QTP Vs Robot

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Purpose:

The purpose of this section is to compare Rational Robot and Mercury Quick Test Professional based on Functional Testing.

Comparsion of QTP and Robot

Tool Record and Playback
QTP Provides the ability to record test using a red GUI button; you can also record (Virtual user) test scripts to play back in LoadTest (another tool by Rational). Robot uses a language very similar to Visual Basic called SQABasic. It supports the following data types: String, Integer, Long, Variant, object, single, double, currency, user-defined. User defined allows you to build a mixture of data types similar to a ‘struct’ in C or a ‘record’ is Pascal.
Robot QuickTest records the operations we perform, displays them as steps in the Keyword View, and generates scripts in the expert view. These are recorded as VB script-like commands into “Actions”, which are similar to functions. All manipulated objects that QTP recognizes are also added to the object repository. Once recorded we get editable QTP scripts. Each test in Quick test includes a single action. Multiple actions can be included when needed.


Tool Web Support
QTP QTP provides options such as browser timeout for Testing Web Applications.The browser details can be specified in the record run settings in Web Option.
Robot To enable the web-based functionality, you usually have to launch a browser using StartBrowser function and by enabling the appropriate HTML box in the extension manager found under Tools->Extension Manager. Following are some of the commands supported: HTMLDocument for positioning the cursor in web pages, HTMLImages for clicking an image, HTMLLink for performing a click on web link, SQASetDefaultBrowser for setting default browser. There are a host of Java commands to use as well.


Tool Environment Support
QTP QTP supports a wide range of environments from Visual Basic, ActiveX, Web, Java, Emulators, Seibel, People Soft, Small Talk and much more.
Robot Supports HTML, DHTML, Java, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Oracle Developer/2000, Delphi, SAP, PeopleSoft and Sybase PowerBuilder.


Tool Cost
QTP Node locked: $7,800
Concurrent: $11,800

As of version 6.5, QTP’s support for .NET, Terminal Emulators, mySAP, PeopleSoft Web & GUI Clients, and Siebel are add-ons. That is, customers will have to pay $1,000 per add-on.
Robot Depends on number of licenses purchased. Varies from $2500-4000 per license.


Tool Ease of Use
QTP Mercury QuickTest Professional™ allows even novice testers to be productive in minutes. You can create a test script by simply pressing a Record button and using an application to perform a typical business process. Each step in the business process is automated documented with a plain-English sentence and screen shot. Users can easily modify, remove, or rearrange test steps in the Keyword View.
Robot Easiest to use. A person without any programming skills could easily learn and use this tool. Very good user interface and error messaging.


Tool Database Test
QTP Database tests are supported in QTP by the Database query Wizard.
You can create database output values by defining a query to retrieve data from the database and selecting the values you want to output from the query result set. You can then specify the output settings for the selected values. During the run session, QuickTest captures the current data from the database and outputs the values according to the specified settings.
Robot Database tests are supported via ODBC using following functions: SQLOpen, SQLClose, SQLError, SQLRetrieve, SQLRetrieveToFile, SQLExecQuery etc.


Tool Data Functions
QTP Test data can be stored in an excel format called a Data Table, This datatable stores data in an RDBMS format, which can be retrieved using inbuilt data functions in QTP.
Robot Simply the best tool for this function. It provides a resource for data creation called Datapool. Datapool table allows you to create data for feeding into an application but unlike lists, arrays, and user-defined records.


Tool Object Mapping
QTP Objects stored in the Object repository can be referred using a name. This mapping can be used in the scripting to get or set values on the corresponding object on the AUT(Application Under Test)
Robot Object mapping facilities can be accessed through the tools->general options menu. This allows you to include (map) a class against known classes. The classes to map include Java, HTML, PeopleSoft Tools and standard windows controls


Tool Object Identity Tool
QTP Objects can be spied using a tool called Object Spy. The user can point to the object in the application and then have the object added to the Object repository. Inversely, the user can also have the tool to highlight an object on the application by using the highlight in application tool within the Object Repository Manager Option.
Robot Uses a utility called Inspector. You select inspector and it searches all the open applications and displays all related objects and properties in a tree-like view.


Tool Extensible language
QTP QTP uses VB scripting and also provides extensibility support through OLE automation. A complete guide is provided through its help.
Robot Robot’s language can be extended in two ways: One by declaring a function in DLL and then calling it. You can also extend the language by creating classes in languages like: VB and then creating an instance of the class using the CreateObject function.


Tool Integration
QTP QTP can be integrated with Mercury Business Testing and Mercury Quality Center
Robot Robot integrates very well with other rational products including LoadTest, ClearQuest, Purify, Quantify, and Purecoverage. There is also an API that allows for further integration to run a Java test. Also, a few third party products integrate with Robot as well.


Tool Image Testing
QTP QTP supports image testing through Bitmap Checkpoints.When you run the test, QuickTest compares the object or selected area of the object currently displayed on the Web page or application with the bitmap stored when the test was recorded. If there are differences, QuickTest captures a bitmap of the actual object and displays it with the expected bitmap in the details portion of the Test Results window. By comparing the two bitmaps (expected and actual), you can identify the nature of the discrepancy.
Robot Robot supports image testing via its region and window image verification points.


Tool Object Test
QTP Quick Test identifies objects of two types

• Test Objects: Objects in the test that represent objects in the application or website that are created and maintained by QTP.
• Run Time Objects: Objects in the application that are created and maintained by the Browser.
Three object management tools are available to maintain both the test and runtime objects in the test.
1.Object Identification: It is used to set the properties used to identify an object.
2.Object Repository: All objects recorded for the test are stored in the repository. The Object Repository displays all objects in the current action or the entire test.
Object Spy :It can be used to view the properties and values of an object in any open application.
Robot Robot’s facilities for doing object tests are known as verification points. The following verification points are available: Alphanumeric, clipboard, Menu, Object data, Object properties, Region Image, Windows existence, windows image, file comparison, file existence, module existence, website scan and website compare.


Tool Support
QTP Mercury support is rated to be the best among testing tool and the developer can expect a reply from Mercury within 4 hours.
Robot Some of the testing folks we talked to don’t like the helpdesk. They told us that most of the time helpdesk people would tell you to refer to the manual. They found that some online forums like: http://www.dundee.net.sqa/ is more helpful than Rational helpdesk.


Recommendation

These recommendations are based on applications, users, teams, and organizations. Different tools are appropriate in different circumstances:

• IBM Rational Robot is the right choice for users who have strong programming
skills and for users who work closely with development teams.

• Mercury Quick Test Professional is best for centralized testing teams that work on a wide
range of apps and include team members with varying levels of programming skill.

Tool evaluation and selection is a project in its own right. It can take between 2 and 6 weeks. It will need team members, a budget, goals and timescales. There will also be people issues i.e. “politics”.

Start by looking at your current situation

 Identify your problems
 Explore alternative solutions
 Realistic expectations from tool solutions
 Are you ready for tools?

Make a business case for the tool

 What are your current and future manual testing costs?
 What are initial and future automated testing costs?
 What return will you get on investment and when?

Identify candidate tools

 Identify constraints (economic, environmental, commercial, quality, political)
 Classify tool features into mandatory & desirable
 Evaluate features by asking questions to tool vendors
 Investigate tool experience by asking questions to other tool users
 Plan and schedule in-house demonstration by vendors
 Make the decision

Choose a test tool that best fits the testing requirements of your organization or company. An “Automated Testing Handbook” is available from the Software Testing Institute (www.ondaweb.com/sti), which covers all of the major considerations involved in choosing the right test tool for your purposes.

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