Introduction

Though Qualitia covers most of the actions required for automation testing, there might still be a need to add some more actions to Qualitia based on the project requirements. Qualitia allows you to develop your own actions and make them available to use while automating test cases for the application under test.

The custom action module allows you to develop and maintain these actions in a convenient way. 

This module provides:

• A guided and easy to follow guidelines to develop custom actions,

• Make code templates, required dependencies, and sample codes easily available to anyone who can create custom actions,

• Maintain the custom action code just like you maintain tasks and test cases using a version control tool like SVN or Git, and

• Share these custom actions with other project members for use.

Working with Custom Actions for Web and Mobile Projects

After you import all your existing custom actions in Qualitia, you can now create, modify, search, or view the custom action codes in Qualitia automation studio itself. In the cases of multi user scenario, you can share these actions easily with other team members just as you share your tasks and test cases.

Also, any of the project members can update the code using an Eclipse IDE based on the requirements. You can launch an Eclipse IDE from Qualitia automation studio itself.

Importing Existing Custom Actions Created in Previous Qualitia Versions

If you have created custom actions using a Qualitia version before v7.0.0, then you can import your existing set of custom actions into Qualitia. Importing custom actions is simple 3 step process.

Creating a Custom Action for a Web/Mobile Project

Pre-Requisites

• Eclipse IDE for Java Developers (Version 2019-03 recommended)

• JDK version 1.8 and JRE version 1.8
   Both JDK and JRE are bundled with the above Eclipse IDE version. 

• Custom Action Developer privileges in Qualitia

• Set Eclipse Path under Project Settings

• Add multiple jar files under Project Settings

Creating New Custom Actions

1. From the Expand Menu, click Develop.

2. Click the Custom Actions tab.

3. Click the Add Button (  ) or Create Custom Action button.
   The Custom Actions screen appears.

4. Select Base Class.
    The Custom Object Class file name including its file path should not exceed 256 characters when you are using Git/Bitbucket as a source control system for maintaining project artifacts.

5. Do one of the following:

   • To add a new Qualitia Class:

     1. Click the Plus button next to Custom Object Class to add a custom object class by mapping to the Qualitia Class that you want to add.

     2. Enter the java class file name without its extension along with the package name (if required), in Qualitia Class.

   • To select a pre-defined Qualitia Class that is mapped to a Custom Object Class:

     • From the Custom Object Class drop-down list, select a pre-defined custom object class.
       The associated Qualitia Class is selected automatically.

       Points To Know

       • For example, if you add a Qualitia Class "com.security.login", then this file creates a package and a java file called as "com.security" and "login.java" respectively.
       • The Custom Object Class is a user-friendly alternate name for a Qualitia Class, which you can specify.

       
       

       

6. Enter Action Name, Description and Function Name for the action to be created.

7. In the Properties section, click Add.
   A new line will be added in the grid.

8. Add Parameter Name, Description, ArgDataType for the parameter, and select whether this parameter is mandatory.

   1. To save the action, click Save.

   2. To save the action and launch the code template in Eclipse IDE, click Save and Launch Eclipse.

9. Close the Welcome on the IDE window to see your auto-generated custom action code template.

10. Import the pre-created Custom Action Java project workspace into Eclipse workspace.
     This is a one-time activity for a project.
    

    1. To import the pre-created workspace, right-click Package Explorer, and select Import from the context-menu.

    2. On the Import window, under the General section, select Existing Projects into Workspace and then click Next.

    3. In the Select root directory section, click the Browse button, select <PROJECTNAME>_QASJavaproject and click Finish.
       You will find this directory under Qualitia project path.
       
       

11. In Eclipse IDE, from the Window menu, select Preferences.

12. Select General > Workspace > Select Refresh using native hooks or polling.

13. Click Apply and Close.

14. Ensure you do not change the method signature and provide only the method body. Changing the signature in code may break your action in Qualitia.

15. In the editor, add the custom action code in the provided template for your custom action.

16. To add the dependent jars, do the following in the order listed:

    1. Add the dependent jar files in the lib folder under the project.
       

    2. Right-click the Project, point to Build Path, and then select Configure Build Path.

    3. Click Libraries > Add JARs.

    4. Under Jar Selection window, expand the Project folder.

    5. Under the lib folder, select the dependent Jar, and click Ok. 

    6. Click Apply and Close.

17. Build the project and close the Eclipse IDE.
    To work this custom action code in the Qualitia automation test cases, you must build the project successfully.
    You can now use this newly created custom action while developing task and test cases in Qualitia.

