Publishing Test Results

  • Article

Publishing test results is one way to share results with other team members. After test results have been published, they reside in a SQL Server database known as an operational store. This database stores test-results data of all kinds, including code-coverage information. A project team uses a single operational store that is shared by all team members.

The following illustration shows the process through which test results are generated, published, and eventually moved into the data warehouse of Team Foundation Server.

Test results are published to Operational Store

Description of steps in the previous illustration

Step 1a: Run a local test.

A tester runs tests on a local computer, using Visual Studio Team Edition for Testers to view the running tests.

Step 1b: Run a remote test.

A tester runs tests remotely, using controller and agents. Here too, the running tests can be viewed by using Visual Studio Team Edition for Testers. For more information, see Working with Controllers, Agents, and Rigs.

Note

Running tests automatically generates test results data, whether you run tests locally or remotely.

Steps 2a and 2b: Store test results.

Test results are automatically stored to disk as they are produced.

  • The Load Test results store must be explicitly installed.

  • The Load Test results store uses an extensible schema.

  • You can access the Spooled results store through the Test Run window of Visual Studio Team Edition for Testers.

  • The controller and the agents do not have to run on separate computers. Similarly, the controller and the agents do not have to run on remote computers.

Step 3: Publish results.

Testers publish results to the operational store from both local test runs and from tests that were run using agents and controllers. Only data that is stored in an operational store can be copied to the data warehouse of Team Foundation Server.

Step 4: Pull data.

The data warehouse pulls data from the operational store on its own schedule. For more information, see Moving Test Data into the Data Warehouse.

After data is in the data warehouse, aggregated test data from numerous test runs is available to the Reporting and Team Foundation Build features of Team Foundation Server.

Note

You can also publish test results by using a command line. For more information, see Command-Line Test Execution.

Requirements for Publishing Test Results

Before you publish test results, note the following requirements:

  • The operational store resides on a Team Foundation Server computer. This means that you can publish test data only if you have Team Explorer installed and your Visual Studio user session is connected to a Team Foundation Server computer. For information about how to connect to Team Foundation Server, see How to: Connect to Team Foundation Server.

  • You can publish only an entire test run or multiple test runs. You cannot publish a subset of a run.

  • You must specify an existing build to publish against. You must also specify a combination of platform/flavor of that build. Some of the builds listed in the Publish Test Results dialog box might not offer any corresponding platform/flavor to choose from. This is probably because the build has encountered errors early in the process and so the platform/flavor have not been determined and cannot be enumerated. You cannot select such a build for publishing.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Publish Test Results

Concepts

Moving Test Data into the Data Warehouse
Command-Line Options for Publishing Test Results
Understanding the Data Warehouse Architecture

Other Resources

Command-Line Test Execution