UFT One supports a large variety of Technologies and Automates both Functional and API testing
Pros and Cons
"The best feature of UFT by far is its compatibility with a large variety of products, tools and technologies. It is currently a challenge to find a single tool on the market besides UFT that will successfully automate tests for so many projects and environments."
"Sometimes UFT can take a while to open and sometimes will run slower than expected."
For how long have you been using this solution?
I have 10 plus years using Unified Functional Testing (UFT) which equates to over 10,000 hours of hands-on experience. I started using QuickTest Professional (QTP) which was the predecessor to UFT. I then started using UFT 11.50 when it was released. Since then, I have used UFT versions 12.52, 12.54, 14.03, 14.52, 14.53, 15.0, and 15.0.1. The latest version I have used is UFT One (version 15.0.1). Consequently, this product review is about UFT One 15.0.1
What is your primary use case of this solution?
I primarily use a suite of UFT automated regression tests after every release to test Web applications using Chrome and Microsoft Chromium Edge Browsers. The current automation team I am on used Internet Explorer (IE) but stopped using it when support for IE ended on June 15, 2022. During my career I have also used UFT to test standalone applications (Java, Visual Basic, and SAP). This includes developing new scripts and modifying scripts as needed. UFT One 15.0.1
came out with many new features. In particular, a new UI design that is worth showing. There are two modes – Default theme and Dark theme. It is very easy for the user to switch modes by simply going to the Options setting and choosing the theme you want. For clarity, I have two pasted screenshots - UFT Default theme (Figure 1) and UFT Dark theme (Figure 2) displayed below.
Figure 1) UFT One Default theme
Figure 2) UFT One Dark theme
Please share how Micro Focus UFT One has improved your organization. If it did not, please explain why.
During my career UFT One has improved the organizations I have worked for because after a release, we will schedule several hundred UFT Regression Tests to run unattended at night and get the results in the morning. UFT also has a built-in reporter utility that clearly shows what specific tests were executed, the Pass/Fail status, and exactly where a test step failed along with the timestamp. This is especially important for providing proof of the test results in the future if requested.
Which features have you found most valuable, and why?
The best feature of UFT by far is its compatibility with a large variety of products, tools and technologies. It is a currently a challenge to find a single tool on the market besides UFT that will successfully automate tests for so many projects and environments. For Web Browser testing, UFT One 15.0.1 supports Chrome, Microsoft Chromium Edge, and Firefox. UFT One 15.0.1 also supports GUI testing of SAP, Oracle, Terminal Emulator, .NET, and PuTTY. Another plus is that UFT will automate Windows applications such as Microsoft Outlook, SharePoint, Word, and Windows Objects (i.e. dialog boxes). Furthermore, UFT One 15 has a new Data Table functionality that supports Excel files (both .XLS and .XLSX formats) for importing, exporting, and writing to. Also, AI-based testing is supported on desktop browsers as well. Before version 15.0.1, AI-based testing was supported only on mobile browsers. UFT One also supports API and database testing as well.
The InsightObject feature
All versions of UFT have a feature called the InsightObject that has the ability to identify any object by taking an image of the object and using the “similarity” property. Using the GetVisibleText method can be used to extract the text from the InsightObject even though it is essentially an image. UFT One 15.0.1 enhanced the InsightObject feature making it more accurate in identifying objects.
The InsightObject feature is so helpful I have dedicated a special section with screenshots and a brief description on how the InsightObject feature works. The following screenshots from Figure 3) to Figure 10) cover the InsightObject feature.
Figure 3) Web Page used to illustrate InsightObject functionality
Credit: NASA.gov Image credit: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech
We want UFT to capture the area of the image that contains the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. This is done by using the InsightObject feature. The area of object is selected that we want to identify and add to the Object Repository.
Figure 4) InsightObject displaying the captured object within the Web Page
Credit: NASA.gov Image credit: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech
Figure 5) InsightObject displayed when added to the Object Repository. The object is “InsightObjectFourPlanets”
Credit: NASA.gov Image credit: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech
Figure 6) IDE code with InsightObject named ”InsightObjectFourPlanets”
Credit: NASA.gov Image credit: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech
Figure 7) Code with InsightObject using the Highlight method.
Credit: NASA.gov Image credit: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech
Figure 8) Cool feature: Move the mouse over the InsightObject and it clearly displays the image object.
Credit: NASA.gov Image credit: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech
Figure 9) Using the GetVisibleText method to get text from “InsightObjectFourPlanets” and put into variable strGetTextPlanets.
The UFT Print Log displaying Output
Figure 10) Print Log after execution displays the text below:
“strGetTextPlanets = Mercury Venus Earth Mars” In what areas could the product or service be improved? What additional features should be included in the next release?
Sometimes UFT can take a while to open and sometimes will run slower than expected. Also, UFT uses a lot of memory. When UFT was originally released, the “Print Button” was eliminated that existed on the Standard toolbar with the predecessor QTP. A user now has to use the keys “Ctrl + P” to print out the IDE that contains the code. Also, no “File >> Print” option exists, either. For the next release, having a “Print button” would definitely be beneficial. Also, the formatting of printed IDE output needs improvement. I frequently like to print out my code so I can examine it and make notes. However, the code displayed after printing is not easy to read due to the way it is formatted. The trial license is now limited to only 30 days, which is not enough time for a prospective buyer to fully learn all the features of the newest version. Sixty days would be more realistic and more attractive to potential customers.
Alternatives and Advice: Did you previously use a different solution and if so, why did you switch?
I originally used QuickTest Professional (QTP) and have used several different versions of UFT since. The latest version I have used is UFT One 15.0.1
What do you advise others about setup cost, pricing and/or licensing?
When considering UFT for your organization, I would first evaluate how large your QA department is and if you will have a business need to automate your functional and regression tests. Also, decide if your department is going to perform API testing because that is part of UFT. Even if your company has a salesperson come in and demo UFT, I would highly encourage at least one of your developers or automation engineers to download and install it to explore for themselves the functionality and features included during the demo trial period.
If your company is going to invest in UFT, I would encourage the company to do their due diligence in making sure that they hire an Automation Engineer well experienced with the Micro Focus tools. This person must be particularly good at writing VBScript and know all of the advanced tips and tricks in getting UFT scripts developed so they will run without stopping unexpectedly. The QA Automation Engineer must be able to write functions from scratch and know the difference between passing a parameter by Value and by Reference.
I would also encourage the company to use a Citrix Server for UFT to be installed on. The reason for this is that it is much easier to maintain the Citrix environment with respect to patches, Browser versions, etc., versus every user having to make sure their laptop or PC is up to date with patches. Also, Citrix can have multiple sessions and be accessed remotely.
Do you have any additional comments or advice regarding this solution?
Many customers do not know that UFT is not strictly just for GUI testing. All versions of UFT come included with API testing. When customers remark about the price, it is important to know that this price also includes API testing. Previously, the API feature was known as Service Test when QTP existed and had to be purchased separately. UFT is essentially QTP and Service Test bundled into one product. For clarity, I have displayed a screenshot of a basic API test below that sends an HTTP Request.
Figure 11) API Test “API_DEMO_UFT_TEST” that sends an HTTP Request
Figure 12) API Test “API_DEMO_UFT_TEST” Results displayed
What are your impressions of the scalability of this solution?
It is quite straightforward to add users. The limiting factor is the number of licenses.
What are your impressions of the stability of this solution?
UFT 15.0.1 is pretty stable. It can sometimes run out of memory when executing a really long test set or when executing several hours continuously.
What is your ROI?
This must be determined on a case-by-case basis. Based on my experience, the largest ROI is running labor-intensive regression tests for releases over a period of time. Another point to consider is that UFT can also generate time-intensive conditioned data that can be used by manual testers, which frees up their time to concentrate on testing duties. Also, consider using the API testing that comes with UFT. Creating and using API tests will also increase the ROI.
Was the initial setup straightforward or complex and in what ways?
