Introduction
In Software Engineering, a Test is a sequence of steps coupled with conditions or variables, test inputs, and an expected result. It is intended to establish a piece of the system's quality, performance, or reliability, i.e., the Test target. Usually, every requirement or objective the Test target is expected to achieve needs at least one Test. The success of the Test is determined by comparing predicted and actual results. In Xray, a Test is represented by a Test Issue.
Test Types
There are four default Test Types:
- Cucumber: of the Gherkin kind.
- Generic: of the Unstructured kind.
- Manual: of the Steps kind.
- Exploratory.
You may add other values for the Test Type In Xray's Global or Project settings.
Operations
Creating a Test Issue
On your Jira Cloud instance, click the Create button (Figure 1 - 1). A modal will open (Figure 1).
Figure 1 - Create issue
Select the Project (mandatory; Figure 1 - 2).
On the Issue Type, select Test (mandatory; Figure 1 - 3).
Type a Summary (mandatory; Figure 1 - 4). Complete all remaining fields if necessary.
Once you're done, click the Create button (Figure 1 - 5).
If you select the Create another issue option (Figure 1 - 6)), a new modal appears. This new Issue will be automatically pre-populated with your previous Test Issue details while leaving the Summary field blank.
Editing a Test Issue
Xray Test Issue sections support inline editing similar to Jira native and custom fields inline editing. This prevents full page reloads when modifying fields.
You can only inline-edit Xray fields if you have permission to edit the Test Issue.
Inline Edit Fields
Go to the Test Issue you want to edit (Figure 2)
Figure 2 - Edit
To inline edit a field, hover over the field view area and click it.
The following Test fields support inline editing:
- Type: the Test Issue Type (Figure 2 - 1).
- Definition: the automated generic Test definition (only visible for Generic Tests).
Inline-editing Automated Test Issues - Cucumber Test
- Hover over the Test Type, click it, and change it to another available Type (Figure 2 - 1).
- Hover over the Scenario field, click it, and edit its contents (Figure 2 - 2).
Inline-editing Automated Test Issues - Generic Test
- Hover over the Test Type, click it, and change it to another available Type (Figure 3 - 1).
- Hover over the Definition field, click it, and edit its contents (Figure 3 - 2).
Figure 3 - Generic
Manual Test Steps
To edit the steps of a Manual Test, please check this page.
Changing the Type of a Test
When the Type of a Test is changed, by clicking the desired option from the menu (Figure 3 - 1), the details of the previous information along with the associated Preconditions will be lost.
When changing the Test Type, you will see a warning message (Figure 4). Click Confirm to proceed (Figure 4 - 1).
Figure 4 - Confirm
This operation is permanent and not reversible.
Cloning a Test
Cloning a Test Issue creates a new Test with all the information of the cloned Test, except its executions. Therefore, the cloned Issue will not be associated with any Test Execution Issue.
Go to the Test Issue you want to clone.
Click the ellipsis icon (Figure 5 - 1) and then Clone (Figure 5 - 2).
Figure 5 - Cloning
A modal will open for you to confirm the cloning of the Test Issue (Figure 6). Click Clone to proceed (Figure 6 - 1).
Figure 6 - Confirm
After the Issue is created, you will see a success message with the cloned Issue information and a link for you to open the Issue (Figure 7 - 1).
Figure 7 - Success
On some occasions, the cloned Issue page may open before the Xray information is cloned and, as a result, the new Test will appear empty. When this happens, you will see a warning message, with a Refresh issue button (Figure 8 - 1). By clicking that button, the Issue page will be reloaded and the cloned information will be visible.
Figure 8 - Refresh
Moving a Test Issue
Go to the Test Issue you want to move.
Click the ellipsis icon (Figure 9 - 1) and then Move (Figure 9 - 3).
Figure 9 - Moving
A new screen (Figure 10) will open for you to set these details: destination project and Issue type, map statuses, fields; and for you to confirm these changes.
Figure 10 - Moving
Xray History
Any changes to the Test data are recorded in the Xray History section. You can see them on the Issue by scrolling down and clicking the Xray History option (Figure 11).
Figure 11 - History
These updates include:
- Changing the Test Type.
- Changing the Test Definition or Steps.
- Linking the Test with other entities (Preconditions, Test Plans, Test Sets, etc.).
- Moving the Test between folders on the Test Repository.
- Attachment addition.
- Test Execution.