Problem:

What are the benefits of the new Test Package functionality in SilkCentral Test Manager?

Resolution:

Test packages were initially introduced in SilkCentral Test Manager 2008 R2 for JUnit tests. In the 2008 R2 SP1 release of SilkCentral Test Manager test packages have been expanded to support all third-party test types.

Test packages support the integration of your testing framework into SilkCentral Test Manager and you can use test packages to mirror the structure of any third-party test type to SilkCentral Test Manager"s test plan tree. They consist of a package root as well as an arbitrary hierarchy of suite nodes and test nodes. Test packages also provide users with detailed information about a test execution run, for example the individual results instead of a collated result.

Test packages, suite nodes, and test nodes can also be individually assigned, along with their issues and attachments, to requirements which is similar to the functionality of every other test definition. After a third-party test definition is converted into a test package, all tests contained in the package can be run individually. Test nodes and suite nodes contained in a test package are provided with an additional property, the External ID.

An advantage of test packages is that the structure can be maintained automatically with every test execution. The structure of a test package can be updated according to the results of its runs. The file "\wwwroot\silkroot\xsl\output.xsd" contains an XML schema for the structure of the output XML files of test packages. Test packages enable all functionalities of the individual tests, with the following exceptions:

• Test containers that contain test packages cannot be linked.
• Test packages cannot be data-driven because they do not possess data-driven properties.
• Success conditions are disabled and hidden for test package nodes.

Note: SilkPerformer test definitions, SilkTest test definitions, and manual test definitions can not be converted to test packages, as the structure of these tests is supported in Test Manager by default.