XStudio 1.2: GUI for the execution options

One of the latest features I added was the possibility to reorder the tests by dependency. One thing was missing though: the logic to apply in case one parent test has failed or has not been executed (even if you did not ordered you tests by dependencies, you may want to take advantage of this information).

This is done now through this GUI (available in "create a session", "copy a session" and "create a schedule" operations):

XStudio 1.2: Automatic generation of specifications and tests

The right process in the lifecycle of a product is to start writing requirements. Then, a list of specifications can be refined from these requirements. Then, the testers write their tests from the specifications.

In XStudio, the process is exactly the same and it can be quite time-consuming to create all these items in the requirements, specifications and tests tree.

Requirements MUST be entered anyway. This is an absolute prerequisite. But then, a new feature will help in creating the specifications and tests repositories. Here is how it works:

1) Select a folder (that is parent of a full tree of sub-folders and requirements) in the requirements tree

2) Click on the "Generate specifications" button

3) Pick a destination folder in the specifications tree


4) Optionally change the default set of options:


4) Submit


The selected tree of requirements is "duplicated" in the specifications tree. Names and descriptions will be identical and the requirement and its peer generated specification will be linked together. Hence, each requirement has one "default" specification associated. The user has now just to edit/modify the specification (name, description, status etc.) and add some additional ones if necessary.

The equivalent feature will be available to generate default tests from the specifications.

XStudio 1.2: Refined reordering of tests within a campaign

One of the most complex but valuable interest in using a test manager is to be flexible enough to execute tests in a specific order.

When you create a campaign, the wizard asks you to select some tests in a tree, hence, there is no concept of order at this point. However, after the campaign is created you can select the "Order" tab and enjoy two new buttons:

1) Reorder using dependencies
If you press this button, tests will be ordered so that a test is always executed after ALL his parents. The algorithm is pretty complex and obviously supposes there is no cycle in the dependencies. In case you left some cycling dependencies, XStudio will show you exactly what's wrong by displaying all the cycling dependencies:

Then, you can easily correct your dependencies (in the test tree) and reorder your campaign.

Before pressing the "Reorder using dependencies" button, ensure the checkbox "Execute tests with dependencies first" is correctly set. If this checkbox is not selected, tests without any dependencies will be executed after all the tests having dependencies.

2) Reorder using priorities
If you press this button, tests will be ordered so that tests with higher priorities will be executed before tests with lower priorities. Note that a "priority" column has been added so that it's visually easier to check the priorities of all the tests in the list.

Manual ordering:
Once the system has reordered your tests using one of the 2 methods, you still have the flexibility to manually reorder some of the tests using the usual manual reordering toolbar. As before, multiple selection is available so that you can move several tests at the same time.

Column width persistence:
A recently added feature is the fact that after this table is refreshed, the columns are left at the exact same position. This was a pretty annoying restriction.

XStudio 1.2: More detailed SUT report

The SUT report has been improved to include much more information including:

In the folder summary
- for each SUT, the number of defects found on this SUT
- for each SUT, the number of defects fixed on this SUT
- for each SUT, the number of sessions executed on this SUT

In the SUT Details section:
- the details of the defects found on this SUT
- the details of the defects fixed on this SUT
- some basic information (name, start date and stop date) on the sessions executed on this SUT

Of course, by clicking on the links, the users gets to the details of the selected item (requirement, specification, test or defect

XStudio 1.2: Copy a testcase

When some testcases of a tests are complex to describe but very similar it's good to be able to copy a reference and just modifying what's strictly necessary to be changed.

This will be possible in XStudio 1.2 through this interface (allowing to modify on the fly the testplan):

XStudio 1.2: Copy a campaign session

It's now possible (in XStudio 1.2) to copy a campaign session. The use cases are pretty simple:

1) You already executed a campaign session and need to execute it again exactly the same way
Just select the campaign session, press the "copy campaign session" button and validate by pressing "Submit". A new session identical to the original one is created with the exact same parameters (operator, agent, SUT, launcher configurations) and is ready to be executed.

2) You already executed (or not) a campaign session and need to duplicate it with slightly different settings
Just select the campaign session, press the "copy campaign session" button, change the settings you want to be changed and validate by pressing "Submit". A new session identical to the original one but including your changes is created and is ready to be executed.

