Automated GUI interface testing
First Claim
1. A method of testing an application program'"'"'s use of a first Graphical User Interface (GUI), said application program and a test script executing concurrently, said test script containing a sequence of test instructions, said method comprising:
- simulating a user action directly to said first GUI in response to said test instructions;
monitoring said GUI for actual alterations in one or more logical screen elements, said logical screen elements originating from said execution of said application program;
comparing said actual alterations to expected alterations; and
reporting an error if said actual alterations are not equal to said expected alteration.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for automated testing of both new and revised computer application programs which use a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Simulated user events such as keyboard or mouse actions are automatically input into the GUI interface. The GUI is then monitored to observes the changes to the GUI in response to the input. The invention comprises a test script which is written in a high level programming language, a test executive which executes the test script, and a test driver which provides the interface to the GUI. The test script is directed towards operation on logical objects, instead of GUI-specific references. The primary responsibility of the test executive is to convert GUI-independent references into GUI-specific references. The test driver takes the GUI-specific references from the test executive and performs the actual interface to the GUI objects. A uniform hierarchial naming scheme is employed to identify each Logical Screen Element (LSE) under test, LSEs being the objects used in the GUI environment to interface with the user.
435 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of testing an application program'"'"'s use of a first Graphical User Interface (GUI), said application program and a test script executing concurrently, said test script containing a sequence of test instructions, said method comprising:
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simulating a user action directly to said first GUI in response to said test instructions; monitoring said GUI for actual alterations in one or more logical screen elements, said logical screen elements originating from said execution of said application program; comparing said actual alterations to expected alterations; and reporting an error if said actual alterations are not equal to said expected alteration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of testing an application program'"'"'s use of a first Graphical User Interface (GUI) in a computer system comprising the steps of:
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executing the application program; executing a test script concurrently with the execution of the application program, said test script containing a sequence of non-GUI specific test instructions, the test script execution step comprising the step of simulating a user action directly to said first GUI in response to said test instructions, wherein the test script execution step further comprises translating said test instructions into GUI specific instructions; monitoring said GUI for actual alterations in at least one display independent logical screen element originating from said execution of said application program, said display independent logical screen element being an object created by said application program within said GUI; comparing said actual alterations to expected alterations; and reporting an error if said actual alterations are not equal to said expected alteration.
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8. A method of testing an application program'"'"'s use of a first Graphical User Interface (GUI) in a computer system comprising the steps of:
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executing the application program; executing a test script concurrently with the execution of the application program, said test script containing a sequence of non-GUI specific test instructions, the test script execution step comprising the step of simulating a user action directly to said first GUI in response to said test instructions; monitoring said GUI for actual alterations in at least one display independent logical screen element originating from said execution of said application program, said display independent logical screen element being an object created by said application program within said GUI; comparing said actual alterations to expected alterations; reporting an error if said actual alterations are not equal to said expected alteration; and performing said simulating, monitoring, comparing and reporting steps with respect to a second GUI. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of testing an application program'"'"'s use of a first Graphical User Interface (GUI) in a computer system comprising the steps of:
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executing the application program; executing a test script containing a sequence of non-GUI specific test instructions concurrently with the execution of the application program, comprising the steps of reading one of said test instructions from said test script, searching for a display independent logical screen element, said display independent logical screen element being an object created by said application within said GUI, said one of said test instructions requesting an action against said display independent logical screen element; and upon finding said display independent logical screen element, performing said requested action; monitoring said display independent logical screen element for actual alterations; comparing said actual alterations to expected alterations; and raising an exception if said actual alterations are not equal to said expected alteration. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for testing an application program'"'"'s use of a Graphical User Interface (GUI), said testing system comprising:
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a least one computer system, said GUI and said application residing on said computer system; a test script containing a sequence of non-GUI specific test instructions; a test program, said test program having means for translating said non-GUI specific test instructions into GUI specific test instructions; and a test driver, said test driver having means for generating screen dependent instructions from said GUI specific test instructions. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of testing an application program'"'"'s use of a first Graphical User Interface (GUI), said first GUI containing logical screen elements (LSE) generated by said application, said method comprising:
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requesting an action against a named LSE, said LSE being named in a non-GUI specific manner; resolving said non-GUI specific name of said LSE into a GUI specific reference; generating one or more GUI specific commands which accomplish said requested action; and communicating said one or more GUI specific commands to said GUI. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification