Running Rational Functional Tester on Linux

Most of Functional Tester features are supported on Linux, except for recording the scripts. This topic provides an overview about the Rational Functional Tester behavior on Linux.

Testing applications using Rational Functional Tester on Linux

Functional test scripts

All of the functionality of the product works on Linux except for the recorder. You can test the applications using RFT on Linux in two different ways.

Record functional test script on Windows and export it to Linux. You can then play back on Linux.
You can write the test scripts using the Test Object Insert tool. Instead of creating an object map through recording, populate it outside by opening the map and select objects in the test application. For information, see Creating a New Test Object Map.
See the API Reference Help and the Advanced Topics for examples of scripting to solve certain problems.

Verification points

You can also insert verification points without recording, by opening the Verification Point wizard from the Script Explorer.

Launcher scripts

Functional Tester provides the following scripts that can be executed from the command-line:

To start Functional Tester:<installation directory>/ft_starter
To set the functional tester environment variable: source <installation directory>/FunctionalTester/bin/rtsetup

ClearCase® integration

The Functional Tester ClearCase integration works on Linux, but there may be slight differences.

Datapool functionality

The datapools functionality works on Linux, but there may be slight differences.

Java™ and HTML support

On Linux, you can only test Java and HTML applications. Some Linux GUI applications, like those developed with Motiff, are not supported.

Installing Functional Tester on Linux

When you install the Functional Tester package, the only feature you can install on Linux is Rational® Functional Tester, Eclipse Integration.

Starting the test application outside the script

If you start your test application on Linux outside Functional Tester (not using a startApp command or other script call), you must first set the environment variables. You must make sure that the LD_PRELOAD and RATIONAL_FT_INSTALL_DIRECTORY are properly set in the environment from which they start the test application, else Functional Tester will not be able to properly play back scripts against the application.

Set up the following variables depending upon the shell that you are using.

export FUNCTIONAL_TESTER_DIR= <RFT installation directory> For e.g, /opt/caspian

export RATIONAL_FT_CUSTOMIZATION_DIRECTORY=$FUNCTIONAL_TESTER_DIR/bin/customization

export RATIONAL_FT_CONFIGURATION_DIRECTORY=$FUNCTIONAL_TESTER_DIR/bin/configuration

export IBM_RATIONAL_RFT_INSTALL_DIR=$FUNCTIONAL_TESTER_DIR/bin

export IBM_RATIONAL_RFT_ECLIPSE_DIR=$FUNCTIONAL_TESTER_DIR/eclipse

export RATIONAL_FT_JRE=$FUNCTIONAL_TESTER_DIR/eclipse/jre

export LD_PRELOAD=$FUNCTIONAL_TESTER_DIR/bin/libftevent.so

For Linux platforms that are based on GTK + 2.18 and above, setGDK_NATIVE_WINDOWS=true

For HTML based test applications, the LD_LIBRARY_PATH must be set to the browser installation directory.

Note: Alternatively, you can use rtsetup script to set all the functional tester environment variables. Refer to the Launcher scripts section.

Enabling JREs or Browsers on Linux

To run the enabler for enabling the JREs and browsers on Linux, you must have root privileges.

Functionality not supported on Linux

Recorder

You cannot record on Linux. You can record scripts on Rational Functional Tester, Eclipse Integration on Windows and then play them back on Linux. For more information, see Guidance for Using Functional Tester on Linux.

Integration with TestManager and other Rational Products

The Rational TestManager main application does not run on Linux. But you can install TestManager Agent on Linux and run Functional Tester scripts in that agent. You must also install the Rational Functional Tester agent software on your agent computer.

The integrations with Rational Robot and Rational Administrator do not work on Linux.

Tutorials

The tutorials provided with Functional Tester involve recording scripts. To learn the product functionality, do the tutorials on the Windows platform. You can play back the scripts you recorded using the tutorial on Linux.

Feedback