Test Client overview

Use the Test Client to test message flows in a safe environment before they are used in a production system.

You can use the Test Client to send test messages to message flows that use any of the following input nodes:

IBM MQ
JMS
HTTP
SOAP
SCA

The Test Client monitors the output nodes in the message flow, and can provide information about the path that a test message takes through a message flow. The Test Client can also provide information about errors that are generated by the message flow.

You can test message flows in the context of an application or library, or you can test flows in isolation.

Note: The Test Client does not work with *.subflow files that contain standard input nodes (built-in input nodes, such as MQInput nodes, or user-defined input nodes). If you use standard input nodes in *.subflow files, you get unpredictable results if the main flow contains two instances of the same subflow.

Configuring the input message

You can use the Test Client to change the content of test messages that are sent to a message flow, to help you determine if the message flow is working as expected.

IBM® MQ queues: If your message flow uses IBM MQ queues, the Test Client clears the queues before your test messages are sent to the message flow.

XML messages: If the input node in the message flow that you select expects an XML message from an associated message set, the message structure is provided, and it can be edited to produce the appropriate test message. Alternatively, you can create a new test message, or import an existing message from your file system.
IBM MQ and JMS messages: If the message format is IBM MQ or JMS, you can also configure an appropriate header for the test message.

Monitoring a flow with the Test Client

The Test Client monitors output nodes in the message flow so that you can see which nodes output messages are received on. When an error message is produced as the message passes along the flow, or when a message is received on an output node, a test event is recorded in the Test Client.

You can view the content of the output message, and view error messages. The details of the test configuration and the test events can be saved as a .mbtest file. You can use this file to repeat the test or to review the results later.

Deploying message flows when you use the Test Client

If you change your message flow, you can use the same test configuration to test the changes. The default behavior of the Test Client is to deploy the message flow that you want to test automatically to an integration server, whenever a change is made to the message flow. You can therefore change a message flow, and quickly test the result using the Test Client, without the need to manually deploy your message flows.

The first time that you send a test message to an input node, you configure the integration server to deploy the message flow by using the Deployment location wizard. You can configure the deployment options to override the default behavior of the Test Client to deploy the message flow manually, or to deploy the message flow every time that you pass a test message to the message flow.

Stopping the Test Client

The default behavior of the Test Client is to stop the test when the first output message is received. You can configure the Test Client to wait for multiple output messages to be received. In this case, you stop the test manually. Stopping the test disconnects the monitors that are running, but does not stop the message flow.

Synchronous tests: A synchronous test, such as when the message flow is invoked from an HTTPInput node, is stopped automatically when a reply message is received.
Asynchronous tests: You can stop an asynchronous test, such as when the message flow is invoked from an MQInput node, manually depending on the monitor setting in the configuration panel.

All test events are stopped when the Test Client is closed, and all test monitors removed.

Using The flow debugger with the Test Client

You can run the Test Client using the trace and debug mode to view more information about the path that the message takes through the message flow. A test event is produced when the message passes from one node to the next node in the message flow. The structure of the message is recorded as it leaves each node in the message flow. The flow debugger is launched in the trace and debug mode so that the test message stops at breakpoints that are configured in the message flow.

You can complete the following tasks by using the Test Client: