What is Step Group?

Step Group is a group of steps. It acts as a reusable method to perform common tasks.

Why do we need a Step Group?

If any common steps are used in multiple scripts, instead of writing the same steps in all the scripts, we can convert those common steps into a step group and use them.

By using step groups, users can avoid writing common steps in the script. This saves time while developing the scripts.

Example for step group

Login into an application and logout from an application is common in many Test Cases. Instead of writing the same steps in many scripts, we can convert login and logout steps into a step group. You can use the same in the scripts wherever necessary to avoid repetitive steps. You cannot run the step group solely. To execute the step group, you should use the step group in a Script.

Create Step Group

In this section, we will cover the basics of Step Group creation. Here we will be explaining how to create a Step Group.

Prerequisites

To create a “Step Group” at least one Library should be available.

Navigation

Home icon >> Repository >> Step Groups

Steps to create a Library

Once you log into the FireFlink, you will see a Project searchable dropdown. From the dropdown, select the project you have previously created or the project which is allocated for you. In the left navigation menu, click on the Repository section. Click on the Step Groups tab and you will land on the library tree page.

The container for Step Group is the Library. You should create the required Step Group under libraries. You cannot create Step Groups until you have created at least one Library.

1. To create a Library, click on the “+ Library” button.

2. When clicking on the “+ Library” button, the “Create Library” popup appears as shown below.

3. Enter valid data into the Name and description text field. The Name text field and Parent Library dropdown are mandatory. If you are creating a Library for the first time, Root Library is selected by default in the Parent Library searchable dropdown. When a library is already created, you need to select the parent Library. Then click on the create button Library. You can see the Library created a successful banner message.

4. The created Library will appear on the Root Library Screen. A table is provided in the Library screen similar to the screen below.

Steps to create Sub Library

1. To create a sub-library, you can hover the mouse over Library and the “+” icon appears beside the Library. Click on the “+” icon, “Add Library “, and “Add Step Group” options.

2. Now click on the Add Library option. The Create Library pop-up appears as shown below.

3. Enter valid data into the Name and description text field. The Name text field and Parent Library dropdown are mandatory. The Library on which you hover the mouse will be selected as a parent library and the parent library dropdown is disabled. Click on the Create button. The sub Library is created under the selected parent Library. The Library created a successful banner message that will be displayed.

• Users cannot create multiple libraries with the same name under the same parent library.

Steps to create Step Group

1. To create a “Step Group”, click on the “+ Step Group” button as shown below. The +Step Group button is disabled when no libraries are created.

2. Then the Create Step Group pop-up appears as shown below.

3. Enter valid data into the Name, Type, Description, Pass Message, and Fail Message text fields. Here the Name text field, Type dropdown, Pass Message, and Fail Message text are mandatory fields.

4. When you start entering text into the Name text field that will be populated in the pass message and fail message text field. You can edit at your convenience. This passes the message and the failure message is displayed while executing the script.

5. Select the Parent Library, under which library you want to create a step Group. This is a mandatory field.

6. Hover the mouse on the library and click on the “+” icon beside the library. Select the “Add Step Group” option in Create a step Group Popup. The Library on which the user hovers the mouse will be selected as a parent library. The parent library dropdown is disabled as shown below.

7. When clicked on the Create button, Step Group is created under the selected parent library. You can see Step Group created a successful banner message.

• Users cannot create multiple-step groups with the same name and same type under the same parent library.
• Users can create multiple-step groups with the same name and different types under the same parent library.

Note1: If the project type is Web then the library tree by default should display Open Browser and Close Browser step groups under the Open and Close Browser library.

Note2: If the project type is Mobile with the platform type is Android or Android & iOS then the library tree by default should display Open Android App and Close Android App step groups under the Open and Close App library.

Note3: If the project type is Web & Mobile with the platform type Android or Android & iOS then in the library tree by default should display Open Android App & Close Android App step groups under the Open and Close App library and Open Browser and Close Browser step groups under Open and Close Browser library.

Note4: The user can’t able to perform the edit, and delete action on the default step group. Users have only view access to the default step group.

Note5: The user won’t be able to perform edit, or delete actions on the variables which are used in the default step group. Users have only view access to the variables which are used in the default step group.

Note6: The user can access the default step group in any of the user-created step groups and the script.

Table details that are under the Step Groups tab:

The table under the Step Groups tab contains 6 columns with column headers as Library, Type, State, Version, Modified By, and Actions.

