Creating Manual Tests From Scripts

Applies to TestComplete 14.71, last modified on April 22, 2021
The manual testing functionality is deprecated. Do not use it for creating new tests. It will be removed in a future TestComplete release.

To create manual tests, you typically use the Manual Test editor where you can create test steps and write descriptions and instructions for each step. However, you can also create manual tests from scripts.

Use the special ManualTestBuilder object to support importing of these tests. This object includes methods and properties that let you specify the test name, create substeps, specify substeps’ properties and save changes. The general procedure includes the following steps:

  1. Use the functionality provided by the ManualTestBuilder object to create a new test, add steps and substeps and specify their properties (see below).
  2. Call the ManualTestBuilder.Save method to store the created test to a file. The resultant file’s format will correspond to the Manual Test project item’s file.
  3. Open your TestComplete project and add a new project item from the file. For more information on this, see Adding and Removing Project Items and Their Child Elements.

To create a manual test and test steps, perform the following actions:

  • Use the ManualTestBuilder.Name property to specify the test’s name. This name will identify the project item in the Project Explorer panel.

  • The manual test always contains the root step. You can gain scripting access to it through the ManualTestBuilder.Root property. This property returns the ManualTestStep object that is used to work with steps from scripts. Using the object’s properties you can specify the desired properties of the step, for instance:

    • Identifier (by default, TestComplete generates identifiers for each step, but you can change it any time later using the Id property of the ManualTestStep object).

    • Caption (the step’s caption is displayed in the Step caption box and in the steps tree of the Manual Test editor).

    • Step description and notes.

    • File name of the step icon.

    • Format of the file holding the step instructions (HTML or XML+XSL).

    • Step instructions text or file holding the step instructions.

    You can also specify whether the step will be executed during the test run or not.

  • To create a substep, call the ManualTestBuilder.Root.AddSubstep method. It will create a new substep and return the ManualTestStep object that corresponds to the created step.

  • Use properties of this object to specify step properties. Call the AddSubstep method to create substeps.

  • After you created the desired step hierarchy, call the ManualTestBuilder.Save method to save the created test to a file. Then you can add a project item from this file to the desired TestComplete project.

The following code demonstrates how you can create a manual test and its steps through a script and save the created test to a file:

JavaScript, JScript
Python
VBScript
DelphiScript
C++Script, C#Script

JavaScript, JScript

function CreateManualTest()
{
  var RootStep, TestStep;

  // Clears the test properties
  ManualTestBuilder.Reset();

  // Specifies the test name.
  // This name will identify the test to users in the Project Explorer panel
  ManualTestBuilder.Name = "MyManualTestItem";

  // Obtains the root step of the test.
  // This step corresponds to the topmost node in the Manual Testing editor
  RootStep = ManualTestBuilder.Root;
  // Specifies the step caption
  RootStep.Caption = "Root step of my item";
  // Specifies the step ID. By default, TestComplete generates a unique string as id.
  // However, you can change it any time at your desire.
  RootStep.Id = "RootStep";
    
  // Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  // In our case, the format is HTML.
  RootStep.IsXMLContent = false;
    
  // Specifies the step instructions
  RootStep.InstructionsText = "Welcome to Manual Testing."+"\r\n"+
                   "To start testing, press 'Begin Test'."+"\r\n"+
                   "To cancel testing, press 'Cancel'.";
 
  
  // Adds a new substep
  TestStep = RootStep.AddSubstep();
  // Specifies the step caption
  TestStep.Caption = "Step 1";
  // Specifies the step id.
  TestStep.Id = "Step_1_NewId";
  // Specifies whether the step will be executed during the test run
  // By default, Enabled is True. We included this line just to show
  // how to enable or disable test steps.
  TestStep.Enabled = true;
  // Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  // In our case, the format is HTML
  TestStep.IsXMLContent = false;
  // Specifies the name of the file storing step instructions
  TestStep.InstructionsURL = "C:\\Tests\\Step1.htm";

  // Adds a new substep to the root step and specifies its properties
  TestStep = RootStep.AddSubstep();
  TestStep.Caption = "Step 2";
  TestStep.Id = "Step_2_NewId";
  TestStep.Enabled = true;
  TestStep.IsXMLContent = false;
  TestStep.InstructionsURL = "C:\\Tests\\Step2.htm";
  
  // Adds a substep to the second step and specifies its properties
  TestStep = TestStep.AddSubstep();
  TestStep.Caption = "Step 2 - Sub step 1";
  TestStep.Id = "Step_2_1_NewId";
  TestStep.Enabled = true;
  TestStep.IsXMLContent = false;
  TestStep.InstructionsURL = "C:\\Tests\\Step2_1.htm";

  // Saves the created test to a file
  ManualTestBuilder.Save("C:\\Work\\", true);
}

Python

def CreateManualTest():

  # Clears the test properties
  ManualTestBuilder.Reset();

  # Specifies the test name.
  # This name will identify the test to users in the Project Explorer panel 
  ManualTestBuilder.Name = "MyManualTestItem";

