Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for environment-variable driven software testing

US5634098A · kind A · utility

52Cited by
8References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 1, 1995
Grant dateMay 27, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 1, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F11/3688
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus and method for testing software is disclosed. A test base is constructed on a storage device by creating a plurality of directories connected to form a hierarchical directory structure. Files associated with software programs to be tested are stored in directories within the hierarchical directory structure. Such files may include source code files, test input files and expected output files. Environment files and environment configuration files that specify values for environment variables are also stored in the test base. A test is run by invoking a test engine and passing to the test engine the name of an environment file and the name of a test. The test engine modifies the values of environment variables based on the specified environment file prior to executing the specified test. After modifying the environment based on the specified environment file and prior to executing the test, the test engine further modifies the environment based on any applicable environment configuration files. The test engine determines which environment configuration files are applicable to a test based on the location of the environment configuration files in the test base relative to…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.