Web ui automation maintenance tool

Abstract

A web UI automation maintenance tool includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores UI automation scripts for an initial web page to be displayed, elements on the initial web page, and element identifiers associated with the elements on the initial web page. The processor receives an update to the initial web page, identifies the elements on the initial web page, and element identifiers associated with the elements on the updated web page. The processor determines similarities between the initial web page and the updated web page for each element, and identifies a new element identifier for each updated element having an element identifier that was changed from the initial web page to the updated web page. The new element identifiers in the UI automation script are updated based on the determined similarities and without requiring manual intervention for the update.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A web UI automation maintenance tool comprising:
 a memory configured to store the following:
 UI (user interface) automation scripts for an initial web page to be displayed, and 
 elements on the initial web page, and element identifiers associated with the elements on the initial web page; and 
   a processor coupled to said memory and configured to perform the following:
 receive an update to the initial web page, 
 identify the elements on the initial web page, and element identifiers associated with the elements on the updated web page, 
 determine similarities between the initial web page and the updated web page for each element, 
 identify a new element identifier for each updated element having an element identifier that was changed from the initial web page to the updated web page, and 
 update the new element identifiers in the UI automation script based on the determined similarities. 
   
     
     
         2 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 1  wherein each element identifier corresponds to an address for each respective element. 
     
     
         3 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 2  wherein each web page is represented by a document object model tree, and with each address identifying a location of the respective element on the document object model tree. 
     
     
         4 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 1  wherein:
 said memory is further configured to store attributes associated with each element in the initial web page, with the attributes providing additional information on the elements in the initial web page; and 
 said processor is further configured to perform the following:
 identify attributes associated with each element in the updated web page, with the attributes providing additional information on the elements in the updated web page, and 
 use the attributes to determine the similarities between the initial web page and the updated web page for each element. 
 
 
     
     
         5 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 4  wherein the attributes comprise at least one of text, location and type. 
     
     
         6 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 5  wherein each element is defined as a rectangle, with the location corresponding to a corner of the rectangle, and with the location further including a width and height of the rectangle. 
     
     
         7 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 5  wherein the text describes the element that is to be displayed on each web page. 
     
     
         8 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 5  wherein the type corresponds to at least one of a click button, drop down menu, a check box, and a text box. 
     
     
         9 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 1  wherein the initial web page and the updated web page are in an HTML format. 
     
     
         10 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 1  wherein said processor is further configured to identify if a new element has been added to the updated web page that was not in the initial web page, and to generate a report if a new element has been added since an update will not be performed. 
     
     
         11 . The web UI automation maintenance tool according to  claim 1  wherein said processor is further configured to identify if an element in the initial web page has been removed from the updated web page, and to generate a report if an element has been removed since an update will not be performed. 
     
     
         12 . A method for updating UI automation scripts using a web UI automation maintenance tool comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the method comprising:
 storing UI (user interface) automation scripts for an initial web page to be displayed, elements on the initial web page, and element identifiers associated with the elements on the initial web page; and   operating the processor to perform the following:
 receive an update to the initial web page, 
 identify the elements on the initial web page, and element identifiers associated with the elements on the updated web page, 
 determine similarities between the initial web page and the updated web page for each element, 
 identify a new element identifier for each updated element having an element identifier that was changed from the initial web page to the updated web page, and 
 update the new element identifiers in the UI automation script based on the determined similarities and without requiring manual intervention for the update. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein each element identifier corresponds to an address for each respective element. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein each web page is represented by a document object model tree, and with each address identifying a location of the respective element on the document object model tree. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13  further comprising:
 storing in the memory attributes associated with each element in the initial web page, with the attributes providing additional information on the elements in the initial web page; and 
 operating the processor to perform the following:
 identify attributes associated with each element in the updated web page, with the attributes providing additional information on the elements in the updated web page, and 
 use the attributes to determine the similarities between the initial web page and the updated web page for each element. 
 
 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the attributes comprise at least one of text, location and type. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the initial web page and the updated web page are in an HTML format. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising the processor to identify if a new element has been added to the updated web page that was not in the initial web page, and to generate a report if a new element has been added since an update will not be performed. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising the processor to identify if an element in the initial web page has been removed from the updated web page, and to generate a report if an element has been removed since an update will not be performed. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium for updating UI automation scripts using a web UI automation maintenance tool comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, and with the non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of computer executable instructions for causing the web UI automation maintenance tool to perform steps comprising:
 storing UI (user interface) automation scripts for an initial web page to be displayed, elements on the initial web page, and element identifiers associated with the elements on the initial web page; and   operating the processor to perform the following:
 receive an update to the initial web page, 
 identify the elements on the initial web page, and element identifiers associated with the elements on the updated web page, 
 determine similarities between the initial web page and the updated web page for each element, 
 identify a new element identifier for each updated element having an element identifier that was changed from the initial web page to the updated web page, and 
 update the new element identifiers in the UI automation script based on the determined similarities and without requiring manual intervention for the update.