Analog and Low Level Recording In QTP

Guidelines for Analog and Low Level Recording

Consider the following guidelines when choosing Analog Recording or Low Level Recording:

Use analog recording or low-level recording only when normal recording mode does not accurately record your operation.


Analog recording and low-level recording require more disk space than normal recording mode.


You can switch to either Analog Recording or Low Level Recording in the middle of a recording session for specific steps. After you record the necessary steps using analog recording or low-level recording, you can return to normal recording mode for the remainder of your recording session.

Analog Recording

Use analog recording for applications in which the actual movement of the mouse is what you want to record. These can include drawing a mouse signature or working with drawing applications that create images by dragging the mouse.


You can record in Analog Recording mode relative to the screen or relative to a specific window.


Record relative to a specified window if the operations you perform are on objects located within one window and that window does not move during the analog recording session. This ensures that during the run session, QuickTest will accurately identify the window location on which the analog steps were performed even if the window is in a different location when you run the analog steps. QuickTest does not record any click or mouse movement performed outside the specified window. When using this mode, QuickTest does not capture any Active Screen images.


Record relative to the screen if the window on which you are recording your analog steps moves during recording or if the operations you perform are on objects located within more than one window. This can include dragging and dropping an object from one window to another. When using this mode, QuickTest captures only the Active Screen image of the final state of the window on which you are recording.


The steps recorded using analog recording are saved in a separate data file. This file is stored with the action in which the analog steps are recorded.


When you record in Analog Recording mode, QuickTest adds to your test a RunAnalog statement that calls the recorded analog file. The corresponding Active Screen displays the results of the last analog step that was performed during the analog recording session.

Low Level Recording

Use low-level recording for recording on environments or objects not supported by QuickTest.


Use low-level recording for when you need to record the exact location of the operation on your application screen. While recording in normal mode, QuickTest performs the step on an object even if it has moved to a new location on the screen. If the location of the object is important to your test, switch to Low Level Recording to enable QuickTest to record the object in terms of its x- and y- coordinates on the screen. This way, the step will pass only if the object is in the correct position.


While low-level recording, QuickTest records all parent level objects as Window test objects and all other objects as WinObject test objects. They are displayed in the Active Screen as standard Windows objects.


Low-level recording supports the following methods for each test object:


WinObject test objects: Click, DblClick, Drag, Drop, Type


Window test objects: Click, DblClick, Drag, Drop, Type, Activate, Minimize, Restore, Maximize


Each step recorded in Low Level Recording mode is shown in the Keyword View and Expert View. (Analog recording records only the one step that calls the external analog data file.)