Cloud-based software testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10067858-B2
Application number	US-201213650608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2012
Priority date	Oct 12, 2012
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

In a method of software item testing, an automated test of a software item is initiated in a cloud-based computing environment in exchange for a fee. The test is part of a testing framework in the cloud-based computing environment. In response to occurrence of an error condition during the test, the test is paused within the cloud-based computing environment. An alteration to the test is accepted while the test is paused. The alteration is accepted via a user interface to the cloud-based computing environment. Testing is continued within the cloud-based computing environment, using altered test.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processor-implemented method of software item testing, said method comprising:
in exchange for a fee:
initiating, in a cloud-based computing environment, an automated test of a software item using a test of a testing framework;
in response to occurrence of an error condition during said test, pausing said test within said cloud-based computing environment;
presenting a user interface for receiving an alteration to said test while said test is paused;
accepting said alteration to said test while said test is paused, said alteration accepted via said user interface to said cloud-based computing environment; and
continuing said test, within said cloud-based computing environment, using said altered test.

2. The processor-implemented method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said accepting an alteration to a test while said test is paused comprises:
accepting said alteration, wherein said alteration comprises a change to a custom action of a custom action layer of said testing framework.

3. The processor-implemented method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said continuing said test using said altered test comprises:
continuing said test from a point in said test where said error occurred.

4. A processor-implemented method of software item testing, said method comprising:
in exchange for a fee, initiating an automated test of a software item within a cloud-based computing environment;
in response to occurrence of an error condition during said test, pausing said test within said cloud-based computing environment and capturing a screen shot of an execution state of said software item;
sending a report of the said error condition to a specified electronic notification location while said test is paused, said report comprising said screen shot;
presenting a user interface for receiving an alteration to said test while said test is paused;
accepting an alteration to said test while said test is paused, said alteration accepted via said user interface to said cloud-based computing environment; and
continuing said test within said cloud-based computing environment using said altered test.

5. The processor-implemented method as recited in claim 4 , wherein said initiating an automated test of a software item within a cloud-based computing environment comprises:
initiating said automated test in accordance with direction from a task scheduler.

6. The processor-implemented method as recited in claim 4 , wherein said sending results of said test to a specified electronic notification location comprises:
sending said results of said test to a designated electronic notification location selected from the group consisting of: an electronic mail address, a social network, a wiki, a flat file, a spread sheet, and a network storage location.

7. A processor-implemented method of software item testing, said method comprising:
in exchange for a fee, initiating an automated test of a software item within a cloud-based computing environment;
responsive to occurrence of an error condition during said test, pausing said test within said cloud-based computing environment and capturing test data associated with said error condition, said test data comprising a screen shot of an execution state of said software item;
forwarding a portion of said captured test data to a designated electronic notification location while said test is paused;
presenting a user interface for receiving an alteration to said test while said test is paused;
accepting an alteration to said test while said test is paused, said alteration accepted via said user interface to said cloud-based computing environment; and
continuing said test within said cloud-based computing environment using said altered test.

8. The processor-implemented method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said initiating an automated test of a software item within a cloud-based computing environment comprises:
initiating said automated test in accordance with direction from a task scheduler.

9. The processor-implemented method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said capturing test data associated with said error condition comprises:
embedding a hyperlink in a test log at a point associated with said error condition, said hyperlink comprising a link to additional captured data regarding said error condition.

10. The processor-implemented method as recited in claim 7 , wherein said forwarding a portion of said captured test data to a designated electronic notification location comprises:
forwarding said portion of said captured test data to a designated electronic notification location selected from the group consisting of: an electronic mail address, a social network, a wiki, a flat file, a spread sheet, and a network storage location.

11. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium containing a computer program product for software item testing, the computer program product comprising:
a cloud-based computing environment configured for fee based user access;
a framework layer to perform a test comprising a custom action on a software item, said framework layer disposed in said cloud-based computing environment;
at least one fixture layer to communicate with said framework layer and a custom action layer, said at least one fixture layer disposed in said cloud-based computing environment;
a custom action layer to communicate with said fixture layer and a test layer, said custom action layer disposed within said cloud-based computing environment, said custom action layer for receiving said custom action that is operable to be called by said test during execution of said test; and
said test layer to communicate with said custom action layer, said test layer disposed within said cloud-based computing environment, said test layer operable to execute said test comprising said custom action.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said framework layer, said at least one fixture layer, and said test layer are fixed.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said custom action layer is dynamic.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said custom action layer supports custom actions operable to test a plurality of types of software items using a single language.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein a layer of software allows for customizations and modifications of other software layers through a natural language, without a need to compile code.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said software item comprises a software development kit.

Assignees

• Vmware Inc
• Vmware Inc

Inventors

• Mcdonald Sean
• Gibbens David

Classifications

• G06F8/30

  Creation or generation of source code · CPC title

• G06F11/3688

  for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites · CPC title

• G06F8/36

  Software reuse · CPC title

• G06F11/0769

  Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats · CPC title

• G06F11/0772

  Means for error signaling, e.g. using interrupts, exception flags, dedicated error registers · CPC title