Using the IBM Rational functional Tester 8.2.1 automated Flex Spark test

IBM Rational Functional Tester enables you to automate regression testing of applications in multiple areas, including Java, HTML,. NET, Microsoft Silverlight, Adobe Flex, and Dojo Toolkit. Version 8.2.1 adds support for testing Flex Spark applications, as well as some other new features. This article describes the settings and script creation for testing Flex Spark applications. You will learn how to enable the Spark application so that Rational functional Tester can recognize Spark controls. This gives you a better understanding of it, making it easier for you to use the Rational functional Tester to automate the testing of Flex Spark.

Prerequisite

Rational functional Tester 8.2.1 or later.

Adobe Flash Builder 4.0 or later.

Adobe Flash Player version 10.0 or later.

Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox browser

Java Runtime Environment (JRE)

Overview of the Rational functional Tester Flex test support

Rational functional Tester supports the testing of flex applications built on Flex SDK 2.0 and later. With the release of Flex4, a new skin component architecture, called Spark, has been introduced for Flex user interface components. If the application containing the Flex Spark control is built on Flex SDK 4.0 or 4.1, then Rational functional Tester version 8.2.1 and later will support the testing of these applications. Testing of flex applications requires the steps to enable the flex application so that it can be tested using Rational functional Tester. Enabling involves adding a reference to an Automation library in a Flex application. This can be done at the source code level, or as runtime enabled. This article describes enabling at the source code level.

To add a reference to an Automation library in a Flex application

Use the Rational functional Tester to automate Flex application testing, which requires adding references to flex and functional Tester Flex Automation Automation libraries. These libraries are actually automated. swc files. The Flex Automation library is installed with the Flash Builder, and its corresponding functional Tester Flex Automation Automation Library is installed along with the Rational functional Tester.

You can add references to an Automation library in one of the following three ways, which are explained individually by the following sections:

Add a reference in the Flash Builder IDE

Add a reference using the Rational functional Tester Configure Application Wizard

To add a reference using the command line

Method 1. Add a reference in the Flash Builder IDE

Start Flash Builder 4.0 or later and create a new Flex project.

An Testsparkwithrft.mxml application that imports attachments.

Select Flex Project > Src > Package.

Right-click the package and click Import.

Select General > File System.

Click Next.

Browse to the directory where you saved the. mxml file. Select the. mxml file from the right pane and click Finish.

Go to Project > Properties > Flex Compiler.

In the Additional Compiler parameter text box, add the library in Listing 1.

Listing 1. The Library to add

-locale en_US -include-libraries "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash Builder 4.x\sdks\
4.x\frameworks\libs\automation\automation.swc"
"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash Builder 4.x\sdks\4.x\
frameworks\libs\automation\automation_agent.swc"
"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash Builder
4.x\sdks\4.x\frameworks\libs\automation\automation_spark.swc"
"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash Builder 4.x\sdks\4.x\frameworks\libs\automation\
automation_dmv.swc"
"C:\Program Files\IBM\SDP\FunctionalTester\bin\rftFlex4.0.swc"
"C:\Program Files\IBM\SDP\FunctionalTester\bin\rftProp_Flex4.0.swc"

Important matters:

Replace the 4.x with the corresponding Flash Builder and SDK versions in the above parameters.