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AUTOMATED UAT TEST CASE AND TEST PLAN GENERATION FOR ASPECT
ORIENTED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT BASED ON USE CASESPECIFICATION
FLOWS

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 A. Anandaraj, J. Jayanthi, R. Vijaya Lakshmi / International Journal of Communication, Computation and Innovation / Volume 1, Issue 1, 2010

AUTOMATED UAT TEST CASE AND TEST PLAN GENERATION FOR

ASPECT ORIENTED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT BASED ON USE CASE
SPECIFICATION FLOWS
A. Anandaraj 1, J. Jayanthi2, R. Vijaya Lakshmi 3
1
Lecturer, CSE, Narasu’s Sarathy Institute of Technology, Salem, 2 Asst. Professor, CSE, Sona College of Technology, Salem,
3
Lecturer, IT, Sri Krishna Engineering College and Technology, Coimbatore
anandarajme@gmail.com, jayamithu2002@yahoo.co.in, viji.r24@gmail.com
Abstract
Testing is an integral part of software development activity to validate that conformity of the system developed
with the system requirements so as to convince users to accept the system. Testing should occur throughout the software
development life cycle from analysis to source code generation. A test case is a set of inputs, execution results developed
for a particular objective, such as to verify compliance with specific requirements. A use case describes sequence of
actions a system performs that yield an observable result of value to a particular actor. Scenarios are described by the use
cases to perform set of test cases help to identify and organize test cases systematically. In this paper we proposed a
technique for generation of test cases derived from flows described in the use case specification. A use case scenario is
made up of one or more use case flow of events. A use case flow can be described in the form of use case specification.
A test specification is called a test plan. The objective of the proposed system is to develop a framework for generating
User Acceptance Test case and Test plan for Aspect Oriented Software Development with an automated test case generation
Keywords : Aspect Oriented Software Development, Crosscutting Concerns and User Acceptance Test Plan

1. Introduction easily configured and extended to meet the

evolving needs of stakeholders. AOSD with use
A test case[1] in software engineering cases could be adaptable in the following ways:
normally consists of a unique identifier, model crosscutting concerns with use cases.
requirements, requirements references from a Then design use cases in terms use case slices
design specification, pre conditions, events, a [2] and use case modules [2].Use case module:
series of steps(also known as actions) to follow, the localization of everything about a use case
input, output, expected result, actual result. within a single package. It contains many use
Clinically defined a test case is an input and an case slices. Use case slice contains the specifics
of a model in a single package. A use case slice
expected result. A test case should also contain
of the analysis or design model contains classes
a place for the actual result. All the testing [7][2] and aspects of classes specific to a use
activities are the test cases [3][4]. The creation case. Aspect [2][10] technology is used to
and execution of the test cases themselves compose use case slices and use cases modules
constitute the bulk of the testing and the quality to form the complete model of the system to be
thoroughness with which they are designed and developed.
executed determine the quality of the final result.
1.2 Use case specification
1.1 AOSD A use case specification [2][10] is
Aspect oriented software development associated with use case. It describes the
behavior of a use case by walking through the
[2] is about better modularity for the entire
interactions between actors and the system [2].
system encompassing concerns of many different
What information is manipulated, presented and
kinds - better modularity for functional persisted.
requirements and non functional requirements,
platform specifics, and so on and keeping all 1.3 User Acceptance Test Plan
concerns[2] separate allows to construct system UAT is one of the final stages of a project
that have a more understandable structure and and often occurs before a client or customer
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 A. Anandaraj, J. Jayanthi, R. Vijaya Lakshmi / International Journal of Communication, Computation and Innovation / Volume 1, Issue 1, 2010

