Project and Project Suite Files

Applies to TestComplete 15.45, last modified on December 01, 2022

TestComplete stores settings for each project or project suite in files of two different types: project and configuration. This is needed to maintain personal settings for each tester working with the project (if the project is used by several testers) and to separate data that are needed for test runs (common for all) from data that are used to configure and debug the project:

  • Information that is common for all testers (the number and names of project items, test item settings, the scripting language, etc.) is stored in the single project file that has the .mds extension.
  • Tester-relative settings (breakpoints information, watch expressions, etc.) are stored in a configuration file having the .tcLS extension. The name of this file coincides with the name of the project file, but the extensions differ.

    The paths and names of log files that hold testing results are also stored in the configuration file.

  • The paths, names and various other data about log files that hold testing results are stored in a single .tcLogs file. The name of this file coincides with the name of the project file, but the location and extension differ.

The configuration file typically resides in the folder of the project file. However, when the project is opened in shared mode, the configuration file can be created in another folder and even on another computer. For more information on this, see Using Test Projects in Shared Mode.

The principles applied to project files (tree-like organization and division of data into common and tester-specific properties) are also implemented for project suites. Common settings of project suites are stored in the project suite file (.pjs file) and tester-relative settings are stored in the project suite configuration files that have the .tcLS extension and the name of the project suite file. This configuration file typically resides in the folder of the project suite file. When the project suite (or its projects) are opened in shared mode, TestComplete may create the project suite configuration files in another folder.

Note that neither project, nor configuration file holds all project data. There are many other files that make up the project. For example, the project file holds references to files of project items, which, in turn, may hold references to files of their child elements, etc.

Data of the same project item may be stored both in the project and configuration files. For instance, the Tested Applications project item stores the name of a tested application in the project file, while the application path, parameters and working folder are stored in configuration files.

Below is information on files used by TestComplete and project items:

Project and Project Suite Files
Files Description
.mds TestComplete project file.
.pjs TestComplete project suite file.
.tcNET Helper file that holds references to configuration files when the project or project suite is used in shared mode.
.tcCFGExtender File holding tester-specific settings for the project suite.
.tcLS File holding the tester-specific settings for project or project suite.
.tcLogs File containing data about test result logs.
Events Project Item
Files Description
Events.tcAX File holding data of the Events project item.
Low-Level Procedures Collection Project Item
Files Description
.tcLLC File storing data of the Low-Level Procedures Collection project item.
.tcLLP File holding data of a single Low-Level Procedure.
Keyword Testing Project Item
Files Description
KDT.tcKDT File holding data of the Keyword Testing project item.
.tcKDTest File holding data of a single keyword test.
Manual Tests Project Item

The manual testing functionality is deprecated. Do not use it to create new tests. It will be removed from the product in one of the future releases.

Files Description
.tcMT File holding data of the Manual Tests project item.
ResumeInfo.tcMTresume Contains information on the step where the manual test run was suspended.
Name Mapping Project Item
Files Description
NameMapping.tcNM File holding setting of the Name Mapping project item.
Images.NMimg If your Name Mapping repository is configured to store images of mapped objects, the file contains references to the images.
Network Suite Project Item

The Network Suite functionality will be deprecated in one of the future releases. We do not recommend that you use it for distributed testing. As an alternative, we recommend that you use a CI/CD system to manage distributed tests. To learn more, see Migrating Distributed Tests to CI/CD Systems.

Files Description
NetworkSuite.tcNetSuite A file that holds settings of the Network Suite project item.
Hosts.tcNetSuiteHosts A file that contains information about the Hosts collection of the Network Suite project item.
Jobs.tcNetSuiteJobs A file that holds information about the Jobs collection of the Network Suite project item.
SynchPoints.tcNetSuiteSynchPoints A file that holds information about synchronization points of the Network Suite project item.
Object-Driven Testing Project Item

The object-driven testing functionality is deprecated and is supported for backward compatibility only. Do not use it to create new tests. It will be removed in a future TestComplete release. As an alternative to the ODT functionality, you can create custom classes in your scripts. For more information, see Alternatives to the ODT functionality.

