Application Testing Automation via Synchronized Profiling

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for identifying the root causes of defects in applications are costly and time-consuming, especially when reproducing complex scenarios or environments, as developers must manually recreate conditions to debug the application code.

Innovation Solution

Automated synchronization of test steps and profiling information using a script executor and profiler, which generates reports correlating test steps with application behavior, allowing developers to quickly identify error causes without altering the application's source code.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If developers manually reproduce complex scenarios or environments to debug application code, then they can identify root causes of defects, but the process becomes very costly and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedefect root cause identification accuracyVSAvoiddebugging time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically executing test steps and collecting profiling information during the testing phase, before developers need to debug. This prepares the synchronized data in advance, eliminating the need for developers to manually reproduce scenarios later, thus reducing debugging time while maintaining defect identification accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the application execution state through profiling information that mirrors the actual runtime behavior. This virtual copy includes function call stacks, variable states, and execution flow, allowing developers to analyze defects without manually recreating the complex environment, thereby reducing time loss while preserving measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If developers manually reproduce complex scenarios or environments to debug application code, then they can identify root causes of defects, but the process becomes very costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedefect root cause identification accuracyVSAvoiddebugging cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a virtual copy of the application execution environment through automated profiling, capturing function call stacks, variable states, and execution flow. This virtual representation allows developers to analyze defects without incurring the costs of manual environment setup and scenario reproduction, reducing debugging costs while maintaining accurate defect root cause identification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical process of manual environment setup and scenario reproduction with an automated information processing system. The profiler automatically collects and synchronizes execution data, substituting manual developer actions with automated computational processes, thereby reducing both time and cost while preserving defect analysis accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If testing is performed on a non-trivial environment requiring many setup steps, then realistic application behavior can be tested, but bringing the application to the desired starting point becomes very costly and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetesting realismVSAvoidenvironment setup time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically executing test steps and collecting profiling information during the testing phase, before developers need to debug. This prepares the synchronized data in advance, eliminating the need for developers to manually reproduce scenarios later, thus reducing debugging time while maintaining defect identification accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the application execution state through profiling information that mirrors the actual runtime behavior. This virtual copy includes function call stacks, variable states, and execution flow, allowing developers to analyze defects without manually recreating the complex environment, thereby reducing time loss while preserving measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS9697107B2Testing applications

Publication Date: 2017.07.04 MICRO FOCUS LLC

AI summary

A system and method for testing an application are provided herein. The method includes automatically executing a script for testing an application, collecting test step information corresponding to test steps performed in accordance with the script, and collecting profiling information during execution of the script. The test step information and the profiling information include data that are used to automatically synchronize the test step information and the profiling information.