Swing Library 0.14: Attach to Java GUI instead of "Start Application" or "Launch Application"

[tobor]

Install SwingLibrary and run the example.
Furthermore I was able to "Launch Application" (the Java GUI for our
application and was able to write a test case for it)
The test case was the automation of logging into the Java GUI
(Provided the User Name and Password, at which point Traversed the
Main Menu and clicked on a Menu
item to launch a dialog. Finally read a text field and compared it).
Over all it was a pleasure to deal with. GOOD JOB guys. on
implementing the RobotFramework and the SwingLibrary.

Now I have two questions. Oh first let me make sure we are on the same
page, I am using the following versions
Robot Framework Version : 2.1.2
Swing Library : 0.14

Instead of launching my application's Java GUI what I would like to do
instead is "Attach" to the currently launched GUI for our
application. Moreover I would like to do it from a remote system.
Currenlty I provide the java command along with the required arguments
to launch our Java GUI, but that was just the first step I took to
atleast get things working. Now I want to take the second step and
that would be to attach to the running Java GUI instead of launcing
another one. Is that Possible, if so how? I browsed the Robot
Framework user group but could not quite find a post that would
address this case. I even search on the web but have not been able to
find an answer. Looking at the Keyword Documentation of the
SwingLibrary does not suggest that something like that exists.
However I thought it would be worth asking the experts.
So here is a Use Case that I am working with:
Pre-requisite
1) Application under test resides on a Server "TestSystem"
2) Robot Framework, python and Jython reside on a Remote server
"TestRunnerSystem" (NFS shared location) – I found instructions to do
that from one of the discussions (Robot Framework user group)
http://robotframework.googlecode.com/svn/tags/robotframework-2.1/doc/userguide/RobotFrameworkUserGuide.html#manual-installation
3) By providing the hostname from the "TestRunnerSystem" I want it to
run the test on "TestSystem" by attaching to the Appliaction's Java
GUI

[tobor]

Is it possible to attach robot framework to an running Java GUI
without having to launch the GUI from Robot Framework?

> that from one of the discussions (Robot Framework user group)http://robotframework.googlecode.com/svn/tags/robotframework-2.1/doc/...

[Juha Rantanen]

2009/11/30 tobor <faraz....@gmail.com>:

> Is it possible to attach robot framework to an running Java GUI
> without having to launch the GUI from Robot Framework?

Hi,

We have JvmConnector [1], which has mechanism to connect to separately
started JVMs and ApplicationLauncher [2] library, which is used to
attach Robot to the started applications. Unfortunately
ApplicationLauncher is currently working only on JVMs started at local
machines. However it should be quite easy to add support for remotely
running JVMs. Could you add issue about this to JavaTools issue
tracker [3]. I think that I'm able to do this in next couple of weeks.

[1] http://code.google.com/p/robotframework-javatools/wiki/JvmConnector
[2] http://code.google.com/p/robotframework-javatools/wiki/ApplicationLauncher
[3] http://code.google.com/p/robotframework-javatools/issues/list

Br,
Juha

[tobor]

Great, and thanks for pointing out JvmConnector and the
Applicationlauncher. I have submitted an enhancement request, it is
issue #27

Thanks a bunch


On Nov 30, 11:00 pm, Juha Rantanen <juha.ranta...@iki.fi> wrote:
> 2009/11/30 tobor <faraz.hus...@gmail.com>:

>
> > Is it possible to attach robot framework to an running Java GUI

> > without having tolaunchthe GUI from Robot Framework?

>
> Hi,
>
> We have JvmConnector [1], which has mechanism to connect to separately
> started JVMs and ApplicationLauncher [2] library, which is used to
> attach Robot to the started applications. Unfortunately
> ApplicationLauncher is currently working only on JVMs started at local
> machines. However it should be quite easy to add support for remotely
> running JVMs. Could you add issue about this to JavaTools issue
> tracker [3]. I think that I'm able to do this in next couple of weeks.
>
> [1]http://code.google.com/p/robotframework-javatools/wiki/JvmConnector

> [2]http://code.google.com/p/robotframework-javatools/wiki/ApplicationLau...