  # Obtains the root step of the test.
  # This step corresponds to the topmost node in the Manual Testing editor 
  RootStep = ManualTestBuilder.Root;
  # Specifies the step caption 
  RootStep.Caption = "Root step of my item"; 
  # Specifies the step ID. By default, TestComplete generates a unique string as id.
  # However, you can change it any time at your desire.
  RootStep.Id = "RootStep"
    
  # Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  # In our case, the format is HTML.
  RootStep.IsXMLContent = False
    
  # Specifies the step instructions
  RootStep.InstructionsText = "Welcome to Manual Testing."+"\r\n"+ \
                   "To start testing, press 'Begin Test'."+"\r\n"+ \
                   "To cancel testing, press 'Cancel'."
 
  
  # Adds a new substep 
  TestStep = RootStep.AddSubstep()
  # Specifies the step caption
  TestStep.Caption = "Step 1"
  # Specifies the step id.
  TestStep.Id = "Step_1_NewId"
  # Specifies whether the step will be executed during the test run 
  # By default, Enabled is True. We included this line just to show
  # how to enable or disable test steps.
  TestStep.Enabled = True
  # Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  # In our case, the format is HTML
  TestStep.IsXMLContent = False
  # Specifies the name of the file storing step instructions
  TestStep.InstructionsURL = "C:\\Tests\\Step1.htm"

  # Adds a new substep to the root step and specifies its properties 
  TestStep = RootStep.AddSubstep()
  TestStep.Caption = "Step 2"
  TestStep.Id = "Step_2_NewId"
  TestStep.Enabled = True
  TestStep.IsXMLContent = False
  TestStep.InstructionsURL = "C:\\Tests\\Step2.htm"
  
  # Adds a substep to the second step and specifies its properties
  TestStep = TestStep.AddSubstep()
  TestStep.Caption = "Step 2 - Sub step 1" 
  TestStep.Id = "Step_2_1_NewId"
  TestStep.Enabled = True
  TestStep.IsXMLContent = False
  TestStep.InstructionsURL = "C:\\Tests\\Step2_1.htm"

  # Saves the created test to a file
  ManualTestBuilder.Save("C:\\Work\\", True)

VBScript

Sub CreateManualTest
  ' Clears the test properties
  ManualTestBuilder.Reset

  ' Specifies the test name.
  ' This name will identify the test to users in the Project Explorer panel
  ManualTestBuilder.Name = "MyManualTestItem"

  ' Obtains the root step of the test.
  ' This step corresponds to the topmost node in the Manual Testing editor
  Set RootStep = ManualTestBuilder.Root
  ' Specifies the step caption
  RootStep.Caption = "Root step of my item"
  ' Specifies the step ID. By default, TestComplete generates a unique string as id.
  ' However, you can change it any time at your desire.
  RootStep.Id = "RootStep"
    
  ' Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  ' In our case, the format is HTML.
  RootStep.IsXMLContent = False
    
  ' Specifies the step instructions
  RootStep.InstructionsText = "Welcome to Manual Testing." & vbNewLine &_
                   "To start testing, press 'Begin Test'." & vbNewLine &_
                   "To cancel testing, press 'Cancel'."
 
  
  ' Adds a new substep
  Set TestStep = RootStep.AddSubstep
  ' Specifies the step caption
  TestStep.Caption = "Step 1"
  ' Specifies the step id.
  TestStep.Id = "Step_1_NewId"
  ' Specifies whether the step will be executed during the test run
  ' By default, Enabled is True. We included this line just to show
  ' how to enable or disable test steps.
  TestStep.Enabled = True
  ' Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  ' In our case, the format is HTML
  TestStep.IsXMLContent = False
  ' Specifies the name of the file storing step instructions
  TestStep.InstructionsURL = "C:\Tests\Step1.htm"

  ' Adds a new substep to the root step and specifies its properties
  Set TestStep = RootStep.AddSubstep
  TestStep.Caption = "Step 2"
  TestStep.Id = "Step_2_NewId"
  TestStep.Enabled = True
  TestStep.IsXMLContent = False
  TestStep.InstructionsURL = "C:\Tests\Step2.htm"
  
  ' Adds a substep to the second step and specifies its properties
  Set TestStep = TestStep.AddSubstep
  TestStep.Caption = "Step 2 - Sub step 1"
  TestStep.Id = "Step_2_1_NewId"
  TestStep.Enabled = True
  TestStep.IsXMLContent = False
  TestStep.InstructionsURL = "C:\Tests\Step2_1.htm"

  ' Saves the created test to a file
  Call ManualTestBuilder.Save("C:\Work\", True)
End Sub
   

DelphiScript

procedure CreateManualTest();
var
  RootStep, TestStep : OleVariant;
begin
  // Clears the test properties
  ManualTestBuilder.Reset();

  // Specifies the test name.
  // This name will identify the test to users in the Project Explorer panel
  ManualTestBuilder.Name := 'MyManualTestItem';

