A check is a definition of the expected state of some aspect of the target system at a particular point. In Test Partner, checks are saved and managed as assets. This means you always have the option to reuse a check in more than one script. The following are various checks available in Test Partner.

– Bitmap checks allow you to verify the appearance of a bitmap image. When you create the check, you capture the image within a rectangular area of the screen. When the check is verified, the same area is captured and compared to the defined image. If the two images match according to the criteria you defined, the check passes. If not, the check fails. These checks are used to check the appearance of toolbars, the desktop, and other windows that contain non-textual information.

– Clock checks measure the time the system takes to perform a process. Clock checks help you determine how the system performs under varying CPU or network loads. When you create the check, you specify an acceptable response time. When the check is verified, the system’s actual response time is recorded and compared to the specified time. It can

• carry out performance checks on the target application.
• determine whether, under controlled conditions, the target application performs tasks within pre-defined response times.
• record the effects of varying CPU and network loads on the system.

Content checks test the contents of tables and list controls in a window or web page. A content check enables you to verify the contents of controls that it supports. Currently, tables and list controls in a Windows-based or Web-based application are supported. The Windows NT Version 4 desktops are also list controls.

The content check for tables enables you to optionally check the number of rows and columns in the table and the case of the text in each table cell.

The content check for list controls enables you to optionally check the number of items, positions of the items, which item(s) are selected, the text of each list item, and the case of the text.

Like text checks, Field checks enable you to verify that required text is present in the target application, but they enable you to verify that text as data, such as numbers or dates. For example, you can see if a value falls between a lower and upper limit, or if a particular area of the screen contains today’s date. You can create field checks that verify the following data:

• ASCII values
• Numeric values
• Date values (fixed and aged)
• Time values
• Patterns

– Property checks verify the properties of the controls in a dialog or web page. You can check the size and position of each control, their legends and IDs, and whether they are active, disabled, selected, or cleared. You can check a single control, or you can check several controls within an application window.

– Text checks provide an exact comparison of the text in a window or individual area to defined text. If you check a whole screen, areas that contain legitimately variable data, such as dates and login IDs, can be ignored. Unlike bitmap checks, which simply compare the appearance of an area of the screen with an expected appearance, text checks actually read the displayed data as strings. This enables more sophisticated checking to be performed.