Run a test from a remote computer

Relevant for: GUI tests and components and API testing

This task describes how to run OpenText Functional Testing tests using OpenText Functional Testing installed on a remote computer.

Note: This feature is not supported in the Microsoft Windows® XP environment or the Hyper-V virtualization server.

Running OpenText Functional Testing and OpenText Functional Testing tests in a remote session

You can run tests using OpenText Functional Testing installed on a remote Windows machine in the following ways:

Manually log in to the remote machine

Run OpenText Functional Testing and OpenText Functional Testing tests from a remote computer so that you can use your own local computer for other tasks.

You can then close the remote session or allow the remote computer's screen to lock. The test continues to run.

No manual log in to the machine

External tools connect to the OpenText Functional Testing computer remotely, start OpenText Functional Testing, and run tests, without any manual intervention.

This is helpful when running tests using tools such as ALM, Jenkins, or scheduled programs using the OpenText Functional Testing Automation Object Model (AOM).

Configure OpenText Functional Testing for remote connections

To enable you to run or continue to run tests using OpenText Functional Testing installed on a locked, logged off, or disconnected remote computer:

On the remote computer, open OpenText Functional Testing. You can access it directly on the computer where it is installed, or connect to that computer using a remote desktop client, such as Windows Remote Desktop Connection.
In the Options dialog box, open the Run Sessions pane (Tools > Options > General tab > Run Sessions node).
Select Enable testing on locked, logged off, or disconnected remote computers and save your changes.

Caution: This option also enables the ALM Lab Service to run tests on this OpenText Functional Testing computer. However, make sure ALM Lab Service's installation does not include the Auto Login module. For details, see Known issues - running test in ALM.
Enter the credentials to use for the remote session. These may be the same credentials you use to access the remote computer.

Scroll down and click Check Connection to verify that it works.

Note: If you enter credentials that are different from the credentials you used to log in to the OpenText Functional Testing computer, see Known issues.
Select a resolution to use on the remote computer after the session is disconnected.
Select Use polling to detect a disconnected session when your tests fail to run on a disconnected session.

This option instructs OpenText Functional Testing to periodically poll the remote session instead of waiting for a disconnect event notification.

Set the polling frequency (default = 10 seconds). The value ranges from 10 to 60 seconds.

Tip: This option may be helpful when working with a remote connection using Citrix or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).

OpenText Functional Testing uses the credentials you entered in the following situations:

You were connected and running tests when the screen locked or you closed the session.
When you disconnect, log off, or restart the OpenText Functional Testing machine, a Windows session is automatically started, using these credentials to log in. This enables other programs to run OpenText Functional Testing remotely without anyone manually logging in to the machine.

Run OpenText Functional Testing and OpenText Functional Testing tests in a remote session you open manually

To run tests on OpenText Functional Testing over a remote connection that you open manually:

Open a session on the remote computer using a remote desktop client, such as Windows Remote Desktop Connection.
On the remote computer, open OpenText Functional Testing and make sure OpenText Functional Testing is configured to Enable testing on locked, logged off, or disconnected remote computers (Tools > Options > General tab > Run Sessions node).
Run your test.

While running tests over a remote connection that you opened manually, you can allow the screen to lock or close your remote session. However, do not log out of the remote computer or close OpenText Functional Testing.

Automation using the Windows Task Scheduler

After you configure OpenText Functional Testing to run over remote connections, you can automate test runs on the remote computer by using the Windows Task Scheduler. The Windows Task Scheduler task can run without anyone manually logged in to the remote machine. The task uses the Windows session that started using the credentials you defined in the OpenText Functional Testing configuration. It also starts OpenText Functional Testing and runs the tests.

Setting the resolution on the OpenText Functional Testing computer

If your test requires a specific resolution to be set on the computer, do not set the resolution during a Remote Desktop Connection and then disconnect. If you do this, the resolution settings are not used in the subsequent session.

Do one of the following instead:

When configuring OpenText Functional Testing for remote connections, select the resolution to use after your remote session disconnects. See Configure OpenText Functional Testing for remote connections.

Prerequisites for RDP 6.0 or later

If you are using an RDP client version 6.0 or later and want to run OpenText Functional Testing in a minimized RDP session, you must first update a registry value on your local computer (the machine running the Remote Desktop client).

Update the registry key value

Open the Registry Editor and access the RemoteDesktop_SuppressWhenMinimized registry key in one of the following locations:

32-bit operating systems	<HKEY_CURRENT_USER or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client
64-bit operating systems	<HKEY_CURRENT_USER>\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client

If the key does not yet exist, create it, and give it a DWORD value type.

Set the data for this value to 2.
If you are already running a remote session, restart the session for this setting to take effect.