Automatic model-based testing

• US 20060085681A1
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Feldstein, Jeffrey, Bosch, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3692 for test results analysis

Abstract

Automatic model-based testing is disclosed, including receiving a set of objects associated with a computer program application under test; automatically classifying the objects as state objects representing states of the application, or transition objects representing transitions in the application from one state to another state, or static information objects; linking the state objects with the transition objects to result in creating a model in memory of all states and transitions provided by the application; associating, in the model, one or more tests with one or more of the state objects; creating and storing, based on the states and transitions, a finite state machine that represents execution behavior of the application according to the model; and testing the application by (a) automatically navigating the finite state machine and (b) providing state and transition data from the finite state machine to a graphical user interface functional test application that executes the one or more tests upon reaching the states represented by the state objects.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving a set of objects associated with a computer program application under test;

automatically classifying the objects as state objects representing states of the application, or transition objects representing transitions in the application from one state to another state, or static information objects;

linking the state objects with the transition objects to result in creating a model in memory of all states and transitions provided by the application;

associating, in the model, one or more tests with one or more of the state objects;

creating and storing, based on the states and transitions, a finite state machine that represents execution behavior of the application according to the model; and

testing the application by (a) automatically navigating the finite state machine and (b) providing state and transition data from the finite state machine to a graphical user interface functional test application that executes the one or more tests upon reaching the states represented by the state objects.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein linking comprises:

displaying a graphical representation of the state objects;

receiving user input that selects one of the state objects;

displaying transition objects associated with the selected state object;

receiving user input specifying graphically linking one or more of the transition objects associated with the selected state object to one or more other state objects.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein linking comprises:

displaying, in a graphical panel of a user interface, a first state icon representing a particular state object;

displaying, in a state tree panel of the user interface, one or more transition names representing all transition objects of the application;

receiving user input in the graphic user interface that selects one of the transition names and associates the selected transition name with the first state icon and a second state object; and

linking, in the model, the first state object, the transition object corresponding to the selected name, and the second state object, based on the user input.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the map is received from an instance of IBM Rational Functional Tester for Java and Web.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein associating one or more tests comprises defining one or more verification points, and associating the verification points with states of the application under test.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising automatically creating a verification point for each of the static information objects.

7. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising receiving user input selecting addition, modification or deletion of one or more states or transitions associated with application behavior that is unwanted for purposes of testing.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface functional test application is IBM Rational Functional Tester for Java and Web or Mercury Interactive WinRunner.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program application under test is a Java®

application or an HTML-based Web application.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program application under test is a Microsoft Windows application, and wherein the testing step comprises testing the application by (a) automatically navigating the finite state machine and (b) calling Windows API functions using the state and transition data from the finite state machine to execute the one or more tests upon reaching the states represented by the state objects.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program application under test is a LINUX XWindows application.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising creating and storing one or more data stores, wherein each of the data stores comprises a stored association of (a) a set of objects associated with of a computer program application under test, (b) a computer program application under test, and (c) computer program code for the one or more tests.

13. A method, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving a set of objects associated with of a computer program application under test;

automatically classifying the objects as state objects representing states of the application, or transition objects representing transitions in the application from one state to another state, or static information objects;

creating and displaying a graphical user interface of a model-based test application, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a state information panel and a graphical workspace panel;

displaying, in the state information panel, a hierarchical representation of the state objects and the transition objects, wherein the hierarchical representation corresponds to an organization of the states and transitions of the application;

displaying, in the graphical workspace panel, state icons representing the state objects;

linking the state objects with the transition objects in response to user input in the graphical workspace panel, to result in creating a model in memory of all states and transitions provided by the application.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

associating, in the model, one or more tests with one or more of the state objects;

creating and storing, based on the states and transitions, a finite state machine that represents execution behavior of the application according to the model; and

testing the application by (a) automatically navigating the finite state machine and (b) providing state and transition data from the finite state machine to a graphical user interface functional test application that executes the one or more tests upon reaching the states represented by the state objects.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving a set of objects associated with a computer program application under test;

automatically classifying the objects as state objects representing states of the application, or transition objects representing transitions in the application from one state to another state, or static information objects;

linking the state objects with the transition objects to result in creating a model in memory of all states and transitions provided by the application;

associating, in the model, one or more tests with one or more of the state objects;

creating and storing, based on the states and transitions, a finite state machine that represents execution behavior of the application according to the model; and

testing the application by (a) automatically navigating the finite state machine and (b) providing state and transition data from the finite state machine to a graphical user interface functional test application that executes the one or more tests upon reaching the states represented by the state objects.

16. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions for performing linking comprise instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

displaying a graphical representation of the state objects;

receiving user input that selects one of the state objects;

displaying transition objects associated with the selected state object;

receiving user input specifying graphically linking one or more of the transition objects associated with the selected state object to one or more other state objects.

17. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions for performing linking comprise instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

displaying, in a graphical panel of a user interface, a first state icon representing a particular state object;

displaying, in a state tree panel of the user interface, one or more transition names representing all transition objects of the application;

receiving user input in the graphic user interface that selects one of the transition names and associates the selected transition name with the first state icon and a second state object; and

linking, in the model, the first state object, the transition object corresponding to the selected name, and the second state object, based on the user input.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the map is received from an instance of IBM Rational Functional Tester for Java and Web.

19. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the instructions for associating one or more tests comprise instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of defining one or more verification points, and associating the verification points with states of the application under test.

20. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of automatically creating a verification point for each of the static information objects.

21. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of receiving user input selecting addition, modification or deletion of one or more states or transitions associated with application behavior that is unwanted for purposes of testing.

22. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the graphical user interface functional test application is IBM Rational Functional Tester for Java and Web or Mercury Interactive WinRunner.

23. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer program application under test is a Java®

application or an HTML-based Web application.

24. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer program application under test is a Microsoft Windows application, and wherein the instructions for testing further comprise instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of testing the application by (a) automatically navigating the finite state machine and (b) calling Windows API functions using the state and transition data from the finite state machine to execute the one or more tests upon reaching the states represented by the state objects.

25. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer program application under test is a LINUX XWindows application.

26. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of creating and storing one or more data stores, wherein each of the data stores comprises a stored association of (a) a set of objects associated with of a computer program application under test, (b) a computer program application under test, and (c) computer program code for the one or more tests.

27. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a set of objects associated with a computer program application under test;

means for automatically classifying the objects as state objects representing states of the application, or transition objects representing transitions in the application from one state to another state, or static information objects;

means for linking the state objects with the transition objects to result in creating a model in memory of all states and transitions provided by the application;

means for associating, in the model, one or more tests with one or more of the state objects;

means for creating and storing, based on the states and transitions, a finite state machine that represents execution behavior of the application according to the model; and

means for testing the application by (a) automatically navigating the finite state machine and (b) providing state and transition data from the finite state machine to a graphical user interface functional test application that executes the one or more tests upon reaching the states represented by the state objects.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the means for linking comprises:

means for displaying a graphical representation of the state objects;

means for receiving user input that selects one of the state objects;

means for displaying transition objects associated with the selected state object;

means for receiving user input specifying graphically linking one or more of the transition objects associated with the selected state object to one or more other state objects.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the means for linking comprises:

means for displaying, in a graphical panel of a user interface, a first state icon representing a particular state object;

means for displaying, in a state tree panel of the user interface, one or more transition names representing all transition objects of the application;

means for receiving user input in the graphic user interface that selects one of the transition names and associates the selected transition name with the first state icon and a second state object; and

means for linking, in the model, the first state object, the transition object corresponding to the selected name, and the second state object, based on the user input.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the map is received from an instance of IBM Rational Functional Tester for Java and Web.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 30, wherein the means for associating one or more tests comprises means for defining one or more verification points, and means for associating the verification points with states of the application under test.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, further comprising means for automatically creating a verification point for each of the static information objects.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising means for receiving user input selecting addition, modification or deletion of one or more states or transitions associated with application behavior that is unwanted for purposes of testing.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the graphical user interface functional test application is IBM Rational Functional Tester for Java and Web or Mercury Interactive WinRunner.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the computer program application under test is a Java®

application or an HTML-based Web application.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the computer program application under test is a Microsoft Windows application, and wherein the means for testing comprises means for testing the application by (a) automatically navigating the finite state machine and (b) calling Windows API functions using the state and transition data from the finite state machine to execute the one or more tests upon reaching the states represented by the state objects.

37. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the computer program application under test is a LINUX XWindows application.

38. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, further comprising means for creating and storing one or more data stores, wherein each of the data stores comprises a stored association of (a) a set of objects associated with of a computer program application under test, (b) a computer program application under test, and (c) computer program code for the one or more tests.