User interface test coverage

1. A method comprising:

performing by a computer system programmed with code stored in a memory and executing by a processor of the computer system which transforms the computer system into a machine to determine the coverage by test code of user interface (UI) components in a computer program:

(a) locating a UI object in one of the UI components by following a mapped objects hierarchical path in a UI map from a root UI object down to the UI object being located;

(b) linking the UI object located with an image showing how the UI object in the UI component looks like when the UI of the computer program is actually visually displayed;

(c) storing the link, an identifier (ID) of the UI object located, and screen location coordinate information of the UI object located in a UI component name mapping database;

(d) repeating (a)-(c) for the UI objects in the UI map;

(e) extracting from the test code, ID's of the UI components that are being accessed by the test code;

(f) determining the coverage by the test code of the UI components by comparing a number of UI components in the computer program relative to a number of UI components extracted from the test code; and

(g) generating a report of the coverage by the test code.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing by the computer system programmed with the code stored in a memory and executing by the processor of the computer system:

determining if the computer program has changed;

determining if the test code has changed; and

when either the computer program or the test code has changed, performing elements (a)-(g).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the performance of elements (a)-(g) is platform independent.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the coverage by the test code of the UI components by comparing a number of UI components in the computer program relative to a number of UI components extracted from the test code comprises:

determining of the UI objects being accessed by the test code compared with a total number of UI Objects present in the computer program.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein elements (a)-(g) are performed without executing the computer program and without executing the test code.

6. A system comprising:

a processor of a computer system; and

a memory having code stored therein and executable by the processor to transform the computer system into a machine to determine the coverage by test code of user interface (UI) components in a computer program, wherein when executed the code causes the computer system to:

(a) locate a UI object in one of the UI components by following a mapped objects hierarchical path in a UI map from a root UI object down to the UI object being located;

(b) link the UI object located with an image showing how the UI object in the UI component looks like when the UI of the computer program is actually visually displayed;

(c) store the link, an identifier (ID) of the UI object located, and screen location coordinate information of the UI object located in a UI component name mapping database;

(d) repeat (a)-(c) for the UI objects in the UI map;

(e) extract from the test code, ID's of the UI components that are being accessed by the test code;

(f) determine the coverage by the test code of the UI components by comparing a number of UI components in the computer program relative to a number of UI components extracted from the test code; and

(g) generate a report of the coverage by the test code.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the memory further includes code stored therein and executable by the processor to cause the computer system to:

determine if the computer program has changed;

determine if the test code has changed; and

when either the computer program or the test code has changed, perform elements elements (a)-(g).

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the performance of elements (a)-(g) is platform independent.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein to determine the coverage by the test code of the UI components by comparing a number of UI components in the computer program relative to a number of UI components extracted from the test code comprises:

to determine of the UI objects being accessed by the test code compared with a total number of UI Objects present in the computer program.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the elements (a)-(g) are performed without executing the computer program and without executing the test code.

11. A non-transitory, computer readable medium comprising system comprising code stored therein and executable by a processor of a computer system which transforms the computer system into a machine to determine the coverage by test code of user interface (UI) components in a computer program, wherein the code is executable to:

a. locate a UI object in one of the UI components by following a mapped objects hierarchical path in a UI map from a root UI object down to the UI object being located;

b. link the UI object located with an image showing how the UI object in the UI component looks like when the UI of the computer program is actually visually displayed;

c. store the link, an identifier (ID) of the UI object located, and screen location coordinate information of the UI object located in a UI component name mapping database;

d. repeat (a)-(c) for the UI objects in the UI map;

e. extract from the test code, ID's of the UI components that are being accessed by the test code;

f. determine the coverage by the test code of the UI components by comparing a number of UI components in the computer program relative to a number of UI components extracted from the test code; and

g. generate a report of the coverage by the test code.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the computer readable medium further includes code stored therein and executable by the processor to cause the computer system to:

determine if the computer program has changed;

determine if the test code has changed; and

when either the computer program or the test code has changed, perform elements (a)-(g).

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the performance of elements (a)-(f) is platform independent.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein to determine the coverage by the test code of the UI components by comparing a number of UI components in the computer program relative to a number of UI components extracted from the test code comprises:

to determine of the UI objects being accessed by the test code compared with a total number of UI Objects present in the computer program.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the elements (a)-(g) are performed without executing the computer program and without executing the test code.

16. An apparatus to determine the coverage by test code of user interface (UI) components in a computer program, the apparatus comprising:

means for locating UI objects in one or more of the UI components by following a mapped objects hierarchical path in a UI map from a root UI object down to the UI object being located;

means for linking the UI objects located with an image showing how the UI objects in the UI components look like when the UI of the computer program is actually visually displayed;

means for storing the links, an identifiers (ID) of the UI object located, and screen location coordinate information of the UI object located in a UI component name mapping database;

means for extracting from the test code, ID's of the UI components that are being accessed by the test code;

means for determining the coverage by the test code of the UI components by comparing a number of UI components in the computer program relative to a number of UI components extracted from the test code; and

means for generating a report of the coverage by the test code.