Compatibility of Test Settings with Visual Studio 2010

Visual Studio 2012 includes some changes for test settings (.testsettings files) that were introduced in Visual Studio 2010. These changes are minor for Microsoft Test Manager and for web performance and load test types in Visual Studio Ultimate. However, for unit test and coded UI test types, the changes are more significant.

What’s changed in test settings?

The following table describes the compatibility differences and issues applicable to .testsettings files between Visual Studio 2010 and Visual Studio 2012.

Test Settings Compatibility

Test type

Compatibility

Unit test, Coded UI tests

In Visual Studio 2012, test settings are not included in your solution when a unit test project or coded UI test project is added. This is a result of the enhancements in the unit test framework to improve extensibility, resilience, and performance. However, you can open an existing Visual Studio 2010 test project with a .testsettings file and it will continue to run.

Additionally, you can add a .testsettings file to your solution if you need to collect specific data from a data and diagnostic adapter or run your test with test controllers; however this is not recommended unless necessary because you loose the performance and resilience in the new unit test framework. For more information, see How to: Add a Test Settings File from Microsoft Visual Studio.

If you do open a Visual Studio 2010 test project with a .testsettings file, or determine that you must add a .testsettings file to your solution, the procedures for selecting the active .testsettings file and editing have changed. For more information about these changes, see How to: Edit a Test Settings File from Microsoft Visual Studio and To set the active test settings in a unit test project or coded UI test project.

For more information about unit test and coded UI test compatibility with Visual Studio 2010, see Upgrading Unit Tests from Visual Studio 2010 and Upgrading Coded UI Tests from Visual Studio 2010.

Web performance and load tests

When you add a Web Performance and Load test project to your Visual Studio 2012 solution, the solution will still include a .testsettings file; however, the procedures for selecting the active .testsettings file and editing have changed. For more information, see How to: Edit a Test Settings File from Microsoft Visual Studio and To set the active test settings in a web performance a load test project.

For more information about web performance and load test compatibility with Visual Studio 2010, see Upgrading Web Performance and Load Tests from Visual Studio 2010.

Manual and automated (Microsoft Test Manager)

Tests settings for Microsoft Test Manager (MTM) remain independent from the test settings used for Visual Studio. As with Visual Studio 2010, MTM includes the ability to create and edit test settings for both manual test settings and automated test settings. For more information, see Create Test Settings for Manual Tests Using Microsoft Test Manger and Create Test Settings for Automated Tests Using Microsoft Test Manager.

The test settings for MTM remains mostly unchanged from Visual Studio 2010. However, the network emulation diagnostic data adapter has been removed.

See Also

Concepts

Upgrading Tests from Earlier Versions of Visual Studio