Patent ID: 7395456

Claim:
At least one computer-readable storage medium having stored computer-executable instructions which when executed by a system implement a method for identifying a user interface element even when the element has been moved within the user interface from one node to another node of an interface hierarchy, the method comprising: determining a unique query element identifier for a target user interface element within a hierarchy of user interface elements; generating a partial query identifier for the target user interface element, the partial query identifier having the query element identifier therein and fewer than all ancestor query element identifiers, each ancestor query element identifier corresponding to a higher-level ancestor element relative to the target element in the hierarchy; using the partial query identifier to locate the target user interface element for testing a first version of the target application program by at least traversing the hierarchy in a search operation; and maintaining the partial query identifier to search for the target user interface element for testing a second version of the target application program to determine where the target user interface element has moved within the user interface, from one node to another node of the hierarchy associated with the interface, and as distinguished between the first and second versions of the target application program.