Tricentis Model-Based Test Automation

Model-Based Test Automation is a software testing technique. During Testing, Models are created. They contain the technical information and the expected behavior of the System Under Test.

From there, the model is fed business data that is needed for steering the system and conducting the testing.

How does Model-Based Testing differ from the Script-Based One ?

With Model-Based Test Automation, anyone from developers, the business experts can contribute to test automation. Developers can provide information to the System Under Test and idenrify which part of it is problematic and needs testing. On the other hand, business experts can easily view, control, and update the Test Data as needed.

NOTE - This approach also eliminates the maintainers burden that you erodes most tests automatin initiatives.

Example - If your application changes, something is added or deleted, you can update the model and the change will automatically be made to all the impacted tests

Tricentis Tosca's Model-Based approach supports easy test automation at the UI and API layers. It also supports Service Virtualization and Exploratory Testing.

Instead of programming a test automation framework, we can rapidly scan the application's UI or APIs with Tricentis Tosca to create a business-readable automation model.

The models are Lego-like "building blocks" that can be combined and reuse to create your tests. They can also be reused as many times as needed. 

Buffers

Buffer is to refer to values that can be temporarily saved in Tosca Commander and then used again. These can be either static or dynamic. 

(Buffer stores values during test execution)

Syntax  - {B[BufferName]}

Syntax to create during Verification - {XB[BufferName]}

Buffer can be create by selecting teststep ActionMode as "Buffer"

There are three different ways to buffer values in Tosca:

1. The values of controls can be read or verified and written into the Settings dialog as a buffer. The ActionMode Buffer is used for this purpose.
2. Test data management uses its own syntax to buffer values in a database or to use values from the database.
3. Values are buffered in a test configuration parameter. These is a specific syntax for using values stored in the test configuration parameter.

Tosca provide 4 standard modules to work with buffer, which are available in Buffer standard module.

1. TBox Set Buffer - Create buffer with value assignment.
2. TBox Name to Buffer - Store testcase name to Buffer. 
3. TBox Partial Buffer - Extract partial text.
4. TBox Delete Buffer - Delete buffer

How do I buffer a value ?

To buffer a value from a test object, you'll need to do two things.

1. A Buffer name must be specified as a value of the control to be streered.
2. Buffer is selected as the ActionMode.

 

Repository Structure

Depending on whether you follow an Agile or Waterfall approach, you would set up your Repository accordingly. We either way recommend creating Component folders And within those, you will place your section folders.

Have a component folder that includes templates and references. Template folders contain sample structures with your naming conventions that you can reuse as you add new components to your Tosca project.

Have a Component folder that includes content that is relevant for all projects. That would be Libraries and Modules for example. 

Have one component folder for each project. Within the folder, use the project name and the Requirements, TestCaseDesign, TestCases, Execution and Module folders.

It is also important to define an appropriate naming convention throughout these folders. 

Four Prinicipals 

1. InWork
2. Ready for Approval
3. Approved/ Completed

New aertifacts should only be created within "In Work" folders and then moved to "Ready for approval" folders. 

As soon as they're approved by someone else, they can be moved into the "Approved" folders where they can be used.

Additionally "In Work"  and "Ready for approval" should include one folder for each Tosca user.

Applying those Best Practices when working with Tosca will ensure easier maintenance, greater efficiency and higher readability. 

By following these Best Practices, you will ensure a consistency throughout your project, better readability and communication. And that's not only within your team, but also other business stakeholders.

Naming Conventions

Naming conventions will keep your project readable and make it easier for everyone to understand when working in a distributed team environment. Also it creates better business readability. 

Tricentis Tosca

Tosca is a software tool for the automated execution of functional and regression software testing. is designed and developed by TRICENTIS Technology & Consulting GMbH (An Austrian Software company based on Vienna)

Tricentis Tosca combines multiple aspects of software testing (test case design, test automation, test data design and generation, and analytics) to test GUIs and APIs from a business perspective.In Tricentis Tosca Two of the most frequently-noted technologies are related to Model-based testing and Risk-based testing.

Model-based testing 

Instead of using scripting for test automation, Tricentis Tosca applies a model-based testing approach and creates a model of the application under test. Technical details about the application under test, test case logic, and test data are saved separately and joined together at test execution time. When an element in the application under test changes, the technical details are updated once in the central model. Since the test cases inherit from this model, the various test cases that test the updated element do not need to be modified manually to reflect the change.

