Release notes for Rational Functional Tester 9.2.1

Description

IBM Rational Functional Tester is an automated testing tool that tests a broad range of applications, such as:

• HTML5-based web applications built on modern frameworks, such as Angular, React and Vue.js in the latest versions of the world’s top browsers, both on the desktop and mobile devices
• Legacy HTML applications
• Java™ and .Net-based thick client applications
• ERP systems such as SAP
• IBM zSeries, IBM iSeries, IBM pSeries, and mainframe applications
• Ajax, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft .NET, Microsoft Silverlight, Microsoft Visual Basic, Siebel, Flex, GEF, and PowerBuilder applications
• Adobe PDF documents

You can also import and work with Selenium tests, and combine tests of various types into compound tests.

To view the full list of domains, software, and platforms that are supported for functional testing and the compatible versions of Rational products that can be integrated with Rational Functional Tester, see Software Product Compatibility Reports.

Some of the older versions of software supported by Rational Functional Tester are deprecated. To view the list of deprecated software, see http://www.testworkbench-community.com/blogs/technology-currency-updates-for-rational-functional-tester-92.

Integrated Development Environments

Rational Functional Tester is available in two integrated development environments (IDE): Eclipse and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. The Eclipse integration supports both Java and simplified (non-programming) method of scripting while the Microsoft Visual Studio .NET integration supports Microsoft Visual Basic .NET scripting language.

What's new in 9.2.1.1

• Ability to test the applications using Safari 12 browser. This is enabled by installing the WebUI extension in the Safari browser. See Enabling Apple Safari for WebUI.
• Ability to test the applications running on Java 9 and later. See Java support.
• Default log type is changed to XML to provide a better user experience. See Setting log preferences.
• Ability to test the applications created using Appeon PowerBuilder 2017. See PowerBuilder support.

What's new in 9.2.1

• Ability to run multiple tests using the Ant plugin for Rational Functional Tester. See Testing with Ant.
• Ability to use industry-standard mobile browsers, such as Chrome and Safari, to run Web UI tests for mobile web applications. You can run tests with Chrome on Android devices and emulators and with Safari on iOS devices and simulators. This capability uses Appium to actually run the tests. Before 9.2.1, you could only run tests on mobile devices using the generic browser that is bundled with Rational Functional Tester. See Running a Web UI test using industry-standard mobile browsers.
• Ability to use pre-built Docker images to deploy the workbench and agents and start testing right away, with no need to install the product and the agents on different machines. See Testing with Docker images.
• Ability to push the containers to IBM Cloud Private to make use of its workflow management capabilities. Testing with IBM Cloud Private
• Cucumber integration has been enhanced with better reporting and a simplified approach to Cucumber dependencies. See Release notes for Rational Functional Tester 9.2.1.
• A new check box in the User Action Details section of the Test Editor to perform the Click, Hover, and Press Enter object actions asynchronously. By using this option, you can perform more robust tests that run reliably in test automation scenarios. See Improving test script robustness.
• Ability to use Guided Healing for variables and verification points. You can delete and replace snapshots and hierarchies for multiple selected steps. See Guided Healing.
• Ability to compare multiple reports and view the trend of a test from the Reporting dashboard of Rational Test Control Panel. See Actions in the reporting dashboard.
• Tutorial about Getting started Web UI Testing in the Web UI Test perspective. See Getting started with the Web UI Testing.

Installing the product

To install Rational Functional Tester 9.2.1, first uninstall any previous installations of Rational Functional Tester. Then, use the Install procedure in IBM Installation Manager to install 9.2.1.

Rational Functional Tester is available as a standalone product and is also included with Rational Test Workbench. You can use the same license key for each installation.

Installing .NET 2010 help

If you installed Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 .NET Integration, you must install Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 .NET help manually.

1. After you install Rational Functional Tester Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 .NET Integration, open Rational Functional Tester, click Help and then click Manage Help Settings. This opens the Visual Studio Help Library Manager.
2. Select the Install content from disk option.
3. Click Browse and select the helpcontentsetup.msha file that is available by default in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\HelpLibrary\VS2010\ . The help manifest files for other translations are found within the locale folders available in the VS2010 directory. Click Next.
4. Select FT and click Add. The Update button is enabled.
5. Click Update. You are prompted to confirm the installation. Click Yes. The Rational Functional Tester .NET help is installed as local help for Visual Studio 2010.

Tip: To view the complete table of contents of the installed local help in the Visual Studio 2010 IDE, install the Visual Studio Help Keyword Index plug-in that is available from the Microsoft website. Alternatively, you can upgrade to Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 to view help in the Microsoft Help Viewer.

Known limitations and workarounds

Known problems are documented in the fix list and download document. Select a fix list from http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27036170. From the fix list, you can view the download document for additional information.

Known problems are also documented in the form of individual technotes in the Support Knowledge Base at Troubleshooting documentation for Rational Functional Tester. As problems are discovered and resolved, the knowledge base is updated. By searching the knowledge base, you can quickly find workarounds or solutions to problems. Technotes created for 9.2 family releases are available from this page.

After playing back a script in Rational Functional Tester, a message such as the following is displayed in the console: "The IBM Class Sharing Adaptor will not work in this configuration. You are not running on a J9 Java VM.". This message is displayed because the version of Eclipse that is used in the IDE is from IBM and has the IBM Java optimizations enabled. To resolve the issue:

1. Navigate to the Rational Functional Tester Plugins Shared Folder.
2. Back up the com.ibm.cds plugin and delete it.
3. Restart Rational Functional Tester.

Contacting IBM Software Support

IBM Software Support provides you with technical assistance.

For FAQs, lists of known problems and fixes, and other support information, visit the product support page for Rational Functional Tester software.

For product news, events, and other information, visit the product home page for Rational Functional Tester Software at https://www.ibm.com/us-en/marketplace/rational-functional-tester.

Before you contact IBM Software Support, gather the background information that you need to describe your problem. When you are describing a problem to an IBM Software Support specialist, be as specific as possible and include all relevant background information so that the specialist can help you solve the problem efficiently. To save time, know the answers to these questions:

• What software versions were you running when the problem occurred?
• Do you have logs, traces, or messages that are related to the problem?
• Can you reproduce the problem? If so, what steps do you take to reproduce it?
• Is there a workaround for the problem? If so, be prepared to describe the workaround.