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Build error due to missing Class 'Pages' after Add code behinde

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answered on 08 Dec 2010, 10:53 PM

Hello Tom,

There's supposed to be a Pages.g.cs/vb file automatically created by WebUI. This file contains the definition of the Pages class that is used by all the code behind files. It is placed in the folder for your test project. You won't see it in Solution Explorer (unless you check Show All Files). When you perform a build WebUI is supposed to automatically add that file to the build steps to be compiled as part of the build process.

So something is going wrong in this process. Either the file isn't getting created as expected or it's not getting included in the build process.

First can you check to see if this file exists inside of your test project folder? If it does would you put your entire test project folder into a .zip file and attach it to a support ticket please. Once we receive it we'll analyze it to try and discover what's going wrong.

Kind regards,
Cody

the Telerik team

Interested in Agile Testing? Check out Telerik TV for a recording of Automated Testing in the Agile Environment

answered on 09 Dec 2010, 01:59 PM

Hi Tom,

I am glad you found a solution. However I must admit your solution still has be a little worried. We designed WebUI Test Studio such that you should not have to manually add the Pages.g.cs file to the project. There's supposed to be build commands automatically added to your .csproj file that causes the Pages.g.cs file to be automatically be regenerated and included in every build. But if this is working for you just fine I won't worry about it.

If you run into further problems let me know. I will most likely need a copy of your test project to analyse furuter problems with it.

Regards,
Cody
the Telerik team

Interested in Agile Testing? Check out Telerik TV for a recording of Automated Testing in the Agile Environment

answered on 27 Jan 2012, 10:04 AM

I'm experiencing pretty much the same problem. I have recorded a fairly simple test scenario and added two code steps. All is well within my own Visual Studio and the project can be successfully built and run. Mind you I have not added the Pages.g.cs to my project manually.

My problem now is when try to run the test on my teamcity build server. On the build server VS2010 and Test Studio Run-Time is installed. When the project is built by the teamcity "visual studio (sln)" runner, the project cannot be built due to the same error as the OP:

Error 3 The type or namespace name 'Pages' could not be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)

I've tried adding the Pages.g.cs to the project and checked it in in TFS. But then the teamcity build runner is moaning about the fact that the file Pages.g.cs is included twice in the project and fails to build again. Moreover I do agree on the previous statement that having to add the Pages.g.cs file manually to the project is not the way this should work. But the question remains how to fix this?

answered on 27 Jan 2012, 05:19 PM

Since I am categorizing builds in separating folders, test studio generates sub namespaces for my code behind files. Thats ok, I just included a "using" statement in my code behind to use the base namespace. Again all is well in VS but on VS it doesnt work. I was just checking the Page.g.cs file that is generated om my teamcity build server and the file is pretty much empty! It only contains the following:

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

// <auto-generated>

// This code was generated by a tool.

// Runtime Version:4.0.30319.1

//

// Changes to this file may cause incorrect behavior and will be lost if

// the code is regenerated.

// </auto-generated>

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

answered on 27 Jan 2012, 11:15 PM

TestStudioProject2.zip

Hello,

Thank you for the log. It shows me that there's something wrong with detecting the tests that need to be parsed. Notice these lines from your log:

Loaded assemblies:

Assembly: ArtOfTest.WebAii, Version=2011.2.1305.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=4fd5f65be123776c

Assembly: Telerik.WebAii.Controls.Html, Version=2011.2.1305.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=528163f3e645de45

Assembly: Telerik.WebAii.Controls.Xaml, Version=2011.2.1305.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=528163f3e645de45

Assembly: Telerik.WebAii.Controls.Xaml.Wpf, Version=2011.2.1305.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=528163f3e645de45

Assembly: Telerik.WebAii.Design.Translators.Html, Version=2011.2.1305.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=528163f3e645de45

Assembly: Telerik.WebAii.Design.Translators.Xaml, Version=2011.2.1305.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=528163f3e645de45

Loading project into memory

Found 0 tests

Specifically "Found 0 tests" is not normal. Can you inspect the actual files that are present in the build folder of your TeamCity server? Are all the files present? Are the test files there? I've attached a log file from a successful TFS build for comparison. The aut-generation of Pages.g.cs happens between:

InitFunction: Telerik.TestStudio.Tasks.GenerateElementsTask.Execute()

and

EndFunction: Telerik.TestStudio.Tasks.GenerateElementsTask.Execute()

Regards,
Cody
the Telerik team

Check out Telerik Trainer, the state of the art learning tool for Telerik products.

answered on 31 Jan 2012, 05:17 PM

Settings.zip

Hi,

It appears the problem is due to a missing settings.aiis file. I was able to reproduce the problem, noticed this file was missing, then created a new settings.aiis file for the project and now the problem no longer repros.

I have attached a settings.aiis file you can use. You can also recreate one yourself by simply opening the project in Test Studio (instead of Visual Studio). Test Studio automatically recreates the required settings.aiis file if it's missing.

Greetings,
Cody
the Telerik team

Check out Telerik Trainer, the state of the art learning tool for Telerik products.

answered on 13 Mar 2013, 03:01 PM

Thought I'd add my 2 cents also since I've recently had this issue yet again! And I've now upgraded to TTS v. 2012.2.1420.0 and the problem popped up again!

I recorded a quick little script via the Visual Studio plugin. I then, still within the plugin converted all of the steps to code. As is always the case, there are 2 references that don't get added to the project, nunit.core and nunit.framework...so I have to go hunt those down and add them to the project. When I try to compile VS complains of "the type of namespace name 'Pages' could not be found...".

Via Visual Studio, engaging Show All files does nothing for me. There is no Pages.g.cs file anywhere in the project. Via my file explorer I can't locate a Pages.g.cs file anywhere in the project. Nice! Not.

I then have to fire up Telerik's Test Studio (good thing I actually do have it huh?) and open the folder/project that has the solution. You have to open the folder that is immediate parent of the Settings.aiis file (same location as *.tstest file). Now within TTS I am never able to run/compile/execute the script. TTS complains about not being able to compile and if you look at the accompanying log file, the issue seems to be NUnit issues (odd since I had to manually add them to the project...but, whatever). However! The Pages.g.cs class file is now there...and you can then go back to Visual Studio and include it in your project so that you can then compile it within Visual Studio.

Annoying but I hope that helps someone. Imagine if you didn't have TTS on your box!

answered on 15 Mar 2013, 09:27 PM

Hi Humberto,

I have a few questions about your steps:

there are 2 references that don't get added to the project, nunit.core and nunit.framework

Yes this is expected. Since we don't know where you installed NUnit we don't know where to go find them to add the necessary references.

When I try to compile VS complains of "the type of namespace name 'Pages' could not be found...".

How did you convert the test to code? Did you use our "Convert all steps to code" feature? It sounds like you did. Did you keep the generated file with the original Visual Studio test project where your original web tests came from?

I ask all these questions because it's important to understand where the Pages class comes from and how it's generated. When you create a Test Project from the Telerik menu in Visual Studio we will add a special Import statement to the .csproj/.vbproj file. Here's an example from a .csproj file:

<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\Telerik\WebUITestStudio\Telerik.WebUITestStudio.targets" />

I agree it's not obvious but the net effect of this is that Visual Studio will automatically include the Pages.g.cs file during every compile. This file is where the required Pages class is defined. So as long as you keep your generated NUnit test code file with the same test project, you should have no problems. Also, it's important to understand that our plug-in automatically generates this file based on the current contents of the Elements Explorer pane. We regenerate this Pages.g.cs file very frequently so that it's always fresh and current.

I then have to fire up Telerik's Test Studio (good thing I actually do have it huh?)

Just an observation here... if you weren't using Test Studio, then you wouldn't be using our generated code which wants to refer to our Pages class in the first place. The only time you're going to run into a problem is if you manually move the generated test file into a new project that is missing the Pages.g.cs file. You should have no problem copying this file out of your Test Studio test project folder into your new non-Test Studio related test project and using it. Pages.g.cs should always exist and always be the most current version since we do so often regenerate that file when our plug-in is active.

I tried following your steps to reproduce this "the type of namespace name 'Pages' could not be found..." problem you describe. Here were my steps:
1) I created a Test Studio test project using the Telerik menu in Visual Studio.
2) I recorded a few steps in the newly created web test.
3) I converted the test into a NUnit coded unit test.
4) I added the 2 required NUnit references.
5) I compiled my project with the new code file
6) Compile was successful

What did I do differently?

Regards,
Cody
the Telerik team

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answered on 15 Mar 2013, 11:03 PM

Hi Cody,

Thank you for chiming in. I appreciate the extra details. I wish this knowledge was documented somehwere else besides a forum...searching forums is very time consuming and time is something we're all short on. Thank you.

As for thaving to add the 2 references, I understand your point. It's valid. What is not valid is that this isn't..or wasn't a year ago...written down somewhere or clearly noted.

My expectation at the time, a year ago when I first started using TTS, was that once I converted a TTS project to code (all of it, not just a step) that it would just work. That I would just execute the DLL file via NUnit and it would "magically" work. Not the case. But now I know.

I've done this "conver the whole project to code" various times...via TTS or via the Plugin. And the automatically generated Pages.g.cs file is always left exactly where it was automatically created. I've never moved it anywhere else. I'll simply open it and modify it...or I used to just modify it w/o having to worry about having to regenerate it. I thought if I generated it once...then I'll never have to generate it again. At this point, I would no longer return to either TTS or the Plugin. I'd keep working in "hand roll your own code mode". No more recording. Perhaps that was my mistake.

Also, I used to think that one could use the Plugin without having TTS? Is that not true?

I am less interested in record and play functionality and more in writing up my own code. Or is possible to "record" a selecting a collection of UI elements, menus for example, and then iterating over each menu and performing a click on it?

As for your steps...everything looks right. The Pages.g.cs file was there? Correctly generated? Was it includedin your Project or did you have to Right-click on it within VS Solution Explorer and include it into the Project?

My initial gripe was, "why does it keep saying Pages.g.cs has been modified outside of the editor..." when I know that is CLEARLY not the case. And the video solution to "just close the Pages.g.cs file" was laughable. I'm sorry but it was. Kind of like going to the Doctor and telling him/her, it hurts when I do this and he/she says, well the cure is don't do that. Really? For over 1K and that's what I get?

Within Visual Studio...did you try having both the Pages.g.cs and say the *.tstest file, or maybe it's code behind file. I kept getting prompted that the Pages.g.cs file was modified in an outside editor. So I took that to mean outside of Visual Studio...yet I did not have it open anywhere. And it's this behavior that I was saying was not in the older versions of TTS or it's respective VS plugin.

answered on 21 Mar 2013, 08:03 PM

Hi Humberto,

I wish this knowledge was documented somehwere else besides a forum

We are constantly working on improving our documentation. Thank you for the feedback. I'll get this on our technical writers TODO list.

At this point, I would no longer return to either TTS or the Plugin. I'd keep working in "hand roll your own code mode". No more recording. Perhaps that was my mistake.

If you prefer to always convert your tests to NUnit coded unit tests that's fine too. It's just important to maintain the code that uses our Pages class, or remove it all together. When we generate code, we'll generate something like this:

Actions.SetText(Pages.AutomatedTestingGoogle.GbqfqText, "automated testing");

What's really important to note here is that "Pages.AutomatedTestingGoogle.GbqfqText" references a specific element on the current page AND it's using our Pages class from the generated Pages.g.cs file.

Even if you don't reference any elements using our Pages class our generated code includes this which also refers to our Pages class:

private Pages _pages;

public Pages Pages

{

get

{

if (_pages == null)

{

_pages = new Pages(Manager.Current);

}

return _pages;

}

If you desire to break your dependency on our Pages class you need to remove/change any element references and remove the above section of code from the code our plug-in generates.

Also, I used to think that one could use the Plugin without having TTS? Is that not true?

Telerik Test Studio comes in three flavors:
Full edition - This includes our standalone IDE and the VS Plug-in
Test Studio Express - This flavor has been discontinued. It was the VS Plug-in only.
Run-Time edition - A trimmed down version of Test Studio. Includes only our services and command line tools. Intended to be used to create Telerik scheduling server, execution server, load controller, load agent, or installed on build servers.

Bottom line if you have installed our plug-in, by definition you have installed Telerik Test Studio.

Or is possible to "record" a selecting a collection of UI elements...

For those that want to you can use Add to Project Elements from our Elements Menu. It's somewhat tedious because you have to add each element of interest one element at a time. The advantage is that the element you have selected is added to our Elements Repository, which is then used to generate our Pages class which you can then use in your code.

...Correctly generated? Was it included in your Project or did you have to Right-click on it within VS Solution Explorer and include it into the Project?

Yes, yes and no (it was not explicity included in my VS project). Because I used the already customized .csproj file, Visual Studio knew to include it during the compile phase of the build. I would expect to have problems if I manually created an ordinary VS test project that didn't include our customization (the Import line I previously explained).

My initial gripe was, "why does it keep saying Pages.g.cs has been modified outside of the editor..." when I know that is CLEARLY not the case. And the video solution to "just close the Pages.g.cs file" was laughable. I'm sorry but it was.

On that point I do agree with you. We are needlessly regenerating this file too often i.e. we're too aggressive on when/how often it needs to be regenerated. We have this open bug report on this behavior and it is actively being worked on by our development team.

All the best,
Cody
the Telerik team

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answered on 21 Mar 2013, 09:02 PM

Hello Cody,

First of all Thank you. I am grateful for the candor and the details you've provided. And Yes I understand everything you've said.

To summarize:

The Pages.g.cs file constantly being regenerated is a defect in TTS/Plugin for version 2012.2.1420.0?

Unlike what Plamen said, to a certain extent, I was able to go back to TTS 2011.2.1117.0 and confirm that the "incessant annoyance about the file having bee modified" is not present there.

Yes I had to do some serious hacks of both the .tstest file and the .csproj file that I can remember to get the "2012 generated script" to load up in Visual Studio 2010, after I'd reverted back to the 2011 version. So at this point I'd consider that script to be trash. And even after that, it wouldn't compile.

