How to add test steps in a test case work item using Rest API

Question

Image of Test Case I have created a custom work item in which i have successfully managed to call api to create work item but i have no idea how to create test steps for that work item.

 let body = [
      {
        "op": "add",
        "path": "/fields/System.Title",
        "from": null,
        "value": "Sample1"
      },
      {
        "op": "add",
        "path": "/fields/Microsoft.VSTS.TCM.Steps",
        "value":"<Steps id=\"0\">     <step id=\"2\" type=\"ValidateStep\"><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Input step 1</parameterizedString><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Expectation step 1</parameterizedString><description/></step>     <step id=\"3\" type=\"ValidateStep\"><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Input step 2</parameterizedString><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Expectation step 2</parameterizedString><description/></step></Steps>"
      },
    ]
    fetch(`https://dev.azure.com/${organizationName}/${projectId}/_apis/wit/workitems/$CUSTOM TASK 1?api-version=7.1-preview.3`, {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: {
        'Accept': 'application/json',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json-patch+json',
        'Authorization': 'Basic ' + btoa("" + ":" + token)
      },
      body: JSON.stringify(body)
    })

i have tried the above code but it just creates a work item but the test steps are not visible in the work item This is what i get in response:

fields:
Microsoft.VSTS.TCM.Steps: "<steps id=\"0\">     <step id=\"1\" type=\"ValidateStep\"><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Input step 1</parameterizedString><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Expectation step 1</parameterizedString><description/></step>     <step id=\"2\" type=\"ValidateStep\"><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Input step 2</parameterizedString><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Expectation step 2</parameterizedString><description/></step></steps>"
System.AreaPath: "Azure devops test  demo"
System.ChangedBy: {displayName: 'sid vaidya', url: 'https://spsprodsin2.vssps.visualstudio.com/A120553…s/Identities/7131ed99-7bde-6f31-8161-653548dbc4fe', _links: {…}, id: '7131ed99-7bde-6f31-8161-653548dbc4fe', uniqueName: 'sidvaidya34@gmail.com', …}
System.ChangedDate: "2022-03-09T05:07:10.04Z"
System.CommentCount: 0
System.CreatedBy: {displayName: 'sid vaidya', url: 'https://spsprodsin2.vssps.visualstudio.com/A120553…s/Identities/7131ed99-7bde-6f31-8161-653548dbc4fe', _links: {…}, id: '7131ed99-7bde-6f31-8161-653548dbc4fe', uniqueName: 'sidvaidya34@gmail.com', …}
System.CreatedDate: "2022-03-09T05:07:10.04Z"
System.IterationPath: "Azure devops test  demo"
System.Reason: "Moved to state To do"
System.State: "To do"
System.TeamProject: "Azure devops test  demo"
System.Title: "Steps"
System.WorkItemType: "Custom Task 1"

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 08 '22 at 18:51

1

Your XML is slightly off, that's what's causing the issue. There are two small issues I saw that when corrected, allow the steps to properly be interpreted by the work item:

<Steps /> should be LOWERCASE <steps />
Your step Ids start at 2 instead of 1

Try this XML:

<steps id=\"0\"> <step id=\"1\" type=\"ValidateStep\"><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Input step 1</parameterizedString><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Expectation step 1</parameterizedString><description/></step> <step id=\"2\" type=\"ValidateStep\"><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Input step 2</parameterizedString><parameterizedString isformatted=\"true\">Expectation step 2</parameterizedString><description/></step></steps>

answered Mar 08 '22 at 18:51

Max Morrow

1,206
4
13

Tried it still the same ``` ``` – Sid Vaidya Mar 09 '22 at 05:11
I can see the steps attribute in the response but in the azure work item i cant see the steps – Sid Vaidya Mar 09 '22 at 05:17
Interesting, can you try creating a standard Test Case to see if it works? I'm curious to see if there is an issue with your custom work item type. – Max Morrow Mar 10 '22 at 13:33
1

hey so it worked it was been created in the history tab in work item. Thanks – Sid Vaidya Mar 11 '22 at 05:32
Any idea how i can add a attachment to a particular step in work item ? – Sid Vaidya Mar 11 '22 at 05:33
No problem! For attachments, you'll need to make a second API request using this endpoint: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/azure/devops/wit/attachments/create?view=azure-devops-rest-6.0 – Max Morrow Mar 11 '22 at 13:51

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 09 '22 at 09:24

1

It is caused by the "Microsoft.VSTS.TCM.Steps" field in your custom work item. Based on the screenshot you provided, it is a text(mulit-line) type field.

The text(mulit-line) field cannot resolve your XML. You may try with HTML if you need the similar content:

<table><tr><th>Steps</th><th>Action</th><th>Expected Results</th></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Input step 1</td><td>Expectation step 1</td></tr></table>

answered Mar 09 '22 at 09:24

Jerry Zhou - MSFT

11
1

Any idea how i can add a attachment to a particular step in work item ? – Sid Vaidya Mar 11 '22 at 08:06
first create the attachment and update it with a comment like [TestStep={TestStepId}]: using a patchdocument – Halim Saad-Rached Jun 14 '23 at 15:04

How to add test steps in a test case work item using Rest API

2 Answers2