Mainframe test automation

accelQ supports automated test logic against mainframe terminal emulators. With the same simple natural language interface, you can build action logic to accomplish data entry and verifications on mainframe applications. accelQ currently supports both HLL and COM based emulators.

Working with Terminal Emulator requires accelQ TE Agent binaries to be placed on the machine where terminal emulator is accessible. Just like web and API testing, you can execute tests against mainframe terminals remotely as well. Please consult your administrator for access and setup instructions.

Here are the most commonly used mainframe commands available from action logic editor.

Establishing Connection

Open Terminal  Emulator Session

Opens a Mainframe session by connecting to the given accelQ host. This command must be used before performing any other related steps in the action. This statement also sets the Current Session, so subsequent commands executed on Mainframe will run against this connection.

Session Name

Host

Port

Emulator Type

Session File

Window Title

Unique name for the session to refer to this connection in the current action logic

Host name or the IP address where accelQ TE agent is running

Port number on which accelQ TE Agent is running

Specify if the emulator type is HLL or COM

TE session file name with full path

Title of the Terminal emulator Window that get opened via the session file. Regular expression syntax is also supported.

Switch to Mainframe Session

Switches to given Mainframe Session, when you are working with multiple Mainframe sessions simultaneously. Make sure that session is already established with a Connection command before trying to switch.

Session Name

Name of the session to switch. Subsequent Mainframe commands will run against this session.

Read Information

Get Terminal Emulator field text (by row and column)

Returns text from a field located at given row and column in the TE screen. Make sure that a connection session is already established.

Row Number

Column Number

Text length (optional)

Returns

Row number of the field text to be retrieved

Column number where the TE field is located

Length of the text to be retrieved. If not specified, complete text from the field is retrieved.

Field text at given row and column

Get screen text of Terminal Emulator Session

Returns entire screen text in the current TE session, in JSON file format.

Get text in Terminal Emulator Field (by matching text )- HLL only

Returns text adjacent to a field identified by given matching text. Make sure that a session is already established.

Matching Text

Search Mode

Returns

For identifying the field, whose adjacent text needs to be retrieved

Specify leading or trailing search text 

Field text

Get text in Terminal Emulator Field (by absolute position) - HLL only

Return text present at given absolute position of the terminal. Absolute position is calculated by counting the number of character positions from the top left corner of the screen to the current field. Make sure that a session is already established.

Field Position

Text Length

Returns

Absolute position of the text in the TE

Length of the text to be retrieved. If not specified, complete text from the given absolute position is retrieved.

Field text at the given absolute position in TE

Get Cursor row number on Terminal Emulator screen (COM only)

Returns current cursor row number in the terminal. This command is applicable only for COM based emulators. Make sure that a session is already established.

Returns

Current cursor row number in the TE 

Get Cursor column number on Terminal Emulator screen (COM only)

Returns current column number of cursor in TE screen. Applicable only for COM Emulators. Make sure that a session is already established.

Returns

Current cursor column number in the TE

Get row number for matching text on Terminal Emulator screen (COM only)

Returns row number of the given search text. This command is applicable only for COM based emulators. Make sure that a session is already established.

Matching Text

Returns

search text from which row number is learnt

Row number of the matching text in the TE 

Get column number for matching text on Terminal Emulator screen (in given row) - COM only

Returns column number in a given row, where search text occurs. Applicable only for COM based emulators. Make sure that a session is already established.

Row Number

Matching Text

Returns

Row number of the matching text

Search text present in the row from which column number is learnt

Current cursor row number in the TE 

Verifying / Inquiring Information

Terminal Emulator screen has text

Finds out if terminal emulator screen has given text. Returns true or false based on the existence of the text. Make sure that a session is already established.

Text

Comparison Type

Match Type

Returns

Text to verify

Specify if the comparison should be "equals" or "contains"

Specify if the match should be case-sensitive/not or a regular expression

true or false based on the existence of the text

Verify Terminal Emulator screen text is

Verifies given text exists in the TE. Make sure that a session is already established.

