Hi all,

I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
Famework 2.0 application.

I have so far been very unsuccessful.

I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft 
website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think that they 
would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get them up and 
running.

If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on Windows 
mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Ink

What's the purpose of doing it?  If you tell us what you're trying to do, 
rather than how you've been trying to do it, you'll get a better answer...

Paul T.

"ink"  wrote in message 
news:e%23h9C2a3HHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>
> Hi all,
>
> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
> Famework 2.0 application.
>
> I have so far been very unsuccessful.
>
> I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft 
> website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think that 
> they would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get them up 
> and running.
>
> If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on 
> Windows mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Ink
> 

hi Paul

I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
Famework 2.0 application.

I have to do Unit and Stress tests on 50 Devices using our POD application.
As i am sure you can imagine this is not practical for 1 developer.

So i am trying to find a way to Automat user actions on the device..

Any idea's,

ink




"Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam DOT 
com> wrote in message news:ueLgeEc3HHA.5740@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> What's the purpose of doing it?  If you tell us what you're trying to do, 
> rather than how you've been trying to do it, you'll get a better answer...
>
> Paul T.
>
> "ink"  wrote in message 
> news:e%23h9C2a3HHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
>> Famework 2.0 application.
>>
>> I have so far been very unsuccessful.
>>
>> I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft 
>> website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think that 
>> they would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get them up 
>> and running.
>>
>> If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on 
>> Windows mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Ink
>>
>
> 

Your best course of action for the compact framework is to use 
mouse_event(), keybd_event(), PostKeybdMessage(), etc. to send the user 
actions to the application.  Of course, you could, alternatively, just use 
PostMessage() with suitable WM_COMMAND messages to tell the application that 
a given button was pressed or something, rather than actually simulating the 
mouse click down and then up again inside the outline of the button.

I see no way to use reflection to automate an application.  You could use 
reflection to find out about types, call methods, etc., but I think that 
those types would all be instantiated inside your automation application, 
not some other application on the device.

Paul T.

"ink"  wrote in message 
news:%23prejNc3HHA.5424@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> hi Paul
>
> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
> Famework 2.0 application.
>
> I have to do Unit and Stress tests on 50 Devices using our POD 
> application.
> As i am sure you can imagine this is not practical for 1 developer.
>
> So i am trying to find a way to Automat user actions on the device..
>
> Any idea's,
>
> ink
>
>
>
>
> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam DOT 
> com> wrote in message news:ueLgeEc3HHA.5740@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> What's the purpose of doing it?  If you tell us what you're trying to do, 
>> rather than how you've been trying to do it, you'll get a better 
>> answer...
>>
>> Paul T.
>>
>> "ink"  wrote in message 
>> news:e%23h9C2a3HHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
>>> Famework 2.0 application.
>>>
>>> I have so far been very unsuccessful.
>>>
>>> I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft 
>>> website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think that 
>>> they would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get them up 
>>> and running.
>>>
>>> If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on 
>>> Windows mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Ink
>>>
>>
>>
> 

I'm not sure why you would want to test all 50 devices - unless they are 
different devices and different versions of the OS.

But have you tried using Hopper: 
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb158517.aspx

It's a fairly basic rugged tool that is quite good for basic testing.
-- 
Simon Hart
http://simonrhart.blogspot.com


"ink" wrote:


> hi Paul
> 
> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
> Famework 2.0 application.
> 
> I have to do Unit and Stress tests on 50 Devices using our POD application.
> As i am sure you can imagine this is not practical for 1 developer.
> 
> So i am trying to find a way to Automat user actions on the device..
> 
> Any idea's,
> 
> ink
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam DOT 
> com> wrote in message news:ueLgeEc3HHA.5740@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> > What's the purpose of doing it?  If you tell us what you're trying to do, 
> > rather than how you've been trying to do it, you'll get a better answer...
> >
> > Paul T.
> >
> > "ink"  wrote in message 
> > news:e%23h9C2a3HHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> >>
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
> >> Famework 2.0 application.
> >>
> >> I have so far been very unsuccessful.
> >>
> >> I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft 
> >> website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think that 
> >> they would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get them up 
> >> and running.
> >>
> >> If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on 
> >> Windows mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Ink
> >>
> >
> > 
> 
> 

I want to automate tests primarily for load testing.

