如何将XML字符串传递给UFT / QTP中的子API测试？

Question

As a simple case, in an API-test Flow I am using another API-Test module to which I have to pass an XML string(a message). But once the sub module gets the XML string it throws following run error step regarding the whitespace before the xml tag! I even trim the input string in a custom code right before entrance to the sub-module but get the same error!

Error Message: "Unexpected XML declaration. The XML declaration must be the first node in the document, and no white space characters are allowed to appear before it."

Any hint is appreciated in advance :)

Answer 1

Here is the thing, UFT API handles parameters as XML structures. Since the parameter value is an XML structure as well, it should be passed as text (escaped) and not as XML. So, instead of this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><shiporder orderid="889923" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="shiporder.xsd"><orderperson>John Smith</orderperson><shipto><name>Ola Nordmann</name><address>Langgt 23</address><city>4000 Stavanger</city><country>Norway</country></shipto><item><title>Empire Burlesque</title><note>Special Edition</note><quantity>1</quantity><price>10.90</price></item><item><title>Hide your heart</title><quantity>1</quantity><price>9.90</price></item></shiporder>

You should pass this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><shiporder orderid="889923" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="shiporder.xsd"><orderperson>John Smith</orderperson><shipto><name>Ola Nordmann</name><address>Langgt 23</address><city>4000 Stavanger</city><country>Norway</country></shipto><item><title>Empire Burlesque</title><note>Special Edition</note><quantity>1</quantity><price>10.90</price></item><item><title>Hide your heart</title><quantity>1</quantity><price>9.90</price></item></shiporder>

Here you can find an online tool that can help you escape your XML: http://www.freeformatter.com/xml-escape.html

EDIT:

A dynamic way to get around this would be to include the code that automatically escapes de XML value in the parameter before executing the step where you're calling your API test. Example:

    public void CallSTTest4_OnBeforeExecuteStepEvent(object sender, STActivityBaseEventArgs args)
    {                       
        CallSTTest4.InputProperties.GetElementsByTagName("XMLString").Item(0).InnerXml = System.Security.SecurityElement.Escape(CallSTTest4.InputProperties.GetElementsByTagName("XMLString").Item(0).InnerXml);    
    }

Note: In my case, the input parameter containing the xml structure is "XMLString"