System and method for generating year 2000 test cases

• US 6,041,330 A
• Filed: 07/20/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Carman, David, Jain, Ashish, Dalal, Siddhartha R., Karunanithi, Nachimuthu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lintz, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US09/119,499
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/6, 707/7, 707/101, 395/704, 395/705, 395/706
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/78 Methods to solve the "Year 2000" [Y2K] problem
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

An innovative rule based method and system for creating test cases for the Year 2000 compliance testing of software systems is described. Using the method and system of the present invention, the user will first input information as rules relating to the business logic of the system. After obtaining the business logic, the system will transform input test cases into output test cases for the Year 2000 compliance testing. The term test cases, used in a broad sense here, refer to regression test cases written in any test automation languages, archive of test input/output data files, or snap shots of transactions captured using a recording tool. The system operates by first parsing the input files and based upon the business logic, it identifies date, time, or duration dependent variables or constants ("date dependent fields" collectively) in the input test cases. The system then substitutes risky dates, time, or duration for these fields in a manner which preserves the business logic. Risky values here refer to values that are important for the Year 2000 compliance testing--a set of values which may be user-defined. The system provides several modes of generation of output test cases depending upon the users'"'"' needs. The system can be retrofitted to deal with generation of test cases for any one time change to a software system. For example, when seven digits telephone numbers are replaced by ten digit numbers or various currencies are replaced by a single currency unit and so forth.

Claims

1. A method of generating test cases for use in testing a system for Year 2000 compliance, comprising the steps of:

providing to a data processor one or more input test cases corresponding to the system;

identifying, according to a first set of predetermined criteria, one or more date dependent fields in each of the input test cases, using the data processor; and

selectively generating according to a second set of predetermined criteria one or more output test cases, using the data processor, wherein at least one of the date dependent fields in each of said output test cases includes a risky date from a set of risky dates.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing includes:

providing said one or more input test cases to the data processor through a World Wide Web.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in said step of identifying, said first set of criteria includes automatic date-identifying rules provided by the data processor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of identifying includes:

generating reports of any potential errors detected during said step of identifying.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in said step of identifying, said first set of criteria includes user-provided rules.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether said user-provided rules are potentially incorrect.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether said user-provided rules are potentially incomplete.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

identifying user-provided rules that are potentially incorrect or incomplete; and

allowing correction of some or all of the potentially incorrect or incomplete user-provided rules.

9. The method of claim 1, said step of selectively generating includes generating said one or more output test cases in one or more sets of output test cases, wherein said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each set of output test cases corresponds to one or more of the input test cases.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein in said step of selectively generating, said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each risky date from said set of risky dates is placed at least once into each date dependent field in each set of output test cases.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein in said step of selectively generating, said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each risky date from said set of risky dates is placed at least once into each date dependent field in said output test cases.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein in said step of selectively generating, said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each input test has at least one corresponding set of output test cases and that each risky date from said set of risky dates is placed at least once into each date dependent field in said output test cases.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein in said step of selectively generating, said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that said output test cases conform with user-supplied constraints.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing said one or more sets of output test cases through a World Wide Web.

15. A method of generating test cases for use in testing a system for Year 2000 compliance, comprising the steps of:

providing to a data processor one or more input test cases corresponding to the system;

identifying, according to a first set of predetermined criteria, one or more date dependent fields in each of said input test cases, using the data processor;

selectively generating according to a second set of predetermined criteria one or more output test cases, using the data processor, wherein at least one of the date dependent fields in each of said output test cases includes a risky date from a set of risky dates; and

determining whether the system under test is Year 2000 compliant by executing said output test cases in the system under test.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of determining includes:

providing a first set of system outputs, said first set of system outputs generated by executing said output test cases in the system under test;

providing a second set of system outputs known to be correct; and

comparing said first and second sets of system outputs to detect any potential errors in the system under test.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of determining includes:

providing a first set of system outputs, said first set of system outputs generated by executing a first set of test cases, whose dates all belonging to the 20th century;

providing a second set of system outputs, said second set of system outputs generated by executing a second, different set of test cases, whose dates all belonging to the 20th century;

providing a third set of system outputs, said third set of system outputs generated by executing the output test cases;

comparing said first and second sets of system outputs; and

determining whether the third set of system outputs agree and differ with the first set of system outputs where said first and second sets of system outputs agree and differ.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said first and second sets of test cases are generated from said output test cases by subtracting n*28 years from every date occurrence in the date dependent fields of said output test cases, wherein n is an integer greater than 0 and n is different for said first and second sets of test cases.

19. A method of generating test cases for use in testing a system for Year 2000 compliance, comprising the steps, performed by a data processor, of:

identifying, according to a first set of predetermined criteria, one or more date dependent fields in each of one or more input test cases corresponding to the system under test; and

selectively generating, according to a second set of predetermined criteria, parameterized versions of output test cases, wherein at least one of the date dependent fields in each of said output test cases includes a risky date from a set of risky dates, and wherein said parameterized versions, said versions being more compact than the output test cases, may be used to generate the output test cases.

20. A method of generating test cases for a conversion compliance testing of a system under test, comprising the steps of:

providing to a data processor one or more input test cases corresponding to the system under test;

identifying, according to a first set of predetermined criteria, one or more conversion dependent fields in each of the input test cases, using the data processor; and

selectively generating, according to a second set of predetermined criteria, one or more output test cases, using the data processor, wherein at least one of the conversion dependent fields in each said output test case includes a risky conversion value from a set of risky conversion values.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said conversion involves currency units.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said conversion involves time units.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said conversion involves measuring units.

