Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

James W Elder

Ricard Roma I Dalfó

William Clifford Hunter

Karel Blaha

Sunil Puri

Automation objects are implemented in a client-server model to control operations on one or more client machines from a single machine automation control module, such as a test program. The machine automation control module instantiates machine automation server objects in a server process. The control module can then instruct the server objects to instantiate corresponding machine automation client objects on specified client machines via a connection mechanism. Object-oriented automation classes are provided in a library and may be extended to meet customized requirements of a given testing procedure. Examples of automation objects may include, without limitation, application objects, machine image objects, snapshot objects, file and registry access objects, reboot objects, autologon objects, and command execution objects. Automation objects allow the re-establishment of remote control after the loss of control resulting from a reboot, a relogon, or a disk image restoration, for example. Automation objects may also be used to automate the deployment of software throughout an enterprise.

Object-based machine automation method and system

Determining, prior to operation of an application program module, that a foreign file format is fully convertible to a native file format. Full conversion of the foreign file format means that a significant majority of the style and presentation of the content of the foreign file are preserved after conversion to the native file format. Prior to an attempted file conversion by the application program module, the filename extension of the foreign file is examined. If the filename extension is recognized as indicating that the foreign file is fully convertible, the application program module is commanded to access and convert the foreign file to the native file format. If the filename extension does not indicate that the foreign file is fully convertible, a determination is made as to whether the filename extension is registered in an operating system registry. If the filename extension is registered, it is considered not to a WordPerfect file and is ignored. If no determination can be made from the filename extension as to whether the foreign file is fully convertible and the filename extension is not registered, the internal structure of the foreign file is examined. If examination of the internal structure of the foreign file reveals that it is fully convertible, the application program module is commanded to access and convert the foreign file to the native file format. When no determination can be made, either from the filename extension or the internal file structure, that the foreign file is fully convertible, the file is ignored and no conversion is attempted by the application program module.

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James W Elder