Automation Testing for QR Code: Ensuring Reliable and Efficient Scanning and Processing

Introduction

• QR (Quick Response) codes have become increasingly popular for various applications, ranging from marketing to ticketing. With the growing use of QR codes, it is essential to ensure the accuracy and reliability of QR code scanners.
• Automation testing plays a crucial role in streamlining the testing process and enhancing the efficiency of QR code scanners. In this article, we will explore the benefits and strategies of automation testing specifically designed for QR code scanners, enabling comprehensive and reliable testing of these essential tools.

About Scanflow

• Scanflow_WebSDK library is used to perform the scanning of both QR/barcodes and ID to get the data to be displayed on their website and make the workflow automation with ease.
• It makes any camera-equipped smart device into a graded scanner.

In this article, we will explore the challenges faced in scanning ID cards/QR within a Cucumber Junit framework and discuss potential solutions to overcome them.

Challenges

• In Scanflow_WebSDK it doesn’t allow the insertion of ID and QR/barcode images; in order, it performs like capturing in the video format.
• The scanning process does perfectly in good lighting conditions, and it also depends on the camera, device, and network conditions used.
• The QR/barcode and ID card holding distance should be < afoot to get better accuracy.
• ID cards/QR come in various types, such as IDs. Each type may have specific fields and information to be scanned and validated.
• ID cards/QR come in various formats, including different sizes, layouts, and information placement. Handling these variations in a testing framework can be complex.
• Extracted data from ID cards/QR needs to be validated against predefined rules and ensure data accuracy.

Solutions:

• Developed a flexible testing framework that can handle different ID card/QR formats. Implement modular scanning components that can adapt to varying layouts and information placement.
• Implemented quality checks and validations to ensure that scanned images meet the required standards before processing.
• Developed data validation mechanisms within the testing framework to verify extracted data by using Assertion.

Importance of Automation Testing for QR Code Scanners

Automation testing offers numerous advantages for QR code scanners, including:

• Time Efficiency: Automating the testing process significantly reduces the time required for repetitive tasks, such as scanning multiple QR codes. It enables quick execution of test scenarios, enhancing overall testing efficiency.
• Accuracy and Consistency: Automation eliminates the risk of human error associated with manual testing. By following predefined test scripts, automated tests consistently perform the same actions, ensuring reliable and accurate results.
• Scalability: Automation testing allows for the scalability of QR code scanning tests. It enables the testing of many QR codes with diverse data sets, facilitating comprehensive coverage and identifying potential issues.
• Regression Testing: With automation, regression testing becomes more efficient. Test scripts can be easily rerun whenever changes are made to the QR code scanning functionality, ensuring that new modifications do not introduce regressions.

Test Environment Setup

• To implement automation testing for scanflow, a suitable test environment needs to be set up. This involves selecting appropriate testing frameworks and tools that support QR code scanning automation.
• Here we implemented the Java Cucumber script specifically designed to test the scanflow application. By leveraging the power of Cucumber’s behavior-driven development (BDD) framework, we have streamlined our testing process, improved collaboration, and enhanced the overall quality of our Scanflow application.
• The first step in utilizing the Java Cucumber script for testing the scanflow application involves setting up the test environment. This includes configuring the necessary dependencies, libraries, and frameworks required to execute the script successfully. Additionally, integrating the scanflow application within the testing environment enables seamless interaction and thorough evaluation of its functionalities.

Defining Feature Files

• Cucumber follows a BDD approach, where test scenarios are written in a human-readable format called Gherkin.
• In the context of the scanflow application, we define feature files that outline the various functionalities and scenarios to be tested. These feature files act as a bridge between the stakeholders, developers, and testers, ensuring a shared understanding of the application’s behavior.

Test Scenarios and Test Data

• Identifying and defining the test scenarios is a crucial step in Automation testing for scanflow applications. Test scenarios should cover a wide range of potential use cases, including different QR code formats, sizes, and encoding types. Additionally, considering various environmental factors, such as different lighting conditions, is important to ensure the robustness of the scanner.
• Here we implemented the testing for the ID scanning scenario in the scanflow application. List of scenarios defined:

a. Scanning different types of ID cards

b. Various orientations and distances

c. Lowlight Conditions

• The main objective is to ensure the scanflow application can accurately scan and extract the data from the standard ID card. Moreover, the test data used here is a test Id card, which is placed in front of the scanner application by a manual effort.

Implementing Step Definitions

• The next step involves implementing step definitions once the feature files are defined. Step definitions are Java methods that match the steps defined in the feature files. These methods encapsulate the test logic and interact with the scanflow application to perform the desired actions and assertions. Step definitions consist of multiple modules based on the scope of the test planned on the scanflow application.

. The validation part is an important one that helps to identify whether the application meets its requirements or not. Validation is done by using the Assertion method in Cucumber Java. Here in the ID scanning module, we validated the contents like name, photo, contact information, gender, etc., and all the entries based on the input ID.

Test Execution with Cucumber Runner and Reporting:

• To execute the tests, we utilize the Cucumber Runner class, which acts as the entry point for running the Java Cucumber script. The runner class specifies the location of the feature files and step definitions, ensuring the seamless execution of the defined test scenarios. During the test execution, Cucumber generates detailed reports, highlighting the test results, including passed and failed scenarios.

• Automation testing for QR code scanners involves executing the predefined test scripts against the scanflow application. The execution can be performed on a single device or multiple devices simultaneously, depending on the desired testing scope.
• During the test execution, detailed reports are generated, capturing the results of each test scenario. These reports highlight any failures or issues encountered during the automation tests, facilitating efficient bug tracking and resolution.

Conclusion:

Automation testing provides a reliable and efficient approach for testing scanflow applications. By automating the testing process, organizations can save time, enhance accuracy, and achieve comprehensive test coverage.

Implementing suitable test environments, defining diverse test scenarios, developing automated test scripts, and efficient QR code scanflow application testing. However, it’s not complete automation, it needed manual support, and it cannot be implemented in CI/CD pipelines.