Testing versions of applications

• US 20040044993A1
• Filed: 09/03/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Olsen, Jan, Kirstaedter, Nils, Webster, Marc, Muller, Horst, Lendroth, Thomas, Fichtner, Jens, Schaffrath, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,124,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/124
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for use in testing a computer program application, including an application having multiple versions. Information identifying a target system is obtained. Application information identifying the actual version of the application as installed on the target system is obtained. A test script is selected from multiple test script versions based on the actual version of the application. The selected test script is used to test the application as installed on the target system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for testing a computer program application, the method comprising:

obtaining information identifying a target system;

obtaining application information identifying the actual version of the application as installed on the target system;

selecting a test script from multiple test script versions based on the actual version of the application; and

using the selected test script to test the application as installed on the target system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining the application information from meta-data installed on the target system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the meta-data was generated by a build process building the application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the meta-data was installed on the target system by an install process installing the application on the target system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining the application information from the application on the target system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple test script versions have a common associated parameter interface defining import and export parameters available for each of the multiple test script versions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the multiple test script versions has associated with it information specifying with which application versions the test script version is suitable for use.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a set of input parameter values for a function call in the test script;

determining whether the set of input parameter values provides a complete set of input parameters for the function call; and

executing the function call with the set of input parameter values.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

executing the function call only if the set of input parameter values does provide a complete set of input parameters and terminating the test script with an error otherwise.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the test script has an associated parameter interface defining input parameters available for use in the test script, the method further comprising:

accessing parameter values according to the parameter interface to obtain the set of input parameter values for the function call in the test script.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a set of input parameter values for a function call in the test script;

determining whether the set of input parameter values provides a complete set of input parameters for the function call;

obtaining default parameter values for input parameters for the function call if the set of input parameter values does not provide a complete set of input parameters; and

executing the function call with the set of input parameter values and the default parameter values.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

executing the function call only if the set of input parameter values and the default parameter values do provide a complete set of input parameters and terminating the test script with an error otherwise.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the test script has an associated parameter interface defining input parameters available for use in the test script, the method further comprising:

accessing parameter values according to the parameter interface to obtain the set of input parameter values for the function call in the test script.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the test script has an associated parameter interface defining input parameters available for use in the test script, the method further comprising:

using the parameter interface to obtain import and export parameters for the test script.

15. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for storing instructions for testing a feature of a target version of a software application, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to:

obtain information identifying a target system;

obtain application information identifying the actual version of the application as installed on the target system;

select a test script from multiple test script versions based on the actual version of the application; and

use the selected test script to test the application as installed on the target system.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:

obtain the application information from meta-data installed on the target system.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the meta-data was generated by a build process building the application.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the meta-data was installed on the target system by an install process installing the application on the target system.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:

obtain the application information from the application on the target system.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the multiple test script versions have a common associated parameter interface defining import and export parameters available for each of the multiple test script versions.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein each of the multiple test script versions has associated with it information specifying with which application versions the test script version is suitable for use.

22. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:

obtain a set of input parameter values for a function call in the test script;

determine whether the set of input parameter values provides a complete set of input parameters for the function call; and

execute the function call with the set of input parameter values.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, further comprising instructions to:

execute the function call only if the set of input parameter values does provide a complete set of input parameters and terminating the test script with an error otherwise.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the test script has an associated parameter interface defining input parameters available for use in the test script, the method further comprising instructions to:

access parameter values according to the parameter interface to obtain the set of input parameter values for the function call in the test script.

25. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:

obtain a set of input parameter values for a function call in the test script;

determine whether the set of input parameter values provides a complete set of input parameters for the function call;

obtain default parameter values for input parameters for the function call if the set of input parameter values does not provide a complete set of input parameters; and

execute the function call with the set of input parameter values and the default parameter values.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising instructions to:

execute the function call only if the set of input parameter values and the default parameter values do provide a complete set of input parameters and terminating the test script with an error otherwise.

27. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the test script has an associated parameter interface defining input parameters available for use in the test script, the computer program product further comprising instructions to:

access parameter values according to the parameter interface to obtain the set of input parameter values for the function call in the test script.

28. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the test script has an associated parameter interface defining input parameters available for use in the test script, the computer program product further comprising instructions to:

use the parameter interface to obtain import and export parameters for the test script.