Using ACCELQ and HeadSpin

Installing, Configuring, and Using ACCELQ Local Agent for Mobile Automation with HeadSpin Integration

Overview

ACCELQ is a cloud-based continuous testing platform that automates API and web testing in a codeless fashion. ACCELQ allows you to accelerate your testing by automating aspects of the testing lifecycle such as test design, planning, and execution. This guide provides you with instructions for the installation and configuration of ACCELQ's local agent, as well as configuration of HeadSpin device compatibility within ACCELQ's agent. This allows you to leverage both ACCELQ and HeadSpin's unique features for the best experience with testing, from design to data capture.

Download and Execute Local Agent Installer

1. Log in to ACCELQ and navigate to Resources > local agents.

2. Within the local agents tab, click on the "Download agent" button and choose the correct installation type for your target system's OS.

3. When the download is completed, extract the downloaded zip file and run the executable. Note that if you are using a Mac system and get a security prompt, you can right-click the executable and select "Open" to bypass the security flag.

Install Local Agent with Mobile Platform Support

Please note that the local agent requires a compatible JDK version (Version 8 or 11) to be able to run automation tests.

1. If you are installing the ACCELQ agent for the first time, click on "Let's Go" in the installer window to begin a full installation.

2. If you already have the agent Command Center installed you will see the screen pictured below. Select the option to reinstall and click on "Proceed".

3. If the installer does not find a suitable JDK installation already present on the system, you will be prompted with an option to download the open source program Zulu JDK as part of the agent installation. This downloaded JDK will only be used for the agent processes; it will not affect any other previously-installed JDK program in the system. Click on "Next" to proceed.

4. Provide information to authenticate with the ACCELQ server. You can input the proxy information if your network requires one to connect with the ACCELQ server. Note that your ACCELQ API key can be found in your user profile authentication properties.

Click on your initials in the upper-right corner of the screen.

Click "Auth Properties" to reveal your API key.

5. Select the required automation runtime (for mobile app testing, select “Mobile Automation”). Click "Next".

6. Select the local installation path. Be sure to choose a folder that does not contain a space character in the path. Click "Next".

Wait for the installation to finish. If you are installing on Windows and you see an Administrator prompt during the installation, accept it. This is required to enable iOS automation on devices connected to your machine.

Using ACCELQ with HeadSpin

With your HeadSpin account and ACCELQ, you can also execute tests on HeadSpin devices with ACCELQ's agent. To do this, you need to configure your ACCELQ local agent with its HeadSpin integration.

When running tests on ACCELQ, if the agent is configured to point to HeadSpin, your application browser is invoked remotely; the remaining execution and workflow for your results remain the same. You still manage the test execution cycle from ACCELQ. If you haven't installed the ACCELQ agent already, follow the steps outlined above.

Retrieving HeadSpin API Token

To integrate with HeadSpin, you need a HeadSpin API token.

Log in to your HeadSpin account and click on your profile icon/username in the upper-right corner of the window, then click the ‘Settings’ button as shown in the screenshots below. Your API tokens are listed on the settings page.

Configuring HeadSpin Integration on ACCELQ

1. Open your ACCELQ agent dashboard; it should automatically open to the Agent Management page. In the configuration panel for your target agent, click the ellipsis button (“...”) in the upper right corner of the configuration panel and select "Edit Configuration".

2. As shown in the screenshot below, select the checkbox for "Use external device provider for Web" and/or "Use external device provider for Mobile", depending on your projects. Select HeadSpin from the Mobile Device Provider dropdown menu and populate the HeadSpin authentication information (use your HeadSpin API token, see Step 1 for how to find this). Click “Save” in the Agent Configuration window to exit the window.

3. On the Agent Management page, click the “Restart” button in the upper-right corner of the screen to apply your new configuration changes to the agent.

4. When working against a Headspin device infrastructure, install your test app on a HeadSpin device first to generate its app information.

5. In the main ACCELQ console (not the agent/mobile device management agent), go to Navigator > Scenarios and click on the scenario you will be working with. Pass the values from the app information gathered in the previous step to your scenario/test by clicking on the test’s first step, as shown below.

6. When the ACCELQ agent is ready and properly configured, you will be able to select the browser or Mobile OS/Device from the list supported by HeadSpin. To select a browser/device, go to the main ACCELQ console and click the green “Run” button at the top of the menu bar.

7. In the Run window, select “Run Automation Test”. (If you have created a running Scenario, you can also select “Start Manual Test”.) In the Run Automation Test window, select your desired agent from the AGENT/HOST section and then select the browser and device from the respective sections.

Capturing a Mobile View

For mobile automation, you could use a device hosted on HeadSpin for recording Views and for setting up element identification. Note that you will likely need to install a web extension on your browser in order to use the View recorder (in Chrome this extension is called ACCELQ - View Recorder). Follow the steps here:

1. In the main ACCELQ console, navigate to Navigator > Contexts.

2. On the Contexts page, click on the New Context button (plus sign) to create a new context.

3. In the New Context window, enter the identifying information for your new context, then click “Save & Continue”.

4. You will be taken to the Context View page, where you can capture your first View. Click “Record New View”. This opens the Record View modal.

5. In the Record View modal, make sure you have selected “Cloud Provider” in the Device Access section and selected “HeadSpin” from the Provider dropdown menu. Note the dropdown menu in the upper-right corner that allows you to switch between Web and Mobile setup.

6. Provide your HeadSpin API access key and click “Authenticate.”

7. On successful authentication, HeadSpin devices will be available for selection from the 'OS & Version' and 'Device' menus in the "Record View" window.

8. Once all the fields are ready, click start capture in the lower-right corner and the capture session with the selected device will begin.

Creating a Mobile Driver Profile

HeadSpin offers features like performance evaluation for which you will have to pass additional desired capabilities like 'headspin:capture'. To do this, you can create driver profiles in ACCELQ and set them before execution. Learn more about driver profiles at ACCELQ's support site.