Create Custom Action Basics

Last modified: November 19, 2024

Introduction

This how-to explains the basics of creating a custom action. You must complete this how-to before proceeding with How to Create Custom Actions.

This how-to teaches you how to do the following:

Create a custom action
Add parameters
Connect parameters

Prerequisites

Before starting this how-to, make sure you have completed the following prerequisites:

Have a general knowledge of ATS
Read How to Get Started
Read How to Create a Test Case
Read Guidelines for Creating a Custom Action

Creating a Custom Action

The following sections describe how to create a custom action. There are two options for creating a custom action:

Click the Actions drop-down menu in the Repository and select New Action
Use the Extract Action button

Option 1 – Using the Add Item Button in the Repository

Open your app in ATS and go to Test Cases.
Click the Actions drop-down menu in the Repository tab.
Select New Action:

This opens the Create new dialog box:
Enter a name in the Name field (for example, Set Drop-Down). It is advisable to use a name that describes what the action does.
Enter a description in the Description field (for example, This action sets the drop-down menu to a specific value). It is advisable to give each action a detailed description of what it does.
Click Create:

You have now created a custom action from the repository.

Option 2 – Using the Extract Action Button

To use the Extract Action button, follow these steps:

Open your app in ATS and go to Test Cases.
Select a test case or action and open it.
Select the test steps you want to combine in a custom action by clicking the checkbox in front of the step.
Click Extract Action:

This opens the Action - Set Details dialog box.
Enter a name in the Name field (for example, Set Drop-Down).
Enter a description in the Description field (for example, This action sets the drop-down menu to a specific value).
Click Close:
Select the newly created action and click Open:

Both ways open the Action Details page. This page works the same as the Test Case Details page. You add test steps by clicking Setup step manually or by clicking Record step.

Adding Parameters

To add parameters to your custom action, follow these steps:

Go to the Action Details page of your action.
Click the Settings tab:
Follow the steps in the sections below for adding input and output parameters.

Adding Input Parameters

To add input parameters, follow these steps:

Click New:

This will open the Edit Input Parameter dialog box.
Enter a name in the Name field (for example, Widget Name). Use the ATS naming convention.
Enter a description in the Description field (for example, Enter the name of the widget). Note that you should make sure everybody understands what information they must enter.
Select a data type from the Datatype drop-down menu (for example, Text).
Select a Show as Password option. This makes the parameter field unreadable. The default setting is No.
Select a Required/Optional option. For example, the Widget Name parameter is always required, otherwise the action does not work.
Click Save:

You can add as many input parameters as you need, but remember to keep the action simple.

Adding an Output Parameter

To add an output parameter, follow these steps:

Click Set:

This opens the different Output Parameter fields.
Enter a name in the Name field (for example, Element). The user must know what the action returns, so be clear in the name that you enter.
Enter a description in the Description field. Use this field to give a more detailed description of what is returned.
Select a data type from the Datatype drop-down menu (for example, Page Element).
Select a Required/Optional option. Only use Optional if the action still works when nothing is returned.
The Output Parameter requires additional steps. Go to the Test Steps tab and click Add.
Add the Find/Assert Widget action and the Set Return Value action.
For ATS to return the outcome of a test step as an Output Parameter, it needs to know what it must return. ATS returns the Value connected to the Set Return Value action. Now, connect the outcome of test step 1 to the Set Return Value action.

Make sure the data type of the Output Parameter corresponds with data type of the connected outcome.

ATS will the outcome of test step 1.