Risk-based testing

Based on a risk assessment of the application under test’s requirements, Tricentis Tosca uses risk-based test design to suggest the most effective test cases and identify the risk contribution of each test cases. It also uses a variety of methodologies (such as equivalence partitioning, boundary testing, and combinatorial methods such as linear expansion) to try to minimize the number of test cases while increasing risk coverage. After the tests are executed, the tool aggregates risk coverage from business, technical, and compliance perspectives.

Features

Tricentis Tosca features technologies for 

1. GUI testing
2. API testing
3. Mobile testing
4. Service virtualization
5. Test data design and generation
6. Business intelligence and data warehouse testing
7. Exploratory testing.

It has SAP-certified integration with SAP solutions, and is used to automate testing for SAP technologies such as 

1. SAP S/4HANA
2. SAP Fiori 2.0
3. SuccessFactors
4. SAP CRM
5. Concur Technologies
6. SAP Ariba
7. SAP Business Information Warehouse.

Navigations

Default View of TOSCA  in Workspace.

MenuBar 

The menu on top has a ribbon design that allows you to perform corresponding functions.

Save, undo and redo are also possible from this menu. 

NOTE - After saving your work, yoy will not have the option to undo or redo.

Navigation Pane

On the left-hand side, you have the navigation pane, which enables you to keep an overview of your work.

Working Pane

In the middle is the working pane, Which is where you will focus on the individual items as you carry out your work.

Column Header - 

At the top of the working pane, we have the column header. 

There are various columns available, and they can be shown or hidden as needed. Simply right click on the column header and open the column chooser, to view your options

Double - click on any column name to open that specific column.

To hide columns, click on the column name and drag downward until an X appears and then you can release it.

Window Tabs

On top, just below the ribbon, you have the window tabs,which are used to switch between different sections.

Sections 

We have nine different sections in Tosca.

1. Modules 
2. TestCases 
3. Execution 
4. Requirements 
5. TestCase 
6. Design Issues 
7. Configurations 
8. TestPlanning 
9. DataIntegrity Testing

Modules -

Modules as folders that contain controls in your System Under Test. Modules comprise the technical information required to steer your System Under Test.

Example - The Login page with its fields.

TestCases 

To run a test, you also need business information, such as login credentials and in the TestCases section, you're going to enter this business information necessary to instruct Tosca to automate your System Under Test.

Execution 

After creating your TestCases, you can execute these Tests in the Execution section.This is also where you'll log the results of different Execution Runs over time and you can identify and report bugs step by step.

Requirements

Where you can set up the requrements of your System Under Test.This section will also provide you with an overview of the automation status of your entire project.

This is also possible by right-clicking on the section tab, where you have the options to "Close", "Close All But This", "Float", "New Vertical Group" and "Move to the Next Tab Group".

Another way to open different sections is to open them via "Go to" in the menu above.

Click one "'Section" to see the project root folders you can open. 

Rootfolders

If you see a black arrow, this indicates more options for root folders,root folders contained within component folders.

ComponentFolders

Components folders are additional organizational elements for your porject.

You can create these folders by right-clicking on the project root and selecting "Create Component Folder".

Within these folders, you can add additional Tosca sections,Such as TestCases, Requirements, Execution, and so on, and you can also create objects here. 

Learned  Topics in this section.

1. Steer the Navigation and Working Panes in Tosca.
2. Recoginize and manage key Tosca sections.
3. Save/Undo/Redo your work.

Subsets

While working in Tosca, it will be necessary to import and export subsets.

The subset is a file containing Tosca artifacts that can be transferred from one project to another.

If you want or need to move elements from one common repository to another or between single-user workspaces, you will export a subset from the first workspace and import it into the second one.

To export a subset, you simply select the objects or folders that you want to export and select "Export Subset",

When you want to import a Tosca subset or a ".tsu" file, Simply select the "Import" option.

How the objects are imported into your workspace will be determined by how they were exported.

NOTE - It might be helpful to create a component folder while importing subsets, so that it is easier to locate the new objects in your workspace.

While creating a new workspace, select "Use Workspace template",and then simply browse your machine, for a file that you want to use. The elements will be imported to the new workspace just as they were originally exported.