System and method for selecting test case execution behaviors for reproducible test automation

• US 7,457,989 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hunter, Michael J., Gallacher, Michael D., Ulrich, Adam M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US10/953,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20060075302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 714/38, 714/37, 714/39, 717/124, 717/127, 717/128
• US Class Current: 714/38.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

A system and method for separating execution behaviors from test cases and consolidating execution behaviors in an execution behavior manager comprising or in communication with an execution behavior library. The method includes selecting an execution behavior for executing a step or action in a test case and sending the execution behavior to the test case for execution. Additionally, the system and method provide for applying global and local weightings to the execution behavior selection process and allow for replaying a test case with previously executed behaviors.

Claims

1. A computing device having a processor to implement a test case for selecting an execution behavior for executing an action, the selected execution behavior being one of a plurality of child execution behaviors of a parent execution behavior, the parent execution behavior more generally specifying the action to be executed and each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior more specifically specifying the action to be executed or a portion thereof, the test case comprising:

an execution behavior manager for receiving the more generally specified action from the parent execution behavior; and

a behavior automation library for storing each execution behavior therein, the parent execution behavior in the library having data therein regarding each child execution behavior thereof, and for providing the data regarding each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior to the execution behavior manager upon the execution behavior manager requesting the data after receiving the action from the parent execution behavior,

the execution behavior manager based on the provided data from the behavior automation library regarding each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior selecting at least one of the child execution behaviors such that the more specifically specified action therein is executed.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a register of behaviors comprising a listing of a plurality of execution behaviors.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the execution behavior manager determines potential execution behaviors for executing the action from the register of behaviors.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the action is executed by one of a plurality of execution behaviors.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the action is executed by executing a sequence of a plurality of execution behaviors.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the execution behavior manager executes the sequence in any order.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the execution behavior manager selects the execution behavior based on at least one of a global weighting and a local weighting.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the local weighting override the global weighting.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the execution behavior manager selects the execution behavior based on previously selected execution behaviors.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the execution behavior manager selects the execution behavior that is enabled.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the action is at least one of a functional test, a step in a functional test, an integration test, and a step in an integration test.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the execution behavior manager instantiates the data provided by the behavior automation library to create the selected execution behavior.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the execution behavior comprises attributes.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the execution behavior manager records a selected execution behavior.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the execution behavior manager replays the selected execution behavior.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the execution behavior comprises an input by at least one of a mouse, a keyboard, an accessibility application programming interface, and an object model.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer instructions executable by a computer, comprising:

a behavior automation library storing a plurality of execution behaviors therein, including a parent execution behavior and a plurality of child execution behaviors of the parent execution behavior, the parent execution behavior more generally specifying an action to be executed and each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior more specifically specifying the action to be executed or a portion thereof, the parent execution behavior in the library having data therein regarding each child execution behavior thereof, the library for providing the data regarding each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior to an execution behavior manager upon the execution behavior manager requesting the data after receiving the action from the parent execution behavior, whereby the execution behavior manager based on the provided data from the library regarding each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior selects at least one of the child execution behaviors such that the more specifically specified action therein is executed.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further has stored thereon the execution behavior manager.

19. A method implemented on a computing device for selecting an execution behavior for executing an action, the selected execution behavior being one of a plurality of child execution behaviors of a parent execution behavior, the parent execution behavior more generally specifying the action to be executed and each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior more specifically specifying the action to be executed or a portion thereof, the method comprising:

receiving the more generally specified action from the parent execution behavior;

reviewing data from the parent execution behavior regarding each child execution behavior thereof;

reviewing based on the data each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior and the more specifically specified action thereof; and

selecting at least one of the child execution behaviors such that the more specifically specified action therein is executed.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of execution behaviors are provided by a register of behaviors.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the action is a step in a test case.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising sending the selected execution behavior to the test case.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the selecting step is based on at least one of a local weighting and a global weighting.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising creating the selected execution behavior.

25. A method implemented on a computing device for selecting an execution behavior for executing an action, the selected execution behavior being one of a plurality of child execution behaviors of a parent execution behavior, the parent execution behavior more generally specifying the action to be executed and each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior more specifically specifying the action to be executed or a portion thereof, the method comprising:

receiving the more generally specified action from the parent execution behavior;

reviewing data from the parent execution behavior regarding each child execution behavior thereof;

reviewing based on the data each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior and the more specifically specified action thereof; and

selecting each of a predetermined series of the child execution behaviors such that the more specifically specified actions therein are sequentially executed.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein each execution behavior in the series of execution behaviors is selected in a predetermined order.

27. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer instructions executable by a computer for performing steps of:

receiving an action from a test case, the action being set forth within a parent execution behavior specified by the test case, the parent execution behavior having a plurality of child execution behaviors, the parent execution behavior more generally specifying the action and each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior more specifically specifying the action or a portion thereof;

reviewing data from the parent execution behavior regarding each child execution behavior thereof;

reviewing based on the data each child execution behavior of the parent execution behavior and the more specifically specified action thereof; and

selecting at least one of the child execution behaviors such that the more specifically specified action therein is executed.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, further comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the step of selecting one execution behavior from the plurality of execution behaviors.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the step of sending the selected execution behavior to the test case.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, further comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of selecting each of a predetermined series of execution behaviors.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein each execution behavior in the series of execution behaviors is selected in a predetermined order.