System and method for importing and exporting test executive values from or to a database

• US 6,507,842 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2000
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Williams, Patrick, Richardson, Scott, Grey, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Sanjiv
• Application Number:
  US09/613,341
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 707/5, 707/3, 707/4, 707/1, 707/2, 707/102, 707/104, 714/33, 714/38, 717/128, 706/55, 324/158.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3672 Test management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A system and method for importing and exporting test executive values from or to a database. A test executive may provide the user various places, referred to as variables and properties, in which data values can be stored. These data values may affect execution of a test executive sequence. Variables may be global to a sequence file or local to a particular sequence. Each step in a sequence can have properties. The user may include a Property Loader step in a sequence, which is operable to dynamically, i.e., at run time, load property and/or variable values from a database. The Property Loader step may be placed in a setup group of the sequence, and the step(s) whose properties are configured may be placed in a main group of the sequence, so that when the sequence is executed the steps in the main group are configured with appropriate property values before running. The test executive may also enable a user to interactively, e.g., through a user interface menu item, request variable and property values associated with a sequence to be imported from or exported to a database. For example, after exporting values to a database, the values may later be used to dynamically configure a test executive sequence.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically configuring a test executive sequence, the method comprising:

creating a test executive sequence comprising a plurality of test executive steps, wherein at least one of the plurality of test executive steps has one or more associated properties; and

executing the test executive sequence, wherein said executing the test executive sequence includes importing values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from a database.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein said executing the test executive sequence further comprises executing the plurality of test executive steps;

wherein said executing the plurality of test executive steps results in performing a test of a unit under test (UUT).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating at least one variable with the test executive sequence;

wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises importing values for the at least one variables from the database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

including a property loader step in the test executive sequence;

wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises executing the property loader step;

wherein, in response to said executing the property loader step, the property loader step is operable to import values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from the database.

5. The method of claim 4,

wherein the test executive sequence includes a setup group and a main group, each group being capable of including one or more steps;

wherein, during an execution of the test executive sequence, steps in the setup group execute before steps in the main group;

wherein the property loader step is included in the setup group;

wherein each of said plurality of test executive steps is included in the main group.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the test executive sequence with information regarding the values to be loaded from the database;

wherein said configuring the test executive sequence comprises receiving user input specifying a particular database from which to import property values.

7. The method of claim 6,

wherein said importing values from the database comprises importing the values from database columns;

wherein said configuring the test executive sequence further comprises receiving user input specifying a mapping from the properties to the database columns.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein the database columns are associated with a particular database table comprising a plurality of rows;

wherein each row of the table is associated with a particular test executive step that may be included in a test executive sequence;

wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises;

importing values for properties associated with a first step in the test executive sequence from a first row of the table;

importing values for properties associated with a second step in the test executive sequence from a second row of the table.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

associating a set of variables with the test executive sequence;

wherein a row in the table is associated with the set of variables;

wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises importing values for the set of variables from the row associated with the set of variables.

10. The method of claim 7,

wherein the database columns are associated with a particular database table comprising a plurality of rows;

wherein each row of the table is associated with a particular test executive step that may be included in a test executive sequence;

wherein said configuring the test executive sequence further comprises receiving user input specifying filtering information;

wherein the filtering information includes a mapping of database columns to values;

wherein, in order for data to be imported from a particular row during said executing the test executive sequence, it is necessary for the following to be true;

for each database column specified in the filtering information, the column value for the particular row must match the respective value specified by the filtering information.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein said importing property values from the database comprises executing one or more SQL statements.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

configuring the test executive sequence with information regarding the values to be loaded from the database;

constructing the one or more SQL statements using the configuration information.

13. The method of claim 1,

wherein the at least one of the plurality of test executive steps having one or more associated properties is an instance of a particular step type defining the one or more associated properties.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to said executing the test executive sequence, receiving a user command to export property values for the test executive sequence to the database;

exporting property values for the test executive sequence to the database, in response to said receiving the user command;

wherein said exporting property values for the test executive sequence comprises exporting property values for the one or more properties associated with the at least one test executive step to the database;

wherein said importing values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from a database comprises importing the previously exported values.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein said exporting property values to the database comprises automatically creating one or more columns associated with the property values in the database.

16. A method for dynamically configuring test executive sequences, each including separate step instances of a particular step type, the method comprising:

creating a first test executive sequence including a first test executive step of a particular step type and a property loader step, wherein at least one property is defined by the particular step type;

creating a second test executive sequence including a second test executive step of the particular step type and the property loader step;

executing the first test executive sequence;

executing the second test executive sequence;

wherein said executing the first test executive sequence comprises executing the property loader step a first time;

wherein, in response to said executing the property loader step the first time, the property loader step is operable to import a first set of values for the at least one properties for the first test executive step from a database;

wherein said executing the second test executive sequence comprises executing the property loader step a second time;

wherein, in response to said executing the property loader step the second time, the property loader step is operable to import a second set of values for the at least one properties for the second test executive step from the database.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the test executive program is further executable to:

configure the test executive sequence with information regarding the values to be loaded from the database;

wherein said configuring the test executive sequence comprises receiving user input specifying that the test executive sequence should import property values from said database accessible from the computer system.

