TestComplete Command Line

In general, the TestComplete command line is as follows:

Here the parenthesis mean the group of command-line arguments. The “|” means OR, for example, “/r | /run” means you can use either /r OR /run. Square brackets mean the argument or group of arguments is optional.

Note that TestComplete has two executables for 32-bit and 64-bit:

• The TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

• The TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

To run TestComplete by using Windows Task Scheduler (or other tools that launch TestComplete via command line), you may need to configure TestComplete to have proper permissions. See Scheduling Automated Tests.

To run TestComplete tests, an interactive user session is required. CI systems like Jenkins or Bamboo typically use non-interactive user sessions. So, if you run TestComplete from a command line from the CI systems, then your tests will not run successfully.

To work around the issues, we recommend that you use the SessionCreator command line utility — it supports opening interactive user sessions. If you use Jenkins, you can also try a special plugin.

file_name

Launches TestComplete and loads the specified project (.mds file) or project suite (.pjs) into it.

/run (or /r)

Commands TestComplete to execute tests provided by the project suite or project specified by the file_name argument or tests provided by a project item or script routine that belongs to this project suite or project. The action TestComplete will perform depends on what other command-line arguments are specified:

/project:project_name

TestComplete will run all enabled test items of the specified project. Project_name is the name of the project as it is shown in the Project Explorer panel. You can view the list of test items in the Execution Plan editor of the project.

TestComplete will run only the enabled test items, it will not run the disabled items.

Note:

Do not confuse test items with project items. Test items are a sequence of tests to run that you specify in the Execution Plan editor of your project. Project items are elements that belong to your project (for instance, a keyword test) and that you can view in Project Explorer.

/project:project_name  /projectitem:item_name

TestComplete will run test(s) provided by the specified project item. You can view project items in the Project Explorer panel. Project_name is the name of the project as it is shown in the Project Explorer panel. The /projectitem command-line argument must specify the name of a project item. Using this argument, you can run only those project items that have the Run item in their context menu. For example, in this way, you can run the Network Suite project item. Item_name is the name of the desired project item.

Note:

Do not confuse project items with test items. Test items are what is displayed in the Execution Plan editor of the project.

/project:project_name  /test:test_name

TestComplete will run the specified test (or tests). This can be any of the following:

• A test item you specify on the View > Organize Tests page of the project editor

• A keyword test

• A script routine

• A BDD scenario or feature file

• A low-level procedure

• A network suite

• A network suite’s job

• A network suite’s task

• A manual test

• A Selenium or unit test

• A ReadyAPI test

Project_name specifies the name of the project that holds the needed test (use the same name as that shown in the Project Explorer panel).

Test_name specifies the test to run. It can be either the full name of the needed test or a tag:

Full name

Full nameFull name

• For test items, the full name is specified according to the item hierarchy in the Execution Plan editor, including parent test items and groups. Enclose the test full names in quotation marks.

  For example:

  /test""ProjectTestItem1"

  /test:"ProjectTestItem1|ProjectChildTestItem1"

  /test:"Group1|ProjectTestItem1"

  Note:

  TestComplete executes only those test items that are enabled in the Execution Plan editor. The disabled items are not run.

• For project items, the full name includes the name of the collection, to which the item belongs, and the item name separated by the pipe character ( | ). For script tests, the full name also includes the name of the unit. Enclose your tests’ full names in quotation marks.

  Do not include any logical project folders in your test's full name.

  For example:

  /test:"KeywordTests|Test1"

  /test:"Scenarios|FeatureFile1"

  /test:"Scenarios|Feature 1|My scenario description"

  /test:"LLCollection1|LLP1"

  /test:"ManualTests|ManualTest1"

  /test:"ReadyAPI1|Test1"

  /test:"UnitTesting1|NUnit1"

  /test:"Script|Unit1|Main"

  /test:"NetworkSuite|Jobs|Job1|Job1" (For a network suite’s jobs, the name of the Jobs collection and the name of the job are the same)

  /test:"NetworkSuite|Jobs|Job1|Task1"

Tag

TagTag

To run scripts, keyword tests, or BDD scenarios that match a tag, specify the tag name in the "@tag_name" format. Make sure to enclose the tag name in quotation marks. For example:

/test:"@AllTests"

/test:"@low-priority"

Note: The tests that match the specified tag will be run in an arbitrary order.

