HP QuickTest Professional
Encyclopedia
HP QuickTest Professional software provides functional and regression test
automation for software applications and environments. Part of the HP Quality Center tool suite, HP QuickTest Professional can be used for enterprise quality assurance.
HP QuickTest Professional supports keyword and scripting interfaces and features a graphical user interface. It uses the Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript
) scripting language to specify a test procedure, and to manipulate the objects and controls of the application under test.
HP QuickTest Professional was originally written by Mercury Interactive
. Mercury Interactive was subsequently acquired by Hewlett Packard (HP) in 2006. HP QuickTest Professional 11 is currently available from HP Software Division.
.
Although HP QuickTest Professional is usually used for "UI Based" Test Case
Automation, it also can automate some "Non-UI" based Test Cases such as file system operations, database testing or Web services testing.
HP QuickTest Professional offers 9 types of checkpoints, enabling users to verify various aspects of an application under test, such as: the properties of an object, data within a table, records within a database, a bitmap image, or the text on an application screen. The types of checkpoints are standard, image, table, page, text, text area, bitmap, database, accessibility and XML checkpoints. Users can also create user-defined checkpoints.
using recovery scenarios; the goal is to continue running tests if an unexpected failure occurs. For example, if an application crashes and a message dialog appears, HP test cases from that point. Because HP QuickTest Professional hooks into the memory space of the applications being tested, some exceptions may cause HP QuickTest Professional to terminate and be unrecoverable.
Whenever there occurs some unexpected event while testing an application with QTP, there are chances of unexpected events and QTP may not understand it so in order to continue the testing process we develop exception handling in the QTP..
. For example, data can be output to a data table for reuse elsewhere. Data-driven testing is implemented as a Microsoft Excel
workbook that can be accessed from HP QuickTest Professional. HP QuickTest Professional has two types of data tables: the Global data sheet and Action (local) data sheets. The test steps can read data from these data tables in order to drive variable data into the application under test, and verify the expected result.
(IDE) for the test, and HP QuickTest Professional includes many standard IDE features, such as breakpoint
s to pause a test at predetermined places.
In Keyword View, users can also view properties for items such as checkpoints, output values, and actions, use conditional and loop statements, and insert breakpoints to assist in debugging a test.
. Designed for more advanced users, users can edit all test actions except for the root Global action, and changes are synchronized with the Keyword View.
as its scripting language. VBScript supports classes but not polymorphism and inheritance. Compared with Visual Basic
for Applications (VBA), VBScript
lacks the ability to use some Visual Basic keywords, does not come with an integrated debugger, lacks an event handler, and does not have a forms editor. HP has added a debugger, but the functionality is more limited when compared with testing tools that integrate a full-featured IDE, such as those provided with VBA, Java, or VB.NET.
QTP cannot test with all browser types and versions. In particular it does not support Safari, or Opera.
High licensing costs often mean that the tool is not widely used in an organization, but instead is limited to a smaller testing team. This encourages a siloed approach to QA/testing where testing is performed as a separate phase rather than a collaborative approach where QA/testers work closely with the business and development teams (as is advocated by newer agile approaches to software development.)
, Oracle
, Siebel
, PeopleSoft
, Delphi
, Power Builder, Stingray 1, Terminal Emulator, Flex, Web Services, Windows Mobile, VisualAge Smalltalk, Silverlight and mainframe terminal emulators
Regression testing
Regression testing is any type of software testing that seeks to uncover new errors, or regressions, in existing functionality after changes have been made to a system, such as functional enhancements, patches or configuration changes....
automation for software applications and environments. Part of the HP Quality Center tool suite, HP QuickTest Professional can be used for enterprise quality assurance.
HP QuickTest Professional supports keyword and scripting interfaces and features a graphical user interface. It uses the Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript
VBScript
VBScript is an Active Scripting language developed by Microsoft that is modeled on Visual Basic. It is designed as a “lightweight” language with a fast interpreter for use in a wide variety of Microsoft environments...
) scripting language to specify a test procedure, and to manipulate the objects and controls of the application under test.
HP QuickTest Professional was originally written by Mercury Interactive
Mercury Interactive
Mercury is now part of Hewlett-Packard. The combination of Mercury Interactive and HP OpenView formed HP Software Division, a global business unit within HP Enterprise Business...
. Mercury Interactive was subsequently acquired by Hewlett Packard (HP) in 2006. HP QuickTest Professional 11 is currently available from HP Software Division.
