Scripting Language Principles

To demonstrate the scripting language structure let's consider a simple test script example. This one opens the calculator application and calculates the sum of 5+5. Be aware that this is a very simple script which implements neither behaviour verification nor reporting of test result except saving a screen shot.

Note the minor differences between the Windows and Linux scripts - there's really just different calculator application name and the hot key to open the Run box. We will show you in one of the following topics how to separate such system dependent pieces of code in order to create cross platform test scripts.

 The language is based on the following principles:

• Test scripts are plain text files. Each line may contain a command (Press, Typeline, Screenshot, ...), a procedure header (starting with the "procedure" keyword), procedure call ("startApp <param>") or a comment (starting with "#"). Though it is not seen in the example, the line may also contain an if/else or for statement.
  
• Commands are identified by the first word (in blue) which is usually (but not always) followed by an argument (in green) and a list of parameters (in bold black) in form of '<param>="<value>"'.
  
• The language is not case sensitive except a few cases described explicitly in the specification. Commands and their parameters may be specified in any combination of upper or lower case characters. The procedure name "startApp" in our example however is case sensitive.