Software quality assurance teams rely on IBM® Rational® Functional Tester to validate application functionality. This article describes some of the key advancements introduced in Version 8.1.

Storyboard testing: simplified scripting and application visuals

The most significant change in the V8.1 release of Rational Functional Tester is the ability to record functional test scripts that generate and display English statements in the Test view. While recording simplified test scripts, Rational Functional Tester captures application snapshots and displays application visuals. You can use application visuals to modify the scripts and to insert verification points and data-driven commands without opening the application under test.

Figure 1 shows various screen segments to illustrate that by the storyboard to navigate the test flow, which includes natural language test actions, you can edit anywhere: script, text, or screen.

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Enhanced environment support

This software supports testing a wide variety of applications, including those based on Java™ technology, Microsoft® .NET, HTML, SAP®, Siebel software, AJAX, PowerBuilder, Adobe® Flex™, Dojo, GEF applications, and terminal-based application. such as IBM® zSeries® (mainframes such as TN3270 and TN3270E), IBM® iSeries® (IBM® AS/400®, such as TN5250) and IBM® pSeries® (virtual terminals. such as VT default, VT100, VT420-7, VT420-8, and VT UTF-8). The V8.1 release includes enhanced support for the latest test environments and for applications built using these technologies:

• Microsoft® Internet Explorer® 8.0
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 or 8.0 multi-tab support
• Firefox 3.0
• PowerBuilder 10.5, 11.2 and 11.5 in addition to already supported PowerBuilder 11.0
• SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal 7.0 support
• Microsoft® Windows Vista® Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Windows Vista Ultimate with Service Pack 2
• Microsoft® Windows® 2008 Server Standard Edition with Service Pack 1 (without Hyper V)
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux® AS 4.0 Update 8 (all functions except recording)
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 5.0 Update 3 (all functions except recording)
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 11.0 (all functions except recording)
• Testing applications on a 64-bit mode (64-bit Microsoft® Windows® XP, 64-bit Windows Vista, 64-bit Windows 2003 server). You can test Windows and Microsoft®.NET 64-bit applications and all of the supported 32-bit applications in the 64-bit mode Windows operating system.
• Enhancements in terminal-based application testing: creating row verification points and data-driven testing

Rational Functional Tester V8.1 also includes new support for applications built using these tools:

• Adobe® PDF 7.0 and 8.0 documents
• Dojo Toolkit version 1.1
• Adobe® Flex™ SDK 3.2

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Proxy SDK wizard

The V8.1 release of Rational Functional Tester now supports wizard-driven development of proxies. You can create proxy projects and proxy classes, map the proxy controls, and deploy the proxies using the proxy SDK wizards.

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New integrations

• This release of Rational Functional Tester integrates with IBM® Rational® Team Concert. Installing Rational Functional Tester on a Rational Team Concert client machine enables you to use the Jazz source control management for managing functional test assets.
• Version 8.1 also integrates with IBM® Rational® Quality Manager Versions 1.0.1 and 2.0.

Resources

Learn

• Explore the Rational Functional Tester Information Center, where you can also take a short video tour.
  
  
• Investigate Rational Functional Tester Plus, which is a software application testing bundle.
  
  
• Visit the Rational Functional Tester area on developerWorks for introductory to in-depth information.
  
  
• Learn about Rational Functional Tester using Software Test Engineering with IBM Rational Functional Tester.
  
  
• Learn about other applications in the IBM Rational Software Delivery Platform, including collaboration tools for parallel development and geographically dispersed teams, plus specialized software for architecture management, asset management, change and release management, integrated requirements management, process and portfolio management, and quality management. You can find product manuals, installation guides, and other documentation in the IBM Rational Online Documentation Center.
  
  
• Visit the Rational software area on developerWorks for technical resources and best practices for Rational Software Delivery Platform products.
  
  
• Explore Rational computer-based, Web-based, and instructor-led online courses. Hone your skills and learn more about Rational tools with these courses, which range from introductory to advanced. The courses on this catalog are available for purchase through computer-based training or Web-based training. Additionally, some "Getting Started" courses are available free of charge.
  
  
• Subscribe to the Rational Edge newsletter for articles on the concepts behind effective software development.
  
  
• Subscribe to the IBM developerWorks newsletter, a weekly update on the best of developerWorks tutorials, articles, downloads, community activities, webcasts and events.
  
  
• Browse the technology bookstore for books on these and other technical topics.
  
  

Get products and technologies

• Try Rational Functional Tester. The trial download is free but requires registration.
  
  
• Download trial versions of IBM Rational software.
  
  
• Download these IBM product evaluation versions and get your hands on application development tools and middleware products from DB2®, Lotus®, Tivoli®, and WebSphere®.
  
  

Discuss

• Get involved in the developerWorks Functional and GUI Testing discussion forum where you can discuss and ask questions about Rational Functional Tester and general testing topics.
  
  
• Check out developerWorks blogs and get involved in the developerWorks community.
  
  

About the authors

Jessica McLaughlin is an IBM certified Technical Specialist in the IBM Rational software group. She provides technical information on sales engagements, classes. and seminars and has presented materials on quality management at the Quality Assurance Institute's (QAI) Annual Software Testing Conference. She is a Certified Software Tester through QAI and a Master Certified IT Specialist through the Open Group. Before joining IBM in 2005, she was a software tester and test manager.

Fariz Saracevic is a member of Automated Software Quality Product Management team. In this role, he focuses on advancing capabilities and defining customer input into requirements for Rational Functional Tester. He has worked for IBM Rational software since 2004 and has been working in the IT field since 1995. He holds a Master in Information Technology degree from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor of Science degree from George Mason University.

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Table of contents

• Storyboard testing: simplified scripting and application visuals
• Enhanced environment support
• Proxy SDK wizard
• New integrations
• Resources
• About the authors
• Comments

Next steps from IBM

• Try: Rational Functional Tester
• Webcast: IT performance management: Measure, monitor and modify for operational excellence
• Briefing: Quality driven software delivery
• Buy: Rational Functional Tester

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