Learn why GUI test automation playback fails even when visible content seems unchanged. Understand common causes like session IDs and dynamic fields to excel in ISTQB CTAL-TAE certification. When automating GUI testing for a web shop wizard, failures during playback despite unchanged visible content can be attributed to specific underlying issues.
Table of Contents
Question
You are working on a test automation project that is used to automate GUI testing of an online web shop. The web shop contains a wizard which helps users to set up their accounts, their name, billing address, shipping address, and security credentials.
During the test automation, the steps of the wizard are recorded first. Screenshots are taken and stored during these steps. We consider these as the baseline. The baseline was then rerun with no change to the SUT and all tests passed. After the developers submit a change to the wizard, the recorded test scripts are played back, and the screenshots of each step are compared with the baseline screenshots.
During a playback, all test cases failed, even though the visible content seems unchanged. What could be the cause?
(Select TWO options)
A. An internally used technical session ID is also recorded, which changes during the playback. This should be substituted with variables to avoid failures
B. Screenshots are not correctly associated with the test steps, leading to comparisons being made in the wrong order.
C. The failure occurred because relying solely on screenshot comparisons led to inaccurate results.
D. The date in the GUI header is different from the date when it was recorded. This date field should be excluded from the comparison
E. Screenshots were captured in low resolution, causing details to be blurred, making the comparison unreliable.
Answer
A. An internally used technical session ID is also recorded, which changes during the playback. This should be substituted with variables to avoid failures
D. The date in the GUI header is different from the date when it was recorded. This date field should be excluded from the comparison
Explanation
Internally Used Session IDs
Session IDs are dynamically generated values used by the system to track user sessions. If these IDs are recorded during test automation, they will differ during playback because they are tied to real-time sessions. This discrepancy leads to failures in automated tests as the recorded session ID will not match the one generated during playback. To resolve this, replace such dynamic values with variables or placeholders in your test scripts to ensure stability and reliability.
Dynamic Date Fields
Date fields in GUIs often display real-time information, such as the current date or timestamp. During playback, this dynamic content will differ from the baseline screenshots, causing false negatives in screenshot comparisons. Excluding such fields from visual comparison or using masking techniques ensures that only relevant parts of the UI are validated, avoiding unnecessary test failures.
Why Not the Other Options?
B. Screenshots are not correctly associated with test steps: This issue would result in mismatched comparisons but does not explain why all test cases fail when visible content appears unchanged.
C. Relying solely on screenshot comparisons: While screenshot-based testing has limitations, it does not directly cause all test cases to fail unless there is a specific issue like dynamic content or session data.
E. Low-resolution screenshots: Blurry screenshots could cause inaccuracies but are unlikely to result in consistent failures across all test cases unless resolution issues are pervasive.
Key Takeaways
- Dynamic Data Handling: Identify and manage dynamic elements like session IDs and dates to avoid false negatives.
- Selective Validation: Use exclusion or masking techniques for non-critical visual elements.
- Test Automation Best Practices: Always review and refine scripts to handle dynamic content effectively, ensuring robust and maintainable automation frameworks.
By understanding these principles, you can strengthen your preparation for the ISTQB CTAL-TAE certification and improve your expertise in managing automated GUI testing challenges effectively.
ISTQB CTAL-TAE certification exam assessment practice question and answer (Q&A) dump including multiple choice questions (MCQ) and objective type questions, with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the ISTQB CTAL-TAE exam and earn ISTQB CTAL-TAE certification.