Method and System for Testing Websites

• US 20070234217A1
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward Miller, Rita Bral
• Original Assignee: Edward Miller, Rita Bral
• Inventors: Bral, Rita, Miller, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/14 Tree-structured documents parsing G06F40/205; validation G06F40/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and system is provided for testing and analyzing websites via a test-enabled web browser. In the representative embodiment a user controls a test-enabled web browser via a set of pull-down menus, thereby choosing between alternative testing and analysis functional capabilities, selecting files in which to store recordings (scripts), choosing files into which to place test results and messages, and setting various parameters that affect how the testing and analysis functions are performed. When the user requests it, the representative embodiment provides for deep recording of user interactions as they relate to a specific web page currently on display in the browser view area, for extracting key information from the current web page sufficient to validate that a future playback does or does not produce the same effects on the chosen website page, for playing back a prior recording to confirm that a website page continues to pass the user-defined tests, and for providing detailed analyses based on the specific contents of the current website page. The general result of systematic use of the test-enabled browser on websites is improved content quality, demonstrated website server behavior for deep tests, quicker delivery by the website server, and better serviceability for e-business.

Claims

1. A test-enabled web browser for operation on a computing device to test a website hosted by a remote server, the website having at least one webpage, said test enabled browser comprising:

standard browsing components;

a script component that operates to record and replay at least one test script that reproduces and times user actions and responses;

an adaptive script playback component that operates to adapt playback to account for nearly correct matches between recorded facts and actual page properties;

a page evaluation component that operates to read, extract, and analyze and confirm the contents of page components, including DOM elements and other objects; and

a graphical user interface to provide user access to at least said standard browsing components and said script component.

2. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing device utilized a cache, and

wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a browser cache control component that operates to allow tests of the website to selectively use or not use data residing within the browser cache when testing the website.

3. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 2, wherein the browser cache stores copies of webpages and one or more cookies.

4. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 1, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a logging component that operates to permit said test-enabled browser to write details of test execution to a log file for post-test analysis.

5. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 1, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a value substitution component that operates to automatically create and adjust input values, through parametric substitution of values into the test script.

6. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 1, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a link check component that operates to check links on at least one webpage dynamically;

7. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 1, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a button check component that operates to check buttons on at least one webpage dynamically.

8. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 1, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a synchronization component that operates to automatically synchronize page delivery, including downloading and rendering, to assure test accuracy.

9. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 1, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a load testing component that operates to test the remote server regarding the webpage in accordance with a load.

10. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 9,

wherein when said load testing component is activated, a number of multiple copies of said test-enabled web browser operate on the computing device, with each of the multiple copies of said test-enabled browser separately executing a test script, and

wherein the load applied to the remote server by the number of multiple copies of said test-enabled web browser is dependent on that number and on the test scripts being executed thereby.

11. A test-enabled web browser for operation on a computing device to test a website hosted by a remote server, the website having as least one webpage, said test enabled browser comprising:

standard browsing components;

a page evaluation component that operates to read, extract, and analyze and confirm the contents of page components, including DOM elements and other objects;

a test data component that operates to store facts about the at least one webpage; and

a graphical user interface to provide user access to at least said standard browsing components and at least one of said page evaluation component and said test data component.

12. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 11, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a URL list component that operates to determine detailed DOM properties of the current contents of the webpage being evaluated in order create a list of linked-to URLs; and

a link examination component that operates to access and examine the content at the URLs within the list of linked-to URLs.

13. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 11, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a URL list component that operates to (i) determine detailed DOM properties of the current contents of the webpage being evaluated in order create a list of linked-to URLs, and (ii) exclude at least one URL from the list of linked-to URLs based on URL string properties or position of the at least one URL in relation to the URL for the website; and

a link examination component that operates to access and examine the content at the URLs remaining within the list of linked-to URLs.

14. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 11, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a synchronization component that operates to automatically synchronize page delivery, including downloading and rendering.

15. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 11, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a scan start component that operates to indicate where a scan of the website is to begin and where it is to end.

16. A test-enabled web browser as recited in claim 11, wherein said test-enabled web browser further comprises:

a page examination component that operates to examine the webpage to determine if the webpage meets user-specified criteria.

17. A method for testing a website residing on a network using a test-enabled browser, said method comprising:

accessing a website to be tested using the test-enabled browser;

selecting a validation test to be performed; and

performing the validation test using the test-enabled browser,

wherein prior to said performing (c) of the validation test for a particular web page, the particular web page is rendered by the test-enabled browser and examined so as to at least (i) extract details of the particular web page using a Document Object Model pertaining to the web page, and (ii) store the details of the particular web page in a recorded script, and

wherein during said performing (c), the particular web page is newly rendered by the test-enabled browser and details for the particular web page as newly rendered are compared to the stored details in the recorded script.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said performing (c) of the validation comprises:

examining a web page using a rendering of the web page by the test-enabled browser.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said performing (c) of the validation test comprises:

recording a script pertaining to an interaction sequence with the web page; and

subsequently playing back the script to confirm content of the web page and/or perform validations.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein said performing (c) of the validation test comprises:

adaptively playing back the script.

21. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the web page includes a plurality of component parts, and

wherein said performing (c) of the validation test comprises:

determining download timings for at least the component parts of the web page.

22. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein a web server hosts the web page, and

wherein said performing (c) of the validation test or evaluation comprises inducing a load on the web server by concurrently playing multiple scripts,

wherein said inducing launches a separate test-enabled browser for each of the scripts and each of the test-enabled browsers plays a script, and

wherein all the test-enabled browsers play the same script and operate on a common computer being operatively connectable to the network.