Terminal Emulation – QTP Automation Testing

Terminal Emulation – QTP Automation Testing

Topics to be covered
1. Basic understanding of the terminal emulator
2. Emulation terminology
3. Configuring the QTP to work with TE application
4. Automation testing methodology

Basics of Emulator
• Duplicates the functions of one system using a different system, so that second system behaves like a first system.
• Computer simulation
Example: AS400 and mainframes is a dark green color screen
AS400 is introduced in the year of 1988 by IBM, formally renamed as IBM iseries but still called as AS400 is mid range server for the small business and large enterprises. It will work good within distributed network and web based applications for execution it uses OS400 ie operating systems.

TN5250 Terminal emulation protocol
IBM owned iseries access by TN5250 with WRQ’s reflection, humming bird’s host explorer, Cybele software’s Z scope Express 5250.

AS400 is also a Mainframe which are used for large organizations, for critical applications, typically data processing, industries and consumer statistics, and financial transaction processing.
IBM 3270 is mainframe is used to communicate by using the 3270 protocol


What is HLLAPI?
High level language application programming interface.

IBM mainframes is running on MS DOS based PC-3270 emulation program
HLLAPI allows PC to communicate with mainframe application with extended capabilities like QTP recognizes the screen and fields objects in the Terminal emulator screen.
HLLAPI.dll functions is used to send data to, or receive data from the host computer
AS400 application needs to load the HLLAPI.dll distributed with your emulation software
Emulator Name DLL Name Hllapi Function Name
Attachmate Extra! And Attachmate MyExtra! Terminal Viewer Ehllapi32.dll Hllapi32
Humming bird Explorer view Ehllapi32.dll Hllapi
IBM Personal communication(PCOM) and IBM web sphere host on-demand Pschll32.dll Hllapi
WRQ Reflection Hllapi32.dll Hllapi
Seagull blue zone WHllapi32.dll Hllapi
NetManage RUMBA and Netmanage Rumba web-to-host Hllapi32.dll Hllapi
Zephyr Passport(PC/web to host) Passhll.dll Hllapi32


Note: If you are using the Terminal Emulator that supports HLLAPI make sure that you close the application that is currently using hllapi.dll before you begin using the wizard else the wizard will not be able to connect to your terminal emulator.

Automation Framework configuration:
Terminal Emulator Add-in is mandatory to execute the character based application ie mainframe application.

• QTP is having the Terminal Emulator Add-in to test the applications that supports HLLAPI as well as those that do not, example: emulator sessions configured to work with the VT100 protocol with Text option only.
• Terminal Emulator does not support HLLAPI, or you have configured QTP in Text only mode, QTP records operation in terms of the text as it appears in the rows and columns of your TE screen.
• The TE Configuration Wizard opens after install QTP, If you selected Run the TE wizard in the additional installation requirements dialog box.
• QTP>>Options>> Select the TE tab
o Select the Vendor
o Select the Emulator
o Click on open wizard
o Click on next button
o Select the modify the existing user defined setting
 Select the Vendor and Emulator
o Select the next button


Configuration settings HLLAPI properties screen:
• TE doesn’t support HLLAPI and select the emulator doesn’t support HLLAPI.
• If TE supports HLLAPI and supply the required information.
o Enter the Path of the .dll file
o Enter the hllapi file name
o Select the Auto-detect
o And click on the next button.

• TE supports HLLAPI in the configure HLLAPI properties screen, the HLLAPI configuration test screen displays a screen capture test.
• QTP has been able to accurately identify your terminal screen.
• Click on Next button.

Configure Emulator classes screen
Note: QTP distinguish between the window of the terminal emulator and the screens in the host application.
• Set main window class
• Set Text window class
• Set toolbar class
• Set status bar class
• Set the Emulator process image name
• Enable the check box for configure emulator screen.
• Click on Next button

Configure Emulator screen settings screen
• Set the screen size as Rows: 24 and Columns:80
• Click on finish button
Note: Recommended that you save the settings you have just configured to a separate registry file. This allows you to restore the exact configuration if there is any change in the configuration changes.

Preconfigured TE test objects.
• TEWindow
• TEScreen
• TEField
• TEText screen.