Method, apparatus and database using a map of linked data nodes for storing test numbers

1. A method for assigning test numbers, comprising:

during execution of a testflow, maintaining current testflow context information as an array of one or more context values;

upon execution of a subtest in the testflow, indexing a map of linked data nodes using a key formed from i) a numeric identifier of the subtest, and ii) said array of context values, and

if a data node corresponding to the key exists in the map and is associated with a test number, assigning the data node's test number to a result of the subtest; and

else, assigning a new test number to the result of the subtest, and associating the new test number with a data node that is linked in the map; and

outputting the result of the subtest with the test number.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said data nodes have a homogeneous structure.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of said homogeneous data nodes comprises a node type field, and an array of child node indices to which the data node is linked.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein each of said homogeneous data nodes further comprises a test number field.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said key is formed by adding said numeric identifier of the subtest to said array of context values.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said context values are integers.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said context values are direct memory references.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining current testflow context information comprises:

for each testflow context that is a string, using the string to look up a numeric equivalent of the string;

if a numeric equivalent of the string is found, adding the numeric equivalent to said array of context values; and

if a numeric equivalent of the string is not found, assigning a numeric equivalent to the string, adding the numeric equivalent to said array of context values, and adding the numeric equivalent and string to a look-up table.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining current testflow context information further comprises maintaining an array of context types, wherein said context types have a one-to-one correspondence with said context values.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said array of context types is maintained as an array of context type values.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

maintaining current testflow context information comprises i) for each testflow context that is a string, using the string to look up a numeric equivalent of the string, and ii) if a numeric equivalent of the string is found, adding the numeric equivalent to said array of context values; and

maintaining said array of context type values comprises i) for each context type that is a string, using the string to look up a numeric equivalent of the string, and ii) if a numeric equivalent of the string is found, adding the numeric equivalent to said array of context type values.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said key is further formed from a depth number that is equal to the number of values in said array of context values; said method further comprising using said depth number to traverse a fixed number of data nodes in said map.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, if said key specifies traversing an invalid node in said map, validating said node using at least part of said key.

14. A test number engine, comprising:

computer readable media; and

program code, stored on said computer readable media, comprising:

code to, in response to a call for a test number, index a map of linked data nodes using a key formed from i) a numeric identifier of a subtest, and ii) an array of one or more current testflow context values;

code to, upon indexing a data node associated with a test number, satisfy the call by returning the test number, and output the data node associated with the test number; and

code to, upon a miss in indexing the map, generate a new test number, satisfy the call by returning the new test number, associate the new test number with a data node that is linked in the map, and output the data node linked in the map with the test number.

15. The test number engine of claim 14 , wherein the program code further comprises code to maintain said array of current testflow context values.

16. The test number engine of claim 15 , wherein the code to maintain said array uses received testflow context strings to look up numeric equivalents of said strings, said looked up numeric equivalents being pushed into said array of current testflow context values.