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by Barry Dorgan http://members.tripod.com/~bazman
CONTENTS:
Section
1 - Windows Compliance Standards
1.1. Application
1.2. For Each Window in the Application
1.3. Text Boxes
1.4. Option (Radio Buttons)
1.5. Check Boxes
1.6. Command Buttons
1.7. Drop Down List Boxes
1.8. Combo Boxes
1.9. List Boxes
Section
2 - Tester's Screen Validation Checklist
2.1. Aesthetic Conditions
2.2. Validation Conditions
2.3. Navigation Conditions
2.4. Usability Conditions
2.5. Data Integrity Conditions
2.6. Modes (Editable Read-only) Conditions
2.7. General Conditions
2.8. Specific Field Tests
2.8.1. Date Field Checks
2.8.2. Numeric Fields
2.8.3. Alpha Field Checks
Section
3 - Validation Testing - Standard Actions
3.1. On every Screen
3.2. Shortcut keys / Hot Keys
3.3. Control Shortcut Keys
1. Windows Compliance
Windows Compliance Testing
For
Each Application
Start Application by Double Clicking
on its ICON
The Loading message should show
the application name, version number, and a bigger pictorial representation of the icon.
No Login is necessary
The main window of the application
should have the same caption
as the caption of the icon in Program Manager.
Closing the application should
result in an "Are you Sure" message box
Attempt to start application Twice
This should not be allowed - you
should be returned to main Window
Try to start the application twice
as it is loading.
On each window, if the application
is busy, then the hour glass should
be displayed. If there is no hour glass (e.g. alpha access enquiries)
then some enquiry in progress message should be displayed.
All screens should have a Help
button, F1 should work doing the same.
For Each Window in the Application
If Window has a Minimize Button,
click it.
Window Should return to an icon
on the bottom of the screen
This icon should correspond to
the Original Icon under Program Manager.
Double Click the Icon to return
the Window to its original size.
The window caption for every application
should have the name of the
application and the window name - especially the error messages.
These should be checked for spelling,
English and clarity , especially
on the top of the screen. Check does the title of the window makes sense.
If the screen has an Control menu,
then use all ungreyed options. (see below)
Check all text on window for Spelling/Tense and Grammar
Use TAB to move focus around the
Window. Use SHIFT+TAB to
move focus backwards.
Tab order should be left to right,
and Up to Down within a group box on the screen.
All controls should get focus
- indicated by dotted box, or cursor. Tabbing
to an entry field with text in it should highlight the entire text in the field.
The text in the Micro Help line
should change - Check for spelling, clarity
and non-updateable etc.
If a field is disabled (greyed)
then it should not get focus. It should
not be possible to select them with either the mouse or by using TAB. Try this
for every greyed control.
Never updateable fields should
be displayed with black text on a grey background with a black label.
All text should be left-justified,
followed by a colon tight to it.
In a field that may or may not
be updateable, the label text and contents changes from black to grey depending on the current status.
List boxes are always white background
with black text whether they are disabled or not. All others
are grey.
In general, do not use goto screens,
use gosub, i.e. if a button causes another screen to be displayed, the screen should not hide the first screen,
with the exception of tab in 2.0
When returning return to the first
screen cleanly i.e. no other screens/applications should appear.
In general, double-clicking is
not essential.
In general, everything can be done using
both the mouse and the keyboard.
All tab buttons should have a
distinct letter.
Text Boxes
Move the Mouse Cursor over all
Enterable Text Boxes. Cursor
should change from arrow to Insert Bar. If it
doesn't then the text in the box should be grey or non-updateable. Refer to previous page.
Enter text into Box
Try to overflow the text by typing
to many characters - should be stopped Check
the field width with capitals W.
Enter invalid characters - Letters
in amount fields, try strange characters like + , - * etc. in All fields.
SHIFT and Arrow should Select
Characters.
Selection should also be possible with
mouse.
Double Click should select all text in
box.
Option
(Radio Buttons)
Left and Right arrows should move
'ON' Selection. So should
Up and Down.. Select with mouse by clicking.
Check Boxes
Clicking with the mouse on the
box, or on the text should SET/UNSET the box. SPACE
should do the same
Command Buttons
If Command Button leads to another
Screen, and if the user can enter or change details on the other screen then the Text on the button should be followed
by three dots.
All Buttons except for OK and
Cancel should have a letter Access to them. This is
indicated by a letter underlined in the button text. The button
should be activated by pressing ALT+Letter. Make sure
there is no duplication.
Click each button once with the
mouse - This should activate
Tab to each button - Press SPACE
- This should activate
Tab to each button - Press RETURN
- This should activate
The above are VERY
IMPORTANT, and should be done for
EVERY command Button.
Tab to another type of control
(not a command button). One button
on the screen should be default (indicated by a thick black border). Pressing
Return in ANY no command button control should activate it.
If there is a Cancel Button on
the screen , then pressing <Esc> should activate it.
If pressing the Command button
results in uncorrectable data e.g. closing an action step, there should be a message phrased positively with Yes/No
answers where Yes results in the completion of the action.
Drop Down List Boxes
Pressing the Arrow should give
list of options. This List
may be scrollable. You should
not be able to type text in the box.
Pressing a letter should bring
you to the first item in the list with that start with that letter. Pressing
‘Ctrl - F4’ should open/drop down the list box.
Spacing should be compatible with
the existing windows spacing (word etc.). Items
should be in alphabetical order with the exception of blank/none which is at the top or the bottom of the list
box.
