Creating XML Checkpoints
There are many uses for XML Checkpoints in verifying data content, and here are a few common
uses/scenarios of the XML Checkpoint implementation:
Most of the time the XML file is just a middle layer that is taking the data from one system and then
be accessed by another system using the DTD (which creates the ability to read the file). So in the
case where a web application needs to display some customer data that resides on a mainframe, the
query could dump the mainframe data into an XML file that is formatted and the web application can
read that data due to the DTD (and format it using a CSS or XSL-FO). The data in the XML file will
be constantly changing, so you need to be aware of this and take this into account in your testing. Try
to maintain a controlled test environment, and utilize the paramterization capabilities of the XML
Checkpoints in order to have the checkpoint's expected results handle the dynamic data changes.
The other scenario is like described previously where you have static XML data files that are
accessed for commonly used data for quick response time, like accessing an XML file for Country
names, zip codes or area codes. Although this data could change over time, it normally is very static.
Therefore you may want to execute an XML File Checkpoint in order to validate that the data is not
changing from one application release to another.
XML files consist of elements with tags and values as the content (QuickTest refers to the XML
technical term "character data" as "value"). There is a parent and child relationship between elements
within a structure, and elements can have attributes associated with them. Should any part of this
structure (including data) change, then this could have a negative effect on your application's ability
to process the XML file properly. Using the QuickTest XML Checkpoint you can verify any one of
these elements to make sure there is not any change to elements, tags, attributes or value (character
data).
Creating XML Checkpoints
In this section we will describe how to create the XML Checkpoint (Application) and the XML
Checkpoint (File).
Creating XML Checkpoints (Application)
In creating the XML Checkpoint (Application) you need to make sure that you have selected the "Web"
add-in from the Add-In Manager when you launched QuickTest. With this add-in installed, the
QuickTest menu will be updated to provide the "XML Checkpoint (Application)" option.
To add an XML Checkpoint (Application) while recording:
1. Turn recording on.
2. (Optional) Perform any necessary actions for your test scenario.
3. Choose
Insert > Checkpoint > XML Checkpoint (Application)... or click the arrow beside the
Insert Checkpoint button
and choose XML Checkpoint (Application)... .
The QuickTest window is minimized, and the mouse pointer turns into a pointing hand.
4. Click the web page in order to check the XML files associated with the web page. If only one XML
file is associated with the web page, then you will be taken directly to the XML Checkpoint
Properties window.
If more than one file is associated with the web page, the Object Selection XML Checkpoint
Properties dialog box opens.