Text

Comparison Type

Match Type

Specify the expected text that should exist in the TE

Specify if the comparison should be "equals" or "contains"

Specify if the match should be case-sensitive/not or a regular expression

Verify Terminal Emulator screen text is NOT

Verifies that, given text does not exist on the terminal screen. Make sure that a session is already established.

Text

Comparison Type

Match Type

Expected Text that should not exist in the TE

Specify if the comparison should be "equals" or "contains"

Specify if the match should be case-sensitive/not or a regular expression

Verify Terminal Emulator field text (by row and column) is

Verifies whether given text exists in the given row and column of TE. Make sure that a session is already established.

Row Number

Column Number

Text

Comparison Type

Match Type

Row number of the field text to be verified

Column number in the given row of the field text to be verified

Specify the expected text

Specify if the comparison should be "equals" or "contains"

Specify if the match should be case-sensitive/not or a regular expression

Verify Terminal Emulator field text (by row and column) is NOT

Verifies that a given text does not appear in a field at given row and column number. Make sure that a session is already established.

Row Number

Column Number

Text

Comparison Type

Match Type

Row number of the field text to be verified

Column number in the given row of the field text to be verified

Specify the expected text that should not exist in the TE

Specify if the comparison should be "equals" or "contains"

Specify if the match should be case-sensitive/not or a regular expression

Enter Information

Enter text in current cursor position in Terminal Emulator session

Inserts given text at the current cursor position in TE. Make sure that a session is already established.

Input Text

Text to be inserted at the current cursor point 

Clear screen text on Terminal Emulator session

Clears text on terminal emulator screen.

Enter text in Terminal Emulator field (by row and column) 

Inserts text at a given row and column. Make sure that a session is already established.

Row Number

Column Number

Input text

Special Key

Row number to insert the field text 

Column number in the given row to insert the text

text to be inserted

Special key ("TAB" or "ENTER") to hit after entering text. Leave it blank if no special key is required.

Enter text in Terminal Emulator field (by matching text) - HLL only

Inserts text in a field identified by adjacent text (leading or trailing). It is applicable only to HLL emulators. Make sure that a session is already established.

Search Text

Search Mode

Special Key

Text to learn the position of the input text to insert

Specify whether the search text is leading or trailing to the input field

Special key ("TAB" or "ENTER") to hit after entering text. Leave it blank if no special key is required.

Send special key to Terminal Emulator screen (HLL only)

Enters special key such as "TAB", "ENTER", "PAGEUP, "PAGEDOWN", "HOME", "END" etc. Make sure that a session is already established.

Special Key

Special key to enter ("TAB", "ENTER", "PAGEUP", "PAGEDOWN", "HOME" or "END"

Move Cursor to field on Terminal Emulator screen (COM only)

Moves cursor to the desired row and column in the TE. Applicable only for COM based emulators. Make sure that a session is already established.

Row Number

Column Number

Row number to which cursor should be moved 

Column number in the given row to which cursor should be moved 

Synchronizing on Screen Text

Wait until Terminal Emulator screen has text

Waits until TE contains the expected text.Make sure that a session is already established.

Waiting time

Text

Comparison Type

Match Type

Maximum time in seconds, to wait for the text to appear on the terminal

Expected text in the TE

Specify if the comparison should be "equals" or "contains"

Specify if the match should be case-sensitive/not or a regular expression

Wait until Terminal Emulator screen NOT has text

Waits until the mainframe terminal does not contain the expected text. Make sure that a session is already established.

Waiting time

Text

Comparison Type

Match Type

Maximum time in seconds, to wait for the text to disappear from the TE

Expected text in the TE

Specify if the comparison should be "equals" or "contains"

Specify if the match should be case-sensitive/not or a regular expression

Closing Connection

Close current TE Session

Closes current TE session. Make sure that a session is already established.