Overview of Windows API-Based Application Support

Silk Test Classic provides built-in support for testing Microsoft Windows API-based applications. Several objects exist in Microsoft applications that Silk Test Classic can better recognize if you enable Accessibility. For example, without enabling Accessibility Silk Test Classic records only basic information about the menu bar in Microsoft Word and the tabs that display in Internet Explorer 7.0. However, with Accessibility enabled, Silk Test Classic fully recognizes those objects. You can also improve Silk Test Classic object recognition by defining a new window, if necessary.

You can test Windows API-based applications using the Classic or Open Agent.

For information about new features, supported platforms, and tested versions, refer to the Release Notes.

Object Recognition

Windows API-based applications support hierarchical object recognition and dynamic object recognition. You can create tests for both dynamic and hierarchical object recognition in your test environment. Use the method best suited to meet your test requirements.

When you record a test case with the Open Agent, Silk Test Classic creates locator keywords in an INC file to create scripts that use dynamic object recognition and window declarations.

Existing test cases that use dynamic object recognition without locator keywords in an INC file will continue to be supported. You can replay these tests, but you cannot record new tests with dynamic object recognition without locator keywords in an INC file.

To test Windows API-based applications using hierarchical object recognition, record a test for the application that you want to test. Then, replay the tests at your convenience.

Supported Controls

For a complete list of the record and replay controls available for Windows-based testing for each Agent type, view the WIN32.inc and winclass.inc file. To access the WIN32.inc file, which is used with the Open Agent, navigate to the <SilkTest directory>\extend\WIN32 directory. By default, this file is located in C:\Program Files\Silk\SilkTest\extend\WIN32\WIN32.inc. To access the winclass.inc file, which is used with the Classic Agent, navigate to the <SilkTest directory>\ directory. By default, this file is located in C:\Program Files\Silk\SilkTest\winclass.inc.