IBM Rational Functional Tester Extension for Terminal-based Applications Release Notes

About These Release Notes

This release contains the IBM^(R) Rational^(R) Functional Tester Extension for Terminal-based Applications v1.2.1 (Extension for Terminal-based Applications). These release notes provide installation and system requirements information and information that is not available from the online Help system.

Introduction

Extension for Terminal-based Applications is a tool that creates test scripts to automate your host application test cases.

Through the use of terminal verification points and properties, as well as synchronization code to identify when the terminal is ready for user input, Extension for Terminal-based Applications provides you with a rich set of capabilities to test host attributes, host field attributes and screen flow through a host application.

Using Extension for Terminal-based Applications, you can

• Store, load and share common host configurations through the use of a properties file. Using these files, scripts can automate the loading of a connection configuration.
• Record or play scripts against multiple host terminals.
• Launch the terminal even when you are not recording or playing your scripts. This allows you to interact with the host without leaving the working Eclipse or Visual Studio .NET environment.

What's new in v1.2

The following features are new in v1.2:

• Support for Character-level verification points.
• Support for VT terminal sessions.
• Support for Keyboard Remap, Color Remap, File Transfer and Print Screen functions.

Support for Character-level verification points

Character-level verification points are supported through the Test Object Browser, but not the through the Object Finder. To get to the character level, bring up the Verification Point and Action wizard, select the Test Object Browser from the drop-down menu, and expand the objects as follows.

1. From the Select Test Object pane, expand Frame, then SplitPane, then Terminal, then Screen. This displays a list of all the fields defined for the screen.
2. Expand the field that contains the character you want to test. Fields are named Field_x_y, where x is the row containing the field, and y is the column.
3. On VT (UNIX^(R)) systems, there is only one field, Field_1_1, which contains each character on the screen. After expanding the field, select the character you want to test. Characters are named Char_x_y_z, where x and y are the same as the corresponding Field, and z is the character position within the field. The recognition properties of this character are shown in the Object Recognition Properties pane. The value of the char property is the character as it appears on the screen.

Support for VT terminal sessions

Support for VT (Unix) terminal sessions is provided through the VT terminal types and corresponding code pages on the main window. Support is provided for several different popular VT types, from VT100 to VT420. Note that the term "VT100" is sometimes used as a general term for VT terminal support, while the actual terminal type that is needed might be a newer type of VT terminal. The FTE support for the VT100 terminal type exactly matches a VT100 terminal, including its limited character set, which might not be ideal for some applications. The VT default terminal type is the default type supported by the emulator, which can change from release to release. If you do not know which type of VT terminal you need, you might start by trying the VT default terminal.

If you will be using a UTF8 terminal session, make sure you select the VT UTF8 terminal type and a corresponding UTF8 code page.

If Program Function keys do not seem to work properly for a VT terminal session, try the following solutions:

1. If you have system administrator authority, make sure the UNIX system default keyboard has been set properly.
2. As a workaround, usually the PF1 through PF9 keys can be entered as the Esc+1 through Esc+9 keys, and PF10 can be entered as Esc+0.
3. You may also want to remap program function keys by going through the Keyboard Remap dialog. Select a VT terminal type and corresponding code page, click the Keyboard Remap toolbar button, and select Host Functions from the dropdown menu. The list of available host functions that can be remapped to keys on the keyboard will appear on the lefthand side of the selection table. Scroll down to the PF keys to check and set them.

Support for Keyboard Remap, Color Remap, File Transfer and Print Screen functions

The Keyboard Remap, Color Remap, File Transfer and Print Screen functions are supported through dialogs that are launched by buttons on the RFT toolbar. Each button has hovertext that identifies what it does.

If any of these features is used while recording a script, the focus may not automatically return to the host terminal. It may be necessary to click on the window or press the Alt+Tab keys to set the focus.

The Keyboard Remap dialog allows you to map Characters or Host Functions to individual keys or key combinations that are on your keyboard. To remap the keyboard, press the Keyboard Remap toolbar button and select the remapping category: Character, Host Functions, or Custom Functions. The Characters category contains individual text characters that can be remapped; the Host Functions category contains function keys that can be remapped; and the Custom Functions category allows you to create your own function by specifying the code point(s) to produce for the key or key combination.

You can remap the colors used to display different kinds of text, such as normal, protected, and intensified text. Be aware that while color remapping changes the colors with which the various types of text will be displayed on the screen, it does not change the value of the color property of the text used in verification points.

To upload or download files, you must first connect to a host system, then set the Defaults for the file transfer using the Defaults toolbar button.

Installation Information and System Requirements

The IBM Extension for Terminal-based Applications helps contain complete installation and upgrade instructions and system requirements for the Extension for Terminal-based Applications for Windows^(R).

