SAFS Framework Release Notes
2006.02.14

Definitions, Critical Reminders, SAFS Tools, Install Instructions, Setup Notes, New Stuff


Definitions:

SAFS Software Automation Framework Support
SAFS Engine A keyword-driven (aka data-driven) automation tool using SAFS.
SAFS/DriverCommands A SAFS Engine for tool-independent Driver Commands

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CRITICAL REMINDERS

Affected customizations from previous releases:

If you have taken advantage of any of the customization capabilities of this framework, then you must take some simple precautions prior to installing this new release. Installing a new version of the framework will install new, default versions of customizable files.

SAFSTID.INI
If you have a modified SAFSTID.INI in your install directory, you should make a back-up, then evaluate how and if you want to merge with the new file.

SAFS Batch Files
If you have previously installed the SAFS Framework then you may have manually modified batch files or VBS scripts to handle custom project paths. You will need to backup modified files and evaluate how and if you want to merge such changes with the new files.

Failure to perform any of these prescribed backups may erase your prior customizations. Hopefully, you have backed them up somewhere already as part of your normal ongoing activities. Right?!


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STAFWrap.DLL, DDVariableStore.DLL and associated scripts for registering DVariableStore.DLL are now included in the SAFS\bin directory. The SetupSAFS script does register and\or move files to system directories as necessary.

New COM classes supporting COM access to STAF for use in VBScript and other COM-related features exist in the latest version of DDVariableStore.DLL. Consult the sourcecode in CVS or any VBA or COM object browser until more proper documentation is made available. A very rudimentary "RUTHere" test script for this COM STAF interface can be found in SAFS\bin\DDVariableStoreTest.VBS .

SAFS/Abbot and the RMI bridge for SAFS Java Enablers used by Abbot are still largely undocumented. However, Abbot icons for the few keywords supported are do now show up in the SAFS Keywords Reference.


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Installation Instructions

Review Backup Reminders in Critical Reminders

If you have not done so, review the Critical Reminders concerning backups of locally modified or customized files from previous releases. I'd hate to say, "I told ya so."

Short-N-Sweet install instructions:

A Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and Windows Scripting Host V5.6 or later is required. Refer to SetupSAFS.README in the Java Runtime and Windows Scripting Host sections for more details and install information for those tools.

  1. Extract the SAFSFramework .ZIP into ANY directory.
    Extract all files of the ZIP file into ANY directory.  A good choice might be something like C:\TEMP, or even C:\SAFS.  RRAFS (Rational Robot) users might do best to extract into their ".\Rational\Rational Test\sqabas32" directory. (Although this should not be necessary with a RRAFS release since that includes the SAFS install files already. Only do this if you are upgrading SAFS without upgrading RRAFS.)

    Enable "OVERWRITE Existing Files" if you have a previous release.

  2. Run the extracted SetupSAFS.wsf script.
    In Windows Explorer, locate "SetupSAFS.wsf" in that directory and double-click to execute it.
    (Note: previous releases used SetupSAFS.vbs.  This file has now been overwritten to call SetupSAFS.wsf instead.)

  3. Setup SAFS and (optionally) IBM Rational XDE Tester or Functional Tester per SetupSAFS.README
    Verify/Complete any setup per that doc.
SetupSAFS.wsf will prompt to confirm for the installation of the SAFS Framework and STAF.  The user has the option to skip these installations by pressing "No" or "Cancel" when prompted.

SetupSAFS.wsf will not install any program that will appear in Control Panel's "Add/Remove Program" application.


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Additional Setup Notes and Information

Additional notes and instructions for this release can be found via the links below. These are generally reviewed in the listed order. The files are contained in the downloaded installation ZIP file and available once all contents of the ZIP file are extracted into the install directory. (The links to these will work once unzipped locally.)

SetupSAFS.README Install STAF and SAFS Services
SetupRuntime.README Runtime Setup for Testing
SetupRobotJ.README Optionally, setup IBM Rational XDE Tester or Functional Tester to use STAF and SAFS Services.


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New, Fixed, or Enhanced Stuff

Many thanks to those who have contributed in one way or another for this release:

Most notable items, but not all-inclusive is:


Back2Top, Definitions, Critical Reminders, SAFS Tools, Install Instructions, Setup Notes
Carl Nagle, SAS
Project Manager, SAFSDEV
***REMOVED***