Global Parameters

Shelly,

We are in the process of adopting a test case "Framework". Out intention was to write our test cases to be more like our automation framework where we build objects and call them as needed. For example, we have a login screen which can be accessed from multiple URL paths (from a portal, directly to the application, via third party links).

Even though we come at this login page from different paths, the screen is always the same. So we have created test cases which only have one or two steps. One test case is Enter User Name. Another is Enter Password. And another is clicking the Login button (I know, a little broken up, but it is to support negative testing and for testing "forgot my password" link, etc.) All three of these use parameters (${UserName}, ${Password}).

We then either Link these test cases into another test case, so we can reuse the parameters OR create Test Sets containing the test cases and modify the parameters in the test case.

So we can have "Global Parameters" as long as we use the framework.

Clear as mud? Think of it like Lego Blocks. Each Block is a test case and we link them together to make a house or whatever. The red brick (user name 1) is always a red brick. The yellow brick (password 1) is always a yellow brick. You snap those together and now you have your entryway for that user and you can change the parameter per test set.

1. Set the parameter once for multiple calls within the test case
2. Set the parameter for multiple calls within test cases with links to test cases.