Installing IBM Rational Functional Tester Extension for Terminal-based Applications in a Windows Environment

In the Eclipse 2.x environment, IBM for Java and Web v2003 (formally known as Rational XDE^(TM) Tester) is a prerequisite for Extension for Terminal-based Applications. In the Eclipse 3.x and the Visual Studio .NET environments, IBM v6.1 is a prerequisite for Extension for Terminal-based Applications. Extension for Terminal-based Applications runs in an Eclipse 2.x or Eclipse 3.x environment on the Windows 2000, and Windows XP operating systems, and is integrated with IBM for Java and Web v2003 (IBM).

For information pertaining to the function and operation of IBM, please refer to the IBM Help System.

If you will be using Extension for Terminal-based Applications in the Visual Studio .NET environment, you must install Visual Studio .NET Framework 1.1 before you install IBM or Extension for Terminal-based Applications.

You must first install IBM, then install Extension for Terminal-based Applications in the same Eclipse-based studio environment.

To install IBM Rational Functional Tester Extension for Terminal-based Applications, first, ensure that your Eclipse-based or Visual Studio environment is closed, then insert the IBM Rational Functional Tester Extension for Terminal-based Applications installation CD and follow the instructions provided by the install program.

Once you have finished the installation, launch IBM. If you receive a message stating that there are updates pending, select Yes and the Configuration Changes window appears. Select the changes listed in the Configuration Changes window and then select Finish. You will then need to restart IBM.

If your current version of IBM has a Hotfix that is less than what is required for Extension for Terminal-based Applications, the install upgrades your version of IBM to the minimum required Hotfix level. If your version of IBM is already at the required Hotfix level or higher, the install for Extension for Terminal-based Applications does not change your version of IBM.

If you want to upgrade your version of IBM, you can get the latest fix from IBM Rational's support web site.

From IBM, you can launch the Extension for Terminal-based Applications while recording a script. If you wish to launch the Extension for Terminal-based Applications while not recording a script, use IBM's Application Configuration Tool, or in the Eclipse environment, add the launch icon button to the toolbar.

To add the Launch the Extension for Terminal-based Applications icon to the tool bar in the Eclipse environment, select the tool bar using mouse button 2 and select Customize perspective.... The Customize Perspective window appears. Select Others and then select the check box next to Extension for Terminal-based Applications Toolbar and select OK. The Launch the Extension for Terminal-based Applications icon should now appear on the tool bar.

Reinstalling IBM Rational Functional Tester Extension for Terminal-based Applications

If you are reinstalling both IBM and Extension for Terminal-based Applications, follow the instructions provided by the install program.

If you have modified your configuration file and you are reinstalling Extension for Terminal-based Applications and not reinstalling IBM, you must remove Extension for Terminal-based Applications from the applications list in the Application Configuration Tool. To remove Extension for Terminal-based Applications from the applications list in the Application Configuration Tool, select Configure -> Configure Applications for Testing... from the IBM tool bar. The Application Configuration Tool window appears.

In the Application Configuration Tool window, under applications, select Extension for Terminal-based Applications . Select Remove, then select OK. This removes the terminal application from the list.

After reinstalling Extension for Terminal-based Applications in the Eclipse environment, if the Launch the Extension for Terminal-based Applications icon does not appear on the tool bar, select the tool bar using mouse button 2 and select Customize perspective.... The Customize Perspective window appears. Select Others and then select the check box next to Extension for Terminal-based Applications Toolbar and select OK. The Launch the Extension for Terminal-based Applications icon should now appear on the tool bar.

System Requirements

You will need 120 MB of available disk space to install Extension for Terminal-based Applications.

Extension for Terminal-based Applications does not have any system requirements for memory and processor speed above what Eclipse or IBM already require.

For additional information on IBM see the documentation available at the following IBM web site: <codeph>http://www.ibm.com/software/awdtools/tester/functional/sysreq/index.html <codeph>

Global Security Kit (GSKit)

GSKit provides two main functions. It provides Secure Socket Layer (SSL) TCP/IP connections using public key encryption/decryption methodologies and it provides key management functions.

If you are interested in using GSKit, please install it from your installation CD. For additional information about GSKit, please see the GSKit documentation also located on the installation CD.

If your data transactions require enhanced security, please install the Global Security Kit (GSKit) toolkit included on your installation CD.

Defects and Change Requests

• Problem: During playback when connecting to multiple host sessions using manual input of the host name, Extension for Terminal-based Applications can not differentiate between sessions if the .conn file is not used to connect to a host.

  Workaround : Use the .conn file when making multiple connections.

