Understanding the Object Repository Manager

You open the Object Repository Manager by choosing Resources > Object Repository Manager. The Object Repository Manager enables you to open multiple shared object repositories and modify them as needed. You can open shared object repositories both from the file system and from a Quality Center project.

You can open as many shared object repositories as you want. Each shared object repository opens in a separate document window. You can then resize, maximize, or minimize the windows to arrange them as you require to copy, drag, and move objects between different shared object repositories, as well as perform operations on a single object repository.

You open shared object repositories from the Open Shared Object Repository dialog box. In this dialog box, the Open in read-only mode check box is selected, by default. If you clear this check box, the shared object repository opens in editable mode. Otherwise, the shared object repository opens in read-only mode and you must click the Enable Editing button to modify it.

When you choose a menu item or click a toolbar button in the Object Repository Manager, the operation you select is performed on the shared object repository whose window is currently active (in focus). The name and file path of the shared object repository is shown in the title bar of the window.

Many of the shared object repository operations you can perform in the Object Repository Manager are done in a similar way to how you modify objects stored in a local object repository.

Most of the procedures apply equally to the Object Repository Manager and the Object Repository window, but the windows and options may differ slightly.  

About Managing Object Repositories

The Object Repository Manager enables you to manage all of the shared object repositories used in your organization from a single, central location, including adding and defining objects, modifying objects and their descriptions, parameterizing repositories to make them more generic, maintaining and organizing repositories, merging repositories, and importing and exporting repositories in XML format. 

The Object Repository Manager enables you to create and maintain shared object repositories. You can work with object repositories saved both in the file system and in a Quality Center project.  

Each object repository contains the information that enables QuickTest to identify the objects in your application. QuickTest enables you to maintain the reusability of your tests by storing all the information regarding your test objects in a shared object repository. When objects in your application change, the Object Repository Manager provides a single, central location in which you can update test object information for multiple tests.

If an object with the same name and description is located in both the local object repository and in a shared object repository that is associated with the same action, the action uses the local object definition.

If an object with the same name and description is located in more than one shared object repository, and these shared object repositories are all associated with the same action, QuickTest uses the object definition from the first occurrence of the object, according to the order in which the shared object repositories are associated with the action.

You can use the same shared object repository with multiple actions. You can also use multiple object repositories with each action. In addition, you can save objects directly with an action in a local object repository. This enables them to be accessed only from that action. 

If one or more of the property values of an object in your application differ from the property values QuickTest uses to identify the object, your test may fail. Therefore, when the property values of objects in your application change, you should modify the corresponding test object property values in the corresponding object repository so that you can continue to use your existing tests.

You can modify objects in a shared object repository using the Object Repository Manager, as described in this section. You can modify objects stored in a local object repository using the Object Repository window.

Understanding the Virtual Object Manager

The Virtual Object Manager contains all the virtual object collections defined on your computer. From the Virtual Object Manager, you can define and delete virtual objects and collections.

Available virtual object collections list. Displays the virtual object collections defined on your computer and the virtual objects contained in each one. Use the + and - signs next to a collection to view or hide the virtual objects defined in that collection.

New. Opens the Virtual Object Wizard, which guides you through the process of defining a new virtual object for a new or existing collection. For more information, see Defining a Virtual Object.

Delete. Deletes the selected virtual object or virtual object collection. For more information, see Removing or Disabling Virtual Object Definitions.

Learning Virtual Objects

You can teach QuickTest to recognize any area of your application as an object by defining it as a virtual object. Virtual objects enable you to record and run tests on objects that are not normally recognized by QuickTest.

About Learning Virtual Objects

Your application may contain objects that behave like standard objects but are not recognized by QuickTest. You can define these objects as virtual objects and map them to standard classes, such as a button or a check box. 


QuickTest emulates the user's action on the virtual object during the run session. In the test results, the virtual object is displayed as though it is a standard class object.

For example, suppose you want to record a test on a Web page containing a bitmap that the user clicks. The bitmap contains several different hyperlink areas, and each area opens a different destination page. When you record a test, the Web site matches the coordinates of the click on the bitmap and opens the destination page. 

To enable QuickTest to click at the required coordinates during a run session, you can define a virtual object for an area of the bitmap, which includes those coordinates, and map it to the button class. When you run a test, QuickTest clicks the bitmap in the area defined as a virtual object so that the Web site opens the correct destination page.

You define a virtual object using the Virtual Object Wizard (Tools > Virtual Objects > New Virtual Object). The wizard prompts you to select the standard object class to which you want to map the virtual object. You then mark the boundaries of the virtual object using a crosshairs pointer. Next, you select a test object as the parent of the virtual object. Finally, you specify a name and a collection for the virtual object. A virtual object collection is a group of virtual objects that is stored in the Virtual Object Manager under a descriptive name.

Working with Microsoft Internet Explorer

Keep the following in mind when using Microsoft Internet Explorer as your Web browser:

QuickTest Professional Web support behaves as a browser extension in Microsoft Internet Explorer. Therefore, you cannot use the Web Add-in on Microsoft Internet Explorer without enabling the Enable third-party browser extensions option. To set the option, in Microsoft Internet Explorer choose Tools > Internet Options > Advanced and select the Enable third-party browser extensions option.
QuickTest Professional does not support tabbed browsing. Therefore, if your version of Microsoft Internet Explorer supports tabbed browsing, you must disable this option in Internet Explorer before using the Web Add-in.
To disable the option in Internet Explorer, choose Tools > Internet Options > General > Change how webpages are displayed in tabs > Settings and clear the Enable Tabbed Browsing option. After clearing this option, you must restart your browser before using the QuickTest Professional Web Add-in.