Environment Variables

Variable is a place holder which stores a single or multiple values. Likewise Environment variables are dynamic "object" on a computer that can store a value and which in turn can be referenced by one or more software programs in Windows. I mean these dynamic values are reused. Environment variables are dynamic in nature, and it can be changed. There are number of environment variables that can be referenced by programs and can be useful in finding information about their computer environment. Environment variables are those variables that can be used globally in the tests.

QTP Environment Variables

In parameterization we have discussed about environmental parameters. These Environmental variables are tested using this environmental parameterization. QTP environment variables can be accessed by all actions, function library, and recovery scenarios.

Types of QTP environment variables

There are two types of environment variables

• Built-in variables
• User defined variables

Built-in Variables:

In QTP, built-in variables are pre-defined variables. They are already defined and stored in QTP. It enables the user to retrieve the information about the test that is executing and to get information about the Operating systems on which the test is executing. Here are few of the built-in variables that we use regularly in QTP are Action iteration, Operating system, Test directory, local host names, Operating system version etc.

So in order to use these built in variables we undergo these navigation

Go to file > Settings > Environment tab to view the environment variable section to see the list of environmental variables.

The values from environment variables can be obtained and used wherever necessary during the run session.

Example:  MsgBox Environment.Value("OS Version")

User-defined Variables

These are the variables that are defined by the user.  User can define these variables before the execution of test. It can be used globally across different tests, or they can also be restricted to one test. User-defined variables were classified into two types

• Internal
• External

User defined - Internal Variables: These variables are defined by the user before executing the test and these are available only to a particular test

User defined- External Variables: These variables are defined by the user and it can be used globally across different tests. External variables can be loaded in two ways. It can be done manually before executing the test through environment tab or  we can use user-defined screen by inspecting the load variables check box and then by selecting the XML file.

In order to define a user defined variable we have to access the variable as follows

Go to Test Settings > Select Environment option> Select variable type as User Defined > Click on ADD option > It will open an add new environment Parameter  Name it as Guru99 And in the value text box name it as Testing > Click ok > Next Click Apply > Click Ok 

If you want to access the guru99 environment variable then we have access in this way.

MsgBox Environment.Value("Guru99")