Installing UFT is straightforward. If you are using concurrent licenses, then a System Administrator might be necessary to configure the License Server. The setup will vary from company to company depending on the environment they choose.
Did you implement through a vendor team or an in-house one?
Implemented in-house.
Tell us about your experience with customer service and support.
This will vary by the Service Provider your company chooses.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Thank you for this well written article. The advantages of UFT testing are worth the investment in software, linces, and in having an automation engineer. I personally have benefitted from both regression testing and working with an automation engineer to lead the organization the the pathway to less down time, meeting delivery dates, and having more reliable systems. Great article.
Don IngersonQA Automation Engineer at Global Fortune 500 Company
UFT One supports AI features to automate web and mobile applications
Pros and Cons
"I like the Help feature in UFT One. For example, if you are navigating a particular window, where there are different options. One wouldn’t know the purpose of every option, but there is no need to search because that window contains a Help button. If you click on that Help button, it directly navigates to the respective help needed. VBScript is very easy to understand and easy to prepare scripts with minimal learning curve."
"UFT has a recording feature. They could make the recording feature window bigger for whatever activities that I am recording. It would improve the user experience if they could create a separate floating panel (or have it automatically show on the side) once the recording starts."
What is our primary use case?
UFT (erstwhile QTP) is a widely popular test automation tool. During my initial days, I used UFT extensively to automate test cases. Now, with the latest version of OpenText UFT One, there are added features that address the new-age testing requirements. In my current position as Practice Head of Test Automation competency at a Tier 1 company, we propose various befitting tools to our existing or new customers. Whenever we work on a particular solution or requirement, we propose automation tools to support the entire environment to support end-to-end automation. If my customer is looking for an automation solution, they will typically ask, "Can you provide a solution to automate my end-to-end scenario?" Every proposal or potential requirement is a new business case for us.
How has it helped my organization?
In some of our recent customer requirements, we have proposed the OpenText UFT One tool. The primary reason behind this is that a customer may have different systems, for e.g., a mainframe system, which is a legacy technology, their current web applications, like AngularJS or ReactJS, could include SAP ERP. In such an ecosystem, UFT One is the right fit to automate end-to-end systems.
What is most valuable?
Scripting is a basic feature of UFT One. Some tools may use programming languages like Java, Python, or Ruby; but UFT One uses a very basic, simple programming language called VBScript. The advantage of VBScript for a manual tester is if he/she has a basic knowledge of automation, and loops/conditions, then he can easily understand whatever script is created in UFT One, using VBScript. The point is that VBScript is very easy to understand with minimal knowledge. It can easily be modified as per requirement. UFT One all the technologies including a legacy to modern technologies.
For one of our customers, we proposed integration between UFT One and Azure DevOps (ADO). We were able to easily establish that integration, which means the solution's integration capability with third-party tools is s. With some tools, you may need additional effort to communicate with source code management (SCM) tools, whereas UFT One connects easily. There is a keyword view available in UFT One. Using that keyword view, you can see all the statements in proper order.
UFT One has its own feature called Test Combinations Generator to prepare test data. If I have data in an Excel file, then it is very easy to create an object in either Notepad, file system object, or database object. We can easily retrace the data.
Particularly, I like the Help feature in UFT One. For example, if you are navigating a particular window, where there are different options. One wouldn’t know the purpose of every option, but there is no need to search because that window contains a Help button. If you click on that Help button, it directly navigates to the respective help needed.
UFT One supports AI features to automate web and mobile applications. For example, suppose, if earlier there was a button in the left corner, which now has moved to the right corner. In such a situation, we would need to update the script. However, with AI, there is no need to update the script. Within the screen, if that particular button is placed anywhere on the screen, then we can easily handle it and the script will not fail. The integration part is very easy for mobile automation, as well.
We can also automate PDF and forms, using UFT One. For example, one of our customers prepared a lot of macros in an Excel file and created their own custom options in the toolbar. Their requirement was to automate the Excel file, but not read the data, so we had to handle the different icons in the Excel file. Therefore, it generated the pivot table, selecting different options in the pivot table and validating some third-party applications.
