ATF Tests: Release and Clone-back concerns

[charliesdev]

We have been putting off creating tests in the ATF and are just getting started after 2 years of customization.

1. Even though you can't create Tests in Studio, Tests can still be created for a specific scope.  When you do that, the results are recorded in your current Update Set for that scope (the Default update set for me).  I assume those tests be moved to the Application Repository when the app is Published.  Will they be usable on that instance or is there some customization required?

2. I've read that Tests don't get captured in Update sets properly.  Some have used a method of Exporting to XML to move tests to another instance.  Is this a bug that was fixed (is using Update Sets fully supported)?

3. I hope the answer to #2 is 'yes', because I also read that cloning-back from Production to non-production will wipe out your Tests and the way to prevent this is to move your Tests forward all the way to Production (just don't run them there).  If this is still correct, we loose all Tests created since the last roll-out to Production when we clone-back to dev (because saving/restoring the update set isn't supported)?

Thank you for any feedback of your experiences.

[The SN Nerd · Accepted solution]

1. Even though you can't create Tests in Studio, Tests can still be created for a specific scope.  When you do that, the results are recorded in your current Update Set for that scope (the Default update set for me).  I assume those tests be moved to the Application Repository when the app is Published.  Will they be usable on that instance or is there some customization required?

These should be usable on any instance that has that application

2. I've read that Tests don't get captured in Update sets properly.  Some have used a method of Exporting to XML to move tests to another instance.  Is this a bug that was fixed (is using Update Sets fully supported)?

ATF is designed to migrate all Tests up to Production, so they get cloned back down. I don't believe there are any bugs with this currently, but if so, I am sure they will fix it, as the vendor has designed it to be used in this way

3. I hope the answer to #2 is 'yes', because I also read that cloning-back from Production to non-production will wipe out your Tests and the way to prevent this is to move your Tests forward all the way to Production (just don't run them there).  If this is still correct, we loose all Tests created since the last roll-out to Production when we clone-back to dev (because saving/restoring the update set isn't supported)?

Cloning back wipes your tests. You could write clone rules to exclude the tables - but this is messy, and not how ATF is designed to be used.

Hope that helps 🙂

[charliesdev]

Thank you for your reply. 

So before cloning back to dev, it sounds like we would publish what we had to the Application Repo (but never roll that version forward).  Then install that version back to dev after the clone-back is complete.