Parameter Options Dialog Box

Relevant for: GUI tests

This dialog box enables you to define settings for a test/action parameter, a data table parameter, an environment parameter, or a random number parameter.

To access

  1. Ensure that a GUI action is in focus in the document pane.

  2. Use one of the following:

    • For argument values: In the Keyword View, click the Configure the value button  .

    • For object property values: In the Object Repository Window, select the object property value you want to parameterize and click the Configure the value button  .

    • For checkpoints: In the Configure value area of the Checkpoint Properties dialog box, select the Parameter radio button and click the Parameter Options button  .

    • For output value storage locations: In the Object Repository Window, select the output object property value you want to parameterize and click the Modify button in the Configure value area.

Note: This dialog appears when using a scripted component only for checkpoints.
Important information

  • You can also use test or action parameter variables using parameterization objects and methods in the Editor. For details, see the specific test object methods and properties in the Object Model Reference for GUI Testing.

  • You cannot select Use Data Table formula if Regular expression is selected.

  • The value of an environment variable remains the same throughout the test run, regardless of the number of iterations, unless you change the value of the variable programmatically in your script.

  • Random number parameters are not appropriate for non-numeric values, such as text or hypertext links.

  • If you select an existing parameter in your test, when you modify the settings in this dialog box, all instances of that parameter are affected.

Relevant tasks
See also

User interface elements are described below:

UI Element

 Description
Parameter types

The type of parameter you want to use for the value.

You can choose from Test/action parameter, Data Table parameter, Environment, or Random Number.
Parent action parameters/Test parameters
(test and action parameters only)

Select this radio button if you want the parameter to take its value from an input parameter. The available radio button option depends on where you are defining the parameter:

  • Parent action parameter. Available for nested actions and all steps.

  • Test parameter. Available for top-level actions only.
Parameter

Selects a parameter from the list. The read-only list of available parameters contains the names of the currently defined input and output parameters for the action.

Output from previous action call(s)
(test and action parameters only)

Select this radio button if you want the parameter to take its value from an output parameter. You can select from the output parameters of any previous action in the same hierarchical level as the current action, for which output parameters are defined.

  • Action. Specifies the previous action from which you can choose an output parameter. You can choose any action in the list.

  • Parameter. Specifies the name of the output parameter. The read-only list of available parameters contains the names and full descriptions of the currently defined output parameters from the previous action(s).
UI Elements Description
Parameter types

The type of parameter you want to use for the value. Make sure that Data Table is selected.
Name / Column Name

The name of the parameter to use. This is the name of the column in the data table.

The following options are available:

  • To use an existing parameter, select it from the list.

  • To create a new parameter, either use the default parameter name or enter a descriptive name for the parameter.
Location in Data Table

  • Global sheet. You store data in the Global tab when you want it to be available to all actions in your test and you want the data to control the number of test iterations.

  • Current action sheet (local). You store data in the action's tab when you want to use the data in data table parameters for that action only and you want the data to control the number of action iterations.

For details, see Data table parameters.

Add constant text to the parameter value

Optionally, add constant strings that the checkpoint verifies as a Prefix and/or Suffix of the varying value.

Regular expression

Enables you to set the value of the parameter as a regular expression.

Note: This option is available only when parameterizing checkpoint and object property values.

Use Data Table formula

Enables you to use formulas predefined in the Data Table. For details on setting formulas, see Formulas in data tables.

For checkpoints, OpenText Functional Testing inserts two columns in the Data pane. The first column contains a formula that checks the validity of the output in the second column. OpenText Functional Testing uses the data in the output column to compute the formula, and inserts a value of TRUE or FALSE in the table cell of the formula column.

UI Elements

Description
Parameter types

The type of parameter you want to use for the value. Make sure that Environment is selected.
Name

The name of the parameter. For an internal user-defined environment variable parameter, you can create a new parameter by using the default parameter name or entering a new, descriptive name. Alternatively, you can select an existing internal user-defined environment variable parameter from the list.

    Note:

  • If you edit the name displayed in the Name box for an existing parameter, you create a new internal user-defined environment variable parameter. The original environment variable parameter is not modified.

  • If you are parameterizing an argument that receives a predefined constant or number, only the environment variable parameters whose value is of type integer are shown in the Name list.
Value

Specifies the value of the parameter. You can enter the value for a new user-defined internal parameter, or modify the value for an existing user-defined internal parameter. External and built-in environment variable parameter values cannot be modified in this dialog box.

If the entire value of a selected environment variable parameter cannot be displayed in the Value box, it is shown as [complex value]. For example, the value of a list's all items property is a multi-line value, where each line contains the value of an item in the list.
Type

The type of environment variable parameter (read-only):

  • internal user-defined

  • external user-defined

  • built-in

Regular expression

The value of the parameter as a regular expression. This option is available only when parameterizing a checkpoint or object property text string value, and the selected environment variable parameter type is internal user-defined. For details on regular expressions, see Regular expressions.

UI Elements

Description
Parameter types

The type of parameter you want to use for the value. Make sure that Random Number is selected.
Numeric range

The range from which the random number is generated. You can modify the range by entering different values in the From and To boxes.

Default range: 0 to 100

Minimum From value: 0

Maximum To value: 2147483647
Name

The name of your parameter. Assigning a name to a random parameter enables you to use the same parameter several times in your test. You can select an existing named parameter or create a new named parameter by entering a new, descriptive name.
Generate new random number

The generation timing for a named random parameter. This box is enabled when you select the Name checkbox. You can select one of the following options:

  • For each action iteration. Generates a new number for each action iteration.

  • For each test iteration. Generates a new number for each global iteration.

  • Once per entire test run. Generates a new number the first time the parameter is used. The same number is used for the parameter throughout the run session.