1. Selenium HP Web Test Tool Training
Portnov Computer School
Selenium HP Web Test Tool Training
Test Automation For Web-Based Applications
Presenter: Ellie Skobel

2. Day 10
Data Driven Testing

3. Problem Testing can be very repetitious.
We must run the same test over and over again
Many of the tests are only slightly different.
Test contains slight different system inputs and actual output
Each of these tests has the exact same steps.
Good for ensuring good coverage, bad for test maintainability.
Any change made to the algorithm of one of these tests must be propagated to all the similar tests.

4. Solution: Data Driven Testing
Testing of application by means of re-usable test logic to reduce maintenance and improve test coverage
Test scripts are executed and verified based on the data values stored in one or more central data sources

5. How It Works
The data that varies from test to test is put into the Data-Driven Test file that the interpreter reads to execute the tests
For each test the interpreter does the same sequence of actions
A test that would otherwise require a series of complex steps can be reduced to a single line of data in the Data-Driven Test file.

6. Sequence of Actions Retrieves the test data from the file
Sets up the test fixture using the data from the file.
Exercise system under test with whatever arguments the file specifies
Compares the actual results produced by the (SUT) with the expected results from the file.
If the results don't match, it marks the test as failed; if the SUT throws an exception, it catches the exception and marks the test accordingly and continues.
Does any fixture teardown that is necessary.
Then moves on to the next test in the file.

7. When To Use It
Can be used as part of a Scripted Test strategy and Recorded Tests
Ideal strategy for getting business people involved in writing automated tests.
By keeping the format of the data file simple, it is possible for the business person to populate the file with data and execute the tests without having to get a technical person to write any test code for them.
Whenever there is a lot of different data values with which we wish to exercise the SUT but where the sequence of steps to execute for each data value is pretty much identical
Usually we discover this similarity over time and refactor.