Best practise when using Automated Test Platform (ATP)

You have implemented ATP and have setup your TEST environment as documented in the "Which environment should I use to run my automated test?" section in the online help 
https://online-help.sageerpx3.com/erp/12/wp-static-content/public/ATP%20User%20Guide/Content/How-to%20guides/Platform/ATP_UserGuide/T3_MethodologyFAQs.htm   This recomends to use two folders for ATP testing and one folder for manual testing.  

You find that when you want to refresh the X3ATPREF folder from the LIVE server folder the ATP menus go missing in the X3ATPREF

Because the LIVE folder does not have the ATP specific patches applied, it is missing the menu options related to the "ATP Assistant"

Although you do not HAVE to install the ATP Assistant in order to either create or run ATP scripts, if you do want to use ATP Assistant (and most people probably will) then you find that when refresh a child folder with ATP installed then you will lose the ATP assistant menus/functions.

There are several possibilities to overcome this issue:

1. Simply re-apply the "src_XATP-3201_X3_ADX.dat" to the X3ATPREF child folder as part of your TEST server folder refresh process. This only takes about 60 seconds, so should not be a problem to do and just needs to be documented in your processes. I think this is the simplest/cleanest/easiest/safest option.

2. Apply "src_XATP-3201_X3_ADX.dat" to either all folders or just LIVE folder on the LIVE server. There is no need to import "Syracuse_Menu_XATP.json" The only drawback of this I can see is that the "Currency Converter" utility is overwritten by the ATP patches so you need to confirm users don't use this feature. It makes the folder refresh on the TEST server easier, but does mean updating the LIVE folder which may make some people uneasy.

3. After your X3ATPREF folder refresh on your TEST server you could run the folder validation on that folder. This will take a long time of course so doesn't seem a sensible option.

You can of course find your own way if a different approach works for your requirements. For example you could have just one ATP folder and refresh by re-importing the SVG for that folder (assuming it was taken just before a test run) This approach would not necessarily work consistently however, depending on your test cases, as files in the file system will likely change and could potentially change the results if you do a second run without clearing and recopying the file system (hence the recommendation for a second ATP folder that you use as your master copy/starting point).