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Translation from layout-based to visual android test scripts: An empirical evaluation

delete2021-01-01
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R
Riccardo Coppola
L
Luca Ardito *
M
Marco Torchiano
E
Emil Alégroth
DOI:10.1016/j.jss.2020.110845delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Mobile GUI tests can be classified as layout-based - i.e. using GUI properties as locators - or Visual - i.e. using widgets' screen captures as locators -. Visual test scripts require significant maintenance efforts to be kept aligned with the tested application as it evolves or it is ported to different devices. This work aims to conceptualize a translation-based approach to automatically derive Visual tests from existing layout-based counterparts or repair them when graphical changes occur, and to develop a tool that implements and validates the approach. We present TOGGLE, a tool that translates Espresso layout-based tests for Android apps to Visual tests that conform to either SikuliX, EyeAutomate, or a combination of the two tools' syntax. An experiment is conducted to measure the precision of the translation approach, which is evaluated on maintenance tasks triggered by graphical changes due to device diversity. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of a translation-based approach, show that script portability to different devices is improved (from 32% to 93%), and indicate that translation can repair up to 90% of Visual locators in failing tests. GUI test translation mitigates challenges with Visual tests like maintenance effort and portability, enabling their wider use in industrial practice. (c) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
GUI testing
Mobile testing
Empirical software engineering
Software validation
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Journal

Journal of Systems and Software cover
Journal of Systems and Software
IF:
4.1
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5.4K
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Polytechnic University of Turin
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