Recommendations and Rules for Custom Actions

Generic Recommendations

• The parameter data types supported by Qualitia are String and Array. If an array parameter is used in Qualitia for the custom action, then custom action parameter should be of the type Object in Custom Action function. The parameter can then be type-casted into the data type which is required in the action.
  For example, the object parameter can be type-casted into the array list.

• Based on the standard Java coding rules, actions should not be created in the default package. For better maintenance, it is recommended to use user-defined packages for development.

• It is recommended to put a prefix when defining a name for new custom actions for easy identification.

• No two custom actions can have the same function name in the same class. Function overloading is not allowed. Duplicate function names in different classes are allowed (not recommended). 

• Once the action is mapped into Qualitia and used in a test case, do not change the existing signature or other details of the actions or the classes created. The functionality of the action can be modified. Do not delete the custom actions or custom classes that are used in test cases.

• If the custom action belongs to any object type (such as WebEdit, WebElement, and so forth), ensure you add the objectInfo data type parameter while developing the code of an action.

• While mapping actions into Automation Studio, it is important to map the action using <package.class> hierarchy. 

• Objects should be added under appropriate Qualitia classes while mapping custom actions into Qualitia Automation Studio

New Recommendations from Qualitia v8.0.0

Making a New Class for Recommendations

package <QASpackagename>; 

import com.qualitia.execution.ActionResponse; 
 import com.qualitia.execution.ApplicationLogger; 
 import com.qualitia.models.testcase.ExecutionResult; 
 import com.webdriverfw.Wrappers.General; 

 <QASimportlist> 

 

 public class <QASclassname> extends General { 

 

 //Define your customs actions here 

 

 }

Writing Custom Actions in the Accepted Format

   package <QASpackagename>; 

import com.qualitia.execution.ActionResponse;   import com.qualitia.execution.ApplicationLogger;   import com.qualitia.models.testcase.ExecutionResult;   import com.webdriverfw.Wrappers.General; 

  <QASimportlist> 

  

  public class <QASclassname> extends General { 

  

  //Define your customs actions here 

  

  }

 public ActionResponse <QASmethodname>(<QASparametername>) { 

     

     ActionResponse actionResponse = getActionResponse(); 

     ApplicationLogger applicationLogger = actionResponse.getApplicationLogger(); 

     actionResponse.setExecutionResult(ExecutionResult.FAILED); 

     try { 

               // Your code here... 

             

           applicationLogger.writeToInfoLog(""); 

           actionResponse.setMessage("Successful message"); 

           actionResponse.setExecutionResult(ExecutionResult.PASSED); 

        } catch (Exception ex) { 

           applicationLogger.writeToErrorLog("Exception message", ex); 

           actionResponse.setMessage(“Failed Message”, FailureCategory); 

           actionResponse.setExecutionResult(ExecutionResult.FAILED); 

        } 

        return actionResponse; 

}  

ApplicationLooger

• applicationLogger.writeToInfoLog(""); 

• applicationLogger.writeToErrorLog(""); 

• Info Log

• Error Log

Show Link of File in Info Log Section 

Setting an Execution Result

• ExecutionResult.PASSED is used to set when the action is passed.

• ExecutionResult.FAILED is used to set when the action is failed. 

• ExecutionResult.DEFECT is used to set when the action has a defect. 

• ExecutionResult.NOT_EXECUTED is used to set when the action halts the execution.  

In Older Versions before 8.0.0 :  

    public int EqualStrings(String a, String b)  

    {  

    if(a.equals(b))  

    {  

    DataLogger.writeToDebugAndInfoLogs("they are equal");  

    return 0;  

    }  

    else  

    {  

    DataLogger.writeToDebugAndInfoLogs("they are not equal");  

    return 1;  

    }  

    }  

  

    In Qualitia 8.0.0 Version :  

    public AcionResponse EqualStrings(String a, String b)  

    {  

    ActionResponse actionResponse = getActionResponse();  

    if(a.equals(b))  

    {  

    actionResponse.setMessage("they are equal");  

    actionResponse.setExecutionResult(ExecutionResult.PASSED);  

    return actionResponse;  

    }  

    else  

    {  

    actionResponse.setMessage("they are not                                                                                equal”,FailureCategories.Category.INVALID_DATA);  

    actionResponse.setExecutionResult(ExecutionResult.FAILED);  

    return actionResponse;  

    }  

    }

 Adding a Failure Category for a Custom Action

package com.webdriverfw.Wrappers; 

