Can we run tests from the command prompt without installing VS?

Hot Topic

Basic/Digest Authentication support in WebTest? (and NTLM...)
Installing TFS - Error 28002
Project Creation Wizard Extensibility
Problem with Saving Attachment in RC
Deleting a Team Project
'Related Work Items' Report Fails in VSTS Beta3 refresh
TestResults directory, external resources
SharePoint Portal Server
Database Operations
Best Possible Business scenario for source control?

VS Team System

Using XML files as Webtest DataSources
constant ASP.NET session IDs in load tests
I have install TFS in local system account, can I switch to AD account as user ?
Reporting Custom Test Results
Data Source Tablename Change
Foundation server Proxy
VB6 mssci provider
errors in load test ("Object reference not set to an instance of an object")
Using August CTP of VS2005 WebTest creation hangs.
Creating a workitem and assigning a user

Can we run tests from the command prompt without installing VS?

It's probably mentioned somewhere within the documentation, but here is my question: Visual Test (good, old...) had an option to compile tests into p-code, which then could be run on another machine without having to install the full-blown version of VS. This is quite useful for certain tests (and test deployment).

Can we do the same with the new MSTest.exe

Which files do we need to install on the machine where the tests are to be run

Thanks,

Burkhard

Answer this question

Can we run tests from the command prompt without installing VS?

  • double americano

    Hi Elizabeth,

    Were you able to figure out the right set of DLLs required for running it on a box with just the .NET 2.0 installed

    Thanks

    Guna



  • John Portnov

    But this means that you need to install the full blown IDE on every box that you want to test on ! Surely that's not the case-- it seems like mstest.exe plus a set of DLLs should be sufficient.

    I'm developing my tests on one machine using a full VS with the Team Suite but then the box I run the software on and on which I wish to run my test automation is a server box that I don't want to have to install Visual Studio on.

    Am I just out of luck


  • Need_Helpss

    Then what is the advantage to run tests from the command prompt

  • systech

    No, mstest.exe is only distributed in the VS sku. There is no public API to replace mstest.exe.

  • Bloke

    Unfortunately not :( I wound up installing Visual Studio Team Suite on our test machines (which really does NOT belong there). However, there's a minimal VS configuration that seems to work: you need to install the Test Tools and also check the checkbox for Visual C++ but you can uncheck all of the subcomponents of this. This will give you the right environment variables and some additional dlls that mstest seems to need.

    In order to run mstest.exe from the command line, you'll then need to run a batch script from the vc directory setting all the environment variables that Visual Studio generally needs to run.

    MSTest seems to have a lot of capability but it's WAY too bolted together with Visual Studio... this isn't how enterprise applications are tested (in the IDE). Oh well... back to building it all myself, I guess :)

  • Marty1066

    MSTest.exe is especially useful for automating test runs, to be started in batch files or other utilities. We also have a test list feature that you can use to execute a set of tests from the command line. So if you wanted to you could kick off a test run from the command line that ran 3 load tests, 20 web tests, and 500 unit tests.
  • Can we run tests from the command prompt without installing VS?
Answer this question