Files Description
ODT.tcODT File holding settings of the Object-Driven Testing project item. This file holds references to the .xml file that stores data of custom classes and objects.
ODT.xml An XML file that contains data of custom classes and objects.
ReadyAPI or SoapUI Project Item
Files Description
.tcReadyAPI A file containing references to functional and security API tests and data of a ReadyAPI or SoapUI project item.
.tcSecureTest A file containing information on a security API test.
.tcSoapUINGTest A file containing information on a functional API test.
Scenarios Project Item
Files Description
Scenarios.tcTestCases A file containing references to BDD feature files included in your project, and data of the Scenarios project item.
.feature A feature file included in your project.
Script Project Item
Files Description
Script.tcScript File holding references to script unit files and data of the Script project item.
.js JavaScript unit file.
.py Python unit file.
.scpp C++Script unit file.
.scs C#Script unit file.
.sd DelphiScript unit file.
.sj JScript unit file.
.svb VBScript unit file.
Stores Project Item
Files Description
.dbt A file that stores a DBTable element’s data added to the DBTables collection of the Stores project item.
Stores.tcStores File holding settings of the Stores project item.
.tcBTable A file that holds the settings of the corresponding DBTable element.
DBTables.tcDB A file that holds settings of the DBTables collection of the Stores project item.
Files.tcFiles File holding settings of the Files collection of the Stores project item.
Objects.tcObjects File holding settings of the Objects collection of the Stores project item.
.tcObject File that stores data of an element added to the Objects collection of the Stores project item.
Regions.tcRegions File holding settings of the Regions collection of the Stores project item.
.tcTbl A file that stores a Table element’s data added to the Tables collection of the Stores project item.
Tables.tcTbls A file that holds settings of the Tables collection of the Stores project item.
.tcWat A file that stores a Web Accessibility element’s data added to the WebTesting collection of the Stores project item.
.tcWcm A file that stores a Web Comparison element’s data added to the WebTesting collection of the Stores project item.
WebTesting.tcWtc A file that holds settings of the WebTesting collection of the Stores project item.
.tcXmlCheckpoint A file that stores an XMLCheckpoint element’s data added to the XML collection of the Stores project item.
XML.tcXmls A file that holds the XML collection’s data of the Stores project item.
Selenium or Unit Testing Project Item
Files Description
.tcUT File that stores data of the Unit Testing project item and references to files holding unit test settings.
.tcDUnit File holding settings of a DUnit test.
.tcJUnit File holding settings of a JUnit test.
.tcTestNG File holding settings of a TestNG test.
.tcMSTest File holding settings of an MSTest unit test.
.tcNUnit File holding settings of an NUnit test.
.tcTest File holding settings of a TestComplete unit test.
.tcRbUnit File holding settings of a Ruby unit test.
.tcPyUnit File holding settings of a PyUnit test.
.tcPHPUnit File holding settings of a PHPUnit test.
User Forms Project Item
Files Description
UserForms.tcUsrFrms File holding data of the User Forms project item.
.tcUsrFrm File holding data of a single user form.
Web Services Project Item
Files Description
WebServices.tcWSs A file that holds data of the Web Services Project Item project item.
.tcWS A file holding data of the Web Service project element.
Tested Applications Project Item
Files Description
TestedApps.tcTAs File holding data of the Tested Applications project item.
Helper Files
Files Description
.aqtlb These files store the settings of toolbars of the TestComplete main window.

You can save the toolbar settings to an .aqtlb file by selecting View | Toolbars | Save Toolbar to File from the TestComplete main menu. To load the toolbar settings from a file, select View | Toolbars | Load Toolbar from File.
.desktop These files store the settings of the TestComplete main window (the toolbar and panel layout are included).

To save the panel layout and toolbar settings to a .desktop file, choose View | Desktop | Save Desktop As from the TestComplete main menu. To load the desktop settings from a file, choose View | Desktop | Load Desktop.
.tcDock These files store the layout of TestComplete panels.

To save the panel layout, choose View | Desktop | Save Docking to File from the TestComplete main menu. To load the layout from a file, choose View | Desktop | Load Docking from File.
.tcVis These files are used by Test Visualizer. These are index files that store links to image files shown by the Test Visualizer panel and to .xml files that store information about objects displayed in these images.

See Also

Managing Projects, Project Suites and Project Items
Using Test Projects in Shared Mode

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