Creating mobile test cases using recorder

1. Overview

The recorder feature in Zoho QEngine streamlines test case creation for both Android and iOS platforms by capturing user interactions directly within the mobile app or website. This powerful test automation tool captures every action you perform on the mobile app or website, such as taps, swipes, and text inputs, and converts them into precise automation test scripts. As a result, the process of creating and managing test cases has been greatly simplified, making it ideal for QA testers with limited coding experience or those seeking efficiency in their mobile app testing process.

The recorder is designed to work with both real and virtual devices, giving the user flexibility in testing environments. By capturing each user action on these devices, the recorder automatically generates test steps, enabling faster test creation and helping maintain consistency in the tests created.

2. Setting up the recorder

Before using the recorder, make sure to set up the necessary environment. First, connect the required devices, whether real or virtual, through Zoho QEngine’s local agent. The local agent acts as a bridge, allowing the platform to interact with the required Android or iOS devices for the recording and playback of test actions.

Note

- To configure devices, follow the prerequisite steps outlined in the Android or iOS Configuration documents.

- To configure agents, refer to the Agent Setup document. This document provides detailed instructions on installing and linking the local agent to Zoho QEngine.

3. Recording a test case on the Android or iOS platform

Once you've connected your Android or iOS devices to the agent, follow these steps to start recording a test case:

Begin by creating a test case, then switch to the Android or iOS platform to start writing.

Click Record to initiate recording your test case.

In the pop-up window, select the desired Agent from the list. The Reachable Address field will automatically populate with the network's IP address.

Note: The Reachable Address field is editable, as the IP address may sometimes change. The browser may prompt for one-time consent to establish a new connection when the agent connects to your network IP address for the first time or when the IP address changes.
In the prompt, on clicking OK, you get navigated to a browser page asking for one-time consent. Click on advanced and then, click Proceed to tell QEngine to trust the network.
Choose the required Device and upload the necessary APK or IPA file for the app. You can either select the file from the saved list in the Files section or upload a new file directly from your device. Learn more
Click Start to begin recording the test case.

Now, the recorder will mirror the device screen with the requested app ready to capture the actions.
Perform the required interactions within the app—for example, scheduling a new appointment, updating booking preferences, sending appointment reminders to clients, and much more.

Note: The tools include a keyboard, a wait task, a tool bar for swipe actions, and at the bottom, an annotator. The annotator highlights the interacted element, so that it's easier for you to see which part is undergoing testing within the application. You can change the color used for the annotation by clicking the annotator icon { } inside Container Tools. For Android, the annotator includes an additional Back button, allowing testers to simulate the Back action specific to Android devices.
The focus element pop-up shows the locator tags of all elements you interact with, and the Settings icon lets you perform certain select tasks with these elements. To pause recording at any point, click Pause.
Click Save & Exit to stop the recording.

Now you'll be taken back to the test case editor, where elements are recorded along with their page name. All the elements you interacted with during the recording are listed for selection. Previously saved elements will be listed as Existing Locators, and newly saved elements, irrespective of their page name, will be listed as New Locators.
Choose the required elements, name them appropriately, and select the type of locator you want for that element from the listed recorded elements. Then, click Save. To learn more about how the recorded elements are saved, refer to the help page for elements.

All the recorded test cases will be saved by default. Click Run or configure run to preview the test case. Learn more

Once the live preview test results have been successfully validated, you can add them into a test suite and, subsequently, into a test plan for inclusion in scheduled testing.

4. Updating an existing test case using the recorder

When you need to update the test scripts in an existing test case, you can use the Record option again to make changes. This allows you to append to the current script or start a fresh recording while keeping access to previous versions for reference.

Initiate the re-recording process by clicking the Record button in your test case.
A prompt will appear asking if you want to continue with the existing script or start fresh. You will have two options:

If you click Yes, the recorder will mimic the earlier interactions and stop at the last line of the script, allowing you to resume recording from where you left off.
If you click No, I Want A Clean Session, the previous script will be removed. However, you can view or restore the replaced script from the previous version(s) if needed.

5. Points to remember

Optimize your test steps using tasks, while creating test cases. For example, the wait task has two syntax options. The first one waits for a specific duration, irrespective of the element being present or not on the current screen. In contrast, the other wait option waits with respect to the element being found on the screen. By opting for the latter option, the execution time can be reduced.
Coordinates are supported as a locator for tasks. However, utilizing them for element interaction may result in failure when executed on different devices, simulators, or emulators due to variations in screen resolution. Therefore, it's advisable to use element coordinates only when dealing with devices that share the same screen resolution.

For mobile tasks, prioritize the use of ID or Accessibility ID as locators for interacted elements. While tasks support alternatives like Class Name, Absolute XPath, or Relative XPath as locators. The ID or Accessibility IDs offer more reliable and efficient way to uniquely identify elements, thereby enhancing the robustness of your test scripts.
Zoho QEngine supports testing for both native and hybrid apps. However, for hybrid apps, it's recommended to use the absolute path for locating elements to ensure accurate identification during testing.
To reduce navigation time during testing, testers are recommended to utilize the openURL task instead of writing test steps for navigating to specific places within the application . This task enables the deep link feature, allowing testers to directly access specific pages or features. By incorporating deep links, testers can streamline their testing process and focus on targeted functionalities.
In web browsing, all elements are accessible after page load, while in mobile, elements are rendered upon swiping. However, only elements within the visible screen area can be interacted with on mobile, necessitating swiping to reveal elements before tapping. For example, in mobile apps, users prefer choosing explicit actions like searching to locate specific items efficiently. Unlike web browsing, where users can scroll through entire lists, mobile users rely on dynamic rendering based on visibility.

6. Related Links

7. What's next

Next steps

Previous steps