Creating a Solid Test Automation Framework with QTP

HP’s QuickTest Pro can itself be used to build a test automation framework. Listed below are some of the characteristics you should take into consideration during the design phase.
Test automation scripts and functions should:

• Be Reusable and Repeatable
• Require Low Maintenance
• Allow Unattended Execution
• Support Platform Independence - IE 6 or IE 7, shouldn’t matter
• Use Data Abstraction - Keyword-Driven Framework

HP QuickTest Pro scripts should use:

• Environment Variables
• Test execution ‘Driver’ to call ‘Actions’
• ‘Action’ to call functions - i.e., function call for each action
• Imported test data (Excel) - common format
• Results reporting - QTP + Quality Center; Excel “Step Status”

VBScript functions can be:

• Simple - Specific purpose; True / False or 0 / 1 return code
• Complex - Multiple steps (e.g., login); “Fuzzy” return code that maps to business rules
• Resilient - include Error Handling

Handling Objects in the Repository is done by:

• Object changes/additions per app release
• Replace with descriptive programming whenever possible
• Functions using regular expressions (e.g., popup windows: IE 6 vs IE 7)
• Web app objects usually classifiable by type, html tag, or class (QTP test object properties)
• Reusable methods: look before you write!