Support for different runtimes

The Robot Framework not only works on the native python (CPython/pypy installations ), but also supports Java and .NET based runtimes in the form of Jython and ironpython respectively. While there are some features that are exclusive to native Python-or Jython-based Robot Framework installations, most of the functionality is equivalent on all the runtimes. As people might have different OS and application software a stack setup according to their needs or desires, so they can integrate this tool in their existing runtime without requiring a separate runtime.

Based upon the installer environment used, the Robot Framework will create appropriate startup and post-processing scripts:

Environment	Startup command	Post-processing command
Python	pybot	rebot
Jython	jybot	jyrebot
Iron Python	ipybot	ipyrebot

In addition to these commands used in starting the execution, the Robot Framework can directly be started through the robot.run module itself if the standard Robot Framework is installed. This can also be used instead of the standard commands as the commands also call the module internally. The module can be called if the Python command in use is the one that has the Robot Framework installed:

python -m robot.run
jython .../run.py
ipy -m robot.run

This is handy if the Robot Framework is called by some the Python script. Instead of executing the scripts separately, you can call the framework from inside the same program easily.

The post processing command is useful to recreate test executions in the long run. After the test has been executed, you can save the XML file generated as output without saving any other file. To recreate the report and log files again in future, the rebot command can be used which takes the XML file as an argument and results in the generation of the log and report files without recalling or running the actual tests again.

Command details

The Pybot command provides the following major options:

Options	Description
-N --name <name>	Sets the name of topmost test suite in the test hierarchy—thereby effectively customizes those areas.
-D --doc <documentation>	Sets the documentation of the top level test suite.
-M --metadata [name:value]	Sets the metadata of the top level test suite.
-G --settag <tagname>	Sets the given tag to all executed test cases.
-t --test name	Selects the test cases available by performing a pattern match against them.
-s --suite name	Selects the specified test suite by its name and also allows for the test reports to have the desired name instead of the name picked up by file/folder name.
-i --include tag	Selects a test for execution on the basis of its tag name.
-e --exclude tag	Opposite of include tag.
-R --runfailed output	Selected failed tests of earlier test runs have another goal.
-c --critical tag	Tests having this tag are considered critical (default for all tests).
-n --noncritical tag	Tests having this tag are overridden to be of non-critical type.
-v --variable name:value	Set variables in tests, only scalar variables(${}) are supported.
-V --variablefile path	Specify explicitly the file that contains variables.
-d --output dir	Specify the desired directory where resultant files are placed.
-o --output file	The generated XML output file.
-l --log file	The generated HTML log file.
-r --report file	The generated HTML log file.
-x --xunit file	xUnit compatible result file (not created by default).
-b --debugginge rake	Debug file written during the execution(not created by default).
-T --timestampoutputs	Adds timestamp and provides a custom title to all output files.
-L --Loglevel	Threshold level for logging and logging and test order customization.
-W --monitorwidth	Specify the width of monitor output.
-C --monitotcolors	Specify whether to use color on console or not.
-K --monitormarkers	Specify test success on console for each test that passes.
-P --pythonpath path	Additional locations to search test libraries from.
-E -escape what	Specify escape characters in console with common representation.
-A --argumentfile path	Specify a text file to read more arguments in tests.
-h -? --help	Prints detailed help for the command.
--version	Prints the version of the installed Robot Framework.