23. The system of claim 22,

wherein said importing values from the database comprises importing the values from database columns;

wherein said configuring the test executive sequence further comprises receiving user input specifying a mapping from the properties to the database columns.

17. A test system for testing one or more units under test (UUTs), wherein the test system comprises:

a computer system which stores a test executive program for configuring the test system;

a database accessible from the computer system;

at least one unit under test coupled to the computer system;

wherein the test executive program is executable to;

create a test executive sequence comprising a plurality of test executive steps, wherein at least one of the plurality of test executive steps has one or more associated properties; and

execute the test executive sequence, wherein said executing the test executive sequence includes importing values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from a database.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein said executing the test executive sequence further comprises executing the plurality of test executive steps;

wherein said executing the plurality of test executive steps results in performing a test of the at least one unit under test.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the test executive program is further executable to:

associate at least one variable with the test executive sequence;

wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises importing values for the at least one variables from the database.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the test executive program is further executable to:

include a property loader step in the test executive sequence;

wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises executing the property loader step;

wherein, in response to said executing the property loader step, the property loader step is operable to import values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from the database.

21. The system of claim 20,

wherein the test executive sequence includes a setup group and a main group, each group being capable of including one or more steps;

wherein, during an execution of the test executive sequence, steps in the setup group execute before steps in the main group;

wherein the property loader step is included in the setup group;

wherein each of said plurality of test executive steps is included in the main group.

24. The system of claim 17,

wherein the at least one of the plurality of test executive steps having one or more associated properties is an instance of a particular step type defining the one or more associated properties.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the test executive program is further executable to:

prior to said executing the test executive sequence, receive a user command to export property values for the test executive sequence to the database;

export property values for the test executive sequence to the database, in response to said receiving the user command;

wherein said exporting property values for the test executive sequence comprises exporting property values for the one or more properties associated with the at least one test executive step to the database;

wherein said importing values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from a database comprises importing the previously exported values.

26. The system of claim 25,

wherein said exporting property values to the database comprises automatically creating one or more columns associated with the property values in the database.

27. A memory medium comprising program instructions executable to:

create a test executive sequence comprising a plurality of test executive steps, wherein at least one of the plurality of test executive steps has one or more associated properties; and

execute the test executive sequence, wherein said executing the test executive sequence includes importing values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from a database.

28. The memory medium of claim 27,

wherein said executing the test executive sequence further comprises executing the plurality of test executive steps;

wherein said executing the plurality of test executive steps results in performing a test of a unit under test (UUT).

29. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

associate at least one variable with the test executive sequence;

wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises importing values for the at least one variables from the database.

30. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

include a property loader step in the test executive sequence;

wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises executing the property loader step;

wherein, in response to said executing the property loader step, the property loader step is operable to import values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from the database.

31. The memory medium of claim 30,

wherein the test executive sequence includes a setup group and a main group, each group being capable of including one or more steps;

wherein, during an execution of the test executive sequence, steps in the setup group execute before steps in the main group;

wherein the property loader step is included in the setup group;

wherein each of said plurality of test executive steps is included in the main group.

32. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

configure the test executive sequence with information regarding the values to be loaded from the database;

wherein said configuring the test executive sequence comprises receiving user input specifying a particular database from which to import property values.

33. The memory medium of claim 32,

wherein said importing values from the database comprises importing the values from database columns;

wherein said configuring the test executive sequence further comprises receiving user input specifying a mapping from the properties to the database columns.

34. The memory medium of claim 27,

wherein the at least one of the plurality of test executive steps having one or more associated properties is an instance of a particular step type defining the one or more associated properties.

35. The memory medium of claim 27, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

prior to said executing the test executive sequence, receive a user command to export property values for the test executive sequence to the database;

export property values for the test executive sequence to the database , in response to said receiving the user command;

wherein said exporting property values for the test executive sequence comprises exporting property values for the one or more properties associated with the at least one test executive step to the database;

wherein said importing values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from a database comprises importing the previously exported values.

36. The memory medium of claim 35,

wherein said exporting property values to the database comprises automatically creating one or more columns associated with the property values in the database.

37. A method for dynamically configuring a test executive sequence, the method comprising:

including a plurality of test executive steps in the test executive sequence, wherein at least one of the plurality of test executive steps has one or more associated properties;

including a property loader step in the test executive sequence; and

executing the test executive sequence;

wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises executing the property loader step;

wherein, in response to said executing the property loader step, the property loader step is operable to import values for the properties associated with the at least one test executive step from a database.