RoutineBot – GUI Test Automation Robot

As long as RoutineBot is interface testing software, which use image patters for testing purposes it is easy to use for testing of online applications and web-sites.

Actually, for RoutineBot it doesn’t matter what to test — Windows application or web-based application or something else. RoutineBot does exactly as user does, e.g. search for some image pattern on the screen, then click on it or move mouse to it or select some option in the menu.

Here are some typical steps that should be included into web application testing script:

1. Wait until the web-page will be fully loaded in your browser
2. Do some action. For instance, click some button or on some link or select category from drop-list.
3. Check results against expected results.

How to do this with RoutineBot?

To wait until page is loaded use the following code:

repeat

res:=MouseFocuse(‘tag-in-browser.bmp’,10000);

until res=1;

where tag-in-browser should be an image pattern for loaded tag in the browser.

How to check what results are there?

res1:=MouseFocuse(‘error-message1.bmp’,10000);

res2:=MouseFocuse(‘error-message2.bmp’,10000);

res3:=MouseFocuse(‘ok-message.bmp’,10000);

if res1 = 1 then res_msg:=’Failed: error message1′;

if res2 = 1 then res_msg:=’Failed: error message2′;

if res3 = 1 then res_msg:=’Passed’;

WriteText(‘C:\tmp\res.txt’, res_msg,1); //this command will append res_msg to the output file

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Every software developer faces the problem of software interface test automation. In most cases we call it GUI = Graphical User Interface or just UI, which is for User Interface. If test is performed manually, it will take significant time of tester. The better idea is using GUI test automation software such as RoutineBot.

The software is easy to use and doesn’t require any special knowledge to run. Here is how it works:

• Step 1 – Create GUI test plan. It is necessary to understand first, what part of the software you want to test. It is important to find some specific part, not all functions of application.
• Step 2 – Create GUI test script. Run RoutineBot and start recording test script. It works in the following way. You can select some image pattern from the screen, then make the program to focus or click on this pattern. Learn more about all available GUI testing commands.
• Step 3 – Results of GUI testing. With RoutineBot quality engineer can create an output file with some specific text, such as “Test Passed”, “Test Passed with warnings” or something else.

Why RoutineBot

Sure, there are a lot of other GUI testing tools, such as reviewed here. Why use RoutineBot for GUI testing purpose?

• It is flexible. With pascal-like syntax it is possible to create any kind of conditional or cycle structures (like if or repeat … until). More about supported commands.
• It image pattern based. Unlike other applications, it is not just record how mouse moves across the screen, so if something will be changed in application, it will still work perfect.
• It is inexpensive. Just check pricing information, it is not 1K$+, it is affordable for small and middle size developer teams.

The best idea is to try 30-days fully-function version of RoutineBot, which is available for download from our web-site.

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RoutineBot is not only interface testing software. Actually, one can use it to automate almost any task on your PC. Sure, there are some limitation and possible problems that you might face, but RoutineBot can save you a lot of time, working in the night or when you don’t need your PC.

Possible applications

To have an idea about RoutineBot possible applications for interface testing think about any routine task that you had to repeat. RoutineBot can be used to automate some routine tasks where fixed algorithm is used and there is no need to change anything. For instance, if you need always to fill some data in fixed form then RoutineBot can help.

Sometime it will be enough to create simple script, but sometime you will need programmer skills to create some add-on programs that will help to integrate RoutineBot’s script in your environment. So, here is the list of possible applications:

• Filling some data on web-sites. If you have a web-site where you need to enter some fixed data, then it will form great. For instance, when I add a new product to my e-shop I always need to select some default images, such as boxshot, screenshot, big screenshot, small screen shot and it takes few minutes to do this. Now, I’ve got the script which does exactly the same, but I have some free time for a coffee or some office task.
• Lists and selecting items from lists. Again, sometime, I submit whitepapers to the same site and I always need to dig through the number of categories. I now have a script which clicks on the drop list, scrolls it down and once it “see” my category it choose it.
• Making screenshots. Sometime I need to do some specific things to make a screenshot of application. First, I need to open specific file in the software, then I should click some buttons and focus mouse on the necessary object. Then I click PrintScreen key and then… I need to run PhotoShop, create a new file, paste there image, resize it accordingly. Sounds like very routine task, but now I’ve managed script to do this for me.
• Prepare something for you… RoutineBot can click buttons, but it is not a human. RoutineBot cannot do you job for you, but it can help you much. For instance, it can prepare some project for you to work on. It can run some application, click some buttons or menus inside.
• Emulate pressing any keys on keyboard,,, Any time RoutineBot can emulate pressing and keys on the keyboard, check the syntax for the EnterKeys command.

Automation of routine tasks

You can check the list of commands available in RoutineBot with should description telling what these command do and how you might benefit. To access these commands you should run RoutineBot, select there Script tab, and click “Add action” button.

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