This document is the API specification for the Abbot automated GUI testing framework and associated support packages, version 0.4.

See:
          Description

Abbot framework
junit.extensions.awt Provide testing support for Java GUIs under JUnit.
junit.extensions.awt.converter Provide explicit conversions from String to another class.
junit.extensions.awt.script Provides basic elements for constructing a test script.
junit.extensions.awt.tester Provide component-specific actions and tests.

 
Costello Script Editor
junit.extensions.awt.editor Provides support for editing AWT test scripts.

 
Example Code
example  

 
Abbot/Costello Tests
test  

 

This document is the API specification for the Abbot automated GUI testing framework and associated support packages, version 0.4.

Abbot is a scripted Java GUI testing framework. Using simple XML-based scripts, you can launch a GUI, invoke arbitrary user actions on it, and examine its state. The scripts may be invoked from JUnit or with minor modification any other testing environment.

The Abbot framework also includes the Costello editor, which facilitates editing scripts. The editor also supports recording arbitrary user actions into a script.

Some Features of the Abbot Framework

Some of the features of Abbot that distinguish it from other testing harnesses include the following:

The Abbot Framework

Abbot is based on scripts describing primarily what actions to perform on a GUI and what tests to evaluate. All information required to run the test should be encapsulated within the script itself, to provide independence from any particular testing environment. This facilitates running the scripts under either the script editor, JUnit, or some other harness.

The AWTTestCase provided for use with JUnit derives from junit.framework.TestCase and is a very simple wrapper to adapt the script to the JUnit testing framework. Scripts may be grouped into a test suite by using the AWTTestSuite class, which can automatically collect a group of tests into a suite based on file hierarchy, filenames, or other criteria. The preferred method of creating a suite is to derive your test class from AWTTestCase, then have the static "suite" method for that derived class create an instance of AWTTestSuite which selects for the scripts you wish to group. See the API documentation for details.

Scripts

Scripts are the basic units of test execution in the Abbot framework.

Testers

Testers provide component-specific user actions and tests. This is the class to extend when you need to provide access to a custom GUI component.

Converters

Converters provide a method for converting arbitrary String arguments into the appropriate class required for use in an actual Java method invocation.

Editor (Costello)

A script editor is provided to facilitate creation and maintenance of Abbot scripts.