Testing Flash and Flex Applications with the Runtime Loader Utility - Overview

Runtime Loader is a helper utility that was designed to test Adobe Flash and Flex applications with TestComplete. It exposes the internal structure of tested Flash and Flex applications to TestComplete and helps it recognize the application’s controls.

Runtime Loader exposes the application’s internal objects automatically. It does not require making any code changes or adding extra libraries to your Flash or Flex application.

Runtime Loader consists of a web page and two SWF movies (see below). The movies are compiled with the TestComplete FlexClient helper library which provides access to internal objects, methods and properties.

The web page is the start point for your tests. You open it in a web browser and specify the Flash or Flex application to be tested. The page then uses one of Runtime Loader’s SWF movies to load your application under test. The FlexClient library, which is built into Runtime Loader’s movies, exposes the contents of your application and they become available to test keyword tests and scripts.

After loading the application to be tested, its contents are automatically scaled by Runtime Loader to fit the size of the page.

To load your SWF file, Runtime Loader uses the standard SWFLoader Flex control that allows embedding SWF modules into itself at run time. Note that you can also create your own runtime loader application based on the SWFLoader control for loading Flash and Flex applications instead of using the Loader shipped with TestComplete. For instance, Flex SDK contains a template for creating runtime loaders for SWF modules. The Creating Custom Runtime Loader help topic explains how you can create your own runtime loader by using this template from Flex SDK.

There are two key points in using Runtime Loader:

1. Copying Runtime Loader files to the tested computer.

2. Using RuntimeLoader.html as the start page for tests.

For detailed information on how to perform these steps, see Running Flash and Flex Applications with the Runtime Loader Utility.

After your Flash or Flex application is loaded by Runtime Loader, you can begin working with it: record and run tests, create checkpoints and perform other actions. TestComplete will treat the application as an Open Application and be able to access the application’s internal objects, their public methods and properties.

For the full list of the Runtime Loader utility files, see Runtime Loader Files.