GUI-Agnostic Script Duplication via Virtual Machine State Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional script generators for development applications are limited in their ability to duplicate non-core GUI operations across different development applications, platforms, and versions, requiring high maintenance and resulting in reduced reliability and compatibility.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves creating a GUI-agnostic script from trace data that records and replicates any operation specified by a GUI interaction, independent of the presentation layer, allowing execution across various GUI platforms and development applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional add-on script generators record image cues or on-screen cursor locations to tie together user interface shortcuts, then the script can be generated from GUI interactions, but the script fails due to variations in GUI layout, platform, input, version, or updates of the development application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the GUI environment through a virtual machine that replicates the exact GUI state, layout, and elements. Instead of recording fragile image cues that depend on visual appearance, the system captures and reproduces the underlying GUI state data structures, ensuring scripts execute reliably across different platforms and versions by recreating the same virtual environment where the script was originally generated
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual machine as an intermediary layer between the script generator and the target GUI environment. This virtual machine captures GUI interactions and creates standardized virtual representations that are independent of the underlying platform, GUI framework, or visual layout variations, serving as a stable intermediary that ensures script compatibility across different development applications and versions
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional script generators require high degree of maintenance and support to remain operable, then the script can handle specific GUI operations, but the maintenance effort and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automated trace data capture and virtual environment management. The system automatically records GUI interactions as trace data, creates virtual machine instances with captured GUI states, and manages the execution environment without requiring manual intervention for script adaptation or maintenance, significantly reducing the complexity of keeping scripts operable across GUI updates
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-capturing complete GUI state information as trace data before script execution is needed. The virtual machine pre-creates and stores the exact GUI environment state, including all elements, layouts, and configurations, so that when a script needs to execute, the environment is already prepared and matched, eliminating the need for post-deployment maintenance and adaptation
3Reliability
If built-in scripts in a GUI tool are programmed for the specific development application using predefined associations of known GUI tools, then the script can execute core operations, but the script does not support non-core operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal script generation system that works across different development applications and GUI frameworks. By capturing the underlying GUI state and interaction patterns rather than application-specific commands, the system enables a single script generation mechanism to handle both core operations and non-core operations across multiple applications, achieving multi-functionality without requiring separate built-in scripts for each application
Data Source
AI summary
A computing system provides a recording, by a processing device, trace data that is generated for one or more graphical user interface (GUI) interactions of a user. The computing system extracts a subset of the trace data from the recorded trace data, the subset of trace data being associated with one or more GUI interactions specifying operations of a development application performed on a work item. The computing system assembles a script in view of the subset of the trace data to duplicate the operations of the development applications specified by the one or more GUI interactions for one or more other work items.