UFT One can automate different technologies like SAP, Oracle, SFDC, Microsoft products, Mobile applications, and many more technologies.
What needs improvement?
From a sales pitch perspective, everyone is now looking for script less automation, whether they are using the feature or not. So, if UFT One is made as a script less tool entirely, that would be very good.
UFT also has a recording feature. They could make the recording feature window bigger for whatever activities that I am recording. It would improve the user experience if they could create a separate floating panel (or have it automatically show on the side) once the recording starts.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution for 13 to 14 years. I started by using an older version of UFT One, Quick Test Professional (QTP) 6.5.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
UFT One is 100 percent stable. There have been no crashes of any kind.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is easily scalable. It supports increases in automation as well as integrates with third-party tools, like ALM Octane and Jenkins.
How are customer service and support?
OpenText technical support is prompt. They will try to get you a proper solution to your inquiry.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy to install and configuration is not required.
Deployment time takes three to four minutes, though it depends on the RAM and performance of the processor. However, if you install MS Office, that will definitely take some time.
What was our ROI?
Our customers are always looking to reduce their efforts. This solution will give you such an advantage.
Depending on the landscape and stability of the customer application, they should see ROI (or the breakeven point) within six to nine iterations.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The license is important. If the license is up and running when you open it, there won't be any issues.
Compared to other tools in the market, UFT One is very cheap. The recent Covid pandemic situation also hit customer budgets significantly, so OpenText offered some discounted prices, which is definitely competitive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
There are a lot of tools available in the market, however, the primary advantageous feature identified in UFT One is simple: It supports legacy to modern technologies. This is why I propose UFT One.
Everybody is aware of mainframe systems because of Y2K. This solution supports a lot of terminal emulators that communicate and connect to mainframe systems. That is one of its key advantages. Some automation tools provide only a fewer number of terminal emulators, but UFT One supports a lot of terminal emulators to communicate with mainframes.
What other advice do I have?
If someone is new to test automation, we will typically propose UFT One.
OpenText recently started offering UFT One as a PaaS, which has been helpful for our customers.
I would rate this solution as a nine (out of 10).
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator.
"The solution is easy to integrate with other platforms."
"They should include AI-based testing features."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for defect tracking and test automation features.
What needs improvement?
They should include AI-based testing features in the solution for assessment and identifying potential databases.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution for more than ten years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution. I rate its scalability as a ten.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's customer service is excellent. They always prioritize our tickets.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup process is easy. I rate it as a ten.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We purchase the solution's yearly license. It costs 700k. There are no additional costs involved.
What other advice do I have?
The solution is easy to integrate and adapt for manual testing. It manages tests very well. It is an excellent tool in terms of customization. I rate it as a nine.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Helps us create automation frameworks very quickly and is easily integrable with Excel
Pros and Cons
"The entire framework is very useful. It's easily integrable with Excel."
"It should consume less CPU, and the licensing cost could be lower."
What is our primary use case?
This solution is typically used for desktop-based applications where you cannot use Selenium or other web-automation tools.
It's deployed on-premises.
There are five people in our organization who are using the solution.
What is most valuable?
It's a complete tool. The entire framework is very useful. It's easily integrable with Excel. You can do keyword-driven or data-driven frameworks easily, and you can create automation frameworks very quickly. It covers all the needs of a desktop-based application.
Integration with Jenkins and any CI/CD tool is also valuable.
What needs improvement?
It should consume less CPU, and the licensing cost could be lower.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability as seven out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability as eight out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
Setup is straightforward. It takes time, but it depends on the CPU that you have. It's a one-time effort. At maximum, you need one admin person to handle maintenance and deployment.
What about the implementation team?
Implementation can be done on-house.
What was our ROI?
We have seen a return on investment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's a yearly subscription. There are no additional costs to the standard subscription.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
My organization switched because they wanted to do the POC in the latest version, not the old version of UFT.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate the solution as eight out of ten. I would recommend this solution for those who are looking into implementing it.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
"I'd like to see test case-related reports included in the solution."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for database and desktop application testing. We are customers of Micro Focus and I'm a senior software engineer.