/project:project_name  /unit:unit_name  /routine:routine_name

TestComplete will run the specified script routine. Project_name specifies the name of the project to which the routine belongs. Unit_name specifies the name of the unit holding the desired routine. Routine_name is the name of the script routine to be called. The routine to be called must not use parameters or return any values. Project_name and unit_name should be the same as the project and unit names shown in the Project Explorer.

/project:project_name  /tags:tag_expression

TestComplete will run all the script functions, keyword tests, BDD scenarios and BDD features that the specified project contains and that match the specified tag or tag expression. Project_name is the name of the project that holds the needed tests (use the same name as shown in the Project Explorer panel). Tag_expression specifies the needed tag or tag expression.

Tag expression syntax

Tag expression syntaxTag expression syntax

• Use @ before tag names, that is, use @tag1 rather than tag1.

• To combine tags, use the and, or and not operations, for example:

  @tag1 or @tag2
  @tag1 and not @tag3
  not @tag5

  These operations don’t depend on the scripting language you use in your TestComplete project. That is, for example, in JavaScript projects you should use and, or and not rather than &&, || and !  —

  @tag1 and not @tag2  ← Correct!
  @tag1 && !@tag1      ← Incorrect!

• If needed, you can use braces to group tags, for example:

  @tag1 and (@tag2 or @tag3)
  (@tag1 or not @tag2) and (not @tag3 or @tag4)

For example:

/tags:@AllTests

/tags:"@low-priority and @normal-priority"

/tags:"(@high-priority or (@Web-Store-Tests and @FF))"

Notes:

• The tests that match the specified tag or tag expression will be run in an arbitrary order.
• If both the /test and /tags arguments are specified in the command line, the /test argument will be ignored.
• If the tags argument specifies an empty tag expression, the command will execute all the tagged tests and scenarios of the specified project.

No /project, /unit or /routine arguments specified.

TestComplete will run the tests provided by the opened project suite.

Notes:

• Pay attention to the colon between the argument name and the element to which the argument refers. The colon separates the argument name and the element name. Do not insert spaces before or after the colon.

• If the project name includes spaces, it must be enclosed in double quotes: /project:"My project".

• The argument names can be shortened. /project can be replaced with /p, /projectitem – with /pi, /test – with /t, /unit – with /u, and /routine – with /rt.

/AccessKey:access_key

/SelfHealing:On | Off (or /SH:On | Off)

/PSVar:VarName=VarValue (or /psv)   /PrjVar:VarName=VarValue (or /pv)

TestComplete will assign a specified value to a specified project suite or project variable at runtime.

For example:

TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /run /pv:userName=john.smith

Variable values you pass via the command line are temporary. At the beginning of the test run, they overwrite the initial value of appropriate variables of your project or project suite. After the test run is over, the variable values are restored to their initial state.
If the variable you set via the command line does not exist in your project or project suite, it will be created at the beginning of the test run and removed after the test run is complete.
If you run several projects that have a project variable with the same name, the command will set the variable value in all executed projects.

Notes:

• The name of a passed variable should include only alphanumeric characters ('A'..'Z', 'a'..'z' and '0'..'9') and underscores ('_') and does not start with a digit.

• TestComplete treats variable values passed via the command line as strings. If the value includes spaces, enclose it in quotes.

For details, see Passing Variables via Command Line.

/ExportLog:file_name (or /el:file_name)

/ExportLogToXMLAlso

/ExportSummary:file_name (or /es:file_name)

/ErrorLog:file_name

/NoSummary

/exit (or /e)

/SilentMode

If this argument is specified, TestComplete works in Silent mode, that is, it neither displays dialogs, nor informs you about errors or warnings. The dialogs and messages to be displayed are handled as if you pressed the default button in them. Information about these dialogs and messages is posted to Silent.log file to the <System_Drive>:\Documents and Settings\<UserName>\Application Data\SmartBear\TestComplete\15.0 folder on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 and to the <System_Drive>:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\SmartBear\TestComplete\15.0 folder on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and later operating systems (the file must not be read-only or locked by another application). The errors that occur during the test execution are posted to the test log.

