Codeception - Modules & Helpers

Modules

1. Modules play an important role in Codeception framework and helps :  
• The target user by giving a key to define their own categorize their modules/functionality
• Defining Folder Structure
• Specifying module specific helper method  
2. Modules are php file which is always stored under <Project Home> : <Name of module.php> eg : CC_90_ActionsHelper.php
3. Modules can be turned on/off from acceptance.suite.yml

    class_name: AcceptanceTester  
    modules:  
      enabled:   
        - WebDriver  
        - AcceptanceHelper  
        - CC_90_ActionsHelper  
      config:  
       WebDriver:  
         url: 'xxx'  
         browser: chrome  
         window_size: 1124x850  
         wait: 10  
         delay: 2  
         capabilities:  
           unexpectedAlertBehaviour: 'accept'  
   

4. Modules are always inherited from \Codeception\Module class, hence structure looks like below:

    <?php  
    class CC_90_ActionsHelper extends \Codeception\Module{  
     ........  
    }  
   

Helpers

1. Helpers are custom actions which are created to reuse them multiple of times in the test
2. Helpers are always created in modules (/support

     /*  
       * Login to customercare  
       *   
       * Example: -  
       *   
       * $I->loginToCC(&I, 'AlliedBuilding', 'btbt', btbt);  
       *   
       *   
       * @param  String $customername  : Name of the Customer  
       * @param  String $userName    : User Name  
       * @param  String $password    : Password  
       *   
       */  
      public function loginToCC($I, $custName, $userName, $password){  
        $I->fillField(['xpath' => Locators::$cc_custName], $custName);  
        $I->fillField(['xpath' => Locators::$cc_userName], $userName);  
        $I->fillField(['xpath' => Locators::$cc_password], $password);  
        $I->click(['xpath' => Locators::$cc_signIn]);  
        return $this;  
      }  
   

3. Build command is used to add the helper method to acceptancetester.php  
   Command : [php codecept.phar build]
4. Once method added, it can be used in the tests as usual.

Headless Testing [Codeception+Phantomjs]

Installation

• phantomjs can be downloaded from http://phantomjs.org/
• Once downloaded,unzip it and update the path variable under 'Env Variables > user variables' to path of 'phantomjs.exe'. Eg : C:\Download\phantomjs-1.9.7-windows\phantomjs-1.9.7-windows
  

• Check the installation from a command prompt using:

   phantomjs –version  

  
  
  

• Start the ghost driver , it needs to run on the port on which selenium server is running using this command :

 phantomjs --webdriver=4444  

Configurations needed in Codeception

• Change 'browser' parameter inside 'acceptance.suite.yml.template' to specify 'phantomjs'
  

  

Run Tests

• Tests can be run as usual using :

   php codecept.php run <cept structure> --steps  
  

Note: When applications are browse via 'https' , Please include phantomjs commandline option of turning the ignore ssl errors ON. Use below command : 

 phantomjs –ignore-ssl-errors=true –webdriver=4444  

Xpath Formation using preceding-sibling,following-sibling & descendant

'descendant' attribute is used to select the first element on a page always

 <ul>  
   <li> Buy</li>  
   <li> Buy using Credit Card</li>  
   <li> Buy using Debit Card</li>  
   <li> Buy using Cash On Delivery </li>  
 </ul>  

• Select the very first `li`

   /descendant::li[contains(text(),'Buy')][1]  
  

• Select the preceding Sibling of the a node

 /descendant::li[contains(text(),'Buy')][2]/preceding-sibling::li  

Selection

 <li> Buy</li>  

• Select the following Sibling of a node

  /descendant::li[contains(text(),'Buy')][3]/following-sibling::li  

Selection

 <li> Buy using Cash On Delivery </li>