Automatic Functional Testing for Mac and Linux?

testYourGUIS asks: "I work with a company that tests consumer and business software for various venues. One of the programs we rely on heavily is called Rational Visual Test, which is a VB-like compiled programming language that works directly with Windows API to simulate mouse clicks, text entry, menu pulldowns, and so on. We use them to stress-test various applications, collect the results, and then send the vendors a spreadsheet showing what we found. Recently, pressure has started to produce the same results on Mac OS X and possibly Linux applications. I was wondering if anyone knew of such software that works on Mac OS X, and how to go about doing this for Linux?"

"For example, a vendor has a database interface, and wants to know how many times we can access a series of records, what the results show (are the right, blank, time out?), and how long it took for the search to take place during various times of the day, and so on. So we emulate one of their data entry people by logging onto the system, putting in some search parameter from a script, and then record what the text (or error message) was when it came back. Yes, we could connect directly to the SQL database without their front end, but it's the combination of their front end and the database we usually test. We have found many examples where were can connect raw, for instance, but the front end displays a timeout. We also test things like 'What happens if the user enters a colon or asterisk?' or 'What if the text entered in the box is over 256k?' Then we tell the vendor the results, and they hopefully fix them based on the data we gave them."

Comments

inexpensive cross platform functional testing

[Anonymous Coward]

umm... interns?

Legos!

[djtack]

I've got it... you need Lego Mindstorms. Just build some robotics to push the mouse around, whack random keys, etc. Best of all, such a system would be fully platform-independant. I bet Microsoft is already doing this, only they call it "genetic programming".

I've got two words for you...

[pi_rules]

Trained Monkeys.

All you need is a cat

[hipnotik]

Let a cat in the room and pretend you are doing some serious work.

Re:Java... sort of

[Anonymous Coward]

using java.awt.Robot, it's quite simple.
to quote the documentation:

This class is used to generate native system input events for the purposes of test automation, self-running demos, and other applications where control of the mouse and keyboard is needed. The primary purpose of Robot is to facilitate automated testing of Java platform implementations.

I've used it to make remote control apps that work in windows and linux: take a screenshot of desktop A, send it to B. Send mouse events from B to A. Freak out user on machine A. :-)

Quite simple, and easy to do in Mac OS as well!

Slashdot math is at it again

[spacefrog]

it's called AppleScript and it's been around for roughly 20 years.

Let's see here... 1993-2002 is roughly 20 years?

Has CowboyNeal been teaching you "new math"?

Re:Slashdot math is at it again

[zulux]

Let's see here... 1993-2002 is roughly 20 years?

It is if you're using base 5 - due to a tragic accident involving penut-butter, weasels, and a large bowling-ball; and thus only have one hand.