Differences between variables and parameters?

[Fergal]

What are the main differences between variables and parameters, in Ranorex tests?

How do we know when to use one and not the other?

Thanks!

[krstcs]

It depends a lot on the language you are talking about. Ranorex is built on .NET, so the .NET definitions hold.

Parameters are values passed INTO something, such as a method or the application itself (from the command-line). Parameters define the starting conditions of some functionality.

Variables are areas of memory designated to store variable values (i.e. values that might change) at run-time. Variables usually store values that represent an object or its state in object-oriented languages like .NET.

Variables can be passed into methods as parameters, and parameters passed into methods can be stored into variables.

In Ranorex, global and test-case parameters are treated like global or test-case level variables in many ways. They are sets of values that are generally static at the start of a test but then can be updated during the run in order to pass values between test-cases or modules.

[Fergal]

Thanks very much krstcs, your answer is just what I needed. I was asking the question in relation to Ranorex data driven tests.

[dinad578]

It was very informative explanation. One can easily understand the difference of parameter and variable relation to Ranorex data driven tests.