DP (Descriptive Programming) is a way to work in QTP without using the Object Repository. It allows specifying objects using property-value pairs instead of object names. There are two main ways to use DP - directly in commands or by creating description objects. DP provides more flexibility than the OR in handling dynamic objects and can retrieve collections of all objects that match a description. It enables powerful automation techniques like manipulating objects programmatically.

1. DP 101 in 60 simple slides www.AdvancedQTP.com

2. What is DP? DP stands for Descriptive Programming

3. But what IS DP? I t’s a cool way to work without QTP’s Object-Repository (OR)

4. Why would I want to do that?

5. Many reasons

6. You have to Functions & Recovery scenarios work with different actions Different actions = Different ORs

7. Do I know you? Can’t be sure…

8. You have to Can’t record certain objects Auto-hide panels Objects with changing hierarchies Nested inner-objects, Sub menus

9. Hold still, damnit! Even when you think you got it, all the properties turn out null

10. Simplicity Why kill a fly with an atom bomb? No need to use the OR for every one-time click button in the application

11. And, You can do VERY cool things with DP

12. OK, bring it on

13. First, we need to better understand the Object Repository What the OR is How does the OR work

14. I thought DP is all about NOT using the OR…

15. Well, yes, but under the hood, DP & the OR work the same way To understand the OR, is to understand DP

16. What is the OR?

17. A mysterious beast that records objects, in order to use them later

18. What is to record an object? Write down how to identify it

19. Who are you? = How can I identify you?

20. Identification is done with properties and values

21. Who are you? = Your height = 400 Your title = “NotePad” You are visible (=True)

22. So, What IS the OR? Collections of properties & corresponding values Each collection represents an object No mysterious beast here

23. OK, So what IS DP? DP is a way for specifying the properties & values without using the OR interface No mysterious beast here, either

24. OK, I get it, there’s nothing more than properties and values Can we get on with it?

25. How do I actually use DP? There are two ways

26. 1 Throw the properties and values straight into a command

27. It’s the good old syntax you know, except the string between the () is not the OR name. It’s the property:=value identification string

28. That’s kinda restrictive What if I want to use multiple identification properties?

29. No problem: VBWindow(“height:=400”, “title:=New Document”).Maximize You can use as many properties as you like

30. All fine and well, but what if I want to use regular expressions?

31. No problem: VBWindow(“title:=.*Document.*”).Maximize ID strings are automatically interpreted as regular expressions

32. 2 Throw the properties & values into a description object, and throw IT into the command

33. Here also, all the values are interpreted as regular expressions. To turn it off, use oDesc(“Property1”).RegularExpression = False

34. Method 1 is faster, best used for one or two commands, tops

35. When you want to execute multiple commands on an object, method 2 is a better choice by far (allows one-time definitions, multiple uses)

36. You can use DP with OR VBWindow(“OR”).VBButton(“text:=OK”).Click Or (when oDesc is a description object): VBWindow(“OR”).VBButton(oDesc).Click

37. But , you can only start from OR, and move to DP So this will not work: VBWindow(“title:=notgood”).VBButton(“clickme”).Click

38. And that’s about it You can use each of the methods (or combine them), and you’ll be able to use objects that are not in the OR

39. You said I could do really cool stuff with DP!

40. Right you are We’ll cover some of the more popular tricks and tips These examples are only the tip of the iceberg. Play with them and see the true power of DP

41. The power of the string DP is nothing more than simple strings We can do such interesting things with strings…

42. The power of the string Say we got an app with 4 checkboxes, check0, …, check4 We can set all of them with a nice simple loop:

43. The power of the string Very complex identification tasks can be done via strings manipulation Try different variations for yourself

44. Solving double objects When QTP finds two object which match the same description, it freezes This kinda sucks

45. ?

46. DP has a magic property: “index”, which allows us to tell the double objects apart Index is a zero-based counter

47. All is well

48. Getting objects collections This feature is so cool, deserves a title on its own

49. THE coolest thing you can do with DP, is to get a collection of all the objects that math an identification

50. I don’t know who you are, or how many are you, but I want to mark all of you! Regular DP won’t help - Don’t know how to identify each checkbox

51. Object collections to the rescue! Step 1: define a description object

52. Object collections to the rescue! Step 2: get all matching objects

53. Object collections to the rescue! Step 3: Use the collection oChildren now holds a collection of all the checkboxes So the first checkbox is accessed by: oChildren(0)

54. What can we do with it? Anything we want

55. Example for common uses Mark all Checkboxes Mark all checkboxes with a certain property (even RO)

56. The possibilities are endless Randomly input fields Input only mandatory fields Zero maintenance (new fields are added automatically, blind to UI changes) Select object which match complex identification criteria (write custom if filters) The list goes on and on…

57. OK, this is indeed cool, but it only gets us the inner controls of a given window. Can we also get the application’s top level windows?

58. Sure

59. So, With DP we can work with no OR Sometimes we have to use it Other times it’s just more fun and useful DP also throws in a lot of extras that make it an inseparable part of good QTP automation Taste it, Experience it, Learn it, Use it, Love it It’s worth your while

60. And that was DP in 60 slides