Documentation

RealTestData is the only test data generator which produces simulated but real world test data, which can be used for testing purposes.
RealTestData can create names, addresses, emails, Passport numbers, passwords, Credit card numbers, IBANs and any other kind of data.
RealTestData is a licensed platform. Apart from the trial version you must buy the full usage license.

License

A license is granted for a maximum of one year from purchase and can be extented anytime.

Trial License

A trial license is granted anytime, usually for 14 days from the requested day. Please drop a message to get a trial license.

1. Foreword

Why you need testing data?

80% of all data used for testing purposes today is a copy of production data. This leads to several problems. Imagine testing a bank application. Testers can see the transactions of the bank customers and would be able to use this data in production and transfer money on behalf of the customers. This is an absolute no-go. So you need simulated data but they should be as real as possible. This is when Real Test Data comes into play.

Why Real Test Data?

Real Test Data is the only solution on the market creating real world data but still simulated and random. Names and addresses are not real but simulated very well. Address in Town does exist, even the ZIP is real in the town chosen, but all other data could exist but are random. The data Real Test Data produces passes all tests to be real world data. You need test data for entering Passport ID or IBANs? RealTestData gives you all the data you need and they will pass real world tests. You need valid addresses which pass all tests? RealTestData gives you all the data you need. You need valid credit card numbers? RealTestData gives you all the data you need.

Why now?

Testing on a copy of production data is a problem for GDPR and other scenarios. So stop using production data and start with RealTestData. It is GDPR compliant and opens you new possibilities for all kinds of testing. RealTestData created test data look and feel realistic and pass all the important tests which are in the product to be tested. You need 10000 entries with names and addresses for a comprehensive load test? Where to get all the data? RealTestData gives you all you need for any of the supported countries you need. You need to prove 10000 different passwords whether they pass the password criteria? RealTestData gives you as many as you want.

Our RealTestData platform creates real world simulated test data for real world scenarios. It uses different very specific tables using data from all over the world, randomizes the data and puts simulated test data together. All of this gives you unique test data which are never repeated. Several billions of test data are possible without any repeating.

2. Trial Version

We offer you the possibility to test the power of RealTestData by using our Trial Version.

The trial version supports 5 out of 41 available countries (Germany, US, UK, France, Czech Republic) and is limited to 20 different entries per Name, Address, Town, and others. Nevertheless you can see the power of our platform creating umlimited data.

Download Trial.

3. Documentation

RealTestData consists of 2 different executables:

1. RealTestData_CLI
2. RealTestData_Windows_GUI

If you run on Windows, you can use RealTestData_Windows_GUI as this is the GUI version of the RealTestData platform, which makes configuration easier.
On Linux and MacOS you have only RealTestData_CLI available.

RealTestData is cross-platform. There is a Windows Desktop version (RealTestData_Windows_GUI) and a CLI version (RealTestData_CLI) for Windows, Linux and MacOS. In order to run the programs on Windows, Linux or Mac you need .Net8 runtime installed. Here is the download link for .Net8 if you don´t have it already installed: DOTNET8 Download

For Windows, Linux and Mac install the runtime for .Net8: .NET Runtime 8.0.8 For Windows Desktop (you need it in order to run RealTestData_Windows_GUI) install additionally .NET Desktop Runtime 8.0.8

RealTestData_CLI

This is the main CLI program for generating data, changing the configuration file and initializing RealTesDate. The configuration file is in your Documents directory. It is a text file, so you can alter it directly or by using this program on Windows, Linux and Mac. On Windows it is more convenient to use RealTestData_Windows_GUI as you have a GUI for configuring the output data. In RealTestData_GUI you have the same options for changing the configuration. Every option can be configured.