 Import com.qualitia.execution.failureclassifications.FailureClassificatio; 

 public enum MyCategoriesEnum implements FailureClassification { 

    MY_CUSTOM_CATEGORY1("This is my custom category 1"), 

    MY_CUSTOM_CATEGORY2("This is my custom category 2"); 

  

    private String name; 

  

    MyCategoriesEnum(String s) { 

        name = s; 

    } 

   public String getCategory() { 

        return name; 

    } 

}   

 

actionResponse.setMessage("message",FailureCategories.CustomCategory.NEW_CUSTOM_CATEGORY1);

actionResponse.setMessage("message",FailureCategory.newCategory("Categoryname")); 

package com.webdriverfw.Wrappers; 

 public class MyCategoriesConstants { 

   public static final String MY_CUSTOM_CATEGORY3 = "This is my custom category 1"; 

    public static final String MY_CUSTOM_CATEGORY4 = "This is my custom category 2"; 

} 

actionResponse.setMessage("message",FailureCategory.newCategory(MY_CUSTOM_CATEGORY3)); 

Qualitia Public APIs for Custom Actions

Debugging a Custom Action

1. Do in the following order listed to create necessary test artifacts:

   1. Create a test case and include the custom action that you want to debug at the appropriate step. For more information, refer to Adding a Test Case Manually

   2. From the test case editor, click Run to dry run the test case to verify whether the custom action is hit.

   3. Create a test suite that contains the test case. For more information, refer to Creating a Suite.

   4. Create an offline suite using the test suite. For detailed instructions, refer to Creating an Offline Package.

2. To add the required files for debugging the custom action:

   1. Open the custom action you want to debug in the Eclipse project.

   2. Add the TestHarness.Java file for the custom action in the Eclipse project.

   3. Add the Config Folder in the Eclipse project.

   4. In the config folder, open the startupSettings.json file, and specify the location of the offline suite for “SuitesDir”.
      For example: "SuitesDir":"D:/Qualitia Offline/Suite1"

3. Insert a breakpoint at an appropriate line number in the custom action.

4. Start debugging the TestHarness.Java file.

5. The test suite execution starts.
   When the custom action is executed, the execution stops at the breakpoint you have inserted.
   You can go ahead and debug the custom action.

Troubleshooting (Custom Action Module)

Import Custom Action Cannot be continue due to following errors;...

Resolution:

Updating Qualitia Project Path

1. Ensure you clone all the project data to the new directory.
   This includes Test cases, Tasks, Custom actions, and Java project folders (which hold all the latest custom action code).

2. Remove the existing project from the workspace.

3. To import the cloned java project from the new directory, right-click Package Explorer, and select Import from the context menu.

4. On the Import window, under the General section, select Existing Projects into Workspace and then click Next.

5. In the Select root directory section, click the Browse button, select <PROJECTNAME>_QASJavaproject and click Finish.
   This is in the new directory where you have cloned the Qualitia project data.

6. Select General > Workspace > Select Refresh using native hooks or polling.

7. Click Apply and Close.

Custom Action Custom Files are Not Pushed to Project Path GIT Repository

1. Open the Eclipse Project.

2. Click Windows > Preferences > Teams > Git > Projects.

3. In the right side of the Preference dialog box, under Projects, deselect the Automatically ignore derived resources by adding them.gitignore checkbox.

Other Validations

Once you have fixed all the errors mentioned above, you can continue importing custom actions in Qualitia. 

Working with Custom Actions for Desktop Projects

Qualitia bundles all the actions that are required for the software automation testing. Additionally, it also facilitates its users to create their customized actions which they can use when developing and executing test cases. In order to create the custom actions for Qualitia for Desktop, the user needs to create the action in VBscript and then map the action using Qualitia.

Creating a Custom Action for Desktop Projects

You can create a custom action to enable execution on desktop objects for which you need to program in Visual Basic. Also, you can create general web actions that do not require desktop objects.  

Before creating a custom action, if you have a VB editor other than Notepad, then edit the VB Editor path in Project Settings. 

For example, if you want to create custom action as "CustomSetValueInEditBox" for WebEdit, create a new vbs file with name CustomWebEdit. This action will set the specified value into the webedit so method will look similar to below.

The first arg is the webedit object as this action will directly perform the action on the edit boxobject. The second arg is of type string which is the value that needs to be set in the edit box. The custom action returns with an integer value.

If the action does not interact with any object then ObjectInfo parameter is not required.

