System and method for generating automatic test plans

• US 20050172270A1
• Filed: 02/03/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Stevens, Mark Liu, Dathathraya, Sridhar
• Granted Patent: US 7,337,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases

Abstract

A system and method are provided for generating automatic test plans for GUI applications. The method comprises: launching a GUI application under test (AUT); discovering access paths to user interface (UI) elements in the AUT; generating logical access paths to the discovered UI elements; launching a test plan that uses the generated access paths; and, sending test messages to UI elements in the AUT. The method may identify UI element types such as a menu, sub-menu, check box, text box, or variable UI elements. Then, sending test messages to UI elements in the AUT includes sending corresponding test messages such as menu select, sub-menu select, check box select, text box fill, or variable fill command messages. For example, if a variable UI element is identified, sending test messages to UI elements in the AUT includes: sending a command to populate the variable UI elements; and, selecting the populated value.

Claims

1. A method for generating graphical user interface (GUI) application automatic test plans, the method comprising:

launching a GUI application under test (AUT);

discovering access paths to user interface (UI) elements in the AUT;

generating logical access paths to the discovered UI elements;

launching a test plan that uses the generated access paths; and

,

sending test messages to UI elements in the AUT.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein discovering access paths to UI elements in the AUT includes discovering access paths to a UI window having a menu to present selections and to accept user commands.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein launching a GUI AUT includes launching an MS Windows operating system AUT.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein launching a Windows operating system AUT includes launching an application for a Windows operating system selected from the group including Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows NT.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein generating logical access paths to the discovered UI elements includes building an XML format list of indexed UI elements.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying the UI element type; and

,

wherein sending test messages to UI elements in the AUT includes sending test messages responsive to the identified UI element type.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein identifying the UI element type includes identifying UI element types selected from the group including menu, sub-menu, check box, text box, and variable UI elements;

and,

wherein sending test messages to UI elements in the AUT includes sending test messages selected from the group including menu select, sub-menu select, check box select, text box fill, and variable fill command messages.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein identifying the UI element type includes identifying a variable UI element;

and,

wherein sending test messages to UI elements in the AUT includes;

sending a command to populate the variable UI elements with a value; and

,

selecting the populated value.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

launching a client editing application;

generating a graphical test plan editing dialog; and

editing the test plan in response to the test plan editing dialog.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein launching a test plan includes launching a plug-in application to automatically convert the generated access paths into automated test program software instructions.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein converting the generated access paths into automated test program software instructions includes generating automated test program software selected from the group including IBM Rational Test and QA Partner programs.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein launching a GUI AUT includes installing the AUT in a plurality of nodes, each having a different operating system;

and,

wherein discovering access paths to user interface (UI) elements in the AUT includes discovering access paths in each operating system AUT.

13. A system for generating automatic test plans for graphical user interface (GUI) applications, the system comprising:

a GUI application under test (AUT); and

,

a tester application having an interface to discover access paths to user interface (UI) elements in the AUT and to supply a test plan that generates logical access paths to the discovered UI elements.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

a test plan having an interface with the AUT that uses the generated access paths to send test messages to UI elements in the AUT.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the tester application discovers access paths to AUT UI element windows having a menu to present selections and to accept user commands.

16. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

an MS Windows operating system; and

,

wherein the GUI AUT is installed in the Windows operating system.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the Windows operating system is selected from the group including Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows NT.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the tester application represents logical access paths to the discovered UI elements using an XML format list of indexed UI elements.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the tester application identifies the UI element type;

and,

wherein the test plan sends test messages responsive to the identified UI element type.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the tester application identifies UI element types selected from the group including menu, sub-menu, check box, text box, and variable UI elements;

and,

wherein the test plan sends corresponding test messages selected from the group including menu select, sub-menu select, check box select, text box fill, and variable fill command messages.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the tester application identifies a variable UI element;

and,

wherein the test plan sends a test message to the AUT including;

a command to populate the variable UI elements with a value; and

,

the populated value.

22. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

a client editing application having an interface to the tester application and a graphical test plan editing UI to accept user commands; and

,

wherein the tester application edits the test plan in response to test plan editing UI commands.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the tester application includes a plug-in application to automatically convert the generated access paths into automated test program software instructions.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the tester application generates automated test program software selected from the group including IBM Rational Test and QA Partner programs.

25. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

a plurality of operating systems;

wherein the GUI AUT is installed in each operating system; and

,

wherein the tester application has an interface to discover access paths to user interface (UI) elements in each operating system AUT.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the tester application supplies a test plan for each operating system AUT.