Eggplant (GUI testing tool)
Encyclopedia
Eggplant is a black-box GUI test automation tool, originally developed by Redstone Software starting in 2002. Redstone was acquired in 2008 by a UK-based company called TestPlant
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Its approach uses image matching technology as opposed to looking to the object-level of the application being tested. This allows for system-wide automation of a system-under-test as opposed to an application-specific solution. It also means that the technology used to build the application to be tested does not matter, nor does the system that the application runs on.
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Scripting is accomplished using a proprietary scripting language called SenseTalk
, an English-like language that is easy to use. SenseTalk is used in conjunction with a "guided record" mode, meaning the scripter teaches Eggplant to navigate a system and verify a set of test steps.
In 2011, TestPlant made an announcement to launch eggPlant v11, the revised version of the successful eggPlant. The new version integrates Optical Character Recognition (OCR) engine backed by ABBYY expected to hit the market in August 2011. It’s compatible with Mac, Linux and Windows version. The same year ‘eggPlant Manager’ launched to impart more credibility to existing eggPlant test environments. Other notable achievements of 2011 include the US Patent received on eggPlant granted by US Patent and Trademark Office, and the launch of eggPlant mobile testing solutions enabling network providers, application developers and manufacturers to test software and applications on wireless devices like tablets and smartphones.
Eggplant can be run from any operating system to any platform, technology, or browser. It can be used for mobile testing, cross platform testing, rich internet application testing, and performance testing. The company also offers a free trial download of eggPlant.
Version 11 added the integration of the OCR engine, Mac OS X Lion Support, and Sense Talk Scripting.
TestPlant
TestPlant is an automated software testing company headquartered in London, UK. Their flagship product is Eggplant, the GUI based automated software testing tool....
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Its approach uses image matching technology as opposed to looking to the object-level of the application being tested. This allows for system-wide automation of a system-under-test as opposed to an application-specific solution. It also means that the technology used to build the application to be tested does not matter, nor does the system that the application runs on.
Approach
Eggplant is a two-computer system, consisting of a controller machine, where scripts are authored and executed, and a system-under-test which runs a VNC server. Eggplant connects to this VNC server via its built-in viewer via TCP/IP. The system-under-test can be any system that has a VNC server for it. Originally, Mac-only, the controller environment/IDE is now available on Linux and WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
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Scripting is accomplished using a proprietary scripting language called SenseTalk
SenseTalk
SenseTalk is an English-like scripting language derived from the HyperTalk language used in HyperCard. SenseTalk was originally developed as the scripting language within the HyperSense multimedia authoring application on the NeXTStep and OpenStep platforms...
, an English-like language that is easy to use. SenseTalk is used in conjunction with a "guided record" mode, meaning the scripter teaches Eggplant to navigate a system and verify a set of test steps.
In 2011, TestPlant made an announcement to launch eggPlant v11, the revised version of the successful eggPlant. The new version integrates Optical Character Recognition (OCR) engine backed by ABBYY expected to hit the market in August 2011. It’s compatible with Mac, Linux and Windows version. The same year ‘eggPlant Manager’ launched to impart more credibility to existing eggPlant test environments. Other notable achievements of 2011 include the US Patent received on eggPlant granted by US Patent and Trademark Office, and the launch of eggPlant mobile testing solutions enabling network providers, application developers and manufacturers to test software and applications on wireless devices like tablets and smartphones.
Features
- Guided Record Mode
- Instead of a regular record mode, capturing images generates script code and avoids extraneous mouse and keyboard movements being recorded
- Code Completion
- Debugging
- Integration with quality management software
- Eggplant can be used to augment systems such as HP Quality CenterHP Quality CenterHP Quality Center is a set of web-based test management software offerings from the HP Software Division of Hewlett-Packard, many of which were acquired from Mercury Interactive Corporation. HP Quality Center offers software quality assurance, including requirements management, test management...
- Eggplant can be used to augment systems such as HP Quality Center
- Execution-only mode
- Eggplant tests can be run unattended via command line.
Product
The testing tool, eggPlant uses intelligent image recognition algorithms to "see" the display screen of the computer being tested. For this, the software secured a US patent for its "[m]ethod for monitoring a graphical user interface on a second computer display from a first computer" for its GUI testing tool. This also enables it to run without need of human intervention. This brought it to the attention of UK Trade & Investment, specifically its defense and security arm, the DSO.Eggplant can be run from any operating system to any platform, technology, or browser. It can be used for mobile testing, cross platform testing, rich internet application testing, and performance testing. The company also offers a free trial download of eggPlant.
Version 11 added the integration of the OCR engine, Mac OS X Lion Support, and Sense Talk Scripting.