Recording a Web UI test by using a running browser instance

You can create a Web UI test of a web application from the Web UI Test perspective using a browser that is already running locally. For example, if you have already recorded some part of a web application, you can go back at a later time to resume the recording Support is provided for Chrome and Firefox on Windows and Linux computers and for Safari, Chrome and Firefox on Macintosh computers. Internet Explorer is not supported.

Before you begin

  • Install the Web UI extensions for the browsers that you plan to use for testing. For instructions, see Enabling Google Chrome for Web UI testing, Enabling Mozilla Firefox for Web UI testing, and Enabling Apple Safari for Web UI playing back on a Macintosh computer.
  • When recording a test, wait for each page to load completely. This waiting time does not affect performance results, because you can remove extra waiting time (think time) when you play back the test.
  • To increase the number of actions that are recorded in a Web UI test, specify that the recorder capture every single action on a web page. To do so, navigate to Window > Preferences > Test > Recording > Web UI Recording and select Record all actions on the page.
  • Do not change any browser preferences, including JavaScript settings. Recording and playing back Web UI scripts in a browser requires that JavaScript be enabled.
  • To record a test that emulates a web application on a mobile device, see Recording a test with Google Chrome Device Mode.

Procedure

  1. Start a supported browser session and type the URL of the web application to test.
  2. In the Web UI Test perspective, click New > Test From Recording. Alternatively, on the toolbar, click the New Test From Recording icon New Test From Recording.
  3. Click Create a test from a new recording. Select Web UI Test. If you are recording sensitive data, click Recording Encryption Level and select the encryption level to record. Click Next.
  4. Optional: If you did not create a test project earlier, click the Create the parent folder icon Create the parent folder to create a test project. For more information, see Creating project.
  5. Type a name for the test and click Next.
  6. In the Select Client Application page, select Running browser instance and click Next.
  7. Select the web application to test from the list of running browser instances and click Finish.
  8. Return to the browser and record the test.
  9. After you finish the user tasks in the browser, stop the recorder by clicking the Stop icon Stop icon in the Recording Control view.

    After you stop the recorder, the test is generated from the recording.

  10. Optional: Open the test for editing.

What to do next

When the test is generated, you can edit it in the test editor. For information, see Editing Web UI tests.

To create variable data for the test, you can use the dataset candidates suggested by the workbench when you first open the generated test. For more information, see Viewing dataset candidates when you open a test .

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