Description
HP QuickTest Professional is automated testing software designed for testing various software applications and environments. It performs functional and regression testing through a user interface such as a native GUI or web interface. It works by identifying the objects in the application user interface or a web page and performing desired operations (such as mouse clicks or keyboard events); it can also capture object properties like name or handler ID. HP QuickTest Professional uses a VBScript scripting language to specify the test procedure and to manipulate the objects and controls of the application under test. To perform more sophisticated actions, users may need to manipulate the underlying VBScriptVBScript
VBScript is an Active Scripting language developed by Microsoft that is modeled on Visual Basic. It is designed as a “lightweight” language with a fast interpreter for use in a wide variety of Microsoft environments...
.
Although HP QuickTest Professional is usually used for "UI Based" Test Case
Test case
A test case in software engineering is a set of conditions or variables under which a tester will determine whether an application or software system is working correctly or not. The mechanism for determining whether a software program or system has passed or failed such a test is known as a test...
Automation, it also can automate some "Non-UI" based Test Cases such as file system operations, database testing or Web services testing.
Verification
Checkpoints verify that an application under test functions as expected. Users can add a checkpoint to check if a particular object, text or a bitmap is present in the automation run. Checkpoints verify that during the course of test execution, the actual application behavior or state is consistent with the expected application behavior or state.HP QuickTest Professional offers 9 types of checkpoints, enabling users to verify various aspects of an application under test, such as: the properties of an object, data within a table, records within a database, a bitmap image, or the text on an application screen. The types of checkpoints are standard, image, table, page, text, text area, bitmap, database, accessibility and XML checkpoints. Users can also create user-defined checkpoints.
Exception handling
HP QuickTest Professional manages exception handlingException handling
Exception handling is a programming language construct or computer hardware mechanism designed to handle the occurrence of exceptions, special conditions that change the normal flow of program execution....
using recovery scenarios; the goal is to continue running tests if an unexpected failure occurs. For example, if an application crashes and a message dialog appears, HP test cases from that point. Because HP QuickTest Professional hooks into the memory space of the applications being tested, some exceptions may cause HP QuickTest Professional to terminate and be unrecoverable.
Whenever there occurs some unexpected event while testing an application with QTP, there are chances of unexpected events and QTP may not understand it so in order to continue the testing process we develop exception handling in the QTP..
Data-driven testing
HP QuickTest Professional supports data-driven testingData-driven testing
Data-driven testing is a term used in the testing of computer software to describe testing done using a table of conditions directly as test inputs and verifiable outputs as well as the process where test environment settings and control are not hard-coded...
. For example, data can be output to a data table for reuse elsewhere. Data-driven testing is implemented as a Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is a proprietary commercial spreadsheet application written and distributed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It features calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications...
workbook that can be accessed from HP QuickTest Professional. HP QuickTest Professional has two types of data tables: the Global data sheet and Action (local) data sheets. The test steps can read data from these data tables in order to drive variable data into the application under test, and verify the expected result.
Automating custom and complex UI objects
HP QuickTest Professional may not recognize customized user interface objects and other complex objects. Users can define these types of objects as virtual objects. HP QuickTest Professional does not support virtual objects for analog recording or recording in low-level mode.Extensibility
HP QuickTest Professional can be extended with separate add-ins for a number of development environments that are not supported out-of-the-box. HP QuickTest Professional add-ins include support for Web, .NET, Java, and Delphi. HP QuickTest Professional and the HP QuickTest Professional add-ins are packaged together in HP Functional Testing software.Test results
At the end of a test, HP QuickTest Professional generates a test result. Using XML schema, the test result indicates whether a test passed or failed, shows error messages, and may provide supporting information that allows users to determine the underlying cause of a failure. Release 10 lets users export HP QuickTest Professional test results into HTML, Microsoft Word or PDF report formats. Reports can include images and screen shots for use in reproducing errors.User interface
HP QuickTest Professional provides two views--and ways to modify-- a test script: Keyword View and Expert View. These views enable HP QuickTest Professional to act as an Integrated Development EnvironmentIntegrated development environment
An integrated development environment is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development...
(IDE) for the test, and HP QuickTest Professional includes many standard IDE features, such as breakpoint
Breakpoint
In software development, a breakpoint is an intentional stopping or pausing place in a program, put in place for debugging purposes. It is also sometimes simply referred to as a pause....
s to pause a test at predetermined places.