If TestComplete is running in Silent mode, it does not press the default button in the window asking if the user wants to convert the project created in earlier TestComplete versions to the new format. This was done to prevent users from accidental project conversion. To force TestComplete to convert such a project automatically, use the /ForceConversion command-line argument. If TestComplete running in Silent mode is integrated into a source control system, it tries to enable the batch mode for the source control system. This mode allows working with the source control system without displaying dialogs and messages invoked by the source control system provider. If the source control system does not support the batch mode, TestComplete disables source control integration support. For more information, see Working With Source Control Systems in Silent Mode.

/ForceConversion

/Timeout:time_in_seconds

/ns

Opens TestComplete without displaying the splash screen.

/agpatcheroff

Disables Silverlight auto-patching.

/UsageStatistics:File_name (or /US:File_name)

Commands TestComplete to collect statistics on usage of Name Mapping items during test runs. TestComplete will save the gathered data to the specified file. You can then use this data in the Name Mapping editor and remove unused mapping items. See Find and Remove Unused Mapping Items for details.

If the file name includes spaces, enclose it in quotes:

/install:extension_name (or /ip:extension_name)

/uninstall:extension_name (or /up:extension_name)

/EnableModule:module_set

/RestServerPort:port

The port used by the TestComplete RESTful service that is provided by the REST API plugin. The default port is 2377. Make sure this port is allowed through your firewall or antivirus.

/DisableExternalReporting

Disables how to send test results to external test management systems (for instance, Zephyr Squad).

To learn how you can handle custom command-line parameters, see Passing Test Parameters via Command Line.

If an error occurs during the test run (for example, if a tested object is not found), TestComplete will post information about it to the test log. Its further behavior depends on the way the test was run:

• If the test was run as a test item (the /project or the /project and /test:test_item_name arguments were used), the further behavior will be specified by the test item’s On error property. You specify it in the Execution Plan editor of your project.

• If the test was run by its name or by tag, its behavior will be specified by the project’s Playback > On error property.

Depending on the appropriate property value, TestComplete can do one of the following:

• Ignore the error and continue the test run.

• Stop the current test and proceed with the next test (applicable, for example, when running a project or tests by a tag or tag expression).

• Stop the entire test run.

To learn how to do this, see About Controlling Test Execution Flow.

• Running TestComplete from the command line is, probably, the easiest way to launch it from third-party tools. This approach is used rather frequently for running TestComplete from continuous integration (CI) systems and custom test frameworks. Note that TestComplete requires an interactive user session for simulating user actions. So, if your CI system or test framework runs TestComplete on a remote machine (typically called an agent or node), this CI system or framework should create an interactive user session for the TestComplete run on that agent (node). For information on how to do this, see the CI system documentation.

• You can determine what parameters were passed to TestComplete in its command line by using the ParamStr function. It allows you to get a TestComplete command-line argument specified by its index. To get the total number of arguments in the command line, use the ParamCount function.

  The following code demonstrates how you can determine command-line arguments:

  JavaScript, JScript

  Python

  VBScript

  DelphiScript

  C++Script, C#Script

  Copy Code

  JavaScript, JScript

  function CommandLineArgs()
  {
    var i;
    var nArgs = BuiltIn.ParamCount();
    Log.Message("Total number of command-line arguments: " + nArgs);
    Log.Message("The fully-qualified name of the TestComplete executable: " + BuiltIn.ParamStr(0));
  
    for (i = 1; i <= nArgs ; i++)
      Log.Message("Arg " + i + ": " + BuiltIn.ParamStr(i));
  }

  Python

  def CommandLineArgs():
    nArgs = BuiltIn.ParamCount()
    Log.Message("Total number of command-line arguments: " + str(nArgs))
    Log.Message("The fully-qualified name of the TestComplete executable: " + BuiltIn.ParamStr(0))
  
    for i in range (1, nArgs+1):
      Log.Message("Arg " + str(i) + ": " + BuiltIn.ParamStr(i))

  VBScript

  Sub CommandLineArgs
    Dim nArgs, i
  
    nArgs = BuiltIn.ParamCount
    Log.Message "Total number of command-line arguments: " & nArgs
    Log.Message "The fully-qualified name of the TestComplete executable: " & BuiltIn.ParamStr(0)
  
    For i = 1 To nArgs
      Log.Message "Arg " & i & ": " & BuiltIn.ParamStr(i)
    Next
  End Sub