What is most valuable?
The stop automation is a great feature that is not generally supported by other solutions.
What needs improvement?
I'd like to see reporting included in the solution, particularly test case-related reports.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is 70-80% stable. Stability really depends on the servers or the license which we have installed. If the license doesn't reach the server, there's less stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
The setup process was somewhere in between straightforward and complex. The vendor carried out the implementation for us; it would have been helpful to have better documentation. The solution doesn't require maintenance but when the version changes and you have to reinstall there might be some work involved. We're not using the solution on a daily basis, just when we need it.
What other advice do I have?
This is a great solution and I rate it eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Good out-of-the-box protocols; unfortunately technical support is a little slow
Pros and Cons
"The solution has good out-of-the-box protocols."
"Technical support could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use this product for our functional and automatic testing. I'm a senior test manager and we are customers of Micro Focus.
What is most valuable?
It's a fine solution with good out-of-the-box protocols. Right now we're moving to a new way of working so we're going to need to move away from this product.
What needs improvement?
Improvement could be made in the cost of the solution and the support time involved in solving issues. This is something that is quite tricky. I try to get the support on a ticket, but it takes time for it to be managed. This part is always quite tedious and that's in addition to the renewal process for licensing. It's not managed very well by Micro Focus. We're looking into more open source products.
I'd like to see a change in the programming language so that the product would support modern programming languages. It would improve agility which I believe the product needs.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for four years.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support could be improved.
How was the initial setup?
The implementation was carried out by the vendor but the rest was done either in-house or using third party providers. We carry out the maintenance using our admins. We're using the product intensively right now and we have around 80 or 90 users using it every day.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The license model is quite complex. We have the normal basic license plus some support costs and other things so it depends on a lot of factors.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure this solution is the future with many companies now moving to agility-focused solutions. I have used these products for the past 20 years and they were good and fast but now there are other competitors who are coming out with better solutions.
I would rate this solution a six out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
With UFT 14.51 Micro Focus continues to improve and expand functionality
Last year I had the honor to attend the Micro Focus ADM Conference in Dallas, Texas. Participating with other users in a round table discussion, we spoke of what we loved most, and least, about the UFT automation tool feature set.
The results of this meeting can be seen in UFT 14.51. Micro Focus continues to show they are listening to their user base. They are committed to making changes large and small that makes UFT more user-friendly and efficient. Here is a quick dive into product changes, some undocumented, in 14.51.
Parallel Test Execution adds isolated execution
With a ParallelRunner utility, scripts can be executed on up to four different browsers simultaneously. Execution can be performed from a command prompt:
or by referencing a JSON formatted file.
Parallel execution was introduced in UFT14.50, but there was one drawback: It was difficult to handle events that caused conflicts when executed simultaneously. For example, if multiple tests attempt to perform an LDAP validation with identical credentials, UFT 14.51 resolves this with isolated execution using the ParallelUtil object. This tells other concurrent tests to pause so that the current code segments can execute without any overlapping interference.
You can see a demo of UFT 14.51 Parallel Execution in this short video.
'Open in Repository' speeds Object Repository access
A small change is in the context-sensitive right-click menu makes day to day work in scripts and the repository much easier. In prior versions, users could only jump to the Object Properties… dialog - which has no edit functionality- and then click on View in Repository in order to edit an object.
Now with the addition of the Open in Repository option, a path without the extra mouse click is provided. Users can now jump directly from the code to edit a problem object in the repository. This continues to reduce the "Clickitis" of UFT.
'Go to Definition' jumps to the function between linked libraries.
In prior versions the Go to Definition option only allowed users to jump from the Main Script to a library, or to a function within in the same library. The only way to jump to a function declared in another library was to search the entire project. Now users can jump to function definitions between external libraries.
