Definitions and Terms - SeqZap and general software test
- Capture
- A functionality used to automatically generate actions in a procedure from some events happening while the recording is running. The capture function in SeqZap can be customized to generate actions from any event detected from the loaded ZapTools. E.g. the Selenium Tool can capture the user actions emitted from the web browser. More info here.
- Configuration Properties
-
In SeqZap Configuration Properties (CPs) are named values used as input to
the project and test execution. There are three types of Configuration Properties:
- Test Setup Properties,
- Normal CPs located in the project definition and
- Normal CPs located in named collections
- Custom Properties
- In SeqZap the Custom Properties are used to add meta data (extra information) to the different elements in a script file. Custom Properties can e.g. be used to add links to documentation and requirement numbers to test cases.
- Model
- See Procedure Model
- Namespace
- Each script file has a namespace specified, making it possible to have file elements (e.g. procedures) with the same name in different files. The namespace-feature also makes it possible to assign the same namespace to all the files in a library, making it easier to find the needed file elements in large projects and see where a referenced element comes from.
- Panel
- A panel is the user interface for a ZapTool. A ZapTool can offer as many different panels as it needed. The panels can either be interactive or read only panels.
- Partner
-
A Partner is a helper-procedure for a model,
procedure or test suite, with
a logical alias. When a model defines a partner named Earl, a procedure is associated
with the partner. Procedures using the model can then override their inherited partner,
Earl, to reference another procedure if needed.
Software developers can think of partners as virtual functions on a model or procedure.
Partners are an important part of making very structured and easy-to-maintain test projects i SeqZap.
The most common partners are the Setup an Cleanup partners for test cases. - Plug-in
- A plug-in is a separate software component implementing some general interface. By having a plugin-structure SeqZap can be extended and customized by the customer without changing SeqZap itself. The most important plugin type in SeqZap is the ZapTool. More info about SeqZap plugins here.
- Preconditions
-
In SeqZap preconditions are used to indicate some external needs for a test
case.
If the preconditions for a test case is not fulfilled, the user can see it in the UI, and alse see what is needed for a particular test case before it can be executed.
A precondition can be said to be the expectation or requirement to the value of a specific Test Setup Property. - Procedure
-
The Procedure is the most basic file element in SeqZap. The user adds a sequence
of actions (procedure steps) to perform when the procedure
is executed.
Procedures can call other procedures with the Procedure Call step. - Procedure Call
-
A procedure call is a Procedure Step that makes
it possible to call/execute one procedure from another.
The procedure call step also sets the values of any parameters for the called procedure. - Procedure Model
- The Procedure Model is a script file element used do define a common interface for procedures. Besides defining the procedure parameters, the Model can also be assigned Custom Properties and Partners. All procedures that links to the same model will share the properties of that model.
- Procedure Profile
- Procedures are categorized with what we call a profile. The profile indicated the basic purpose of each procedure.
- Procedure Step
-
The procedure steps (or just steps) are the individual actions of a procedure.
There are many different step types having each their own specific purpose / functionality. - Project
- The project is the logical script file element that makes a script file a project file. The project definition contains the test case model and the test suite model for the entire project.
- Project File
- A script file with a project definition. The project file is the main/top script file in an automation/test project.
- Script File
- Script files in SeqZap can contain procedures, models, a project definition, a workbech, configuration properties and test suites (and more to come...). SeqZap script files are XML files and are edited and viewed with the build-in graphical editor.
- Regression Test
-
The regression test is the set of tests that are executed every time the system
or product has been changed, to prove that all previously working functionality
not has been broken.
More on Wikipedia. - Smoke Test
-
The smoke test is a "small" sub-set of the regression test,
where only the most important and basic functionality of the product is tested.
More on Wikipedia - see the software section. - Step
- See Procedure Step
- System Testing
-
System Testing is a general term for the software test executed on a "near real
system" for the verification of the system requirements. In system testing the "complete"
product software is running on the real hardware - a fully integrated system. Most
performance tests can only be performed (or only makes sense) on the real complete
system.
System testing is black box testing.
More on Wikipedia. - Test Case
- A test case is just a procedure with the profile set to "Test Case". Only procedures set to be test cases can be inserted in a test suite.
- Test Report
- - not described yet -
- Test Setup Properties
-
Test Setup Properties are specialized Configuration
Properties located in the project definition and
are used to indicate the properties of the current test setup (software and hardware
configuration).
The Test Setup Properties are also used for setting up preconditions on test cases. - Test Step
- This is a Procedure Step that is used to divide a procedure into logical sections. The Test Step can be used to reflect the steps described in the test specification.
- Test Suite
- A test suite is an ordered list of test cases. Having more than one test suite in a project makes it possible to sort and categorize the test cases and only execute the needed test cases in any situation.
- Test Suite Model
- The test suite model is defined in the project and is the model all test suites inherits from. The test suite model defines the common partner list and common Custom Properties for all test suites in the project.
- Time Gate
- A Time Gate is a Procedure Step that can do two things: it can both ensure a minimum execution time for the steps inside its scope, and it can check the minimum and maximum execution time. The Time Gate is much easier to use than performing the same tasks with a delay step and some expect steps.
- Workbench
- In SeqZap a Workbench is a list of "Workbench ZapTools". Each ZapTool in the workbench is globally accessible and is both available in the interactive IDE and from the executing scripts. The Workbench functionality is very unique and makes SeqZap a very complete automation tool.
- ZapTool
- ZapTools are the plug-ins used to interface SeqZap to the surroundings and to add special functionality to the system. More info about ZapTools here.
- ZapTool Extension
- A plug-in that extends an existing ZapTool with more methods, properties and panels. More info about ZapTool Extensions here.