Drop down with the item selected
should be display the list with the selected item on the top.
Make sure only one space appears,
shouldn't have a blank line at the bottom.
Combo Boxes
Should allow text to be entered. Clicking Arrow should allow user to choose from list
List Boxes
Should allow a single selection
to be chosen, by clicking with the mouse, or using the Up and Down Arrow keys.
Pressing a letter should take
you to the first item in the list starting with that letter.
If there is a 'View' or 'Open'
button beside the list box then double clicking on a line in the List Box, should act in the same way as selecting
and item in the list box, then clicking the command button.
Force the scroll bar to appear,
make sure all the data can be seen in the box.
2. Screen Validation Checklist
Aesthetic Conditions:
1. Is the general screen background the correct color?.
2. Are the field prompts the correct color?
3. Are the field backgrounds the correct color?
4. In read-only mode, are the field prompts the correct color?
5. In read-only mode, are the field backgrounds the correct color?
6. Are all the screen prompts specified in the correct screen font?
7. Is the text in all fields specified in the correct screen font?
8. Are all the field prompts aligned perfectly on the screen?
9. Are all the field edit boxes aligned perfectly on the screen?
10. Are all groupboxes aligned correctly on the screen?
11. Should the screen be resizable?
12. Should the screen be minimisable?
13. Are all the field prompts spelt correctly?
14. Are all character or alpha-numeric fields left justified? This is the default unless otherwise
specified.
15. Are all numeric fields right justified? This is the default unless otherwise specified.
16. Is all the microhelp text spelt correctly on this screen?
17. Is all the error message text spelt correctly on this screen?
18. Is all user input captured in UPPER case or lower case consistently?
19. Where the database requires a value (other than null) then this should be defaulted into
fields. The user must either enter an alternative valid value or leave the default value intact.
20. Assure that all windows have a consistent look and feel.
21. Assure that all dialog boxes have a consistent look and feel.
Validation Conditions:
1. Does a failure of validation on every field cause a sensible user error message?
2. Is the user required to fix entries which have failed validation tests?
3. Have any fields got multiple validation rules and if so are all rules being applied?
4. If the user enters an invalid value and clicks on the OK button (i.e. does not TAB off
the field) is the invalid entry identified and highlighted correctly with an error message.?
5. Is validation consistently applied at screen level unless specifically required at field
level?
6. For all numeric fields check whether negative numbers can and should be able to be entered.
7. For all numeric fields check the minimum and maximum values and also some mid-range values
allowable?
8. For all character/alphanumeric fields check the field to ensure that there is a character
limit specified and that this limit is exactly correct for the specified database size?
9. Do all mandatory fields require user input?
10. If any of the database columns don’t allow null values then the corresponding screen fields
must be mandatory. (If any field which initially was mandatory has become optional then check whether null values
are allowed in this field.)
Navigation Conditions:
1. Can the screen be accessed correctly from the menu?
2. Can the screen be accessed correctly from the toolbar?
3. Can the screen be accessed correctly by double clicking on a list control on the previous screen?
4. Can all screens accessible via buttons on this screen be accessed correctly?
5. Can all screens accessible by double clicking on a list control be accessed correctly?
6. Is the screen modal. i.e. Is the user prevented from accessing other functions when this
screen is active and is this correct?
7. Can a number of instances of this screen be opened at the same time and is this correct?
Usability Conditions:
1. Are all the dropdowns on this screen sorted correctly? Alphabetic sorting is the default
unless otherwise specified.
2. Is all date entry required in the correct format?
3. Have all pushbuttons on the screen been given appropriate Shortcut keys?
4. Do the Shortcut keys work correctly?
5. Have the menu options which apply to your screen got fast keys associated and should they
have?
6. Does the Tab Order specified on the screen go in sequence from Top Left to bottom right?
This is the default unless otherwise specified.
7. Are all read-only fields avoided in the TAB sequence?
8. Are all disabled fields avoided in the TAB sequence?
9. Can the cursor be placed in the microhelp text box by clicking on the text box with the
mouse?
10. Can the cursor be placed in read-only fields by clicking in the field with the mouse?
11. Is the cursor positioned in the first input field or control when the screen is opened?
12. Is there a default button specified on the screen?
13. Does the default button work correctly?
14. When an error message occurs does the focus return to the field in error when the user
cancels it?
15. When the user Alt+Tab’s to another application does this have any impact on the screen
upon return to The application?
16. Do all the fields edit boxes indicate the number of characters they will hold by there
length? e.g. a 30 character field should be a lot longer
Data Integrity Conditions:
1. Is the data saved when the window is closed by double clicking on the close box?
2. Check the maximum field lengths to ensure that there are no truncated characters?
3. Where the database requires a value (other than null) then this should be defaulted into
fields. The user must either enter an alternative valid value or leave the default value intact.
4. Check maximum and minimum field values for numeric fields?
5. If numeric fields accept negative values can these be stored correctly on the database
and does it make sense for the field to accept negative numbers?
6. If a set of radio buttons represent a fixed set of values such as A, B and C then what
happens if a blank value is retrieved from the database? (In some situations rows can be created on the database
by other functions which are not screen based and thus the required initial values can be incorrect.)
7. If a particular set of data is saved to the database check that each value gets saved fully
to the database. i.e. Beware of truncation (of strings) and rounding of numeric values.
Modes (Editable Read-only) Conditions: | 
