Systems and methods for testing a software application

• US 10,521,336 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2019
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
• Original Assignee: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
• Inventors: Dunn, Philip, Liu, Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bodden, Evral E
• Application Number:
  US16/239,906
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 717126
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/36 Preventing errors by testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3692 for test results analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for testing a software application. An exemplary method includes storing a control file identifying a test case for testing a software application. A first expected result may be extracted from a device storing expected results of the software application, the first expected result being identified by the control file. A first actual result may be extracted from a device storing actual results output by the software application, the first actual result being identified by the control file. The first expected result may be compared with the first actual result to determine whether the first actual result matches the first expected result. A result file indicating whether the test case passed or failed is generated, and the test case has passed when the first actual result matches the first expected result. The result file may be stored in a storage device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, performed by a processor connected to a network interface and a networked database, for testing a software application, the method comprising:

extracting, using the processor through the network interface from the networked database, an expected result of a software application, the expected result being identified by a control file and being generated by SQL query including logic for emulating the expected functionality of the software application,

wherein the expected result corresponds to an expected result test case including an expected result test variable corresponding to an entry in a data table in an expected results database, the expected result test variable corresponding to an expected result verification point, and

wherein the control file includes SQL commands for performing data preparation steps configured to prepare the data for testing prior to extracting the expected result test case, the data preparation steps including deleting, creating, or modifying data tables in the expected results database;

extracting, using the processor through the network interface from the networked database, an actual result output by the software application, the actual result being identified by the control file,

wherein the actual result corresponds to an actual result test case including an actual result variable corresponding to an entry in a data table in an actual results database, the actual result variable corresponding to an actual result verification point, and

wherein the control file includes SQL commands for performing data preparation steps configured to prepare the data for testing prior to extracting the actual result file, the data preparation steps including deleting, creating, or modifying data tables in the actual results database;

comparing, using the processor, the expected result with the actual result, the expected result test case with the actual result test case, the expected result test variable with the actual result variable, and the expected result verification point with the actual result verification point;

generating, using the processor, a result file indicating whether the test case passed or failed, the test case having passed when the expected result matches the actual result, the expected result test case matches the actual result test case, the expected result test variable matches the actual result variable, and the expected result verification point matches the actual result verification point; and

updating, using the processor through the network interface, the result file to indicate that the test case failed if;

the expected result and the actual result or expected result test variable and the actual result variable do not contain the same amount of data; and

the expected result does not match a key defined in the control file.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control file specifies a tolerance.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein comparing the expected result test variable with the actual result variable comprises determining whether the expected result test variable is within the specified tolerance of the actual result variable.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein comparing the expected result with the actual result comprises determining whether the expected result is within the specified tolerance of the actual result.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control file includes an expected data identifier comprising at least one statement for extracting the expected result test variable from the expected results database.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing, using the processor through the network interface, the result file in a storage device connected to the networked database.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control file includes an actual data identifier comprising at least one statement for extracting the actual result variable from the actual results database.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a processor connected to a network interface and a networked database to execute a method for testing a software application, the method comprising:

extracting, using the processor through the network interface from the networked database, an expected result of a software application, the expected result being identified by a control file and being generated by SQL query including logic for emulating the expected functionality of the software application,

wherein the expected result corresponds to an expected result test case including an expected result test variable corresponding to an entry in a data table in an expected results database, the expected result test variable corresponding to an expected result verification point, and

wherein the control file includes SQL commands for performing data preparation steps configured to prepare the data for testing prior to extracting the expected result test case, the data preparation steps including deleting, creating, or modifying data tables in the expected results database;

extracting, using the processor through the network interface from the networked database, an actual result output by the software application, the actual result being identified by the control file,

wherein the actual result corresponds to an actual result test case including an actual result variable corresponding to an entry in a data table in an actual results database, the actual result variable corresponding to an actual result verification point, and

wherein the control file includes SQL commands for performing data preparation steps configured to prepare the data for testing prior to extracting the actual result file, the data preparation steps including deleting, creating, or modifying data tables in the actual results database;

comparing, using the processor, the expected result with the actual result, the expected result test case with the actual result test case, the expected result test variable with the actual result variable, and the expected result verification point with the actual result verification point;

generating, using the processor, a result file indicating whether the test case passed or failed, the test case having passed when the expected result matches the actual result, the expected result test case matches the actual result test case, the expected result test variable matches the actual result variable, and the expected result verification point matches the actual result verification point; and

updating, using the processor through the network interface, the result file to indicate that the test case failed if;

the expected result and the actual result or expected result test variable and the actual result variable do not contain the same amount of data; and

the expected result does not match a key defined in the control file.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the control file specifies a tolerance.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein comparing the expected result test variable with the actual result variable comprises determining whether the expected result test variable is within the specified tolerance of the actual result variable.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein comparing the expected result with the actual result comprises determining whether the expected result is within the specified tolerance of the actual result.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the control file includes an expected data identifier comprising at least one statement for extracting the expected result test variable from the expected results database.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 8, the method further comprising:

storing, using the processor through the network interface, the result file in a storage device connected to the networked database.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the control file includes an actual data identifier comprising at least one statement for extracting the actual result variable from the actual results database.

15. A system for testing a software application, the system comprising:

a processor having access to a networked database;

a network interface in communication with the processor; and

a memory device in communication with the processor and configured to store instructions,

wherein, when the processor executes the instructions, the processor;

extracts, through the network interface from the networked database, an expected result of a software application, the expected result being identified by a control file and being generated by SQL query including logic for emulating the expected functionality of the software application,

wherein the expected result corresponds to an expected result test case including an expected result test variable corresponding to an entry in a data table in an expected results database, the expected result test variable corresponding to an expected result verification point, and

wherein the control file includes SQL commands for performing data preparation steps configured to prepare the data for testing prior to extracting the expected result test case, the data preparation steps including deleting, creating, or modifying data tables in the expected results database;

extracts, through the network interface from the networked database, an actual result output by the software application, the actual result being identified by the control file,

wherein the actual result corresponds to an actual result test case including an actual result variable corresponding to an entry in a data table in an actual results database, the actual result variable corresponding to an actual result verification point, and

wherein the control file includes SQL commands for performing data preparation steps configured to prepare the data for testing prior to extracting the actual result file, the data preparation steps including deleting, creating, or modifying data tables in the actual results database;

compares the expected result with the actual result, the expected result test case with the actual result test case, the expected result test variable with the actual result variable, and the expected result verification point with the actual result verification point;

generates a result file indicating whether the test case passed or failed, the test case having passed when the expected result matches the actual result, the expected result test case matches the actual result test case, the expected result test variable matches the actual result variable, and the expected result verification point matches the actual result verification point; and

updates, through the network interface, the result file to indicate that the test case failed if;

the expected result and the actual result or expected result test variable and the actual result variable do not contain the same amount of data; and

the expected result does not match a key defined in the control file.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the control file specifies a tolerance.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein comparing the expected result test variable with the actual result variable comprises determining whether the expected result test variable is within the specified tolerance of the actual result variable.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein comparing the expected result with the actual result comprises determining whether the expected result is within the specified tolerance of the actual result.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein the control file includes an expected data identifier comprising at least one statement for extracting the expected result test variable from the expected results database.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processor further executes the instructions to:

store, through the network interface, the result file in a storage device connected to the networked database.

21. The system according to claim 15, wherein the control file includes an actual data identifier comprising at least one statement for extracting the actual result variable from the actual results database.