XStudio 1.2: Copy a campaign

XStudio 1.2 includes a "Copy Campaign" feature. This is available through a new button in the task bar and this allows duplicating a campaign in just a couple of clicks. You have just to select the destination folder and submit.

Optionally, the user can also modify the content (add or remove some tests) on the fly - filter and import features are obviously available during this process.

If the user select the original folder as destination folder, then the new campaign will be renamed "Copy of XXX". If you do several copies in the same folder, a number will be appended to the name of the new copies.

Of course, once the copy has been done, the user can rename the campaign from the "Details" tab.

XStudio 1.2: Better search in tree

The contextual search in trees (through the search bar) is now more flexible as it will pop up all the similar items (and not only items which names start with the searched string). Hence, ANY node having the search string (what the user type in the text field) in its name, whatever the position and case insensitive, will be popuped.

However, to have the exact match indicator it will have to be exactly the same (case sensitive).

XStudio 1.2: Page selector

The page selector is now implemented. It completes the feature included in XStudio 1.1 introducing two new buttons "Previous" and "Next" allowing to return to one of the previously browsed object etc.

The page selector is a small icon located on the right to the two existing buttons and allows showing the exact list of the lately browsed objects. A cursor is highlighting the currently viewed object.

The use can use his mouse to manually select any of the item in the list or use the arrow keys and validate by ENTER.

It basically provides comparable flexibility than users get on their favorite browser (i.e. Firefox).

XStudio 1.2: New form layout

Starting from XStudio 1.2, the forms will all use a new layout (basically, align to the top-left instead of center). In addition, the HTML editors/viewers widgets are now sizable by configuration which allow to better fit the circumstance.

XStudio 1.2: Mandatory fields distinguishable

In all the forms included in XStudio 1.2, mandatory fields are distinguishable (different color and an asterisk).
Just a detail, but quite useful sometimes.

XStudio 1.2: Submit defects while executing manual test campaigns

I've just finished developing the new feature allowing to submit defect (integrated defects only as there is no way to call synchronously equivalent processes from a Bugzilla or Mantis page in a browser) while executing some manual test campaigns. This will work with both the manual.jar and simple_manual.jar launchers.

If the feature is enabled (through a parameter in the usual configuration file), 2 new buttons will appear in the popup box:

• One to create a new defect
• another one to link the test that has just failed with an already existing defect

Clicking any of those buttons will result in the test to be set as "Failed" (as when clicking on "Failed")
however, when the user clicks on "Create a new defect", he is prompted with the standard form:



While when he clicks on "Link to an existing defect", he's asked to just pick a defect in the tree:

Release of XStudio 1.1b3

XStudio 1.1b3 is available at the usual location: http://www.xqual.com/support/download.html

Here is the change log:

* Add the testcaseName to the SDK API
* Add the Selenium Python launcher
* Update the following launchers:
- Autoit 1.5
- Beanshell 1.0
- Exe 1.1
- JUnit 1.3
- Marathon 1.2
- Nunit 1.2
- PyUnit 1.0
- Selenium .NEt 1.1, html 1.1, java 1.1 and Python 1.0:
. give some time to the selenium server to start
. incorrect default values for selenium server path
. incorrect default values for junit path
- Squish 1.3
- TCL 1.2
- testComplete 1.3
- TestNG 1.2
- TestPartner 1.2
- VisualStudio 1.5
* Update jarbuilder
* Remove all the limitation about open a document under MacOSX
* Disabling sandbox in JNLP mode to:
- Remove security warnings
- Accelerate the connection to a third-party MySQL server
* Bug-fix:
- MacOS release fixed and tested
- Campaign session reports corrupted
- Do not try to save the last logged user in JNLP
- Delete attachment in the document tree
- Status wrongly retrieved (for email notification) from integrated defect details
- crash under MacOSX when editing an document
* Improve notification mechanism fir the integrated BTD

Release of XStudio 1.1b2

XStudio 1.1b2 is available at the usual location: http://www.xqual.com/support/download.html

XStudio recommended at NFJS (No Fluff Just Stuff) conference

During the excellent NFJS Conference (http://www.nofluffjuststuff.com) XStudio has been strongly recommended :)