System, method and article of manufacture for a table-driven automated scripting architecture

• US 6,502,102 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Young, Robert J., Haswell, John Jeffrey, Schramm, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOFIZ, APU M
• Application Number:
  US09/536,878
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/102, 717/124, 703/22, 714/4, 714/38, 714/43, 714/47
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for affording a table-driven automated scripting architecture. First, test script information is divided into a plurality of components of one or more words having a commonly understood meaning. Then the components are stored into a database. Later, the components are parsed into one or more words (each having a commonly understood meaning). The database is queried for the words to retrieve a set of computer instructions that cause a computer to perform functions related to the commonly understood meaning of the words and then to perform those functions.

Claims

1. A method for providing a table-driven automated scripting architecture comprising the steps of:

(a) dividing test script information into a plurality of components, wherein each component comprises one or more words each having a commonly understood meaning;

(b) storing the components into a database;

(c) parsing one of the components into the one or more words each having a commonly understood meaning;

(d) querying the database for the one or more words, wherein for each of the words the database associates a set of one or more computer instructions which, when executed by an automation testing tool causes a computer to perform a function that is related to the commonly understood meaning of the word;

(e) retrieving the instruction set corresponding to the word from the database; and

(f) performing the function that is related to the commonly understood meaning of the word using the automated testing tool.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the test script information relates to at least one of steps and actions.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the test scenarios are data-driven.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the test scenarios are developed using an English-based interface.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the interface is accessed utilizing a network.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the architecture is a two-tier architecture.

7. The method for providing a table-driven automated scripting architecture from claim 1, wherein the word is from the English language.

8. The method for providing a table-driven automated scripting architecture from claim 1, wherein the automation testing tool is software developed by MERCURY INTERACTIVE commonly known as WINRUNNER.

9. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for providing a table-driven automated scripting architecture comprising:

(a) a code segment for dividing test script information into a plurality of components, wherein each component comprises one or more words each having a commonly understood meaning;

(b) a code segment for storing the components into a database;

(c) a code segment for parsing one of the components into the one or more words each having a commonly understood meaning;

(d) a code segment for querying the database for the one or more words, wherein for each of the words the database associates a set of one or more computer instructions which, when executed by an automation testing tool causes a computer to perform a function that is related to the commonly understood meaning of the word;

(e) a code segment for retrieving the instruction set corresponding to the word from the database; and

(f) a code segment for performing the function that is related to the commonly understood meaning of the word using the automated testing tool.

10. A computer program as recited in claim 9, wherein the test script information relates to at least one of steps and actions.

11. A computer program as recited in claim 9, wherein the test scenarios are data-driven.

12. A computer program as recited in claim 9, wherein the test scenarios are developed using an English-based interface.

13. A computer program as recited in claim 12, wherein interface is accessed via a network.

14. A computer program as recited in claim 9, wherein the architecture is a two-tier architecture.

15. A system for providing a table-driven automated scripting architecture comprising:

(a) logic for dividing test script information into a plurality of components, wherein each component comprises one or more words each having a commonly understood meaning;

(b) logic for storing the components into a database;

(c) logic for parsing one of the components into the one or more words each having a commonly understood meaning;

(d) logic for querying the database for the one or more words, wherein for each of the words the database associates a set of one or more computer instructions which, when executed by an automation testing tool causes a computer to perform a function that is related to the commonly understood meaning of the word;

(e) logic for retrieving the instruction set corresponding to the word from the database; and

(f) logic for performing the function that is related to the commonly understood meaning of the word using the automated testing tool.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the test script information relates to at least one of steps and actions.

17. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the test scenarios are data-driven.

18. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the test scenarios are developed using an English-based interface.

19. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein interface is accessed via a network.

20. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the architecture is a two-tier architecture.