System and method for automatic test case generation

• US 7,299,382 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Jorapur, Gopal P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson; Yolanda L
• Application Number:
  US10/134,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20030204784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,031 Days
• Field of Search: 714/38, 717/124, 703/22
• US Class Current: 714/38.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases

Abstract

A system and method provide testing of software in different configurations automatically. Templates may be provided for developers to create an application or for generating tests. One or more tests may be generated for testing the application. The testing scope may range between a plurality of configurations for the application in one or more environments. Tests may include test blocks corresponding to parts of the application for testing according to the execution order of the parts of the application. Tests may change input values, modules in the application, configuration settings, data types, communication parameters, and/or other application elements for testing. Such changes may be generated automatically during testing. Test code may be inserted in the application for testing. Application generation and compilation may be automated during testing. Deployment and undeployment of applications may also be automated for testing.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a test generator generating at least a portion of an application from source code;

the test generator generating a test for the application;

the test generator generating one or more clients configured to interact with the application;

the test generator generating a plurality of different configurations for executing the test; and

for each of the plurality of different configurations, the test generator deploying the test and executing the test according to that configuration;

wherein said executing produces test results for each of the plurality of different configurations.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the test generator generating one or more modules from source code configured to provide functionality for the application.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said executing the test includes executing the application, wherein the application includes one or more modules and one or more clients, and wherein at least one of the one or more modules and at least one of the one or more clients are configured to execute during said executing the application.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the test includes a plurality of test blocks each corresponding to one of the one or more modules.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the test generator inserting test code within one of the one or more modules.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the test generator inserting at least parts of the test within the application.

7. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising a first of one or more clients configured to execute in a local environment invoking a function of a first of the one or more modules in the local environment using an interface of the first module during said executing the application.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the first client executing in a different environment, wherein the first client is reconfigured to invoke the function of the first module remotely and the interface is configured to enable remote invocation of the function.

9. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the test includes changing one or more primary key data types corresponding to the one or more modules to another data type.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the test includes a plurality of transaction tests for testing allowed transaction attributes of the application according to each of the plurality of different configurations.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising the test generator inserting one or more of the plurality of transaction tests in the application.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the test includes a plurality of security tests for testing allowed security attributes of the application according to each of the plurality of different configurations.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the test generator inserting one or more of the plurality of security tests in the application.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the test generator undeploying the test after said executing the test, wherein said undeploying produces other test results for each of the plurality of configurations.

15. A method, comprising:

a test generator generating a test including a plurality of test blocks for an application including a plurality of modules, wherein for each of the plurality of modules there is at least one corresponding test block, wherein the test includes changing one or more primary key data types corresponding to the one or more of the plurality of modules to another data type;

the test generator generating a configuration for executing the test; and

the test generator executing the test a plurality of times according to the configuration, wherein said executing includes deploying and executing the plurality of test blocks, and wherein the plurality of test blocks are executed in a different order during a first of the plurality of times and a second of the plurality of times;

wherein said executing produces test results for each of the plurality of times.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

the test generator deploying the test before said executing the test; and

the test generator undeploying the test after said executing the test;

wherein said deploying and said executing produce test results.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said deploying and said undeploying occur for each of the plurality of times.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the test generator generating at least part of the application.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

the test generator generating a plurality of configurations for executing the test; and

for each of the plurality of configurations the test generator executing the test a plurality of times according to that configuration.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

the test generator generating a plurality of different tests each including a plurality of test blocks for the application including a plurality of modules; and

for each of the plurality of different tests the test generator executing that test a plurality of times according to the configuration.

21. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the test includes a plurality of transaction tests for testing allowed transaction attributes of the application according to the configuration.

22. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the test includes a plurality of security tests for testing allowed security attributes of the application according to the configuration.

23. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to implement a test generator configured to;

generate at least a portion of an application from source code;

generate a test for the application;

generate one or more clients configured to interact with the application;

generate a plurality of different configurations for executing the test; and

for each of the plurality of different configurations, deploy the test and execute the test according to that configuration;

wherein said executing produces test results of said deployment and said execution for each of the plurality of different configurations.

24. The computer system as recited in claim 23, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to generate one or more modules from source code configured to provide functionality for the application.

25. The computer system as recited in claim 23, wherein said instructions executable by the processor to execute the test includes instructions executable by the processor to execute the application, wherein the application includes one or more modules and one or more clients, and wherein at least one of the one or more modules and at least one of the one or more clients are configured to execute during said executing the application.

26. The computer system as recited in claim 25, wherein the test includes a plurality of test blocks each corresponding to one of the one or more modules.

27. The computer system as recited in claim 25, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to insert test code within one of the one or more modules.

28. The computer system as recited in claim 25, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to insert at least parts of the test within the application.

29. The computer system as recited in claim 25, further comprising a first of the one or more clients configured to invoke a function of a first of the one or more modules in the local environment using an interface of the first module during said executing the application.

30. The computer system as recited in claim 29, further comprising the first client configured to execute in a different environment, wherein the first client is reconfigured to invoke the function of the first module remotely and the interface is configured to enable remote invocation of the function.

31. The computer system as recited in claim 25, wherein the test includes a plurality of security tests for testing allowed security attributes of the application according to each of the plurality of different configurations.

32. The computer system as recited in claim 31, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to insert one or more of the plurality of security tests in the application.

33. The computer system as recited in claim 25, wherein the test includes changing one or more primary key data types corresponding to the one or more modules to another data type.

