6.7.2. Test Steps
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### 6.7.2. Test Steps

A Test Step is the smallest unit in the test hierarchy. Each Test Step represents one action on one component (or user-interface element) in the AUT.

The interaction is composed of three details, which we refer to as ”CAP” (component, action, parameter):

Component:

  a component is a user-interface object (e.g. a button, a combo box).

Action:

  the action is the operation to be executed on the selected component. Each component has a number of actions which can be executed on it, for example, buttons can be clicked, an input can be made into a text field.

Parameter:

  the parameter(s) are the data or variables associated with an action. When a button is clicked, the parameter is the amount of clicks. When you are entering text into a text field, the parameter is the text you want to enter. The amount and type of parameters depends on the action.

The only detail which needs to be fixed at this point in the specification is the action. The actual component to be tested and the parameters can be added or changed later on.

The specification is also separate from the AUT. You give the component you specify a component name, which you use to identify the component in your test. This component name is assigned to the actual component in the AUT at a later point. In this way, specification can begin before the AUT is available.

An example if a Test Step could be entering text (e.g. hello) into a text field:

Component | Text field/text area/text pane/...
Action | Enter text
Parameter | hello

| We recommend using the Test Cases in the library Projects installed with instead of writing Test Steps. Using the Test Cases from the library Projects saves time and improves the flexibility of your tests.