QuickTest learns some properties for every test object. These are mandatory properties. If mandatory properties are not enough (to uniquely identify an object), QuickTest adds some assistive properties (one at a time until a unique description is created).
If QTP is unsuccessful to identify an object uniquely with both mandatory and assistive properties it learns what is called ordinal identifier.
If QTP anyhow learns an ordinal identifier, it will use it during the run session and that too if the learned description (mandatory & assistive properties) and the Smart Identification mechanism are not enough to uniquely identify the object in your application. There is a drawback to ordinal identifier. Because ordinal property value is a relative value and is accurate only in relation to the other objects displayed when QuickTest learns an object, changes in the layout or composition of your application page or screen could cause this value to change, even though the object itself has not changed in any way.
When you run a test, QTP looks for the object that matches the description it learned (all the mandatory and/or assistive properties in the object repository). If failed QTP uses smart identification mechanism. If both the learned description and smart identification fails, QTP uses ordinal identifier.
In order to configure the mandatory, assistive, and ordinal identifier properties and to enable and configure the Smart Identification mechanism, you can use Object Identification dialog box (Tools > Object Identification).
Answer these 10 questions to see how much you know about QTP Object Properties.
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