Method and system for testing websites

• US 7,231,606 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Software Research, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Software Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Edward F, Bral, Rita
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US10/041,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20030005044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: 345/736, 345/771, 714/4, 714/46, 714/47, 714/43, 714/45, 715/738, 702/119, 702/120, 702/186
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/14 Tree-structured documents parsing G06F40/205; validation G06F40/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and system is provided for testing and analyzing websites via a test-enabled web browser. In the representative embodiment a user controls a test-enabled web browser via a set of pull-down menus, thereby choosing between alternative testing and analysis functional capabilities, selecting files in which to store recordings (scripts), choosing files into which to place test results and messages, and setting various parameters that affect how the testing and analysis functions are performed. When the user requests it, the representative embodiment provides for deep recording of user interactions as they relate to a specific web page currently on display in the browser view area, for extracting key information from the current web page sufficient to validate that a future playback does or does not produce the same effects on the chosen website page, for playing back a prior recording to confirm that a website page continues to pass the user-defined tests, and for providing detailed analyses based on the specific contents of the current website page. The general result of systematic use of the test-enabled browser on websites is improved content quality, demonstrated website server behavior for deep tests, quicker delivery by the website server, and better serviceability for e-business.

Claims

1. A test-enabled web browser for operation on a computing device, comprising:

standard browsing components;

a load testing component that operates to test a website server in accordance with a load; and

a graphical user interface to provide user access to said standard browsing components and said load testing component,

wherein when said load testing component is activated, a number of multiple copies of said test-enabled web browser operate on a single client machine having its cache turned off, with each of the multiple copies of said test-enabled browser separately executing a playback script,

wherein the load applied to the website server by the number of multiple copies of said test-enabled web browser is dependent on the number; and

at least one of a script record component, a script playback component, a content validation component, a download timing monitor component, and a quality analysis component, wherein the script playback component automatically adapts playback to account for minor website changes in a current website page by searching up and down within the current website page until a nearly correct match is found at which point the script playback component proceeds with playback.

2. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 1, wherein said test-enabled browser further comprises at least one of a script record component, a script playback component, a content validation component, a download timing monitor component, and a quality analysis component.

3. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 1, wherein said standard browsing components comprises Dynamic Linked Library (DLL) components.

4. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 3, wherein the DLL components pertain to Internet Explorer technology.

5. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 1, wherein the playback script was previously recorded from within said test-enabled browser based on user interaction with said test-enabled browser while accessing the website.

6. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 5, wherein the script record further records details for a given web page being presented by said test-enabled browser.

7. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 6, wherein the details include checksums and item counts.

8. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 6, wherein the details are acquired by accessing a Document Object Model (DOM) for the given web page.

9. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 6, wherein the given web page is analyzed for properties of interest to a user, as specified and selected with user pull-down menus, and the required data is recorded into a script file for later comparative use during playback.

10. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 1, wherein said test-enabled browser further comprises a script record component and a script playback component.

11. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 10, wherein the script playback component can adaptively playback the playback script.

12. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 10, wherein said test-enabled browser further comprises a download truing monitor component.

13. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 12, wherein said test-enabled browser further comprises a content validation component.

14. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 13, wherein said test-enabled browser further comprises a quality analysis component.

15. A test-enabled browser as recited in claim 1,

wherein the details are acquired by accessing a Document Object Model (DOM) for the given web page,

wherein said test-enabled browser further comprises a script record component and a script playback component,

wherein the script playback component can adaptively playback the playback script, and

wherein said test-enabled browser further comprises a content validation component.

16. A computer readable storage medium including at least computer program code for providing a web browser with test capabilities, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for load testing a website server in accordance with a load;

computer program code for presenting a graphical user interface to provide user access to initiate and configure the load testing of a website server,

wherein, when load testing is activated, a number of multiple copies of the web browser with test capabilities operate on a single client machine, with each of the multiple copies of the web browser separately executing a playback script, the playback script being previously recorded from within the web browser based on user interaction with the web browser while accessing the website server, and

wherein the load applied to the website server by the number of multiple copies of the web browser with test capabilities is dependent on the number; and

computer code for automatically adapting playback to account for minor website changes in a current website page by searching up and down within the current website page until a nearly correct match is found at which point the script playback component proceeds with playback.

17. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein execution of the playback script is adaptive so as to resolve or ignore minor changes to one or more web pages being provided byte website server.

18. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein at least one of the one or more web pages provided by the website server being tested is a dynamically generated webpage.

19. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the playback script adapts to the playback with respect to the dynamically generated web page.

20. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 18,

wherein the playback script record further records details for a given web page being accessible by the web browser, and

wherein the details include checksums and item counts.

21. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said computer program code for load testing comprises a download timing monitor module, a content validation module, and a quality analysis module.