Changing Configuration Values with a Text Editor

The JavaTest harness allows you to use a text editor from within a script (such as sed) to change responses in a configuration file and then launch the JavaTest harness to run tests.

The configuration file is a standard JavaTest harness properties file in which double backslashes and escaped new lines are required. If you edit this file in a text editor, you must also remove the checksum for JavaTest harness to accept it when running tests.

Checksums are used by the JavaTest harness to ensure that a configuration used to run tests is complete. By removing the checksum, you risk introducing errors in the configuration used to run tests.

We recommend that you test your changes in the configuration editor window before applying them in a text editor. The configuration editor checks the value and displays the correct set of related questions. See Configuring a Test Run in the JavaTest Harness User's Guide: Graphical User Interface for detailed information about the configuration editor window.

The relationship between the questions in a configuration depends on the test suite and the interdependance of the questions. A change in the value of one question may change subsequent, related configuration questions and values. If your response changes the set of required configuration values, the configuration editor window displays the incomplete configuration and provides you with a new set of required configuration questions.

After you have tested your changes and are satisfied with the results, you can use the text editor to apply them to the configuration. Remove the checksum from the configuration file before using the changed configuration to run tests.