Reusing data in user run book automation

• US 8,713,436 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, William T., Uthe, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHURI, ANITA
• Application Number:
  US11/966,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,314 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/763, 715/764, 715/765, 715/744, 715/749, 715/748, 715/760, 715/766, 715/767, 715/864, 715/865, 715/844, 715/704, 715/706
• US Class Current: 715/704
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

Reusing data in user run book automation. An application engages a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI is accentuated. The application records a sequence of selections made among the collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI as well as data entered within the GUI, where the sequence of selections represent a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with the web-based GUI. The application exports and imports data from the sequence of selections made among the collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI to facilitate replay of the sequence of selections without requiring repeated entry of said data by a user. The application replays the sequence of selections with the web-based GUI.

Claims

1. A computer-implementable method for providing run book automation on a data processing system, said computer-implementable method comprising:

engaging a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI is accentuated;

recording a sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI, wherein said sequence of selections represents a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with said web-based GUI, said recording further comprising capturing at least one data attribute, wherein said at least one data attribute comprises a marker having a value for fetching, internal caching, or a combination thereof when a subsequent task is run;

exporting and importing data from said sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI to facilitate replay of said sequence of selections without requiring repeated entry of said data by a user;

providing a web replay feature for replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI, wherein providing the web replay feature comprises providing a control panel that enables the user to control the teaching mode and replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI, the control panel being provided in said web-based GUI at all times during the teaching mode and replay without requiring user input; and

engaging the web replay feature for replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI, wherein engaging the web replay feature comprises;

if a current element in said replayed sequence is an action, determining if there is data to export, locating specified data, determining whether the action is manual or automatic, if manual displaying a highlight over at least one of said selectable portions, waiting for user action to select the selectable portion, and selecting the selectable portion, and if automatic directly selecting the selectable portion; and

if the current element in the replayed sequence is a data specification, performing said importing of data from said sequence of selections by importing said data into a form with information captured in the teaching mode.

2. The computer-implementable method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one data attribute is utilized to provide at least one response to data queries within said web-based GUI.

3. The computer-implementable method according to claim 1, wherein said recording further comprises:

capturing a collection of metadata identifying each selection among said sequence of selections within said GUI to enable location of each said selection during said replay.

4. The computer-implementable method according to claim 3, wherein said replaying further comprises:

utilizing said collection of metadata to location each selection among said sequence of selection within said GUI.

5. The computer-implementable method according to claim 4, wherein said collection of metadata further comprises an owning frame, at least one auxiliary frame, at least one auxiliary form, an identification, a name, a type, a subtype, a display name, a collection of inner text, a hierarchy attribute, a positional hierarchy attribute, a short hierarchy attribute, and a short positional hierarchy attribute.

18. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, wherein providing the control panel comprises providing a data capture button and a save button.

19. The computer implemented method according to claim 18, further comprising:

capturing data entered into at least one input field in the web-based GUI in response to the user selecting the data capture button; and

indicating an end of the teaching mode and saving the sequence of selections in response to the user selecting the save button.

20. The computer-implementable method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a bar on the web-based GUI comprising a representation of each selection of the recorded sequence of selections.

6. A system for providing run book automation on a data processing system, said system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor;

a memory coupled to said data bus; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for providing run book automation on a data processing system by performing the steps of;

engaging a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI is accentuated;

recording a sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI, wherein said sequence of selections represents a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with said web-based GUI, said recording further comprising capturing at least one data attribute, wherein said at least one data attribute comprises a marker having a value for fetching, internal caching, or a combination thereof when a subsequent task is run;

exporting and importing data from said sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI to facilitate replay of said sequence of selections without requiring repeated entry of said data by a user;

providing a web replay feature for replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI, wherein providing the web replay feature comprises providing a control panel that enables the user to control the teaching mode and replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI, the control panel being provided in said web-based GUI at all times during the teaching mode and replay without requiring user input; and

engaging the web replay feature for replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI, wherein engaging the web replay feature comprises;

if a current element in said replayed sequence is an action, determining if there is data to export, locating specified data, determining whether the action is manual or automatic, if manual displaying a highlight over at least one of said selectable portions, waiting for user action to select the selectable portion, and selecting the selectable portion, and if automatic directly selecting the selectable portion; and

if the current element in the replayed sequence is a data specification, performing said importing of data from said sequence of selections by importing said data into a form with information captured in the teaching mode.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said at least one data attribute is utilized to provide at least one response to data queries within said web-based GUI.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said instructions for recording are further configured for:

capturing a collection of metadata identifying each selection among said sequence of selections within said GUI to enable location of each said selection during said replay.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said instructions for replaying are further configured for:

utilizing said collection of metadata to location each selection among said sequence of selection within said GUI.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said collection of metadata further comprises an owning frame, at least one auxiliary frame, at least one auxiliary form, an identification, a name, a type, a subtype, a display name, a collection of inner text, a hierarchy attribute, a positional hierarchy attribute, a short hierarchy attribute, and a short positional hierarchy attribute.

11. A computer program product for providing run book automation on a data processing system, said computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, said computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code configured to engage a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI is accentuated;

computer usable program code configured to record a sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI, wherein said sequence of selections represents a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with said web-based GUI, wherein said being configured to record further comprises being configured to capture at least one data attribute, wherein said at least one data attribute comprises a marker having a value for fetching, internal caching, or a combination thereof when a subsequent task is run;

computer usable program code configured to export and import data from said sequence of selections made among said plurality of selectable portions of said web-based GUI to facilitate replay of said sequence of selections without requiring repeated entry of said data by a user;

computer usable program code configured to provide a web replay feature to replay said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI, wherein providing the web replay feature comprises providing a control panel that enables the user to control the teaching mode and replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI, the control panel being provided in said web-based GUI at all times during the teaching mode and replay without requiring user input, and

computer usable program code configured to engage the web replay feature for replaying said sequence of selections within said web-based GUI, wherein engaging the web replay feature comprises;

if a current element in said replayed sequence is an action, determining if there is data to export, locating specified data, determining whether the action is manual or automatic, if manual displaying a highlight over at least one of said selectable portions, waiting for user action to select the selectable portion, and selecting the selectable portion, and if automatic directly selecting the selectable portion; and

if the current element in the replayed sequence is a data specification, performing said importing of data from said sequence of selections by importing said data into a form with information captured in the teaching mode.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said at least one data attribute is utilized to provide at least one response to data queries within said web-based GUI.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said computer usable code for recording is further configured to:

capture a collection of metadata identifying each selection among said sequence of selections within said GUI to enable location of each said selection during said replay.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer usable code for replaying is further configured to:

utilize said collection of metadata to location each selection among said sequence of selection within said GUI.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said collection of metadata further comprises an owning frame, at least one auxiliary frame, at least one auxiliary form, an identification, a name, a type, a subtype, a display name, a collection of inner text, a hierarchy attribute, a positional hierarchy attribute, a short hierarchy attribute, and a short positional hierarchy attribute.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable medium is a component of a remote server, and wherein the computer usable program code is deployable to a local computer from the remote server.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code is capable of being provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.