Test and Flow Debugging Overview

You can debug a business process test or flow comprised of one or more automated business components by running the components in Debug mode in the Test Plan module.

Note: Debugging components with API automation is not supported. You can debug components with keyword GUI automation and Scripted GUI automation.

Debugging is usually performed after the automation engineer has ensured that the individual components can run successfully in the relevant testing tool (such as UFT), and all the components have a Ready status.

Debugging ensures that the test runs properly, and locates errors that may have occurred during the building of the test. For example, you can check the logical order of business components in the test, the pre-conditions and post-conditions required by each component, and the suitability of component parameter values (especially where output values are used as input values in other components).

You can choose whether to run each of the business components in the test or flow in Debug mode or in Normal mode.

  • When you run an automated component in Debug mode, the component opens and immediately pauses, enabling you (or an automation engineer) to use the debug tools available in the testing tool to debug the component. When one component ends, the next one immediately opens.

  • When you run in Normal mode, the testing tool runs all the steps in the component consecutively, and then opens the next component. You cannot access debug options while a component runs in Normal mode.

When you debug a test or flow, ALM opens the testing tool. The test is then run on your local computer.

Note: With the first keyword GUI or scripted component in the test, ALM opens the testing tool and loads the relevant add-ins from the application area that is associated with that component. It assumes that these are the required add-ins for all the components in the test.

When a debug run is complete, ALM opens the Debug Run Information dialog box that shows which of the business components passed or failed the test. These results are provided for debugging purposes only and are not stored in ALM. For user interface details, see Debug Run Information Dialog Box.

For task details, see How to Debug Tests and Flows Containing Automated Components.

Tip: You can also access the testing tool, such as UFT, to run and debug individual business components. For details on running and debugging components in UFT, see the Micro Focus Unified Functional Testing User Guide.