Ranorex VS another automation tool NEED HELP

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amondj
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Ranorex VS another automation tool NEED HELP

Post by amondj » Wed Jun 14, 2017 6:09 pm

Hi guys,

my company just received a pre-demo from a company house that is offering us an UI test automation for our testing, now, I've been working with Ranorex for few years, and I'm trying to see what are the main differences between those two softwares.
Meanwhile, my manager asked this other company to give us a comparison between this software and Ranorex, and this was their answer (sorry, can't say the name of the other company).

Here is a collection of how we differentiate ourselves by Ranorex:

- XXXXX is a Module-Based automation tool. Ranorex is a script-based tool
o With the Module-Based approach, the Maintenance can be reduced dramatically.
e.g. By adapting a Module, all related TestCases will been adapted automatically. In a script based tool, you have to adapt every single script.
o XXXXX Testcases are Business-Readable (means: In one view you see what the TestCase is going to execute) – in a script based tool, you need coding skills to read the testcase
- The following bulletpoints are supported by XXXXX, not by Ranorex
o Provide business abstraction for customizations (which any enterprise test automation needs to deal with)
o Non-UI Testing
o Manual Testing
o Exploratory-Testing
- What Customers need to know about Ranorex:
o You must set up a development project to set up a suitable framework for your application.
o Not “Enterprise Ready” across an Enterprise Application Landscape. Only used in “niches”
o No “Continuous Testing” Strategy and no set of functionalities for supporting it.
o No E2E test capabilities on Business process level to realize real “Shift Left”.
o No Virtualization Capabilities to eliminate dependencies of availability in the E2E testing context.
o Feels like a development tool: Before every run a compilation will take place. Ranorex uses an Visual Studio interface. Business users cannot use this tool.
o You need a C# or VB.NET developer for maintaining the test automation framework.
o No test management component, no feedback on the achieved business risk
o No customization interface for custom controls (limited enhancements are possible through custom programming within test scripts).

Could anyone confirm/dismantle what is written in here? I believe, for example, that Ranorex IS module-based AND script-based, you don't need a development project to setup a suitable framework with Ranorex, and so on... but your help would be even better and maybe more precise than mine.

Thank you :)

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odklizec
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Re: Ranorex VS another automation tool NEED HELP

Post by odklizec » Thu Jun 15, 2017 8:19 am

Hi,

In my (maybe biased) opinion, at least half of the statements about Ranorex not doing/supporting or "you must" things are not true or at very least misleading.

Ranorex, of course, IS a module-based test automation tool. You can perfectly work with it without ever touching scripting! Scripting in Ranorex is an advantage and not a complication or barrier. Honestly, I would never consider a test automation tool without at least basic scripting! If the tool you are offered does not support scripting, run away from it. Script-less test automation may sound nice, but believe me, it's a dream and false hope. Test automation without scripting is like licking lollipop still wrapped in cellophane ;) At some point in time, you will realize, that scripting could actually greatly increase the speed of development and reduce the complexity of certain scenarios. And aside scripting, Ranorex offers also image-based automation, which helps in cases an element is not recognizable/traceable (typically 3rd party GUI controls, without proper accessibility implementation). Does the other tool supports scripting and image-based automation?

In my opinion, you should take the demo version of the app you are offered and try to automate the same scenario both in this tool and Ranorex. And then you can decide, which one suits your needs better.
Pavel Kudrys
Ranorex explorer at Descartes Systems

Please add these details to your questions:
  • Ranorex Snapshot. Learn how to create one >here<
  • Ranorex xPath of problematic element(s)
  • Ranorex version
  • OS version
  • HW configuration

krstcs
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Re: Ranorex VS another automation tool NEED HELP

Post by krstcs » Fri Jun 16, 2017 8:20 pm

I completely agree with Pavel.

The person who told you this (a) doesn't really know anything about Ranorex and (b) is trying to sell you something by bad-mouthing the competition, or out-right lying about it.

Ranorex is completely module based. You don't need to script anything, but, as Pavel said, you will find that any tool that doesn't allow more complex scripting will eventually become a hindrance to good test automation.

Only used in niches? All test-automation is a niche, if you look at it that way. Again, they're trying to inflate their tool at the expense of Ranorex. All of those arguments are straw-men, which makes them logically false. Ranorex can be used in any of those situations, if you setup your systems with that in mind.

Ranorex does one thing, Functional Test Automation, and it does it well. How you integrate it is up to you, just as with any other tool. In my experience, any tool that tries to do ALL the things ends up not being good at any of them. Ranorex allows you to chose the best tool for each part of the process.
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amondj
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Re: Ranorex VS another automation tool NEED HELP

Post by amondj » Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:35 am

Thank you for your replies people.
I've thought the same and already spoke to my manager about it, just want more confirmations so can prove that they are just slating something that they don't even know about by the look of it.

Have you ever heard of Tosca? Any ideas on it?

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odklizec
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Re: Ranorex VS another automation tool NEED HELP

Post by odklizec » Mon Jun 19, 2017 12:56 pm

Hi,

I'm afraid, I've never heard of Tosca (except Giacomo Puccini's opera ;)). It seems they offer Trial version, so I would suggest to take it, test it (against Ranorex) and then decide what's best for you.

Two things I noticed on their website... it seems it really does not offer scripting mode?! They do offer conditional statements and loops in test cases (If-Then, Do and While...that's it!) via actions added directly in Test Case documents (via UI). This is something Ranorex is currently working on in upcoming 7.1. But there seems to be no way to work directly in code? Missing scripting would be a major showstopper for me! At next, their forum is nowhere as nice and useful as Ranorex forum. Maybe not a showstopper, but I consider a nicely categorized and active community a crucial part of learning process. But as mentioned, get the trial, work with it and then decide, which tool suits you best ;)
Pavel Kudrys
Ranorex explorer at Descartes Systems

Please add these details to your questions:
  • Ranorex Snapshot. Learn how to create one >here<
  • Ranorex xPath of problematic element(s)
  • Ranorex version
  • OS version
  • HW configuration