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127 changes: 127 additions & 0 deletions docs/custom-helpers.md
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# Custom Helpers

<div class="bs-callout bs-callout-warning" markdown="1">
Due to complexity, you should only write new Custom Helpers as a last resort after trying to implement your test using built-in actions.
</div>

Custom Helpers allow test writers to write custom test actions to solve for advanced requirements beyond what MFTF offers out of the box.

In MFTF version 3.0.0, we removed the following test actions:

* `<executeInSelenium>`
* `<performOn>`

These actions were removed because they allowed custom PHP code to be written inline inside of XML files. This code was difficult to read. It had no proper syntax highlighting and no linting. It was difficult to maintain, troubleshoot, and modify.

However, sometimes custom logic beyond what MFTF offers is necessary so we have provided an alternative solution: the `<helper>` action.

## Example

Custom Helpers are implemented in PHP files that must be placed in this directory:
```
<ModuleName>/Test/Mftf/Helper
```

Let's take a look at one. This Custom Helper selects text on the page by this approach:

1. Move to a very specific X,Y starting position
2. Click and hold the mouse button down
3. Move to another specific X,Y position
4. Release the mouse button

This functionality is used to select text on the page and cannot be accomplished using built-in test actions.

### PHP File

```php
<?php
/**
* Copyright © Magento, Inc. All rights reserved.
* See COPYING.txt for license details.
*/

namespace Magento\PageBuilder\Test\Mftf\Helper;

use Magento\FunctionalTestingFramework\Helper\Helper;

/**
* Class SelectText provides an ability to select needed text.
*/
class SelectText extends Helper
{
/**
* Select needed text.
*
* @param string $context
* @param int $startX
* @param int $startY
* @param int $endX
* @param int $endY
* @return void
*/
public function selectText(string $context, int $startX, int $startY, int $endX, int $endY)
{
try {
/** @var \Magento\FunctionalTestingFramework\Module\MagentoWebDriver $webDriver */
$webDriver = $this->getModule('\Magento\FunctionalTestingFramework\Module\MagentoWebDriver');

$contextElement = $webDriver->webDriver->findElement(\Facebook\WebDriver\WebDriverBy::xpath($context));
$actions = new \Facebook\WebDriver\Interactions\WebDriverActions($webDriver->webDriver);
$actions->moveToElement($contextElement, $startX, $startY)
->clickAndHold()
->moveToElement($contextElement, $endX, $endY)
->release()
->perform();
} catch (\Exception $e) {
$this->fail($e->getMessage());
}
}
}
```

### Notes About The PHP File

The following details are important about the file above:
1. The `namespace` must match the file location like `namespace Magento\PageBuilder\Test\Mftf\Helper;`
2. The class must `extends Helper` and have the corresponding `use` statement to match
3. You can get access to the WebDriver object via `$this->getModule('\Magento\FunctionalTestingFramework\Module\MagentoWebDriver')`
4. You can implement multiple related methods in the same class.
5. Specify the correct function argument types to match the types of the values you want to pass in. In this case we specified `string $context, int $startX, int $startY, int $endX, int $endY` so in the XML we will match these types.

You should follow the same patterns in any Custom Helpers that you write yourself. But you can implement any logic or iteration that you need to solve for your use case.

### Referencing In A Test

Once you have implemented something like the above PHP file. You can then reference it in a test like this:

```xml
<helper class="\Magento\PageBuilder\Test\Mftf\Helper\SelectText" method="selectText" stepKey="selectHeadingTextInTinyMCE">
<argument name="context">//div[contains(@class, 'inline-wysiwyg')]//h2</argument>
<argument name="startX">{{TinyMCEPartialHeadingSelection.startX}}</argument>
<argument name="startY">{{TinyMCEPartialHeadingSelection.startY}}</argument>
<argument name="endX">{{TinyMCEPartialHeadingSelection.endX}}</argument>
<argument name="endY">{{TinyMCEPartialHeadingSelection.endY}}</argument>
</helper>
```

### Notes About The XML

1. Specify an argument value for every argument that matches our PHP implementation. This allows us to pass other test data to the Custom Helper.
2. The `class` attribute matches the namespace we specified in the PHP file
3. You can specify the method from the class via the `method` attribute
4. If the function has a return value, it will be assigned to the stepKey variable. In this case `$selectHeadingTextInTinyMCE` would hold the return value.
5. The types of argument values must match the PHP implementation's expected types.

## Key Takeaways

Custom Helpers allow you to solve for complex use cases such as conditional logic, iteration, or complex WebDriver usage.

With access to the WebDriver object, you have a lot of flexibility available to you. See the [Codeception WebDriver](https://github.com/Codeception/module-webdriver/blob/master/src/Codeception/Module/WebDriver.php) for technical details and functionality available for use.

A Custom Helper is written in a PHP file and then referenced in test XML like other actions.

Due to complexity, you should only use these as a last resort after trying to implement your test using built-in actions.
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This part is pretty important, I think we should include a when to use/when to NOT use at the top to highlight it.

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I added a warning block to the top of the page.


## References

[Codeception WebDriver source code](https://github.com/Codeception/module-webdriver/blob/master/src/Codeception/Module/WebDriver.php) - Reference for using the WebDriver Object