Reusing Data in User Run Book Automation

• US 20090172535A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Uthe, Robert T., Cheng, William T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,713,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/704
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

Reusing data in user run book automation. An application engages a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI is accentuated. The application records a sequence of selections made among the collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI as well as data entered within the GUI, where the sequence of selections represent a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with the web-based GUI. The application exports and imports data from the sequence of selections made among the collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI to facilitate replay of the sequence of selections without requiring repeated entry of said data by a user. The application replays the sequence of selections with the web-based GUI.

Claims

1. A computer-implementable method for providing run book automation on a data processing system, said computer-implementable method comprising:

engaging a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI is accentuated;

recording a sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI, wherein said sequence of selections represents a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with said web-based GUI;

exporting and importing data from said sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI to facilitate replay of said sequence of selections without requiring repeated entry of said data by a user; and

replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI

2. The computer-implementable method according to claim 1, wherein said recording further comprises:

capturing at least one data attribute, wherein said at least one data attribute is utilized to provide at least one response to data queries within said web-based GUI.

3. The computer-implementable method according to claim 1, wherein said recording further comprises:

capturing a collection of metadata identifying each selection among said sequence of selections within said GUI to enable location of each said selection during said replay.

4. The computer-implementable method according to claim 3, wherein said replaying further comprises:

utilizing said collection of metadata to location each selection among said sequence of selection within said GUI.

5. The computer-implementable method according to claim 4, wherein said collection of metadata further comprises an owning frame, at least one auxiliary frame, at least one auxiliary form, an identification, a name, a type, a subtype, a display name, a collection of inner text, a hierarchy attribute, a positional hierarchy attribute, a short hierarchy attribute, and a short positional hierarchy attribute.

6. The system for providing run book automation on a data processing system, said system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor;

a memory coupled to said data bus; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for providing run book automation on a data processing system by performing the steps of;

engaging a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI is accentuated;

recording a sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI, wherein said sequence of selections represents a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with said web-based GUI;

exporting and importing data from said sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI to facilitate replay of said sequence of selections without requiring repeated entry of said data by a user; and

replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said instructions for recording are further configured for:

capturing at least one data attribute, wherein said at least one data attribute is utilized to provide at least one response to data queries within said web-based GUI.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said instructions for recording are further configured for:

capturing a collection of metadata identifying each selection among said sequence of selections within said GUI to enable location of each said selection during said replay.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said instructions for replaying are further configured for:

utilizing said collection of metadata to location each selection among said sequence of selection within said GUI.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said collection of metadata further comprises an owning frame, at least one auxiliary frame, at least one auxiliary form, an identification, a name, a type, a subtype, a display name, a collection of inner text, a hierarchy attribute, a positional hierarchy attribute, a short hierarchy attribute, and a short positional hierarchy attribute.

11. A computer program product for for providing run book automation on a data processing system, said computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, said computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code configured to engage a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI is accentuated;

computer usable program code configured to record a sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI, wherein said sequence of selections represents a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with said web-based GUI;

computer usable program code configured to export and import data from said sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI to facilitate replay of said sequence of selections without requiring repeated entry of said data by a user; and

computer usable program code configured to replay said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said computer usable code for recording is further configured to:

capture at least one data attribute, wherein said at least one data attribute is utilized to provide at least one response to data queries within said web-based GUI.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said computer usable code for recording is further configured to:

capture a collection of metadata identifying each selection among said sequence of selections within said GUI to enable location of each said selection during said replay.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer usable code for replaying is further configured to:

utilize said collection of metadata to location each selection among said sequence of selection within said GUI.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said collection of metadata further comprises an owning frame, at least one auxiliary frame, at least one auxiliary form, an identification, a name, a type, a subtype, a display name, a collection of inner text, a hierarchy attribute, a positional hierarchy attribute, a short hierarchy attribute, and a short positional hierarchy attribute.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable medium is a component of a remote server, and wherein the computer usable program code is deployable to a local computer from the remote server.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code is capable of being provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.