[Webtest] Dynamic field naming

[testing Auto]

Ben, I'm sorry I haven't followed this thread very
closely so if you've already answered these questions
I apologize.

What is the exact failing or failings that you have
with WebTest?  What features of HttpUnit do you wish
to have access to?  Be specific, don't just say all.

I'm torn between the two sides.  On the one side I
think that WebTest is limiting (See posting "Extending
WebTest...").  And on the other its lot of work to
start from the bottom and start over.  (Dierk how much
time has been committed to getting WebTest to this
point?)

I'm not sure that its feasible to make something that
meets everyones needs for an acceptance test tool.  I
feel that WebTest has a basic framework and that for
the more specific acceptance test challenges it will
have to be customized.  Of course I hear what you are
saying in that the customer wants to pay for
functionality in their product, not in the testing
framework.  But sometimes it is worth the price in
long run for such an effort.  

Already after investing a week or so in customizing
WebTest it is starting to pay off.  We've moved from 0
automated web tests to 32,000+ and found 4 new bugs.  

Although finding 4 new bugs doesn't sound like much,
its verifies that the unit/functional testing done by
the developers has paid off.  And from the Customer's
perspective they have now verified for themselves that
what they wanted is there and acceptable.  And they
will be able to repeat these tests every time the
developers give them a new build.  

Additionally, the customization was made with a domain
knowledgeable Customer in mind.  In other words he/she
will be able to quickly create additional tests in XML
using terms that they are familiar with.  

With another one week investment we could eliminate
the need for working in the XML file as well, creating
a Web Gui.  (This hasn't been done yet.  We don't do
XP, but the Customer does drive what gets done.  They
want to work w/ what has been created and if they feel
that the XML is to hard to get through then we will
move on to the GUI component.  I'm betting they'll
want it though!)

Chris

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