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i have a test case where user clicks on a button to send an e-mail and user's default e-mail client opens up. In my case I am using outlook as my default e-mail client. What would be the best way to automate this flow. I am using the GEB framework and I have never automated any external component before. It would be great if someone could atleast point me to the right direction to start.

Thanks!

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  • With GEB you mean gebish.org ? Also what do you want to test, that the mail application opens?
    – Niels van Reijmersdal
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 16:53
  • Yes, for both. I want to make sure that the application opens up.
    – Scorned Rider
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 16:57
  • Does it have to be Outlook's desktop app? You could setup your machine to use any handler for mailto links. Outlook has a web equivalent (or even use gmail) that might be easier to automate.
    – kirbycope
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 19:39

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There are probably two parts to this:

  • Testing every condition that triggers launching an email client. I would use a web-based email client for this.
  • Testing the logic that launches email clients. Since there are lots of possible clients, and you can't drive these with a web automation framework, I recommend testing this by hand. If this logic is not expected to change often, it may not make sense to spend money writing/maintaining automated tests for it.
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With web-automation frameworks you cannot test beyond the browser.

Tools like Sikuli or Auto-IT can be triggered (with Process.Start() or Exec()) from the test to do an action that needs input from the operating system outside of the browser.

In your case I wonder if just checking the button has the correct "mailto:" link would not be enough. The browser mailto: system always fires up the default browser. You may expect that the operation system supplier has tested that this works for you.

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  • Thanks. It is not mandated that I test this in outlook. I can also change my default e-mail client to a web based e-mail. In that case how do I proceed?
    – Scorned Rider
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 17:06
  • Find the new window that opened and continue testing from there? :)
    – Niels van Reijmersdal
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 17:12

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