Run user keyword on a specific remote server

[Carlos Bautista]

Hi,

It's currently not possible to run a user keyword (high level keyword) on a specific server. Or to run the low level keywords inside that high level keyword on a variable remote server. This is an issue when (1) multiple remote libraries contain keywords with the same name or when (2) a high level keyword needs to run its low level keywords on multiple servers. This would be a useful feature because it would make high level keywords more reusable (like when importing a resource file that has high level keywords). 

For example:

*Setting*

Library Remote my.robot1.server.com:8270 WITH NAME server_1

Library Remote my.robot2.server.com:8270 WITH NAME server_2

*Test Cases*

First Test

server_1.My High Level Keyword

server_2.My High Level Keyword

*Keywords*

My High Level Keyword

Some Low Level Keyword

Another Low Level Keyword

In this example, I would like to run My High Level Keyword and all of its low level keywords on server_1 and server_2 but this cannot be specified using the server_1.My High Level Keyword syntax. I would have to have multiple high level keywords with the servers hard coded in them.

This will also not work:

*Keywords*

My High Level Keyword

[Arguments] ${host}

${host}.Some Low Level Keyword

or

*Keywords*

My High Level Keyword

[Arguments] ${host1} ${host2}

${host1}.Some Low Level Keyword

${host2}.Some Low Level Keyword

Carlos

[Kevin O.]

That is a well-written post.

I agree that there is a need to make using multiple instances of remote libraries easier, but no one has requested it.

I suggest you be the first.

Someone else had a very similar problem, but with the addition of using a library locally as well as on multiple remote hosts. You can read about it here:

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/robotframework-devel/iUH6-P5lMxk/12C9n3AUTmEJ

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/robotframework-users/OyMoCq89a3w/T3XmKcXPR2AJ

I think the best solution is to make a library that is allows you to add and switch between instances. This is what Selenium2Library, SSHLibrary, and SudsLibrary does.

FYI, ${host1}.Some Low Level Keyword may not work, but this does (not a good solution):

Run Keyword    ${host1}.Some Low Level Keyword

At the end of this post is a library that allows you to use multiple instances of remote libraries - it is not production quality, but its a start.

Note there is no checking that remote libraries added even have the same keywords as the first. Keyword names/arguments, etc. are retrieved from the first library instance.

Here are some bits to show how it would be used:

Library           /path/to/MultiRemote.py    http://192.168.104.100:8270/    HostA    WITH NAME    MoreDescriptiveNameThanMultiRemote

In a suite setup:

    Add Remote Library    http://192.168.104.200:8270/    HostB

In the test case,

    Switch Remote Library    HostA

    My High Level Keyword

    Switch Remote Library    HostB

    My High Level Keyword

*Keywords*

My High Level Keyword

    # user keywords do not need to know or care about which host is being used

    Some Low Level Keyword

    Another Low Level Keyword

Cheers,

Kevin Ormbrek

Below is the contents of MultiRemote.py:

from robot.libraries.Remote import Remote

from robot.api import logger

from robot.utils import ConnectionCache

class MultiRemote(object):

    ROBOT_LIBRARY_SCOPE = 'SUITE'

    def __init__(self, uri, alias=None):

        self._cache = ConnectionCache(no_current_msg="No current remote library")

        self.add_remote_library(uri, alias)

    @property

    def current(self):

        return self._cache.current

    

    def get_keyword_names(self):

        names = self.current.get_keyword_names()

        return names + ['add_remote_library', 'switch_remote_library']

    def get_keyword_arguments(self, name):

        if name == 'add_remote_library':

            return ['uri', 'alias=None']

        if name == 'switch_remote_library':

            return ['index_or_alias']

        return self.current.get_keyword_arguments(name)

    def get_keyword_documentation(self, name):

        if name == 'add_remote_library':

            return "Adds a remote library with the given alias.\n\nReturns the index of the current remote library."

        if name == 'switch_remote_library':

            return "Switches to the remote library with the given alias or index."

        return self.current.get_keyword_documentation(name)

    def run_keyword(self, name, args):

        if name == 'add_remote_library':

            return self.add_remote_library(*args)

        if name == 'switch_remote_library':

            return self.switch_remote_library(*args)

        return self.current.run_keyword(name, args)

    def add_remote_library(self, uri, alias=None):

        remote = Remote(uri)

        logger.info("Adding remote library with alias '%s' served from %s" % (alias, uri))

        return self._cache.register(remote, alias)

    def switch_remote_library(self, index_or_alias):

        self._cache.switch(index_or_alias)

        logger.info("Switching to remote library with alias or index %s" % index_or_alias)

[Kevin O.]

How did you solve your issue? Did you try the code I provided?