Using Variables in Rapi

Declaring Local Variables Using store Command Series

In Rapi, local variables can be declared and set with values by store command series. For example, given the following command:

storeText | //input[@name='q'] | var_keyword

After executing the command, the value of variable var_keyword will be set to the target element’s value, say “iphone”. After that, the variable can be used in another command's target or value via the form ${var_keyword}.

Declaring Global Variables Using Global Var Panel or storeGlobalVar Command

Besides, global variables can be declared and set with initial values via the Global Var panel. A user can either manually add variables or import the variables from a file of JSON or CSV format. After defining the variables, they can be exported as a file for further usage. Another way to create a global variable is using storeGlobalVar command. The following example shows that a global variable GlobalVarA will be created with an initial value newValue if GlobalVarA is not declared in Global Var panel in advance.

storeGlobalVar | newValue | GlobalVarA

Mixed Usage of Local Variables and Global Variables

Mixed usage of local and global variables is not recommended, i.e., to use the same variable name for both local variable and global variable. If it is inevitable, please read the following rules carefully.

v is predefined as ↓	A. store\|x\|v	B. storeGlobalVar\|x\|v	C. storeXXX\|x\|v
1. local variable	Update the local variable	Create a global variable	Update the local variable
2. global variable	Create a local variable	Update the global variable	Update the global variable
3. local and global variables	Update the local variable	Update the global variable	Update the local variable
4. not yet defined	Create a local variable	Create a global variable	Create a local variable

A mixed usage example is as follow:

The execution process of the example is:

Create a global variable Var1 with value globalStr. (rule B4)
Update the value of the global variable Var1 to Google. (rule C2)
Create a local variable Var2 with value Rapi. (rule C4)
Create a local variable Var1 with value localStr. (rule A2)
Update the value of the local variable Var1 to Rapi. (rule C3)

Variable Types

Interpreting a variable in a command's target or value is a string replacement - replacing ${var_name} by the variable’s runtime value. Therefore, using a variable as string type in a Javascript expression of a command (e.g., runScript) should be placed within quotation marks. For example, if you want to compare a variable to a string, use

"${var_name}" == "Guest"

If your string already contains both single and double quotation marks, consider using String.raw()

String.raw`${var_name}` == "Guest"

If you want to compare a variable to an integer, use

${var_num} == 100

In Rapi, if you use storeEval command to create a variable and the return value of Javascript expression is array type, it will be converted to a JSON string when it is interpreted. For example, given the following commands:

storeEval | return ["S","i","d","e","e","X"] | arr
storeEval | return ${arr}.length | length
store | 0 | index
WHILE | ${index} < ${length}
storeEval | return ${arr}[${index}] | show
echo | ${show}
storeEval | return ${index} + 1 | index
END

After executing the above commands, Rapi will iteratively echo each value from the array arr.

Nested Variable Interpretation Format

In Rapi, interpreting variables can be nested. For example, given the following commands:

store | 1 | Ser
store | Hello Rapi | Msg1
echo | ${Msg${Ser}} |

After executing the above commands, Rapi will echo Hello Rapi in Log. ${Ser} will be set to 1 at first, so Msg${Ser} will be evaluated as Msg1. Then ${Msg1} will be set to Hello Rapi.

Importing a JSON File Containing Arrays and Objects for Data-Driven Testing

In Rapi, you can use WHILE, INCLUDE, and Nested Variable to complete Data-Driven Testing.

Go to Global Var panel and import a JSON file containing arrays and objects. The following example shows two records to be used as the data for step 2.













{
	"numberOfRecords":2,
	"record":[
		{
			"userName":"User1",
			"loginMsg":"Welcome"
		},
		{
			"userName":"User2",
			"loginMsg":"Please signup"
		}
	]
}

Use Nested Variable to refer to these records in test cases. (Variable index will be defined in step 3.)

ExampleTestSuite.MainTestCase
echo | ${record.${index}.userName} |
echo | ${record.${index}.loginMsg} |

Create a leading test case to iteratively execute the main test case. In the following example, the main test case will be run twice, and the values of the two records will be echoed.

ExampleTestSuite.LeadingTestCase
store | 0 | index
WHILE | ${index} < ${numberOfRecords} |
INCLUDE | ExampleTestSuite.MainTestCase |
storeEval | return ${index}+1 | index
END

File Output

After the execution of test cases, the last values of the local and global variables can be obtained from the test reports. Please refer to Rapi Test Report Specification。