  DelphiScript

  procedure CommandLineArgs;
  var nArgs, i;
  begin
    nArgs := BuiltIn.ParamCount;
    Log.Message('Total number of command-line arguments: ' + VarToStr(nArgs));
    Log.Message('The fully-qualified name of the TestComplete executable: ' + BuiltIn.ParamStr(0));
  
    for i := 1 to nArgs do
      Log.Message('Arg ' + VarToStr(i) + ': ' + BuiltIn.ParamStr(i));
  end;

  C++Script, C#Script

  function CommandLineArgs()
  {
    var nArgs = BuiltIn["ParamCount"]();
    Log["Message"]("Total number of command-line arguments: " + nArgs);
    Log["Message"]("The fully-qualified name of the TestComplete executable: " + BuiltIn["ParamStr"](0));
  
    for (var i = 1; i <= nArgs ; i++)
      Log["Message"]("Arg " + i + ": " + BuiltIn["ParamStr"](i));
  }

• It is not recommended to launch TestComplete using the runas command, since this significantly slows down the test execution.

Below are several examples of running TestComplete via the command line.

• The following command runs TestComplete, loads the specified project suite (MySuite.pjs), and commands TestComplete to execute test items of the MyProj project:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /p:MyProj

• The following command runs TestComplete, loads the specified project suite (MySuite.pjs), and commands TestComplete to execute all projects that are enabled. TestComplete waits until the run is over, and then gets closed.

  TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /e

• The following command runs TestComplete, loads the specified project suite (MySuite.pjs), and commands TestComplete to run the ProjectTestItem3 test item of the MyProj project:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /p:MyProj /t:"ProjectTestItem1|ProjectTestItem2|ProjectTestItem3"

• The following command runs TestComplete, loads the specified project suite (MySuite.pjs), and commands TestComplete to run the tests associated with the NetworkSuite project item of the MyTest project:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /p:MyTest /pi:NetworkSuite

• The following command runs TestComplete, loads the specified project suite (MySuite.pjs), and commands TestComplete to execute the Test1 keyword test of the MyProj project:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /p:MyProj /t:"KeywordTests|Test1"

• The following command runs TestComplete, loads the specified project suite (MySuite.pjs), and commands TestComplete to execute the MyProj project's tests that match the Tag1 tag:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /p:MyProj /t:"@Tag1"

• The following command runs TestComplete, loads the specified project suite (MySuite.pjs), and commands TestComplete to execute the MyProj project’s tests that match the tag expression tag:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /p:MyProj /tags:"@tag1 or (@tag2 and @tag3)"

• The following command runs TestComplete, loads the specified project suite (MySuite.pjs), and commands TestComplete to run the Main script routine located in the Unit1 unit of the MyProj project:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /p:MyProj /u:Unit1 /rt:Main

  – or –

  TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /p:MyProj /t:"Script|Unit1|Main"

• The following command launches TestComplete, runs tests of the MyProj project, uploads the test log to our online storage, and saves the resulting link to a text file:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\My Projects\MyProj.mds" /r /sl:"C:\logs\new-log.txt"

• The following command launches TestComplete, runs tests of the MyProj project, uploads the test results to our online storage, and saves the resulting link to a text file. The shared results will have the specified name and be available for 7 days:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\My Projects\MyProj.mds" /r /shr:"C:\logs\new-log.txt" /shrn:NewTestLog /shrei:7

• The following command runs TestComplete, loads the MySuite.pjs project suite, commands TestComplete to execute the test items of the MyProj project and to send their test results to the Regression test cycle of the 2.1 version of the Jira project bound to the MyProj project:

  TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /r /p:MyProj /ZephyrVersion:2.1 /ZephyrCycle:Regression

Note:

TestComplete waits until the specified project suite, project, test, and so on is executed in all the examples above. However, the command line is ready to receive new commands right after TestComplete has been launched.

If you want the command line to wait until the test (project and so on) execution is over, you can use the START command as shown in the example below:

start "My Title" /wait TestComplete.exe "C:\Work\My Projects\MySuite.pjs" /run /exit /SilentMode

Pay attention to the string after the START command in the example above. It is the title of the command-line window and it is needed for the command to work correctly.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.

TestComplete 32-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\Bin folder.

TestComplete 64-bit executable is located in the <TestComplete>\x64\Bin folder.