System, Method, and Computer Readable Medium for Universal Software Testing

• US 20110239198A1
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Software Corporation
• Original Assignee: Artoftest, Inc.
• Inventors: Sweis, Faris
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3608 using formal methods, e.g. model checking, abstract interpretation theorem proving G06N5/013
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3692 for test results analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/74 Reverse engineering; Extracting design information from source code

Abstract

An automated software testing and validation system allows testing of a software application under test (SAUT) regardless of the dynamic nature of the SAUT. An abstracted set of hierarchal or linear objects model certain regions of the SAUT. Automated test scripts utilize theses regions to intuitively navigate and identify potions of the SAUT to automate. The scripts can also access specific SAUT elements contain within each defined region. These elements can then be used to invoke actions or verify outputs there from. The system uses a set of rich identification rules embodied in the system which allow the user to configure the identification of any element within the abstracted region. The rules are customizable to allow the user to configure the desired level of loose coupling between the automated scripts and the target element to adapt the scripts to the nature of the SAUT.

Claims

1. A method for software testing and validation comprising the steps of:

identifying a software application under test (SAUT);

generating, from the SAUT, an abstract model of at least one region of the SAUT, the abstract model including data that facilitates adaptation of a test script to the SAUT when changes are made to the SAUT;

testing at least one object in the at least one region of the SAUT with the test script, the test script utilizing the abstract model to conduct the testing;

altering the SAUT, the altering comprising one or more of the following;

relocating the at least one region of the SAUT and redefining the at least one region of the SAUT; and

re-executing the test script to test the at least one object in the at least one region by navigating the abstract model, the re-executing performed without regeneration of the abstract model.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the data that facilitates adaptation of a test script further comprises at least one tag inserted within the SAUT, and wherein the at least one tag is nested within other tags, thereby creating a hierarchy with the abstract model.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the at least one tag further comprises unique identifiers which identify the at least one region of the SAUT used to generate the abstract model.

4. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the at least one tag further comprises unique identifiers which identify at least one element of the at least one region of the SAUT used to generate the abstract model.

5. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the test script utilizes the abstract model to conduct the testing through the use of an identification rule used to locate certain elements within the SAUT.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the identification rule further comprises a reference parameter within the SAUT used as a starting point for the identification rule.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the identification rule identifies one or more of the following:

an element based on the hierarchy within the abstract model;

an element based on a combination of attributes set on the element;

an element based on a tag of the element; and

an element based on a regular expression.

8. A method as defined within claim 5, wherein a plurality of identification rules are combined to identify the element within the SAUT.

9. A system for software testing and validation, the system comprising:

a computer component associated with a software testing and validation program product, the software testing and validation program product including instructions that, when executed by the computer component, causes the computer component to perform the operations of;

identifying a software application under test (SAUT),

generating, from the SAUT, an abstract model of at. least one region of the SAUT, the abstract model including data that facilitates adaptation of a test script to the SAUT when changes are made to the SAUT,

testing at least one object in the at least one region of the SAUT with the test script, the test script utilizing the abstract model to conduct the testing,

altering the SAUT, the altering comprising one or more of the following;

relocating the at least one region of the SAUT and redefining the at least one region of the SAUT, and

re-executing the test script to test the at least one object in the at least one region by navigating the abstract model, the re-executing performed without regeneration of the abstract model.

10. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the software testing and validation program product further includes instructions that, when executed by the computer component, causes the computer component to perform the operations of inserting at least one tag within the SAUT, wherein the at least one tag is nested within other tags, thereby creating a hierarchy with the abstract model.

11. A system as defined in. claim 10, wherein the at least one tag further comprises unique identifiers which identify the at least one region of the SAUT used to generate the abstract model,

12. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one tag further comprises unique identifiers which identify at least one element of the at least one region of the SAUT used to generate the abstract model.

13. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein the software testing and validation program product further includes instructions that, when executed by the computer component, causes the computer component to perform the operations of instructing the test script to utilize the abstract model to conduct the testing through the use of an identification rule used to locate certain elements within the SAUT.

14. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein the identification rule further comprises a reference parameter within the SAUT used as a starting point for the identification rule.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the identification rule identifies one or more of the following:

an element based on the hierarchy within the abstract model;

an element based on a combination of attributes set on the element;

an element based on a tag of the element; and

an element based on a regular expression.

16. A system as defined within claim 13, wherein a plurality of identification rules are combined to identify the element within the SAUT.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium that is readable by a computer for software testing and validation, the computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the following operations:

identifying a software application under test (SAUT);

generating, from the SAUT, an abstract model of at least one region of the SAUT, the abstract model including data that facilitates adaptation of a test script to the SAUT when changes are made to the SAUT, the data comprising tags inserted within the SAUT having unique identifiers that identify at least one region and element of the SAUT used to generate the abstract model, the tags being nested within other tags, to thereby creating a hierarchy with the abstract model;

testing at least one object in the at least one region of the SAUT with the test script, the test script utilizing the abstract model to conduct the testing;

altering the SAUT, the altering comprising one or more of the following;

relocating the at least one region of the SAUT and redefining the at least one region of the SAUT; and

re-executing the test script to test the at least one object in the at least one region by navigating the abstract model, the re-executing performed without regeneration of the abstract model.

18. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 17, the computer readable medium further including instructions that, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to perform the operation of directing the test script to utilize the abstract model to conduct the testing through the use of an identification rule used to locate certain elements within the SAUT.

19. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 18, wherein the identification rule further comprises a reference parameter within the SAUT used as a starting point of the identification rule.

20. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 19, wherein the identification rule identifies one or more of the following:

an element based on the hierarchy within the abstract model;

an element based on a combination of attributes set on the element;

an element based on a tag of the element; and

an element based on a regular expression.

21. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 19, wherein a plurality of identification rules are combined to identify the element within the SAT.