Auto-test Tools:
Sahi and Rational Robot
Ting Yu
Xia Liu
University of Ottawa
Outline
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Introduction
Business case
Evaluation criteria
Evaluation
Conclusion
Introduction

What is Test Automation?
– The use software to control the execution of
tests
– the comparison of actual outcomes to
predicted outcomes

Advantages of Test Automation
– Reduce test time as well as cost
Business Case
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Company: heyhey.inc set up in 2002
- Mainly provide web development services, also
web enabled database application built in
Oracle and Java
- Staffs: project manager, 2 technical team
leaders, 14 developers
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Look for some automation testing
tool:
- Rational Robot (IBM)
- Sahi (Sahi)
General introduction of
two tools
Sahi
A free web-functional auto testing tool
which can recognize most HTML patterns
 Rational robot
Commercial functional auto testing tool,
develop by the IBM, much powerful and
easy for beginners
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Evaluation Criteria
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High-impact criteria
– Record and Playback
– Web testing
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Impact criteria
– Cost
– Technical Support

Low-impact criteria
– Environment support
– Ease of use
Evaluation:
Record and Playback
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1)
Rational robot
Record: click the red GUI button in the robot main
window
2)
3)
4)
5)
create new record script
set the record type and application direction
make a functional test: set verification point
stop the recording
7)
modify the test script
play back the script: click playback script button
on the robot tools bar
8)
choose the playback script
6)

Sahi

Script compare

example
Error report
Sahi
--Change the click button item “Searcher"
Log
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Rational
-compare data with base line
Evaluation: web test
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Rational robot
HTML link for performing a click on a web link
HTML ActiveX, table and other common element
HTML Image for clicking an image in a web page
HTML Document for positioning the cursor in
web pages
Website Verification point allows you to check
for broken links and set link baseline
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Sahi

HTML link for performing a click on a text link

HTML Image for clicking an image in a web page
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Common HTML element：Table, single line text
area, scrolling text area，check box
Evaluation:
environment support
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Rational robot
windows,
IE/Firefox,
HTML, DHTML, HTML, java Visual Basic, Visual C++,
Oracle Developer/2000, Delphi,
SAP, PeopleSoft and Sybase PowerBuilder
Sahi
Windows / Linux;
IE/Firefox;
HTML, Delphi, java,
AJAX and dynamic applications
Evaluation: cost
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Rational robot
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Temperature license: download free 7 days
Commercial license: about 12000 dollars for one
year
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Sahi
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Free to use, paid technical support
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Evaluation: ease of use
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Rational robot
The rational robot is easy to learn. The record
and playback, log files, Test Result, verification
points and debugging is very simple for the
beginner

Sahi

Friendly layout, easy to use
Evaluation: Support
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Rational robot
There are lots of documents, demos to help you
to install and play with the robot.
http://www306.ibm.com/software/awdtools/tester/robot/support/index.html
Sahi
Only limited online resource available, no use manual
Only one demo on Sahi website
there is paid technical support provided
Conclusion
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For each evaluation, we give a range 1-10
10-Excellent, 9-Superb, 8-Very Good, 7-Good, 6-Above
Average, 5-Average, 4-Below Average, 3-Poor, 2-Bad, 1Horrible
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Weight
– 1.2: high-impact
– 1.0: impact
– 0.8: low-impact
Record
and
Playback
Web
testing
Cost
Technical
Support
Environment
support
Ease of
use
Rational
robot
8
8
5
8
8
7
Sahi
6
6
9
6
6
7
Rational robot: 8*1.2+8*1.2+5*1+8*1+8*0.8+7*0.8=44.2
Sahi:
6*1.2+6*1.2+9*1+6*1+6*0.8+7*0.8=39.8
We advice to choose the rational robot!
Any questions?
Thanks!