We actually have closer to 1500 devices in use at any given time and waiting 
until the pilot faze to do a decent load test is unacceptable.



And this kind of thinking has already caused a few embarrassing situations, 
not necessarily problems with the code.

But we have had things like Wifi Drivers crashing, Key board crashing and OS 
crashing after just a few hours of usage. And most of these issues are to do 
with the OS setup on the Symbol devices.



I also want to automate them so that regression testing can be done over 
night.



Thanks for the Link I will have a look at it now.



ink







"Simon Hart"  wrote in message 
news:890C93CB-8C8E-4955-A028-8435A562F7FC@microsoft.com...

> I'm not sure why you would want to test all 50 devices - unless they are
> different devices and different versions of the OS.
>
> But have you tried using Hopper:
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb158517.aspx
>
> It's a fairly basic rugged tool that is quite good for basic testing.
> -- 
> Simon Hart
> http://simonrhart.blogspot.com
>
>
> "ink" wrote:
>
>> hi Paul
>>
>> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact
>> Famework 2.0 application.
>>
>> I have to do Unit and Stress tests on 50 Devices using our POD 
>> application.
>> As i am sure you can imagine this is not practical for 1 developer.
>>
>> So i am trying to find a way to Automat user actions on the device..
>>
>> Any idea's,
>>
>> ink
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam 
>> DOT
>> com> wrote in message news:ueLgeEc3HHA.5740@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> > What's the purpose of doing it?  If you tell us what you're trying to 
>> > do,
>> > rather than how you've been trying to do it, you'll get a better 
>> > answer...
>> >
>> > Paul T.
>> >
>> > "ink"  wrote in message
>> > news:e%23h9C2a3HHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> >>
>> >> Hi all,
>> >>
>> >> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact
>> >> Famework 2.0 application.
>> >>
>> >> I have so far been very unsuccessful.
>> >>
>> >> I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft
>> >> website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think that
>> >> they would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get them 
>> >> up
>> >> and running.
>> >>
>> >> If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on
>> >> Windows mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.
>> >>
>> >> Thanks,
>> >> Ink
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>>
>> 

Thanks for getting back to me paul

These evernts (mouse_event(), keybd_event(), PostKeybdMessage() ) are they 
framework events or do i have to use p/Invoke on the Corelib.dll?

You wouldn't happen to have an example of these being used?

Thanks,
ink




"Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam DOT 
com> wrote in message news:OmDE5pc3HHA.536@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> Your best course of action for the compact framework is to use 
> mouse_event(), keybd_event(), PostKeybdMessage(), etc. to send the user 
> actions to the application.  Of course, you could, alternatively, just use 
> PostMessage() with suitable WM_COMMAND messages to tell the application 
> that a given button was pressed or something, rather than actually 
> simulating the mouse click down and then up again inside the outline of 
> the button.
>
> I see no way to use reflection to automate an application.  You could use 
> reflection to find out about types, call methods, etc., but I think that 
> those types would all be instantiated inside your automation application, 
> not some other application on the device.
>
> Paul T.
>
> "ink"  wrote in message 
> news:%23prejNc3HHA.5424@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> hi Paul
>>
>> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
>> Famework 2.0 application.
>>
>> I have to do Unit and Stress tests on 50 Devices using our POD 
>> application.
>> As i am sure you can imagine this is not practical for 1 developer.
>>
>> So i am trying to find a way to Automat user actions on the device..
>>
>> Any idea's,
>>
>> ink
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam 
>> DOT com> wrote in message news:ueLgeEc3HHA.5740@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>> What's the purpose of doing it?  If you tell us what you're trying to 
>>> do, rather than how you've been trying to do it, you'll get a better 
>>> answer...
>>>
>>> Paul T.
>>>
>>> "ink"  wrote in message 
>>> news:e%23h9C2a3HHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
>>>> Famework 2.0 application.
>>>>
>>>> I have so far been very unsuccessful.
>>>>
>>>> I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft 
>>>> website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think that 
>>>> they would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get them 
>>>> up and running.
>>>>
>>>> If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on 
>>>> Windows mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Ink
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
> 

They're native calls, so you'll have to P/Invoke them.  I'm not sure about 
mouse_event, but I'm pretty sure that the keyboard items are in OpenNETCF's 
Smart Device Framework.  I'll check...yes, they're in core.cs in v1.4 (no 
sign of mouse_event).  There are some example uses of the call in the 
framework itself, so that might help.  keybd_event() is the low-level call 
and would mostly be used to press 'keys' like Ctrl and Alt. 
PostKeybdMessage() works better for sending actual characters, like what 
would happen if you pressed Shift+A or something.