24. A system for generating test cases for testing a system for Year 2000 compliance, comprising:

an interface for receiving one or more input test cases corresponding to the system under test;

a parser for identifying according to a first set of predetermined criteria one or more date dependent fields in each of the input test cases; and

a generation component configured to selectively generate according to a second set of predetermined criteria one or more output test cases, wherein at least one of the date dependent fields in each said output test case includes a risky date from a set of risky dates.

25. The system of claim 24, said generation component is configured to selectively generate one or more output test cases in one or more sets of output cases, wherein said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each set of output test cases corresponds to one or more of the input test cases.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each risky date from said set of risky dates is placed at least once into each date dependent field in each set of output test cases.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each risky date from said set of risky dates is placed at least once into each date dependent field in said output test cases.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each input test has at least one corresponding set of output test cases and that each risky date from said set of risky dates is placed at least once into each data dependent field in said output test cases.

29. A system for generating test cases for testing a system for Year 2000 compliance, comprising:

an interface for receiving one or more input test cases;

a parser for identifying, according to a first set of predetermined criteria, one or more date dependent fields in each of said one or more input test cases;

a generation component configured to selectively generate, according to a second set of predetermined criteria, one or more output test cases, wherein at least one of the date dependent fields in each said output test case contains a risky date from a set of risky dates; and

a testing component configured to determine whether the system under test is Year 2000 compliant.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said testing component comprises:

means for receiving a first set of system outputs, said first set of system outputs generated by executing a first set of test cases, whose dates all belonging to the 20th century;

means for receiving a second set of system outputs, said second set of system outputs generated by executing a second, different set of test cases, whose dates all belonging to the 20th century, wherein said first and second sets of test cases are generated from said output test cases by subtracting n*28 years from every date occurrence in said output test cases, wherein n is an integer greater than 0 and n is different for said first and second sets of test cases;

means for receiving a third set of system outputs, said third set of system outputs generated by executing the output test cases;

means for comparing said first and second sets of system outputs; and

means for determining whether the third set of system outputs agree and differ with the first and second sets of system outputs where said first and second sets of system outputs agree and differ.

31. A system for generating test cases for Year 2000 compliance testing a system for, comprising:

a parser for identifying, according to a first set of predetermined criteria, one or more date dependent fields in each of one or more input test cases; and

a generation component configured to selectively generate, according to a second set of predetermined criteria, parameterized versions of output test cases, wherein at least one of the date dependent fields in each said parameterized version of output test case includes a risky date from a set of risky dates, and wherein said parameterized versions, said versions being more compact than the output test cases, may be used to generate the output test cases.

32. A computer-readable medium capable of configuring a data processor to generate test cases for testing a system for Year 2000 compliance, the medium comprising program code to cause the data processor to perform the steps of:

identifying, according to a first set of predetermined criteria, one or more date dependent fields in each of one or more input test cases corresponding to the system under test; and

selectively generating, according to a second set of predetermined criteria, one or more output test cases, wherein at least one of the date dependent fields in each said output test case includes a risky date from a set of risky dates.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein said step of selectively generating includes generating said one or more output test cases in one or more sets of output test cases, wherein said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each set of output test cases corresponds to one or more of the input test cases.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein in said set of selectively generating, said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each risky date from said set of risky dates is placed at least once into each date dependent field in each set of output test cases.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein in said step of selectively generating, said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each risky date from said set of risky dates is placed at least once into each date dependent field in said output test cases.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein in said step of selectively generating, said second set of predetermined criteria ensures that each input test has at least one corresponding set of output test cases and that each risky date from said set of risky dates is placed at least once into each date dependent field in said output test cases.

37. A computer-readable medium capable of configuring a data processor to generate test cases for testing a system for Year 2000 compliance, the medium comprising program code to cause the data processor to perform the steps of:

providing to said data processor one or more input test cases;

identifying, according to a first set of predetermined criteria, one or more date dependent fields in each of said input test cases;

selectively generating, according to a second set of predetermined criteria, one or more output test cases, wherein at least one of the date dependent fields in each said output test case contains a risky date from a set of risky dates; and

determining whether the system under test is Year 2000 compliant.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein said step of determining comprises:

providing a first set of system outputs, said first set of system outputs generated by executing a first set of test cases in the system under test, whose dates all belonging to the 20th century;

providing a second set of system outputs, said first set of system outputs generated by executing a second, different set of test cases in the system under test, whose dates all belonging to the 20th century, wherein said first and second sets of test cases are generated from said output test cases by subtracting n*28 years from every date occurrence in said output test cases, wherein n is an integer greater than 0 and n is different for said first and second sets of test cases;

providing a third set of system outputs, said third set of system outputs generated by executing the output test cases in the system under test;

comparing said first and second sets of system outputs; and

determining whether the third set of system outputs agree and differ with the first and second sets of system outputs where said first and second sets of system outputs agree and differ.

39. A computer-readable medium capable of configuring a data processor to generate test cases for testing a system for Year 2000 compliance, the medium comprising program code to cause the data processor to perform the steps of:

identifying according to a first set of predetermined criteria one or more date dependent fields in each of the input test cases; and

selectively generating, according to a second set of predetermined criteria, parameterized versions of output test cases in one or more sets of parameterized versions of one or more output test cases, wherein each set of parameterized versions of output test cases corresponds to one of the input test cases, wherein at least one of the date dependent fields in each said output test case includes a risky date from a set of risky dates, and wherein said parameterized versions, said versions being more compact than the output test cases, may be used to generate the output test cases.