Main Configuration menu

1 - Output Language - Change the output language. This is important for fields like salutation. The output is then in the language selected.
2 - Countries to use - Set the output country. IN th trial you can add DE, US, UK, FR and CZ. Generate creates than data specific to these countries.
3 - Number of Output Rows - Specify how many rows of data you want to create. Recommendation is 100 or more to have enough data for testing.
4 - Output Columns - Which columns should be used for output.
5 - Output Format - Choose the output format: CSV, XML, JSON, SQL, XLSX
6 - Output Configuration - Configure the output like Line Feed etc. 7 - Output Path and Names - Configure the output files (like realtestdata.csv)
8 - Additional Data - Configure additional data like email, birthday and how “SpecialNumber” should look like. “SpecialNumber” is a configurable field which can be used
9 - Composite Field - A composite field can be used to combine 2 or more fields and you configure this setting here
A - Show Available Countries - Show available countries to use in 2.
B - Renaming Columns - Rename your output columns in all available languagees.

Configure
R - Read Config File - Read the configuration file again (it is automatically loaded when you execute this program).
T - Read Template Files - Submenu for working with template. Templates allows you to set many option in one task.
S - Show Config Data - Show all configuration data
W - Write Config File - Write configuration file in Documents\RealTestData.config

RealTestData
I - Init - Init RealTestData to have the correct input and output path and initialize the license when necessary G - Generate - Check whether license is valid
C - Check License - Check whether license is valid
L - Change Language - Change the language in which these configuration options are presented. (German, English, French, Czech)
E - End - Close the program

Init

When using the CLI version of RealTestData this is the first option you should choose after finishing the installer and executing RealTestData_CLI.
Additionaly if you have a licence file, we will read and store the license. When no license file is found you will be asked for a license key. You can enter the license key also in the windows executable as it forces you to enter one, when no license key and no license file is found.

When you get a license file via eMail copy this RealTestData.lic file in your RealTestData installation directory.

For Windows users it is simpler to use RealTestData_Windows_GUI and choose “Configuration / Init”.

Generate

This option generates the data for you according to the configuration. When executing RealTestData_CLI and choosing “Generate”, RealTestData generates automatically the data and stores the CSV, JSON, XML, SQL or XLSX file in your Documents directory.

When you run under Windows and use the Windows GUI you have much better possibilities to handle the template than here.

Template file menu

All template files are in the Documents directory and have specific names, don´t change the names.

Available possibilities:

1 - Load Output CSV - Load standard CSV output: CRLF, Semicolon, no quotes
2 - Load Output JSON - JSON Array, output empty fields
3 - Load Output XML - Name of XML root and record
4 - Load Output SQL - create table and table name
5 - Load Columns Name only - Use Salutation, Forename and Lastname
6 - Load Columns Name + Address - Use Salutation, Forename, Lastname, Street, Zip, Town
7 - Load Columns Name + Address + Email + Social Media - use additionally email and Social Media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X, Telegram)
8 - Load Columns Extended Data: Passport, IBAN, Password, Any Number - use all above and additionally Passport number, IBAN, Password and any number
9 - Load Columns All - use all available Columns (37 Columns)
C - Add Company - Add company column to the above
N - Add Sequential Number - Add a sequential number
S - Show Configuration - show the configuration data from coonfig file
E - End - Close the template menu

RealTestData_Windows

This is the main program for configuration and generation of test data when using Windows OS. On Linux and Mac please read this documentation about RealTestData_Configure and RealTestData_Generate.

RealTestData_Windows offers you all possibility to adjust your configuration prior to test data generation. On the main screen you can specify, where the testdata files are stored: “Input Path” and where the generated testdata will be written (“Output Path”, “Log File”, “Result File” and “Output Format”). On the right side you can specify the extensions and their naming conventions.

With “Output Language” you can configure in which language you will see generated fields like (“Saluation”, “Marital Status”, etc.).

“Number of Records” is used to specify the number of generated testdata rows.

“Output Countries” allows you to specify the countries for which the testdata will be generated. You can choose only one country, usually the standard, but when you need multinational data like addresses from different countries, you can choose as many as you want (up to 5 in the trial version, all 41 in the licensed version).

The buttons “Load”, “Save”, “Template” and “Generate” does the same as the same names in the “Configuration” menu.

Load the configuration file
Save the configuration file after changes
Templates Load, Add, Edit, Delete and Save template files with specific configurations
Generate the testdata according your configuration

TAB: CSV/JSON/XML/SQL

Choose the options for a CSV output.

