Recording and Playing Back Manual Tests
Your manual testing effort might include the following situations:
A test that you will want to run multiple times.
Different manual tests that contain common steps.
Verifying a bug is fixed by using a manual test.
In any of these situations, you can make the testing go more quickly by recording steps in the test and then you can play back these steps. You do this by creating an action recording in Test Runner. You can then use this action recording to fast forward through some of the steps in your manual test. For example, you can fast forward to the exact step in the test that you need to run again to verify that a bug is fixed.
You can include data that these steps can use while they run, for example, to log on to an application or a Web site. You can then continue to test at the point where the action recording stops.
If you created an action recording when you ran Test A, you cannot replay it when you run Test B. However, if you create a set of shared steps for Test A and Test B and create an action recording for these shared steps while you run Test A, you can replay it while you run Test A, Test B, or any other test in your project that uses the same shared steps.
After you create an action recording, you can invoke it during a test. When an action recording runs, it automatically plays back the steps that you recorded.
You can specify what kind of diagnostic information that you want to collect when an action recording is run by configuring a test setting. For more information, see Setting Up Machines and Collecting Diagnostic Information Using Test Settings.
Requirements
- Visual Studio Ultimate, Visual Studio Premium, Visual Studio Test Professional
Note
It is recommended that you create test settings and associate them with your tests before you run them using the Test Settings Manager in the Lab Center. For more information, see Setting Up Machines and Collecting Diagnostic Information Using Test Settings.
Key Tasks
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Associated Topics |
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Create an action recording: If you foresee that you might have to run a manual test case multiple times, when you run a test in Test Runner you can optionally create an action recording. Similarly, one can also be created for shared steps within your test and then be used within other tests. |
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Map data parameters to UI controls in the application being tested: If you want to run a manual test case multiple times with different data, you do not have to create multiple copies of the test case. You can add parameters to the actions or expected results for any test step in your test case. |
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Play back the action recording to fast forward through your test: After you have completed a test that has an action recording included in its test results, you may play back any or all of the recorded steps in the action recording, which will automatically run the steps conducted during the recording. You can also preview the steps in text format. |
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Supported configurations and platforms for action recordings: Confirm which configurations and platforms are supported for creating and playing back action recordings. |
Related Tasks
Setting Up Machines and Collecting Diagnostic Information Using Test Settings
Information about how to create test settings, which you can associate with tests before you run them using the Test Settings Manager in the Lab Center. This avoids having to specify test settings for a test when you run them. The section also includes information about how to collect various diagnostic information that is saved with test results, including trace and system information.
Running Manual Tests Using Test Runner
Overview about how to create and run manual tests including attaching documents and screen shots, and submitting bugs while you run a manual test.