Spy has a new Hover Mode
Users have long awaited the Object Spy to detect objects that appeared only when the mouse is floated over. This is a switch found at the top of the tool interface, and a message appears indicating the new mode is operational when activated. As a reminder, the Spy tool has undergone a lot of improvements in recent releases. It can display the properties of two objects at the same time for comparison. And it's no longer modal, so the user can now move the main IDE window freely, and even edit code, while the Spy tool remains open.
The tally of Fail and Warnings in the Results Viewer now report a count and percentage of reported Pass results.
Users can quickly identify tests with a large count failure from those with single faults from a high-level standpoint. This greatly addresses the prioritization of maintenance when multiple tests in a test suite have failed.
Persistent Watch List with Undocumented Methods Revealed
Set variable or object property in the Watch list and save the test. Restart UFT, reload the test and view the Watch window. All tracked variables and objects will return without retyping.
The Watch window holds another surprise. Many, if not all, undocumented methods are now displayed including .Highlight, .HighlightAllMatchingChildren, .Init and .MakeObjVisible. An additional issue has been resolved where only a partial alphabetical list of object properties was retrieved due to a timeout.
More support for StormRunner Functional with new AOM Methods and Properties
StormRunner Functional uses Amazon Web Services to create virtual test labs for testing Web and Mobile devices:
Six Different Screen Resolution:1920 x 1080 to 800 x 600
One of the major advantages of StormRunner Functional is that it spins up virtual environments only for the run time duration. Add the ability to run tests concurrently and this makes testing in the cloud significantly faster.
Pricing, Setup Cost and Licensing
UFT is a licensed product, but it has some advantages that make it a viable choice over other open source options.
The first cost advantage becomes evident when Micro Focus tools are combined with StormRunner Functional to run tests in the cloud. SRF runs under Amazon Web Services, spinning up test environments on an as-needed basis. This allows Micro Focus to offer customers a flat rate charge, instead of a pay-by-the-minute plan. This offering can be very attractive to budget-conscious users who have had the surprise experience of paying for machine instances that were inadvertently left idle for days or weeks in the cloud.
UFT has another advantage with the choice of VbScript as its programming language. It's easy to learn and quick to write test scripts. Where Java and Selenium require a much higher level of code density, complexity and multiple third-party support tools by comparison. The ROI of using an open source tool can be lost when the time and manpower needed to get up and running quickly is lost to a high learning curve and the lack of an on-demand customer support line.
Lastly, successful automation projects expand from an initial proof of concept application to other applications under other technologies. So another advantage to consider is the number new and legacy web technologies, including terminal emulators and Windows thick clients supported by UFT.
This makes UFT the “everything and the kitchen sink” of automation tools, with an easy to learn language, a solid history, and extensive support resources.
Initial Setup
Setup remains straight forward taking about 30 minutes to complete, including one system restart. The tool installs the bare minimum of add-ins. To add more takes less than 10 minutes.
Room for Improvement
With this release, the list of good features dominates over those on the desired list. But there are a few changes I'd still like to see.
• A user is forced back to the main script during debugging. 90% of code development and issues occur in function libraries. So having the tool jump back to the main script from it's last line of execution is problematic making debugging overly tedious. Fortunately, this is the only remaining source of "Click-itus" in the product.
• No RegEx support of integer properties. From an advanced user perspective, if the tool allowed for the RegEx "[1-9]\d+" in the Height and Width properties, a collection of visible objects could be returned. This would eliminate the additional code to search the outerhtml properties of all returned objects for textual cues like "DISPLAYED".
Other Solutions Considered
I have worked QTP/UFT and Selenium/Serenity engagements; however, I do compare functionality of other tools in my spare time, including Micro Focus LeanFT, TestProject.IO, SmartBear TestComplete, MABL and AutoBloks from the creators of Test Design Studio at Patterson Consulting .
Other Advice
Be sure to have new automation engineers trained beyond basic YouTube videos. Avoid on the job training. This will prevent rookie mistakes, producing more robust scripts and less maintenance. Micro Focus tool training is available from both Orasi and RTTS.
Micro Focus' Unified Functional Testing tool is returning as a major contender in the test automation field. This release continues to show a real commitment to adding more ease of use and providing more functionality to users.
