Managing dependency changes between Scenarios and Actions

As you recall, a Scenario is made up of a series of Steps, each of which is an Action. It is important to understand how this dependency should be managed under version control.

During the time when a user checks out an Action and has not yet checked in, the modifications are applicable in the dependent Scenarios only for the user who checked out the Action. For example, you have an Action, "Login to QBank" which is used in 10 other Scenarios. If a user checks out and modifies the logic in the Action, then the 10 dependent Scenarios execute with the modified logic only when the test is run by this specific user. All other users will continue to exercise un-modified logic until the Action is checked-in.

Alerts related to dependency changes under version control

In certain conditions, Scenarios may display an alert related to changes under version control. These alerts are displayed when a Scenario is opened by a user who has some of the dependent Actions in a checked-out state.

Based on the nature of changes to the Actions, the user may need to check out the dependent Scenarios and reconcile them.

When does a Scenario need a corresponding update?

Here are the types of changes in an Action, that may necessitate corresponding Scenario updates.

• Adding Input or Output parameter to a checked-out Action.
• Deleting an Input or Output parameter.
• Change of Destination Context for the Action.
• Change of data source for a Parameter. (Data Type to Data List etc.).

What if you don't update the Scenario

You will continue to use updated logic from the checked-out Actions, but a reasonable default behavior will be used for the affected changes.

• If a new parameter is added, a blank value will be used in the Scenario test case.
• If a parameter is deleted, and this parameter was acting as a Linked Parameter to another parameter: the dependent parameter will get a blank value during test execution
• Change in Destination may create a Missing Step during test execution.
• If a Parameter data source type is changed, the affected parameter may get empty values in the test cases.

This alert is displayed only as long as the Action is still in the checked-out state.