Frequently Asked Questions

You have questions and we have answers. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive. If you have a question that is not answered here, please refer to our other online support resources or contact us for assistance.

Q: Your licenses require a HostID, if I use my ethernet card will I still be able to use the software when working through AirPort?

A: Yes, as long as that ethernet card (which may be on your motherboard) remains part of your machine then your license will work regardless of which physical network interface you use to make network connections. If you ever replace the card (or switch machines) you can permanently transfer your license using our online support.

Q: What is the difference between an execution license and a node-locked license?

A: A node-locked license can be used to develop and execute test scripts using Egglant. An execution license cannot be used to develop test scripts using Eggplant. It can only be used to run scripts. For example, someone who is looking to run a test script at the same time as they are developing a new test script might have one node-locked license that they would use for development and one execution license that they would use to execute test scripts.

Q: Where can I download the latest version of Eggplant Functional Tester (FT)

A: The latest version of Eggplant FT can be found in the Downloads section of this website. You will need a valid support and maintenance contract for Eggplant version 4.x and may require a new license key to use this version. Holders of maintenance contracts for version 3.x of Eggplant do not receive Eggplant 4.0 for free. You will need to contact sales to discuss your upgrade options. For existing customers who have let their support and maintenance lapse, you will need to contact sales to arrange for renewal of your support and maintenance contract before you will be able to use this release. If you are not an existing customer, you will need to request a trial key before you will be able to use the software.

Q: If I purchased a copy of Eggplant before Functional Tester (FT) and Starter Edition (SE) were offered, for which edition of the product do I have a license?

A: For customers who purchased Eggplant before the introduction of Eggplant FT and Eggplant SE, their licenses are now Eggplant FT licenses.

Q: Do I have to have a Mac to run Eggplant?

A: Yes. Eggplant runs only on Mac OS X. However, the system-under-test (SUT) can be virtually any computer platform.

Q: Can the application that I want to test be on the same machine as Eggplant?

A: Yes! If you are running Mac OS X Tiger (10.4) you can create and run tests all on a single machine. Here is a step-by-step guide for setting it up: Eggplant: Single Machine Setup.

Q: Which system platforms can Eggplant test?

A: Since Eggplant interacts directly with the GUI through the use of widely available VNC software, Eggplant can test virtually ANY system. For dependable performance over typical networks, you will want a robust VNC server with network recovery capability. OSXvnc, RealVNC and TightVNC have all been verified as meeting these criteria. We maintain a list of supported VNC servers for major platforms.

Q: Do I need to modify my applications in order to test them with Eggplant?

A: Absolutely not! Eggplant only sees as much of your application as a user would see -- in this sense, Eggplant is a "virtual user." Eggplant requires no modifications of your application whatsoever.

Q: Does moving icons and windows around or changing the screen resolution break my scripts?

A: No. Eggplant does not rely on UI elements remaining in the same location but instead uses advanced searching algorithms to scan the screen of the other computer for the element you want to interact with. Changing the screen resolution just changes the number of screen pixels that are used to display each image pixel; the actual images normally do not change.

Q: Can I have multiple instances of Eggplant testing multiple SUTs?

A: Yes. You can put multiple Eggplant licenses on a single machine. Each of these instances can be connected to a different machine and running its own set of tests. Redstone Software, Inc. facilitates this set up by offering multi-instance licenses at substantial discounts.

Q: Can I run the same script against different operating systems?

A: Yes, assuming that the flow of your application is the same on different operating systems, you can run the same test scripts against them. You will need to capture a different set of images to use for each operating system. We recommend putting each set of images in its own suite and then adding the appropriate suite as a Helper suite before running your test.

Q: Is there a demo version of Eggplant available?

A: Yes. Click here to access the download page and request a trial license. Try it; we think you'll like it!

Q: Why is it called Eggplant?

A: The initial development effort had the internal code name "Operation Screaming Eggplant". We were due to release it with the product name of "Rosetta" but we encountered some ... (ahem) existing technology by that name. Since the development team liked the code name so much we went with the Mac OS X tradition and launched with our internal code name -- well, part of it anyway.