accepts the new system. Users of the system We list the use case specification for Make
perform these tests, which developers derive Reservation Room Use case.
from the client’s contract or the user 2.1 Use case specification
requirements specification.
Make Reservation Room
UAT test plans state the sequence of
inputs in association with the desired processes Brief description
together with the expected outputs from these This use case describes how the customer
processes. The test cases generated from reserves a room.
classification approach states the combination Basic flow
of classes in the tests.
B1: Reserve Room
2. Case Study
The use case begins when a customer when a
Hotel reservation management system the customer wants to reserve room.
goal of the customer is to reserve rooms and
Alternate flows
stay there happily for a period of time. The room
reservation can be done through different channel A1: Duplicate Submission
such as agent, internet, or via phone. Counter There is an identical reservation in the system
staff help customers check in and check out of (same name, e-mail...etc), the system displays
their rooms. Of course counter staff must collect the existing reservation and asks the customer
payment from the customer when they checkout. if he wants to proceed with the new reservation.
The hotel management can define standard
room’s rates and promotional offers when room A2…
rates are reduced for limited periods. Hotel Sub flows
reservation management system creates a waiting
S1: Check Room Cost
list in case of the rooms are fully reserved system
must handle different types of customers The system computes the cost for the specified
(Individual, corporate, members) only authorized period.
personnel can perform their functionalities. Preconditions
Use case diagram for Hotel reservation The customer has logged in to the system.
management system
Post conditions
Upon successful reservation, a new reservation
record created. if reservation is unsuccessful,
there is no change in the database.
3. Flow Based Classification
Flow based classification [5] is based on
use case flow of events basic flow alternate
flow, sub flow and extension flow [1][2].
Each path through a use case scenario. It
chains various flows together into single
sequence. It describes the desired behavior of
one use case instance evaluate the
implementation of use case scenario [4].
Figure 1 : Use case diagram for Hotel reservation Since they are many different use case scenarios
management system at least one use case scenario per flow of events.

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 A. Anandaraj, J. Jayanthi, R. Vijaya Lakshmi / International Journal of Communication, Computation and Innovation / Volume 1, Issue 1, 2010

That is, each use case flow of events must appear within the flow of events where they are
within at least one use case scenario. Each flow defined.
is having classification and classes. Classification
4.4 Extension Flow
[2] is defined as aspect of viewing the input
domain of the program to be tested. Classes A special case of an alternate flow, which
[2][4][10] are defined as disjoint subsets of executes in the context of a separate use-case
values of the classes. The classification of each instance[2] (other than the one in which it is
flow is dependent on one another. specified).Each flow is executed with set of
We list the classification and classes of the variables and its values.
case study in table 1. Let X is an input variable and  ( X ) be a set of
Table 1: classification and its associated classes values of X can use  ( X ) can be represented
(attributes)
as number of disjoint sets.
Classification Associated Classes
1. Room class single, double, AC room  ( X )  Uk  k ( X )
2. Payment mode cash, credit card d

3. Customer type individual, corporate  U k ( X )

k 1
4. No of rooms one, two, three
Value (X)  k (X )
5.Reservation periods single, multi, recurring
6.Reservation channel internet, agent, phone
V( X1 )  {x11 , x12 , x13......x1n ......x1c } 1

7. Approval process Accept, reject, waiting list U{x12 , x22 , x23......x2n ......x2c } 2

8. Room selection ID confirmed ID, waiting ID

U {x31 , x32 , x33 ......x3n ......x3c } 3

4. Basic Definition ………..

Basic classes and classification U { x1p , x 2p , x 3p ...... x np ...... x cp } i

interpretation: ………...
In this section, we discuss about the ..……….
cj
classification, classes and valid test cases by using U {x1d , xd2 , xd3 ......xdn ......xd }
formal mathematical definition for each flow.
4.5 Value Function
4.1 Basic Flow
A value function[4] V(X) is defined to
The description of the normal, expected path return the value that is relevant for a particular
through the use case. This is the path taken by flow.
most of the users most of the time.
Value function is varied for each flow
4.2 Alternate Flow based on the relevant transaction occurring in
that flow.
Each alternative flow represents alternative
behavior usually due to exceptions that occur in 4.5.1 Value Function for Basic Flow
the main flow.
Value function for basic flow is
4.3 Sub Flow d
 ( X )  kU1 k ( X )
A self contained, labeled section of a
flow. Sub flows can be reused in many places (or)
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 A. Anandaraj, J. Jayanthi, R. Vijaya Lakshmi / International Journal of Communication, Computation and Innovation / Volume 1, Issue 1, 2010

