2. Finding suitable framework to capture flash
objects in web browser automation testing.
Configuring them with the existing
framework.
Analyzing major drawbacks of the existing
tools and finding better tools for flash object
capturing.
3. Flash objects communicate with the browser
with its platform dependant native methods.
Flash objects are implemented using Adobe
Action Script as Flash applications or MXML
and Action Script as Flex Applications.
Flash UI Components do not have XPATHs.
Flash Objects communicate with both client
side and server side simultaneously ,
therefore difficult to identify parsing
parameters.
4. For the Millennium BBO application ,it’s Flash
components dynamically communicate with
the server to retrieve information using
external JavaScript files.
HierarchyViewer.swf uses adfHierarchyViewer.js to retrieve
data from the MIT server.
HierarchyViewer.swf is created dynamically at the run time by
the ADF faces technology and also created using JDeveloper
tool at the development time.
No API is published.
5. Flash objects on a webpage are accessible by
some JavaScript functions. Such as
◦ GetVariable(varName)
◦ SetVariable(varName, varValue)
◦ TCallLabel(target, label)
Flash API consists of a class called External
Interface in order to interact with the
JavaScript functions.
6.
7. Two main functions are used
Call method()
AddCallBack method()
public function ColoredSquare() {
currentColor = COLOR_HEX_VALUES[currentColorIndex % 3];
updateButtonLabel(); drawButton();
addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, buttonClicked);
// functions available for JavaSript calls
ExternalInterface.addCallback("getColor", getColor);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("click", changeColor);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("getSquareLabel", getSquareLabel);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("setSquareLabel", setSquareLabel);
}
8. ExternalInterface.Call method
This is used to call JavaScript functions from
the ActionScript code.
Eg:- ExternalInterface.Call (“callToJS”);
ExternalInterface.AddCallBack method
This is used to call relevant ActionScript
method as a response to JavaScrirpt method
calling
Eg:- ExternalInterface.AddCallBack
(“callFromJS”,”Actual ActionScript Function”);
9. In order to test flash objects in web
applications a middle ware is needed to
provide this inter communication.
To send testing parameters to Flash objects
and retrieve the results.
Finding out such tools and configure them
with the existing framework is essential to
flash testing
11. White box testing. we need to know about the
internal coding of the Flash application in
order to perform the test.
Compatible with the Selenium RC and Web
Driver.
Selenium IDE cannot be used.
Flash UI components are identified by specific
id called Flash Object ID which is equivalent
to the XPATH of the HTML elements.
12.
13. Steps
Obtain Flash object as .swf file or .mxml file.
If the file is in .swf format decompile using a De-
compiler.
Obtain the Action Script code or the mxml code and
analyze it using Adobe Flex Builder.
Add External interface class to the project and define
functions which wraps the internal functions which
should be tested.
These functions should map the external Java Script
calling methods with the Action Script internal methods.
14. public function ColoredSquare() {
currentColor = COLOR_HEX_VALUES[currentColorIndex % 3];
updateButtonLabel(); drawButton();
addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, buttonClicked);
// functions available for JavaSript calls
ExternalInterface.addCallback("getColor", getColor);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("click", changeColor);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("getSquareLabel",
getSquareLabel);
ExternalInterface.addCallback("setSquareLabel",
setSquareLabel);
} Java Script Calling
Action Script Calling
15. Recompile the file to obtain the swf file test the Flash
object using Selenium RC as follows.
public void testColorTransition() {
assertEquals("Clicking Colors", browser.getTitle());
assertEquals(GREEN, flashseleneium.call("getColor"));
flashseleneium.call("click");
assertEquals(BLUE, flashseleneium.call("getColor"));
flashseleneium.call("click");
assertEquals(RED, flashseleneium.call("getColor"));
flashseleneium.call("click");
assertEquals(GREEN, flashseleneium.call("getColor"));
}
16. Flex UI selenium can be used to test Flash UI
components instead of its functions.
Every UI component is identified by its Flash
object ID.
Flex UI selenium library should be added to
the build path of the Flash/Flex File in order
to communicate with the Flex UI and Flash
Selenium Libraries.
17. Obtain Flash object as .swf file or .mxml file.
If the file is in .swf format decompile using a De-
compiler.
Obtain the Action Script code or the mxml code and
analyze it using Adobe Flex Builder.
Extract and analyze the Flash object ids of UI
components of the application.
Add FlexSelenium.swc to the build path and
recompile the file using Adobe Flex SDK.
Write test cases against the UI components and
their Functionalities using selenium RC.
18. public void testFlashCal(){
try {
Thread.sleep(4000);
//---------- Following part is for test using the Flex UI Selenium part
flexUi.type("50").at("num");
flexUi.type("2").at("factor");
//flexUi.type("2").at("factor");
Thread.sleep(500);
assertEquals("The result is 100",flexUi.readFrom("result"));
for (int i = 1; i <=10 ; i++) {
flexUi.click("button");
Thread.sleep(500);
if(i ==1){
assertEquals("pushed "+i+" time" ,flexUi.readFrom("buttonClicks"));
}
else{
assertEquals("pushed "+i+" times" ,flexUi.readFrom("buttonClicks"));
}
Thread.sleep(500);
}
flexUi.click("comboQuote");
assertEquals("" ,flexUi.readFrom("buttonClicks"));
19. No single IDE to configure all of above
configurations. Because of the multiple software
components and multiple versions.
Time consuming
Flex –UI selenium is still in its development
stage and not compatible with eclipse higher
versions.
Internal Action Script / Flex codes should be
understood by the tester.
For the MIT BBO application, they are using ADF
faces technology where the flash application
independently connected with the server to
obtain data.
20. Newest addition to the Flash UI testing.
Equivalent to the Selenium Framework.
Compatible with Eclipse Higher versions
(3.5.0 etc).
Support UI component testing using inbuilt
IDE.
UI components are captured by the accessing
internal ActionScript code of the Flash object.
Every component is uniquely identified by an
Id called Genie ID.
21. Completely written in Java. Therefore can be
integrated with the existing Testing
Framework.
Provide in-built functions to capture Flash UI
components.
Available as a plug-in for Eclipse.
Test scripts can be generated using Java.
Complete API is available.
22. No instrumentation or application manipulation
is required.
Automate pure ActionScript 3.0 SWF.
No source code access required.
No need to run inside any wrapper.
Works on web based apps and standalone SWF.
Performs native automation (no image
dependency) thus making scripts reliable and
lowering down maintenance cost.
Application can even be running in background.
23. Dynamic and static content can be tested.
Each and every Flash component is uniquely
identified using the Genie id.
