of, Filter property not found, it is just ignored.

Ordered Tests In Coded UI

Ordered Tests: Setting Up Your Test Run Sequence

An ordered test contains other tests that are meant to be run in a specified order. An ordered test is displayed as a single test in Test Explorer. Its results appear in a single row in the Test Results window, but you can obtain individual results for each test that was run as a part of the ordered test.

An ordered test is a container that holds other tests and guarantees that tests run in a specific order.

To create an ordered test

1.      In Solution Explorer, open the short cut menu on a unit test project or a coded UI test project, choose Add, and then choose Ordered Test.

The ordered test opens in the main document editing window. You will use this window to select and include tests in the new ordered test.

2.      (Optional) Change the selection of tests to choose from. Choose the down arrow under Select project to view tests, and then choose the test project in your solution.

3.      Under Available tests, choose a test to select it. You can select multiple tests by using SHIFT+click and CTRL+click.

4.      To move the test or tests into the ordered test, choose the right arrow.

5.      To remove a test from the ordered test, choose the test in the Selected tests pane and then choose the left arrow. To remove multiple tests at one time, select them by using SHIFT+click or CTRL+click, and then choose the left arrow.

6.      (Optional) Re-order the tests within the ordered test by choosing a test in the Selected tests pane and then choosing the up or down arrow. To re-order multiple tests at one time, select them by using SHIFT+click or CTRL+click, and then choose the up or down arrow.

7.      Checking Continue after failure means that the ordered test will run regardless of the failure of one or more tests. Leaving Continue after failure unchecked means that the ordered test will stop running after the first occurrence of a test failure.

The ordered test is ready to run:

•  Create Ordered Test

• Select Test Methods

• Select Run All 

• Select Run Selected Tests

Coded UI 2013 Default File Structure

Coded UI 2013 Default File Structure

Coded UI maintains a specific or default file structure as follows: 

·         CodedUITest.cs file

·         UIMap.uitest file

·         UIMap.Designer.cs file

·         UIMap.cs file

CodedUITest.cs file: 
CodedUITest.cs file is a unit test file having Test Class decorated with [CodedUITest] attribute and contains multiple methods decorated with [TestMethod] attribute.

UIMap.uitest file: 
UIMap.uitest is an xml file containing all the windows, controls, properties, methods, actions and assertions etc used for playback.

UIMap.Designer.cs file: 
UIMap.Designer.cs file is a partial class which contains the classes for various controls and their fields, properties and methods.

UIMap.cs file: 
UIMap.cs is also a partial class of UIMap.Designer.cs. It can contain all the recorded methods which need customization. 

1.         Open Visual Studio 2013 and create a new Test Project and a new CodedUI Test.

2.         Click on OK button.

         

A new Coded UI Project gets opened. 

Coded Ui Test Builder Options

• “Record actions edit UI map or add assertions” option allows you to do the recording on your application      and then generates code for the recording. 
• “Use an existing action recording” allows the code generation for already recorded action. 

3. Select the first option “Record actions edit UI map or add assertions”. It will open the Coded UI Test builder for creating the recording.

Click on the left most red button for recording, the icon will change to pause/stop button as shown below.

Cross Browser feature Coded UI Test 2013

Using Different Web Browsers with Coded UI Tests 2013

Coded UI tests can automate testing for web applications by recording or hand coding your tests using Internet Explorer. You can then customize your test and play it back using either Internet Explorer or other browser types for these web applications.

Coded UI Tests help automate browser based applications built on Internet Explorer. We can do now cross-browser testing of applications. Users will be able to perform functional testing of web applications across IE/Firefox/Chrome.  One can use IE to record tests and validate control properties using Coded UI Test Builder. Users also have an option to hand code cross browser tests. If user needs to playback on IE, he/she can click on Run All in Test Explorer which plays back the recording using Coded UI inbuilt IE Plugin. On the other hand, if the user needs to playback on non-IE browser, he/she can set BrowserWindow.CurrentBrowser as “firefox” or “chrome” in the test depending on which browser he/she wants to test before running from the test explorer.  In this case, Coded UI Engine communicates with Selenium Web Driver to execute the playback. 

Ø  BrowserWindow.CurrentBrowser =“firefox” or “chrome”;

Requirements

• Visual Studio Ultimate or Visual Studio Premium
• Operating systems:
• Microsoft Windows 7
• Microsoft Windows 8
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
• Web browser versions:
• Windows Internet Explorer 9
• Windows Internet Explorer 10
• For supported versions of Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.
• This installer works with VS 2012 Update 4, VS 2013 and VS 2013 Update 4.
• Supported Browser versions

The following versions of browsers have been verified and are supported:

        Firefox 33.