ℹ

To create a custom action for desktop projects:

1. Open the desktop project where you want to create a custom action.

2. From the Expand Menu, click Custom Actions.

3. Click the Custom Actions tab.

4. Do the following in the order listed.

   1. Enter the name of action, in Action Name.

   2. Enter the role of the custom action, in Description.

   3. From the Technology drop-down list, select the technology under which you want to create a  custom action.

   4. From the Base Class drop-down list, select a base class.

   5. If you select a base class as General to create general actions, you get a pop-up to select  Java or VB.
      Do one of the following:

      • To do coding in VB , select VB, and continue performing the actions as mentioned here.

      • To do coding in Java, select Java.  The dialog box for creating general actions opens. For more information, refer to creating a custom action for web and mobile projects.

   6. From the VBS File drop-down list, do one of the following:

      1. Select an existing visual basic file.

      2. Select Create New File to create a new visual basic file. Enter the name of the new VB file you want to create without including its extension.

   7. From the Functions drop-down list, do one of the following:

      1. Select an existing function.

         You must ensure that you do not map a function created for a General Action to a Non General Action and vice versa.  However, if you do so, you might see unexpected behaviour of your Custom Action.

      2. Select Create New Function to create a new function. Enter the name of new function.

5. Under Properties, do one of the following:

   1. If you have selected an existing function, the existing arguments are displayed. You need to select data type for existing parameters.

   2. If you have selected a new function, add new parameters along with their data types.

6.  Do one of the following;

   • Click Save to save the custom action in the selected VB script file.

   • Click Save and Launch Editor to save the custom action in the selected VB script file and then launch this file in the VB editor.
     The custom action is added.

7. Click Edit Code to write codes to develop the custom action.
   You need to consider the custom action rules.

Rules for Mapping Custom Actions

• The parameter types supported by Qualitia QTP / UFT are String, integer, and Array.

• Error Resume Next Statement

Add the On Error Resume Next statement at the beginning of the function and the On Error Goto 0 statement before the function end.

• Execution Report Value

All custom actions shall return following integer values only as shown in the following table.

No two custom actions can have the same function name in the same class.

Once the custom action is mapped into Qualitia and used in a test case, do not change the existing signature or other details of the action. The logic of the action can be modified. Also do not delete the action that has been used in the Test Case.

• Add the following block to report the function execution status back to Qualitia Report

Assign the execution report value as Pass or Fail to the function. You can also assign the value using variables ‘STATUS_PASSED’, ‘STATUS_FAILED’ and ‘STATUS_DEFECT’. The WriteStatusToLogs is used to display the message in Qualitia execution report.

• Return a Value or Store a Value in a Variable

To return a value/store a value in variable from custom action, we need to use the following code:

For example,  AddItemToStorageDictionary strKey, strValue

The required value, strValue will be stored in the variables strKey and it can be used across the test case to retrieve the variable value. 

• Using or Passing integer values in Qualitia

To use any value as an integer inside the custom action, make sure to use Cint() and specify the data type as String while mapping the custom action in QFD.

• Debugging a Custom Action

If you wish to debug the action, then create a test case in Qualitia using the newly created custom action.

Perform a dry run of the test case and once UFT is invoked, insert a debug point.

Modifying Custom Actions

Modify Custom Action Metadata

1. From the Expand Menu, click Develop.

2. Click the Custom Actions tab.

3. In the left pane, click the desired custom action which you want to update.
   Custom action details will appear in the right pane.

4. Click Edit.

5. Update Action Name, Description, Function Name, and parameters details based on the requirements.

6. Click Save and Launch Editor.

   For desktop project custom action developed in VB, you cannot add or remove parameters from the mapped function for an unused cutsom action from Qualitia client.  To work around this issue, launch the associated VBS file from Qualitia client, add or remove parameters for the mapped function, and remap the function to the custom action from Custom Action window.

Modify Custom Action Code

1. From the Expand Menu, click Develop.

2. Click the Custom Actions tab.

3. In the left pane, select the desired custom action which you want to update.
   Custom action details will appear in the right pane.

4. Click View Code.
   The code appears in the different section.

5. To update the code in the Eclipse IDE, click Edit Code.
   The code template with an existing code opens in the Eclipse IDE.

6. Update the code based on the requirements.

7. Build the project and close Eclipse IDE.
   

   Once you close the Eclipse IDE, Qualitia automatically commits the code to the version control system like Bitbucket or SVN (if configured) and makes the code available to other Qualitia project members.

Deleting Custom Actions

1. From the Expand Menu, click Develop.

2. Click the Custom Actions tab.

3. Search the desired custom action.

4. Select the action in the left pane.
   Custom action details will appear in the right pane.

5. Click Delete.