  // Obtains the root step of the test.
  // This step corresponds to the topmost node in the Manual Testing editor
  RootStep := ManualTestBuilder.Root;
  // Specifies the step caption
  RootStep.Caption := 'Root step of my item';
  // Specifies the step ID. By default, TestComplete generates a unique string as id.
  // However, you can change it any time at your desire.
  RootStep.Id := 'RootStep';
    
  // Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  // In our case, the format is HTML.
  RootStep.IsXMLContent := False;
    
  // Specifies the step instructions
  RootStep.InstructionsText := 'Welcome to Manual Testing.' + #13#10 +
                    'To start testing, press "Begin Test".' + #13#10 +
                    'To cancel testing, press "Cancel".';
 
  
  // Adds a new substep
  TestStep := RootStep.AddSubstep();
  // Specifies the step caption
  TestStep.Caption := 'Step 1';
  // Specifies the step id.
  TestStep.Id := 'Step_1_NewId';
  // Specifies whether the step will be executed during the test run
  // By default, Enabled is True. We included this line just to show
  // how to enable or disable test steps.
  TestStep.Enabled := True;
  // Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  // In our case, the format is HTML
  TestStep.IsXMLContent := False;
  // Specifies the name of the file storing step instructions
  TestStep.InstructionsURL := 'C:\Tests\Step1.htm';

  // Adds a new substep to the root step and specifies its properties
  TestStep := RootStep.AddSubstep();
  TestStep.Caption := 'Step 2';
  TestStep.Id := 'Step_2_NewId';
  TestStep.Enabled := True;
  TestStep.IsXMLContent := False;
  TestStep.InstructionsURL := 'C:\Tests\Step2.htm';
  
  // Adds a substep to the second step and specifies its properties
  TestStep := TestStep.AddSubstep();
  TestStep.Caption := 'Step 2 - Sub step 1';
  TestStep.Id := 'Step_2_1_NewId';
  TestStep.Enabled := True;
  TestStep.IsXMLContent := False;
  TestStep.InstructionsURL := 'C:\Tests\Step2_1.htm';

  // Saves the created test to a file
  ManualTestBuilder.Save('C:\Work\', True);
end;

C++Script, C#Script

function CreateManualTest()
{
  var RootStep, TestStep;

  // Clears the test properties
  ManualTestBuilder["Reset"]();

  // Specifies the test name.
  // This name will identify the test to users in the Project Explorer panel
  ManualTestBuilder["Name"] = "MyManualTestItem";

  // Obtains the root step of the test.
  // This step corresponds to the topmost node in the Manual Testing editor
  RootStep = ManualTestBuilder["Root"];
  // Specifies the step caption
  RootStep["Caption"] = "Root step of my item";
  // Specifies the step ID. By default, TestComplete generates a unique string as id.
  // However, you can change it any time at your desire.
  RootStep["Id"] = "RootStep";
    
  // Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  // In our case, the format is HTML.
  RootStep["IsXMLContent"] = false;
    
  // Specifies the step instructions
  RootStep["InstructionsText"] = "Welcome to Manual Testing."+"\r\n"+
                      "To start testing, press 'Begin Test'."+"\r\n"+
                      "To cancel testing, press 'Cancel'.";
 
  
  // Adds a new substep
  TestStep = RootStep["AddSubstep"]();
  // Specifies the step caption
  TestStep["Caption"] = "Step 1";
  // Specifies the step id.
  TestStep["Id"] = "Step_1_NewId";
  // Specifies whether the step will be executed during the test run
  // By default, Enabled is True. We included this line just to show
  // how to enable or disable test steps.
  TestStep["Enabled"] = true;
  // Specifies the format of the file storing step instructions
  // In our case, the format is HTML
  TestStep["IsXMLContent"] = false;
  // Specifies the name of the file storing step instructions
  TestStep["InstructionsURL"] = "C:\\Tests\\Step1.htm";

  // Adds a new substep to the root step and specifies its properties
  TestStep = RootStep["AddSubstep"]();
  TestStep["Caption"] = "Step 2";
  TestStep["Id"] = "Step_2_NewId";
  TestStep["Enabled"] = true;
  TestStep["IsXMLContent"] = false;
  TestStep["InstructionsURL"] = "C:\\Tests\\Step2.htm";
  
  // Adds a substep to the second step and specifies its properties
  TestStep = TestStep["AddSubstep"]();
  TestStep["Caption"] = "Step 2 - Sub step 1";
  TestStep["Id"] = "Step_2_1_NewId";
  TestStep["Enabled"] = true;
  TestStep["IsXMLContent"] = false;
  TestStep["InstructionsURL"] = "C:\\Tests\\Step2_1.htm";

  // Saves the created test to a file
  ManualTestBuilder["Save"]("C:\\Work\\", true);
}

Note: You can also create a manual test in your keyword test. Write some script routine, like the one described above, and call it from your keyword test using the Run Script Routine operation.

See Also

Manual Testing
ManualTestBuilder Object
ManualTestStep Object

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