• Library: In this column, you can see all the created libraries, sub-libraries, root libraries, and step groups’ names.
• Type: In this column, you can see the type of step group which is selected while creating the step group. For libraries this column value is blank.
• Modified By: This column by default displays the username of who had created the library or step groups. If the name has been modified, the column then displays the username who had recently modified the Library or step groups.
• Actions:

1. When the user hovers the mouse on the root library or library under this column, it displays Edit, Deletes, & More menu icons.
2. When the user hovers the mouse on the step group under this column, it displays Impact List, Edit, Delete & More menu icons.

Edit, Delete & Details of Library:

When you hover the mouse on Library under the Action column, it will display Edit, Delete & More menu icons as shown below. The Edit and Delete icons are disabled for the “Root library”.

1. Edit Library

To edit the library, click on the Edit icon under the action column. Edit Library popup appears as shown below.

Edit the required information on fields and click on the update button. You can see the Edited successfully banner message.

Note:

• You cannot change the parent library while editing the library.
• You cannot edit the Root Library.

2. Delete Library

To delete the library, you have to click on the Delete icon under Actions Column. On click of the Delete Icon Warning, a delete popup appears as shown below.

Click on the Delete button, the library gets deleted. You can see Deleted successfully banner message

Note:

• You cannot delete the library if the library contains only sub-libraries.
• You cannot delete the library if the library contains only step groups.
• You cannot delete the library if the library contains both sub-libraries and step groups.
• You cannot delete the root library.

3. Library Details

To view the details of the library, click on the More menu icon under the actions column. It will display Details & History options as shown below.

Click on the details option. The Library Details popup is displayed as shown below. Here you can view the details of the library.

You can view the details of the root library by clicking on the Details option for the root library. The details popup is seen as shown below.

Attributes of library details pop-up:

In the library details, all the attribute values are non-editable.

• Name: This attribute displays the Name of the library which is given while creating the library. If you update the library name, it displays the updated library name. For the root library, the display name is Root Library.
• Description: This attribute displays the description that is given while creating the library. It displays a one-line description on mouse hover and displays a complete description in the tooltip.
  While creating a library if the description is not given, then it will be displayed as “–”. For the “Root Library”, the description will be displayed as “–”.
• Project Name: This attribute displays the project name under which the project library is created.
• Path: This attribute displays the path of the library. Ex: The login library contains the home library. In the home library, the details popup displays the path as login/home. The root library displays the path as “Root Library”.
• Total Libraries: This attributes displays the aggregated count of sub-libraries that the library has.
• Total Step Groups: This attribute displays the aggregated count of Step Groups that the library has.
• Created By: This attribute displays the username who has created the library. The root library displays Created By as N/A.
• Created On: This attribute displays the date & time on which the library is created. The root library displays, Created On as N/A.
• Modified By: This attribute displays the username who recently modified the library. The root library displays Modified By as N/A.
• Modified On: This attribute displays the Date & Time on which the library was recently modified.

Edit, Delete & details of Step Group

When you hover the mouse on Step Group under the Action column, it displays Edit, Deletes, Impact list & More menu icons as shown below.

1. Edit Step Group

• To edit step Group, you have to hover the mouse on step Group under the action column. It displays the Edit icon as shown below.
• Click on the edit icon. Edit Step Group popup appears as shown below.
• Edit the required information of fields and click on the update button. You can see the Updated successfully banner message.

Note:

1. You cannot change the Type and Parent library dropdown. The Type dropdown and Parent Library searchable dropdown are disabled.

2. Delete Step Group

• To delete the Step Group, click on the Delete icon for the step Group under Actions Column. A Warning Delete popup appears as shown below.
• When clicking on the Delete button, the Step Group gets deleted. You can see the Deleted successfully banner message.

3. Step Group Details

To view the details of Step Group, click on the More menu icon under the actions column. It will display Details & History options as shown below.

Click on the details option. The Step Group Details popup displays as shown below.

Attributes of Step Group details pop-up:

In Step Group details, all the attribute values are non-editable.

• Name: This attribute displays the Name of the step Group which is given while creating the step Group. If the name of the Step Group is updated, it displays the updated Step Group name.
• Type: This attribute displays the step Group type which is selected while creating the step Group.
• Description: This attribute displays the description which is given while creating the Step Group. It displays a one-line description when hovered with the mouse. This displays a complete description in the tooltip. While creating step Group, if the description is not given, then it will be displayed as “–”.
• Project Name: This attribute displays the project name under which the project step Group is created.
• Path: This attribute displays the path of the step Group. Ex: The login page contains Save Step Group in Save Step Group. The details popup displays the path as login/Save.
• Total Steps: This attribute displays the total step that the Step Group has.
• Created By: This attribute displays the username who has created the step group.
• Created On: This attribute displays the date & time on which Step Group got created.
• Modified By: This attribute displays the username who recently modified the step Group.
• Modified On: This attribute displays the date & time on which Step Group was recently modified.