34. The computer system as recited in claim 23, wherein the test includes a plurality of transaction tests for testing allowed transaction attributes of the application according to each of the plurality of different configurations.

35. The computer system as recited in claim 34, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to insert one or more of the plurality of transaction tests in the application.

36. The computer system as recited in claim 23, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to undeploy the test after said executing the test, wherein said undeploy produces other test results of said undeploy.

37. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to implement a test generator configured to;

generate a test including a plurality of test blocks for an application including a plurality of modules, wherein for each of the plurality of modules there is at least one corresponding test block;

wherein the test includes changing one or more primary key data types corresponding to one or more of the plurality of modules to another data type;

generate a configuration for executing the test; and

execute the test a plurality of times according to the configuration, wherein said executing includes executing the plurality of test blocks, and wherein the plurality of test blocs are executed in a different order during a first of the plurality of times and a second of the plurality of times;

wherein said executing the test produces test results of said executing.

38. The computer system of claim 37, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to:

deploy the test before said executing the test; and

undeploy the test after said executing the test;

wherein said deploy and undeploy produce test results of said deploy and said undeploy.

39. The computer system of claim 38, wherein said deploy and said undeploy occur for each of the plurality of times.

40. The computer system as recited in claim 37, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to automatically generate at least part of the application.

41. The computer system as recited in claim 37, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to:

generate a plurality of configurations for executing the test; and

for each of the plurality of configurations execute the test a plurality of times according to that configuration.

42. The computer system as recited in claim 37, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to:

generate a plurality of different tests each including a plurality of test blocks for the application including a plurality of modules; and

for each of the plurality of different tests execute that test a plurality of times according to the configuration.

43. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein the test includes a plurality of transaction tests for testing allowed transaction attributes of the application according to each of the plurality of configurations.

44. The computer system as recited in claim 37, wherein the test includes a plurality of security tests for testing allowed security attributes of the application according to the configuration.

45. A tangible computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon for automatically testing software, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

a test generator generating a test for an application;

the test generator generating one or more clients configured to interact with the application;

the test generator generating a plurality of different configurations for executing the test; and

for each of the plurality of different configurations, the test generator deploying the test and executing the test according to that configuration;

wherein said executing produces test results for each of the plurality of different configurations;

wherein said executing the test includes executing the application, wherein the application includes one or more modules and one or more clients, and wherein at least one of the one or more modules and at least one of the one or more clients are configured to execute during said executing the application.

46. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, further comprising the test generator generating one or more modules from source code configured to provide functionality for the application.

47. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement the test generator generating at least a portion of the application from source code.

48. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, wherein the test includes a plurality of test blocks each corresponding to one of the one or more modules.

49. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, further comprising the test generator inserting test code within one of the one or more modules.

50. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, further comprising the test generator inserting at least parts of the test within the application.

51. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, further comprising a first of the one or more clients configured to execute in a local environment invoking a carrier medium of a first of the one or more modules in the local environment using an interface of the first module during said executing the application.

52. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 51, further comprising the first client executing in a different environment, wherein the first client is reconfigured to invoke the function of the first module remotely and the interface is configured to enable remote invocation of the function.

53. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, wherein the test includes changing one or more primary key data types corresponding to the one or more modules to another data type.

54. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, wherein the test includes a plurality of transaction tests for testing allowed transaction attributes of the application according to each of the plurality of configurations.

55. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 54, further comprising the test generator inserting one or more of the plurality of transaction tests in the application.

56. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, wherein the test includes a plurality of security tests for testing allowed security attributes of the application according to each of the plurality of different configurations.

57. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 56, further comprising the test generator inserting one or more of the plurality of security tests in the application.

58. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 45, further comprising the test generator undeploying the test after said executing the test, wherein said undeploying produces other test results for each of the plurality of different configurations.

59. A tangible computer-readable storage medium, having program instructions stored thereon for automatically testing software, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

a test generator generating a test including a plurality of test blocks for an application including a plurality of modules, wherein for each of the plurality of modules there is at least one corresponding test block, wherein the test includes changing one or more primary key data types corresponding to the one or more of the plurality of modules to another data type;

the test generator generating a configuration for executing the test;

the test generator executing the test a plurality of times according to the configuration, wherein said executing includes executing the plurality of test blocks, and wherein the plurality of test blocs are executed in a different order during a first of the plurality of times and a second of the plurality of times;

wherein said executing indicates test results of said executing.

60. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 59, further comprising:

the test generator deploying the test before said executing the test; and

the test generator undeploying the test after said executing the test;

wherein said deploying and said undeploying indicate test results of said deploying and said undeploying.

61. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 60, wherein said deploying and said undeploying occur for each of the plurality of times.

62. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 59, further comprising the test generator generating at least part of the application.

63. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 59, further comprising:

the test generator generating a plurality of configurations for executing the test; and

for each of the plurality of configurations the test generator executing the test a plurality of times according to that configuration.

64. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 59, further comprising:

the test generator generating a plurality of different tests each including a plurality of test blocks for the application including a plurality of modules; and

for each of the plurality of different tests the test generator executing that test a plurality of times according to the configuration.

65. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 59, wherein the test includes a plurality of transaction tests for testing allowed transaction attributes of the application according to each of the plurality of configurations.

66. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 59, wherein the test includes a plurality of security tests for testing allowed security attributes of the application according to the configuration.