Keyword view
Keyword View lets users create and view the steps of a test in a modular, table format. Each row in the table represents a step that can be modified. The Keyword View can also contain any of the following columns: Item, Operation, Value, Assignment, Comment, and Documentation. For every step in the Keyword View, HP QuickTest Professional displays a corresponding line of script based on the row and column value. Users can add, delete or modify steps at any point.In Keyword View, users can also view properties for items such as checkpoints, output values, and actions, use conditional and loop statements, and insert breakpoints to assist in debugging a test.
Expert view
In Expert View, HP QuickTest Professional lets users display and edit a test's source code using VBScriptVBScript
VBScript is an Active Scripting language developed by Microsoft that is modeled on Visual Basic. It is designed as a “lightweight” language with a fast interpreter for use in a wide variety of Microsoft environments...
. Designed for more advanced users, users can edit all test actions except for the root Global action, and changes are synchronized with the Keyword View.
Languages
HP QuickTest Professional uses VBScriptVBScript
VBScript is an Active Scripting language developed by Microsoft that is modeled on Visual Basic. It is designed as a “lightweight” language with a fast interpreter for use in a wide variety of Microsoft environments...
as its scripting language. VBScript supports classes but not polymorphism and inheritance. Compared with Visual Basic
Visual Basic
Visual Basic is the third-generation event-driven programming language and integrated development environment from Microsoft for its COM programming model...
for Applications (VBA), VBScript
VBScript
VBScript is an Active Scripting language developed by Microsoft that is modeled on Visual Basic. It is designed as a “lightweight” language with a fast interpreter for use in a wide variety of Microsoft environments...
lacks the ability to use some Visual Basic keywords, does not come with an integrated debugger, lacks an event handler, and does not have a forms editor. HP has added a debugger, but the functionality is more limited when compared with testing tools that integrate a full-featured IDE, such as those provided with VBA, Java, or VB.NET.
Drawbacks
HP QuickTest Professional runs only in Windows environments. It relies on largely obsolete Windows-only technologies such as ActiveX.QTP cannot test with all browser types and versions. In particular it does not support Safari, or Opera.
High licensing costs often mean that the tool is not widely used in an organization, but instead is limited to a smaller testing team. This encourages a siloed approach to QA/testing where testing is performed as a separate phase rather than a collaborative approach where QA/testers work closely with the business and development teams (as is advocated by newer agile approaches to software development.)
Supported Technologies
The supported technologies, depending on the QTP version, are available for Web, Java(Core and Advanced), .Net, WPF, SAPSAP ERP
The SAP ERP application is an integrated enterprise resource planning software manufactured by SAP AG that targets business software requirements of midsize and large organizations in all industries and sectors...
, Oracle
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
, Siebel
Siebel
Siebel, originally Flugzeugbau Halle, was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in 1937 in Halle an der Saale. It was revived as Siebelwerke in 1948. In 1952, it merged with ATG to form Siebelwerke-ATG Gmbh...
, PeopleSoft
PeopleSoft
PeopleSoft, Inc. was a company that provided Human Resource Management Systems , Financial Management Solutions , Supply Chain and customer relationship management software, as well as software solutions for manufacturing, enterprise performance management, and student administration to large...
, Delphi
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
, Power Builder, Stingray 1, Terminal Emulator, Flex, Web Services, Windows Mobile, VisualAge Smalltalk, Silverlight and mainframe terminal emulators
Versions
11.0 - Released in 2010- 11.0 - Released in 2010
- 10.0 - Released in 2009
- 9.5 - Released in 2008
- 9.2 - Released in 2007
- 9.1 - Released in 2007
- 9.0 - Released in 2006
- 8.2 - Released in 2005
- 8.0 - Released in 2004
- 7.0 - Never released.
- 6.5 - Released in 2003
- 6.0 - Released in 2002
- 5.5 - First release. Released in 2001
License models
HP QuickTest Professional is available through single-seat licenses, as well as floating or concurrent licenses. A trial version of the software is also available.HP Quality Center Integration
HP QuickTest Professional and HP Quality Center work together for additional testing capabilities. Users can use HP Quality Center with HP QuickTest assets, such as tests, shared object repositories, libraries, recovery scenarios and external data tables.See also
- 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...
- Test automationTest automationTest automation is the use of software to control the execution of tests, the comparison of actual outcomes to predicted outcomes, the setting up of test preconditions, and other test control and test reporting functions...
- GUI software testingGUI software testingIn software engineering, graphical user interface testing is the process of testing a product's graphical user interface to ensure it meets its written specifications...