• Problem: There is a performance delay during script playback beginning at the second data pool record iteration when connecting to a different host session. Since Extension for Terminal-based Applications only creates one TFrame object for the first host connection, the subsequent connections driven by the data pool have object recognition problems resulting in substantial delay during the script playback.

  Workaround : Change the title bar value of all TFrame objects to a regular expression. From the Private Test Object Map window, click on the top level of the second TFrame tree, under the recognition tab, right click on property .captionText and accessibleContextaccessibleName to convert the string value to a regular expression. Then remove any string value following IBM Extension for Terminal-based Applications, and add an asterisk ( * ) at the end of this string. If necessary, perform the same change for the first TFrame tree.

• Problem: Extension for Terminal-based Applications Help buttons do not work in WSED. When Extension for Terminal-based Applications has been installed in WSED and the user opens Extension for Terminal-based Applications for the first time, when the user selects the Help button in an Extension for Terminal-based Applications window the help is not displayed.

  Workaround : Select the Help button in the WSED shell first, then select the Extension for Terminal-based Applications Help button.

  Note:
  This problem happens only once after opening Extension for Terminal-based Applications helps for the first time in WSED.
• Problem: On Windows XP, the icon button images may get distorted if you lock and unlock your desktop while the IBM Extension for Terminal-based Applications window is running.

  Workaround : There is no workaround for this. While it may not be visually appealing, it does not cause any technical problems.

   

• Problem: Creating scripts with multiple terminals may cause highlighting of Fields on the wrong terminal, if the terminals are positioned at the same pixel location on the display monitor.

  Workaround: Ensure that the IBM Extension for Terminal-based Applications windows are not at the exact same pixel location on the screen. Move the IBM Extension for Terminal-based Applications windows (drag them to a different locations on the workspace) so that they are not at the exact same pixel location. The IBM Extension for Terminal-based Applications windows can overlap.

   

• Problem: If you are running on an Eclipse 2.1.x environment, the Extension window takes longer to close.

  Workaround: There is no workaround for this.

   

• Problem: If you have changed your default connection configuration file directory and you reinstall Extension for Terminal-based Applications, your changes are lost.

  Workaround: Go back into the Preferences window and reenter your default connection configuration directory.

   

• Problem: If you went into IBM's Application Configuration Tool and changed the Extension for Terminal-based Applications default configuration, the Extension for Terminal-based Applications and its associated configuration values remain in the Application Configuration Tool list when you uninstall Extension for Host Applications. This could result in erratic behavior when you reinstall Extension for Host Applications.

  Workaround: After uninstalling Extension for Terminal-based Applications, go into the IBM Application Configuration Tool and remove Extension for Terminal-based Applications from the list prior to reinstalling Extension for Terminal-based Applications. Once you have completed the reinstall of Extension for Terminal-based Applications, you will then need to go back into the Application Configuration Tool and reenter your changes to the Extension for Terminal-based Applications default configuration.

   

• Problem: When you install a IBM hotfix, Extension for Terminal-based Applications may or may not use the latest JREs.

  Workaround: When you install a IBM hotfix, you need to disable and re-enable the JREs within Eclipse. To do this, select Enable Environments for Testing icon from the toolbar. In the Enable Environments dialog, click the Java Environments tab for each JRE that appears in the list of Java environments, highlight it, click the Disable button, then the Enable button.

   

• Problem: If you enter an invalid input into a 5250 host, and get locked out by the host application, use the Reset key in the host Keypad to unlock the host. If you attempt to correct the situation in any other way, (for example, disconnecting and then attempting to reconnect), you will not be able to get a connection.

  Workaround: Do one of the following:

  • Use the "Reset" button on the IBM Extension for Terminal-based Applications window.
  • Create a connection to another host before re-attempting the connection to the host that is locked out.
  • Close the IBM Extension for Terminal-based Applications window and open a new IBM Extension for Terminal-based Applications window.

   

• Problem: If you have IBM Personal Communications installed, GSKit will not install or uninstall properly.

  Workaround: Do not install both GSKit and IBM Personal Communications on the same workstation.

   

• Problem: If you attempt to use the Interface Summary menu on the OIA, the Field, the Screen, or the Terminal Test Object in IBM's Script Explorer view, you will get an error stating that the topic is not available.

  Workaround: The equivalent information can be found in the Extension for Terminal-based Applications help documentation, under:

  • Recording a host connection script
  • Verification points
  • Creating verification points
  • Properties for verification points

   

• Problem: Depending on the display resolution, when the Extension for Terminal-based Applications first opens, the host keypad (directly below the Extension for Terminal-based Applications window) may be hidden by the Windows Task bar.

  Workaround: Resize the Extension for Terminal-based Applications window so that you can see the keypad.