System and method for simulating user input to control the operation of an application

A method for simulating user input to control the operation of an application, comprising:

• selecting application specification information and execution input information indicative of a desired application operation, wherein said application specification information is selected from at least a first list comprising at least one of application identifier information, description information, menu text information, fast path information, and version information;
• constructing execution parameter information from said application specification information;
• identifying application parameter information substantially corresponding to said execution parameter information that enables the application to be controlled in accordance with said desired application operation;
• and
• providing said execution input information to said substantially corresponding application parameter information for simulating the user input to achieve said desired application operation.

A computer-usable storage medium having a computer program embodied therein for causing a computing system to simulate user input for controlling the operation of an application by performing the following steps when the computer program is executed on the computing system:

• maintaining selected application specification information and execution input information indicative of a desired application operation;
• constructing execution parameter information from said application specification information;
• identifying application parameter information substantially corresponding to said execution parameter information that enables the application to be controlled in accordance with said desired application operation;
• and
• providing said execution input information to said substantially corresponding application parameter information for simulating the user input to achieve said desired application operation, wherein said computer program provides at least a first menu list for selecting said application specification information, and wherein said computer program provides at least one of a menu list and a literal value pane for selecting said execution input information.

A method for generating a test script for simulating user input to control the operation of an application, comprising:

• populating an application list with at least one of application identifier information and description information, wherein said at least one of application identifier information and description information define at least a first application;
• selecting an item provided by said application list;
• populating a menu list with information concerning forms associated with said item selected from said application list;
• selecting at least a first item provided in said menu list;
• and
• developing a test script corresponding to said selections made in said step of selecting an item provided by said application list and in said step of selecting at least a first item provided by said menu list, wherein said test script is capable of simulating user input to control the operation of an application corresponding to said item selected from said application list.