Paul T.

"ink"  wrote in message 
news:OFtdAXl3HHA.1900@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Thanks for getting back to me paul
>
> These evernts (mouse_event(), keybd_event(), PostKeybdMessage() ) are they 
> framework events or do i have to use p/Invoke on the Corelib.dll?
>
> You wouldn't happen to have an example of these being used?
>
> Thanks,
> ink
>
>
>
>
> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam DOT 
> com> wrote in message news:OmDE5pc3HHA.536@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> Your best course of action for the compact framework is to use 
>> mouse_event(), keybd_event(), PostKeybdMessage(), etc. to send the user 
>> actions to the application.  Of course, you could, alternatively, just 
>> use PostMessage() with suitable WM_COMMAND messages to tell the 
>> application that a given button was pressed or something, rather than 
>> actually simulating the mouse click down and then up again inside the 
>> outline of the button.
>>
>> I see no way to use reflection to automate an application.  You could use 
>> reflection to find out about types, call methods, etc., but I think that 
>> those types would all be instantiated inside your automation application, 
>> not some other application on the device.
>>
>> Paul T.
>>
>> "ink"  wrote in message 
>> news:%23prejNc3HHA.5424@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>> hi Paul
>>>
>>> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
>>> Famework 2.0 application.
>>>
>>> I have to do Unit and Stress tests on 50 Devices using our POD 
>>> application.
>>> As i am sure you can imagine this is not practical for 1 developer.
>>>
>>> So i am trying to find a way to Automat user actions on the device..
>>>
>>> Any idea's,
>>>
>>> ink
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam 
>>> DOT com> wrote in message news:ueLgeEc3HHA.5740@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>> What's the purpose of doing it?  If you tell us what you're trying to 
>>>> do, rather than how you've been trying to do it, you'll get a better 
>>>> answer...
>>>>
>>>> Paul T.
>>>>
>>>> "ink"  wrote in message 
>>>> news:e%23h9C2a3HHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
>>>>> Famework 2.0 application.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have so far been very unsuccessful.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft 
>>>>> website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think that 
>>>>> they would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get them 
>>>>> up and running.
>>>>>
>>>>> If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on 
>>>>> Windows mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>> Ink
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
> 

You would be better office writing a unit test to simulate load as I am 
assuming you want to test your back office/middleware?
-- 
Simon Hart
http://simonrhart.blogspot.com


"ink" wrote:


> I want to automate tests primarily for load testing.
> 
> We actually have closer to 1500 devices in use at any given time and waiting 
> until the pilot faze to do a decent load test is unacceptable.
> 
> 
> 
> And this kind of thinking has already caused a few embarrassing situations, 
> not necessarily problems with the code.
> 
> But we have had things like Wifi Drivers crashing, Key board crashing and OS 
> crashing after just a few hours of usage. And most of these issues are to do 
> with the OS setup on the Symbol devices.
> 
> 
> 
> I also want to automate them so that regression testing can be done over 
> night.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the Link I will have a look at it now.
> 
> 
> 
> ink
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Simon Hart"  wrote in message 
> news:890C93CB-8C8E-4955-A028-8435A562F7FC@microsoft.com...
> > I'm not sure why you would want to test all 50 devices - unless they are
> > different devices and different versions of the OS.
> >
> > But have you tried using Hopper:
> > http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb158517.aspx
> >
> > It's a fairly basic rugged tool that is quite good for basic testing.
> > -- 
> > Simon Hart
> > http://simonrhart.blogspot.com
> >
> >
> > "ink" wrote:
> >
> >> hi Paul
> >>
> >> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact
> >> Famework 2.0 application.
> >>
> >> I have to do Unit and Stress tests on 50 Devices using our POD 
> >> application.
> >> As i am sure you can imagine this is not practical for 1 developer.
> >>
> >> So i am trying to find a way to Automat user actions on the device..
> >>
> >> Any idea's,
> >>
> >> ink
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam 
> >> DOT
> >> com> wrote in message news:ueLgeEc3HHA.5740@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> >> > What's the purpose of doing it?  If you tell us what you're trying to 
> >> > do,
> >> > rather than how you've been trying to do it, you'll get a better 
> >> > answer...
> >> >
> >> > Paul T.
> >> >
> >> > "ink"  wrote in message
> >> > news:e%23h9C2a3HHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> >> >>
> >> >> Hi all,
> >> >>
> >> >> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact
> >> >> Famework 2.0 application.
> >> >>
> >> >> I have so far been very unsuccessful.
> >> >>
> >> >> I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft
> >> >> website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think that
> >> >> they would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get them 
> >> >> up
> >> >> and running.
> >> >>
> >> >> If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on
> >> >> Windows mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks,
> >> >> Ink
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >> 
> 
> 

