Test Definition - User interface

The test definition view can be reached by selecting a test project from the Tests section in the main navigation bar.
The view consists of three parts:

Definition Tree

The definition tree is located on the left side of the view and is always visible.
It's used to organize the tests needed in the selected test project.
To edit the definition of a test it has to be part of a definition tree.
Tests that are part of a definition tree can also be added to test plans more easily later.

The definition tree contains folders and tests below a root folder named after the corresponding project.
This allows you to organize and structure the tests of your test projects.

Every test can occur one time in the definition tree.
From there it can be added to multiple test plans.

Selecting a test in the definition tree opens the issue detail view for this test on the right side.
Selecting a folder in the definition tree opens the reading view for this folder on the right side. 
 

Reading View

The reading view provides an alternative perspective on the content of a tree folder.
It's located on the right side of the definition view and is only visible if a folder (including the root folder) is selected in the definition tree.

The reading view displays the folder selected in the definition tree and visible subfolders as list.
For every displayed folder the contained tests are also displayed. 
 

Issue Detail View

The issue detail view displays all important information about a test and provides interfaces to edit the definition of a test.
It's located on the right side of the definition view and is only visible if a test is selected in the definition tree.

As described in the Tests - Concept Guide test are JIRA issues extended by the possibility to attach test steps and test parameters.
The issue detail view displays all information about the test / issue similar to the standard JIRA issue view.
It also displays issue links for the test and provides methods to create, edit and delete issue links.
It also displays test specific information for the selected test such as

• test steps 
• parameters
• test plans that contain the selected test
• the definition tree path for the selected test

Reading View - Operations

• Click on the issue key of a test to select the corresponding test item in the definition tree.
• Click on a folder to expand/collapse its content.
• Right click on a folder and select
  • Expand all to expand all folders displayed in the reading view.
  • Collapse all to collapse all folders displayed in the reading view.

Issue Detail View - Operations

The issue detail view provides interfaces for

• editing the test itself
• managing issue links
• organizing test steps
• working with test parameters

All of the above-mentioned concepts are documented on separate pages in this documentation.
Except for editing issues and managing issue links which is documented in the JIRA documentation. 

Definition Tree - Context menu operations

The definition tree can contain items of three different types.
These are tree folders, test items and a root folder.
Each of these item types has its own set of context menu entries, whereby some menu entries are present in more than one set.
For each of the following context menu operations the item types providing this operation are indicated.

Folder related operations

Test related operations

Definition Tree - Drag and drop operations

The definition tree supports the following drag and drop operations:

• Change folder positions
• Change the folder hierarchy
• Change the position of tests
• Move tests between folders

Definition Tree - Filter

Click on the Filter button to open the filter input.

Similar to the JIRA issue search the filter input provides a basic and an advanced mode.
In basic mode you can select  a saved filter to apply. The advanced mode allows you to enter a JQL filter query.
You can switch between the two modes by clicking the Advanced / Basic button.

Once a filter is applied only tests matching the filter query are displayed.
An orange warning symbol located in the top right corner of the definition tree indicates that a filter is applied.

Click on the Clear button to remove a filter in advanced mode.
To remove a filter in basic mode click on the next to the selected filter. 

Definition Tree - Export

Click on the Export button to open the export menu.
Select an export format from the list to export the definition tree content to.
The exported content depends on the type of the item currently selected.
An applied filter also affects the exported content.

The following tables describe the export content in each format depending on issue type and applied filter.

Since the XML export provides information that can be used to integrate another application with T4J via its REST API a complete example export file is provided.
The example file is the result of an export with the root folder of the definition tree selected and no filter applied. It covers the structure of the root item, a folder item and a test item.
Note that there's no example export for Excel and Word since those export formats are mostly used for internal documentation purposes. Therefore a textual description of the content should be sufficient. 

Plan Tree - Export formats

XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
    <trees>
        <tree>
            <folders>
                <name>PROJECT</name>
                <description/>
                <id>-1</id>
                <nameDisplay>PROJECT</nameDisplay>
                <parent>-2</parent>
                <folders>
                    <name>Example Folder</name>
                    <description>An example folder</description>
                    <id>658</id>
                    <nameDisplay>Example Folder</nameDisplay>
                    <parent>-1</parent>
                    <folders>
                        <name>Subfolder</name>
                        <description>A subfolder of the example folder.</description>
                        <id>668</id>
                        <nameDisplay>Subfolder</nameDisplay>
                        <parent>658</parent>
                        <issues>
                            <id>1000</id>
                            <issueId>12300</issueId>
                            <key>PRJ-20</key>
                            <url>http://host:port/jira/browse/PRJ-20</url>
                            <summary>ExampleTest</summary>
                            <description>test description</description>
                            <descriptionHTML>&lt;p&gt;test description&lt;/p&gt;</descriptionHTML>
                            <iconUrl>http://host:port/jira/images/icons/issuetypes/newfeature.png</iconUrl>
                            <issueType>New Feature</issueType>
                            <position>1</position>
                            <status>To Do</status>
                            <statusUrl>http://host:port/jira/images/icons/statuses/open.png</statusUrl>
                            <priority>Major</priority>
                            <priorityUrl>http://host:port/jira/images/icons/priorities/major.png</priorityUrl>
                            <attributes>
                                <attribute>
                                    <name>Custom - Hidden Job Switch</name>
                                    <value>false</value>
                                </attribute>
                            </attributes>
                            <links>
                                <link>
                                <linkName>is blocked by</linkName>
                                <issueKey>PRJ-17</issueKey>
                                <issueSummary>Linked Issue</issueSummary>
                                <issueUrl>http://host:port/jira/browse/PRJ-17</issueUrl>
                                <priority>Major</priority>
                                <status>To Do</status>
                                </link>
                            </links>
                            <teststeps>
                                <teststep>
                                    <id>53</id>
                                    <name>Example Test Step</name>
                                    <description>An example test step using parameter p1: ##p1##</description>
                                    <result>The expected result.</result>
                                </teststep>
                            </teststeps>
                            <parameters>
                                <parameter>
                                    <key>p1</key>
                                    <value>parameter value</value>
                                </parameter>
                            </parameters>
                            <path>Example Folder</path>
                            <path>Subfolder</path>
                            <combinedPath>\PRJ\Example Folder\Subfolder</combinedPath>
                        </issues>
                        <position>1</position>
                    </folders>
                    <position>1</position>
                </folders>
                <position>0</position>
            </folders>
        </tree>
    </trees>

Excel

Word

Advanced search integration

T4J provides custom JQL to enable searching integrated issues in Jira.

See Advanced Search Integration to know more.