Automated HTML test page and test data generation for javascript objects

• US 6,620,204 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Malcolm, Jerry Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bashore, William L.
• Application Number:
  US08/977,749
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/333, 709/305, 710/43, 714/38, 715/513
• US Class Current: 715/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases

Abstract

Test pages for an object oriented program on a web server are generated. A data structure is analyzed for a set of data fields. Rule data is retrieved from a rule database for property naming rules. Using this information, a test page, e.g., in HTML, is generated for each object associated with the data structure, the test page including an instance of the respective object and a set of property names and associated data names for the respective object. When a change is detected in the data structure, an updated set of test pages and test data can easily be generated to reflect the changed data structure. Dynamic argument generation and object constructors for test data and real data are encompassed by the invention.

Claims

1. A method for generating test pages for an object oriented program on a web server comprising the steps of:

analyzing a data structure for a plurality of request and response objects to identify a set of data fields within the data structure;

retrieving rule data from a rule database for property naming rules governing selection of property names assigned to each data field within the set of data fields; and

generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure, the test pages each including an instance of the respective object and a set of property names and associated data names for the respective object.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

detecting a change in the data structure; and

generating an updated set of test pages to reflect the changed data structure.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the test pages are written in HTML.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing a data structure to identify a set of data fields within the data structure further comprises analyzing an external database, and wherein the step of generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises:

creating a set of data structures for populating a respective set of properties for an object; and

entering data values in the data structures according to a current external database structure.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the step of generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises the steps of:

detecting a change in the external database structure; and

generating an updated set of data values to reflect the changed external database structure.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises the steps of:

dynamically generating arguments for an object;

generating an object constructor which uses the dynamically constructed arguments for constructing the object, wherein the object constructor contains a property for each dynamically generated argument and a value for the dynamically generated argument is stored on the property; and

incorporating fields for displaying property values for each dynamically generated argument.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises the steps of:

generating a test data object constructor and a real data object constructor for each object associated with the data structure;

determining whether test data or real data is to be used for generating the test pages; and

selecting the appropriate object constructor for each object based on the determination whether test data or real data is to be used.

8. A system including memory and processor for generating test pages for an object oriented program on a web server comprising:

means for analyzing a data structure for a plurality of request and response objects to identify a set of data fields within the data structure;

means for retrieving rule data from a rule database for property naming rules governing selection of property names assigned to each data field within the set of data fields; and

means for generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure, the test pages each including an instance of the respective object and a set of property names and associated data names for the respective object.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

means for detecting a change in the data structure; and

means for generating an updated set of test pages to reflect the changed data structure.

10. The system as recited in claim 8 wherein the test pages are written in HTML.

11. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the means for analyzing a data structure to identify a set of data fields within the data structure further comprises means for analyzing an external database, and wherein the means for generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises:

means for creating a set of data structures for populating a respective set of properties for an object; and

means for entering data values in the data structures according to a current external database structure.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the means for generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises:

means for detecting a change in the external database structure; and

means for generating an updated set of data values to reflect the changed external database structure.

13. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the means for generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises:

means for dynamically generating arguments for an object;

means for generating an object constructor which uses the dynamically constructed arguments for constructing the object, wherein the object constructor contains a property for each dynamically generated argument and a value for the dynamically generated argument is stored on the property; and

means for incorporating fields for displaying property values for each dynamically generated argument.

14. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the means for generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises:

means for generating a test data object constructor and a real data object constructor for each object associated with the data structure;

means for determining whether test data or real data is to be used for generating the test pages; and

means for selecting the appropriate object constructor for each object based on the determination whether test data or real data is to be used.

15. A computer program product in a computer readable memory for generating test pages for an object oriented program on a web server comprising:

instructions for analyzing a data structure for a plurality of request and response objects to identify a set of data fields within the data structure;

instructions for retrieving rule data from a rule database for property naming rules governing selection of property names assigned to each data field within the set of data fields; and

instructions for generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure, the test pages each including an instance of the respective object and a set of property names and associated data names for the respective object.

16. The product as recited in claim 15 further comprising:

instructions for detecting a change in the data structure; and

instructions for generating an updated set of test pages to reflect the changed data structure.

17. The product as recited in claim 15 wherein the test pages are written in HTML.

18. The product as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions for analyzing a data structure to identify a set of data fields within the data structure further comprises instructions for analyzing an external database, and wherein the instructions for generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises:

instructions for creating a set of data structures for populating a respective set of properties for an object; and

instructions for entering data values in the data structures according to a current external database structure.

19. The product as recited in claim 18, wherein the instructions for generating a test pace for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises:

instructions for detecting a change in the external database structure; and

instructions for generating an updated set of data values to reflect the changed external database structure.

20. The product as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions for generating a test pare for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises:

instructions for dynamically generating arguments for an object;

instructions for generating an object constructor which uses the dynamically constructed arguments for constructing the object, wherein the object constructor contains a property for each dynamically generated argument and a value for the dynamically generated argument is stored on the property; and

means for incorporating fields for displaying property values for each dynamically generated argument.

21. The product as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions for generating a test page for each request or response object associated with the data structure further comprises:

means for generating a test data object constructor and a real data object constructor for each object associated with the data structure;

means for determining whether test data or real data is to be used for generating the test pages; and

means for selecting the appropriate object constructor for each object based on the determination whether test data or real data is to be used.