Method and system for testing a software product

• US 7,058,857 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dallin, Michael Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MASKULINSKI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/973,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20030070119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 714/38
• US Class Current: 714/38.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases

Abstract

A method and system for testing a software product is provided. Specifically, a type template, an output template, and a table of test data pertaining to the software product are provided. The test data is processed by a test generation system based upon the type template and the output template to automatically generate a test script file having at least one test case. The test script file is then used to test the software product.

Claims

1. A method for testing a software product, comprising the steps of:

providing a predefined template;

providing a table having test data for the software product, the table being a column-row matrix of test data;

running a test generation system with the template to process the test data and to automatically generate a test script file; and

running the software product while using the generated test script file to test the software product;

wherein the test data is arranged into at least one row of potential test cases that each include an actor that indicates who is performing the potential test cases, a starting point that indicates the location from which the potential test cases will be commenced, and a test step required to perform one possible variation of a transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the test script file contains at least one test case generated based upon the test data and the template.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the template is a type template having at least one macro, and wherein the type template provides a key for the test generation system to generate the at least one test case based upon the test data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an output template, wherein the output template has at least one macro and dictates a format of the generated test script file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the test script file is an executable file that is automatically run by an automation tool.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the test script file is a documentation file that is manually run by a user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the test generation system and the software product reside on different computer systems.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, the test generation system and the software product reside on the same computer system.

9. A method for testing a software product, comprising the steps of:

providing a predefined template;

providing a table having test data for the software product, the table being a column-row matrix of test data;

running a test generation system with the template to process the test data and to automatically generate an executable test script file; and

running the software product while using an automation tool to run the executable test script file to test the software product;

wherein the test data is arranged into at least one row of potential test cases that each include an actor that indicates who is performing the potential test cases, a starting point that indicates the location from which the potential test cases will be commenced, and a test step required to perform one possible variation of a transaction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predefined template is a type template that provides a key for the test generation system to generate a test case from the test data.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the type template includes at least one macro.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing an output template having at least one macro and that dictates the format of the generated test script file.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the test script file includes at least one test case automatically generated by the test generation system based upon the test data.

14. A method for testing a software product, comprising the steps of:

entering a predefined type template into a test generation system;

entering a predefined output template into the test generation system;

entering a table having test data for the software product into the test generation system, the table being a column-row matrix of test data;

running the test generation system with the type template and the output template on a first computer system to process the test data to automatically generate an executable test script file; and

running the software product on a second computer while using an automation tool to run the executable test script file to test the software product;

wherein the table comprises at least one row of potential test cases that each include an actor that indicates who is performing the potential test cases, a starting point that indicates the location from which the potential test cases will be commenced, and a test step required to perform one possible variation of a transaction.

15. A system testing a software product, comprising:

an input system for receiving a type template, an output template, and a table having test data for the software product, the table being a column-row matrix of test data; and

a process system for processing the test data to automatically generate a test script file based upon the type template and the output template, wherein the generated test script file is used to test the software product;

wherein the table comprises at least one row of potential test cases that each include an actor that indicates who is performing the potential test cases, a starting point that indicates the location from which the potential test cases will be commenced, and a test step required to perform one possible variation of a transaction.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the type template provides a key for generating the test script file based upon the test data, and wherein the tests script file includes at least one test case.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the output template dictates a format of the test script file.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the test script file is an executable test script file that is automatically ran by an automation tool to test the software product.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the test script file is a documentation file that is manually run by a user to test the software product.

20. A system for testing a software product, comprising:

a test generation system stored on a first computer system, wherein the test generation system comprises;

means for receiving an output template, a type template, and a table having test data for the software product, the table being a column-row matrix of test data;

means for processing the test data, based upon the type template and the output template, to automatically generate an executable test script file having at least one test case;

means for outputting the executable test script file; and

an automation tool for running the executable test script file to test the software product, wherein the software product is stored on a second computer system;

wherein the table comprises at least one row of potential test cases that each include an actor that indicates who is performing the potential test cases, a starting point that indicates the location from which the potential test cases will be commenced, and a test step required to perform one possible variation of a transaction.

21. A program product, stored on a computer readable medium, for testing a software product, comprising:

an input system for receiving a type template, an output template, and a table having test data for the software product, the table being a column-row matrix of test data; and

a process system for processing the test data to automatically generate a test script file based upon the type template and the output template, wherein the generated test script file is used to test the software product;

wherein the table comprises at least one row of potential test cases that each include an actor that indicates who is performing the potential test cases, a starting point that indicates the location from which the potential test cases will be commenced, and a test step required to perform one possible variation of a transaction.

22. The program product of claim 21, wherein the type template provides a key for generating the test script file based upon the test data, and wherein the tests script file includes at least one test case.

23. The program product of claim 21, wherein the output template dictates a format of the test script file.

24. The program product of claim 21, wherein the test script file is an executable test script file that is automatically run by an automation tool to test the software product.

25. The program product of claim 21, wherein the test script file is a documentation file that is manually run by a user to test the software product.