TCD or SapGui (record)

[Former Member]

Hello,

I'm new with eCatt and I have some questions.

I hope somebody can help me.

I read the sap info and found out that it is recommended to use TCD(record) on the first way and than SapGui(record), if it is possible. How are your experiences with controls? How I can on a easy way find out, if my controls are TCD suitable? Or is it necessary to try it at first with TCD(record)?

Regards

Dirk

Message was edited by: Dirk Raschke

[Former Member]

I have found that TCD is only suitable for the simplest of transactions in which there are no controls or where the user is not required to interact with a control. Usually these transactions only involve entering text into fields and then pressing a button. If you are fortunate enough to still use these types of older transactions TCD is much more efficient for testing. It executes in a much shorter amount of time and it can be run in the background. The TCD command also provides screen shots for each screen which can be very helpful. Despite these efficiencies I have found TCD to be very limiting. When a transaction is recorded via TCD you are provided with only one command interface which makes it nearly impossible to go back and modify your scripts. SAPGUI recording is far more flexible because it allows you to choose the granularity of recording. In WAS 6.40 the SAPGUI(Attach) command is invaluable for developers who need to fix an existing script without re-recording the entire test.

If you want to determine whether TCD can handle a particular transaction trial and error is probably a good approach. If you record an incompatible transaction and then try to play it back the test should fail at the point a control needs to be touched and you'll know TCD is not suitable. With that said I have experienced situations in which the TCD recording will play back one day and then fail the next day with the message "Control data is obsolete please re-record" particularly with transaction code MIGO and VA01. I have not determined the cause of this type of error but my solution has been to record this transactions with SAPGUI where I have not seen similar problems.

One last point. I think TCD is neccessary for uploading large amounts of data, mass updates and load testing. These repetitive, processor/memory intensive uses would probably require the efficiency of TCD. However for usability acceptance testing, integration testing or regression testing the SAPGUI command is your best bet.

[Former Member]

thank you for your answer.