Automation Testing Tutorial | Data Table Basics & Operations

When you test your applications, you may want to check how the application performs the same operations with multiple sets of data. For example, suppose you want to check how your Web site responds to ten separate sets of data. You could create ten separate tests, each with its own set of data. Alternatively, you can create Data Table parameters so that your test runs ten times, each time using a different set of data

A Data Table, similar to Microsoft Excel helps testers to create data driven test cases that can be used to run an Action multiple times. There are two types:

• Local Data Table – Each action has its own private data table also known as local data table which is can also be accessed across actions.
• Global Data Table – Each test has one global data sheet-that is accessible across actions.

The Data sheet can be accessed from the “Data” Tab of QTP as shown below:

To execute a test case for some specified number of iterations, one can set the iterations of global data table in the Test Settings dialog, that can be accessed using File -> Settings -> Run(Tab) as shown below

Data Table Operations

There are three types of objects to access Data Table.Operations can be well understood by traversing through the below brief

 

Object Type	Description
Methods	Gives Detailed information about the data table methods.
DTParameter Object Methods	Gives Detailed information about the DTParameter methods.
DTSheet Object Methods	Gives Detailed information about the DTSheet methods.

Data Table Object Methods

Method Name	Description	Syntax
AddSheet	Adds the specified sheet to the run-time data table	DataTable.AddSheet(SheetName)
DeleteSheet	Deletes the specified sheet from the run-time data table	DataTable.DeleteSheet SheetID
Export	Exports the Datatable to a new file in the specified location	DataTable.Export(FileName)
ExportSheet	Exports a Specific Sheet of the Datatable in run-time	DataTable.ExportSheet(FileName,SheetName)
GetCurrentRow	Returns the active row of the run-time data table of global sheet	Data Table.GetCurrentRow
GetParameterCount	Returns the number of columns in the run-time data Table of Global Sheet	Data Table.GetParameterCount
GetRowCount	Returns the number of rows in the run-time data table of Global Sheet	DataTable.GetRowCount
GetSheet	Returns the specified sheet from the run-time data table.	DataTable.GetSheet(SheetID)
GetSheetCount	Returns the total number of sheets in the run-time data table.	DataTable.GetSheetCount
Import	Imports a specific external Excel file to the run-time data table.	DataTable.Import(FileName)
ImportSheet	Imports the specified sheet of the specific excel file to the destination sheet.	DataTable. ImportSheet(FileName, SheetSource, SheetDest)
SetCurrentRow	Sets the Focus of the Current row to the Specified Row Number	DataTable.SetCurrentRow(RowNumber)
SetNextRow	Sets the focus of the next row in the run-time data table	DataTable.SetNextRow
SetPreviousRow	Sets the focus of the previous row in the run-time data Table	DataTable.SetPrevRow

Data Table Object Properties

Property Name	Description	Syntax
GlobalSheet	Returns the first sheet of the run-time data table.	DataTable.GlobalSheet
LocalSheet	Returns the Active local sheet of the run-time data table.	DataTable.LocalSheet
RawValue	Retrieves the raw value of the cell	DataTable.RawValue ParameterID, [SheetID]

Value

Retrieves the value of the cell in the specified parameter.

DataTable.Value(ParameterID, [SheetID])

DTParameter Object Properties

Method Name	Description	Syntax
Name	Returns the name of the parameter in the run-time data table.	DTParameter.Name
RawValue	Returns the raw value of the cell in the current row of the run-time data table.	DTParameter.RawValue
Value	Retrieves or sets the value of the cell in the Active row of the parameter in the run-time data table.	DTParameter.Value
ValueByRow	Retrieves the value of the cell in the specified row of the parameter in the run-time data table.	DTParameter.ValueByRow(RowNum)

DTSheet Methods

Method Name	Description	Syntax
AddParameter	Adds the specified column to the sheet in the run-time data table.	DTSheet.AddParameter(ParameterName, Value)
DeleteParameter	Deletes the specified parameter from the run-time data table.	DTSheet.DeleteParameter(ParameterID)
GetCurrentRow	Returns the row number of the active row in the run-time Data Table.	DTSheet.GetCurrentRow
GetParameter	Returns the specified parameter from the run-time Data Table.	DTSheet.GetParameter(ParameterID)
GetParameterCount	Returns the total number of Columns in the run-time Data Table.	DTSheet.GetParameterCount
GetRowCount	Returns the total number of rows in the run-time Data Table.	DTSheet.GetRowCount
SetCurrentRow	Sets the Focus on the specified Row of the Data Table	DTSheet.SetCurrentRow(RowNumber)
SetNextRow	Shifts the Focus to the next Row of the Data Table.	DTSheet.SetNextRow
SetPrevRow	Shifts the Focus to the Previous Row of the Data Table.	DTSheet.SetPrevRow

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