Disclosure
I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
While I personally have not printed code for several years, it is something missing compared to other IDEs. Both Eclipse and IntelliJ have a Print Code functionality.
Eclipse has a basic print from a the active window.
IntelliJ has the significantly advanced capability over Eclipse with printing selected text, the active window, or the entire project. UFT certainly should include this functionality in upcoming releases.
The new parent company of UFT, Micro Focus, is showing their user base that they get it.
They really get it! Changes in this point release alone remind me of the days when QTP was under Mercury Interactive's vision.
Here is a quick dive into many product changes, well beyond what is mentioned in the What’s New section of UFT’s User Guide.
Easier download
At times it felt like HP had a hard time getting out of it's own way to get new users to download and try UFT with a 60 day trial license. Micro Focus has begun to streamline that process. Here is the link to get exactly what you want. No muss, no fuss.
Yes, it records and plays back on Chrome and Firefox too.
Like Internet Explorer, each browser has a UFT Hook extension that must be enabled before object recognition will work.
It can now record and playback on Chrome with Polymer's Shadow DOM as well.
More Tech Stack Support
UFT 14.02 extends support to WebAgGrid objects and Firefox v.57.
Return of the Run and Spy buttons
My last review praised a new ability in UFT 14.01 allowing the Spy utility being left open while writing code, but lamented the loss of the Run and Spy buttons when a Function Library window had the focus. These buttons are now restored to their original state, substantially reducing "Click-itus" in the product. There are other design changes that really eases day to day use:
• Double-clicking a function in the Toolbox takes the user to the source code, rather than adding code to a random cursor location.
• Floating mouse-over popups now appear below the code, making it easier to select objects to send it to the Watch window.
• Sending values to the Watch window works on the first try, even if the Watch window is not active.
• There are fixes with Auto-code generation functionality.
• The Spy window split bar is unlocked, giving the user more view space to the property values by default.
Test Combinations Generator (TCG) gets a significant new option: Pull from UI
The TCG tool was introduced in UFT 14.00 to help users with large Data-Driven test design. It is actually two tools in one: First it is an extensive random data generator. Second it can take small groups of data and generate large combination scenarios organized into Happy Path, Error path and Regression groups.
The new Pull from UI feature now allows users to import data from populated WebLists in an application.
With a simple point-and-click, a list of countries above is imported into the TCG tool and then available for use in the Global table.
To understand why sourcing data from a web list is important, one should have an understanding why the Test Combinations Generator is so beneficial to data-driven testing:
• Need a quick list of random user names? But only with the letter "X"? It does it.
• A range of random dates? Available in nine common date formats? Yup it does that too.
• Same for random URLs, IPs and MAC addresses.
• How about a list of randomly generated emails and passwords that meet specific business rules? A little RegEx gets it for you.
• Combine eMails and Passwords and you have an instant set of unique credentials of simulated new users.
• Need a list of random part numbers in a custom format? Use the Regular Expression data generator to create combinations.
Hidden TCG Benefit: Learn Regular Expressions
A side benefit here about RegEx: The TCG tool comes with several pre-configured RegEx samples that can be modified. This means it can be used to experiment and learn RegEx much the way many of us learned to code: by modifying a working example and analyzing the results.
Test Combinations Generator (TCG) can really mix it up
While all this data can be exported into Excel sheets for multiple uses the Test Combinations Generator does not stop there. It can take a few short columns of data values and create larger scenario data sets. Take 10 first names and 10 surname names and TCG can create 100 family members. Add random dates in an 80 year span and you have a simulated population sample.
When using four or more types of data, the combinations can quickly become exponentially large. TCG tops out at just over 65,000 combinations, which might take months or years to run every combination just once.
So Micro Focus offers Pairwise, as well as Triplewise, combination sets. This achieves the most efficient combination coverage. This means your automation script can look for problems when combining two or three list values, without repeating every possible combination.
Finally, the TCG tool further allows the user to identify Happy Path data, as well as Error Path data.
