How to Link Data

This section describes how to link output and input parameters. 

1. Design linkage

   • Determine which parameters are generated by the application being tested. Create output parameters for these parameters either at the component level or the flow level.

   • Determine which input parameters are dependent on other parameters in other business components or flows. You will link these input parameters to their corresponding output parameters.

2. Display the parameters for the relevant business process test or flow

   From the Test Plan module, click the Test Script tab for the relevant business process test or flow.

   Note the I/O Parameters column. This column displays the total number of input and output parameters defined for each component or flow. For example, the SearchLoan component has three input parameters. The total (3 in) is a link.

   Click the link in the I/O Parameters column for a component or flow whose input parameter you want to link to an output parameter (that is, the link of the target). The I/O Parameters dialog box opens. For user interface details, see I/O Parameters Dialog Box.

   In the lower pane of this dialog box, you can see which input parameters are already linked to the output parameters.

3. Link the parameters

   For each component or flow input parameter to link:

   • Select the check box in the Link I/O column. The Select Output Parameter dialog box opens. The Select Output Parameter dialog box lists output parameters from each source business component or flow in the business process test prior to the current target component or flow. For user interface details, see Select Output Parameter Dialog Box.

   • Select the output parameter to link to the input parameter and click OK.

     Note: If the number of iterations for the output parameter and the input parameter do not match, the parameter name is displayed in red. The number of iterations are considered a match if either the number of output parameter iterations is equal to the number of input parameter iterations, or if the output parameter iterations is equal to one (regardless of the number of input parameter iterations).

   Click OK to close the I/O Parameters dialog box.