Open Test Framework  
OTL Editor

Table of Contents

For professional users it is much more efficient to create and edit OTX in a code editor, especially for big OTX projects. EMOTIVE has developed OTL - Open Test Language. OTL is a Java-like scripting language for the OTX. Designer and code editor synchronize continuously. This allows to seamlessly switch between the two ways of working. The code editor has powerful syntax highlighting and auto complete features.

Note: OTL stands for Open Test Language. OTL is not a new programming language it is the ASCII code representation of the OTX data model. In other words OTL is equal to OTX.

OTL Syntax

The OTL syntax is similar to Java and DotNet. The OTL syntax for each element in the OTX reference is defined at each element, for example see Branch.

Tip: If the syntax is unclear, create the element inside the OTX Designer designer and look at the result in OTL editor.

Note: See Literals for an overview about OTX literals in OTL.

Note: There are some keywords, which shall not be used for names, see OTL Keywords!

Note: Comments that are common in other programming languages correspond to the specification of a node in OTL, see NamedAndSpecified. Comments cannot therefore be used freely because they are always bound to a node. If a comment is still required that should not be bound to a specific node, an action without realisation EmptyAction can be used, see code example:

// This is my free comment
EmptyAction;

OTL Features

To open an OTX document in the OTL editor, you can right click on the document node (or a procedure node in that document) inside the Solution Explorer and select the View code (OTL) menu, or you can select the document node (or a procedure node in that document) and press F7 key.

The picture shows the different parts of the OTL code editor.

  • Document Information Block
    This section must be at the header of the document above the namespace code block. It displays information of the OTX document XML root node. It is not recommended to make changes with this section, excepts for the 'Version' which can be also edited in the properties window of the document.
  • Global element section
    This section must be within the namespace code block and above the procedure code blocks. It contains all global declarations.
  • Procedure (local) section
    This section must be within the namespace code block and under the global elements section. It contains all local declarations and the Flow of the Procedure.
  • Line Numbers
    With line numbers, you can trace your OTL code easily. Line numbers aren't added to your code; they're just for reference. To show or hide the line numbers, you can use the right click menu of the OTL editor and select the Show line numbers menu. You can also switch the current view of the editor to a particular line number with the right click menu Go to line or with the key shortcut CTRL + G.
  • Collapsable Code Block
    The OTL support users folding the code block to manage large amounts of code while viewing only those sections in needed time. If a block is unfolded, the folding toggle box '-' indicates the beginning of the region while the line extending below the square box indicates the extent of the code region, the line ends with an edge '∟' which marks the end of the block. For folded blocks, the toggle box is shown as '+' with the '...'. To collapse (hide) a code block, you can click on the box '-' at the beginning of that block. To expand (show) a collapse block, you can click on the box '+' or double clicking on the '...' of that block. You can also collapse or expand all the code blocks by using the right click menu of the OTL editor or using the key shortcuts: Collapse All: CTRL + SHIFT + E and expand all: CTRL + E.

Context menus

Below are the context menus and their descriptions according to their positions from top to bottom.

Context menu entry Keyboard shortcut Description
Rename CTRL + R Renames the current declaration (allows update all references) which right is at the cursor (before, after or contains the cursor).
Reformat document CTRL + N Deletes all the redundant spaces and resets the indentation in each line (NOTE: not deleting the empty lines).
Generate document new CTRL + SHIFT + N Reloads the OTL at the last valid OTL code.
New local variable CTRL + L Opens dialog to create new local variable and input the new variable at the cursor.
Copy CTRL + C Copies all the highlighted text (1) or the current line (if no text is highlighted) (2).
Cut CTRL + X Cuts all the highlighted text (1) or the current line (if no text is highlighted) (2).
Paste CTRL + V Pastes the copied/cut highlighted text (1) at the cursor or the copied/cut line (2) in a new line above the current line.![the line where the cursor is.](Tooltip.png
Show line numbers Displays the line numbers (checked) or not (unchecked).
Show Tabs and Spaces Displays all tabs and spaces to distinguish them.
Auto Word Wrap CTRL + SHIFT + Enter When activated, the portion of a long line that extends beyond the current width of the code editor window is displayed on the next line.
Comment CTRL + K Comments all the lines with highlighted text or the current line (if no text is highlighted).
Collapse all outlines CTRL + SHIFT + E Collapses all the collapsable blocks.
Expanse all outlines CTRL + E Expanses all the collapsable blocks.
Go to line CTRL + G Shows a dialog to input a particular number line to move view to.
Display Procedure in designer F7 Deletes the current row/column.
Toggle breakpoint F9 Toggles a breakpoint for the line on or off.
Go to definition F12 Go to the definition of the selected declaration.
Navigate backward CTRL + - Navigates backwards.
Navigate forward CTRL + SHIFT + - Navigates forwards.

OTL Keywords

The following case sensitive keywords are reserved inside OTL-Editor to express the language. They are not allowed for OTX names like declarations, procedures, signatures etc.

Note: This is a limitation of the toolset related to the OTX standard, because OTX allows such names. But there is a checker rule, which prevents the author from using such keywords. If an OTX document comes from another tool and it contains such keywords, it can be edited inside the designer normaly, but cannot be edited inside the OTL-Editor.

Note: It is recommended that names should be self-explained and declarations should have a number as suffix, like contextVariable1. This simple rules prevents the author from using keywords.

OTL Keywords (case sensitive)
accessType action as AssertThrows base
Boolean break catch category completedState
const ConstructorSignature contentType contextVariable continue
DeviceServiceSignature DeviceSignature do else EmptyAction
EmptyBranch EmptyExtensibleCompoundNode EmptyExtensibleEndNode EmptyGroup EmptyHandler
EmptyLoop EmptyMutexGroup EmptyParallel entry EnumerationSignature
EventSignature exit FailTest false finally
Float for foreach group id
if IgnoreTest implements import in
InconclusiveTest Infinity initialState Integer lane
lang List Map mutex namespace
NaN NULL out package parallel
parameter PassTest private procedure ProcedureCall
ProcedureSignature public realisation ref return
ScreenSignature ServiceProviderSignature ServiceSignature signature space
state stateMachine stateVariable String StructureSignature
target term terminateLanes throw ThrowExceptionOnAmbiguousCall
throws transition transitions trigger triggers
true try validFor validity while