Visual Test
Encyclopedia
Visual Test, originally known as MS-Test, was an automated testing tool for Windows
applications developed by Microsoft
and later sold to Rational Software
.
Tests known as scripts were written in Test Basic, a form of the BASIC
programming language. The API was predominantly wrapped around Windows API functions. Test scripts could be created with capture/replay, in particular by the Windows Recorder tool. However its dominant strength was that scripts could be coded and compiled. Either an individual script could be run, or a group of them run in sequence by a test driver. Among the innovations for the test driver was the ability to customize the batch execution with the inclusion of custom designed dialog boxes and menus. These were built with the User Interface Editor.
Customers had to purchase Visual Test to develop scripts, but it offered free and unlimited redistribution of compiled scripts. The ability to use OLE Automation
allowed enterprising individuals to expand beyond basic functional testing into load testing. A script could create 10's of browsers, drive them, feed them with data, collect statistics and monitor the state of the test.
Included with Visual Test were a suite of samples that demonstrated the range of capabilities of the product.
systems to 32-bit
. With Version 4.0 in 1995, it was hosted within Visual Studio and renamed to Visual Test. It was able to support the testing of the new application control that arrived with Windows '95 and NT. Interestingly the other development language, Visual Basic
remained hosted within its own separate development environment. With its inclusion in Visual Studio, versioning of scripts could be maintained with Microsoft Visual SourceSafe
, also part of Studio. In version 4.0, the ability to access its capabilities from Visual Basic and C++, lost with 3.0, was regained.
As 4.0r was being released Rational Software
Corporation negotiated its purchase from Microsoft in 1996. Version 6 (5 was skipped) from Rational incorporated support Microsoft Active Accessibility
(MSAA), support for HTML
and Web pages and ability to read and change the Windows Registry. Version 6 provided support for Windows 98 and NT 5.0, which eventually became Windows 2000.
Mainsoft
Corporation created a ported version called MainWin Visual Test 4.0r for Unix
. This version is for testing Unix applications created from Windows applications using Mainsoft MainWin platform.
Rational Visual Test 6 was also sold as part of Rational DevelopmentStudio bundle. Visual Test was integrated with other Rational products: Purify, and Quantify, PureCoverage and ClearCase. Rational remained committed to fully support Visual Test through 2002. The last version shipped was 6.5.
103 Tech Notes that were provided as part of the support from Rational remain available in 2006 from IBM
, which previously acquired Rational (http://www-1.ibm.com/support/search.wss?tc=SSSHXU&rs=950&rank=8&dc=DB520+D800+D900+DA900+DA800&dtm).
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
applications developed by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
and later sold to Rational Software
Rational Software
Rational Machines was founded by Paul Levy and Mike Devlin in 1981 to provide tools to expand the use of modern software engineering practices, particularly explicit modular architecture and iterative development...
.
Overview
MS-Test was developed for internal use in Microsoft but became a commercial product at the beginning of 1992. MS-Test automated the process of testing Windows applications. It combined a Windows development language Basic with a testing oriented API.Tests known as scripts were written in Test Basic, a form of the BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
programming language. The API was predominantly wrapped around Windows API functions. Test scripts could be created with capture/replay, in particular by the Windows Recorder tool. However its dominant strength was that scripts could be coded and compiled. Either an individual script could be run, or a group of them run in sequence by a test driver. Among the innovations for the test driver was the ability to customize the batch execution with the inclusion of custom designed dialog boxes and menus. These were built with the User Interface Editor.
Customers had to purchase Visual Test to develop scripts, but it offered free and unlimited redistribution of compiled scripts. The ability to use OLE Automation
OLE Automation
In Microsoft Windows applications programming, OLE Automation , is an inter-process communication mechanism based on Component Object Model that was intended for use by scripting languages – originally Visual Basic – but now are used by languages run on Windows...
allowed enterprising individuals to expand beyond basic functional testing into load testing. A script could create 10's of browsers, drive them, feed them with data, collect statistics and monitor the state of the test.
