Robot framework installation and environment setup

Installation and Environment Setup

This post will help to set up Robot Framework and RIDE on windows.

Note: The installation of RobotFramework is being done using python and all other software’s installed should be of the same version as that of python

1. Install Python: Python must be installed on to the system. python2.7.1 installer can be downloaded from following link –
   
   https://www.python.org/download/releases/2.7.1/
   
   Once installed, the next step would be to install setup tools for Easy install.
   
2. Install easy_install: Download setuptools from following link –
   
   https://pypi.python.org/pypi/setuptools/0.6c11
   
   Note that the setup tools file is specific to the Python version installed. For eg., If the python installed is 2.7 version then the setup tools should also be of the same version as that of python.
   
3. Creation and Setting of Environment Variables: Create two environment variables
   
1. PYTHONHOME = <Directory>:\Python27
2. path =;%PYTHONHOME%;%PYTHONHOME%\Scripts
   
4. Verify python installation by executing the following command at command prompt.
   >> Run command - Python--version It will display the version of python installed onto the machine if the installation has been successful.
   
5. Open Command prompt and run the following commands:
1. easy_install pip
   Click ez_setup.py or get-pip if not able to install pip using easy_install
   
2. pip install robotframeworkfor installing RobotFramework.
   
3. pip install robotframework-ride
   for installing RIDE.
   
   Note: easy_install can also be used in place of pip
   
6. Install wxPython (Unicode):  Download and install wxPython2.8-win32-unicode-2.8.12.1-py27 file from following link –
   
   http://www.wxpython.org/download.php
   
7. Creation and Setting of Environment Variables:
   
   PYTHONPATH = <Directory>:\Python27\Lib; <Directory>:\Python27\Scripts; <Directory>:\Python27\Lib\site-packages; <Directory>:\Python27\Lib\site-packages\robotide\;<Directory>:\Python27\Lib\site-packages\robot\;<Directory>:\Python27\Lib\site-packages\wx-2.8-msw-unicode;
   Note- replace <Directory> from your installation directory path
   
8. Verify robotframework installation by executing the following command at command prompt.
   
1. pybot--versionIt will display the version of robot framework installed onto the machine if the installation has been successful.
2. ride.py
   Execute this command is to verify installation and it will start the RIDE.

Third Party Integration with Robot Framework

There are many different libraries to implement with Robot Framework. Some of these libraries are implicitly installed with Robot Framework installation like Built-in library while others need to be installed explicitly.

Integration with Selenium2Library

Selenium2Library is a web testing library for Robot Framework. It uses the Selenium 2 (WebDriver) libraries internally.

To installing Selenium2Library with Robot Framework requires following step.

Pre-Requsite: Python, Robot Framework and RIDE must be installed 

Open Command prompt and run the following command:

1. pip install robotframework-selenium2library
   Now edit the PYTHONPATH environment variable created above by adding the following path to it:
   
2. <Directory>:\Python27\Lib\site-packages\Selenium2Library;

Open ride.py and verify the Selenium installation by adding the library to the Project. That means add library as “Selenium2Library” at any place in the project hierarchy, for unsuccessful installation, it would mark the library into Red color like: Selenium2Library

Integration with AutoIT

AutoItLibrary is a Python keyword library that extends Robot Framework keywords based on the COM interface to AutoIt, a freeware tool for automating the Windows GUI.

Installing  AutoIt with Robot Framework requires the following steps.

Pre-Requsite: Python, RobotFramework and RIDE must be installed 

1. Download and install AutoIT setup from following link -
   
   https://code.google.com/p/robotframework-autoitlibrary/ 
   
2. Copy the package of AutoItLibrary-1.1 for RobotFramework from your download location and place it to “<Directory>:\Python27\Lib\site-packages”.
   
3. Download pywin module from the below link for the installed python version and run exe as Administrator.
   
   https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pywin32  
   
4. Open command prompt as administrator.
   
5. At command prompt Navigate to “<Directory>:\Python27\Lib\site-packages\AutoItLibrary-1.1” and run the following command
   
   python setup.py install
   
6. Open ride.py and verify the AutoIT installation by adding the library to the Project same as that of the Selenium2Library.