Method and apparatus for obtaining user interface information from executable program code

A system for extracting user interface information from machine executable code that is operable for presenting the user interface information on a display device, comprising:

• a data processor, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage media;
• first instructions for invoking the machine executable code in a mode that renders user interface information contained within the machine executable code to form invoked machine executable code;
• second instructions, responsive to the first instructions for invoking the machine executable code, for determining which pre-existing modules within the invoked machine executable code are usable for rendering the user interface information on a display of a device;
• third instructions for using the pre-existing modules to render at least one user interface on the display of the device;
• fourth instructions for extracting the user interface information from the invoked machine executable code that is operable for presenting the user interface information on the display device by capturing an image of the at least one user interface rendered on the display during the invoking of the machine executable code;
• and
• fifth instructions for saving the captured image of the display of the at least one user interface rendered on the display to a file;
• wherein the first, second, third and fourth instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the data processor via the computer readable memory;
• wherein the second instructions for determining which pre-existing modules within the invoked machine executable code are usable for rendering the user interface information comprises instructions for searching the invoked machine executable code to locate display modules contained within the invoked machine executable code and adding the display modules that are located to a list, and wherein the third instructions for using the pre-existing modules to render at least one user interface further comprises invoking a given display module of the display modules that is on the list to render the at least one user interface.

A computer program product embodied in a tangible computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code for extracting user interface information from machine executable code that is operable for presenting the user interface information on a display device, said computer program product comprising:

• computer usable program code for invoking the machine executable code in a mode that renders user interface information contained within the machine executable code to form invoked machine executable code;
• computer usable program code, responsive to the computer usable program code for invoking the machine executable code, for determining which pre-existing modules within the invoked machine executable code are usable for rendering the user interface information on a display of a device;
• computer usable program code for using the pre-existing modules to render at least one user interface on the display of the device;
• computer usable program code for extracting the user interface information from the invoked machine executable code that is operable for presenting the user interface information on the display device by capturing an image of the at least one user interface rendered on the display during the invoking of the machine executable code;
• and
• computer usable program code for saving the captured image of the display of the at least one user interface rendered on the display to a file;
• wherein the computer usable program code for determining which pre-existing modules within the invoked machine executable code are usable for rendering the user interface information comprises:
• computer usable program code for searching the invoked machine executable code to locate display modules contained within the invoked machine executable code;
• and
• computer usable program code, responsive to the computer usable program code for searching the invoked machine executable code, for adding the display modules that are located to a list.

A computer program product embodied in a tangible computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code for extracting user interface information from machine executable code that is operable for presenting the user interface information on a display device, said computer program product comprising:

• computer usable program code for invoking the machine executable code in a mode that renders user interface information contained within the machine executable code to form invoked machine executable code;
• computer usable program code, responsive to the computer usable program code for invoking the machine executable code, for determining which pre-existing modules within the invoked machine executable code are usable for rendering the user interface information on a display of a device;
• computer usable program code for using the pre-existing modules to render at least one user interface on the display of the device;
• computer usable program code for extracting the user interface information from the invoked machine executable code that is operable for presenting the user interface information on the display device by capturing an image of the at least one user interface rendered on the display during the invoking of the machine executable code;
• and
• computer usable program code for saving the captured image of the display of the at least one user interface rendered on the display to a file;
• wherein the computer usable program code for using the pre-existing modules to render at least one user interface further comprises:
• computer usable program code for invoking a given display module of the display modules that is on the list to render the at least one user interface.