Patent ID: 8365147

Claim:
A test script transformation system comprising: a memory; a processor coupled to the memory; a graphical user interface (GUI) element mapping system adapted to: generate a GUI element mapping specification message comprising a GUI element version mapping comprising a GUI element mapping specification message header and a GUI element mapping specification message terminator; a metadata repository adapted to: receive the GUI element mapping specification message and responsively maintain GUI element metadata; GUI comparator logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor that when executed by the processor cause the processor to: accept as input: a current GUI application (GAP) GUI model for a current GAP version; a subsequent GAP GUI model for a subsequent GAP version; and the GUI element version mapping; and generate as output: a GUI difference model comprising a first GUI element difference entry that identifies a specific GUI element that matches between the current GAP version and the subsequent GAP version, but that differs in character between the current GAP version and the subsequent GAP version; a script analyzer stored in the memory and executable by the processor that when executed by the processor cause the processor to: accept as input: the GUI difference model; and an abstract syntax tree representation of a current test script; generate as output a change guide comprising script transformation information for functionally transforming the current test script that includes navigation statements, and performs read, write, or other actions or functions on GUI objects, and the arguments of these functions to test the functionality of the subsequent GAP version; and an economic engine operable to analyze the change guide.