Method for defining durable data for regression testing

• US 6,061,643 A
• Filed: 07/07/1998
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Versata Incorporated (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: TenFold Corporation
• Inventors: Walker, Jeffrey L., Diab, Samer, Slovik, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US09/111,049
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 702/123, 714/33, 714/36, 714/38, 714/37, 714/41, 714/45
• US Class Current: 702/123
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

A method and computer product for facilitating regression testing during the development and other life cycle phases of a software application comprised of transactions. A regression test is comprised of test cases containing test data describing the target test at a functional or behavioral level. A test operator may perform a manual test and simultaneously record the test. The architecture of the invention monitors the physical activity of the test operator and thereafter transforms the physical event steps into functional or behavioral test data. The test data is in a robust functional description of the transaction such that physical modifications to the transaction during software development preserve the viability of the test data for execution in the modified transaction. A test report may also be generated in response to the execution of a regression test. The test report lists both the test data executed and the response thereto. A test report may be compared with baseline or control test report to verify the lack of regression of the transaction. A difference report may also be generated from the comparison of test reports.

Claims

1. In a software application, a method for regression testing a transaction using a test case comprised of test data wherein said test data describes said regression test at a functional level and executes said regression test at a physical level and further wherein said test data remains executable when a physical modification to said transaction occurs that changes a physical level of said transaction, said method for regression testing comprising the steps of:

(1) reading said test data of said test case described at said functional level;

(2) evaluating said transaction to determine test functionality corresponding to said test data;

(3) translating said test data into transaction events necessary to perform said test functionality as identified in said evaluating step; and

(4) driving said transaction with said transaction events to execute said test data at said physical level.

2. The method for regression testing a transaction, as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of reporting said transaction events and a response from said transaction in response to each of said transaction event in a current test report for evaluation of said regression test.

3. The method for regression testing a transaction, as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of when said current test report exhibits favorable results, identifying said current test report as a control test report to designate a testing baseline for subsequent evaluation.

4. The method for regression testing a transaction, as recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

(1) on a subsequent initiation of said regression test, comparing said current test report with said control test report to determine differences from said regression test; and

(2) when said differences exist, producing a difference report detailing differences between said current test report and said control test report.

5. The method for regression testing a transaction, as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically creating volume test data for use as said test data, including the steps of:

(1) defining field constraints for transaction fields within said transaction;

(2) specifying an amount of said volume test data to be generated; and

(3) generating said volume test data for use in said regression test of said transaction.

6. The method for regression testing a transaction, as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step creating test data for use in said regression test from execution of said transaction, including the steps of:

(1) entering an identifier of said test case;

(2) capturing physical actions performed by a user of said transaction;

(3) transforming said physical actions into said test data described at said functional level; and

(4) storing said test data into a test case for execution in said regression test.

7. The method for regression testing a transaction, as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of reviewing step-by-step execution of said test data at said physical level following the execution of said test case.

8. The method for regression testing a transaction, as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of rerunning said transaction with said transaction events in a step-by-step execution of said test data at said physical level following the initial execution of said test case.

9. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for regression testing a transaction using a test case comprised of test data wherein said test data describes said regression test at a functional level and executes said regression test at a physical level and further wherein said test data remains executable when a physical modification to said transaction occurs that changes a physical level of said transaction, said computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

(1) reading said test data of said test case described at said functional level;

(2) evaluating said transaction to determine test functionality corresponding to said test data;

(3) translating said test data into transaction events necessary to perform said test functionality as identified in said evaluating step; and

(4) driving said transaction with said transaction events to execute said test data at said physical level.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of reporting said transaction events and a response from said transaction in response to said transaction event in a current test for evaluation of said regression test.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of when said first report exhibits favorable results, storing said first report as a control report to designate a testing baseline for subsequent evaluation.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:

(1) on a subsequent initiation of said regression test, comparing said current test report with said control test report to determine differences from said regression test; and

(2) when said differences exist, producing a difference report detailing differences between said current test report and said control test report.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of automatically creating volume test data for use as said test data, including computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

(1) defining field constraints for transaction fields within said transaction;

(2) specifying an amount of said volume test data to be generated; and

(3) generating said volume test data for use in said regression test of said transaction.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of creating test data for use in said regression test from execution of said transaction, including computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

(1) entering an identifier of said test case;

(2) capturing physical actions performed by a user of said transaction;

(3) transforming said physical actions into said test data described at said functional level; and

(4) storing said test data into a test case for execution in said regression test.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of reviewing step-by-step execution of said test data at said physical level following the execution of said test case.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of rerunning said transaction with said transaction events in a step-by-step execution of said test data at said physical level following the initial execution of said test case.

17. In a software application, a method for defining a regression test case for a transaction wherein said test case remains executable when physical modifications to said transaction occur, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) observing at a physical level a physical test step requested of said transaction;

(2) evaluating said transaction to determine corresponding test functionality resulting from said physical test step;

(3) transforming said physical test step into a functional test data corresponding to said transaction functionality; and

(4) storing said functional test data in said test case.

18. The method for defining a regression test case for a transaction wherein said test case remains executable when physical modifications to said transaction occur, as recited in claim 17, wherein said storing step further comprises the steps of:

(1) entering an identifier of said test case;

(2) storing said functional test data in said test case; and

(3) storing a data value for use by said functional test data in performing said transaction functionality.

19. A computer-readable medium having a plurality of data fields stored on the medium and representing a data structure, comprising:

(1) computer usable code means defining a first identification field representing a test case identifier for designating a specific portion of a regression test for use in testing a transaction within a software application; and

(2) computer usable code means defining at least one test data field to hold at least one test data that describe said regression test at a functional level and executes said regression test at a physical level and wherein said at least one test data remains executable when a physical modification to said transaction.

20. The computer-readable medium having a plurality of data fields, as recited in claim 19, wherein said first identification field further comprises a second identification field representing an identifier designating a specific transaction for testing by said test case.