Suite Frameworks

It's been a busy week of writing test cases.

We have so many test suite frameworks I can't believe it.  Our checkin suites are written against one framework (but other teams use other frameworks.)  Our QA tests use another framework, and the perf test cases I'm writing use yet another framework.  None are complete or robust; if you use a new function of feature of an existing method you better check the source code for the infamous "TBD."  For example, I needed to open a local host web instead of a file system web.  The function existed in the header file, but not the .cpp file.  I fleshed it out, but another function which pushed the appropriate button for local host as opposed to file system button was implemented only as TBD.

My last test case involves modifying an aspx file and viewing it in the browser.  How do you terminate the test?  We usually use CodeMarkers, which are simply window messages with a few tests to see if they're enabled or not, to terminate timings.  The alternative was to poll and search, so I decided to write an ActiveX control which fires a CodeMarker when rendered.  But it turns out that XPSP2 may disable displaying ActiveX controls!  You have to click on an "action bar" to enable the control to be loaded.  But I've found a way to save the registry setting, change it, and restore it after the test, as long as the test is running with admin privileges.

I'm hoping to finish up five test cases tomorrow, after six weeks of committee meetings defining the test cases, experimentation to set performance goals, and wresting with the test framework and security precautions to implement the tests.  Party time!