p attribute and classification arrangement. We list

 ( X )  kU1 ( X ) Where p<d
k
the flow based test cases in table 2.
Table2: Matrix computation for test case generation
Value (X)  k (X )
Attribute
V( X 1 )  {x11 , x12 , x13 ......x1n ......x1c1 } 1,3 2,2 3,3 4,3 5,3 6,3 7,3 8,2
Flow
U{x12 , x22 , x23 ......x2n ......x2c2 } Basic # # # # # # 1* 1*
1 2 3 n c3
U { x , x , x ...... x ...... x }
3 3 3 3 3 Alternate # # # # # # 2* 2*
……….. Sub # # # - # - - -

U{x1p , x 2p , x 3p ......x np ......x cpi } Extension # # # # # # 3* 2*

4.5.2 Value Function for Alternate Flow For example let us consider reserve room
Value function for Alternate flow can be use case for showing how the test cases are
defined to return the values that are relevant for generated in flow based classification[1][4]. In
alternate flow execution. matrix test case method in table the rows are
indicated as attributes (classification, associated
V ( X )  k ( X ) classes) and the columns are represented as use
case flows [2]. For example from above table 1,
Consider program having ‘n’ input 3 are known to be as classification and associated
variables(X 1……………. Xn) the values of these classes [1][4][6] respectively the first number
variables form an input tuple (V(X1)…….V(Xn)) represents the classification[9] and the second
Value of (X1…Xn) in basic flow ‘“ value number represents the total number of attribute
values for an associated class. Based on the
of (X1….Xn) in Alternate flow
classification and its associated classes if the
V( X 1 )  {x1p , x 2p , x 3p ......x np ......x cpi } process is accepted under the approval
classification then it is a basic flow else alternate
…….. flow or sub flow. For each basic flow there can
c
be ‘n’ number of alternate flows. The test case
U{x1d , xd2 , xd3 ......xdn ......xd j } for each use case flows can be generated with
the help of proposed method.
5. Test Case Generation Sample test cases are
Under the flow based classification we have Basic Flow
so many flows like basic flow, alternate flow,
sub flow and extension flow. Each and every flow {Single, credit card, individual, one, single,
has its own classification along with its attributes phone, Accept, confirmed ID}
and they are tabulated. If all the attributes are Alternate Flow
present in the flow based classification then they
{Single, credit card, individual, one, single,
are marked as hash (#) and if only subset of
phone, Reject}
attributes alone chosen from the classification
then they are represented as asterisk (*) along Sub Flow
with its attribute number. {Single, credit card, individual, single}
If the attributes are not present in the flow Extension Flow
based classification then they are marked as
heifen (-). Test case is generated in each and {Single, credit card, individual, one, single,
every flow based classification based on its phone, waiting list, waiting ID}
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 A. Anandaraj, J. Jayanthi, R. Vijaya Lakshmi / International Journal of Communication, Computation and Innovation / Volume 1, Issue 1, 2010

6. User Acceptance Test Plan Generation systematically. This proposed method identifies
a set of test cases for each use case flow
Test cases do not show whether the classes separately. This is important, since we can easily
are inputs or outputs nor the processes. localize the presence of defects and bottlenecks.
Consequently, there is a gap between UAT test This paper reports our study of using use case
plan[6] and test cases generated from specification flow method for generation of test
classification approach. Hence the test cases cases.
generated from classification approach cannot
be used directly as test plans in UAT. References

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