Dream Pixel :: Weblog

Validate JavaScript variables with WATIR

Dan Hunter — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Recently I was required to add 3rd party JavaScript Tracking Tags to an order confirmation page. The JavaScript passed the quantities of products purchased onto the 3rd party.

I wanted to validate the tags using Watir. It is easy enough to access the DOM using Watir and previously I have validated tracking tags placed in an iFrame url using xpath:

Access the iframe element using xpath (returns an array):

frame = @ie.elements_by_xpath("//[@id='my_iframe_id']")

Access the src of the iframe:

frame[0].src

Then simply assert the src to ensure the right data was been passed via the URL.

This time I wanted to actually validate variables set up in the JavaScript. At first I was thinking about how I could access the script tag, then a much simpler idea came to me:

Retrieve the source code!

html = @ie.html

Assert the contents using a regular expression:

assert(html.match(/SOME_PRODUCT="\+escape\(1\)/), "SOME_PRODUCT quantity should be: 1")

Watir resources

JAX-WS Tutorial

Dan Hunter — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Developer and fellow colleague Paul Taylor, has taken the time to write an excellent and easy to follow JAX-WS tutorial.

Check it out at JavaCoda

Lessons covered:

Basic JaxWs service with defaults & simple client.
Generated client.
Annotations & mapping.
XmlJavaAdapters
SOAPFaults. Handlers.
JaxWsPortFactory with timeouts.
Asynchronous calls.
Spring injection
Field/Property mapping quick examples. Marshalling tests.

NetBeans has TextMate style code templates

Dan Hunter — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Since owning a mac, I have been an avid user of TextMate. Therefore I have picked up some of the TextMate shortcuts for Ruby.

I mostly develop on Windows in the workplace (not out of choice) so I use NetBeans as my main Ruby IDE on both platforms. So I was surprised to find NetBeans contains many of the TextMate code template shortcuts (Known as Bundles in TextMate).

Here are some of the most useful ones:

To activate a code template type the shortcut name followed by the ->| (TAB key)

Shortcut	Result
rb	#!/usr/bin/env ruby -wKU
req	require ""
rw	attr_accessor :attr_names
r	attr_reader :attr_names
w	attr_writer :attr_names
ea	each { \|1\| }
eai	each_index { \|1\| }
eak	each_key { \|1\| }
deli	delete_if { \|e\| }
:	:key => "value",
do	do \|1\| end
def	def method_name end
if	if condition end
unless	unless condition end
while	while condition end
until	until condition end
Dir	Dir.glob() { \|3\| }
File	File.foreach("path/to/file") { \|3\| }
begin	begin rescue Exception => 1 code end
cla	ClassName = Struct.new(:attr_names) do def method_name end end

Unit Test code templates:

Shortcut	Result
ts	require "test/unit" require "tc_test_case_file" require "tc_test_case_file"
tc	require "test/unit" require "library_file_name" class Test < Test::Unit::TestCase def test_case_name end end
as	assert(test, "Failure message.")
ase	assert_equal(expected, actual)
asne	assert_not_equal(unexpected, actual)

The main shortcut that is different is 'cla' in NetBeans this creates a new Struct, but in TextMate it gives you a choice of class options.

Fear not! NetBeans lets you add new code templates by going to: Preferences > Editor > Code Templates.

They're loads more unit test code templates too.

Macs n stuff

Dan Hunter — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

A couple of guys I work with have started a new blog about mac tips and hints:

www.macsnstuff.com

These guys really do live and breath macs.

Online, on rails

Dan Hunter — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

At last my new site is online, knocked together with Ruby on Rails.

I feel it's still in experimentation mode. I may change the design, besides I am continually tweaking the Ruby code :)

Never the less dreampixel is online again, this time with a blog flavour to keep me amused whilst I work on the rest of the site.

Although it has taken a while to get the site online, the actual coding took no time at all with Ruby and Rails.

Resources that guided me in my quest:

Agile Web Development with Rails
Programming Ruby
Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby (chunky bacon)
The Rails website