This means you can further segment your data combinations into a small Smoke data set, a Negative data set, with the remaining being the Regression data set.
These data sets can be selected upfront for easy instant access to data driven testing from the Global data table.
To see more of UFT’s TCG tool in action, check out this video:
Another welcome change is online access to the Product Availability Matrix from the Help menu. In prior releases, this document has often been hidden in the Documents folder under the Start menu. It informs users what environments and configurations recent versions of UFT requires to run efficiently.
Stability Issues
UFT 14.02 remains extremely stable. It's been my tool of choice for nearly two decades because it is solid.
Scalability Issues
Scalability is entirely up to the framework design.
While Record and Playback is available for new users to learn the tool, it will result in fragile, high maintenance test suites. This is true of most automation tools, so a hybrid framework design approach is always highly recommended.
Fortunately, UFT is extremely flexible in design. Advanced developers can go so far as to design a framework which translates plain English like:
With the Business Process Testing (BPT) option, non-technical users can easily build test cases inside of ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) from scripted components designed by automation engineers.
Enhancing Object Methods
Scaling object class methods to add new functionality or extending existing methods is achievable with the Function Definition Generator Wizard.
This allows automation engineers to fully customize UFT methods, as well as add new functionality. These methods appear in the Intelli-sence dropdown of object classes. Even descriptions appear on the interface to help new team members who are just learning a new framework design.
Previous Solutions
Prior to using VBScript-based UFT/QTP, I used Mercury Interactive's C-based WinRunner up until 2004. Product support was discontinued in 2011.
Initial Setup
Setup remains very straightforward and takes about 45 minutes, including one system restart. The tool installs the bare minimum of add-ins. To add more takes less than 10 minutes.
Room for Improvement
With this point release the list of good features far exceeds those on the desired wish list.
• When a debug session ends, UFT forces the user back to the main script. 90% of code development and issues occur in function libraries. This is the only remaining source of "Click-itus" in the product.
• RegEx support of property strings, but not integers properties. If the tool allowed [1-9]\d+ in the Height and Width properties, the returned object collections would exclude all non-visible objects.
• The tally of Fail and Warnings in the results viewer lack a count of reported Pass results. From a high-level stand point, a Test with one failure and 99 Pass results looks just as bad as a test with 100 Fail results.
Pricing, Setup Cost and Licensing
For the price of five automation licenses, you simply would not be able to hire five manual testers.
Over two years, a successful automation project can mature to a 24/7 test execution schedule that outweighs the equivalent cost of manual testers. It also tends to expand from a initial proof of concept to multiple applications.
While UFT 14.02 is a commercial product, the sheer volume of internal tools focused on ease of use gives it an edge over other open source products by speeding test development.
UFT is the “everything and the kitchen sink” of automation tools with an easy to learn language, a solid history, and extensive support resources.
Other Solutions Considered
I only work QTP/UFT engagements; however, I do compare functionality of other tools in my spare time, including Micro Focus LeanFT, Selenium, and SmartBear TestComplete.
Other Advice
• Be sure to have new automation engineers trained beyond basic YouTube videos, and avoid on the job training. This will prevent rookie mistakes, producing robust scripts and less re-work in the future. Micro Focus provides tool training, as does Orasi and RTTS in New York.
• Consider expanding your Test Automation Engineer's toolbelt with Test Design Studio from Patterson Consulting. It includes a static code analysis tool, similar to Lint, but tailored to UFT. This allows UFT developers to efficiently analyze entire entire code base for errors in a single sitting, not just at run-time.
Micro Focus' Unified Functional Testing tool is shaping up to return as a major contender in the test automation field. This new release shows a real commitment to ease of use and hints at providing more superior functionality to users in the coming year.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Thank you for this well written article. The advantages of UFT testing are worth the investment in software, linces, and in having an automation engineer. I personally have benefitted from both regression testing and working with an automation engineer to lead the organization the the pathway to less down time, meeting delivery dates, and having more reliable systems. Great article.
Thank you for reading my review and the comment. Glad you felt it added value.