Delimiter: Semicolon, Coma, Tab
Quotes: Yes or No
Linebreak: LF, CR or CRLF (Windows standard)

Choose the options for a JSON output.

Output as JSON Array
Output empty fields

Choose the options for a XML output.

Root name of the dataset
Name of the record

Choose the options for a SQL output.

Create table (will be at the beginning of the file)
Table name

TAB: Password

Choose the options for a generated password.

Minimum and maximum password length
Allowed chars in the password: Lower, Upper, Digits, Special Chars

TAB: Extra

All other configuration options can be found on this Tab

String/Number format: What should the string contain: Birthday, Part of Forename and Lastname, Lower, Upper letters, Numbers, mix of all, VAT or PERSID
Minimum and maximum age for birthday
Starting number of the sequential number
Percentages for Fantasy emails, GMail, Faked credit card
Working day count from today x working days forward. Our database contains public holidays from many countries, so this date is very accurate
Should IBAN have spaces for better readability
What kind of emails are allowed: Personal, University, Company

TAB: Columns

What columns do you want to generate for every output row? Up to 40 different columns are available. Please study the documentation for the available columns: DOCUMENTATION.

You can either specity the letters resonsible for the different columns or select the columns from the available columns.

With composite fields you can combine more fields to one. Mark all fields you want to combine in the selected field list and hit CF1 or CF2. The result is then available in the hints for CF1 and CF2.

Example

Salutation Forename Lastname Adress Zip Town

TAB: Column Names I and II

You can rename the column headings in all 4 Languages. In order to do this, please select a language first and then start renaming. When the field is empty, the default names will be used. The column names are in two different tabs.

TAB: Negative Testcases

RealTestData can also generate testdata for negative testcases. When you check “Negative Testcase” for one column, the length of the column will exceed the maximum length of the column. This will be achieved by adding additional words in the field until the column is too long. This is possible for any column specified in the list.

Menu functions

The RealTestData Windows GUI has a menu with a few important topics.

Configuration Init
This menu option initialize the Directory with all testdata.
The configuration is loaded automatically when you execute “RealTestData_Windows.exe”, but updated to the correct testdata directory.
This is the “Input Path”. When your testdata directory is a subdirectory of the directory where realtestdata is installed, you´re good to go. When you decide to move the testdata directory in a different directory, you must overwrite the actual setting manually…

Configuration Load
The configuration is loaded automatically when you execute “RealTestData_Windows.exe”. With this menu option, you can reload the configuration.

Configuration Save
Save the configuration you have created / changed

Templates
Templates allow you to store parts of the configuration in a template. You can load, add, edit, delete and save templates. A template is when loaded always integrated into the configuration. Before adding or editing a template, it is necessary to specify the data for the template. If the template should have output columns which should be stored in a template. please choose the output columns in the configuration in the Tab “Columns” then add or edit the template and then save it. This selection will be stored only in the template file. The original configuration can be loaded again afterwards.

Templates and Configuration

To be sure, the data from the “Columns” tab are not stored in the configuration file itself, load the configuration again before changing anything in the configuration.

You should name the template properly, choose a name and choose also a file. The file is aleays stored in the documentation folder.

Template naming

The name of the template file should start (but must not) with “RealTestData_what should the template do_name of the template.

Example

“RealTestData_output_NAME_AND_ADDRESS”

Before you add a template, set the values that should be stored in the template in the tab of the configuration

Example

Output Data checkbox selected, set the columns in the columns tab before adding a template. The same procedure when editing a template.

When you edit a template, load the existing template first, change the data when needed, then edit and then save it.

Before saving a template, make sure, the correct data is selected in the configuration tab. Don´t save the whole configuration afterwards but load the configuration again. You will be asked whether you want to load the configuration.

Generate
Generate the Test Data and open the result when finished in the associated application.

GUI Language
Change the GUI Language to one of the supported languages. This is German, English, French and Czech. The GUI language is independant of the output language.

About

In the “About” window you can see the version and the license key and additionaly you can open the “Imprint”, “EULA” or “Privacy Notice” (GDPR).

Close
Close the Windows Program.