Patent Abstract:
Provided are an article of manufacture, system, and method for generating test scenarios using reusable triggers indicating graphical user interface (GUI) elements and actions. User input is received defining a plurality of triggers for a graphical user interface (GUI) program. Each trigger associates a user GUI action and a GUI object on which the GUI action is performed. Execution of the GUI action on the GUI object defined in the trigger causes a shift in a state of the GUI program from one static state to another, and wherein the defined triggers are enabled for reuse in multiple test scenarios. User input is received indicating a first order of triggers to test a first scenario of operations of the GUI program. The GUI program executes the GUI actions with respect to the GUI objects defined in the triggers in the indicated first order. User input is received indicating a second order of triggers to test a second scenario of operations of the GUI program. The GUI program executes the GUI actions with respect to the GUI objects defined in the triggers in the indicated second order. At least one of the triggers indicated for the second scenario reuses at least one trigger indicated for the first scenario. The triggers defined in the first and second scenarios are executed to test the GUI program.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method, system, and article of manufacture for generating test scenarios using reusable triggers indicating graphical user interface (GUI) elements and actions. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     To perform software quality assurance (QA) on a graphical user interface (GUI) program, the software developer may use an automated testing technique to test the GUI program. GUI test automation techniques seek to replace manual operations by predefined test scripts, so that testing work can be performed more effectively and efficiently using test scripts. The test scripts include code to enter data and perform GUI actions, such as mouse clicks, keyboard strokes, etc., on the GUI program. The automated test scripts are written and executed to simulate human behavior such as mouse click or keyboard input to verify each function of the GUI program. 
     After test scripts are written, significant maintenance costs may be incurred if GUI objects in the GUI program are modified. In such case, the test scripts must be updated to reflect the changes to the GUI objects. For example, a new button or GUI object may be added, and then the test scripts must be updated to accommodate these changes to the GUI objects in the GUI program. 
     In certain GUI test development tools, the test developer may create reusable components of a GUI test scenario, where each reusable component comprises a series of actions to perform at a GUI state to transition to a next GUI state and verification tests to perform at a GUI state to verify the values and output at the GUI state. The developer may construct test scenario using the reusable components. Reusability is an important consideration for automated testers to allow them to maintain/write once and reuse n times, and thereby reduce the maintenance effort by (n−1) times. 
     For these reasons, there is a need in the art for improved techniques for generating test scripts and scenarios to test a GUI program. 
     SUMMARY 
     Provided are an article of manufacture, system, and method for generating test scenarios using reusable triggers indicating graphical user interface (GUI) elements and actions. User input is received defining a plurality of triggers for a graphical user interface (GUI) program. Each trigger associates a user GUI action and a GUI object on which the GUI action is performed. Execution of the GUI action on the GUI object defined in the trigger causes a shift in a state of the GUI program from one static state to another, and wherein the defined triggers are enabled for reuse in multiple test scenarios. User input is received indicating a first order of triggers to test a first scenario of operations of the GUI program. The GUI program executes the GUI actions with respect to the GUI objects defined in the triggers in the indicated first order. User input is received indicating a second order of triggers to test a second scenario of operations of the GUI program. The GUI program executes the GUI actions with respect to the GUI objects defined in the triggers in the indicated second order. At least one of the triggers indicated for the second scenario reuses at least one trigger indicated for the first scenario. The triggers defined in the first and second scenarios are executed to test the GUI program. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a system to test a GUI program. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a test scenario. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment of a trigger set. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of a trigger. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of a verification point to verify a GUI state. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of operations to generate a test scenario. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of operations to execute a test scenario. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment of an architecture that may be used with the described embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a computing system  2  including program components used to test a graphical user interface (GUI) program  4 . The system  2  includes a GUI test automation tool  6  to assist a user to create test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  providing a test script of input and GUI actions to cause the tested GUI program  4  to proceed through various GUI states and test a flow of GUI states with respect to input defined in the test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n . The system  2  further includes a trigger/verification point library  10  comprising reusable triggers and verification points that may be referenced in the different test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n . Each trigger identifies a GUI action and GUI object pair, where the GUI action comprises an action performed by a user, such as a mouse click, keyboard stroke, voice command, etc., and the GUI object indicates a displayed GUI component, such as a depressable button, radio button, check box, icon, etc., that may be affected or activated by the GUI action. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a defined test scenario  8 , of which test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  comprise an instance, as including an ordered set of one or more items, where each item comprises trigger set and verification set pairs  20   a  and  22   a ,  20   b  and  22   b ,  20   n  and  20   n.    
       FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment of a trigger set  20  as including an ordered set of triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  and input data set  32   a ,  32   b  . . .  32   n  pairs. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of a trigger  30 , such as triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n , as indicating a GUI action  42  to perform with respect to a GUI object  42  rendered with GUI elements at a GUI state. As discussed, the GUI action  42  may comprise an action performed by a user, such as a mouse click, keyboard stroke, voice command, etc., and the GUI object  40  indicates a displayed GUI component, such as a depressable button, radio button, check box, icon, etc., that may be affected or activated by the GUI action. 
     The trigger set  20  indicates an ordered set of triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  that are executed at a GUI state according to the ordering indicated in the trigger set  20 . An input data set  32   a ,  32   b  . . .  32   n  may optionally be associated with one or more of the triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  in the trigger set  20  indicating input data to add to the GUI elements rendered at the state before executing the GUI action  42  associated with the input data set  32   a ,  32   b  . . .  32   n  to transition to a next GUI state in the GUI program  4 . 
     As discussed with respect to  FIG. 2 , the scenario  8  includes verification sets  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  22   n  associated GUI states resulting from execution of the trigger sets  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n , where each verification set  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  22   n  includes one or more verification points of verification operations to perform at a GUI state. 
     Each verification point  50  in a verification set  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  2   n  indicates a GUI object  52  and a verification operation  54 , where the verification operation  54  is performed with respect to the GUI object  52  at a GUI state to verify the output and values at the GUI state comprise expected GUI elements. After the GUI actions  40  indicated in the triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  in the trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n  are executed to transition to a next GUI state, then the verification set  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  22   n  associated with the state resulting from the just executed trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n  is executed to verify the values at the GUI state. In certain situations, there may be no verification set associated with a GUI state. In such case, the trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n  associated with that state is executed without performing verification operations with respect to the GUI state with which the trigger set is associated. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of operations performed by the GUI test automation tool  6  in response to user action via a user interface to create test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  for the GUI program  4 . Upon initiating (at block  100 ) an operation to create a test scenario  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n , the GUI test automation tool  6 , receives (at block  102 ) user input to define a trigger  30  ( FIG. 3 ) and stores the defined trigger  40  in the trigger/verification point library  40 . Each defined trigger  40  indicates a GUI object  40  that would be rendered in a GUI panel or window by the GUI program  4  and the action  42  indicates a user action to perform with respect to that GUI object  40 , such as a mouse click, keystroke, etc. The defined trigger may be stored in the trigger/verification point library  10 . The GUI test automation tool  6  receives (at block  104 ) a user definition of at least one trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n  for a test scenario  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n , where the trigger set comprises one or more defined triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  or selected triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  accessed from the trigger/verification point library  10  in and an ordering of the triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  in the trigger set  20 . 
     The GUI test automation tool  6  further optionally receives (at block  106 ) an input data set  32   a ,  32   b  . . .  32   n  with each trigger  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  included in the trigger set  20 , where the data in the input data set  32   a ,  32   b  . . .  32   n  is entered at the GUI elements before the GUI action  42  defined in the associated trigger  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  is performed. The user may also decline to define an input data set for a trigger, such that the GUI action  42  for the trigger  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  is performed without entering data from an input data set. The GUI test automation tool  6  further receives (at block  108 ) user input indicating an ordering of the triggers and input data set pairs  30   a  and  32   a ,  30   b  and  32   b  . . .  30   n  and  32   n  in the trigger set  20 . 
     The GUI test automation tool  6  further receives (at block  110 ) a user definition of a verification set  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  22   n  for a GUI state resulting from execution of a trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n , where each verification set  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  2   n  includes one or more verification points  50  ( FIG. 4 ). Each verification point  50  defines a verification operation  54  ( FIG. 5 ) to perform on the GUI elements rendered at a GUI state resulting from execution of the actions  42  ( FIG. 4 ) in the triggers  30   a  . . .  30   n  ( FIG. 3 ) in a trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n  ( FIG. 2 ) to verify that the GUI state elements match expected values. The GUI test automation tool  6  receives (at block  112 ) an indication of an ordering of the trigger set and verification set pairs  20   a  and  22   a ,  20   b  and  22   b  . . .  20   n  and  22   n  ( FIG. 2 ) in the test scenario  8  being generated. The generated test scenario  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  may then be stored (at block  114 ) for later invocation to test the GUI program  4 . 
