Starting Android automated tests

Approaches to selecting which Android device(s) run automated tests in TestArchitect.

You can specify which Android device runs a given automated test, or portion of a test, from either your test launch command (online or offline) or from within your test procedures.

Test initiation, which is typically performed either from the Execute Test dialog box or via a test execution batch file, specifies which device or devices test execution starts on. Once testing begins, your test procedure can control where execution is to take place, using the built-in action use device. For example, after you’ve selected device A in the Execute Test dialog box and clicked the Execute button, your test is executed on device A. The automated test runs on device A until it encounters the action line use device B in the test procedure. At this time, the automation stops running on device A, and logically connects to device B, making that the target device for the remainder of the automated test. This is basically the same as synchronous serial execution in desktop testing.

Note that synchronous parallel execution is also possible in mobile testing. It involves the same mechanism as used for desktop testing, requiring that the lead/deputy method be used to pass control between controller-device clusters (controllers hosting mobile devices).

Selecting Android target devices at launch time
The selection of which Android devices are to execute a test can be made at the time the test is launched.

Selecting target Android devices during execution
From within your action lines, you can control which Android device(s) your test is to execute on.