Capabilities
As with any tool new capabilities were added over time. In 1992 new DLLs were added to provide support for testing- DOS VM
- DDE (Dynamic Data ExchangeDynamic Data ExchangeDynamic Data Exchange is a technology for interprocess communication under Microsoft Windows or OS/2.- Overview :Dynamic Data Exchange was first introduced in 1987 with the release of Windows 2.0 as a method of interprocess communication so that one program can communicate with or control another...
) - The ability to run scripts remotely on other PCs of a local LAN.
- An enhanced test driver
Included with Visual Test were a suite of samples that demonstrated the range of capabilities of the product.
- Play the minesweeper game on its own.
- Play solitaire
- Sample screensaver and others.
32-bit enhancements
Version 2.0 in 1993 had provided support for Windows 3.1. In 1994 MS-Test version 3.0 advanced from 16-bit16-bit
-16-bit architecture:The HP BPC, introduced in 1975, was the world's first 16-bit microprocessor. Prominent 16-bit processors include the PDP-11, Intel 8086, Intel 80286 and the WDC 65C816. The Intel 8088 was program-compatible with the Intel 8086, and was 16-bit in that its registers were 16...
systems to 32-bit
32-bit
The range of integer values that can be stored in 32 bits is 0 through 4,294,967,295. Hence, a processor with 32-bit memory addresses can directly access 4 GB of byte-addressable memory....
. With Version 4.0 in 1995, it was hosted within Visual Studio and renamed to Visual Test. It was able to support the testing of the new application control that arrived with Windows '95 and NT. Interestingly the other development language, Visual Basic
Visual Basic
Visual Basic is the third-generation event-driven programming language and integrated development environment from Microsoft for its COM programming model...
remained hosted within its own separate development environment. With its inclusion in Visual Studio, versioning of scripts could be maintained with Microsoft Visual SourceSafe
Microsoft Visual SourceSafe
Microsoft Visual SourceSafe is a source control software package oriented towards small software development projects. Like most source control systems, SourceSafe creates a virtual library of computer files...
, also part of Studio. In version 4.0, the ability to access its capabilities from Visual Basic and C++, lost with 3.0, was regained.
As 4.0r was being released Rational Software
Rational Software
Rational Machines was founded by Paul Levy and Mike Devlin in 1981 to provide tools to expand the use of modern software engineering practices, particularly explicit modular architecture and iterative development...
Corporation negotiated its purchase from Microsoft in 1996. Version 6 (5 was skipped) from Rational incorporated support Microsoft Active Accessibility
Microsoft Active Accessibility
Microsoft Active Accessibility is an Application Programming Interface for user interface accessibility. MSAA was introduced as a platform add-on to Microsoft Windows 95 in 1997...
(MSAA), support for HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
and Web pages and ability to read and change the Windows Registry. Version 6 provided support for Windows 98 and NT 5.0, which eventually became Windows 2000.
Mainsoft
Mainsoft
Mainsoft is a software company, founded in 1993, that develop interoperability software products for Microsoft Windows and Linux/Unix platforms.-History:Mainsoft was founded in 1993, mainly to propose integration solutions between Windows and other systems....
Corporation created a ported version called MainWin Visual Test 4.0r for Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
. This version is for testing Unix applications created from Windows applications using Mainsoft MainWin platform.
Rational Visual Test 6 was also sold as part of Rational DevelopmentStudio bundle. Visual Test was integrated with other Rational products: Purify, and Quantify, PureCoverage and ClearCase. Rational remained committed to fully support Visual Test through 2002. The last version shipped was 6.5.
103 Tech Notes that were provided as part of the support from Rational remain available in 2006 from IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, which previously acquired Rational (http://www-1.ibm.com/support/search.wss?tc=SSSHXU&rs=950&rank=8&dc=DB520+D800+D900+DA900+DA800&dtm).