Covering array sampling of input event sequences for automated GUI testing

Abstract

This paper describes a new automated technique to generate test cases for GUIs by using covering arrays (CAs). The key motivation is to generate long GUI event sequences that are systematically sampled at a particular coverage strength. CAs, to date, have not been effectively used in sampling event driven systems such as GUIs which maintain state. We leverage a "stateless" abstraction of GUIs that allows us to use CAs. Once the CAs have been generated, we reuse the abstractions to reinsert ordering relationships between GUI events, thereby creating executable test cases. A feasibility study on a well-studied GUI-based application shows that the new technique is able to detect a large number of previously undetected faults. Copyright 2007 ACM.