Create parameters

This section describes how to create and work with Business Process Testing parameters at the component, flow, and test levels.

Parameter categories

Business Process Testing provides several categories of parameters. Below is an explanation of the parameter categories for Business Process Testing.

Parameter Categories Parameter and Description
Input / Output

Input and output parameters can be linked to make data available between components or flows within the same business process test.

See Parameter linkage examples.

Input parameters enable you to define data used by a component or flow that is provided from an external source. When creating components, tests, and flows, you define how the values are supplied for input parameters.

An input parameter can receive:

  • A predefined default value, if no other value is supplied by the test or flow.
  • An output parameter value returned by a component or flow earlier in the flow or test.
  • A parameter value that is supplied at the test or flow level, when the test or flow is run.

Output parameters allow data values retrieved from a component step or flow (the source) to be passed as input parameters to a subsequent component or flow (the target) in the test run.

You cannot set a default value for an output parameter.
Component, Flow, and Test

You can use parameters at the component level, the flow level, and at the test level. Parameters can be promoted from one level to the next.

See Parameter promotion example.

Component parameters are parameters defined within a component. Component parameters can be input or output parameters.

These parameters are available to:

  • All subsequent steps in the same component.

  • Subsequent components in a flow or a test, provided that:

    • The component parameter is defined as an output parameter in the current test or flow, and as an input parameter in the subsequent component in the current test or flow.

    • The output parameter in the current test or flow is linked to the input parameter of the subsequent component in the current test or flow.

Flow parameters are parameters defined within a flow. These parameters are available to all components in the flow. Like component parameters, flow parameters can be input or output parameters.

Test parameters are parameters defined within a business process test. These parameters are available to all components and flows in the test. Test parameters can only be input parameters.

Local

Local parameter values are not available outside of the component in which they are defined.

Local parameter values are defined within a business component and can be accessed by that component only. It is intended for use in a single step or between component steps, for example, as an output parameter for one step and an input parameter for a later step.

This type of parameter is generally used when working with automated UFT One components in keyword GUI view. For details, see Work with keyword GUI automation.

Example:

To test the business process of a banker logging in to an online banking application, you might structure a business process test from components that:

  • Log in to the application (Login)
  • Select a customer loan (SelectLoan)
  • View transactions for the loan (ViewLoan)
  • Log out (Logout)

The steps in each of these business components can be set up to receive data from the business process test that runs the components (for example, the loans that a customer has). Any element of data, which may have different values each time the business component is run, can be parameterized. For example, the banker may choose a different customer and customer loan to view each time he or she logs in.

Here are parameters you might create for this scenario, listed by category:

Category Parameters
Input Component Parameters
  • LoginName, entered as input by the banker while logging in
  • AccountNo, entered by the banker, perhaps from a written inquiry
Output Component Parameters
  • SessionNo, a number for the login session, outputted by the business component when the banker logs in successfully
  • SelectedAccountNo, outputted by the business component after the banker selects a loan from a list
Test Parameters
  • CustomerLoans, a comma-delimited list of all loans for a particular customer, accessed from the test level

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Create parameters

You can define parameters using various methods. When defining input parameters, you can also set default values.

Basic method

You can define component, flow, and test parameters in the Parameters tab. This is the basic method for defining parameters. For user interface details, see Parameters Page.

Create parameters when defining manual steps

ALM enables you to create input and output component parameters "on the fly" directly in the Manual Implementation tab as you define manual steps.

  1. In the Business Components module > Manual Implementation tab, create a new step or modify an existing step, and position your cursor in the Description or Expected Result field.

  2. Create the new parameter in one of the following ways:

    • Click the Insert Parameter button to open the Parameters dialog box. Enter a name, default value (for input parameters), and a description. For user interface details, see New Parameter / Parameter Details Dialog Box and Parameters Page. The parameter is added after the currently-selected parameter.

    • Enter a parameter name enclosed between three sets of angle brackets (<<<parameter>>>) to quickly create a parameter without defining a default value or a description.

Create parameters when setting values to other parameters

Define flow and test parameters "on the fly" while setting values for component or flow parameters, such as when the value for a flow parameter should match the value of a new, "as-of-yet-undefined" test parameter. Useful for multiple iterations.

Tip: This method is convenient when you need to set different parameter values for each iteration of the test or flow in which the component (or flow) exists.

For user interface details, Set Values Dialog Box.

Create multiple parameters at one time when defining iterations

While defining iterations in your flow or test, you can create many flow or test parameters at one time.

For user interface details, see Create Flow/Test Parameters Dialog Box.

Create parameters by promotion

When you promote parameters, new parameters with the same name are created at a higher level. It enables you to widen the scope of a parameter so that more entities can use its value when a business process test runs.

For example, when a business component parameter is promoted to the flow level and then to the test level, a parameter with the same name is created for the flow and the test. All other entities, whose parameters have also been promoted, access the highest-level value for the parameter.

For details, see Promote parameters.

Generate parameters automatically during the Learn process

Available for BPT Packaged Apps Kit users only.

BPT Packaged Apps Kit generates flow (or test) parameters automatically during the Learn process.

For details, see Learn business process tests and flows.

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Set parameter values

Set different types of values for Business Process Testing parameters. You assign the following types of values to parameters:

Default values If no other value is specified, Business Process Testing uses default values when running business process tests and flows. You set default values when creating and editing variables in the Business Components and Test Plan modules. Only input parameters can have default values.
Actual values These values are used when the test or flow runs. You can specify actual values in the Test Plan module when working with iterations and test configurations. You can also specify actual values when running a business process test or flow in the Test Lab module.

Specify string, numeric, and boolean values

In any tab, dialog box, or grid, where you have the option of entering free text, you can enter string, numeric and boolean values. In a grid, you also have the option of clicking the down arrow to open the Set Values page, where you can enter your string.

Regardless of the type of value specified (string, numeric, boolean), Business Process Testing saves the value as a string.

For user interface details, see Set Values Dialog Box.

Specify a table value

Available for BPT Packaged Apps Kit users only.

This parameter type, which represents a packaged app table (such as exists in SAP apps), is only available when a flow or business process test is learned using BPT Packaged Apps Kit. This is the only value that is not stored internally as a string.

For user interface details, see Edit Table Parameter Dialog Box.

Specify a date value

In any tab, dialog box, or grid, where you have the option of entering dates, click the down arrow to open the Set Values page.

In the Set Values page, click Set Date. A calendar appears enabling you to set a date value.

For user interface details, see Set Values Dialog Box.

Note: The dates use the date on the server (not the client).

Specify a dynamic date value

A dynamic date is a date relative to the current date (today, yesterday, a year from today). You can add or subtract an offset time period to the relative date that you specify (such as 3 months before one year ago). For example, to specify a date 10 days before the current date, the dynamic date could be: WeekAgo - 3 days

In any tab, dialog box, or grid, where you have the option of entering dynamic dates, click the down arrow to open the Set Values page.

In the Set Values page, click Set Dynamic Date. Fields appear enabling you to set dynamic dates.

For user interface details, see Set Values Dialog Box.

Encrypt the value

Encrypted values are displayed as asterisks so that their actual values cannot be seen.

In any tab, dialog box, or grid, where you have the option of encryption, click the down arrow to open the Set Values page.

In the Set Values page, select the Encrypted check box.

Caution: Once encrypted, the value cannot return to its original value. If you clear the Encrypted check box, the value is reset to empty.

For user interface details, see Set Values Dialog Box.

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