Borland International, Inc.

Richard J Potts

Mark A Vershel

Ramin L Halviatti

The present invention includes a Computer-based Training system (CBT) having one or more Application Translation Units (ATUs), a Message Engine, and a Script Engine. For one or more target applications of interest, an ATU is provided for processing events specific to that application, thereby trapping events and translating them into abstract messages or 'meta-messages' for conveying information about a particular event to the system. A computer-aided software testing embodiment of the present invention is also described. The system provides prefabricated building blocks for constructing a high-level model of an application's User Interface (UI). This high-level model serves as a middle ground between test scripts and the application being tested. The knowledge of how a given UI element is controlled or how it can be observed is retained in the model rather than in a test script. Consequently, the test script consists of easy-to-maintain, high-level testing commands only.

System and methods for improved program testing

The present invention includes a computer-based training system (CBT) having one or more Application Translation Units (ATUs), a message engine, and a script engine. For one or more target applications of interest, an ATU is provided for processing events specific to that application, thereby trapping events and translating them into abstract messages or 'meta-messages' for conveying information about a particular event to the system. A general operating system ATU is also provided for trapping general system events. Translated event messages are processed by event handlers. System or application-specific messages which are not of interest are simply allowed to pass through. The individual handlers dispatch their respective messages to the script engine, which includes instructions for directing the activity of the target application(s). The script engine, in turn, acts upon an incoming message. The dispatched message triggers appropriate action (as specified by instructions within the script).

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Richard J Potts