Automation testing using descriptive maps

• US 9,189,377 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Arkadyev, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Das, Chameli
• Application Number:
  US14/462,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20150347281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for automation testing of a user interface (“UI”) using descriptive UI Maps are provided. A UI Map may list related UI controls, properties and functionality of the UI controls. A Data Sheet may provide test parameters used for each control in a particular test step. An Instructions Sheet may specify an automation test scenario to be applied. The Instruction Sheet may include a reference to the test parameters of the Data Sheet. Use of descriptive UI maps may provide a modular framework. Each UI Map may describe a group of functionally or logically linked controls on a UI page. As a result of description details being provided in the UI map, standard code may be written once to interpret and make use of those details. Typically no additional coding is required to automate test scenarios related to control groups associated with the UI.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising:

a non-transitory machine readable memory having computer readable program code embodied therein;

one or more processors configured to execute the computer readable program code; and

a system bus configured to transfer the computer readable program code from the machine readable memory to the processor;

the code when executed by the one or more processors, performs a method for automation testing of a webpage of a User Interface (“

UI”

), the method comprising;

receiving an Instruction Sheet comprising;

an automation test scenario; and

a reference to a Data Sheet;

extracting from the Data Sheet;

a reference to a first UI Map; and

a testing parameter for a first UI control;

extracting, from the first UI Map, metadata associated with the first UI control, the metadata comprising;

the webpage that comprises the first UI control;

a name of the first UI control;

a control type associated with the first UI control on the webpage;

a category associated with the first UI control on the webpage;

a default value for the first UI control on the webpage; and

a reference to a second UI control triggered in response to user manipulation of the first UI control;

initializing the first UI control based on the metadata;

applying the automation test scenario to the first UI control using the testing parameter; and

in response to applying the automation test scenario the first UI control, initializing the second UI control based on a second UI Map associated with the second UI control;

wherein;

the applying of the automation test scenario comprises initializing a class object using a two-part keyword;

a first part of the keyword initializes computer code that is configured to;

identify the first UI Map; and

extract the metadata from the first UI Map; and

a second part of the keyword initializes computer code that is configured to execute the automation test scenario using the testing parameter.

2. The article of claim 1, the method further comprising designating the first UI control as being compliant with the metadata when the first UI control responds to the applying of the automation test scenario as specified by the metadata.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein the first UI Map comprises:

a link to a second UI Map; and

a temporal relationship between the UI control and the second UI Map; and

the automation test scenario verifies the temporal relationship.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein the first UI Map comprises a first plurality of UI controls associated with a first webpage of the UI and the second UI Map comprises a second plurality of UI controls associated with a second webpage of the UI.

5. The article of claim 1 wherein the class object is used to perform a first automation test on the first UI control and a second automation test on the second UI control.

6. The article of claim 1 wherein the automation test scenario is selected from a group comprising:

verifying an existence of the first UI control on the webpage;

verifying an existence of the second UI control in response to a simulated user manipulation of the first UI control;

populating the first UI control with test data;

applying a simulated user action to the first UI control; and

populating the first UI control with test data and applying the simulated user action to the first UI control.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein, when the first UI control implements a filtering function within a UI table, the automation test scenario comprises:

entering filter data into the filter control;

verifying a format of the filter data;

triggering the filter control; and

verifying that the UI table is displayed as specified in the filter data.

8. The article of claim 1 wherein, when the first UI control implements a sorting function within a UI table, the automation test scenario comprises:

simulating a first user click on the sort control;

verifying a display of a sorting option in response to the first user click;

simulating a second user click on the sorting option; and

verifying that the UI table is displayed as specified in the sorting option.

9. The article of claim 1 wherein the testing parameter stored in the Data Sheet is a reference to a property of the first UI control stored in the first UI Map.

10. The article of claim 1 wherein when the Data Sheet is a first Data Sheet and the webpage is a first webpage:

the testing parameter stored in the first Data Sheet comprises a function call to computer code that, when executed by the one or more processors, verifies that the first UI control exists on the first UI webpage described by the first UI Map; and

the second Data Sheet utilizes the function call to verify that the second UI control exists on a second UI webpage.

11. The article of claim 1 wherein the testing parameter stored in the Data Sheet comprises a function call to computer code that, when executed by the one or more processors, simulates the user manipulation of the first UI control, and the method further comprises determining whether the first UI control responds to the user manipulation as specified by the metadata.