Adobe Flex 3 Help

About automating applications with Flex

The Flex automation feature provides developers with the ability to create Flex applications that use the automation APIs. You can use these APIs to create automation agents or to ensure that your applications are ready for testing. In addition, the Flex automation feature includes support for the QTP automation tool.

The Flex automation feature includes the following:

  • Automation libraries -- The automation.swc, automation_dmv.swc, automation_agent.swc libraries are the implementations of the delegates for the Flex framework components. The automation_agent.swc file and its associated resource bundle are the generic agent mechanism. An agent such as QTP builds on top of these libraries. The automation_dmv.swc library provides the delegates for the Flex charting and AdvancedDataGrid classes.
  • QTP files -- The QTP files let QTP and Flex applications communicate directly. You can only use these files if you also have QTP. These files include the QTP plug-in, a QTP demonstration video, a QTP-specific environment XML file, and the QTP-specific library, qtp.swc. For more information, see Testing Adobe Flex Applications with Mercury QuickTest Professional.
  • Samples -- Sample applications include the CustomAgent, AutoQuick, RandomWalk, and FlexStore applications. The CustomAgent sample shows a simple agent that records metrics information for Flex applications. The AutoQuick example includes a component that lets you record and play back interactions with a Flex application. Testing-enabled versions of the FlexStore and RandomWalk applications are also available.

The following table shows the locations of the automation sample applications:

Automation-enabled application

Location

CustomAgent

http://www.adobe.com/go/flex_automation_agent_apps

AutoQuick

http://www.adobe.com/go/flex_automation_agent_apps

RandomWalk

http://www.adobe.com/go/flex_automation_randomwalk_apps

FlexStore

http://www.adobe.com/go/flex_flexstore_automation

When working with the automation APIs, you should understand the following terms:

  • automation agent (or, simply, agent) -- An agent facilitates communication between a Flex application and an automation tool. The Flex Automation Package includes a plugin that acts as an agent between your Flex applications and the QTP testing tool.
  • automation tool -- Automation tools are applications that use the Flex application data that is derived through the agent. These tools include QTP, Omniture, and Segue. In some cases.

The following illustration shows the relationship between a Flex application, an agent, and an automation tool.

The relationship between a Flex application, an agent, and an automation tool.