Correlating macro and error data for debugging program error event

• US 7,661,031 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twitter Inc (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Birsan, Dorian, Birsan, Valentina
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarthy; Christopher S
• Application Number:
  US11/617,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 714/38.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases

Abstract

A solution for managing a program execution is provided. During execution of a program, macro data and error data can be generated and stored. The macro data includes a set of execution entries, each of which includes data for a user interface task for a user interface object and a time for the user interface task. The error data, if any, includes a set of failure entries, each of which includes data for an error event and a time for the error event. A failure entry can be subsequently correlated with at least one execution entry based on the corresponding times. Further, relationship data and/or the like can be used to generate a test case, which can enable the user interface tasks that led up to the error event to be recreated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing a program execution, wherein the computer performs the steps of:

obtaining macro data for the program, the macro data including a set of execution entries, each of which includes data corresponding to a user interface task executed by the program for a user interface object of the program and a time corresponding to execution of the user interface task, wherein the user interface task comprises user level processing performed in response to an input received from a user using the user interface object and wherein the data corresponding to the user interface task enables recreation of the user interface task;

obtaining error data for the program, the error data including a set of failure entries, each failure entry including data for an error event and a time for the error event; and

correlating at least one execution entry with a failure entry based on the time for the at least one execution entry and the time for the failure entry.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a test case based on the correlated at least one execution entry and the failure entry.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising automatically reproducing the at least one user interface task using the test case.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing the at least one execution entry for presentation to a user using the test case.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising debugging the program based on the correlating.

6. The method of claim 1, the obtaining macro data including:

identifying execution of a user interface task for a user interface object of the program;

generating an execution entry based on the executed user interface task; and

storing the execution entry as macro data for the program.

7. The method of claim 1, the obtaining error data including:

identifying an error event during the program execution;

generating a failure entry based on the identified error event; and

storing the failure entry as error data for the program.

8. A computer system for managing a program execution, the computer system comprising:

a device for obtaining macro data for a program, the macro data including a set of execution entries, each of which includes data corresponding to a user interface task executed by the program for a user interface object of the program and a time corresponding to execution of the user interface task, wherein the user interface task comprises user level processing performed in response to an input received from a user using the user interface object and wherein the data corresponding to the user interface task enables recreation of the user interface task;

a device for obtaining error data for the program, the error data including a set of failure entries, each failure entry including data for an error event and a time for the error event; and

a device for correlating at least one execution entry with a failure entry based on the time for the at least one execution entry and the time for the failure entry.

9. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising a device for generating a test case based on the correlated at least one execution entry and the failure entry.

10. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising a device for debugging the program based on the correlating.

11. A computer program comprising program code stored on at least one computer-readable storage medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to implement a method of managing a program execution, the method comprising:

obtaining macro data for the program, the macro data including a set of execution entries, each of which includes data corresponding to a user interface task executed by the program for a user interface object of the program and a time corresponding to execution of the user interface task, wherein the user interface task comprises user level processing performed in response to an input received from a user using the user interface object and wherein the data corresponding to the user interface task enables recreation of the user interface task;

obtaining error data for the program, the error data including a set of failure entries, each failure entry including data for an error event and a time for the error event; and

correlating at least one execution entry with a failure entry based on the time for the at least one execution entry and the time for the failure entry.

12. The computer program of claim 11, the method further comprising generating a test case based on the correlated at least one execution entry and the failure entry.

13. The computer program of claim 12, the method further comprising automatically reproducing the at least one user interface task using the test case.

14. The computer program of claim 12, the method further comprising providing the at least one execution entry for presentation to a user using the test case.

15. The computer program of claim 11, the method further comprising debugging the program based on the correlating.

16. A computer program comprising program code stored on at least one computer-readable storage medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to implement a method of monitoring a program execution, the method comprising:

identifying execution of a user interface task for a user interface object of the program;

storing an execution entry as macro data for the executed user interface task, the execution entry including data corresponding to the user interface task and a time corresponding to execution of the user interface task, wherein the user interface task comprises user level processing performed in response to an input received from a user using the user interface object and wherein the data corresponding to the user interface task enables recreation of the user interface task;

identifying an error event during the program execution; and

storing a failure entry as error data for the error event, the failure entry including data for the error event and a time for the error event.

17. The computer program of claim 16, the method further comprising:

generating the user interface object for presentation to a user; and

executing the user interface task for the user interface object.

18. The computer program of claim 16, the data for the user interface task including human-useable data for enabling a user to recreate the user interface task.

19. The computer program of claim 16, the data for the user interface task including machine-useable data for enabling an automated recreation of the user interface task.

20. The computer program of claim 16, the execution entry further including relationship data between the execution entry and a second execution entry in the macro data.