Keyword-Driven Methodology of Test Creation in QTP

This methodology enables us to create tests at a more application-specific level and with a more structured design. This enables us to maintain our tests more efficiently and provides us with more flexibility as compared to a recorded test. This technique separates much of the programming work from the actual test steps so that the test steps can be developed faster and can be maintained with minor changes, even when the application undergoes significant changes.

Keyword-Driven Methodology requires following steps to be performed while planning and implementing the tests.

Step 1: Analysis of the application

In this step, we plan the development environment for the application, like Web, Java, or .NET, so that we can load the desired add-ins. In addition to this we determine the business processes and functionality we want to test. The customer to accomplish specific tasks usually performs these activities on the application. We can create an empty test for each business process we want to test. Finally, we divide the business processes into smaller units and create actions based on these tasks.

Step 2: Setting up the Object Repositories

if">Next step is to build various resources required by the tests. The most important resource is the shared object repositories.

Step 3: Creation of Function Libraries

After creation of object repositories, we will have a better understanding of the types of functions, which will be needed. Then we create function libraries containing functions, which shall extend the functionality of QTP.

Step 4: Configuration of QTP

This involves following activities:

1) Setting up various Preferences: Like Global Testing Preferences, Run Session Preferences, and any test-specific preferences.

2) Creation of other Essential Resources: like recovery scenarios which shall be used to provide instructions to QTP in case of failure of the step.

3) Configuration of QTP Window Panes: Like Test Flow pane, the Resources pane, and the Available Keywords pane.

Step 5: Building the Tests.

Involves building of the tests by inserting calls to the relevant actions from the tests. This can involve creation of one or more empty tests and addition of actions to them. Make sure that we associate our object repositories with the relevant actions, and associate our function libraries and recovery scenarios with the relevant tests, so that we can insert steps using keywords. At this stage we should configure the test preferences as well.

Step 6: Addition of Steps to the Test Actions.

Involves addition of steps, which use the keywords or test object operations and function libraries already created earlier. At this stage we can enhance our tests by inserting checkpoints and output values to verify that the application is behaving as per the expectations. We can add programmatic statements to further enhance the tests.

Step 7: Running, analyzing & troubleshooting the Tests

During this last step, we run the tests, view their run results, and do troubleshooting of tests, as needed.