4. Impact List of Step Group

When the user hovers the mouse on <<step group name>> and clicks on the Impact List option under the Action column, it should display Scripts and Step Groups as options as shown below.

If you single-click on Library, then you will be navigating to the new library under the same tab and the content as shown below.

Steps

What is a Step?

Steps are the set of lines of code added in the NLP field.

What is the use of a Step?

• Steps are added to execute and generate the result of the script.
• The added steps can be NLP’s or Step Groups or Program Elements.

Navigation for Steps screen:

Home icon > Repository > Step Groups > <<Library name>> > <<Step Group name>> > Steps

Pre-requisites:

Before creating a step, a “Library” and a “Step Group” should be created.

Step to Add Steps

• Once you log into the FireFlink, you will see a Project searchable dropdown. From the dropdown select the project you have previously created or the project which is allocated for you. In the left navigation menu, click on the Repository menu. Click on the Step Groups tab and click on <<Step Group Name>> then You will land on the Step Group Steps Page.
• To Add a Step, click on the “+ Step” button. Initially when there are no Steps created. The “+Step” button is provided at the center of the screen as shown below to add a step.

• On click of the + Step button the “NLP dropdown” is displayed. It is a Searchable dropdown where you can select the NLP, Step Group, or Program Element from the dropdown list to add it as a step. When you select a particular NLP, Step Group, or Program Element from the dropdown list, an “NLP Input parameter” div is displayed in the right section of the screens as shown below.

• Below the div header, “NLP Description” is displayed for selected NLP. Ex: Desired Capability: set capability *key* and *value*
• If the NLP accepts any input, then the “Input Value” fields and if the NLP returns any output then the “Return value” fields are displayed below the “NLP description” in the NLP input parameter div.
• If NLP accepts input as Element then if the user clicks on the “Element” field the elements created in the “Repository” section, will be displayed in the dropdown, which can be selected from the dropdown. On hovering the mouse on the element field, “View element details” and “Edit element” hyperlinks will be displayed.
• “View element details” hyperlink: On clicking on this link, the “Element Details- <<Element name>>” popup with all the details of the element will be displayed (same as in the “Repository” section).

• “Edit element” hyperlink: On clicking on this link, the “Edit element- <<Element name>>” popup will be displayed, where the user can edit the element (same as in the “Repository” section).

• If the NLP accepts any input other than Element in the “Input Value” field, the input can be hard-coded, or on clicking the “Create as variable” icon, the “Create variable” popup will be displayed. On entering “Name” (mandatory), “Value” (non-mandatory) fields and “Type” (Step Group, Global, or Project environment) should be selected. On clicking the “Create” button, the Variable can be created, and to call that variable or parameters from the dropdown list, it is preferred to use the “$” symbol in the field.

• If the user has not hard-coded the variables, and suppose a user used variables in the NLP input parameter on the mouse hovering over the field, “View variable details” and “Edit variable” hyperlinks will be displayed. Suppose the user used parameters in NLP input parameter on the mouse hovering the field, “View parameter details” and “Edit parameter” hyperlinks will be displayed.
• “View variable details” hyperlink: On clicking on this link, the “Variable details – <<Variable name>>” popup with all the variable details will be displayed (same as in the “Variables” tab).
• “Edit variable” hyperlink: On clicking on this link, the “Edit variable- <<Variable name>>” popup will be displayed where the user can edit the “Name” and “Value” fields, the “Type” field will be disabled, and upon clicking “Update” button, the variable will be updated.
• “View parameter details” hyperlink: On clicking on this link, the “parameter details – << parameter name>>” popup with all the variable details will be displayed (same as in the “Parameters” tab).
• “Edit parameter” hyperlink: On clicking on this link, the “Edit parameter – << parameter name>>” popup will be displayed where the user can edit the “Name” and “Value” fields, and the “Type” field will be disabled, and upon clicking “Update” button, the parameter will be updated.
• If the step is returning some value, the “Assign Step Return Value to” field is displayed in the “NLP input parameter” div. In this field, the value cannot be hard coded. The user has to click on the icon which is present beside the text field, the “Create variable” popup will be displayed. On entering “Name” (mandatory), “Value” (non-mandatory) fields and “Type” (Step Group or Global) should be selected. On clicking the “Create” button, the variable will be created for the return value field. Or you can access a variable in the Return value text field using the “$” symbol.
• If the element is “Dynamic” type and “Locator value” tables are displayed in the “NLP input parameter” div. The user can pass the “dynamic values” to any locators in the “Locator Value” fields for that particular step.

