Multiple Testplans Or single test plan with platforms ?

[josri]

Hi,

I would like to know when to use Testplan and when to use Platform.

For eg., If we want to run testcases in different environments but, we have to make sure that we run testcases atleast once in any one of the environment. Should we use Testplan or Platform and why?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Testplan or Platform?

Thank you
Jo

[StephenP]

Assuming the test cases are near enough identical in the N different environments (e.g. checking a website in different browsers), this sounds like the sort of situation that Platforms are intended for.

One reason for using platforms might be the possibility of a future release with rather different functionality. If you use platforms for environments, you only need one test plan for the new release. If you use test plans for environments and releases, then a new release would require N new test plans.

[josri]

Thank you Stephen for the response. Does testplan create multiple copies vs platform doesn't?

[fman]

multiple copies of ?

[StephenP]

@josri: you can create a test plan as a copy of a previous test plan. I'm not sure if that is what you were trying to ask.

[josri]

I meant multiple copies of the testcases. Does testplan create multiple copies of the testcases whereas, platform just links testcases?

[fman]

nothing on testlink creates copies of testcases just the COPY OPERATION.
All actions on test case versions, on test plans or test plans+platforms are LINKS nothing more nothing less
Please check our documentation and provide us feedback

[josri]

Hi,

Thank you for the response. I am asked in my company, why should we use platforms when we can use testplans. I am trying to get few good reasons for those. Are there any performance issues?

I see that couple of reasons from the prev post that
- We might have to make multiple testplans - is this a performance issue?
- We might be having some new features added in future around it. - anything planned?
- any other reasons?

Thank you
Jo

[fman]

IMHO you are not getting the point

You CAN NOT USE PLATFORMS without test plans, in addition platform will be absolutely a misleading term.
Platforms allow to create some sort of sub-testplans.
why do you start asking for perfomance benefits?
how platforms can improve performance ?
I'm going to change this post subject because is wrong.

Try to use search on forum or google (exampe Testlink platforms) in order to get info
Give a look to:
http://www.teamst.org/forum/viewtopic.p ... 102#p16668
http://www.teamst.org/forum/viewtopic.p ... 102#p15892
http://www.teamst.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=6843
http://tupilabs.com/books/jenkins-testl ... 09s02.html
http://www.softwaretestingclub.com/foru ... -practices

[josri]

fman, I think you have misinterpreted my question and Stephen, understood what I was trying to ask. And please change the topic to Testplan vs. Platforms.
I didn't mean to use Platforms instead of Testplan. Using multiple testplans instead of using platforms. Please read my original email and the responses from Stephen.

Thank you
Jo

[fman]

I will correct again the subject to MULTIPLE TEST PLAN vs SINGLE test plan with platforms this is the right subject

[josri]

Thank you fman. Now, back to my questions:
I am asked in my company, why should we use platforms when we can use multiple testplans. I am trying to get few good reasons for those. Are there any performance issues?

I see that couple of reasons from the prev post that
- We might have to make multiple testplans - is this a performance issue?
- We might be having some new features added in future around it. - anything planned?
- any other reasons?

Thank you
Jo

[fman]

Because seems no matter how many references we provide you are not able to read it (see my answers here), think if you just do some minor tests you wil get the answer.
If you use multiple test plans you are not able to have reports that will combine all test plans results.
There is no way to say put results form tplan1,2 and 4 in a report.
With platforms that are just (as already was explained) some sort of subset inside a single test plan you can get all info in one report.

No performanc advantage, no performace draback.

Think a little bit to questions like that
>> - We might be having some new features added in future around it. - anything planned?
new features of what ? where ?
Re-read the whole post me and Stephen have been guessing all the time because your requests where uncompletely explained

[josri]

fman! You are one unhappy camper here. People come here from every walk of life. People think differently. People ask questions in different thought process when they are doing their work. If you don't understand someone's question, no one is stopping you from asking more questions to clarify it, like Stephen did.

Even when companies write requirements for a product with a specialist, not everyone understands everything. If it doesn't make sense, you need more clarification, you ASK! That's why we have requirement review sessions. Even after that, we have "Assumptions" in the testplan

That's no different with any type of communication. Everyone interprets things differently. That makes humans more interesting. For eg., Stephen did understand what I was asking and he was answering in that lines and was asking for more clarification. Just because you were not able to understand a question doesn't mean that my explanation was "incomplete".

Yes, I can do some research myself by doing different tests. But, I wanted to get opinion from others with their experience.

I already DID search the forum and I did read the links you sent and they weren't answering my questions. Those posts didn't make sense to me along the lines I was thinking. For eg., did any of the links you sent had any mention of the performance? And, a question can have "yes" or "no" answer.

Looks like you didn't Read Stephen's post. He mentioned about "We might be having some new features added in future around it". If you are willing to answer, when you read a post you should read the whole thread not just one person's response and reply saying it's "incomplete". I can't just summarize every one of the post in the thread. It is the responsibility of the reader to go through them. The thread kind of got side tracked because, you were trying to clarify the subject line. I appreciate that you were trying to clarify and help there.

I was not asking about how to use testplan or platform again. I WAS asking why should we use platform when the same thing was achieved by my company with multiple testplans.

Anyway, Thank you for your answers and Stephen's that's exactly what I was looking for. And, there might be more answers from more people since people think DIFFERENTLY.

Please, if you are not happy answering questions, please DO NOT do it! Let others answer. No one is obligated to answer questions, if they don't want to in a forum.

If you discourage people asking questions, people are not going to use that product. I understand this is a free one and really appreciate every one for their effort.

Thank you
Jo