I am working on gui automation the code is written in python , i am executing the test cases in rdp , What do i do to make it work even the rdp is not opened

Question

I am working on gui automation the code is written in python , i am executing the test cases in rdp , What do i do to make it work even the rdp is not opened

Answer 1

Hello Himasai,

Thank you for your question and for reaching out with your question today.

To automate GUI test cases in Python when the RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) session is not open, you have a few options:

1. Use a headless browser: Headless browsers, such as Selenium WebDriver with headless Chrome or Firefox, allow you to automate web-based GUI tests without the need for a visible browser window. You can run the tests on a remote server without opening an RDP session. Headless browsers simulate the behavior of a real browser but operate in the background, making them ideal for server-side automation. You can use the Selenium library in Python to interact with the headless browser and automate your tests.

2. Use a virtual display: You can use a virtual display to create a virtual screen that acts as a framebuffer for GUI applications. By using a virtual display, you can run your GUI automation code even if the RDP session is not open. One popular virtual display tool is Xvfb (X virtual framebuffer), which creates a virtual display that behaves like a real one. You can launch your GUI application inside the virtual display and interact with it programmatically. There are Python libraries, such as pyvirtualdisplay, that provide a convenient interface for using virtual displays.

Here's a high-level overview of how you can use pyvirtualdisplay and Selenium to automate GUI tests without opening an RDP session:

1. Install the required dependencies:
   - Install Selenium: `pip install selenium`
   - Install pyvirtualdisplay: `pip install pyvirtualdisplay`
   - Install the appropriate WebDriver for your desired browser (e.g., ChromeDriver, GeckoDriver).

2. Import the necessary modules in your Python script:
   ```python
   from pyvirtualdisplay import Display
   from selenium import webdriver

3. Set up and start the virtual display:

      display = Display(visible=0, size=(800, 600))
      display.start()
   

4. Configure the WebDriver to use the virtual display:

      chrome_options = webdriver.ChromeOptions()
      chrome_options.add_argument('--no-sandbox')  # May be required in some environments
      chrome_options.add_argument('--disable-dev-shm-usage')  # May be required in some environments
      chrome_options.add_argument('--headless')
   
      driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=chrome_options)
   

5. Write your GUI automation code using Selenium as usual, interacting with the website or application you want to test.
6. After your tests are complete, stop the virtual display and close the WebDriver:

      driver.quit()
      display.stop()
   

By using a headless browser or a virtual display, you can execute your GUI automation code without the need for an open RDP session.

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Best regards.