Announcements
Analyzing Applications with Ranorex Spy
General
As a stand alone tool the Ranorex Spy provides all the functionality needed to explore and analyze applications or websites - including their controls and GUI elements. After starting Ranorex Spy the element browser contains all currently running applications on the Windows desktop.
- Ranorex Spy - applications and their UI elements
Each of the listed applications contains their own UI subelements like buttons or check boxes. By selecting one of the elements Ranorex Spy provides all available information about the selected item on the info tabs ‘Overview’, ‘Detail’ and ‘Screenshot’. Depending on the type of the selected element, Ranorex Spy provides role specific attributes like a ‘Text’ property for a text box or a ‘Checked’ property for check box element. All the information represented by Ranorex Spy is also available during test automation. Each element within the element browser is identified through a unique RanoreXPath which is shown in the text box.
How to track elements with Ranorex Spy
Click the 'Track' button to start tracking a GUI element. Move your mouse pointer over a specific control (button, text box) so that the currently identified object is highlighted. By clicking the control the tracking mode will be stopped and all information of the selected GUI element will be shown within Ranorex Spy.
- Click 'Track' button to start element tracking.
How to track menu items with Ranorex Spy
When tracking menu or popup items you have to use the ‘Instant Tracking’ method by using a short cut to select a GUI element. Simply move your mouse pointer over a menu item and press the <CTRL> + <LWin> key combination to instantly track the GUI element. ‘Instant Tracking’ is not only available for popup items. This tracking mode can also be used for all other GUI elements.
- Instant tracking of menu items
In live mode the Ranorex Element Browser represents all currently running applications including their child elements. In addition Ranorex Spy provides some useful features to ease navigation and to store current views (UI elements) within Ranorex snapshot files.
Toolbar short cuts |
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 | Browse local host | Shows currently running host applications. |
 | Refresh | Updates the current state of applications. |
 | Load from snapshot | Loads an existing Ranorex snapshot file. |
 | Save as snapshot | Saves all GUI elements from the tree view to a Ranorex snapshot file. |
 | Highlight Elements | When switched on highlights selected GUI elements on the users desktop. |
Context menu |
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 | Add to Repository | Adds the current element to a Ranorex Repository. |
 | Set Element as Root | Sets the currently selected element as Root element. |
| Refresh | Updates all attributes of the specified GUI element. |
| Save as snapshot | Saves the current GUI element including their children to a Ranorex snapshot file. |
