The SilkTest Intelligent Assistant analyzes testcases in SilkTest result files (.rex) and creates issues for those testcases that can be tracked with Issue Manager. Testcase results can be used as the basis for creating new issues or they can be used to update existing issues. For example, if you run a new testcase and it fails, the Intelligent Assistant can attach the testcase to a new issue. QA developers and engineers can subsequently execute the attached testcase directly from Issue Manager to determine whether or not the issue has been fixed.
Note With the SilkTest Intelligent Assistant, SilkTest test results can be sent to Issue Manager directly from SilkTest or from Test Manager.
Associating testcases with Issues
You can associate one or more testcases with an issue. However, you cannot associate the same testcase with more than one issue. The Intelligent Assistant considers two testcases to be the same if they have the same script name, testcase name, and arguments.
Note You can instruct the Intelligent Assistant to consider the same testcase run on different platforms to be separate testcases. With this approach, until a testcase passes on all platforms, the Intelligent Assistant will not propose that the associated defect be verified as fixed.
Procedure To import SilkTest test results:
1 From an active inbox (Tracking unit), click the Open SilkTest Intelligent Assistant button on the far right-end of the toolbar.
2 The Select results export file and specify options dialog is displayed. In the Exported test results (.rex) field, type the directory path and file name of the .rex file you want to import; or click the Browse button to browse to and select the file.
3 To use the platform that the test ran against as a factor in the consolidation logic, select the appropriate platform from the Intelligent Assistance Options drop-down list.
4 To include tests that don’t have errors and are not already associated with issues, select the Include tests which have no errors and are not already associated with an issue check box.
5 Click Next.
6 The SilkTest Intelligent Assistant then searches the database to determine whether or not the testcases in the export file have already been associated with issues. When the search is complete, the Associate Tests with Issues dialog is displayed, which lists the testcases that:
- Failed and have not yet been associated with issues
- Have been associated with issues but failed for other reasons
- Passed and have not been associated with defects (these testcases are displayed only when you select the Include tests which have no errors and are not already associated with an issue check box on the previous screen)
Note The database search may take a significant amount of time if the import file is large.
7 Select testcases to attach them to the issue by checking the appropriate checkboxes in the left-hand column.
8 You can now either associate the test with an existing issue, or create a new issue.
a Select New Issue if a new testcase is to be created for the testcases. You will then be directed to the Associate with New Issue dialog where you can create a new issue. See “The New Issue page” for details.
Issue Manager displays testcase information on the Testcases tab in the New Issue window.
b Select Existing Issue if the testcases are to be associated with an existing issue. You will then be prompted to enter the appropriate issue number in the Issue Number field and click Save.
9 You are returned to the Associate Tests with Issues screen. Newly associated testcases are no longer listed on the dialog.
10 Repeat this process for each testcase you want to attach to an issue.
11 Click Next.
Issue Manager builds a list of proposed actions for the issues, based on the testcase results. When the list is complete, the Confirm Changes to Issues dialog is displayed. The issue number, current state, test result, proposed action, and proposed state are displayed for each issue.
12 To confirm the proposed action for select issues, select appropriate checkboxes and click Confirm Selected. To confirm the proposed actions for all issues, select Confirm All.
13 Click Finish when you have completed change confirmations to close the dialog.
Note If you have unconfirmed changes, Issue Manager will display a dialog confirming that you wish to end the results import process without confirming the changes. Click Yes to confirm. The Select Results Export File dialog closes. For each proposed change that you have not confirmed, Issue Manager marks the associated testcases in the database. If you later re-import the same results export (.rex) files, you can resume the confirmation of changes to issues.
Exporting results from Test Manager
Test Manager execution results can be forwarded directly to Issue Manager from the Activities tab in Test Manager’s Projects unit. To do this, click a listed execution definition to go to that execution definition’s Results of Execution Definition page. In the Assigned Test Definitions area at the bottom of the page, select an assigned test definition’s Create a new issues for this test definition button (in the Actions column). At this point Issue Manager opens and a New Issue dialog is displayed, in which you can define the parameters of the new issue. See the SilkCentral Test Manager User Guide for more details.
The Test Manager’s Test Plan unit offers you quick access to the issues that are associated with Test Manager test definitions. Via the Issues tab (Test Plan unit), you can access a detailed tabular listing of all issues that are associated with the selected test definition in the test plan tree—or you can create new issues directly. From here you can also associate Test Manager issues with issues that have been defined externally in Issue Manager. See the SilkCentral Test Manager User Guide for details.
Exporting results from SilkTest
SilkTest test results can be exported to Issue Manager directly from SilkTest.
Procedure To export results from SilkTest:
1 From SilkTest, open a results (*.res) file.
2 Select Results / Send to Issue Manager. The Send Results to Issue Manager dialog is displayed.
3 Select the file that is to be sent.
4 Click OK to launch the Intelligent Assistant.
Note You may have to log into Issue Manager at this point.
5 The Intelligent Assistant tab is displayed with the path to the results file already loaded in the Exported test results (.rex) field.
6 Click Next at the bottom of the page. The Associate Tests with Issues dialog is displayed. Follow the procedure detailed in the “Importing SilkTest results” section of this chapter.
Building lists of proposed changes
When you associate testcase results and SilkTest testcases with issues, Issue Manager's SilkTest Intelligent Assistant uses the results and current information about issues to build a list of proposed changes for issues.
The list includes proposed actions for issues plus the new issue states and reason codes that will result if you confirm the actions. Each proposed action is based on the current state and reason code of each issue, and on the results of the associated testcases.
To create proposed change lists, the SilkTest Intelligent Assistant uses the following equation:
[current state and reason code] + [test results] = [special action, new state and reason code]
For example, if the current state of an issue is QA-Ready and its reason code is Fixed, if a testcase associated with this issue failed, the Intelligent Assistant will propose the AutoRejectFix action, which will change the defect's state to Dev-Ready and its reason code to Rejected. The following equation summarizes this example:
[QA-Ready and Fixed] + [Failed test] = [AutoRejectFix, Dev-Ready and Rejected]