• In the “If Failed” dropdown, there are five options available. This is a mandatory field. They are:
  • Mark this step as Failed and continue script execution.
  • Mark this step as a Warning and continue script execution.
  • Mark this step as Failed and stop script execution.
  • Mark this step as Failed and stop the current module execution.
  • Mark this step as Failed and stop the current Suite execution.

NOTE: By default, “Mark this step as Failed and continue script execution” is selected.

• • • Upon clicking on the “Add” button, the data entered will be added to the step as and it will display under the Description column.
    • Upon clicking on the “Cancel” button, it will cancel the operation and close the div.
    • Suppose you want to add the step in between the steps then you have to mouse hover on the step and click on the “+” icon beside the steps. It will display the NLP’s searchable dropdown below the step on which you hover the mouse so that users can select the required NLP and they can add it as a step.

Table details which are under the Step Group Steps tab:

• Description: This column displays the added steps.
• Actions: When the user hovers the mouse steps under this column, it displays Edit, Delete, & More menu icons.

Edit & Delete of Step

• When the mouse hovers over the step under the Action column, it will display the Edit, Delete, and More menu icon as shown below.

1. Edit Step

• To edit the step, hover the mouse on the step and click on the Edit icon under the “Actions” column, click on the edit icon it will display the text field below the step along with the “Clear” icon at the end of the text field on click of “Clear” icon that step description get removed and you can choose any NLP from the “NLP dropdown”.

• “NLP input parameter” div for the particular NLP will be displayed. All the mandatory data should be entered in the respective fields.
• Click on the “Update” button.

2. Delete Step

• To delete the step mouse hover on the step and click on the Delete icon under the “Actions” column it will delete the Step from the table.

How do you create a step group by selecting the steps on the steps page?

• In the Steps page you can see the checkbox beside each step and the Description Column header, if you want to select all the steps, you can select the checkbox which is at the Description column header. If you want to select a required number of steps, then you can select the checkbox which is beside the steps, as soon as you select at least one step the “+ Step” button will get converted into the “+ Step Group” button.

• On click of the “+ Step Group” button you will get Create Step Group popup enter all the mandatory fields in the popup and click on the “Create” button step group will get created.

How to reorder the steps on the steps page?

• When the user hovers the mouse on the steps, if the particular step group contains more than one step then it will display a reorder icon beside the steps, by dragging and dropping the reorder icon for the steps you can reorder the steps.

Variables

What is a Variable?

• Variables are the elements that are used to store the data that can take different values.

What is the use of a Variable?

• Variables created are used to pass the value in the step, for the execution.
• It avoids the re-work when the value changes.
• To reuse the values at multiple places.

Types of Variables:

• Step Group Variables: The step group variables can be accessed only to those steps created under a particular step group.
• Global Variables: The global variables can be accessed in all the step groups/script steps present under the particular project.
• Project Environment Variables: The project environment variables can be accessed for all the step groups/script steps present under the particular project.

Note: You can’t use the Project Environment Variables in the “Assign Return Value” text field.

Navigation for Variables screen:

Home icon > Repository > Step Groups > <<Library name>> > <<Step Group name>> > Variables

Pre-requisites:

• Before creating a variable, a “Library” and a “Step Group” should be created.

How to create variables?

• In the steps screen, on clicking the “More Actions” icon in the context menu. Select the “Add a Variable” option in the list, “Create Variable” popup appears.

• In the variables screen, on clicking the “+ Variable” button, the “Create Variable” popup appears.
• Enter a name in the “Name” text field. This is a mandatory field.

• The variable type selected in the dropdown in the “Variable” tab, is displayed in the “Type” dropdown field in the “Create Variable” popup. This is a mandatory field. There are three types:
  • If the selected type is “Step Group Variables”, the type is displayed as “Step Group” under the type text field in creating the step group variable popup (By default “Step Group” type is selected in the “Variables” screen).
  • If the selected type is “Global Variables”, the type is displayed as “Global” under the type text field in creating global variables popup.
  • If the selected type is “Project Environment Variables”, the type is displayed as “Project Environment” under the type text field in creating Project Environment Variables.
• Enter a value in the “Value” (non-mandatory) text field.
• Click on the “Create” button.