     In the described embodiments, different test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  may define trigger sets having the same triggers from the trigger/verification point library  10 , such that the test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  each include references to the same triggers in the trigger/verification point library  10 . The triggers may be reused in different test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  so that the user does not need to redefine the GUI action for the GUI object each time that action is performed with respect to the object in different test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n . Further, verification points  50  ( FIG. 5 ) may be stored in the library  10  to be available to be selected for reuse in different verification sets  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  22   n  ( FIG. 2 ). In this way, both verification points  50  and triggers  30  may comprise reusable elements that may be selected in different trigger and verification sets defined in the same or different test scenarios. 
     In certain embodiments, the triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  defined in the trigger sets  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n  ( FIG. 2 ) and verification points  50  ( FIG. 5 ) defined in verification sets  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  22   n  ( FIG. 2 ) may comprise references to triggers  30  ( FIG. 4 ) and verification points  50  ( FIG. 5 ), respectively, defined in the library  10 . Thus, if the GUI program  4  GUI objects and corresponding actions are modified by adding, modifying or deleting certain GUI objects, then such modifications can be reflected in the triggers defined in the trigger/verification point library  10 , updating at least one of the GUI object  40  or action  42  for the trigger to reflect the changes made to the GUI program  4  being tested. In such case, after updating the trigger in the trigger/verification point library  10 , processing triggers when executing a test scenario  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  would cause execution of the referenced trigger in the trigger/verification point library  10 . Further, after updating a verification point  50  in the library  10 , processing the verification point would cause execution of the referenced verification point  50  in the library  10 . In this way, multiple test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  may reference the same triggers  30  ( FIG. 4 ) and verification points  50  ( FIG. 5 ) defined in the library  10 , and updating the trigger and/or verification point in the library  10  once would cause the test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  to execute the updated trigger and verification point, including the modified GUI object  40 ,  52  and/or GUI action  42  or GUI verification operation  54 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of operations performed by the GUI program  4  in response to the GUI test automation tool  6  executing one of the test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  to test the GUI program  4 . Upon invoking (at block  200 ) the GUI test automation tool  6  to execute one of the test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  to test the GUI program  4 , the GUI program  4  proceeds (at block  202 ) to a first GUI state rendering GUI elements for the first GUI state. The test scenario  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  processes (at block  204 ) a first trigger set  20   a  and verification set  22   a  pair. 
     When processing a trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n  ( FIG. 2 ) a loop of operations is performed at blocks  206  through  214  for each trigger  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  ( FIG. 3 ) defined in the trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n  ( FIG. 2 ) currently being processed according to the trigger set order. If (at block  208 ) an input data set  32   a ,  32   b  . . .  32   n  is provided for the trigger set  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  being processed, then the input data in the provided input data set  32   a ,  32   b  . . .  32   n  is included (at block  210 ) in the GUI elements represented at the GUI state. After inserting the input data sets (from block  210 ) or if there is no input data set for the trigger (from the no branch of block  208 ), then the GUI action  42  defined in the trigger  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  being processed is executed (at block  212 ) with respect to the specified GUI object  40  rendered at the GUI state. 
     After processing all the triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  in the trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n  being processed, the GUI program  4  proceeds (at block  216 ) to the next static GUI state resulting from performing the GUI actions  42  defined in the triggers  30   a ,  30   b  . . .  30   n  in the processed trigger set  20   a ,  20   b  . . .  20   n . Upon reaching the new GUI state, tests are performed (at block  218 ) as defined in the verification points  50  ( FIG. 5 ) in the verification set  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  22   n  associated with the current GUI state. If (at block  220 ) the GUI elements rendered for the GUI state do not satisfy the results expected by verification point tests in the verification set  22   a ,  22   b  . . .  2   n , then an error exception is thrown (at block  222 ) indicating the cause of the error and unexpected results. This exception may end the execution of the test scenario  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n.    
     If (at block  220 ) the GUI elements satisfy the tests specified in the verification set and if (at block  224 ) there is another trigger set  20   b  . . .  20   n  in the test scenario  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  to process, then control proceeds to block  226  to process the next trigger set  20   b  . . .  20   n . If (at block  224 ) there are no further trigger sets to process in the test scenario  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n , then control ends. 