mouse_event can be grabbed from my kluge code here:

http://blog.opennetcf.org/ctacke/PermaLink,guid,f281d989-ee71-4fdf-9ced-63fd37ac731d.aspx


-- 

Chris Tacke, Embedded MVP
OpenNETCF Consulting
Managed Code in an Embedded World
www.OpenNETCF.com


"Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam DOT 
com> wrote in message news:uiJt9So3HHA.1484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> They're native calls, so you'll have to P/Invoke them.  I'm not sure about 
> mouse_event, but I'm pretty sure that the keyboard items are in 
> OpenNETCF's Smart Device Framework.  I'll check...yes, they're in core.cs 
> in v1.4 (no sign of mouse_event).  There are some example uses of the call 
> in the framework itself, so that might help.  keybd_event() is the 
> low-level call and would mostly be used to press 'keys' like Ctrl and Alt. 
> PostKeybdMessage() works better for sending actual characters, like what 
> would happen if you pressed Shift+A or something.
>
> Paul T.
>
> "ink"  wrote in message 
> news:OFtdAXl3HHA.1900@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Thanks for getting back to me paul
>>
>> These evernts (mouse_event(), keybd_event(), PostKeybdMessage() ) are 
>> they framework events or do i have to use p/Invoke on the Corelib.dll?
>>
>> You wouldn't happen to have an example of these being used?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> ink
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam 
>> DOT com> wrote in message news:OmDE5pc3HHA.536@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> Your best course of action for the compact framework is to use 
>>> mouse_event(), keybd_event(), PostKeybdMessage(), etc. to send the user 
>>> actions to the application.  Of course, you could, alternatively, just 
>>> use PostMessage() with suitable WM_COMMAND messages to tell the 
>>> application that a given button was pressed or something, rather than 
>>> actually simulating the mouse click down and then up again inside the 
>>> outline of the button.
>>>
>>> I see no way to use reflection to automate an application.  You could 
>>> use reflection to find out about types, call methods, etc., but I think 
>>> that those types would all be instantiated inside your automation 
>>> application, not some other application on the device.
>>>
>>> Paul T.
>>>
>>> "ink"  wrote in message 
>>> news:%23prejNc3HHA.5424@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>> hi Paul
>>>>
>>>> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my Compact 
>>>> Famework 2.0 application.
>>>>
>>>> I have to do Unit and Stress tests on 50 Devices using our POD 
>>>> application.
>>>> As i am sure you can imagine this is not practical for 1 developer.
>>>>
>>>> So i am trying to find a way to Automat user actions on the device..
>>>>
>>>> Any idea's,
>>>>
>>>> ink
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]" <p space tobey no spam AT no instrument no spam 
>>>> DOT com> wrote in message news:ueLgeEc3HHA.5740@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>>> What's the purpose of doing it?  If you tell us what you're trying to 
>>>>> do, rather than how you've been trying to do it, you'll get a better 
>>>>> answer...
>>>>>
>>>>> Paul T.
>>>>>
>>>>> "ink"  wrote in message 
>>>>> news:e%23h9C2a3HHA.5880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have been trying to write a UI automation application for my 
>>>>>> Compact Famework 2.0 application.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have so far been very unsuccessful.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have found some desktop examples using Reflection on the Microsoft 
>>>>>> website, but they don't seem to port to CF and I also don't think 
>>>>>> that they would work in a multiple form environment even if I did get 
>>>>>> them up and running.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If any one has any suggestions for me on the best way to do this on 
>>>>>> Windows mobile devices, I would be much appreciated.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>> Ink
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>