Turns out in the 2011 version the generated-via-recorded code to set a value of a Text field as something like this:
Pages.LoginPage.UserNameEntryField.Text = "justSomeUser";

whereas for 2012 TTS it is now like this:
Actions.SetText(Pages.LoginPage.UserNameEntryField, "herodriguez")

so yeah, there are differences in the way things were done/coded, etc.

I will definitely look at the suggestions (Elements Repository) you've provided Cody. I'm grateful.

Is there any documentation you can point me to so that I can understand the WebAii framework better? Aside from the API very dry and uninformative documentation. Forum? Examples?

I am trying to achieve the following and I can't do it recording...not with the flexiblity I want.

Algorithm:

For every menuSubItem in each MenuItem In the MainMenu
--click on the menuSubItem and check that the page loaded fine

the number of menuSubItems and the number of MenuItems is different depending on which userAccount we use to log in

Also, another thing I noticed when using the 2011 version...have not confirmed it in 2012. When recording, if I click on a hyperlink that takes me to another page...the recorded step is a navigateToPage event...but I don't want it to be a NavigateTo. I tried forcing it to record a LeftMouseClick but then I would play the script back...it wouldn't work. It was as if there was no mouseClick event fired.

How do I do that? When a user performs these same actions, he/she is not thinking "now I want to navigate here and then there etc." he/she is saying Click here...click on the link...and the Browser translates that to a Navigate to page occurrence. I am trying to authentic to simulating a user, an actual Person, as possible.

Thanks again Cody.

answered on 26 Mar 2013, 07:36 PM

Hi Humberto,

The Pages.g.cs file constantly being regenerated is a defect in TTS/Plugin for version 2012.2.1420.0?

I agree it is a defect in that build and we are working on fixing it. The fix should be included in our next release, scheduled for May.

Is there any documentation you can point me to so that I can understand the WebAii framework better? Aside from the API very dry and uninformative documentation. Forum? Examples?

The best place to start is here:
http://www.telerik.com/automated-testing-tools/support/documentation/user-guide/write-tests-in-code/intermediate-topics.aspx

Then we have a number of code samples online:
http://www.telerik.com/automated-testing-tools/support/documentation/user-guide/code-samples/general.aspx

It sounds like you have already looked through our API:
http://www.telerik.com/automated-testing-tools/support/documentation/online-api-reference/index.html
Agreed the API reference is pretty simple and not informative how it should be used. It's meant to be a programmers reference guide for someone that already knows how to use it. Also we are actively working on improving that documentation with more embedded samples and cross references. It's a large API that always in flux as we improve Test Studio, so it's challenging to keep up with.

For every menuSubItem in each MenuItem In the MainMenu
--click on the menuSubItem and check that the page loaded fine

I think I just answered this in another forum thread you posted this same problem on. Let's continue this specific discussion on that forum thread for continuity.

if I click on a hyperlink that takes me to another page...the recorded step is a navigateToPage event...but I don't want it to be a NavigateTo.

This depends on what sort of control is being used in the menu. If it's a Telerik RadMenuItem control then yes we automatically record that control specifically as a "RadMenu Navigate To" step. We do this deliberately because in most cases a Navigate is faster and more reliable than finding and clicking on some element contained in the menu. You can actually disable this behavior by disabling the RadMenu translator. That will prevent Test Studio from recognizing the RadMenu and will record it as a click on an Anchor element instead.

Kind regards,
Cody
the Telerik team

Quickly become an expert in Test Studio, check out our new training sessions!
Test Studio Trainings

answered on 27 Mar 2013, 05:17 PM

Cody, thank you for the good news. But for now I'll stay with the 2011 version. I liked that one better. I could modify the Pages class and I'm pretty sure it would stay that way, regardless of how many times I opened up that project in VS and compiled it. I'll test that out for sure, but if so, I could just create my own equivalent of the Pages class, call it say MyApplicationPages class or whatever...so I can keep my own code from being overwritten.

You describe a workflow which I don't ready do. Once I convert a test over to all code I don't ever go back and then try to re-record with/on it. I don't open it up in TTS again.

Thank you for the turning off the RADMenu translator suggestion. I'll have a look and try recording another script. The main problem I having to my user mouse clicks being recorded as navigateToPage URLs is that our URLs have a "hardcoded" Year value in them...which means that for the last 9 years I'd have to have 9 different pages in the Pages class! And the only difference is a calendar year. I would prefer to have a click on link/pull down menu and that's it. The browser itself then just does what it does, i.e. go the page, without having to trigger a NavigateTo (url) method in the GUI test.

So, again, thanks Cody. I'll be in touch :)

Kind Regards,

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Build error due to missing Class 'Pages' after Add code behinde

28 Answers, 1 is accepted