Differences Between TestComplete 64-bit and 32-bit

About TestComplete x64

Starting TestComplete

Migrating to TestComplete x64

When a 32-bit application runs on 64-bit Windows, the operating system uses the WOW64 (Windows 32-bit on Windows 64-bit) subsystem to handle the application. It is a layer that provides communication between the 32-bit application and 64-bit processor. TestComplete x64 works natively on 64-bit systems and does not have to use that subsystem that improves performance.

Besides that, 64-bit applications have more available memory, so, in 64-bit TestComplete, you are no longer restricted by the size of your project, test log, used resources, and so on.

In other aspects, 64-bit TestComplete is not different from 32-bit TestComplete:

• Like TestComplete x86, TestComplete x64 can test both 32-bit and 64-bit applications. It can recognize their internal objects, methods, properties, and you can work with them from your tests.

• Projects you create in TestComplete x64 can be opened in the 32-bit TestComplete version and vice versa. Also, QA engineers can work on the same project in the different versions of TestComplete whenever they open a project in shared mode or use a source control systems.

• If you use distributed tests, you can have TestComplete (or TestExecute) of any bitness on your slave and master computers. Note that if the 64-bit version of TestComplete or TestExecute is available on a slave machine, Network Suite will use it to play back your test. Otherwise, it will use the 32-bit version.

By default, TestComplete is installed into the C:/Program Files (x86)/SmartBear/TestComplete 14 folder. (Note x86 in the path.) The 64-bit executable is placed in the /x64/Bin subfolder of this folder, that is, in Program Files (x86)/SmartBear/TestComplete 14/x64/Bin. The 32-bit version is located in the Program Files (x86)/SmartBear/TestComplete 14/Bin folder as it was before.

All the shortcuts the TestComplete installer adds to the desktop and Windows Start Menu refer to the 64-bit version of TestComplete. So, when you click the TestComplete shortcut on the desktop or select TestComplete in the Start menu, the 64-bit version will be run.

If you cannot use the 64-bit version of TestComplete for some reason, use the 32-bit version. To do this, run the TestComplete executable located in the Program Files (x86)/SmartBear/TestComplete 14/Bin folder.

In most cases, tests created in 32-bit TestComplete will work in the 64-bit version without any changes.

There are several specifics, however, that you should know when migrating to 64-bit TestComplete:

• To keep your data-driven tests working, use data drivers of the same bitness as TestComplete. For example, if you use ODBC drivers to connect to data sources, then, for TestComplete x64, you must use the 64-bit version of these ODBC drivers. If you read data from Excel sheets or CSV files, you must install the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office 12.0 Access Database Engine OLE DB Provider. Otherwise, you will get an error like “The needed data source driver is not installed or is not configured properly...”. If you have the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office 2010 or later installed on your computer, you might already have this data provider. If not, you will have to download and install it from the Microsoft website. The provider is part of Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable x64:

  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13255

• You cannot use TestComplete x64 as a client application for 32-bit in-process OLE objects.

• The paths to TestComplete executables for 64-bit and 32-bit are different (see above). If your automated TestComplete runs via command line, your current path is relevant to 32-bit TestComplete. If you want to work with 64-bit TestComplete, you must modify the path to the executable.

• To work with TestComplete x64 via COM, you use a new COM object with the following program ID:

  TestComplete.TestCompleteX64Application

  Note:

  Connected and Self-Testing applications work with TestComplete via COM, but they use the 32-bit COM object. They do not support TestComplete x64.

• If you use environment variables or load system libraries, then pay attention to the fact that the actual path may differ for 32-bit and 64-bit applications because of WOW64 subsystem redirections. In such cases, use a strict path to the required resource. For example, when you specify a system library in the DLL.Load method without an extension, 32-bit TestComplete will load a 32-bit version of the library from the <Windows>\WOW64 directory, while 64-bit TestComplete will load the 64-bit version from the <Windows> or <Windows>\System32 directory.

• TestComplete runs tests on CrossBrowserTesting cloud machines by using the 64-bit version of the test engine.

• The TestComplete Connector for HP Quality Center plugin is not available for TestComplete x64. This plugin is required to export TestComplete projects to HP QC. (The export is one of the integration steps). To export your TestComplete projects to Quality Center, use the 32-bit version of TestComplete . When running the exported project, Quality Center works with TestComplete via COM. The script code that works on the Quality Center side supports both TestComplete x64 and TestComplete x86. It will use TestComplete x64, if you have it on the test machine, or TestComplete x86 otherwise.

• The TestComplete installation package does not include the 64-bit version of the SCC API Providers plugin. That is, this plugin cannot be used with the 64-bit version of TestComplete. The 32-bit version of TestComplete still includes the plugin, however, it is deprecated and is supported for compatibility purposes only. See Integration With Source Control Systems via SCC API Providers (Legacy).

• The 64-bit version of TestComplete does not include the BDE Support plugin. If you need to use it in your tests, use the 32-bit version of the product.