Automated multilingual software testing method and apparatus

• US 7,543,189 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fichter, George M., Lau, Ban Keng, Kliorin, Mikhail I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riad; Amine
• Application Number:
  US11/170,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20070006039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 714/38
• US Class Current: 714/38.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

A computer system and method tests various language installations of an application program using a single test script. The various language translations existing with the application program are used to provide translations of test command strings from one language to the specific language of the application program (operating system locale for executing the program). The test script may then be translated at runtime using the predefined program-established translations to allow the testing program to test the application program in accordance with the language of the application program/operating system locale.

Claims

1. A method of testing an application program using a test script containing test commands in a first language, the application program having a second language different from the first language, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

employing translations used in the application program itself, comparing test commands in the first language to converted test commands in the second language by;

determining a support file of the application program supporting program execution in various languages and having translations to the second language, the support file being a prior established file of the application program and the support file having resource name and URL for the second language; and

accessing the determined support file and obtaining translations of the test commands in the second language.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of determining includes dynamically querying the application program for the support file.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the step of dynamically querying includes:

determining the second language from displayed text of the application program;

determining the resource name and URL for the second language; and

locating support file according to determined resource name and second language.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the application program is multilingual and the second language is locale-specific.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support file is any one of a property file, a resource bundle or resource file of the application program.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the application program is a tagged application.

7. A computer readable medium for automated testing of an application program, comprising:

a test script having test commands in a first language, the application program having a second language that is different from the first language; and

a tester process for providing translations of the test commands in the second language, the tester process employing translations used in the application program itself and comparing test commands in the first language to converted test commands in the second language by accessing supporting files of the application program supporting program examination in plural languages and having translations to the second language, the supporting files being prior established files of the application program and the supporting files having resource name and URL for the second language.

8. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 7 wherein the supporting files are any of a property file, a resource file or a resource bundle of the application program.

9. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 7 wherein the application program is multilingual and the second language is locale-specific.

10. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 7 wherein the tester process dynamically queries the application program for the supporting files.

11. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 7 wherein the tester process:

determines the second language from displayed text of the application program;

determines the resource name and URL for the second language; and

locates supporting files according to determined resource name and second language.

12. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 7 wherein the application program is a tagged application.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for automating testing of application programs, when executed on a computer, the executable instructions causing the computer to perform the steps of:

testing an application program using a test script having test commands in one language and the application program having a different language;

employing translations used in the application program itself and comparing test commands in the first language to converted test commands in the second language by;

determining resource file of the application program supporting program execution in multiple languages and having translations to the second language, the resource file being a prior established file of the application program and the resource file having resource name and URL for the second language; and

accessing the determined resource file and obtaining translations of the test commands in the second language.

14. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the step of determining includes dynamically querying the application program for the resource file.

15. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the step of dynamically querying includes:

determining the second language from displayed text of the application program;

determining the resource name and URL for the second language; and

locating resource file according to determined resource name and second language.

16. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the application program is multilingual.

17. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the second language is locale specific.

18. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the application program is a tagged application.

19. A computer readable medium for automated testing of an application program, comprising:

testing means having a first language, the application program having a second language that is different from the first language; and

process means providing translations of the testing means to the second language, the process means employing translations used in the application program itself and comparing test commands in the first language to converted test commands in the second language by accessing supporting files of the application program supporting program execution in plural languages and having translations to the second language, the supporting files being application program established files and the supporting files having resource name and URL for the second language.

20. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 19 wherein the supporting files are any of a property file, a resource file or a resource bundle of the application program.

21. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 19 wherein the application program is multilingual and the second language is locale-specific.

22. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 19 wherein the process means dynamically queries the application program for the supporting files.

23. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 19 wherein the process means:

determines the second language from displayed text of the application program;

determines the resource name and URL for the second language; and

locates supporting files according to determined resource name and second language.

24. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 19 wherein the application program is a tagged application.