Analyze a recording

In this chapter, learn more about the Recorder working environment and analyze the recording of the example test.

The Recorder working environment has four sections.

1. 1. Projects view
      Located in the upper left, the projects view displays all files that are created and managed as part of a test project in a folder hierarchy. The Projects view is discussed in Ranorex Studio fundamentals Ranorex Studio Start page.

   2. Module browser
      Located in the lower left, the module browser shows all modules and module groups that can be used to build tests. The module browser and its applications are described in Test suite.

   3. Action table

      • The steps you recorded appear as actions in the action table.
      • They are listed in the order they were executed.
      • In our example, the list contains five actions.
        The concept of actions is explained in Actions.
   4. Repositoy
      • Repository items are representations of UI elements.
      • Each UI element affected by an action during recording is referenced by a corresponding repository item.
      • In our example, there are four UI elements organized in two folders.
        Repositories and their applications are described in Repository.

Let’s have a closer look at the five actions in the action table. For more information on the concept of actions is explored in Actions.

1. Mouse click action

   • This action represents the click into the name text field.
   • The last column of this action contains a reference to the repository item that represents the UI element ‘EnterYourName’ (i.e. the name text field).

2. Key sequence action

   • This action represents the text input into the name text field.
   • In our example, Harry is the input, and the UI element ‘EnterYourName’ is the target.

3. Mouse click action

   • Action #4 represents the click on the Submit button in the Demo App.
   • The Submit button UI element is referenced in the last column by a corresponding repository item.

4. Validation action

   • The test validation is also represented as an action.

   • Ranorex matches the text in the changed welcome message against a reference text.

5. Reset
   

   • This action represents clicking on Reset to reset the welcome message.

Our example contains four repository items organized in two folders. Each repository item corresponds to a UI element in the application under test. The concept of repositories is explained in Repository.

1. Item 1 – EnterYourName
   This repository item represents the name text field of the Demo App.

2. Item 2 – BtnSubmitUserName
   This repository item represents the Submit button of the Demo App.

3. Item 3 – Reset
   This repository item represents the Reset link of the Demo App.

4. Item 4 – LblWelcomeMessage
   This repository item represents the text label that contains the welcome message of the Demo App.

Recorded actions and repository items are managed and stored separately, but they are linked to each other.

The link between actions and repository items is described in both Actions & repository items and Repository items & actions.

1. Actions referencing UI element(s)
   
   Both the mouse clicks into the name text field (action #1) and the Harry text input into the name text field (action #2) affect the same UI element. Therefore, they are both linked to the ‘EnterYourName’ (item #1) repository item that represents this UI element.
   

2. Repository item representing a UI element

• UI elements are represented by repository items.
• Repository items have a name (e.g. EnterYourName) and a location in the GUI (=path).

Reference: To learn how to add UI elements to the repository manually, and add actions to a recording that aren’t connected to repository items, watch the video Ranorex Studio Recorder basics 5: Add elements and actions manually