     With the described embodiments, the test scenario  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  may define an ordered set of trigger sets of actions to perform, where each trigger indicated in the trigger set may comprise a reusable trigger maintained in a trigger/verification point library  10 . Multiple test scenarios  8   a ,  8   b  . . .  8   n  may be defined using the same reusable triggers and verification points in the trigger/verification point library  10 . Providing reusable triggers comprising GUI action and object pairs and verification points to test GUI objects at a GUI state that may be reused in different components provides reusability at an item level within the program. This is advantageous over systems that provide reusability at the component level because reusability at the component level does not provide the benefits of reusability at the sub-component level, such as GUI action and object pairs that may be reused in different components. 
     ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENT DETAILS 
     The described operations may be implemented as a method, apparatus or article of manufacture using standard programming and/or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. The described operations may be implemented as code maintained in a “computer readable medium”, where a processor may read and execute the code from the computer readable medium. A computer readable medium may comprise media such as magnetic storage medium (e.g., hard disk drives, floppy disks, tape, etc.), optical storage (CD-ROMs, DVDs, optical disks, etc.), volatile and non-volatile memory devices (e.g., EEPROMs, ROMs, PROMs, RAMs, DRAMs, SRAMs, Flash Memory, firmware, programmable logic, etc.), etc. The code implementing the described operations may further be implemented in hardware logic implemented in a hardware device (e.g., an integrated circuit chip, Programmable Gate Array (PGA), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), etc.). Still further, the article of manufacture implementing the code may comprise a receiver or transmitter device or other physical carrier capable of processing or implementing the code as “transmission signals”, where transmission signals may propagate through space or through a transmission media, such as an optical fiber, copper wire, etc. The transmission signals in which the code or logic is encoded may further comprise a wireless signal, satellite transmission, radio waves, infrared signals, Bluetooth, etc. The transmission signals in which the code or logic is encoded is capable of being transmitted by a transmitting station and received by a receiving station, where the code or logic encoded in the transmission signal may be decoded and stored in hardware or a computer readable medium at the receiving and transmitting stations or devices. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications may be made to this configuration without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the article of manufacture may comprise suitable information bearing medium known in the art. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates one implementation of a computer architecture  300  that may be implemented in the system  2  in  FIG. 1 . The architecture  300  may include a processor  302  (e.g., a microprocessor), a memory  304  (e.g., a volatile memory device), and storage  306  (e.g., a non-volatile storage, such as magnetic disk drives, optical disk drives, a tape drive, etc.). The storage  306  may comprise an internal storage device or an attached or network accessible storage. Programs, including an operating system  308 , device drivers and application programs, in the storage  306  are loaded into the memory  304  and executed by the processor  302  in a manner known in the art. The architecture further includes a network card  310  to enable communication with a network. An input device  312  is used to provide user input to the processor  302 , and may include a keyboard, mouse, pen-stylus, microphone, touch sensitive display screen, or any other activation or input mechanism known in the art. An output device  314  is capable of rendering information transmitted from the processor  302 , or other component, such as a display monitor, printer, storage, etc. 
     The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “the embodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “some embodiments”, and “one embodiment” mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments of the present invention(s)” unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The terms “including”, “comprising”, “having” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The variable “n” when used to represent a variable number of an element may indicate any number of instances of the element, and may indicate different integer numbers when used with different elements or when used with different instances of the same element. 
     Devices that are in communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices that are in communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries. 
     A description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present invention. 
     Further, although process steps, method steps, algorithms or the like may be described in a sequential order, such processes, methods and algorithms may be configured to work in alternate orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be described does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of processes described herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously. 
     When a single device or article is described herein, it will be readily apparent that more than one device/article (whether or not they cooperate) may be used in place of a single device/article. Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein (whether or not they cooperate), it will be readily apparent that a single device/article may be used in place of the more than one device or article or a different number of devices/articles may be used instead of the shown number of devices or programs. The functionality and/or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices which are not explicitly described as having such functionality/features. Thus, other embodiments of the present invention need not include the device itself. 
     The illustrated operations of  FIGS. 6 and 7  show certain events occurring in a certain order. In alternative embodiments, certain operations may be performed in a different order, modified or removed. Moreover, steps may be added to the above described logic and still conform to the described embodiments. Further, operations described herein may occur sequentially or certain operations may be processed in parallel. Yet further, operations may be performed by a single processing unit or by distributed processing units. 
     The foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6