Table details which are under the Step Group Variables tab:

• Name: In this column, the name added while creating a variable in the “Create Variable” popup is displayed in the table.
• Value: In this column, the value-added while creating a variable in the “Create Variable” popup is in the table.
• Returning step: In this column, after execution, the step returning some value (Step number) is displayed.
• Modified By: In this column, the name of the user who modified the data in the table is displayed.
• Actions: In this column, the three icons are displayed when hovered with the mouse: the “Edit” icon, “Delete” icon, and “More” icon. When clicking on the “More” icon, it will display the “Details” option.

Table details which are under the Global Variables tab:

• Name: In this column, the name added while creating a variable in the “Create Variable” popup is displayed in the table.
• Value: In this column, the value-added while creating a variable in the “Create Variable” popup is displayed in the table.
• Returning step: In this column, after execution, the step returning some value (Step number), that value will be displayed.
• Modified By: In this column, the name of the user who modified the data in the table is displayed.
• Actions: In this column, the three icons are displayed when hovered with the mouse “Edit” icon, “Delete” icon, and “More” icon. When clicking on the “More” icon, it will display the “Details” option.

Table details which are under the Project Environment Variables tab:

• Name: In this column, the name added while creating a variable in the “Create Variable” popup is displayed in the table.
• Value: In this column, the value-added while creating a variable in the “Create Variable” popup is displayed in the table.
• Modified By: In this column, the name of the user who modified the data in the table is displayed.
• Actions: In this column, the three icons that are displayed when hovered by a mouse are: the “Edit” icon, “Delete” icon, and “More” icon. When clicking on the “More” icon, it will display the “Details” option.

Edit Variable

• Click on the “Edit” icon present under the “Actions” column. The “Edit Variable <<Variable name>>” popup will be displayed.
• Here, you can edit only the data present in the “Name” and “Value” text fields. The “Type” field is disabled by default in the “Edit” popup.
• Click on the “Update” button in the popup.

Delete Variable

• Click on the “Delete” icon present under the “Actions” column. The “Warning popup” is displayed.
• Here, if you click on the “Delete” button in the popup, the variable added to the table is deleted from the table.

Variable Details

• Click on the “More” icon present under the “Actions” column and, click on “Details”. The “Variable Details- <Variable name>” popup is displayed.
• Here, the details like “Name”, “Value”, “Returning Step” (only if the type is “Local” or “Global”), “Created By”, “Created On”, “Modified By”, “Modified On” is displayed in the popup.

Parameters

What are the Parameters?

Parameters are the elements that are used to give input to a step group when we call the step group in a script.

Navigation for Parameters screen:

Home icon > Repository > Step Groups > <<Library name>> > <<Step Group name>> > Parameters

Pre-requisites:

Before creating a parameter, a “Library” and a “Step Group” should be created.

How to create Parameters?

• In the parameters screen, on clicking the “+Parameter” button, a “Create Parameter” popup appears.

• Enter name in the “Name” text field. This is a mandatory field.
• Select the parameter type from the Type dropdown.
• Click on the “Create” button.

Table details which are under the Parameters tab:

• Name: In this column, the name added while creating a parameter in the “Create Parameter” popup is displayed in the table.
• Type: In this column, the type selected while creating a parameter in the “Create Parameter” popup is displayed in the table.
• Used in Step: In this column, it displays the step number in which the step parameter is used.
• Modified By: In this column, the name of the user who modified the data in the table is displayed.
• Actions: In this column, the three icons are displayed when hovered with the mouse: the “Edit” icon, “Delete” icon, and “View” icon.

Edit Parameter

• Click on the “Edit” icon present under the “Actions” column. The “Edit Parameter << Parameter name>>” popup will be displayed.

• Here, you can edit only the data present in the “Name” The “Type” field is disabled by default in the “Edit” popup.
• Click on the “Update” button in the popup.

Delete Parameter

• Click on the “Delete” icon present under the “Actions” column. The “Warning popup” is displayed.

• Here, if you click on the “Delete” button in the popup, the parameter added to the table is deleted from the table.

Parameter Details

• Click on the “More” icon present under the “Actions” column, and click on “Details”. The “Parameter Details- < Parameter name>” popup is displayed.

• Here, the details like “Name”, “Type”, “Used in Step”, “Created By”, “Created On”, “Modified By”, and “Modified On” is displayed in the popup.
  Note: All the parameters which are created under the Parameters tab will be displayed under the Parameter dropdown on the steps page.