Launching Mobile Browser Emulator

Applies to TestComplete 15.47, last modified on January 20, 2023

TestComplete uses the mobile browser emulator to open and interact with mobile web applications. This topic explains how you can start the emulator during the test recording, during the test run, and at design time.

Before launching the emulator, close any running instances of Google Chrome.

During Test Recording

You can launch the mobile browser emulator manually, or configure TestComplete to automatically launch the emulator every time you start test recording.

To automatically launch the mobile browser emulator when you start test recording:

  • Select Tools | Current Project Properties from the TestComplete main menu.

  • Select the Open Applications | Web Testing | Virtual Browsers category.

  • From the Autorun virtual browser at recording combo box, select the needed browser.

To launch the emulator manually:

  • Expand the Recording toolbar by clicking .

  • Select the mobile browser from the Run App | Virtual Browser drop-down list:

Launching mobile browser emulator during test recording

From Keyword Tests

To launch the mobile browser emulator from keyword tests, use the Run Virtual Browser operation. In the operation parameters, specify the needed browser and the web page to open.

Run Virtual Browser wizard: Selecting mobile browser
Run Virtual Browser wizard: Selecting mobile browser
Run Virtual Browser wizard: Specifying URL to open
Run Virtual Browser wizard: Specifying URL to open

To change the mobile browser used in a keyword test, select the new browser from the combo box in the Operation column of the Keyword Test editor.

Selecting a mobile browser for test run
Selecting a mobile browser for test run

To run the test using multiple mobile browsers in a loop, replace the Run Virtual Browser operation with the Virtual Browser Loop operation and select the browsers to use. Then indent the test operations to make them child items of the Virtual Browser Loop operation. For more information, see Creating Cross-Browser Mobile Web Tests.

Running test operations in multiple mobile browsers
Running test operations in multiple mobile browsers

To use a variable or a test parameter as the browser name, select the Parameterized option and specify the variable or test parameter in the operation’s Browser parameter.

Specifying mobile browser using test parameter

From Scripts

Use the VirtualBrowsers.Item(browser_name).Run operation to launch a mobile browser emulator with a URL:

JavaScript, JScript

VirtualBrowsers.Item("Apple iPhone X").Run("http://m.smartbear.com");

Python

VirtualBrowsers.Item("Apple iPhone X").Run("http://m.smartbear.com");

VBScript

VirtualBrowsers.Item("Apple iPhone X").Run "http://m.smartbear.com"

DelphiScript

VirtualBrowsers.Item['Apple iPhone X'].Run('http://m.smartbear.com');

C++Script, C#Script

VirtualBrowsers["Item"]("Apple iPhone X")["Run"]("http://m.smartbear.com");

If you do not specify a URL to open, the emulator will be opened with a blank page (about:blank). In this case, use the VirtualBrowser.CurrentBrowser.Navigate method to navigate to a web page:

JavaScript, JScript

VirtualBrowsers.Item("Apple iPhone X").Run();
VirtualBrowsers.CurrentBrowser.Navigate("http://m.smartbear.com");

Python

VirtualBrowsers.Item("Apple iPhone X").Run();
VirtualBrowsers.CurrentBrowser.Navigate("http://m.smartbear.com");

VBScript

VirtualBrowsers.Item("Apple iPhone X").Run
VirtualBrowsers.CurrentBrowser.Navigate "http://m.smartbear.com"

DelphiScript

VirtualBrowsers.Item['Apple iPhone X'].Run;
VirtualBrowsers.CurrentBrowser.Navigate('http://m.smartbear.com');

C++Script, C#Script

VirtualBrowsers["Item"]("Apple iPhone X")["Run"]();
VirtualBrowsers.CurrentBrowser.Navigate("http://m.smartbear.com");

You can use test parameters and project variables instead of the hard-coded browser name.

  • Specifying a mobile browser using a test parameter

    JavaScript, JScript

    function Test1(MobileBrowserName)
    {
      VirtualBrowsers.Item(MobileBrowserName).Run("http://m.smartbear.com");

      // Test the web site
      ...
    }

    VBScript

    Sub Test1(MobileBrowserName)
      Call VirtualBrowsers.Item(MobileBrowserName).Run("http://m.smartbear.com")

      ' Test the web site
      ...
    End Sub

    DelphiScript

    procedure Test1(MobileBrowserName);
    begin
      VirtualBrowsers.Item[MobileBrowserName].Run('http://m.smartbear.com');

      // Test the web site
      ...
    end;

    C++Script, C#Script

    function Test1(MobileBrowserName)
    {
      VirtualBrowsers["Item"](MobileBrowserName)["Run"]("http://m.smartbear.com");

      // Test the web site
      ...
    }

  • Specifying a mobile browser using a project variable

    JavaScript, JScript

    function Test2()
    {
      VirtualBrowsers.Item(Project.Variables.MobileBrowserName).Run("http://m.smartbear.com");

      // Test the web site
      ...
    }

    VBScript

    Sub Test2
      Call VirtualBrowsers.Item(Project.Variables.MobileBrowserName).Run("http://m.smartbear.com")

      ' Test the web site
      ...
    End Sub

    DelphiScript

    procedure Test2;
    begin
      VirtualBrowsers.Item[Project.Variables.MobileBrowserName].Run('http://m.smartbear.com');

      // Test the web site
      ...
    end;

    C++Script, C#Script

    function Test2()
    {
      VirtualBrowsers["Item"](Project["Variables"]["MobileBrowserName"]).Run("http://m.smartbear.com");

      // Test the web site
      ...
    }

From TestComplete UI

During the design time, while you are editing tests, you can launch the mobile browser emulator as follows:

  • From the TestComplete main menu, select Tools | Current Project Properties (if a project is open) or Tools | Default Project Properties (if no project is open).

  • Select the Project | Open Applications | Web Testing | Virtual Browsers category.

  • Select a browser in the table and click Run.

    Running mobile browser emulator

To start the mobile browser emulator with a URL, you can add the emulator to your project’s Tested Apps (see Adding Mobile Browser Emulator to TestedApps). Before running the emulator as a tested app, select the needed mobile browser profile in the tested app settings.

Running mobile browser emulator from tested apps

You can also add multiple tested apps with the same URL but different browser profiles to create “shortcuts” for opening your tested mobile web site in different mobile browsers.

See Also

Testing Mobile Web Applications Using Emulator
Testing Mobile Web Applications Using Emulator - Overview
Creating Cross-Browser Mobile Web Tests Using Emulator
Creating Mobile Browser Profiles
Changing Mobile Browser Orientation

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