Iteration Pages

These pages enable you to set parameter values for iterations of components, groups, flows, test configurations, and test run instances.

To access

Do one of the following.

  • To iterate components, groups, and flows: From the Test Plan module > Test Script tab, click Iterations in the Iterations column.

  • To iterate flows: From the Test Lab module > Execution Grid tab, click Iterations or Undefined in the Iterations column.

    Tip: By default, the Iterations column is not displayed in the Execution Grid tab. For details on how to display the column, see Arrange columns.

  • To iterate test configurations that access static data: From the Test Plan module > Test Configurations tab, click the Data tab.

  • To iterate test configurations that access dynamic data: Add rows to a data table in Microsoft Excel. For details, see  .

  • To iterate test instances: From the Test Lab module > Test Instance Details—Execution Settings View, click the Test Iterations tab.

Important information
  • Depending on context, iteration pages are displayed in different ways with different title bars, according to the entity for which you opened the page.

  • You can expand and collapse entities in Iterations dialog boxes for groups, flows, and components from the Test Plan module.

  • Iterations for test configurations that access dynamic data are set according to the number of rows of data in external data resource tables, and are not defined using the Iteration pages.

Relevant tasks

User interface elements are described below (unlabeled elements are shown in angle brackets):

UI Element Description

Multiple Iterations View / Single Iteration View. Enables you to toggle between:

  • A view that shows all iterations in one dialog box.

  • A view that shows only one iteration at a time in the dialog box.

Available from: Iterations dialog boxes in the Test Plan module

Previous / Next Iteration. Displays the next or previous iteration in the dialog box.

Available from: Iterations dialog boxes in the Test Plan module

Iteration. Displays the iteration currently in focus in the dialog box, and enables you to select a different iteration on which to focus.

Not available from: Iterations dialog boxes in the Test Plan module

  

Add Iteration. Adds an iteration for the entity (component, group, test, or flow).

The following options may be available, depending on the context in which you opened the Iteration page. If these options are not available, iterations are added by default without setting parameter values.

  • Add New Iteration. Adds a new iteration without setting parameter values.

  • Copy Iteration. Adds a new iteration by copying the values of a selected iteration’s parameters.

  • Create Iteration with Default Values. Adds a new iteration and sets the parameter values to the default values.

Disabled when: The component or flow for which you are adding an iteration is in a group.

Remove/Delete Iteration. Deletes the selected iteration from the entity (component, group, test, or flow).

Disabled when: The component or flow for which you are adding an iteration is in a group.

Select Iterations. Opens the Select Iterations dialog box to select the iterations you want to run during the test run. You can specify one, all, or a range of iterations.

Disabled when:

  • The component or flow for which you are selecting iterations is in a group

  • There is only one iteration.

Find. Enables you to find a parameter value, a parameter, or a component.

For details on Find and Replace functionality, see Search, replace, and update ALM data.

Available from: Iterations dialog boxes

Import. Enables you to import data values from a .csv (comma separated value) file into the Iteration page. An iteration is created for each row in the .csv file, and the test or flow runs using the data specified for each iteration.

Tip: Once the data values are imported, there is no longer any connection between the .csv file and the iteration values (meaning,changes you make to the data in the .csv file are not reflected in the Iteration page). To maintain data dynamically in an external file, and have the data be updated automatically in the Iteration page, create test configurations. For task details, see Associate dynamic data with test configurations.

Export. Enables you to export data values to a .csv (comma separated value) file from the iteration data values specified in the Iteration page.

Example:  

  • Export, format, and print the data for use while testing manually.
  • Export the data, modify in a preferred editor , and then import the data back into the Iteration page.

Restore Instances. Resets iteration parameter values for test instances based on the selected test configuration for static data. Test instance parameter values are reset to the values entered in the Test Configurations tab > Data tab.

Available from: Test Plan module > Test Configurations tab > Data tab for static configurations

Transpose. Switches the data table to have parameter rows and iteration columns

Available from: Test Plan module > Test Configurations tab > Data tab for static configurations

Create Flow/Test Parameters. Opens the Create Flow/Test Parameters dialog box, which enables you to generate flow or test parameters from business component input parameters or flow input parameters.

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

Expand All

Expands all nodes.

Available from: <right-click menu>, for Iteration dialog boxes

Collapse

Collapses the nodes for the selected entity.

Available from: <right-click menu>, for Iteration dialog boxes

<value columns>

Displays the value for each parameter in the displayed iteration.

Available from: Single Iterations view, the Test Iterations tab, Test Configurations Data tab,and the Iterations dialog box

<values>

The value of the input parameter when the instance runs.

The value can be entered in the grid directly or in the Set Value page (accessed by clicking the arrow in the relevant cell).

For task details on specifying default values for parameters, see Set Values Dialog Box.

If no value is specified, the default value for that parameter is used. If no default value is specified, no value is displayed and the entity may not run correctly.

Values are saved and compared as strings, but can be specified according to different value types.

Test or flow parameters (parameters whose values are to be taken from the business process test or flow), are shown in curly brackets { }. This instructs ALM to treat the parameter as a parameter and not as a fixed value.

Description area

The description for the parameter and its original source entity (business component, test, or flow).

Parameter Description area

Parameter descriptions are initially entered in the module in which they were created (the Business Components module or the Test Plan module), or in UFT One for automated components.

Iteration # columns/rows

Displays the current values for each parameter in each iteration.

Available from: Multiple Iterations view and the Test Iterations tab

Parameter column

Names of the parameters, grouped by entity (business component, group, test, or flow).

Available from: Iterations dialog boxes