  Latest version of Chrome (version 38.0.2125.111 m as of 11/14/2014)

  

• Install the Selenium components for Coded UI Cross Browser Testing.
• https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/11cfc881-f8c9-4f96-b303-a2780156628d/

Features:

The following features are available across the various web browsers:

• Recording support for actions and validation on supported IE browsers
• Hand-coding scenarios support for such things as control properties, search, and playback waiters.
• Support for popups and dialog
• Ability to execute basic JavaScript with no return type
• Search resilience (via smart match) and performance improvements

Known Limitations

1. No support for Safari browser
2. Browser launch needs to be part of the UITest. In case you have a browser already open and you want to run steps on the opened browser, playback will fail for non-IE browser windows. Hence, it is advisable to have launch too as part of the test case.
3. Automating browser based actions such as Maximize/minimize/restore is not supported

What’s supported across all web browsers?

• Add custom code for controlling features such as properties, search, and playback waiters.
• Pop-ups and dialog boxes
• Execute basic JavaScript with no return type
• Search resilience (using smart match) and performance improvements

Why should I use coded UI tests across multiple web browser types?

By testing your web application using a variety of web browser types, you better emulate the UI experience of your users who may run different browsers. For example, your application might include a control or code in Internet Explorer that is not compatible with other web browsers. By running your coded UI tests across other browsers, you can discover and correct any issue before it impacts your customers.

How do I record and play back coded UI tests on web applications using the supported web browsers?

Recording: You must use the Coded UI Test Builder to record your web application test using Internet Explorer. You can optionally add validation and custom code for the tested controls using a predefined set of properties as you would normally do for coded UI tests.

Ø  You cannot record coded UI tests using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browsers.

Play back with Internet Explorer: When no browser is explicitly specified, tests will run on Internet Explorer by default. You can explicitly state the browser to be used by setting the BrowserWindow.CurrentBrowserproperty in your test code. For Internet Explorer, this property should be set to IE or Internet Explorer.

Play back with non-Internet Explorer web browsers: To play back on non-Internet Explorer web browsers, change BrowserWindow.CurrentBrowser property in your test code to either Firefox or Chrome.

To play back tests on non-IE web browsers, you must install the Selenium components for Coded UI Cross Browser Testing.

Installing Selenium components

1. On the Tools menu, choose Extensions and Updates.
2. In the Extension and Updates dialog box, search for Selenium components for Cross Browser Testing.
3. Highlight the extension and choose Download.

Enable debugging

To enable debugging your web application, you must complete the following configuration options:

1. Enable Just My Code:
1. On the Tools menu, choose Options and then choose Debugging.
2. Select Enable Just My Code.
2. Disable CLR exceptions:
1. On the Debug menu, choose Exceptions.
2. For Common Language Runtime Exceptions, uncheck User-unhandled.

I don't see the option to change BrowserWindow.CurrentBrowser in the coded UI test.

You might be using a version of Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 that does not support coded UI tests using various web browsers. To use such coded UI tests, you must use Visual Studio Ultimate with Visual Studio 2012 Update 4 or a later version of Visual Studio Ultimate.

What else should I know?

Notes

·         Apple Safari web browser is not supported.

·         The action of starting the web browser must be part of the coded UI test.

If you have a web browser already open and you want to run steps on it, the playback will fail unless you are using Internet Explorer. Therefore, it is a best practice to include the startup of your web browser as part of your coded UI tests.

·         Automating browser specific based UI actions such as maximize, minimize and restore is not supported.

2 Components required for enabling Cross Browser feature

Component 1: Coded UI Test Cross Browser Plugin

1. The plugin will be downloaded as part of the VS Update

2. User does not have to follow any extra steps for this

Component 2: Selenium components An utility installer that downloads the following from Selenium website to an appropriate folder on customer machine

1. Selenium .Net bindings

2. Selenium ChromeDriver The installer will be available online through VS Gallery

3 Options for Selenium components acquisition

Option 1: Discover from error message after test failure

 Start writing cross browser tests without Selenium components ->Run the test ->Error message displays a FwLink ->Copy the FwLink ->Open a browser and launch the URL ->Run the installer

 Option 2: Discover from online VS Gallery

1.Visit online VS Gallery ->Search for “Selenium components for Coded UI Cross Browser Testing -> Click on

Option 3: Discover from Visual Studio Extensions

1. Open Visual Studio ->Tools ->Extensions and Updates ->Online ->Visual Studio Gallery   ->Search for “Selenium components for Coded UI Cross Browser Testing -> Click on Download

Option 1: Discover from error message after test failure

If previous steps were missed, user gets an error on “Playback engine could not find Selenium binaries on your system”

User copies the error from Test Explorer to Notepad and copies the URL

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=267598

P.S.: This was supposed to be displayed as a link and we have filed a bug on Test automation.

Copy and Launch the link on IE: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=267598

Click on Run.

Click on Next

You can view the Selenium license terms here

Click on Install

In case you do not want the installer to add a firewall exception for Selenium chromedriver.exe, you can opt out by unchecking the option.

The Install is in Progress

Click on Finish

In case of Connection error or any interruption, users will see this dialog and an HTML page with manual download details will automatically popup.

This is the HTML Page that pops up in case there is an install failure the page contains manual instructions for download of Selenium components.

We will publish details of the installer download link via blogs Users can go to https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/11cfc881-f8c9-4f96-b303-a2780156628d to access the Download link and details of acquisition.

Option 3: Discover from Visual Studio Extensions

Click on Download