Read Data from XML - Notes By ShariqSP

How to Read Data from XML in Android Mobile Application Testing (Using Eclipse)

XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is commonly used for structured data storage in mobile application testing. It is ideal for scenarios like managing configuration data, test inputs, or expected results. This guide provides steps to read XML files in Android mobile testing using Eclipse.

Steps to Read Data from XML

1. Set Up the Environment:
   • Ensure you have installed the Android Development Tools (ADT) plugin in Eclipse.
   • Set up your Android project in Eclipse.
2. Place the XML File:
   • Store the XML file in the assets folder of your Android project.
   • Right-click the assets folder in Eclipse and select New > File to add the XML file.
3. Use XML Parsers:
   • Use an XML parser like DOM Parser, SAX Parser, or XmlPullParser.
   • Android natively supports XmlPullParser, which is lightweight and efficient.
4. Write Code to Parse the XML File:
   • Access the XML file using InputStream.
   • Parse the XML using the selected parser and extract data.

Sample Code in Eclipse

              import org.xmlpull.v1.XmlPullParser;
              import org.xmlpull.v1.XmlPullParserFactory;
              import java.io.InputStream;
              
              public class XmlReaderExample {
                  public void readXmlDataFromAssets(Context context) {
                      try {
                          // Access XML file from assets folder
                          InputStream inputStream = context.getAssets().open("testdata.xml");
              
                          // Create XmlPullParserFactory and parser
                          XmlPullParserFactory factory = XmlPullParserFactory.newInstance();
                          XmlPullParser parser = factory.newPullParser();
                          parser.setInput(inputStream, null);
              
                          // Variables to hold parsed data
                          String tag = null;
                          String username = null;
                          String password = null;
                          String expectedResult = null;
              
                          // Parse XML
                          int eventType = parser.getEventType();
                          while (eventType != XmlPullParser.END_DOCUMENT) {
                              switch (eventType) {
                                  case XmlPullParser.START_TAG:
                                      tag = parser.getName();
                                      break;
                                  case XmlPullParser.TEXT:
                                      if ("username".equals(tag)) {
                                          username = parser.getText();
                                      } else if ("password".equals(tag)) {
                                          password = parser.getText();
                                      } else if ("expectedResult".equals(tag)) {
                                          expectedResult = parser.getText();
                                      }
                                      break;
                                  case XmlPullParser.END_TAG:
                                      if ("testcase".equals(parser.getName())) {
                                          // Print parsed data
                                          System.out.println("Username: " + username);
                                          System.out.println("Password: " + password);
                                          System.out.println("Expected Result: " + expectedResult);
                                      }
                                      break;
                              }
                              eventType = parser.next();
                          }
              
                          // Close resources
                          inputStream.close();
                      } catch (Exception e) {
                          e.printStackTrace();
                      }
                  }
              }
                

Example XML File

              
                  
                      testuser1
                      password123
                      Success
                  
                  
                      testuser2
                      wrongpassword
                      Error
                  
              
                

Real-Time Scenarios

1. Login Testing:
   • Store multiple sets of credentials in an XML file.
   • Read the data using an XML parser and simulate login attempts.
   • Validate the app's responses against the expected results.
2. Configuration Testing:
   • Use XML to store app configuration details like API endpoints, feature flags, or environment variables.
   • Verify the app's behavior by loading these configurations dynamically during testing.
3. Dynamic Content Testing:
   • Use XML to define content for dynamic UI elements like forms or menus.
   • Automate testing to validate the app renders and processes this content correctly.

Advantages of Using XML

• XML is a standard format for structured data, ensuring compatibility with various tools.
• It supports nested and hierarchical data, ideal for representing complex test cases.
• Readily parsable with Android's native XmlPullParser.