Image-based testing basics

On the previous page, we showed you a case where object-oriented testing fails to identify the correct UI elements. On this page, we’ll show you the basics of image-based testing to solve this issue.

In this chapter

    The image-based approach

    As on the previous page, we want to test the following:

    In the calendar view of the Ranorex Studio Demo Application, we want to perform mouse clicks on three different dates (24, 25, and 26) of a month. After changing the month, the mouse clicks should still be performed on the same dates.

    Start the demo application and click the Image-based automation tab.
    In Ranorex Studio, create a new desktop solution with the solution wizard and open Recording1 in this solution.
    In the recording module view of Recording1, click RECORD.

    Image-based test example preparation

    Image-based recording

    We’ll now record mouse clicks on three consecutive dates in the calendar view of the demo application using the image-based approach.

    Ensure image-based recording is enabled.
    Click the three dates 24, 25, and 26 in the calendar and stop the recording.
    The action table displays the three corresponding actions.

    Recording calendar dates in image-based automation mode
    Note icon

    Note

    When image-based recording is enabled, Ranorex Recorder frames UI elements in green instead of purple (object-oriented recording), as shown in the image below.

    Green UI-element detection frame during image-based automation

    Object-oriented recording with purple frame
    Image-based recording with green frame

    Run the test

    When you run the test, you’ll see that

    • the recorded calendar dates are identified correctly.
    • each click action in the report corresponds to the correct date in the calendar.

    In other words, at this point the test results are the same as with object-oriented testing.

    Test result in image-based automation mode

    Change of test conditions

    Now assume that you run the test a couple of months from its creation. This means that the calendar view will have changed to a different month. Let’s see how our image-based test performs in this case.

    In the calendar in the demo application, switch to any month where the recorded dates 24, 25, and 26 are at a different position in the calendar.

    Changed calendar view

    Run the test again and see what happens.

    Image-based test result with changed test conditions
    • The test runs without failure and reports a success.
    • Ranorex Studio has identified the correct dates despite their changed positions.
    • Image-based testing has solved the issue created by object-oriented testing.