# Visual Test > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Visual_Test > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Visual_Test.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Test > Source revision: 1345467883 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (August 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Visual Test Developers Microsoft, Rational Software Release 1992; 34 years ago (1992) Operating system Windows Available in English License Proprietary **Visual Test**, originally known as MS-Test, was an automated testing tool for [Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows) applications developed by [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft) and later sold to [Rational Software](/source/Rational_Software). ## Overview MS-Test was developed for internal use in Microsoft but became a commercial product at the beginning of 1992. MS-Test automated the process of testing Windows applications. It combined a Windows development language, Basic, with a testing-oriented [API](/source/API). Tests known as scripts were written in Test Basic, a form of the [BASIC](/source/BASIC) programming language. The API was predominantly wrapped around [Windows API](/source/Windows_API) functions. Test scripts could be created with capture/replay, in particular by the Windows Recorder tool. However its dominant strength was that scripts could be coded and compiled. Either an individual script could be run, or a group of them run in sequence by a test [driver](/source/Device_driver). Among the innovations for the test driver was the ability to customize the batch execution with the inclusion of custom-designed [dialog boxes](/source/Dialog_box) and menus, which were built with the User Interface Editor. Customers had to purchase Visual Test to develop scripts, but it offered free and unlimited redistribution of compiled scripts. The ability to use [OLE Automation](/source/OLE_Automation) allowed enterprising individuals to expand beyond basic functional testing into [load testing](/source/Load_testing). A script could create tens of browsers, drive them, feed them with data, collect statistics and monitor the state of the test. ## Capabilities New capabilities were added over time. In 1992, new [DLLs](/source/Dynamic_link_library) were added to provide support for testing: 1. DOS [VM](/source/Virtual_machine) 1. [Dynamic Data Exchange](/source/Dynamic_Data_Exchange) (DDE) 1. The ability to run scripts remotely on other PCs of a local [LAN](/source/Local-area_network) 1. An enhanced test driver Included with Visual Test was a suite of samples that demonstrated the range of capabilities of the product. 1. Play the [Minesweeper](/source/Minesweeper_(video_game)) game on its own. 1. Play [Solitaire](/source/Microsoft_Solitaire) 1. Sample screen saver and others ### 32-bit enhancements Version 2.0 in 1993 had provided support for Windows 3.1. In 1994 MS-Test version 3.0 advanced from [16-bit](/source/16-bit) systems to [32-bit](/source/32-bit). With Version 4.0 in 1995, it was hosted within [Visual Studio](/source/Visual_Studio) and renamed to Visual Test. It was able to support the testing of the new application control that arrived with [Windows 95](/source/Windows_95) and [NT](/source/Windows_NT). The other development language, [Visual Basic](/source/Visual_Basic_(classic)), remained hosted within its own separate development environment. With its inclusion in Visual Studio, versioning of scripts could be maintained with [Microsoft Visual SourceSafe](/source/Microsoft_Visual_SourceSafe), also part of Studio. In version 4.0, the ability to access its capabilities from Visual Basic and [C++](/source/C%2B%2B), lost with 3.0, was regained. As 4.0r was being released, [Rational Software](/source/Rational_Software) Corporation negotiated its purchase from Microsoft in 1996.[1] Version 6 (5 was skipped) from Rational incorporated support [Microsoft Active Accessibility](/source/Microsoft_Active_Accessibility) (MSAA), support for [HTML](/source/HTML) and Web pages and ability to read and change the [Windows Registry](/source/Windows_Registry). Version 6 provided support for [Windows 98](/source/Windows_98) and NT 5.0, which eventually became [Windows 2000](/source/Windows_2000). [Mainsoft](/source/Mainsoft) Corporation created a [ported](/source/Porting) version called MainWin Visual Test 4.0r for [Unix](/source/Unix). This version is for testing Unix applications created from Windows applications using Mainsoft MainWin platform. Rational Visual Test 6 was also sold as part of Rational DevelopmentStudio bundle. Visual Test was integrated with other Rational products: [Purify, and Quantify](/source/IBM_Rational_Purify), PureCoverage and [ClearCase](/source/ClearCase). Rational remained committed to fully support Visual Test through 2002. The last version shipped was 6.5. As of 2006, 103 tech notes that were provided as part of the support from Rational remained available from [IBM](/source/IBM), which previously acquired Rational ([Search results](http://www-1.ibm.com/support/search.wss?tc=SSSHXU&rs=950&rank=8&dc=DB520+D800+D900+DA900+DA800&dtm)). ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Rational Acquires Visual Test From Microsoft"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080406121859/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/oct96/ratvtstpr.mspx). *www.microsoft.com*. [Redmond](/source/Redmond%2C_Washington), [Santa Clara](/source/Santa_Clara%2C_California). Oct 2, 1996. Archived from [the original](http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/oct96/ratvtstpr.mspx) on April 6, 2008. Retrieved 2023-04-03. ## References - Visual Test 6.0 Bible, Thomas Arnold II of ST Labs and Microsoft ([\[1\]](https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0764532553)) - Executing visual test scripts with IBM Rational TestManager ([\[2\]](http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/2962.html)) - Automating Windows Forms ([\[3\]](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms996405.aspx)) - MSDN Blogs : Brian McMaster's Blog on QA, .NET, and VS – January 2006([\[4\]](http://blogs.msdn.com/b/brianmcm/archive/2006/01/17/getting-the-winforms-id-of-a-control.aspx)) - MSDN Blogs : Steve Rowe's Blog – Hiring Great Testers – Tester Roles – January 2007([\[5\]](http://blogs.msdn.com/b/alanpa/archive/2008/09/04/the-value-of-manual-testing-or-the-value-of-automated-testing.aspx)) - The value of Manual testing (or...The value of Automated testing) – September 2008 ([\[6\]](http://blogs.msdn.com/b/alanpa/archive/2008/09/04/the-value-of-manual-testing-or-the-value-of-automated-testing.aspx)) - Richard Wartner Visual Test programming section ([\[7\]](http://members.aol.com/rwvtest/index.htm)) - Visual Test P-code and usage ([\[8\]](http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21136682)) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Visual Test](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Test) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Test?action=history)). 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